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When an academic paper is published in a journal that assigns a digital object identifier (DOI) to papers, this is a de facto fait accompli. Corrections or retractions are supposed to follow a specific protocol, especially in journals that claim to follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. In this paper, we highlight a case of a new, fully open access neuroscience journal that claims to be COPE-compliant, yet has silently retracted two papers since all records, bibliometrics, and PDF files related to their existence have been deleted from the journal's website. Although this phenomenon does not seem to be common in the neurosciences, we consider that any opaque corrective measures in journals whose papers could be cited may negatively impact the wider neuroscience literature and community. Instead, we encourage transparency in retraction to promote truthfulness and trustworthiness., (© 2024 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A fundamental goal of research in neuroscience is to uncover the causal structure of the brain. This focus on causation makes sense, because causal information can provide explanations of brain function and identify reliable targets with which to understand cognitive function and prevent or change neurological conditions and psychiatric disorders. In this research, one of the most frequently used causal concepts is 'mechanism' - this is seen in the literature and language of the field, in grant and funding inquiries that specify what research is supported, and in journal guidelines on which contributions are considered for publication. In these contexts, mechanisms are commonly tied to expressions of the main aims of the field and cited as the 'fundamental', 'foundational' and/or 'basic' unit for understanding the brain. Despite its common usage and perceived importance, mechanism is used in different ways that are rarely distinguished. Given that this concept is defined in different ways throughout the field - and that there is often no clarification of which definition is intended - there remains a marked ambiguity about the fundamental goals, orientation and principles of the field. Here we provide an overview of causation and mechanism from the perspectives of neuroscience and philosophy of science, in order to address these challenges., (© 2024. Springer Nature Limited.)

This document is an editorial summary of the top cited papers in the field of Systems Neuroscience in 2022. The top ten papers cover a range of topics including tinnitus, obesity, and neuromodulation. The papers come from authors all over the world, representing diverse perspectives. Some notable findings include the lack of therapeutic benefit of a specific stimulation modality for tinnitus, the potential improvement of tinnitus treatment through an enriched acoustic environment, the impact of psychological and sociodemographic factors on tinnitus-related distress, the potential benefits of aerobic exercise for individuals with mild cognitive impairment, the importance of considering insular epilepsy during surgical planning, the functional changes in brain activity induced by hypnosis, the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on motor cortex oscillation and inhibition, the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on autonomic responses, the neuroplastic capacity of different brain stimulation modalities, and the lack of association between obesity and executive functioning. These papers provide valuable insights into various aspects of Systems Neuroscience and are worth exploring for researchers and individuals interested in these topics. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: Clinical neurosciences, and psychiatry specifically, have been challenged by the lack of a comprehensive and practical framework that explains the core mechanistic processes of variable psychiatric presentations. Current conceptualization and classification of psychiatric presentations are primarily centered on a non-biologically based clinical descriptive approach. Despite various attempts, advances in neuroscience research have not led to an improved conceptualization or mechanistic classification of psychiatric disorders. This perspective article proposes a new-work-in-progress-framework for conceptualizing psychiatric presentations based on neural network components (NNC). This framework could guide the development of mechanistic disease classification, improve understanding of underpinning pathology, and provide specific intervention targets. This model also has the potential to dissolve artificial barriers between the fields of psychiatry and neurology., (Copyright © 2024 President and Fellows of Harvard College.)

Biomedical engineering (BME) is a multidisciplinary, constantly advancing field; as such, undergraduate programs in BME must continually adapt. Elective courses provide opportunities for students to select topic areas relevant to their interests or future careers. Specifically, laboratory courses allow experiential learning in specialized topics in a hands-on manner that is suitable and accessible to undergraduate students. In recent years, neural engineering has emerged as a research sub-specialty within BME, and students preparing to pursue careers in this field will require a broad range of fundamental and experiential training. We sought to demonstrate this possibility by implementing a neural tissue engineering module into an existing upper-level undergraduate biofabrication elective. Organoids, which are self-assembling aggregate cell culture models that mimic a tissue or organ in both function and structure, have been made more accessible by genetic tools and commercially available resources. These experimental tools can be incorporated into basic laboratory experiments to model neurological systems that are otherwise difficult to study. In this paper, we describe the execution of this new module in which teams followed an adapted protocol for producing human neural organoids and then designed and manufactured a 3D-printed 'solution' to a common problem in the fields of neural engineering and organoid research. Additionally, we include student feedback as well as advantages, disadvantages, and opportunities for improvement of this laboratory module in future implementations. Skills gained in this project-based setting could be beneficial in subsequent capstone design courses as well as translated into future courses or graduate research studies.

