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Purpose: To investigate the effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the primary motor cortex (M1) and cerebellum on balance control and shooting accuracy in elite ice hockey players. Methods: Twenty-one elite ice hockey players underwent anodal tDCS over the M1 (a-tDCSM1), anodal tDCS over the cerebellum (a-tDCSCB), concurrent dual-site anodal tDCS over the M1 and the cerebellum (a-tDCSM1+CB), and sham stimulation (tDCSSHAM). Before and after receiving tDCS (2 mA for 15 min), participants completed an ice hockey shooting-accuracy test, Pro-Kin balance test (includes stance test and proprioceptive assessment), and Y-balance test in randomized order. Results: For static balance performance, the ellipse area in the 2-legged stance with eyes open and the 1-legged stance with the dominant leg significantly improved following a-tDCSM1, a-tDCSCB, and concurrent dual-site a-tDCSM1+CB, compared with tDCSSHAM (all P <.05, Cohen d = 0.64–1.06). In dynamic balance performance, the average trace error of the proprioceptive assessment and the composite score of the Y-balance test with the dominant leg significantly improved following a-tDCSM1 and concurrent dual-site a-tDCSM1+CB (all P <.05, Cohen d = 0.77–1.00). For the ice hockey shooting-accuracy test, shooting-accuracy while standing on the unstable platform significantly increased following a-tDCSM1 (P =.010, Cohen d = 0.81) and a-tDCSCB (P =.010, Cohen d = 0.92) compared with tDCSSHAM. Conclusion: tDCS could potentially be a valuable tool in enhancing static and dynamic balance and shooting accuracy on unstable platforms in elite ice hockey players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Sports-related concussions are commonly occurring injuries as a result of sports and recreation that may cause alterations in brain functioning. It is important to be able to evaluate the impact of these injuries on function to manage the injury recovery and ensure recovery. Recent literature suggests the use of objective evaluation strategies in a multifaceted approach to evaluate and manage these injuries. It is important to understand the relationships between the assessments and how best to utilize each assessment. The purpose of this study was to investigate if relationships exist between measures of vestibular function at baseline in assessments that may be used following sports-related concussions. Additionally, a secondary purpose was to determine if self-reported symptoms were related to performance on the assessments. This study aimed to identify if these assessments measured independent functions of the vestibulo–ocular reflex or if some redundancy existed among the assessment strategies. Design: A cross-sectional study design was used in a cohort of collegiate athletes ages 18–24. Methods: Participants completed demographics questionnaires, the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, Gaze Stabilization Test, and Concussion Balance Test. Spearman rho correlations were used to examine the relationships between the measures. Results: One hundred and thirty-five collegiate athletes (82 males and 53 females) were included, representative of 3 sports (cheerleading, soccer, and football) with a mean age of 19.77 (1.42) years old. There were weak to moderate, significant relationships between measures of Gaze Stabilization Test and Concussion Balance Test errors (r =.20–.31, P =.001–.03). Conclusions: The direction of these relationships indicated that greater Concussion Balance Test errors were associated with greater Gaze Stabilization Test performance. These relationships may be attributed to the difficulty created by the foam conditions and the integration of more complex sensory tasks required to maintain balance during the more difficult conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental disease that significantly impact the daily lives of those affected. Acupuncture has shown promising therapeutic effects in the treatment of MDD, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the influence of acupuncture on the brain function of patients with MDD and it's therapeutic effects on MDD. Methods: This study plans to recruit 112 participants, who will be randomly allocated to either the acupuncture group or the sham acupuncture group in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups will undergo 8 weeks of treatment, consisting of three sessions per week, with each session lasting for 30 min. A follow-up period of 3 months will be conducted after the treatment. Assessments will be conducted at weeks 0, 8, 12, 16, and 20 in this study. The primary outcome measure will be functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging, while secondary outcome measures will include Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), 36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome score scale, and symptom elimination rate. Discussion: While acupuncture has been confirmed to have a certain degree of therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of MDD, research on the mechanisms underlying acupuncture's treatment of MDD remains limited, particularly with regards to its impact on the brain function of individuals with MDD. This study aims to explore both the clinical effectiveness and treatment mechanisms of acupuncture for MDD, with a specific focus on its influence on brain function. This research endeavors to provide new insights into the potential of acupuncture as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of MDD in the future. Trial Registration: www.chictr.org.cn, ID: ChiCTR2300076292. Registered on 28 September 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shamanism is a spiritual tradition in which trance practitioners deliberately modify their state of consciousness to seemingly interact with an invisible world to resolve their community members' problems. This review aims to provide a multidisciplinary overview of scientific research on shamanic trance. Methods: The search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Twenty-seven articles were found to be eligible, and their data were classified into four dimensions, namely, a) phenomenology, b) psychology, c) neuro-physiological functions, and d) clinical applications. Results: These studies suggest that these trances are non-pathological, different from normal states of consciousness in terms of phenomenology and neurophysiology, and influenced by multiple personal and environmental variables. Furthermore, while trances may offer therapeutic potential, their scope should be approached cautiously, underscoring the need for rigorous studies to assess the effectiveness of shamanic approaches for complementary therapies. Conclusion: Overall, shamanic trance and its potential benefits remain an intriguing and multifaceted area of scientific study, offering insights into the intersections of consciousness, spirituality, and possibly therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Maternal and postnatal docosahexaenoic acid intake may play a role in brain function of infants. • Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation induces microbial shifts in the gut of infants. • Health benefits of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition may be through modulation of gut–brain axis. Perinatal stage represents a critical period for brain development. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid preferentially accumulated in the brain that may benefit neurodevelopment. Microbial colonization and maturation parallel with the rapid development of infant metabolic and brain function that may influence the effects of DHA on neurological development. This review aims to summarize the current literature on the mediating effects of DHA on brain and gut microbiome development and attempts to reevaluate the efficacy of DHA from a gut microbiome–mediated perspective. Specifically, the regulatory roles of DHA on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammation, and neuroactive mediators may be partly moderated through gut microbiome. Consideration of the gut microbiome and gut–brain communication, when evaluating the efficacy of DHA, may provide new insights in better understanding the mechanisms of DHA and impart advantages to future development of nutritional therapy based on the nutrient-microbiome interaction. Potential mechanisms of DHA in shaping the gut microbiome to impact brain development and function. Abbreviations: DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; HPA, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal. Figure created with BioRender.com. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related morbidity is caused largely by secondary injury resulting from hypoxia, excessive sympathetic drive, and uncontrolled inflammation. Aeromedical evacuation (AE) is used by the military for transport of wounded soldiers to higher levels of care. We hypothesized that the hypobaric, hypoxic conditions of AE may exacerbate uncontrolled inflammation after TBI that could contribute to more severe TBI-related secondary injury. