Article
Neurosciences
Alex M. Pagnozzi, Liza van Eijk, Kerstin Pannek, Roslyn N. Boyd, Susmita Saha, Joanne George, Samudragupta Bora, DanaKai Bradford, Michael Fahey, Michael Ditchfield, Atul Malhotra, Helen Liley, Paul B. Colditz, Stephen Rose, Jurgen Fripp
Summary: Infants born very preterm face neurodevelopmental challenges and early identification through clinical assessment and MRI can enable targeted interventions. This study used a prospective cohort of preterm infants and identified early MRI biomarkers for neurodevelopmental outcomes using advanced imaging techniques. The results demonstrated the utility of MRI prior to term equivalent age for predicting outcomes and initiating early interventions.
Review
Cell Biology
Mallikarjuna Nimgampalle, Harshini Chakravarthy, Sapana Sharma, Shruti Shree, Anoop Ramachandra Bhat, Jangampalli Adi Pradeepkiran, Vasudharani Devanathan
Summary: Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that play a crucial role in information processing in the nervous system, and are essential for healthy physiological and behavioral functions in the body. Dysregulation of neurotransmitter systems is typically associated with specific neurological disorders. Recent research has shown that each neurotransmitter system has a distinct pathogenic role in multiple neurological disorders of the central nervous system. This review provides updated information on each neurotransmitter system, including their synthesis and regulation, functions, pathogenic roles in diseases, diagnostics, therapeutic targets, and currently used drugs for associated neurological disorders. It also discusses recent developments in neurotransmitter-based therapeutics and future perspectives in this area of research.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Adelina Pellicer, Ramon Fernandez, Vincent Jullien, Clare Gleeson, Maria Carmen Bravo, Paloma Lopez Ortego, Laura Sanchez, Marta Ybarra, Hector Rojas-Anaya, Fernando Cabanas, Armin Koch, Andrea Smith, Heike Rabe
Summary: Dobutamine is effective in treating hemodynamic insufficiency in preterm infants, but there is a wide variability in its metabolism, leading to potential risks of under- or overtreatment. Delaying blood sampling by up to 3 hours may be necessary to accurately evaluate the effective dose. This information is crucial for planning future trials on cardiovascular support.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Xiaotong Wang, Jiajia Jing, Saijun Huang, Xiaoying He, Pingming Gao, Hailin Li, Zongyu Lin, Per Torp Sangild, Yanna Zhu
Summary: Early anemia in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants is negatively correlated with neurodevelopment, especially with behavioral ability, but is not associated with brain injury.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander Sinclair-Wilson, Akinde Lawrence, Isabelle Ferezou, Hugues Cartonnet, Caroline Mailhes, Sonia Garel, Ludmilla Lokmane
Summary: This study demonstrates that thalamocortical axons (TCA) can rewire during a short postnatal time window, aided by prenatal apoptosis of thalamic neurons and serotonin modulation. This rewiring process leads to the formation of properly innervated primary sensory areas, and is impaired in preterm birth.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Arin A. Balalian, Katharine H. McVeigh, Jeanette A. Stingone
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether the relationship between prenatal exposure to common urban air pollutants and academic achievement in childhood is mediated through an increased risk of preterm birth. The results showed that there is an association between exposure to diesel and perchloroethylene and lower math scores, but no evidence of mediation through preterm birth was found.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Leena Aho, Marjo Metsaranta, Piia Lonnberg, Elina Wolford, Aulikki Lano
Summary: This study found that neonatal neurobehavioral characteristics may serve as a precursor for later neurodevelopment and social cognition performance, with optimal auditory orientation and visual alertness at term age being associated with better developmental quotients and performance in various tests at different ages.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Niloy Nath, Winnica Beltrano, Logan Haynes, Deborah Dewey, Signe Bray
