Level Of Brain Activity Research Articles

ZuCo, a simultaneous EEG and eye-tracking resource for natural sentence reading

We present the Zurich Cognitive Language Processing Corpus (ZuCo), a dataset combining electroencephalography (EEG) and eye-tracking recordings from subjects reading natural sentences. ZuCo includes high-density EEG and eye-tracking data of 12 healthy adult native English speakers, each reading natural English text for 4–6 hours. The recordings span two normal reading tasks and one task-specific reading task, resulting in a dataset that encompasses EEG and eye-tracking data of 21,629 words in 1107 sentences and 154,173 fixations. We believe that this dataset represents a valuable resource for natural language processing (NLP). The EEG and eye-tracking signals lend themselves to train improved machine-learning models for various tasks, in particular for information extraction tasks such as entity and relation extraction and sentiment analysis. Moreover, this dataset is useful for advancing research into the human reading and language understanding process at the level of brain activity and eye-movement.

An Exploratory Study on the Central Nervous Correlates of Sexual Excitation and Sexual Inhibition

The Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES) measure sexual excitation and sexual inhibition proneness. We used SIS and SES scores of 62 heterosexual teleiophilic men (Mage 34.3, SD = 9.9) to predict brain activation levels during the presentation of male and female visual sexual stimuli in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Statistical analyses revealed significant correlations. SES and SIS1 scores were positively associated with brain activation in various brain regions during the presentation of both male and female stimuli. SIS2 turned out to be a weaker predictor of brain activation, still revealing one significant correlation in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Significant regions for SES and SIS1 were, among others, primary and supplementary motor areas, the caudate nucleus, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and prefrontal areas. Our study can be seen as an exploratory investigation of SIS and SES with means of functional brain imaging. The results provide a promising contribution to the assertion of neurophysiological systems of sexual inhibition and excitation proneness.

Sex Differences in Acute Neuroinflammation after Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury Are Mediated by Infiltrating Myeloid Cells.

The inflammatory response to moderate-severe controlled cortical impact (CCI) in adult male mice has been shown to exhibit greater glial activation compared with age-matched female mice. However, the relative contributions of resident microglia and infiltrating peripheral myeloid cells to this sexually dimorphic neuroinflammatory responses remains unclear. Here, 12-week-old male and female C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to sham or CCI, and brain samples were collected at 1, 3, or 7 days post-injury for flow cytometry analysis of cytokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and phagocytosis in resident microglia (CD45intCD11b+) versus infiltrating myeloid cells (CD45hiCD11b+). Motor (rotarod, cylinder test), affect (open field), and cognitive (Y-maze) function tests also were performed. We demonstrate that male microglia had increased phagocytic activity and higher ROS levels in the non-injured brain, whereas female microglia had increased production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α and interleukin (IL)-1β. Following CCI, males showed a significant influx of peripheral myeloid cells by 1 day post-injury followed by proliferation of resident microglia at 3 days. In contrast, myeloid infiltration and microglial activation responses in female CCI mice were significantly reduced. No sex differences were observed for TNFα, IL-1β, transforming growth factor β, NOX2, ROS production, or phagocytic activity in resident microglia or infiltrating cells at any time. However, across these functions, infiltrating myeloid cells were significantly more reactive than resident microglia. Female CCI mice also had improved motor function at 1 day post-injury compared with male mice. Thus, we conclude that sexually dimorphic responses to moderate-severe CCI result from the rapid activation and infiltration of pro-inflammatory myeloid cells to brain in male, but not female, mice.

