Article
Biology
Lewis S. Crawford, Noemi Meylakh, Paul M. Macey, Vaughan G. Macefield, Kevin A. Keay, Luke A. Henderson
Summary: An fMRI study with 47 participants has discovered that stimulus-independent and stimulus-dependent neural networks centered around the midbrain periaqueductal gray region are responsible for an individual's ability to experience placebo analgesia. The specific neural circuits that regulate placebo analgesic responsiveness are still unknown, but involvement of brainstem pain modulatory regions is considered crucial. This study demonstrates differences in neural circuit connectivity between placebo responders and non-responders, highlighting the importance of altered connections involving the hypothalamus, anterior cingulate cortex, and midbrain periaqueductal gray matter in the placebo analgesic response.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Helena Hartmann, Markus Ruetgen, Federica Riva, Claus Lamm
Summary: The study found that while there was a significant localized placebo analgesia effect for self-experienced pain, there were no differences between the two hands in empathy conditions, both in terms of behavioral and neural responses. This suggests that there is no evidence of somatosensory sharing in empathy, but it does confirm overlapping brain activity in the affective-motivational component for first-hand and empathy for pain.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Kevin O'Gallagher, Francesca Puledda, Owen O'Daly, Matthew Ryan, Luke Dancy, Philip J. Chowienczyk, Fernando Zelaya, Peter J. Goadsby, Ajay M. Shah
Summary: This study reveals the fundamental physiological role of nNOS in regulating cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in the human hippocampus.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Michael Schaefer, Anja Kuehnel, Felix Schweitzer, Soeren Enge, Matti Gaertner
Summary: Research has shown that placebos can have beneficial effects even without deception. Several studies have reported improvements in pain, depression, or anxiety. However, it remains unclear whether these effects are biologically objective or simply a bias in response, and the neural mechanisms associated with open-label placebos are still not well-understood.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Valeria Oliva, Rob Gregory, Wendy-Elizabeth Davies, Lee Harrison, Rosalyn Moran, Anthony E. Pickering, Jonathan C. W. Brooks
Summary: Pain can be alleviated by shifting attention elsewhere, and the brainstem regions including locus coeruleus, rostral ventromedial medulla, and periaqueductal grey are involved in attentional analgesia. Functional interactions between these regions and the cortex modulate nociceptive input to reduce pain, particularly in situations requiring conflicting attentional demands.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Caroline A. Arout, Margaret Haney, Evan S. Herrmann, Gillinder Bedi, Ziva D. Cooper
Summary: This study found that acute oral CBD did not consistently demonstrate dose-dependent analgesic effects in healthy noncannabis users, and in fact increased pain in some measures. Future studies should consider using more comprehensive pain assessment paradigms and investigate the analgesic effects of CBD in different populations.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yufan Wang, Stephen J. Payne
Summary: Cerebral autoregulation is the process by which cerebral blood flow remains constant in response to short-term variations in arterial blood pressure. Recent studies challenge the classic view that autoregulation remains constant over a wide range of blood pressure. A comprehensive literature research based on 143 studies found that there is a significant difference in the direction of blood flow sensitivity, with autoregulation being more effective in buffering increases in blood pressure. Regression analysis identified an autoregulatory plateau of approximately 20 mmHg, which is smaller than the widely accepted classical view. Age and sex were found to have no effect on autoregulation strength. This data-driven approach provides a quantitative method for analyzing static autoregulation.
JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Jingjuan Wang, Haiyang Sun, Bixiao Cui, Hongwei Yang, Yi Shan, Chengyan Dong, Yufeng Zang, Jie Lu
Summary: In this study, the correlation among different measures of brain activity was investigated, with rGU showing the highest correlation with ReHo and three RS-fMRI metrics. The findings suggest that the relationships between functional modalities are not significant across subjects and across space, except for RS-fMRI metrics having a significant across-subject correlation.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Per M. Aslaksen
Summary: This study proposes a statistical procedure to distinguish placebo responders from nonresponders and provides cutoff values for placebo analgesic responses. By using cluster analysis and machine learning classification, placebo responders can be effectively separated, and the procedure may be useful for the identification of responders in other fields as well.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Anesthesiology
Valeria Oliva, Robert Gregory, Jonathan C. W. Brooks, Anthony E. Pickering
Summary: The study found that patients with fibromyalgia had lower heat pain thresholds and slower visual attention task speeds. However, both groups exhibited an equivalent degree of attentional analgesia when accounting for attentional task and thermal stimulation.