Neuroanatomy is a notoriously challenging subject for medical students to learn. Due to the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, anatomical education transitioned to an online format. We assessed student performance in, and attitudes toward, an online neuroanatomy assessment compared to an in-person equivalent, as a marker of the efficacy of remote neuroanatomy education. Participants in the National Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Competition (NUNC) 2021 undertook two online examinations: a neuroanatomically themed multiple-choice question paper and anatomy spotter. Students completed pre- and post-examination questionnaires to gauge their attitudes toward the online competition and prior experience of online anatomical teaching/assessment. To evaluate performance, we compared scores of students who sat the online (2021) and in-person (2017) examinations, using 12 identical neuroradiology questions present in both years. Forty-six percent of NUNC 2021 participants had taken an online anatomy examination in the previous 12 months, but this did not impact examination performance significantly (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in examination scores between in-person and online examinations using the 12 neuroradiology questions (p = 0.69). Fifty percent of participants found the online format less enjoyable, with 63% citing significantly fewer networking opportunities. The online competition was less stressful for 55% of participants. This study provides some evidence to suggest that student performance is not affected when undertaking online examinations and proposes that online neuroanatomy teaching methods, particularly for neuroradiology, may be equally as effective as in-person approaches within this context. Participants perceived online examinations as less stressful but raised concerns surrounding the networking potential and enjoyment of online events.

This document is an editorial that discusses the concept of electromagnetic (EM) field theories of consciousness. It highlights the growing interest in this type of solution for understanding consciousness and its philosophical and physical aspects. The document also includes summaries of various research papers on EM field theories of consciousness, which explore the role of EM fields in understanding consciousness and propose different frameworks and theories to explain its mechanisms. The papers discuss topics such as brain activity, EM field oscillations, qualia, and the boundary problem in consciousness studies. Overall, these papers contribute to the ongoing exploration of EM field theories of consciousness and offer potential avenues for further research. [Extracted from the article]

Modelling the spatiotemporal dynamics in the activity of neural populations while also enabling their flexible inference is hindered by the complexity and noisiness of neural observations. Here we show that the lower-dimensional nonlinear latent factors and latent structures can be computationally modelled in a manner that allows for flexible inference causally, non-causally and in the presence of missing neural observations. To enable flexible inference, we developed a neural network that separates the model into jointly trained manifold and dynamic latent factors such that nonlinearity is captured through the manifold factors and the dynamics can be modelled in tractable linear form on this nonlinear manifold. We show that the model, which we named 'DFINE' (for 'dynamical flexible inference for nonlinear embeddings') achieves flexible inference in simulations of nonlinear dynamics and across neural datasets representing a diversity of brain regions and behaviours. Compared with earlier neural-network models, DFINE enables flexible inference, better predicts neural activity and behaviour, and better captures the latent neural manifold structure. DFINE may advance the development of neurotechnology and investigations in neuroscience., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

I present a computational-level model of language production in terms of a combination of information theory and control theory in which words are chosen incrementally in order to maximize communicative value subject to an information-theoretic capacity constraint. The theory generally predicts a tradeoff between ease of production and communicative accuracy. I apply the theory to two cases of apparent availability effects in language production, in which words are selected on the basis of their accessibility to a speaker who has not yet perfectly planned the rest of the utterance. Using corpus data on English relative clause complementizer dropping and experimental data on Mandarin noun classifier choice, I show that the theory reproduces the observed phenomena, providing an alternative account to Uniform Information Density and a promising general model of language production which is tightly linked to emerging theories in computational neuroscience., (© 2023 The Authors. Topics in Cognitive Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Cognitive Science Society.)

This document, published in Science Advances, discusses the challenges of multidisciplinary research in the field of neuroscience. The author emphasizes the importance of drawing on various disciplines to understand the mind and brain. However, the review process can be challenging due to different norms, philosophies, and standards of assessment in different fields. The author suggests tools such as cross-review and involving authors in the editorial process to address these challenges. The document also highlights the importance of collaboration across disciplines in advancing neuroscience knowledge. [Extracted from the article]

Methods sections are often missing essential details. Methodological shortcut citations, in which authors cite previous papers instead of describing the method in detail, may contribute to this problem. This meta-research study used 3 approaches to examine shortcut citation use in neuroscience, biology, and psychiatry. First, we assessed current practices in more than 750 papers. More than 90% of papers used shortcut citations. Other common reasons for using citations in the methods included giving credit or specifying what was used (who or what citation) and providing context or a justification (why citation). Next, we reviewed 15 papers to determine what can happen when readers follow shortcut citations to find methodological details. While shortcut citations can be used effectively, they can also deprive readers of essential methodological details. Problems encountered included difficulty identifying or accessing the cited materials, missing or insufficient descriptions of the cited method, and shortcut citation chains. Third, we examined journal policies. Fewer than one quarter of journals had policies describing how authors should report previously described methods. We propose that methodological shortcut citations should meet 3 criteria; cited resources should provide (1) a detailed description of (2) the method used by the citing