Summary: Approximately 10% of births are preterm, which increases the risk for cognitive, behavioral, and mental health challenges in children. Using a large and diverse study, we found that preterm birth is associated with relative cortical thinning and thickening of certain brain regions.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Claire E. Kelly, Michelle Shaul, Deanne K. Thompson, Rheanna M. Mainzer, Joseph Y. M. Yang, Thijs Dhollander, Jeanie L. Y. Cheong, Terrie E. Inder, Lex W. Doyle, Peter J. Anderson
Summary: Early life experiences, such as very preterm birth, can have long-term effects on brain and cognitive development. This study synthesized previous research on brain structure in adults born very preterm (VP) and found volumetric, morphologic, and microstructural alterations in specific regions of the brain compared to controls. These findings suggest a persisting neurological impact of VP birth, which may provide insights into the development of cognition in high-risk populations.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michal Kosowski, Joanna Smolarczyk-Kosowska, Marcin Hachula, Mateusz Maliglowka, Marcin Basiak, Grzegorz Machnik, Robert Pudlo, Boguslaw Okopien
Summary: Statins, aside from lowering cholesterol levels, also have pleiotropic effects like anti-inflammatory and antiatherosclerotic effects, benefiting the functioning of the nervous system. While there have been studies on the mechanisms by which statins may affect CNS function, there is still a lack of clear data explaining this effect. The pleiotropic effects of statins usage may open doors for research in the field of neurological and psychiatric diseases.
Article
Cell Biology
Xue-Lian Qi, Ruifeng Liu, Balbir Singh, David Bestue, Albert Compte, Almira Vazdarjanova, David T. Blake, Christos Constantinidis
Summary: Acetylcholine in the neocortex plays a critical role in enhancing cognitive functioning. Stimulation of the nucleus basalis affects working memory and alters neural coding. Despite a decrease in neuronal selectivity after stimulation, performance improves in many task conditions, likely indicating increased delay period stability.
Article
Biology
Carlotta Pribbenow, Yi-Chun Chen, M-Marcel Heim, Desiree Laber, Silas Reubold, Eric Reynolds, Isabella Balles, Tania Fernandez-d Alquicira, Raquel Suarez-Grimalt, Lisa Scheunemann, Carolin Rauch, Tanja Matkovic, Joerg Roesner, Gregor Lichtner, Sridhar R. Jagannathan, David Owald
Summary: This study found that there is postsynaptic plasticity at cholinergic output synapses in the Drosophila mushroom bodies, which is similar to the memory formation mechanism in vertebrates. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha 5 plays a key role in appetitive memory induction, while the alpha 2 subunits mediate memory expression.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Chih-Chia Chen, Chi-Hsiang Chu, Yung-Chieh Lin, Chao-Ching Huang
Summary: This study found that neonatal oliguric acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with neurodevelopmental impairment in very preterm-birth children. The study also suggests that long-term follow-up of head size and neurodevelopment after neonatal AKI is necessary.
KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chi-Sian Kao, Yen-Tzu Fan, Ling-Chu Chien, Kai-Wei Liao, Jui-Hsing Chang, Chyong-Hsin Hsu, Yi-Jhen Chen, Chuen-Bin Jiang
Summary: The effects of early-life metal exposure on neurodevelopment in very low birth weight preterm (VLBMP) children have been investigated. It was found that VLBWP children had significantly lower scores in all development domains compared to normal birth weight term (NBWT) children. Fingernails are a useful biomarker for metal exposure to evaluate the effects on neurological development. Effects of preterm birth and postnatal exposure to Cd and As were associated with poorer cognitive, receptive language, and gross-motor abilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chih-Fu Wei, Ching-Chun Lin, Meng-Shan Tsai, Yueliang L. Guo, Shio-Jean Lin, Hua-Fang Liao, Wu-Shiun Hsieh, Mei-Huei Chen, Pau-Chung Chen
Summary: Household incense burning exposure is associated with delays in neurodevelopment milestones among preterm infants, with different motor domains affected depending on the degree of prematurity. These associations are attenuated by the interaction between higher maternal educational status and household incense burning exposure status.