Article
Neurosciences
Markus Rutgen, Eva-Maria Wirth, Igor Riecansky, Allan Hummer, Christian Windischberger, Predrag Petrovic, Giorgia Silani, Claus Lamm
Summary: The study suggests that shared neural representations play a role in empathy across different domains; placebo analgesia can reduce both first-hand and empathic experiences of unpleasant touch, while an opioid antagonist cannot block these effects; there are differences in neural mechanisms between pain empathy and pain.
Article
Anesthesiology
Eleonora Maria Camerone, Katja Wiech, Fabrizio Benedetti, Elisa Carlino, Mirko Job, Aldo Scafoglieri, Marco Testa
Summary: This study focused on the impact of temporal information on placebo analgesia for prolonged types of pain, finding that temporal suggestions can influence the onset and duration of placebo analgesia in high-intensity pain scenarios. In healthy volunteers, the reported onset of placebo analgesia followed the temporal information provided, indicating that 'external timing' effects could potentially enhance the clinical use of placebos and support the efficacy of active drugs.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2021)
Article
Anesthesiology
Neil Singla, Todd Bertoch, Srinivas Shenoy, Sagar Munjal
Summary: The analgesic efficacy and safety of DFN-15, a new oral liquid formulation of celecoxib, were evaluated in the treatment of acute pain in adult patients after dental surgery. The study showed that DFN-15 was superior to placebo in reducing pain intensity, providing pain relief, increasing treatment satisfaction, and reducing the use of rescue medication, without apparent dose-related effects.
Article
Neurosciences
Lewis S. Crawford, Emily P. Mills, Theo Hanson, Paul M. Macey, Rebecca Glarin, Vaughan G. Macefield, Kevin A. Keay, Luke A. Henderson
Summary: Perception of pain can be influenced by expectations and beliefs. This study used ultra-high-field fMRI to investigate the brainstem pathways involved in placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia, revealing differential activation of key pain modulatory nuclei during these phenomena.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ye Zhang, Bin He, Jinqiu Zhao, Muzi Zhang, Qinsong Ren, Wei Zhang, Shuai Xu, Zhengxue Quan, Yunsheng Ou
Summary: The study demonstrates that combination analgesia with celebrex, pregabalin, and ropivacaine is effective in alleviating pain after posterior spinal surgery, with reduced consumption of PCA compared to controls.
DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Sarah Bigi, Vittorio Ganfi, Eleonora Borelli, Leonardo Potenza, Fabrizio Artioli, Sonia Eliardo, Claudia Mucciarini, Luca Cottafavi, Massimiliano Cruciani, Cristina Cacciari, Oreofe Odejide, Carlo Adolfo Porro, Camilla Zimmermann, Fabio Efficace, Eduardo Bruera, Mario Luppi, Elena Bandieri
Summary: This study explores perceptions of hope among bereaved caregivers of onco-hematologic patients who received early palliative care (EPC). The results suggest that caregivers perceive hope as resilience and expectations based on patients' clinical conditions. Trusting relationships with healthcare teams enhance hope. EPC interventions are seen as major support for hope.
Review
Oncology
Leonardo Potenza, Eleonora Borelli, Sarah Bigi, Davide Giusti, Giuseppe Longo, Oreofe Odejide, Carlo Adolfo Porro, Camilla Zimmermann, Fabio Efficace, Eduardo Bruera, Mario Luppi, Elena Bandieri
Summary: New targeted drugs have been developed for AML treatment, but their potential efficacy needs to be balanced with the possibility of poor outcomes. Early integration of PC has shown benefits for solid tumor patients, but is underutilized in patients with hematologic malignancies.