authors', and (3) be open access. Resources that do not meet these criteria should be cited to give credit, but not as shortcut citations. We outline actions that authors and journals can take to use shortcut citations responsibly, while fostering a culture of open and reproducible methods reporting. Methods sections often lack critical details needed to reproduce an experiment; the practice of citing previous papers instead of describing the methods in detail may contribute to this problem. An analysis of >800 papers across three fields shows that >90% of papers use at least one shortcut citation, that these significantly impair reconstruction of the original method, and that <25% of journals have policies relating to previously described methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Often deemed a 'black box' resistant to scientific examination, the human mind challenges empirical inquiry--particularly in subjective experiences like dreams. However, objective empirical measures can indeed be applied to such phenomena. While there has been notable progress in understanding human dreams, the domain of sleep and dreams in non-human animals remains less explored. This review paper addresses whether animals experience dreams and, if so, the nature of these dreams. To this end, it evaluates various research methodologies, including monitoring neural activity, replaying new memories, and analyzing dream-like behaviors. It also identifies crucial sleep patterns, such as Rapid Eye Movement (REM), Slow-wave (SW) sleep, and unihemispheric sleep, that play significant roles in dreaming. Furthermore, this study proposes a novel approach for deciphering animal dream content, specifically by investigating dreaming in octopuses. The paper concludes by examining atypical sleep patterns and deviations from everyday dream experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single-cell sequencing (SCS) is a technique used to analyze the genome, transcriptome, epigenome, and other genetic data at the level of a single cell. The procedure is commonly utilized in multiple fields, including neurobiology, immunology, and microbiology, and has emerged as a key focus of life science research. However, a thorough and impartial analysis of the existing state and trends of SCS-related research is lacking. The current study aimed to map the development trends of studies on SCS during the years 2010-2022 through bibliometric software. Methods: Pertinent papers on SCS from 2010 to 2022 were obtained using the Web of Science Core Collection. Research categories, nations/institutions, authors/co-cited authors, journals/co-cited journals, co-cited references, and keywords were analyzed using VOSviewer, the R package "bibliometric", and CiteSpace. Results: The bibliometric analysis included 9,929 papers published between 2010 and 2022, and showed a consistent increase in the quantity of papers each year. The United States was the source of the highest quantity of articles and citations in this field. The majority of articles were published in the periodical Nature Communications. Butler A was the most frequently quoted author on this topic, and his article "Integrating single-cell transcriptome data across diverse conditions, technologies, and species" has received numerous citations to date. The literature and keyword analysis showed that studies involving single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) were prominent in this discipline during the study period. Conclusion: This study utilized bibliometric techniques to visualize research in SCS-related domains, which facilitated the identification of emerging patterns and future directions in the field. Current hot topics in SCS research include COVID-19, tumor microenvironment, scRNA-seq, and neuroscience. Our results are significant for scholars seeking to identify key issues and generate new research ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal derived from functional neuroimaging is commonly used in brain network analysis and dementia diagnosis. Missing the BOLD signal may lead to bad performance and misinterpretation of findings when analyzing neurological disease. Few studies have focused on the restoration of brain functional time-series data. Methods: In this paper, a novel U-shaped convolutional transformer GAN (UCT-GAN) model is proposed to restore the missing brain functional time-series data. The proposed model leverages the power of generative adversarial networks (GANs) while incorporating a U-shaped architecture to effectively capture hierarchical features in the restoration process. Besides, the multi-level temporal-correlated attention and the convolutional sampling in the transformer-based generator are devised to capture the global and local temporal features for the missing time series and associate their long-range relationship with the other brain regions. Furthermore, by introducing multi-resolution consistency loss, the proposed model can promote the learning of diverse temporal patterns and maintain consistency across different temporal resolutions, thus effectively restoring complex brain functional dynamics. Results: We theoretically tested our model on the public Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset, and our experiments demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing methods in terms of both quantitative metrics and qualitative assessments. The model's ability to preserve the underlying topological structure of the brain functional networks during restoration is a particularly notable achievement. Conclusion: Overall, the proposed model offers a promising solution for restoring brain functional time-series and contributes to the advancement of neuroscience research by providing enhanced tools for disease analysis and interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the prospect of using neurophenomenology to understand, design and test phygital consumer experiences. It aims to clarify interpretivist approaches to consumer neuroscience, wherein theoretical models of individual phenomenology can be combined with modern neuroimaging techniques to detect and interpret the first-person accounts of phygital experiences. Design/methodology/approach: The argument is conceptual in nature, building its position through synthesizing insights from phenomenology, phygital marketing, theoretical neuroscience and other related fields. Findings: Ultimately, the paper presents the argument that interpretivist neuroscience in general, and neurophenomenology specifically, provides a valuable new perspective on phygital marketing experiences. In particular, we argue that the approach to studying first-personal experiences within the phygital domain can be significantly refined by adopting this perspective. Research limitations/implications: One of the primary goals of this paper is to stimulate a novel approach to interpretivist phygital research, and in doing so, provide a foundation by which the impact of phygital interventions can be empirically tested through neuroscience, and through which future research