Article
Neurosciences
Diandra Brkic, Sara Sommariva, Anna-Lisa Schuler, Annalisa Pascarella, Paolo Belardinelli, Silvia L. Isabella, Giovanni Di Pino, Sara Zago, Giulio Ferrazzi, Javier Rasero, Giorgio Arcara, Daniele Marinazzo, Giovanni Pellegrino
Summary: This study investigates the impact of different connectivity calculation methods on MEG/EEG seed-based connectivity analysis. The results show remarkable differences in connectivity magnitude and spatial distribution across different strategies. Dimensionality reduction procedures conducted after computing connectivity are more similar, while PCA before approach is the most dissimilar.
Article
Neurosciences
Dorine Van Dyck, Nicolas Deconinck, Alec Aeby, Simon Baijot, Nicolas Coquelet, Nicola Trotta, Antonin Rovai, Serge Goldman, Charline Urbain, Vincent Wens, Xavier De Tiege
Summary: This study explores the relationship between procedural sequence learning performance and prior brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in school-aged children. It also investigates the rapid changes in brain rsFC induced by sequence learning. The findings suggest that pre-learning interhemispheric rsFC within the sensorimotor network influences sequence learning and visuomotor performance in children.
Review
Neurosciences
Na Xu, Wei Shan, Jing Qi, Jianping Wu, Qun Wang
Summary: Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, which can be investigated through network analysis. Resting-state functional connectivity analysis is becoming increasingly important in preoperative evaluation, and magnetoencephalography (MEG) is an ideal tool for estimating such connectivity. Studies have shown that MEG-based resting-state functional connectivity has the potential to predict postsurgical outcomes for epileptic patients.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Annelies Van't Westeinde, Nelly Padilla, Sara Fletcher-Sandersjoo, Olle Kaempe, Sophie Bensing, Svetlana Lajic
Summary: Our study found that individuals with autoimmune Addison disease (AAD) have stronger resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), left medial visual, and left posterior default mode network compared to healthy controls. Higher replacement dosage of glucocorticoid (GC) is associated with stronger rs-fc in a small part of the left OFC. There is no clear association between rs-fc and executive functions or mental fatigue.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Baogen Du, Shanshan Cao, Yuanyuan Liu, Qiang Wei, Jun Zhang, Chen Chen, Xiaojing Wang, Yuting Mo, Jiajia Nie, Bensheng Qiu, Panpan Hu, Kai Wang
Summary: Our study investigated the potential mechanism of cognitive impairment in individuals with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) using degree centrality (DC) analysis. Results showed significant differences in the right inferior frontal orbital gyrus and left superior parietal gyrus between WMHs patients and healthy controls, as well as altered functional connectivity patterns between certain brain regions in the WMHs group. This suggests that changes in DC values could contribute to cognitive impairment in WMHs patients, offering a new approach to delaying cognitive decline in this population.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Neuroimaging
Dorine Van Dyck, Nicolas Deconinck, Alec Aeby, Simon Baijot, Nicolas Coquelet, Nicola Trotta, Antonin Rovai, Serge Goldman, Charline Urbain, Vincent Wens, Xavier De Tiege
Summary: Children with DCD exhibit increased functional brain connectivity in visual and motor areas, but this enhancement does not impact their coordinated motor and visual perceptual abilities. Additionally, an interhemispheric compensatory process may help DCD children perform visuomotor tasks within the normal range.
NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eleftherios Kavroulakis, Nicholas J. Simos, Thomas G. Maris, Ioannis Zaganas, Simeon Panagiotakis, Efrosini Papadaki
Summary: This study found age-related changes in intrinsic functional brain connectivity and hemodynamics in adulthood, with a greater reduction in connectivity and increased hemodynamic lead in frontal regions, while the effects were influenced by concurrent subclinical depression symptoms.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Serafeim Loukas, Lara Lordier, Djalel-Eddine Meskaldji, Manuela Filippa, Joana Sa de Almeida, Dimitri Van de Ville, Petra S. Hueppi
Summary: Research indicates that even during the newborn period, familiar music and unfamiliar music are processed differently by the brain. After music listening, functional connectivity between brain regions in all newborns is modulated. Premature infants exposed to music experience enhanced functional connectivity between brain regions after listening to music.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Carola Dell'Acqua, Shadi Ghiasi, Simone Messerotti Benvenuti, Alberto Greco, Claudio Gentili, Gaetano Valenza
Summary: This study compared EEG results between individuals with dysphoria and healthy controls, finding that while there were no differences in power spectra and asymmetry, dysphoria was associated with dysfunctional brain connectivity in the theta and alpha bands. These connectivity patterns may be related to symptoms of excessive self-focus and rumination typical of depression. EEG connectivity patterns could serve as a promising measure for identifying individuals at higher risk of developing depression.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Ryoki Sasaki, Sho Kojima, Naofumi Otsuru, Hirotake Yokota, Kei Saito, Hiroshi Shirozu, Hideaki Onishi
Summary: This study investigated the mechanisms of cortical connections in adult tactile perception and found that the connections within the somatosensory cortex and between different somatosensory cortices are related to tactile spatial acuity. This is the first study to demonstrate the functional support of specific cortical networks for tactile spatial acuity.
Article
Neurosciences
Fei Jiang, Huaqing Jin, Yijing Gao, Xihe Xie, Jennifer Cummings, Ashish Raj, Srikantan Nagarajan
Summary: This article introduces a novel framework called TVDN for studying dynamic resting state functional connectivity. The framework includes a generative model and an inference algorithm that can automatically and adaptively learn the low-dimensional manifold of dynamic RSFC and detect dynamic state transitions in data. Experimental results demonstrate that TVDN is able to accurately capture the dynamics of brain activity and more robustly detect brain state switching.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xiaomei Liu, Xianghong Xu, Cunnan Mao, Peng Zhang, Qing Zhang, Lanlan Jiang, Yuyin Yang, Jianhua Ma, Lei Ye, Kok-Onn Lee, Jindan Wu, Zhijian Yao
Summary: The present study explored changes in thalamo-cortical functional connectivity (FC) of patients with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) using resting-state functional MRI, finding increased FC in the left thalamus, right angular gyrus, and occipital gyrus among PDN patients compared to those without pain. This increased connectivity may be a central pathophysiological mechanism for PDN.
EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Nathan M. Petro, Giorgia Picci, Christine M. Embury, Lauren R. Ott, Samantha H. Penhale, Maggie P. Rempe, Hallie J. Johnson, Madelyn P. Willett, Yu-Ping Wang, Julia M. Stephen, Vince D. Calhoun, Gaelle E. Doucet, Tony W. Wilson
Summary: Assessing brain connectivity during rest has become a widely used approach to identify changes in functional brain organization during development. In our study, we examined spontaneous cortical activity during eyes-closed rest using MEG in typically developing youth. Connectivity was estimated in different frequency bands and specific changes were observed with increasing age. These findings contribute to our understanding of the developmental changes in brain organization and highlight the importance of multispectral functional connectivity.