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-six female pigs were used to test TBI vs Sham TBI, hypoxia vs normoxia, and hypobaria vs ground conditions. TBI was induced by controlled cortical injury, hypobaric conditions of 12,000 ft were established in an altitude chamber, and hypoxic exposure was titrated to 85% SpO2 while at altitude. Serum cytokines, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1, and TBI biomarkers were analyzed via ELISA. Gross analysis and staining of cortex and hippocampus tissue was completed for glial fibrillary acidic protein and phosphorylated tau. RESULTS: Serum interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly elevated after TBI in pigs exposed to altitude-induced hypobaria/hypoxia, as well as hypobaria alone, compared with ground level/normoxia. No difference in TBI biomarkers after TBI or hypobaric, hypoxic exposure was noted. No difference in brain tissue glial fibrillary acidic protein or phosphorylated tau when comparing the most different conditions of Sham TBI + ground or normoxia with the TBI + hypobaria/hypoxia group was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The hypobaric environment of AE induces systemic inflammation after TBI. Severe inflammation may play a role in exacerbating secondary injury associated with TBI and contribute to worse neurocognitive outcomes. Measures should be taken to minimize barometric and oxygenation changes during AE after TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central pursuit of cognitive neuroscience is to find neural mechanisms of cognition, with research programs favoring different strategies to look for them. But what is a neural mechanism, and how do we know we have captured them? Here I answer these questions through a framework that integrates Marr's levels with philosophical work on mechanism. From this, the following goal emerges: What needs to be explained are the computations of cognition, with explanation itself given by mechanism—composed of algorithms and parts of the brain that realize them. This reveals a delineation within cognitive neuroscience research. In the premechanism stage, the computations of cognition are linked to phenomena in the brain, narrowing down where and when mechanisms are situated in space and time. In the mechanism stage, it is established how computation emerges from organized interactions between parts—filling the premechanistic mold. I explain why a shift toward mechanistic modeling helps us meet our aims while outlining a road map for doing so. Finally, I argue that the explanatory scope of neural mechanisms can be approximated by effect sizes collected across studies, not just conceptual analysis. Together, these points synthesize a mechanistic agenda that allows subfields to connect at the level of theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social neuroscience has often been criticized for approaching the investigation of the neural processes that enable social interaction and cognition from a passive, detached, third-person perspective, without involving any real-time social interaction. With the emergence of second-person neuroscience, investigators have uncovered the unique complexity of neural-activation patterns in actual, real-time interaction. Social cognition that occurs during social interaction is fundamentally different from that unfolding during social observation. However, it remains unclear how the neural correlates of social interaction are to be interpreted. Here, we leverage the active-inference framework to shed light on the mechanisms at play during social interaction in second-person neuroscience studies. Specifically, we show how counterfactually rich mutual predictions, real-time bodily adaptation, and policy selection explain activation in components of the default mode, salience, and frontoparietal networks of the brain, as well as in the basal ganglia. We further argue that these processes constitute the crucial neural processes that underwrite bona fide social interaction. By placing the experimental approach of second-person neuroscience on the theoretical foundation of the active-inference framework, we inform the field of social neuroscience about the mechanisms of real-life interactions. We thereby contribute to the theoretical foundations of empirical second-person neuroscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

True and false memories recruit a number of shared brain regions; however, they are not completely overlapping. Extensive sex differences have been identified in the brain during true memories and, recently, we identified sex differences in the brain during false memories. In the current fMRI study, we sought to determine whether sex differences existed in the location and extent of overlap between true and false memories. True and false memories activated a number of shared brain regions. Compared to females, males produced a greater number of overlapping brain regions (8 versus 2 activations for males and females, respectively) including the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, and early/late visual processing cortices (including V1) in males and prefrontal and parietal cortices in females. Males had significantly higher similarity between true and false memory activation maps, revealed by our novel multi-voxel pattern correlation analysis. Moreover, higher similarity between true and false memory activation maps was associated with higher false memory rates. The current results suggest that true and false memories are more similar in males than females. The significant brain–behavior relationship also suggests that males may be more susceptible to false memory errors due to their highly similar true memory–false memory cortical representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schemas allow us to make assumptions about the world based upon previous experiences and aid in memory organisation and retrieval. However, a reliance on schemas may also result in increased false memories to schematically related lures. Prior neuroimaging work has linked schematic processing in memory tasks to activity in prefrontal, visual, and temporal regions. Yet, it is unclear what type of processing in these regions underlies memory errors. The current study examined where schematic lures exhibit greater neural similarity to schematic targets, leading to this memory error, as compared to neural overlap with non-schematic lures, which, like schematic lures, are novel items at retrieval. Results showed that patterns of neural activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, medial frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, hippocampus, and occipital cortices exhibited greater neural pattern similarity for schematic targets and schematic lures than between schematic lures and non-schematic lures. As such, results suggest that schematic membership, and not object history, may be more critical to the neural processes underlying memory retrieval in the context of a strong schema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior work has shown Americans have higher levels of memory specificity than East Asians. Neuroimaging studies have not investigated mechanisms that account for cultural differences at retrieval. In this study, we use fMRI to assess whether mnemonic discrimination, distinguishing novel from previously encountered stimuli, accounts for cultural differences in memory. Fifty-five American and 55 Taiwanese young adults completed an object recognition paradigm testing discrimination of old targets, similar lures and novel foils. Mnemonic discrimination was tested by comparing discrimination of similar lures from studied targets, and results showed the relationship between activity in right fusiform gyrus and behavioural discrimination between target and lure objects differed across cultural groups. Parametric modulation analyses of activity during lure correct rejections also indicated that groups differed in left superior parietal cortex response to variations in lure similarity. Additional analyses of old vs. new activity indicated that Americans and Taiwanese differ in the neural activity supporting general object recognition in the hippocampus, left inferior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus. Results are juxtaposed against comparisons of the regions activated in common across the two cultures. Overall, Americans and Taiwanese differ in the extent to which they recruit visual processing and attention modulating brain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of equity in pediatric healthcare. It highlights how equity is hardwired into human psyche at an early age and how people have not yet achieved equity in child health and the academic workforce. It addresses why it is the pediatrician's imperative to relentlessly pursue equity. It proposes a roadmap for the steps that pediatricians can take to eliminate disparities and achieve equity.

Objectives Healthy age-related cognitive changes are highly heterogeneous across individuals. This variability is increasingly explained through the lens of spontaneous fluctuations of brain activity, now considered a powerful index of age-related changes. However, brain activity is a biological process modulated by circadian rhythms, and how these fluctuations evolve throughout the day is under investigation. Methods We analyzed data from 101 healthy late middle-aged participants from the Cognitive Fitness in Aging study (68 women and 33 men; aged 50–69 years). Participants completed 5 electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings of spontaneous resting-state activity on the same day. We used weighted phase-lag index (wPLI) analyses as an index of the functional synchrony between brain regions couplings, and we computed daily global PLI fluctuation rates of the 5 recordings to assess the association with cognitive performance and β-amyloid and tau/neuroinflammation pathological markers. Results We found that theta and gamma daily fluctuations in the salience-control executive internetwork (SN-CEN) are associated with distinct mechanisms underlying cognitive heterogeneity in aging. Higher levels of SN-CEN theta daily fluctuations appear to be deleterious for memory performance and were associated with higher tau/neuroinflammation rates. In contrast, higher levels of gamma daily fluctuations are positively associated with executive performance and were associated with lower rate of β-amyloid deposition. Discussion Thus, accounting for daily EEG fluctuations of brain activity contributes to a better understanding of subtle brain changes underlying individuals' cognitive performance in healthy aging. Results also provide arguments for considering the time of day when assessing cognition for old adults in a clinical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neural mechanisms underlying differences in the performance of simulated arthroscopic skills across various skill levels remain