into this topic can be developed. As such, the success of such an approach is yet untested. Originality/value: Phygital marketing is distinguished by its focus on the quality of subjective first-personal consumer experiences, but few papers to date have explored how neuroscience can be used as a tool for exploring these inner landscapes. This paper addresses this lacuna by providing a novel perspective on "interpretivist neuroscience" and proposes ways that current neuroscientific models can be used as a practical methodology for addressing these questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary is about two papers on the relations between the neuroscience and the physics of time. One is by Buonomano & Rovelli, entitled 'Bridging the neuroscience and physics of time' and the other one is by Gruber, Block & Montemayor, entitled 'Physical time within human time'. The present commentary takes the form of an interview of Remy Lestienne, who published a book on the work of Whitehead, related to the two papers cited above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One in three children in the United States is exposed to insecure housing conditions, including unaffordable, inconsistent, and unsafe housing. These exposures have detrimental impacts on youth mental health. Delineating the neurobehavioral pathways linking exposure to housing insecurity with children's mental health has the potential to inform interventions and policy. However, in approaching this work, carefully considering the lived experiences of youth and families is essential to translating scientific discovery to improve health outcomes in an equitable and representative way. In the current paper, we provide an introduction to the range of stressful experiences that children may face when exposed to insecure housing conditions. Next, we highlight findings from the early-life stress literature regarding the potential neurobehavioral consequences of insecure housing, focusing on how unpredictability is associated with the neural circuitry supporting cognitive and emotional development. We then delineate how community-engaged research (CEnR) approaches have been leveraged to understand the effects of housing insecurity on mental health, and we propose future research directions that integrate developmental neuroscience research and CEnR approaches to maximize the impact of this work. We conclude by outlining practice and policy recommendations that aim to improve the mental health of children exposed to insecure housing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Hyperscanning, a neuroimaging approach introduced in 2002 for simultaneously recording the brain activity of multiple participants, has significantly contributed to our understanding of social interactions. Nevertheless, the existing literature requires systematic organization to advance our knowledge. This study, after two decades of hyperscanning research, aims to identify the primary thematic domains and the most influential documents in the field. We conducted a scientometric analysis to examine co-citation patterns quantitatively, using a sample of 548 documents retrieved from Scopus and their 32,022 cited references. Our analysis revealed ten major thematic domains in hyperscanning research, with the most impactful document authored by Czeszumski and colleagues in 2020. Notably, while hyperscanning was initially developed for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), our findings indicate a substantial influence of research conducted using electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The introduction of fNIRS and advancements in EEG methods have enabled the implementation of more ecologically valid experiments for investigating social interactions. The study also highlights the need for more research that combines multi-brain neural stimulation with neuroimaging techniques to understand the causal role played by interpersonal neural synchrony in social interactions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: ModelDB (https://modeldb.science) is a discovery platform for computational neuroscience, containing over 1850 published model codes with standardized metadata. These codes were mainly supplied from unsolicited model author submissions, but this approach is inherently limited. For example, we estimate we have captured only around one-third of NEURON models, the most common type of models in ModelDB. To more completely characterize the state of computational neuroscience modeling work, we aim to identify works containing results derived from computational neuroscience approaches and their standardized associated metadata (eg, cell types, research topics)., Materials and Methods: Known computational neuroscience work from ModelDB and identified neuroscience work queried from PubMed were included in our study. After pre-screening with SPECTER2 (a free document embedding method), GPT-3.5, and GPT-4 were used to identify likely computational neuroscience work and relevant metadata., Results: SPECTER2, GPT-4, and GPT-3.5 demonstrated varied but high abilities in identification of computational neuroscience work. GPT-4 achieved 96.9% accuracy and GPT-3.5 improved from 54.2% to 85.5% through instruction-tuning and Chain of Thought. GPT-4 also showed high potential in identifying relevant metadata annotations., Discussion: Accuracy in identification and extraction might further be improved by dealing with ambiguity of what are computational elements, including more information from papers (eg, Methods section), improving prompts, etc., Conclusion: Natural language processing and large language model techniques can be added to ModelDB to facilitate further model discovery, and will contribute to a more standardized and comprehensive framework for establishing domain-specific resources., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Brain-computer interface (BCI) constructs the direct communication between human brain and external devices, which has been extensively applied in clinical research of the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system diseases, and plays a crucial role in functional evaluation, communication control, reconstruction, rehabilitation training, and neural regulation. This paper summarizes the different forms of BCI technology, the progress of clinical research on BCI for neurological diseases, and the importance of developing appropriate clinical trial standards and ethical norms. Further emphasis is placed on the interpretation of the scope of BCI clinical research in neurological diseases, the ethical principles of BCI clinical research in neurological diseases, and the key points of BCI clinical research implementation and management summarized in the Chinese expert Consensus on the implementation and management of BCI clinical research in Neurological diseases. Finally, the role and responsibility of clinical neuroscience in BCI clinical trials are put forward, emphasizing interdisciplinary cooperation in clinical research to better promote the clinical transformation of BCI technology.