Article
Neurosciences
Anees Abrol, Zening Fu, Yuhui Du, Tony W. W. Wilson, Yu-Ping Wang, Julia M. M. Stephen, Vince D. D. Calhoun
Summary: The brain's functional architecture and organization undergo continuous development and modification throughout adolescence. This study systematically evaluated over 47,000 youth and adult brains to examine time-resolved functional connectivity patterns and found distinct differences between the two life stages, indicating an overall inverted U-shaped trajectory in the strengthening and modularization of functional coupling. These findings suggest greater synchrony and integration of the brain's functional connections beyond adolescence, with a gradual decline during healthy aging.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Tong Yue, Jia Zhao, Anguo Fu
Summary: Positive empathy is associated with specific brain regions' activity and functional connectivity, including the right insula, right subgenual cingulate, and right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. The activity and connections in these regions are related to positive empathy, emotional experience, and self-referential processing.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Benjamin R. Wakerley, Mei Hong Tan, Martin R. Turner
Article
Clinical Neurology
Johnathan Cooper-Knock, Thomas H. Julian, Emily Feneberg, J. Robin Highley, Maurice Sidra, Martin R. Turner, Kevin Talbot, Olaf Ansorge, Scott P. Allen, Tobias Moll, Tatyana Shelkovnikova, Lydia Castelli, Guillaume M. Hautbergue, Christopher Hewitt, Janine Kirby, Stephen B. Wharton, Richard J. Mead, Pamela J. Shaw
Summary: We describe a multi-generational pedigree of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with an autosomal dominant, fully penetrant mutation in the TDP-43 gene. The hallmark pathology of ALS is the mislocalization of TDP-43 and the formation of insoluble TDP-43-positive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions. While the lower motor neurons showed typical TDP-43 pathology, the motor cortex did not show classical TDP-43-positive inclusions. Despite reduced overall TDP-43 protein expression, the mutated allele was transcribed and translated in patient fibroblasts and motor cortex tissue. Furthermore, the motor cortex tissue carrying the mutation showed atypical TDP-43 protein species but not typical C-terminal fragments. Our findings suggest that the p.Y374X mutation is responsible for a monogenic, fully penetrant form of ALS and expands the molecular phenotypes associated with TDP-43 mutations and ALS.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Carolyn A. Young, John Ealing, Christopher J. McDermott, Tim L. Williams, Ammar Al-Chalabi, Tahir Majeed, Kevin Talbot, Timothy Harrower, Christina Faull, Andrea Malaspina, Joe Annadale, Roger J. Mills, Alan Tennant
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the WHODAS 2.0 can provide interval level measurement of disability in ALS, allowing parametric analyses. The results showed that the WHODAS 2.0 can be used as a brief patient reported outcome measure to assess disability in ALS and can be used for surveillance of at risk populations.
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Zelekha A. Seedat, Lukas Rier, Lauren E. Gascoyne, Harry Cook, Mark W. Woolrich, Andrew J. Quinn, Timothy P. L. Roberts, Paul L. Furlong, Caren Armstrong, Kelly St Pier, Karen J. Mullinger, Eric D. Marsh, Matthew J. Brookes, William Gaetz
Summary: Epilepsy is a highly heterogeneous neurological disorder. In this study, a hidden Markov model (HMM) was used to create a statistical model of interictal brain activity in pediatric patients with epilepsy. The HMM showed comparable performance to the current method and provided additional information about the relationship between epileptogenic areas. It offers personalized results and can be used in surgical decision-making.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
C. A. Young, J. Ealing, C. J. McDermott, T. L. Williams, A. Al-Chalabi, T. Majeed, K. Talbot, T. Harrower, C. Faull, A. Malaspina, J. Annadale, R. J. Mills, A. Tennant
Summary: This study reveals that the prevalence of depression in ALS patients is close to a quarter, with most patients belonging to a single trajectory group. Estimates based on screening for current depressive symptoms underestimate the actual prevalence of depression.
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Hugo M. De Oliveira, Arunachalam Soma, Mark R. Baker, Martin R. Turner, Kevin Talbot, Timothy L. Williams
Summary: There is considerable variation in the practice of genetic testing for patients with sporadic motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS) and asymptomatic at-risk relatives in specialized care centers in the UK. Many healthcare professionals feel uncomfortable discussing genetic testing with MND/ALS patients and believe that routine genetic testing is not necessary for all patients with apparently sporadic disease. There are concerns regarding testing asymptomatic at-risk individuals and the majority view is that clinical genetics services should play a role in supporting genetic testing in MND/ALS, especially in asymptomatic individuals at risk of carrying pathogenic variants.