unclear. Our primary objective is to investigate the learning mechanisms of simulated arthroscopic skills using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: We recruited 27 participants, divided into three groups: novices (n = 9), intermediates (n = 9), and experts (n = 9). Participants completed seven arthroscopic tasks on a simulator, including diagnostic navigation, triangulation, grasping stars, diagnostic exploration, meniscectomy, synovial membrane cleaning, and loose body removal. All tasks were videotaped and assessed via the simulator system and the Arthroscopic Surgical Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET), while cortical activation data were collected using fNIRS. Simulator scores and ASSET scores were analyzed to identify different level of performance of all participants. Brain region activation and functional connectivity (FC) of different types of participants were analyzed from fNIRS data. Results: Both the expert and intermediate groups scored significantly higher than the novice group (p < 0.001). There were significant differences in ASSET scores between experts and intermediates, experts and novices, and intermediates and novices (p = 0.0047, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001), with the trend being experts > intermediates > novices. The intermediate group exhibited significantly greater activation in the left primary motor cortex (LPMC) and left prefrontal cortex (LPFC) compared to the novice group (p = 0.0152, p = 0.0021). Compared to experts, the intermediate group demonstrated significantly increased FC between the presupplementary motor area (preSMA) and the right prefrontal cortex (RPFC; p < 0.001). Additionally, the intermediate group showed significantly increased FC between the preSMA and LPFC, RPFC and LPFC, and LPMC and LPFC compared to novices (p = 0.0077, p = 0.0285, p = 0.0446). Conclusion: Cortical activation and functional connectivity reveal varying levels of activation intensity in the PFC, PMC, and preSMA among novices, intermediates, and experts. The intermediate group exhibited the highest activation intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal exercise is beneficial for offspring brain development. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) influences neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Cleavage products of APP are implicated in the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and neuronal network development. Our study aimed to investigate differences in APP processing in active or sedentary offspring of dams who were exposed to voluntary wheel running with and without a western diet throughout gestation. Female Wistar rats (7–8 weeks old) were fed a normal chow or western diet and randomized into voluntary wheel run or sedentary conditions. Dams returned to sedentary conditions post-parturition. The pups were weaned at 6 weeks after which point half of the samples were collected, while the rest of the pups remained on a normal diet, separated into sedentary or voluntary wheel run groups, and collected 12 weeks later. In utero exposure to maternal exercise was associated with higher neuronal nuclear protein, higher soluble APPα and lower soluble APPβ in offspring prefrontal cortex tissue at 6, but not 18 weeks of age. Neuronal nuclear protein is exclusive to mature neurons implying that offspring of mothers who exercised could have more neuron maturation potentially influenced by the higher APPα content at this early developmental stage. The voluntary wheel run offspring groups had a higher mature/pro brain derived neurotrophic factor ratio compared to the sedentary counterparts. The maternal effects were isolated to the juvenile 6-week-old pups, while the differences in the adult offspring were caused by their own exercise status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first few months of life, infants display intriguing individual differences in how they react to novel stimuli in their environment. Infant "negative reactive" tendencies have been robustly linked to resting brain activity profiles that confer risk for maladaptive socioemotional outcomes. The present study examines whether and how caregiver behavior in early infancy may interact with infant negative reactivity to alter the extent to which such tendencies predict risk-related brain activity profiles. In the present study, 51 mothers (all White; age M = 32 years, SD = 3; 70.8% monthly household income >3,400 U.S. dollars) and their infants (39.2% female at birth) participated. We measured infant negative reactivity and maternal contingent responsiveness to infant's gaze during mother–infant interactions at age 4 months. At 10–11 months, we assessed infants' resting electroencephalographic (EEG) 6–9 Hz frontal asymmetry (a marker of risk for maladaptive regulatory behaviors and withdrawal), infant fearful withdrawal, and infant empathic behavior. We found that maternal contingent responsiveness to 4-month-old infant's gaze in naturalistic interactions moderated the relation between 4-month infant negative reactivity and 11-month resting EEG asymmetry. Results suggest that maternal contingent responsiveness alters the extent to which early reactive tendencies end up "embedded" in infant brain activity profiles. Exploratory analyses revealed that the interaction between maternal contingent responsiveness and infant reactivity predicting infant resting EEG asymmetry, in turn predicted infants' fearful withdrawal and empathic behaviors also assessed at 10–11 months. Findings demonstrate the critical buffering role of maternal contingent responsive behaviors in reducing potential maladaptive neural and socioemotional outcomes. Public Significance Statements: We demonstrate that early infant reactive tendencies and maternal contingent responsive behaviors interact as early as 4-months of age to shape the infant's brain across the first year. Findings suggest this interaction between infant reactive tendencies and maternal behaviors may further support the emergence of early empathy and prevent psychopathology risk. Critically, we identify an early "environmental buffer" in maternal behavior that serves to mitigate risk, well before the onset of psychopathology. Our findings underscore the importance of early prevention and inform its planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral inhibition (BI), an early-life temperament characterized by vigilant responses to novelty, is a risk factor for anxiety disorders. In this study, we investigated whether differences in neonatal brain responses to infrequent auditory stimuli relate to children's BI at 1 year of age. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we collected blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) data from N = 45 full-term, sleeping neonates during an adapted auditory oddball paradigm and measured BI from n = 27 of these children 1 year later using an observational assessment. Whole-brain analyses corrected for multiple comparisons identified 46 neonatal brain regions producing novelty-evoked BOLD responses associated with children's BI scores at 1 year of age. More than half of these regions (n = 24, 52%) were in prefrontal cortex, falling primarily within regions of the default mode or frontoparietal networks or in ventromedial/orbitofrontal regions without network assignments. Hierarchical clustering of the regions based on their patterns of association with BI resulted in two groups with distinct anatomical, network, and response-timing profiles. The first group, located primarily in subcortical and temporal regions, tended to produce larger early oddball responses among infants with lower subsequent BI. The second group, located primarily in prefrontal cortex, produced larger early oddball responses among infants with higher subsequent BI. These results provide preliminary insights into brain regions engaged by novelty in infants that may relate to later BI. The findings may inform understanding of anxiety disorders and guide future research. Public Significance Statement: This study suggests that specific neural responses to novel sounds in the neonatal brain may be related to children's behavioral inhibition (BI), an early-life temperament characterized by increased vigilance to novelty, 1 year later. Neonatal brain areas producing these responses include regions of prefrontal cortex, temporal cortex, and subcortical structures including pons and amygdala. Given associations between BI and later anxiety symptoms, these findings may inform the understanding of neural antecedents of anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old age is the major risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, old age-related changes in brain physiology have generally not been taken into consideration in developing drug candidates for the treatment of AD. This is at least partly because the role of these age-related processes in the development and progression of AD are still not well understood. Nevertheless, we and others have described an association between the oxytosis/ferroptosis non-apoptotic regulated cell death pathway and aging. Based on this association, we incorporated protection against this pathway as part of a cell-based phenotypic screening approach to identify novel drug candidates for the treatment of AD. Using this approach, we identified the fisetin derivative CMS121 as a potent neuroprotective molecule that is able to maintain cognitive function in multiple pre-clinical models of AD. Furthermore, we identified a key target of CMS121 as fatty acid synthase, a protein which had not been previously considered in the context of AD. Herein, we provide a comprehensive description of the development of CMS121, its preclinical activities, and the results of the toxicology testing that led to its IND approval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The brain age gap (BAG), calculated as the difference between a machine learning model‐based predicted brain age and chronological age, has been increasingly