Background: Educational neuroscience research, which investigates the neurobiological mechanisms of learning, has historically incorporated samples drawn mostly from white, middle-class, and/or suburban populations. However, sampling in research without attending to representation can lead to biased interpretations and results that are less generalizable to an intended target population. Prior research revealing differences in neurocognitive outcomes both within- and across-groups further suggests that such practices may obscure significant effects with practical implications., Barriers: Negative attitudes among historically marginalized communities, stemming from historical mistreatment, biased research outcomes, and implicit or explicit attitudes among research teams, can hinder diverse participation. Qualities of the research process including language requirements, study locations, and time demands create additional barriers., Solutions: Flexible data collection approaches, community engaugement, and transparent reporting could build trust and enhance sampling diversity. Longer-term solutions include prioritizing research questions relevant to marginalized communities, increasing workforce diversity, and detailed reporting of sample demographics. Such concerted efforts are essential for robust educational neuroscience research to maximize positive impacts broadly across learners., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objective: (1) To identify the characteristics of PNE programs in terms of teaching-learning strategies, session modality, content delivery format, number of sessions, total minutes and instructional support material used in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, (2) to describe PNE adaptations for patients with different educational levels or cultural backgrounds, and (3) to describe the influence of the patient's educational level or cultural background on the effects of PNE., Methods: The PRISMA guideline for scoping reviews was followed. Nine databases were systematically searched up to July 8, 2023. Articles that examined clinical or psychosocial variables in adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain who received PNE were included., Results: Seventy-one articles were included. Studies found benefits of PNE through passive/active teaching-learning strategies with group/individual sessions. However, PNE programs presented great heterogeneity and adaptations to PNE were poorly reported. Most studies did not consider educational level and culture in the effects of PNE., Conclusions: Despite the large number of studies on PNE and increased interest in this intervention, the educational level and culture are poorly reported in the studies., Practical Implications: It is recommended to use passive and/or active teaching-learning strategies provided in individual and/or group formats considering the patient's educational level and culture., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Insights from developmental neuroscience are not always translated to actionable policy decisions. In this review, we explore the potential of bridging the gap between developmental neuroscience and policy through youth participatory research approaches. As the current generation of adolescents lives in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing society, their lived experiences are crucial for both research and policy. Moreover, their active involvement holds significant promise, given their heightened creativity and need to contribute. We therefore advocate for a transdisciplinary framework that fosters collaboration between developmental scientists, adolescents, and policy makers in addressing complex societal challenges. We highlight the added value of adolescents' lived experiences in relation to two pressing societal issues affecting adolescents' mental health: performance pressure and social inequality. By integrating firsthand lived experiences with insights from developmental neuroscience, we provide a foundation for progress in informed policy decisions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Advancements in neuroscience call our intuitive notion of free will into question--and by implication, invite a reassessment of the United States criminal legal system and its reliance on radical personal agency. In the backdrop of the evolving landscape of neuroscience and neurolaw is an inquiry: how do we appropriately and ethically incorporate advancements of these fields into law and policy? This paper pulls that question to the forefront, advocating for a humanitarian-forward framework to guide the process. The framework emphasizes the Daubert standard, addresses the "G2i" problem, and includes a balancing test to ensure the protection of neurorights. The paper also provides an overview of the influence of belief in free will, personal agency, and neurolaw on the U.S. criminal legal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As educational methodologies continue to advance, the role of games within these paradigms has undergone significant transformation. The symbiosis of game-based learning and technological advancements has not only become increasingly prevalent but has also contributed to the expansion of scholarly discourse advocating for the application of game-oriented educational techniques. Remarkably, it is a relatively recent development that these methodologies have found their application in the domain of medical education. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the empirical evidence that supports the integration of game-based learning within both undergraduate and graduate medical education, with a specific focus on neurology. Furthermore, it delves into the exploration of the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of game-based learning in neurologic curricula. In addition to this, the paper examines the potential applications of such educational strategies in clinical settings. The exploration culminates in a discussion on the promising potential of game-based learning within the field of neurology and neuroscience, suggesting that it may represent a pivotal opportunity that warrants strategic consideration and adoption in these disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the scientific dataset evolves or is reused in workflows creating derived datasets, the integrity of the dataset with its metadata information, including provenance, needs to be securely preserved while providing assurances that they are not accidentally or maliciously altered during the process. Providing a secure method to efficiently share and verify the data as well as metadata is essential for the reuse of the scientific data. The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Open Science Chain (OSC) utilizes consortium blockchain to provide a cyberinfrastructure solution to maintain integrity of the provenance metadata for published datasets and provides a way to perform independent verification of the dataset while promoting reuse and reproducibility. The NSF- and National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Neuroscience Gateway (NSG) provides a freely available web portal that allows neuroscience researchers to execute computational data analysis pipeline on high performance computing resources. Combined, the OSC and NSG platforms form an efficient, integrated framework to automatically and securely preserve and verify the integrity of the artifacts used in research workflows while using the NSG platform. This paper presents the results of the first study that integrates OSC-NSG frameworks to track the provenance of neurophysiological signal data analysis to study brain network dynamics using the Neuro-Integrative Connectivity tool, which is deployed in the NSG platform. Database URL: https://www.opensciencechain.org., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