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Jasper E. Hajonides, Freek van Ede, Mark G. Stokes, Anna C. Nobre, Nicholas E. Myers
Summary: Behavioral reports of sensory information are influenced by stimulus history, with both attractive and repulsive biases observed. However, the underlying mechanisms in the human brain are not well understood. In this study, through a working-memory task and analysis of magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data, it was found that neural representations during stimulus encoding were biased away from the previous orientation, despite opposite effects on behavior. These results suggest that repulsive biases occur in sensory processing and can be overridden at postperceptual stages to result in attractive biases in behavior.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Anna C. Nobre, Freek van Ede
Summary: Selective attention is an essential cognitive function that involves predicting, prioritizing, selecting, routing, integrating, and preparing signals to guide adaptive behavior. This review focuses on the impact of timing on attention and highlights the challenges posed by the timing of neural processing and psychological functions, the opportunities provided by temporal structures in the environment, and the insights gained from tracking the time courses of neural and behavioral modulations using continuous measures.
Article
Biology
Catharina Zich, Andrew J. Quinn, James J. Bonaiuto, George O'Neill, Lydia C. Mardell, Nick S. Ward, Sven Bestmann
Summary: Beta oscillations in the human sensorimotor cortex exhibit burst activity in intermittent periods of high-power, and these bursts are associated with various sensory and motor processes. The precise spatiotemporal structure of beta burst activity remains unclear, but it is suggested that they play a role in information coding and communication. In this study, using magnetoencephalography recordings, we observed that burst activity in the sensorimotor cortex occurs in planar spatiotemporal wave-like patterns along specific anatomical gradients. Furthermore, we found distinct anatomical, spectral, and spatiotemporal characteristics for the two directions of propagation.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Anna J. Kordala, Jessica Stoodley, Nina Ahlskog, Muhammad Hanifi, Antonio Garcia Guerra, Amarjit Bhomra, Wooi Fang Lim, Lyndsay M. Murray, Kevin Talbot, Suzan M. Hammond, Matthew J. A. Wood, Carlo Rinaldi
Summary: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an important genetic cause of infant mortality. The discovery of PRMT inhibitor MS023 shows promising potential for treating SMA and improving the disease phenotype, especially when combined with nusinersen. Further clinical investigation of PRMT inhibition as a standalone or add-on therapy for SMA is warranted.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eleni Christoforidou, Fabio A. Simoes, David Gordon, Kevin Talbot, Majid Hafezparast
Summary: This study examined the intracellular motor neuron pathology of mice with a combination of defective dynein and a TDP-43 mutation. The results showed upregulation of p62 and aggregation of TDP-43, partially recapitulating the human disease. These findings provide new insights into the relationship between dynein and TDP-43 and could be useful for further research on the TDP-43 pathology in ALS.
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alexander G. Thompson, Rachael Marsden, Kevin Talbot, Martin R. Turner
Summary: Using routine health screening blood test data, this study found distinct pre-symptomatic biphasic blood cholesterol trajectories in individuals who later developed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The findings suggest that metabolic alterations may occur prior to the onset of motor symptoms in this disease. These findings provide further evidence for the importance of monitoring blood cholesterol levels for early detection and potential preventative therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
BRAIN COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jennifer C. Davies, Thanuja Dharmadasa, Alexander G. Thompson, Evan C. Edmond, Katie Yoganathan, Jiali Gao, Kevin Talbot, Martin R. Turner
Summary: A reliable biomarker for diagnosing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) across different clinical conditions is necessary. Neurofilament light chain levels are correlated with the progression of disability in ALS patients. Previous studies have only compared neurofilament light chain levels in ALS patients with healthy individuals or controls with diagnoses distinct from ALS. In this study, neurofilament light chain levels were measured in ALS patients referred to a specialized clinic, and it was found that neurofilament light chain levels can confirm ALS diagnosis but have limited ability to exclude alternative diagnoses. The current importance of neurofilament light chain is its potential use in stratifying ALS patients by disease activity and as a biomarker in therapeutic trials.
BRAIN COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)