investigated in psychiatric disorders. Tobacco and alcohol use are associated with increased BAG; however, no studies have compared global and regional BAG across substances other than alcohol and tobacco. This study aimed to compare global and regional estimates of brain age in individuals with substance use disorders and healthy controls. Design: This was a cross‐sectional study. Setting: This is an Enhancing Neuro Imaging through Meta‐Analysis Consortium (ENIGMA) Addiction Working Group study including data from 38 global sites. Participants: This study included 2606 participants, of whom 1725 were cases with a substance use disorder and 881 healthy controls. Measurements: This study used the Kaufmann brain age prediction algorithms to generate global and regional brain age estimates using T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. We used linear mixed effects models to compare global and regional (FreeSurfer lobestrict output) BAG (i.e. predicted minus chronological age) between individuals with one of five primary substance use disorders as well as healthy controls. Findings Alcohol use disorder (β = −5.49, t = −5.51, p < 0.001) was associated with higher global BAG, whereas amphetamine‐type stimulant use disorder (β = 3.44, t = 2.42, p = 0.02) was associated with lower global BAG in the separate substance‐specific models. Conclusions: People with alcohol use disorder appear to have a higher brain‐age gap than people without alcohol use disorder, which is consistent with other evidence of the negative impact of alcohol on the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech comprehension is remarkable for the immediacy with which the listener hears what is being said. Here, we focus on the neural underpinnings of this process in isolated spoken words. We analysed source-localised MEG data for nouns using Representational Similarity Analysis to probe the spatiotemporal coordinates of phonology, lexical form, and the semantics of emerging word candidates. Phonological model fit was detectable within 40–50 ms, engaging a bilateral network including superior and middle temporal cortex and extending into anterior temporal and inferior parietal regions. Lexical form emerged within 60–70 ms, and model fit to semantics from 100-110 ms. Strikingly, the majority of vertices in a central core showed model fit to all three dimensions, consistent with a distributed neural substrate for early speech analysis. The early interpretation of speech seems to be conducted in a unified integrative representational space, in conflict with conventional views of a linguistically stratified representational hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive neuroscience of language aims at revealing how linguistic information is represented and manipulated in the brain to enable communication and meaningful behaviour. An important aspect of the underlying brain processes is the integration and transformation of information across multiple brain systems. In order to understand these processes, a detailed characterisation of brain connectivity is key. For the most accurate characterisation of brain connectivity, connectivity methods should make use of the full multivariate and multidimensional information available from neuroimaging data. This should include a characterisation of transformations between patterns of activation across brain regions, and in particular their dependence on stimulus features, task and context. Methods for this type of analysis in event-related experimental designs have only recently begun to emerge. This paper describes these novel developments and their potential to transform the neuroscience of language, with a focus on fMRI and EEG/MEG research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroencephalography may be a valuable tool for assessing lexico-semantic processing in conditions where behavioural measures are unreliable. Detecting and quantifying effects in individuals is crucial for clinical applications, but individual-subject analyses are frequently not reported, and are hampered by low signal-to-noise. Multivariate analyses (MVPA) may be more sensitive than traditional approaches, so we asked how robustly they could detect differential neural responses to semantically matched and mismatched word/picture pairs in individuals. With clinical application in mind, we compared data from a research-grade EEG system to concurrently recorded data from the wireless Emotiv EPOC +. In both EEG systems, despite robust group-level effects, we only detected statistically significant processing of lexico-semantic condition in 50% of individuals. Surprisingly, detection rates were similar for MVPA and univariate analyses. MVPA may be advantageous when individual responses are heterogeneous, but in this simple paradigm, lexico-semantic processing could not be reliably detected at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech perception is heavily influenced by our expectations about what will be said. In this review, we discuss the potential of multivariate analysis as a tool to understand the neural mechanisms underlying predictive processes in speech perception. First, we discuss the advantages of multivariate approaches and what they have added to the understanding of speech processing from the acoustic-phonetic form of speech, over syllable identity and syntax, to its semantic content. Second, we suggest that using multivariate techniques to measure informational content across the hierarchically organised speech-sensitive brain areas might enable us to specify the mechanisms by which prior knowledge and sensory speech signals are combined. Specifically, this approach might allow us to decode how different priors, e.g. about a speaker's voice or about the topic of the current conversation, are represented at different processing stages and how incoming speech is as a result differently represented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study reflects on the use of improvisation and songwriting to support a patient with significantly impaired short-term memory and long-term memory interference as a result of acquired brain injury. Memory has long been associated with personal identity, linking the past with the present, and enabling us to project into the future. This continuity of consciousness helps us to learn from, and make sense of our experiences, strengthening our internal representation of self. Disruption to short-term memory can significantly impact decision making, planning and initiation, all of which are key components of personal identity and self-expression. Supporting patient autonomy and self-expression through improvisation, and crafting lyrical content around personal preferences and events, sessions were designed to bolster his internalised sense of self through both revisiting old memories and facilitating new memory formation within the present. While short-term memory has been considered a conduit to long-term memory consolidation, and integral to the individual's self-expression, this case study implies short-term memory was neither the gatekeeper to formation of long-term memories, nor critical to maintaining a sense of self, and reflects on how music helped the client create and access new learning beyond procedural memories, anchoring the self in newly internalised self-expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension (HT) is a common chronic disease in older adults. It not only leads to dizziness and other symptoms affecting balance in older adults with HT but also affects the hemodynamics of the cerebral cortex. At present, potential neural mechanisms of balance control in older adults with HT are still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the differences in the center of pressure (COP) and cerebral cortex activation between older adults with HT and normotension (NT) during standing balance tasks. This study May provide guidance for the early detection of the risk of falls among older adults with HT and the development of clinical rehabilitation strategies. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 30 older adults with NT (NT group) and 27 older adults with HT (HT group) were subjected to three conditions: task 1, standing with eyes open on a stable surface; task 2, standing with eyes closed on a stable surface; and task 3, standing with eyes open on the surface of the foam pad. Cortical hemodynamic reactions were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and COP parameters were measured using a force plate. Results: The mean velocity of the COP in the medial–lateral direction in the NT group was significantly higher than that in the HT group (F  =  5.955, p  =  0.018) during task 3. When proprioception was disturbed, the activation of the left premotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex in the HT group was significantly lower than that in the NT group (F  =  14.381, p  <  0.001). Conclusion: The standing balance function of older adults with HT does not appear to be worse based on COP parameters than those of older adults with NT. This study revealed that the changes in the central cortex related to standing balance appear to be more indicative of balance control deficits in older adults with HT than changes in peripheral COP parameters, suggesting the importance of the early evaluation of cortical activation in older adults with HT at risk of falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objective: To examine the cognitive benefits of 6  months of prescribed intermittent exercise (10-min bouts totaling 150 weekly minutes) in community-dwelling older adults, comparing effects of low-intensity movement (LIM) and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (aerobic exercise; AE) training; and exploring biological mechanisms of exercise-related cognitive improvement. Method: Twenty-five adults (>60  years old) participated in a 6-month controlled trial and were randomized into LIM or AE intermittent training. Cognition was assessed using a neuropsychological test battery including