Inhibition of GluN2A NMDA receptors ameliorates synaptic plasticity deficits in the Fmr1-/y mouse model.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic condition that is the most common form of inherited intellectual impairment and causes a range of neurodevelopmental complications including learning disabilities and intellectual disability and shares many characteristics with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the FXS mouse model, Fmr1-/y , impaired synaptic plasticity was restored by pharmacologically inhibiting GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors but not GluN2B-containing receptors. Similar results were obtained by crossing Fmr1-/y with GluN2A knock-out (Grin2A-/- ) mice. These results suggest that dampening the elevated levels of GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors in Fmr1-/y mice has the potential to restore hyperexcitability of the neural circuitry to (a more) normal-like level of brain activity. NMDA receptors (NMDARs) play important roles in synaptic plasticity at central excitatory synapses, and dysregulation of their function may lead to severe disorders such Fragile X syndrome (FXS). FXS is caused by transcriptional silencing of the FMR1 gene followed by lack of the encoding protein. Here we examined the effects of pharmacological and genetic manipulation of hippocampal NMDAR functions in long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD). We found impaired NMDAR-dependent LTP in the Fmr1-deficient mice, which could be fully restored when GluN2A-containing NMDARs was pharmacological inhibited. Interestingly, similar LTP effects were observed when the GluN2A gene (Grin2a) was deleted in Fmr1-/y mice (Fmr1-/y /Grin2a-/- double knockout). In addition, GluN2A inhibition improved elevated mGluR5-dependent LTD to normal level in the Fmr1-/y mouse. These findings suggest that GluN2A is a promising target in FXS research that could help us better understand the disorder.

Possible role of n-hexane as endocrine disruptor in occupationally exposed women at reproductive age

Western diets are high in saturated fat and low in omega-3. Certain animals cannot produce omega-3 from their own lipids, making it necessary for it to be acquired from the diet. However, omega-3s are important components of the plasma membrane, and altering their proportions can promote physical and chemical alterations in the membranes, which may modify neuronal excitability. These alterations occur in healthy individuals, as well as in patients with epilepsy who are more sensitive to changes in brain electrical activity. This study evaluated the effect of a diet supplemented with omega-3 on the basal brain electrical activity both before and during status epilepticus in rats. To evaluate the brain electrical activity, we recorded electrocorticograms (ECoG) of animals both with and without omega-3 supplementation before and during status epilepticus induced by pilocarpine. Calculation of the average brain wave power by a power spectrum revealed that omega-3 supplementation reduced the average power of the delta wave by 20% and increased the average power of the beta wave by 45%. These effects were exacerbated when status epilepticus was induced in the animals supplemented with omega-3. The animals with and without omega-3 supplementation exhibited increases in basal brain electrical activities during status epilepticus. The two groups showed hyperactivity, but no significant difference between them was noted. Even though the brain activity levels observed during status epilepticus were similar between the two groups, neuron damage to the animals supplemented with omega-3 was more slight, revealing the neuroprotective effect of the omega-3.

Resting regional brain activity and connectivity vary with resting blood pressure but not muscle sympathetic nerve activity in normotensive humans: An exploratory study

Blood pressure is tightly controlled by the central nervous system, particularly the brainstem. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mean blood pressure (MBP), muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and resting regional brain activity in healthy human subjects. Pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling and functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were performed immediately following a laboratory microneurography recording of MSNA and BP measurement in 31 young, healthy normotensive subjects. Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) correlated significantly with resting MBP levels in the region encompassing the rostroventrolateral medulla (RVLM), dorsolateral pons, and insular, prefrontal and cingulate cortices. Functional connectivity analysis revealed that the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex displayed greater resting connectivity strength within the RVLM in the lower compared with the higher MBP group. No significant differences in CBF were found when subjects were divided based on their MSNA levels. These results suggest that even subtle differences in resting MBP are associated with significant differences in resting activity in brain regions, which are well known to play a role in cardiovascular function. These data raise the question of the potential long-term consequences of differences in regional brain activity levels and their relationship with systemic blood pressure.

Bispectral index in hypercapnic encephalopathy associated with COPD exacerbation: a pilot study.