The overarching goal of this paper is to examine the efficacy of early intervention when viewed through the lens of developmental neuroscience. We begin by briefly summarizing neural development from conception through the first few postnatal years. We emphasize the role of experience during the postnatal period, and consistent with decades of research on critical periods, we argue that experience can represent both a period of opportunity and a period of vulnerability. Because plasticity is at the heart of early intervention, we next turn our attention to the efficacy of early intervention drawing from two distinct literatures: early intervention services for children growing up in disadvantaged environments, and children at elevated likelihood of developing a neurodevelopmental delay or disorder. In the case of the former, we single out interventions that target caregiving and in the case of the latter, we highlight recent work on autism. A consistent theme throughout our review is a discussion of how early intervention is embedded in the developing brain. We conclude our article by discussing the implications our review has for policy, and we then offer recommendations for future research., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Graph theory is now becoming a standard tool in system-level neuroscience. However, endowing observed brain anatomy and dynamics with a complex network structure does not entail that the brain actually works as a network. Asking whether the brain behaves as a network means asking whether network properties count. From the viewpoint of neurophysiology and, possibly, of brain physics, the most substantial issues a network structure may be instrumental in addressing relate to the influence of network properties on brain dynamics and to whether these properties ultimately explain some aspects of brain function. Here, we address the dynamical implications of complex network, examining which aspects and scales of brain activity may be understood to genuinely behave as a network. To do so, we first define the meaning of networkness, and analyse some of its implications. We then examine ways in which brain anatomy and dynamics can be endowed with a network structure and discuss possible ways in which network structure may be shown to represent a genuine organisational principle of brain activity, rather than just a convenient description of its anatomy and dynamics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, psychedelics have generated considerable excitement and interest as potential novel therapeutics for an array of conditions, with the most advanced evidence base in the treatment of certain severe and/or treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. An array of clinical and pre-clinical evidence has informed our current understanding of how psychedelics produce profound alterations in consciousness. Mechanisms of psychedelic action include receptor binding and downstream cellular and transcriptional pathways, with long-term impacts on brain structure and function-from the level of single neurons to large-scale circuits. In this perspective, we first briefly review and synthesize separate lines of research on potential mechanistic processes underlying the acute and long-term effects of psychedelic compounds, with a particular emphasis on highlighting current theoretical models of psychedelic drug action and their relationships to therapeutic benefits for psychiatric and brain-based disorders. We then highlight an existing area of ongoing controversy we argue is directly informed by theoretical models originating from disparate levels of inquiry, and we ultimately converge on the notion that bridging the current chasm in explanatory models of psychedelic drug action across levels of inquiry (molecular, cellular, circuit, and psychological/behavioral) through innovative methods and collaborative efforts will ultimately yield the comprehensive understanding needed to fully capitalize on the potential therapeutic properties of these compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Charles Nemeroff reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health. Charles Nemeroff reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Mental Health. Gregory Fonzo reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Health. Gregory Fonzo reports financial support was provided by Baszucki Brain Research Fund. Manoj K Doss reports a relationship with VCENNA, Inc that includes: consulting or advisory. Gregory Fonzo reports a relationship with Alto Neuroscience, Inc. that includes: equity or stocks. Gregory Fonzo reports a relationship with SynapseBio AI that includes: consulting or advisory. Charles Nemeroff has patent #US 6,375,990B1 licensed to Charles Nemeroff. Charles Nemeroff has patent #US 7,148,027B2 licensed to Charles Nemeroff. Gregory Fonzo has patent #16/981,822 pending to A. Etkin. Charles B Nemeroff is a compensated board member for Gratitude America, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and Lucy Scientific Discovery; a consultant for Abbive, AneuroTech (division of Anima BV), Signant Health, Magstim, Inc, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., EMA Wellness, Sage, Silo Pharma, Engrail Therapeutics, Pasithea Therapeutics Corp., GoodCap Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Senseye, Clexio, Ninnion Therapeutics, EmbarkNeuro, SynapseBio, BioXcel Therapeutics, Relmada Therapeutics, Galen Mental Health, LLC, and AutoBahn Therapeutics, Inc; a scientific advisory board member for ANeuoTech (division of Anima BV), Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF), Anxiety and Depression Assocation of America (ADAA), Skyland Trail, Signant Health, Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIRB), Inc., Heading Health, Pasithea Therapeutic Corp., and Sage; and owns stock in Seattle Genetics, Antares Inc., Corcept Therapeutics Pharmaceuticals Company, EMA Wellness, Naki Health, and Relmada Therapeutics. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

How deep is the current diversity in the panoply of theories to define consciousness, and to what extent do these theories share common denominators? Here we first examine to what extent different theories are commensurable (or comparable) along particular dimensions. We posit logical (and, when applicable, empirical) commensurability as a necessary condition for identifying common denominators among different theories. By consequence, dimensions for inclusion in a set of logically and empirically commensurable theories of consciousness can be proposed. Next, we compare a limited subset of neuroscience-based theories in terms of commensurability. This analysis does not yield a denominator that might serve to define a minimally unifying model of consciousness. Theories that seem to be akin by one denominator can be remote by another. We suggest a methodology of comparing different theories via multiple probing questions, allowing to discern overall (dis)similarities between theories. Despite very different background definitions of consciousness, we conclude that, if attention is paid to the search for a common methological approach to brain-consciousness relationships, it should be possible in principle to overcome the current Babylonian confusion of tongues and eventually integrate and merge different theories., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, I examined whether evidence from the neuroscience of morality supports the standard models of phronesis, i.e., Jubilee and Aretai Centre Models. The standard models explain phronesis as a multifaceted construct based on interaction and coordination among