the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), California Verbal Learning Test, 2nd Edition (CVLT-II), and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). Neuroimaging measures were collected using a 7  T human MRI scanner. Serologic neurotrophic and inflammatory factors were analyzed using Luminex multiplex assays [brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)]; interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1). Results: LIM and AE intermittent training had dissociable effects on cognition, with LIM resulting in improved learning and memory and AE resulting in improved executive functioning. Intervention groups differed on change in cognitive performance on CVLT-II learning and D-KEFS trail making test. Increase in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) surface area was linked to executive improvement (i.e., phonemic fluency) regardless of intervention group. A decline in circulating PAI-1 was linked to learning and memory improvement in response to LIM over 6 months. Conclusion: Moderate-intensity AE and LIM intermittent training likely have distinct cognitive benefits, though low-intensity activity is often included as a control group in exercise trials in aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) is utilized to assess the functional connectivity of neural networks by quantifying the similarity between corresponding regions in the bilateral hemispheres of the brain. The exploration of VMHC abnormalities in basal ganglia ischemic stroke (BGIS) patients across different cerebral hemispheres has been limited. This study seeks to establish a foundation for understanding the functional connectivity status of both brain hemispheres in BGIS patients through the utilization of VMHC analysis utilizing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods: This study examined a total of 38 patients with left basal ganglia ischemic stroke (LBGIS), 44 patients with right basal ganglia ischemic stroke (RBGIS), and 41 individuals in a healthy control (HC) group. Rs-fMRI studies were performed on these patients, and the pre-processed rs-fMRI data were analyzed using VMHC method. Subsequently, the VMHC values were compared between three groups using a one-way ANOVA and post hoc analysis. Correlation analysis with clinical scales was also conducted. Results: The results indicated that compared to the HC group, significant differences were detected in postcentral gyrus, extending to precentral gyrus in both BGIS groups. Post hoc analysis showed that in the pairwise ROI-based comparison, individuals with LBGIS and RBGIS exhibited reduced VMHC values compared to HC groups. There was no significant difference between the LBGIS and RBGIS groups. In the LBGIS group, the VMHC value showed a negative correlation with NIHSS and a positive correlation with BI. Conclusion: The analysis of VMHC in rs-fMRI revealed a pattern of brain functional remodeling in patients with unilateral BGIS, marked by reduced synchronization and coordination between hemispheres. This may contribute to the understanding of the neurological mechanisms underlying motor dysfunction in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Research has shown that speech analysis demonstrates sensitivity in detecting early Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the relation between linguistic features and cognitive tests or biomarkers remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate how linguistic features help identify cognitive impairments in patients in the early stages of AD. Method: This study analyzed connected speech from 80 participants and categorized the participants into early-AD and normal control (NC) groups. The participants underwent amyloid-ß positron emission tomography scans, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and comprehensive neuropsychological testing. Participants' speech data from a picture description task were examined. A total of 15 linguistic features were analyzed to classify groups and predict cognitive performance. Results: We found notable linguistic differences between the early-AD and NC groups in lexical diversity, syntactic complexity, and language disfluency. Using machine learning classifiers (SVM, KNN, and RF), we achieved up to 88% accuracy in distinguishing early-AD patients from normal controls, with mean length of utterance (MLU) and long pauses ratio (LPR) serving as core linguistic indicators. Moreover, the integration of linguistic indicators with biomarkers significantly improved predictive accuracy for AD. Regression analysis also highlighted crucial linguistic features, such as MLU, LPR, Type-to-Token ratio (TTR), and passive construction ratio (PCR), which were sensitive to changes in cognitive function. Conclusion: Findings support the efficacy of linguistic analysis as a screening tool for the early detection of AD and the assessment of subtle cognitive decline. Integrating linguistic features with biomarkers significantly improved diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The n-back task is a widely used paradigm to assess working memory and is commonly applied in research on age-related cognitive decline. However, studies utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to explore this area are limited. Objective: This study aims to investigate age-related differences in brain activation during the n-back task using fNIRS. Methods: fNIRS data were collected from 18 elderly and 19 young participants while performing different n-back tasks. Brain activation patterns and peripheral performance were compared between the two groups. Results: Significant differences in brain activation patterns were observed between elderly and young participants. Under the 3-back condition, the older group exhibited reduced activation in brain regions adjacent to prefrontal cognitive areas compared to the younger group. Additionally, the older group's performance plateaued at the 2-back level, along with a decline in prefrontal activation. Conclusion: These findings may suggest potential markers for cognitive decline, providing a new target for future screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder lacking reliable neuroimaging biomarkers. This study aimed to evaluate microstructural and functional connectivity alterations using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), and to investigate their diagnostic potential as biomarkers. Methods: Twenty-three patients with NIID and 40 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Firstly, gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes were assessed by voxel-based analysis (VBA) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Then we explored modifications in brain functional networks connectivity by independent component analysis. And the relationship between the altered DKI parameters and neuropsychological evaluation was analyzed. Finally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of different gray matter and white matter parameters. Results: Compared with the HCs, NIID patients showed reduced mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK), axial kurtosis (AK), and kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA) values in deep gray matter regions. Significantly decreased MK, RK, AK, KFA and fractional anisotropy (FA), and increased mean diffusivity (MD) values were observed in extensive white matter fiber tracts. Notable alterations in functional connectivity were also detected. Among all DKI parameters, the diagnostic efficiency of AK in GM and FA in WM regions was the highest. Conclusion: Adult-onset NIID patients exhibited altered microstructure and functional network connectivity. Our findings suggest that DKI parameters may serve as potential imaging biomarkers for diagnosing adult-onset NIID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive function plays a crucial role in human life, and its maintenance and improvement are essential in both young and older adults. Since cognitive decline can be associated with oral function decline, preventing the decline in both cognitive and oral functions is an urgent social issue. Several training methods to improve each function have been proposed. Previous studies have indicated that greater brain activity during training is associated with increased benefits for cognitive function. Although adding cognitive function elements to oral function training may promote the activation of brain activity during oral function training, the effects have not been validated. The main purpose of this study is to develop a novel training program that combines oral function training with cognitive training, which is expected to activate key brain regions involved in oral and cognitive functions, such as the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Methods: Four types of training programs combining oral and cognitive training: PaTaKaRa × calculation, lip exercise × N-back, tongue exercise × inhibition, and tongue exercise × memory, were developed. Each program had seven levels of difficulty [level 0 (no cognitive load) and level 6 (maximum difficulty)]. Twelve healthy young adults participated in the study and were instructed to perform all four programs. Brain activity in the left DLPFC and right mPFC were measured during each training session using two-channel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Results: No significant brain activity was observed during training at level 0. Brain activity in the left DLPFC was significantly increased at levels 1 and 2 and in the left DLPFC and right mPFC at level 6 during PaTaKaRa × calculation training. Brain activity in the left DLPFC was significantly increased at level 6 during tongue exercise × inhibition training. Brain activity in the left DLPFC and right mPFC was significantly increased at level 6 during lip exercise × N-back training. Conclusion: Oral function training did not significantly increase brain activity; nevertheless, oral function with cognitive training stimulated brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. Trial