BackgroundHypercapnic encephalopathy is relatively frequent in severe exacerbations of COPD (ECOPDs), with its intensity usually being evaluated through clinical scales. Bispectral index (BIS) is a relatively new technique, based on the analysis of the electroencephalographic signal, which provides a good approximation to the level of consciousness, having already been validated in anesthesia.ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to evaluate the utility of BIS in the assessment of the intensity of hypercapnic encephalopathy in ECOPD patients.Patients and methodsA total of ten ECOPD patients were included, and the level of brain activity was assessed using BIS and different scales: Glasgow Coma Scale, Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS), and Richmond Agitation–Sedation Scale. The evaluation was performed both in the acute phase and 3 months after discharge.ResultsBIS was recorded for a total of about 600 minutes. During ECOPD, BIS values ranged from 58.8 (95% CI: 48.6–69) for RSS score of 4 to 92.2 (95% CI: 90.1–94.3) for RSS score of 2. A significant correlation was observed between values obtained with BIS and those from the three scales, although the best fit was for RSS, followed by Glasgow and Richmond (r=−0.757, r=0.701, and r=0.615, respectively; P<0.001 for all). In the stable phase after discharge, BIS showed values considered as normal for a wake state (94.6; 95% CI: 91.7–97.9).ConclusionBIS may be useful for the objective early detection and automatic monitoring of the intensity of hypercapnic encephalopathy in ECOPD, facilitating the early detection and follow-up of this condition, which may avoid management problems in these patients.

Oscillatory brain activity associates with neuroligin-3 expression and predicts progression free survival in patients with diffuse glioma

IntroductionDiffuse gliomas have local and global effects on neurophysiological brain functioning, which are often seen as ‘passive’ consequences of the tumor. However, seminal preclinical work has shown a prominent role for neuronal activity in glioma growth: mediated by neuroligin-3 (NLGN3), increased neuronal activity causes faster glioma growth. It is unclear whether the same holds true in patients. Here, we investigate whether lower levels of oscillatory brain activity relate to lower NLGN3 expression and predict longer progression free survival (PFS) in diffuse glioma patients.MethodsTwenty-four newly diagnosed patients with diffuse glioma underwent magnetoencephalography and subsequent tumor resection. Oscillatory brain activity was approximated by calculating broadband power (0.5–48 Hz) of the magnetoencephalography. NLGN3 expression in glioma tissue was semi-quantitatively assessed by immunohistochemistry. Peritumor and global oscillatory brain activity was then compared between different levels of NLGN3 expression with Kruskal–Wallis tests. Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to estimate the predictive value of oscillatory brain activity for PFS.ResultsPatients with low expression of NLGN3 had lower levels of global oscillatory brain activity than patients with higher NLGN3 expression (P < 0.001). Moreover, lower peritumor (hazard ratio 2.17, P = 0.008) and global oscillatory brain activity (hazard ratio 2.10, P = 0.008) predicted longer PFS.ConclusionsLower levels of peritumor and global oscillatory brain activity are related to lower NLGN3 expression and longer PFS, corroborating preclinical research. This study highlights the important interplay between macroscopically measured brain activity and glioma progression, and may lead to new therapeutic interventions in diffuse glioma patients.

The Neural Implementation of Surgical Expertise Within the Mirror-Neuron System: An fMRI Study.

Motor expertise is an important aspect of high-level performance in professional tasks such as surgery. While recently it has been shown that brain activation as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) within the mirror-neuron system (MNS) is modulated by expertise in sports and music, little is known about the neural underpinnings of professional, e.g., surgical expertise. Here, we investigated whether and (if so) how surgical expertise is implemented in the MNS in medical professionals across three levels of surgical qualification. In order to answer the more specific research question, namely, if the neural implementation of motor expertise develops in a linear or non-linear fashion, the study compares not only brain activation within the MNS related to action observation of novices and experts, but also intermediates. Ten novices (medical students), ten intermediates (residents in orthopedic surgery) and ten experts (orthopedic surgeons) watched 60 video clips (5 s each) of daily-life activities and surgical procedures each while their brain activation was measured using a 3-T fMRI scanner. An established localization procedure was followed to functionally define the MNS for each participant individually. A 2 (video type: daily-life activities, surgical procedures) × 3 (expertise level: novice, intermediate, expert) ANOVA yielded a non-significant interaction. Furthermore, separate analyses of the precentral and parietal part of the MNS also yielded non-significant interactions. However, post hoc comparisons showed that intermediates displayed marginally significantly lower brain activation in response to surgery-related videos within the MNS than novices. No other significant differences were found. We did not find evidence for the hypothesis that the brain-activation level in the MNS evoked by observing surgical videos reflects the level of surgical expertise in the professional task of (orthopedic) surgery. However, the results suggest a potential non-linear relationship between expertise level and MNS-activation level.