functional components. I reviewed recent neuroscience studies focusing on brain networks associated with morality and their connectivity to examine the validity of the models. Simultaneously, I discussed whether the evidence helps the models address challenges, particularly those from the phronesis eliminativism. Neuroscientific evidence supported the importance of brain networks, i.e., the default mode, salience, and central executive functioning networks, in moral functioning in general. The findings favorably supported the multifaceted and integrative nature of phronesis proposed by the standard models. Finally, I considered how the two models could explain the mechanisms of phronesis more integratively based on neuroscientific findings. At the end of this paper, with the evidence, I proposed several practical ideas to promote the cultivation of phronesis, e.g., the consideration of coordination among components for moral functioning and the use of moral exemplars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce and summarize reviews and research papers by speakers at a discussion meeting on 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on' held at the Royal Society, London, on 20–21 November 2023. The meeting followed earlier discussion meetings marking the 30th and 40th anniversaries of the discovery of long-term potentiation. These new contributions give an overview of current research and controversies in a vibrant branch of neuroscience with important implications for our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many forms of learning and memory and a wide spectrum of neurological and cognitive disorders. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper responds to Friend's (2023) critique of the Powers-BSA , a view according to which laws of nature are efficient descriptions of how modally laden properties (powers) are possibly distributed in spacetime. In the course of this response, the paper discusses the nature of scientific and metaphysical explanation, the aim of science, and the structure of modal space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations that embrace innovative business strategies position themselves well for success. In this evolving technological landscape, businesses are increasingly focused on understanding consumer behaviors and preferences to tailor their products and services effectively. Notably, integrating neuroscience has become pivotal in achieving these goals, requiring its incorporation throughout various business processes. This comprehensive research review conducts a meta-analysis, synthesizing findings from numerous studies on applying neuroscience across diverse business domains. The primary objective is to identify innovative neuroscience approaches that can significantly revolutionize businesses. Through a meticulous literature exploration using PRISMA analysis, we discerned broad themes and further refined them into critical sub-themes. This thematic categorization enables a focused examination of each area of business research. The findings in this study uncovered vital intersections between neuroscience and business, offering valuable insights for corporations and researchers. In essence, the integration of neuroscientific techniques and artificial intelligence (AI)-based softwares into business practices is no longer optional, but a necessity for businesses to stay competitive in today's fast-paced world. This study, therefore, plays a crucial role in connecting the state-of-the-art tools and techniques in neuroscience and traditional business practices. It paves the way for a new era of business operations, where science and technology work hand in hand with commerce to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes the importance of incorporating neuroscience techniques and newly developed AI-based softwares into business practices. This integration can yield precise and favorable outcomes, offering businesses the tools to thrive in an ever-changing market environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the development of UNESCO's Mahatma Gandhi Institute on Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP), examining its record from global, national and institutional perspectives. The global perspective encompasses challenges to UNESCO's attempts to articulate a distinctive, humanistic vision in competition with other multilateral bodies. The national perspective relates to India, which hosts MGIEP, provides the bulk of its funding and exerts significant influence over its governance. Consideration is also given to the relationship between MGIEP's work and Mahatma Gandhi's ideas. Finally, the institutional perspective relates both to the author's own experience with MGIEP, and to information gained through interviews with others involved with the institute. It is argued that MGIEP's story illuminates challenges to attempts, within India and internationally, to sustain a humanistic vision of education in the face of powerful countervailing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, behaviourally identified, which is generally characterised by social communication differences, and restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. It has long been claimed that it is more common in males. This observed preponderance of males in autistic populations has served as a focussing framework in all spheres of autism-related issues, from recognition and diagnosis through to theoretical models and research agendas. One related issue is the near total absence of females in key research areas. For example, this paper reports a review of over 120 brain-imaging studies of social brain processes in autism that reveals that nearly 70% only included male participants or minimal numbers (just one or two) of females. Authors of such studies very rarely report that their cohorts are virtually female-free and discuss their findings as though applicable to all autistic individuals. The absence of females can be linked to exclusionary consequences of autism diagnostic procedures, which have mainly been developed on male-only cohorts. There is clear evidence that disproportionately large numbers of females do not meet diagnostic criteria and are then excluded from ongoing autism research. Another issue is a long-standing assumption that the female autism phenotype is broadly equivalent to that of the male autism phenotype. Thus, models derived from male-based studies could be applicable to females. However, it is now emerging that certain patterns of social behaviour may be very different in females. This includes a specific type of social behaviour called camouflaging or masking, linked to attempts to disguise autistic characteristics. With respect to research in the field of sex/gender cognitive neuroscience, there is emerging evidence of female differences in patterns of connectivity and/or activation in the social brain that are at odds with those reported in previous, male-only studies. Decades of research have excluded or overlooked females on the autistic spectrum, resulting in the construction of inaccurate and misleading cognitive neuroscience models, and missed opportunities to explore the brain bases of this highly complex condition. A note of warning needs to be sounded about inferences drawn from past research, but if future research addresses this problem of male bias, then a deeper understanding of autism as a whole, as well as in previously overlooked females, will start to emerge. Plain Language Summary: Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, behaviourally identified, which is generally characterised by social communication differences, and restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviour and interests. It has long been claimed that