registration: : UMIN-CTR. ID: UMIN000039678. date: 06/03/2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant (high-grade) gliomas are aggressive intrinsic brain tumors that diffusely infiltrate the brain parenchyma. They comprise of World Health Organization (WHO) grade III and IV gliomas. Ionizing radiation or irradiation (IR) is frequently utilized in the treatment of both primary as well as metastatic brain tumors. On the contrary, macrophages (MΦ) are the most copious infiltrating immune cells of all the different cell types colonizing glioma. MΦ at tumor milieu are referred to as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMΦ). In malignant gliomas milieu, TAMΦ are also polarized into two distinct phenotypes such as M1 TAMΦ or M2 TAMΦ, which are capable of inhibiting or promoting tumor growth, respectively. Cranial-IR such as x- and γ-IR are sufficient to induce the migration of peripherally derived MΦ into the brain parenchyma. The IR facilitate a more immunosuppressive milieu via the stimulation of efferocytosis in TAMΦ, and an upsurge of tumor cell engulfment by TAMΦ exhibited detrimental effect of the anti-tumoral immune response in glioma. The MΦ inside the tumor mass are associated with multiple phenomena that include IR resistance and enrichment of the M2 MΦ after IR is able to facilitate glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) recurrence. Reviews on the role of cranial IR-induced peripheral and brain-engrafting macrophages (BeMΦ) in glioma are lacking. Specifically, most studies on peripheral, intrinsic as well as beMΦ on IR focus on WHO grade III and IV. Thus, this review precisely focuses primary on WHO grade III as well as IV gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Olfactory dysfunction stands as one of the most prevalent non-motor symptoms in the initial stage of Parkinson's disease (PD). Nevertheless, the intricate mechanisms underlying olfactory deficits in Parkinson's disease still remain elusive. Methods: This study collected rs-fMRI data from 30 PD patients [15 with severe hyposmia (PD-SH) and 15 with no/mild hyposmia (PD-N/MH)] and 15 healthy controls (HC). To investigate functional segregation, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were utilized. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis was performed to explore the functional integration across diverse brain regions. Additionally, the graph theory-based network analysis was employed to assess functional networks in PD patients. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to delve deeper into the relationship between the severity of olfactory dysfunction and various functional metrics. Results: We discovered pronounced variations in ALFF, ReHo, FC, and topological brain network attributes across the three groups, with several of these disparities exhibiting a correlation with olfactory scores. Conclusion: Using fMRI, our study analyzed brain function in PD-SH, PD-N/MH, and HC groups, revealing impaired segregation and integration in PD-SH and PD-N/MH. We hypothesize that changes in temporal, frontal, occipital, and cerebellar activities, along with aberrant cerebellum-insula connectivity and node degree and betweenness disparities, may be linked to olfactory dysfunction in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: At least one-third of the identified risk alleles from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are involved in lipid metabolism, lipid transport, or direct lipid binding. In fact, a common genetic variant (e4) in a cholesterol and phospholipid transporter, Apolipoprotein E (APOEe4), is the primary genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. In addition to genetic variants, lipidomic studies have reported severe metabolic dysregulation in human autopsy brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and multiple mouse models of AD. Methods: We aimed to identify an overarching metabolic pathway in lipid metabolism by integrating analyses of lipidomics and transcriptomics from the Religious Order Study and Rush Memory Aging Project (ROSMAP) using differential analysis and network correlation analysis. Results: Coordinated differences in lipids were found to be dysregulated in association with both mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and APOEe4 carriers. Interestingly, these correlations were weakened when adjusting for education. Indeed, the cognitively non-impaired APOEe4 carriers have higher education levels in the ROSMAP cohort, suggesting that this lipid signature may be associated with a resilience phenotype. Network correlation analysis identified multiple differential lipids within a single module that are substrates and products in the Lands Cycle for acyl chain remodeling. In addition, our analyses identified multiple genes in the Lands Cycle acyl chain remodeling pathway, which were associated with cognitive decline independent of amyloid-ß (Aß) load and tau tangle pathologies. Discussion: Our studies highlight the critical differences in acyl chain remodeling in brain tissue from APOEe4 carriers and individual non-carriers with MCI. A coordinated lipid profile shift in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from both APOEe4 carriers and MCI suggests differences in lipid metabolism occur early in disease stage and highlights lipid homeostasis as a tractable target for early disease modifying intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Visual perception of face images or face pareidolia can be evaluated with event-related potentials (ERP) for healthy subjects and patients with neurological conditions. In this study, we aimed to analyse event-related potential components such as P100, N100, N170, and vertex-positive potential (VPP) in response to face pareidolia perception in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients. Methods: ERPs were recorded during the pareidolia test. Waveforms were analzyed and current source density (CSD) maps were generated. Results: CSD profiles were shown to be interpretable when face and face pareidolia conditions. N100, P100, and N170 components showed larger amplitudes and longer latency in epilepsy patients in response to face pareidolia stimuli compared to real face images. However, the N170 component latency did not differ significantly between epilepsy patients and healthy participants, while the larger amplitude and longer latency of N100 and P100 responses were evoked in healthy patients. Conclusions: Our results indicate a difference in the neural mechanisms of processing real face information and pareidolia face-like information in TLE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our behavior and mental states are constantly shaped by our environment and experiences. However, little is known about the response of brain functional connectivity to environmental, physiological, and behavioral changes on different timescales, from days to months. This gives rise to an urgent need for longitudinal studies that collect high-frequency data. To this end, for a single subject, we collected 133 days of behavioral data with smartphones and wearables and performed 30 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans measuring attention, memory, resting state, and the effects of naturalistic stimuli. We find traces of past behavior and physiology in brain connectivity that extend up as far as 15 days. While sleep and physical activity relate to brain connectivity during cognitively demanding tasks, heart rate variability and respiration rate are more relevant for resting-state connectivity and movie-watching. This unique data set is openly accessible, offering an exceptional opportunity for further discoveries. Our results demonstrate that we should not study brain connectivity in isolation, but rather acknowledge its interdependence with the dynamics of the environment, changes in lifestyle, and short-term fluctuations such as transient illnesses or restless sleep. These results reflect a prolonged and sustained relationship between external factors and neural processes. Overall, precision mapping designs such as the one employed here can help to better understand intraindividual variability, which may explain some of the observed heterogeneity in fMRI findings. The integration of brain connectivity, physiology data and environmental cues will propel future environmental neuroscience research and support precision healthcare. Functional brain activity is often measured during a single scanning session which neglects behavioral, physiological and lifestyle effects on brain activity. This study presents functional neuroimaging data from 30 neuroimaging session across 15 weeks from one participant and reveals relationships between human daily behavior and brain function under different stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Whether changes in socioeconomic position (SEP) across generations, i.e. intergenerational social mobility, influence brain degeneration and cognition in later life is unclear. Objective To examine the association of social mobility, brain grey matter structure and global cognition. Methods We analysed T1 brain MRI data of 771 old adults (69.8 ± 5.2 years) from the Whitehall II MRI substudy, with MRI data collected between 2012 and 2016. Social mobility was defined by SEP changes from their fathers' generation to mid-life status. Brain structural outcomes include grey matter (GM) volume and cortical thickness (CT) covering whole brain. Global cognition was measured by the Mini Mental State Examination. We firstly conducted analysis of covariance to identify regional difference of GM volume and cortical thickness across stable high/low and upward/downward mobility groups, followed with diagonal reference models studying the relationship between mobility and brain cognitive outcomes, apart from SEP origin and destination. We additionally conducted linear mixed models to check mobility interaction over time, where global cognition was derived from three phases across 2002 to 