Measurement of Brain Activity Rate Based on Electroensefalographical Signals on Smokers

Indonesia as a country with 255,182,144 people (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2015) with the number of smokers reached 46.16 percent in the third rank with the largest number of smokers in the world after China and India, there are some elements in cigarettes one of them is nicotine, it will be one of the addictive additives. It's why smokers want to continue smoking cigarettes on a regular basis. It bounds to the brain receptors and in other organs. Increased activity in the orbitofrontal area of the cortex occurs when a smoker wants a cigarette, while in the prefrontal cortex experiences an increase in activity when smokers smoke cigarettes. Increased activity in the area will produce electrically along the scalp that can be measured using Electroencephalography (EEG). The voltage difference of the ion current will give the addiction level information to the cigarette so it can be classified. Classification is done in 4 classes namely low dependence, Moderate dependence and high dependence. From the results of the study we found that the level of brain activity of the frontal cortex increased. 52% of the 40 sampled data showed the highest increase in activity by reaching 53.17% in the highly dependent addiction category.

Working Memory Updating Training Improves Mathematics Performance in Middle School Students With Learning Difficulties.

Working memory (WM) deficit is considered the key cause of learning difficulties (LDs). Studies have shown that WM is plastic and thus can be improved through training. This positive effect is transferable to fluid intelligence and academic performance. This study investigated whether WM updating ability and academic performance in children with LDs could be improved through WM updating training and explored the effects of this training on the children’s brain activity. We used a running memory task lasting approximately 40 min per day for 28 days to train a group of 23 children with LDs (TLDs group). We also selected two control groups of 22 children with LDs (CLDs group) and 20 children without LDs (normal control [NC] group). The behavioral results of a pretest indicated that WM updating ability and academic performance in the TLDs and CLDs groups were significantly lower than those in the NC group before training. Compared with the CLDs group, the TLDs group exhibited significant performance improvement in a 2-back WM task, as well as in mathematical ability. Event-related potentials (ERPs) results suggested that the amplitudes of N160 (representative of visual recognition) and P300 (representative of updating processing, which is a valid index for updating WM) in the TLDs and CLDs groups were markedly lower than those in the NC group before training. In the TLDs group, these two components increased considerably after training, approaching levels similar to those in the NC group. The results of this study suggest that WM updating training can improve WM updating ability in children with LDs and the training effect can transfer to mathematical performance in such children. Furthermore, the participants’ brain activity levels can exhibit positive changes. This article provides experimental evidence that WM updating training could mitigate the symptoms of LDs to a certain degree.

Specific Changes in Brain Activity during Urgency in Women with Overactive Bladder after Successful Sacral Neuromodulation: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

The mechanism of sacral neuromodulation is poorly understood. We compared brain activity during urgency before and after sacral neuromodulation in women with overactive bladder and according to the response to treatment. Women with refractory overactive bladder who elected sacral neuromodulation were invited to undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after treatment. During imaging the bladder was filled until urgency was experienced. Regions of interest were identified a priori and brain activity in these regions of interest was compared before and after treatment as well as according to the treatment response. Whole brain exploratory analysis with an uncorrected voxel level threshold of p <0.001 was also performed to identify additional brain regions which changed after sacral neuromodulation. Of the 12 women who underwent a pretreatment functional magnetic resonance imaging examination 7 were successfully treated with sacral neuromodulation and underwent a posttreatment examination. After sacral neuromodulation brain activity decreased in the left anterior cingulate cortex, the bilateral insula, the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (each p <0.05). No new brain regions showed increased activity after sacral neuromodulation. Pretreatment brain activity levels in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, the right insula, the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the right orbitofrontal cortex, the right supplementary motor area and the right sensorimotor cortex were higher in women who underwent successful treatment (each p <0.05). Brain activity during urgency changes after successful sacral neuromodulation. Sacral neuromodulation may be more effective in women with higher levels of pretreatment brain activity during urgency.