it is more common in males, with oft-quoted ratios of 4M: 1F. This has been reflected in the development of diagnostic criteria for autism and, consequently, of measures of eligibility for autism research programmes, with females being (as is now emerging) disproportionately excluded. As outlined in this review, this issue has been particularly problematic in brain-based studies of autism. Many studies have only tested male autistic participants, or minimal numbers of autistic females. By default, sex differences were not examined. But the impression given by such research reports has commonly been that the findings would be applicable to all autistic individuals. Recent psychological and clinical research has shown that there are a significant number of autistic females who have been missed by traditional diagnostic practices. Their inclusion has increased their eligibility for autism research studies. With respect to brain research, it has become possible to devise studies with matched numbers of autistic females and males, and to replicate studies that have previously only tested males. Newly emerging findings from such studies are demonstrating that the 'robust' autism-related differences previously observed in autistic male-only cohorts do not fully generalise to autistic females. It will be necessary to exercise caution in drawing inferences from previous male-biased studies of the autistic brain. However, the identification and inclusion of previously excluded female autistic participants hopefully offers more accurate insights into this highly complex and heterogeneous condition. Highlights: Several decades of neuroimaging research into autism has been based almost entirely on males; even big data sets show strong evidence of male bias. There is clear evidence that autistic females are being excluded from the research process by failures in diagnostic practices that have been developed on male-biased cohorts. Models of autism which inform research protocols are based on male autism phenotypes; it appears to have been assumed that the substantially fewer females that are diagnosed will present with equivalent, if milder, patterns of autistic differences. Newly emerging findings from social cognitive neuroscience research studies investigating sex/gender differences in autistic behaviour and associated biological correlates are demonstrating that the 'robust' autism-related differences previously observed in autistic male-only cohorts do not fully generalise to autistic females. Autism research programmes should prioritise the exploration of sex/gender effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports studies and project experiments being developed in researches financed by local authorities, the Ministry of University and Research with the support of NextGenerationEU and the European Commission. The work investigates the potential of culture, creativity and natural and built heritage in the green, digital and inclusive transition and is focused on the creation of sustainable, inclusive, beautiful spaces, involving the collaboration among different disciplines (architecture, music and immersive sound, visual arts, social sciences, and neuroscience). The studied spaces aim to create material and immaterial architectures, characterized by circular processes and therefore adaptable, flexible, removable, repositionable and reusable. We foresee the use of material elements (building products) and immaterial elements (sounds, images, colors, lights) to define spaces intended for the diffusion of different cultural forms and to implement the attractiveness of places afflicted by processes of abandonment and social degradation. Ideas, criteria and solutions for architecture and sound and video technologies (aimed at the definition of spaces whose perception involves full use of the senses as well as the application of the extended mind concept) will be presented to promote environmentally, economically and socially sustainable transformations of natural and built habitats for new forms of cultural diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immersive Virtual Reality (I-VR) is becoming increasingly prevalent in today's society and is a technology that is being used more and more in educational contexts and whose potential for learning has been widely discussed. Taking into account the latest research in neuroscience, we want to explore the potential of using immersive virtual environments to facilitate deep learning in educational contexts that invoke the value of experience, imitation and repetition. Neurodidactics seems to offer the most interesting insights into how participation in a virtual reality session can positively affect learning processes: this suggests that it is worth focusing on the learning processes that can be generated by this emerging technology. The paper concludes with some practical suggestions for design, addressing both the didactic experience and the learning objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neuroscience of volition is an emerging subfield of the brain sciences, with hundreds of papers on the role of consciousness in action formation published each year. This makes the state-of-the-art in the discipline poorly accessible to newcomers and difficult to follow even for experts in the field. Here we provide a comprehensive summary of research in this field since its inception that will be useful to both groups. We also discuss important ideas that have received little coverage in the literature so far. We systematically reviewed a set of 2220 publications, with detailed consideration of almost 500 of the most relevant papers. We provide a thorough introduction to the seminal work of Benjamin Libet from the 1960s to 1980s. We also discuss common criticisms of Libet's method, including temporal introspection, the interpretation of the assumed physiological correlates of volition, and various conceptual issues. We conclude with recent advances and potential future directions in the field, highlighting modern methodological approaches to volition, as well as important recent findings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Many recent studies have demonstrated that environmental contexts, both social and physical, have an important impact on child and adolescent neural and behavioral development. The adoption of geospatial methods, such as in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, has facilitated the exploration of many environmental contexts surrounding participants' residential locations without creating additional burdens for research participants (i.e., youth and families) in neuroscience studies. However, as the number of linked databases increases, developing a framework that considers the various domains related to child and adolescent environments external to their home becomes crucial. Such a framework needs to identify structural contextual factors that may yield inequalities in children's built and natural environments; these differences may, in turn, result in downstream negative effects on children from historically minoritized groups. In this paper, we develop such a framework - which we describe as the "adolescent neural urbanome" - and use it to categorize newly geocoded information incorporated into the ABCD Study by the Linked External Data (LED) Environment & Policy Working Group. We also highlight important relationships between the linked measures and describe possible applications of the Adolescent Neural Urbanome. Finally, we provide a number of recommendations and considerations regarding the responsible use and communication of these data, highlighting the potential harm to historically minoritized groups through their misuse., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)