2017. Results Social mobility related to 48 out of the 136 GM volume regions and 4 out of the 68 CT regions. Declined volume was particularly seen in response to downward mobility, whereas no independent association of mobility with global cognition was observed. Conclusion Despite no strong evidence supporting direct influence of mobility on global cognition in later life, imaging findings warranted a severe level of neurodegeneration due to downward mobility from their father's generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shifts in peak frequencies of oscillatory neural rhythms are put forward as a principal mechanism by which cross‐frequency coupling/decoupling is implemented in the brain. During active neural processing, functional integration is facilitated through transitory formations of "harmonic" cross‐frequency couplings, whereas "nonharmonic" decoupling among neural oscillatory rhythms is postulated to characterize the resting, default state of the brain, minimizing the occurrence of spurious, noisy, background couplings. Methods: Within this exploratory, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial, we assessed whether the transient occurrence of nonharmonic and harmonic relationships between peak‐frequencies in the alpha (8–14 Hz) and theta (4–8 Hz) bands is impacted by intranasal administration of oxytocin, a neuromodulator implicated in improving homeostasis and reducing stress/anxiety. To do so, resting‐state electroencephalography was acquired before and after 4 weeks of oxytocin administration (12 IU twice‐daily) in children with autism spectrum disorder (8–12 years, n = 33 oxytocin; n = 34 placebo). At the baseline, neural assessments of children with autism were compared with those of a matched cohort of children without autism (n = 40). Results: Compared to nonautistic peers, autistic children displayed a lower incidence of nonharmonic alpha‐theta cross‐frequency decoupling, indicating a higher incidence of spurious "noisy" coupling in their resting brain (p =.001). Dimensionally, increased neural coupling was associated with more social difficulties (p =.002) and lower activity of the parasympathetic "rest & digest" branch of the autonomic nervous system (p =.018), indexed with high‐frequency heart‐rate‐variability. Notably, after oxytocin administration, the transient formation of nonharmonic cross‐frequency configurations was increased in the cohort of autistic children (p <.001), indicating a beneficial effect of oxytocin on reducing spurious cross‐frequency‐interactions. Furthermore, parallel epigenetics changes of the oxytocin receptor gene indicated that the neural effects were likely mediated by changes in endogenous oxytocinergic signaling (p =.006). Conclusions: Chronic oxytocin induced important homeostatic changes in the resting‐state intrinsic neural frequency architecture, reflective of reduced noisy oscillatory couplings and improved signal‐to‐noise properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enactivism is a branch of embodied cognition theory that argues for a highly distributed model of cognition as a sense‐making process involving brain, body, environment, and subjective experience. It is a theoretical framework with potential value for nursing since it offers an integrated framework for human sense‐making that includes physiological and psychological factors as well as the primary experience of subjective perceptions. This paper presents an introduction to the background and main tenets of enactivist theory. These are discussed in relation to nursing, and mental health nursing to argue for the relevance of enactivism in nursing knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Acute caffeine intake affects brain and cardiovascular physiology, yet the concentration–effect relationships on the electroencephalogram and cardiac autonomic activity during sleep are poorly understood. To tackle this question, we simultaneously quantified the plasma caffeine concentration with ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography, as well as the electroencephalogram, heart rate and high‐frequency (0.15–0.4 Hz) spectral power in heart rate variability, representing parasympathetic activity, with standard polysomnography during undisturbed human sleep. Twenty‐one healthy young men in randomized, double‐blind, crossover fashion, ingested 160 mg caffeine or placebo in a delayed, pulsatile‐release caffeine formula at their habitual bedtime, and initiated a 4‐hr sleep opportunity 4.5 hr later. The mean caffeine levels during sleep exhibited high individual variability between 0.2 and 18.4 μmol L−1. Across the first two non‐rapid‐eye‐movement (NREM)–rapid‐eye‐movement sleep cycles, electroencephalogram delta (0.75–2.5 Hz) activity and heart rate were reliably modulated by waking and sleep states. Caffeine dose‐dependently reduced delta activity and heart rate, and increased high‐frequency heart rate variability in NREM sleep when compared with placebo. The average reduction in heart rate equalled 3.24 ± 0.77 beats per minute. Non‐linear statistical models suggest that caffeine levels above ~7.4 μmol L−1 decreased electroencephalogram delta activity, whereas concentrations above ~4.3 μmol L−1 and ~ 4.9 μmol L−1, respectively, reduced heart rate and increased high‐frequency heart rate variability. These findings provide quantitative concentration–effect relationships of caffeine, electroencephalogram delta power and cardiac autonomic activity, and suggest increased parasympathetic activity during sleep after intake of caffeine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our study aimed to explore the efficacy of Bifidobacterium breve 207-1 on specific neurotransmitters and hormones and the ability to regulate lifestyle behaviors in healthy adults. Methods: In total, 120 healthy adults with high mental stress, overweight, insomnia, and constipation were randomly assigned to receive low-dose B. breve 207-1 (LD, n = 40), high-dose B. breve 207-1 (HD, n = 40), or placebo (n = 40) for 28 days. Fecal and blood samples were collected and questionnaires were answered before and after the trial. Neurotransmitters and serum hormones were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The gut microbiota composition was assessed using 16 S rRNA sequencing. Short–chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations were determined via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Results: The primary outcome of our study was changes in mental wellness, including neurotransmitters, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrena (HPA) axis hormones, and the psychological scales. The results showed that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) increased significantly and the HPA axis hormones were suppressed overall in the probiotic groups while 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) did not change significantly. However, there was no significant change in mood scale scores. The secondary outcome focused on the ability of 207-1 to regulate the body and lifestyle of healthy adults (e.g., sleep, diet, exercise, etc.). The PSQI scores in the probiotics groups significantly decreased, indicating improved sleep quality. Meanwhile, the probiotic groups had a slight increase in exercise consumption while dietary intake stabilized. By physical examination, the participants showed weight loss although no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. Then, validated by gut microbiota, changes in the gut microbiota were observed under the effective intervention of 207-1 while short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) increased in the LD group, particularly acetic and propionic acids. There was a slight decrease in alpha–diversity in the HD group. Conclusion: Bifidobacterium breve 207-1 entered the organism and affected neurotransmitter and the HPA axis hormone levels via the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Meanwhile, 207-1 supplementation improved daily lifestyle behaviors in healthy adults, which may in turn lead to changes in their bodies (e.g. weight and lipid metabolism). However, this study did not find significant mood-modulating efficacy. The mechanism of the overall study is unclear, but we hypothesize that SCFAs may be the key pathway, and more experiments are needed for validation in the future. Trial registration: This trial was retrospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry under the accession number ChiCTR2300069453 on March 16, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe condition characterized by bleeding within brain tissue. Primary brain injury in ICH results from a mechanical insult caused by blood accumulation, whereas secondary injury involves inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of brain physiology. miR-195-5p may participate in ICH pathology by regulating cell proliferation, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Therefore, we assessed the performance of miR-195-5p in alleviating ICH-induced secondary brain injury. ICH was established in male Sprague–Dawley rats (7 weeks old, 200–250 g) via the stereotaxic intrastriatal injection of type IV bacterial collagenase, after which miR-195-5p was administered intravenously. Neurological function was assessed using corner turn and forelimb grip strength tests. Protein expression was assessed by western blotting and ELISA. The miR-195-5p treatment significantly improved neurological function; modulated macrophage polarization by promoting anti-inflammatory marker (CD206 and Arg1) production and inhibiting pro-inflammatory marker (CD68 and iNOS) production; enhanced Akt signalling, reduced oxidative stress by increasing Sirt1 and Nrf2 levels, and attenuated inflammation by decreasing NF-κB activation; inhibited apoptosis via increased Bcl-2 and decreased cleaved caspase-3 levels; and regulated synaptic plasticity by modulating NMDAR2A, NMDAR2B, BDNF, and TrkB expression and ERK and CREB phosphorylation. In conclusion, miR-195-5p exerts neuroprotective effects in ICH