Article
Neurosciences
Lucija Rapan, Sean Froudist-Walsh, Meiqi Niu, Ting Xu, Thomas Funck, Karl Zilles, Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
Summary: In this study, the parcellation scheme of the macaque frontal agranular cortex was reevaluated using quantitative cytoarchitectonic and multireceptor analyses, identifying 16 distinct areas. Multivariate analysis of receptor fingerprints revealed three clusters, while functional connectivity analysis showed different connectivity patterns between various premotor and motor areas with other brain regions. This 3D atlas provides valuable insights into the microstructure and encoding strategies underlying brain functions evolution.
Article
Neurosciences
Meiqi Niu, Lucija Rapan, Thomas Funck, Sean Froudist-Walsh, Ling Zhao, Karl Zilles, Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
Summary: This study conducted a quantitative analysis of the cyto-and receptor architecture of the macaque IPL, identifying distinct areas associated with different functional systems. The results suggest a functional gradient along the caudo-rostral axis, segregating IPL areas into clusters involved in multisensory integration and visual-motor functions versus motor planning and action-related functions. The 3D map and receptor fingerprints of the macaque IPL are now publicly available for future research in non-human primates.
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Marcelo L. Berthier, Daniel Santana-Moreno, Alvaro Beltran-Corbellini, Juan C. Criado-Alamo, Lisa Edelkraut, Diana Lopez-Barroso, Guadalupe Davila, Maria Jose Torres-Prioris
Summary: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a cholinergic enhancing drug combined with speech language therapy in reducing SPs and other non-perseverative semantic errors in a person with chronic post-stroke aphasia. The results showed that the combined therapy significantly reduced SPs and improved everyday communication with low doses of donepezil.
Article
Neurosciences
P. Christiaan Klink, Jean-Francois Aubry, Vincent P. Ferrera, Andrew S. Fox, Sean Froudist-Walsh, Bechir Jarraya, Elisa E. Konofagou, Richard J. Krauzlis, Adam Messinger, Anna S. Mitchell, Michael Ortiz-Rios, Hiroyuki Oya, Angela C. Roberts, Anna Wang Roe, Matthew F. S. Rushworth, Jerome Sallet, Michael Christoph Schmid, Charles E. Schroeder, Jordy Tasserie, Doris Y. Tsao, Lynn Uhrig, Wim Vanduffel, Melanie Wilke, Igor Kagan, Christopher Petkov
Summary: Brain perturbation studies focus on non-invasive methods, with non-human primates serving as a research model for neurobiological systems and providing various perturbation methods. These methods can be combined with neuroimaging to facilitate research in the field.
Article
Neurosciences
Sean Froudist-Walsh, Daniel P. Bliss, Xingyu Ding, Lucija Rapan, Meiqi Niu, Kenneth Knoblauch, Karl Zilles, Henry Kennedy, Nicola Palomero-Gallagher, Xiao-Jing Wang
Summary: Dopamine plays a crucial role in working memory, but its modulation of large-scale cortex remains unknown. The study revealed a dopamine receptor density gradient in the macaque cortical hierarchy and showed how dopamine influences working memory and persistent activity through a model. This work provides insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cognitive functions in the primate cortex.
Editorial Material
Psychology, Biological
Paula L. Croxson, Liz Neeley, Daniela Schiller
Summary: Reading scientific papers is important for research, but poor writing can hinder communication. We argue that narrative writing in scientific papers can help mitigate information overload and achieve the primary purpose of publication: communication.
NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Adolfo M. Garcia, Ariane E. Welch, Maria Luisa Mandelli, Maya L. Henry, Sladjana Lukic, Maria Jose Torres Prioris, Jessica Deleon, Buddhika M. Ratnasiri, Diego L. Lorca-Puls, Bruce L. Miller, William Seeley, Adam P. Vogel, Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
Summary: This study utilized automated speech timing analyses in a cohort of autopsy-proven cases to investigate motor speech function in individuals with nfvPPA. The results indicated that automated analysis can capture specific markers of nfvPPA and potentially discriminate between patients with different tauopathies. The objectivity and scalability of this approach could support standard speech assessments.
Article
Psychiatry
Lisa Edelkraut, Diana Lopez-Barroso, Maria Jose Torres-Prioris, Sergio E. Starkstein, Ricardo E. Jorge, Jessica Aloisi, Marcelo L. Berthier, Guadalupe Davila
Summary: The study consists of a literature review and an observational study on neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in post-stroke aphasia patients. The literature review reveals a wide range of NPS in this population, highlighting the need for improved assessment and treatment approaches. The observational study shows that the majority of participants experienced depressive symptoms, followed by agitation/aggression and irritability.
WORLD JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joan Orpella, M. Florencia Assaneo, Pablo Ripolles, Laura Noejovich, Diana Lopez-Barroso, Ruth De Diego-Balaguer, David Poeppel
Summary: People of all ages have the ability to detect and learn patterns from seemingly random stimuli, which is crucial for learning spoken language. A recent study found that individual differences in speech auditory-motor synchronization are related to differences in statistical learning (SL) from speech. The activation of a frontoparietal network was associated with a boost in learning performance, and interference with this network normalized performance. These findings provide new insights into SL from speech and emphasize the importance of considering individual differences in cognitive phenomena.
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Marcelo L. Berthier, Lisa Edelkraut, Francisco J. Lopez-Gonzalez, Diana Lopez-Barroso, Bettina Mohr, Friedemann Pulvermuller, Sergio E. Starkstein, Ricardo E. Jorge, Maria Jose Torres-Prioris, Guadalupe Davila
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of a 10-week intervention trial using Donepezil alone and combined with ILAT for apathy and depression in chronic post-stroke aphasia patients. The intervention was found to be feasible and had significant treatment effects. Donepezil alone and Donepezil-ILAT reduced aphasia severity, while only Donepezil-ILAT improved apathy and depression. Neuroimaging data provided hints for future research. Further studies with larger sample sizes and placebo-controls are recommended.
BRAIN AND LANGUAGE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Sean Froudist-Walsh, Ting Xu, Meiqi Niu, Lucija Rapan, Ling Zhao, Daniel S. S. Margulies, Karl Zilles, Xiao-Jing Wang, Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
Summary: Froudist-Walsh et al. investigated receptor densities in macaque cortex and found that they align with changes in dendritic properties, myelin and functional networks. The study provides valuable insights into the organization of receptors in the brain and their role in neural circuit dynamics and functions.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Diana Lopez-Barroso, Jose Paredes-Pacheco, Maria Jose Torres-Prioris, Guadalupe Davila, Marcelo L. L. Berthier
Summary: Mixed transcortical aphasia (MTCA) is characterized by non-fluent speech and comprehension deficits coexisting with preserved repetition. This study aims to investigate the structural and functional status of the perisylvian language network (PSLN) in MTCA patients and its role in verbal repetition. The findings suggest that preserved verbal repetition in MTCA may not solely depend on the optimal status of the PSLN, and other brain regions such as the right hemisphere or the left ventral pathway may also contribute to supporting repetition.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Neuroimaging
Adria Vila-Ballo, Myriam De la Cruz-Puebla, Diana Lopez-Barroso, Julia Miro, Jacint Sala-Padro, David Cucurell, Merce Falip, Antoni Rodriguez-Fornells
Summary: This study investigated the performance of mTLE-UHS patients in decision-making and feedback processing, and evaluated the impact of mesial temporal lobe surgical resection. The results showed impairments in decision-making under ambiguity in patients, which may be related to their abnormal feedback processing and cognitive impairments.
NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL
(2022)