Letter
Health Care Sciences & Services
Monica Morselli, Federico Banchelli, Eleonora Borelli, Stefano Cordella, Fabio Forghieri, Francesca Bettelli, Sarah Bigi, Giuseppe Longo, Roberto D'Amico, Carlo Adolfo Porro, Fabio Efficace, Eduardo Bruera, Mario Luppi, Elena Bandieri, Leonardo Potenza
BMJ SUPPORTIVE & PALLIATIVE CARE
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Stefania Ferraro, Benjamin Klugah-Brown, Christopher R. Tench, Vincent Bazinet, Mercy Chepngetich Bore, Anna Nigri, Greta Demichelis, Maria Grazia Bruzzone, Sara Palermo, Weihua Zhao, Shuxia Yao, Xi Jiang, Keith M. Kendrick, Benjamin Becker
Summary: The autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in regulating body adaptations to environmental changes. This study conducted a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies and identified the critical regions of the central autonomic system. These regions overlap with the salience network and are commonly implicated in cognitive and affective processes as well as mental and neurological disorders.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Sarah Bigi, Vittorio Ganfi, Eleonora Borelli, Leonardo Potenza, Fabrizio Artioli, Sonia Eliardo, Claudia Mucciarini, Luca Cottafavi, Umberto Ferrari, Laura Lombardo, Katia Cagossi, Alessandra Pietramaggiori, Valeria Fantuzzi, Ilaria Bernardini, Massimiliano Cruciani, Cristina Cacciari, Oreofe Odejide, Carlo Adolfo Porro, Camilla Zimmermann, Fabio Efficace, Eduardo Bruera, Mario Luppi, Elena Bandieri
Summary: Early palliative care interventions can increase the acceptance of death in patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers, with the EPC group showing a more positive attitude towards death.
Article
Neurosciences
Donato Liloia, Annachiara Crocetta, Franco Cauda, Sergio Duca, Tommaso Costa, Jordi Manuello
Summary: This replication study aimed to investigate the shared neural correlates between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. The results showed a limited overlap between the two conditions, with no significant effect found for dyslexia. Studies on gray matter alteration associated with ADHD and dyslexia often yield conflicting results. Therefore, further research is needed to reach a consensus on the patterns of gray matter alteration.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Donato Liloia, Jordi Manuello, Tommaso Costa, Roberto Keller, Andrea Nani, Franco Cauda
Summary: Despite decades of neuroimaging research, the comprehensive characterization of short-range functional connectivity in ASD remains a challenge. The general local over-connectivity theory suggests a generalized local over-connectivity in ASD, but empirical evidence is lacking. Our meta-analysis revealed functional under-connectivity in specific brain regions, inconsistent with the hypothesis of generalized local over-connectivity in ASD. Confirming these findings could provide valuable insights into ASD pathophysiology.
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Greta Demichelis, Dunja Duran, Giuseppe Ciullo, Lorenzo Lorusso, Stefano Zago, Sara Palermo, Anna Nigri, Matilde Leonardi, Maria Grazia Bruzzone, Davide Fedeli
Summary: This article describes a case of Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) in an Italian woman who developed a Canadian-like foreign accent without brain damage (functional FAS). The patient underwent thorough neuroimaging and (neuro)psychological evaluation. The activation of language networks in the frontotemporal-parietal areas was observed bilaterally through fMRI and MEG assessments based on task-based data. Resting-state fMRI showed preserved connectivity between language areas. An obsessive-compulsive personality profile and mild anxiety were found, suggesting the relevance of psychological and psychiatric factors. In conclusion, multimodal imaging is beneficial in understanding the neurological and functional etiologies of FAS.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jean Paul Medina Carrion, Mario Stanziano, Ludovico D'Incerti, Davide Sattin, Sara Palermo, Stefania Ferraro, Davide Rossi Sebastiano, Matilde Leonardi, Maria Grazia Bruzzone, Cristina Rosazza, Anna Nigri
Summary: When studying brain networks in patients with Disorders of Consciousness (DoC), it is important to evaluate both the structural integrity and functional activity of the networks. This study investigated the usefulness of structural MRI and clinical variables for diagnosis in chronic DoC patients and found that qualitative analysis of MRI data is more effective than quantitative analysis. The results showed that the structural integrity of HighOrder networks had better diagnostic accuracy than LowOrder networks, especially when clinical variables were included in the analysis. The integrity of the left hemisphere was associated with a better clinical status.