by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, inhibiting apoptosis, and restoring synaptic plasticity, ultimately restoring behavioral recovery, and represents a promising therapeutic agent that warrants clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brain is essential for processing and integrating sensory signals coming from peripheral tissues. Conversely, the autonomic nervous system regulated by brain centres modulates the immune responses involved in the genesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the pathophysiological bases of this relationship established between the brain and immune system is relevant for advancing therapies. An additional mechanism involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function is provided by the brain‐mediated control of the renin–angiotensin system. In both cases, the communication is typically bidirectional and established by afferent and sensory signals collected at the level of peripheral tissues, efferent circuits, as well as of hormones. Understanding how the brain mediates the bidirectional communication and how the immune system participates in this process is object of intense investigation. This review examines key findings that support a role for these interactions in the pathogenesis of major vascular diseases that are characterized by a consistent alteration of the immune response, such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. In addition, we provide a critical appraisal of the translational implications that these discoveries have in the clinical setting where an effective management of neuroimmune and/or neuroinflammatory state might be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine a possible correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and altered fetal behavior. Kurjak's antenatal neurodevelopmental test (KANET) was applied from 28 to 40 weeks in 38 gestations (group A) diagnosed with COVID-19 infection during the first week and 43 non-COVID pregnant women (group B). No statistically significant differences considering maternal age (33±3.9 years for group A vs. 31±4.1 years for group B) and gestational age (33±1.6 weeks for group A compared to 33±2.1 weeks for group B) were observed. KANET scores were not different between the two groups. Fetal behavior differences are not altered in women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection during the third trimester of pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Understanding neural mechanisms underlying cognitive workload is crucial for advancing our knowledge of human cognition and mental processes. In this study, we utilized electroencephalography (EEG) analysis to investigate brain activity associated with varying mental cognitive workloads from a psychological perspective. Method: We employed a publicly accessible EEG dataset consisting of a cohort of 36 healthy volunteers (75% female), aged 18 to 26 years, while the participants were at rest or engaged in an arithmetic task to explore mental cognitive workload. After preprocessing to reduce noise and various artifacts and to obtain a clean signal for every subject, functional connectivity and complexity features were calculated from EEGs through the coherence and permutation entropy algorithms, respectively. Then, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to assess the differences in complexity and connectivity measures across various brain regions between the rest and task states. Results: Brain sites showed significant within-subject effects, and the interaction between states and channels was significant for connectivity values (F = 3.68, P = 0.034). Post hoc comparisons indicated that FP1-F7, FP1-F8 and FP1- Fz connectivity were significantly lower during the task state compared to the rest state (P < 0.05). Moreover, F4-P3, F4- P4, FP1-O1, FP2-O2, F3-O1, F4-O1, F8-O1, C4-O1, F3-O2, F4-O2, F7-O2, F8-O2, Fz-O1, Fz-O2, Cz-O1 and Fz-P4 connectivity were significantly higher during the arithmetic task state (P < 0.05). Furthermore, brain sites showed significant within-subject effects and the interaction between states and channels was significant for entropy values (F = 3.50, P = 0.041). Post hoc comparisons indicated that the permutation entropy was significantly higher in the FP1, T3, T4, P4 and Pz channels during the arithmetic task compared to the rest state (P < 0.05). Conclusion: During arithmetic tasks, the increased connectivity in the frontoparietal and frontooccipital networks and heightened complexity in the prefrontal, temporal and parietal lobes reflect the collaborative engagement of brain areas specialized in numerical processing, attention, working memory, cognitive control, and visual-spatial cognition. These changes in connectivity and complexity facilitate the integration of multiple cognitive processes essential for effective arithmetic problem-solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are two syndromes categorized under synucleinopathy, sharing comparable symptoms. The identification of biomarkers would offer an accurate approach for improved diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of treatment efficacy for these distinct forms of dementia. Method: This study utilized spectral analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis to compare electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics between PDD and DLB patients. EEG data was collected from 30 PDD patients, 36 DLB patients, and 36 healthy subjects at rest. Following a conditioning phase to minimize noise and eliminate artifacts, we derived spectral and complexity features using Welch's method and sample entropy. Analysis of variance with repeated measures was performed to compare spectral features and nonlinear dynamics of brain activity between the groups. Results: Post hoc comparison showed that in the control group, the power of delta and theta bands was lower and the power of alpha and beta bands was higher than in patients with PDD and DLB. (P < 0.05). In the theta and alpha bands, the PDD group showed greater power than the DLB group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant main effect of diagnosis (F = 4.67, P = 0.007), and also the diagnosis by region interaction for complexity values (F = 4.58, P = 0.009). Post hoc analysis showed that the EEG complexity of the control group was significantly higher than that of the PDD and DLB groups in the frontal, central, temporal and parietal regions (P < 0.05). Moreover, the EEG complexity of the PDD group was significantly higher than that of the DLB group in the central, temporal and parietal regions (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Although both PDD and DLB had almost similar patterns compared to the control group, they showed differences in the EEG power spectrum and its nonlinear dynamics. Our findings indicated marked diffuse slowing and lower cortical complexity or activity in DLB patients compared to PDD in all regions, especially in the central, temporal and parietal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rest-fMRI) in mapping language areas for preoperative planning, versus standard task-based techniques, which are at times difficult to perform in clinical settings. Our study also aimed to evaluate the overlap between language areas identified through rest-fMRI and the standard task-fMRI, in neurosurgical cases. Materials and Methods Using a seed-based analysis of rest-fMRI with multiple template seeds, we identified functionally connected language regions in patients undergoing preoperative language mapping. Four language task paradigms (word, verb, picture, and semantics) were evaluated. We quantified the degree of overlap between language areas identified on rest-fMRI and task-fMRI, categorizing the results as more than 50% or less than 50% overlap. Results Seventy-seven percent of patients demonstrated an overlap exceeding 50% between rest- and task-fMRI maps, with the left Broca's area being the most frequently observed region of overlap. This finding was noted even in cases with lesions in Broca's or Wernicke's areas, highlighting the method's robustness. The verb task showed the best blood-oxygen-level dependent activity and overlap with rest-fMRI, highlighting its reliability. To identify a specific language area, the contralateral seed of the same area most commonly displayed connectivity with the area of interest. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate the potential of using rest-fMRI in accurately mapping eloquent language areas, in clinical settings The strong concordance observed, especially in the left Broca's area, underscores the reliability of this method. Further research and larger studies are essential to validate these results, potentially establishing the use of routine rest-fMRI, in clinical preoperative workup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a growing literature, experiments directly related to attachment are still needed. We explored brain processes involved in two aspects of attachment, distress and comfort. Seventy-eight healthy adult males with different attachment styles (secure, avoidant, and anxious) viewed distress, comfort, complicity-joy and neutral images (picture database BAPS-Adult) in an fMRI block design. ROIs from the modules described in the functional Neuro-Anatomical Model of Attachment (Long et al. 2020) were studied. Secure participants used more co- and self-regulation strategies and exhibited a higher activation of the reward network in distress and comfort viewing, than insecure participants. Avoidant participants showed the lower brain activations. Their approach and reward modules were the least activated in distress and comfort. Anxious participants presented both higher activations of the approach and aversion modules during complicity-joy. In addition, comfort and complicity-joy were processed differently according to attachment styles and should be differentiated among positive stimuli to disentangle attachment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]