ANNALS OF CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Anna Nigri, Eleonora Dalla Bella, Stefania Ferraro, Jean Paul Medina Carrion, Greta Demichelis, Enrica Bersano, Monica Consonni, Antje Bischof, Mario Stanziano, Sara Palermo, Giuseppe Lauria, Maria Grazia Bruzzone, Nico Papinutto
Summary: This study evaluated the degeneration of gray matter and white matter in the cervical spinal cord in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients using the King's staging system. The results showed that the pattern of spinal cord atrophy differed in different clinical stages. This study provides important insights into the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
ANNALS OF CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
David Hohenschurz-Schmidt, Lene Vase, Whitney Scott, Marco Annoni, Oluwafemi K. Ajayi, Juergen Barth, Kim Bennell, Chantal Berna, Joel Bialosky, Felicity Braithwaite, Nanna B. Finnerup, Amanda C. de C. Williams, Elisa Carlino, Francesco Cerritelli, Aleksander Chaibi, Dan Cherkin, Luana Colloca, Pierre Cote, Beth D Darnall, Roni Evans, Laurent Fabre, Vanda Faria, Simon French, Heike Gerger, Winfried Haeuser, Rana S. Hinman, Dien Ho, Thomas Janssens, Karin Jensen, Chris Johnston, Sigrid Juhl Lunde, Francis Keefe, Robert D Kerns, Helen Koechlin, Alice Kongsted, Lori A. Michener, Daniel E. Moerman, Frauke Musial, David Newell, Michael Nicholas, Tonya M. Palermo, Sara Palermo, Kaya J. Peerdeman, Esther M. Pogatzki-Zahn, Aaron A. Puhl, Lisa Roberts, Giacomo Rossettini, Susan Tomczak Matthiesen, Martin Underwood, Paul Vaucher, Jan Vollert, Karolina Wartolowska, Katja Weimer, Christoph Patrick Werner, Andrew S. C. Rice, Jerry Draper-Rodi
Summary: This article presents core recommendations for designing, conducting, and reporting control interventions in non-pharmacological intervention research, as well as a framework of additional considerations and a reporting checklist to enhance research quality and transparency.
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Alessia Celeghin, Sara Palermo, Rebecca Giampaolo, Giulia Di Fini, Gabriella Gandino, Cristina Civilotti
Summary: This article summarizes the findings of studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural activations involved in processing visual food stimuli in individuals with different eating disorders. A systematic review approach was used, and 30 articles were included. The results suggest that there are specific activation patterns associated with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Further research is needed, but these findings have important implications for the development of effective therapeutic interventions.
Review
Neurosciences
Sara Palermo, Mario Stanziano, Anna Nigri, Cristina Civilotti, Alessia Celeghin
Summary: Emerging evidence suggests a relationship between frailty and SARS-CoV-2 contagion, with possible neurological consequences and worsening of Parkinson's disease in infected patients. Vitamin D deficiency and alterations in the microbiota-intestine-brain axis may play a role in this association. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to predict successful care for this condition, starting with a screening protocol that investigates frailty indices and microbiota-intestine-brain axis alterations, with a focus on hypovitaminosis D cases.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Luca Mesin, Giuseppina Elena Cipriani, Martina Amanzio
Summary: The aging process affects cognitive-affective and physical functioning as well as interactions with the environment. Neurocognitive disorders exhibit negative changes in cognitive abilities and impairment in functional abilities is most pronounced in dementia patients. Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) based on electroencephalography are being used to assist older people in their daily activities and improve their quality of life through neuro-rehabilitative applications. This paper provides an overview of BMI used to assist older adults, considering both technical issues and application-related aspects.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Martina Amanzio, Giuseppina Elena Cipriani, Massimo Bartoli, Nicola Canessa, Francesca Borghesi, Alice Chirico, Pietro Cipresso
Summary: Older adults are more susceptible to the adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but few studies have analyzed neuropsychological changes in healthy older people during the pandemic compared to before. This study found that memory and attention remained stable, while global cognitive, executive, and language functions improved. There were no longitudinal changes in depression, hypomania, and disinhibition, but apathy and anxiety increased significantly.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)