Polygenic risk for schizophrenia affects working memory and its neural correlates in healthy subjects

Schizophrenia is a disorder with a high heritability. Patients as well as their first degree relatives display lower levels of performance in a number of cognitive domains compared to subjects without genetic risk. Several studies could link these aberrations to single genetic variants, however, only recently, polygenic risk scores as proxies for genetic risk have been associated with cognitive domains and their neural correlates.In the present study, a sample of healthy subjects (n=137) performed a letter version of the n-back task while scanned with 3-T fMRI. All subjects were genotyped with the PsychChip and polygenic risk scores were calculated based on the PGC2 schizophrenia GWAS results.Polygenic risk for schizophrenia was associated with a lower degree of brain activation in prefrontal areas during the 3-back compared to the 0-back baseline condition. Furthermore, polygenic risk was associated with lower levels of brain activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus during the 3-back compared to a 2-back condition.Polygenic risk leads to a shift in the underlying activation pattern to the left side, thus resembling results reported in patients with schizophrenia. The data may point to polygenic risk for schizophrenia being associated with brain function in a cognitive task known to be impaired in patients and their relatives.

Individual Differences in Reading Skill Are Related to Trial-by-Trial Neural Activation Variability in the Reading Network.

Recent work has suggested that variability in levels of neural activation may be related to behavioral and cognitive performance across a number of domains and may offer information that is not captured by more traditional measures that use the average level of brain activation. We examined the relationship between reading skill in school-aged children and neural activation variability during a functional MRI reading task after taking into account average levels of activity. The reading task involved matching printed and spoken words to pictures of items. Single trial activation estimates were used to calculate the mean and standard deviation of children's responses to print and speech stimuli; multiple regression analyses evaluated the relationship between reading skill and trial-by-trial activation variability. The reliability of observed findings from the discovery sample (n = 44; ages 8-11; 18 female) was then confirmed in an independent sample of children (n = 32; ages 8-11; 14 female). Across the two samples, reading skill was positively related to trial-by-trial variability in the activation response to print in the left inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis. This relationship held even when accounting for mean levels of activation. This finding suggests that intrasubject variability in trial-by-trial fMRI activation responses to printed words accounts for individual differences in human reading ability that are not fully captured by traditional mean levels of brain activity. Furthermore, this positive relationship between trial-by-trial activation variability and reading skill may provide evidence that neural variability plays a beneficial role during early reading development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Recent work has suggested that neural activation variability, or moment-to-moment changes in the engagement of brain regions, is related to individual differences in behavioral and cognitive performance across multiple domains. However, differences in neural activation variability have not yet been evaluated in relation to reading skill. In the current study, we analyzed data from two independent groups of children who performed an fMRI task involving reading and listening to words. Across both samples, reading skill was positively related to trial-by-trial variability in activation to print stimuli in the left inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis, even when accounting for the more conventional measure of mean levels of brain activity. This finding suggests that neural variability could be beneficial in developing readers.

Elevated monoamine oxidase A activity and protein levels in rodent brain during acute withdrawal after chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure

BackgroundA key component of alcohol dependence (AD), a severe form of alcohol use disorder, is the negative emotional state during withdrawal. Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is an important enzyme that metabolizes monoamines and creates oxidative stress. Elevations in MAO-A level, especially in the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex (PFC and ACC), are associated with low mood states, including the dysphoria of early alcohol withdrawal in humans. The aim of the present study was to determine whether chronic alcohol vapor exposure causes an upregulation of MAO-A activity or level in the PFC and ACC of rodents during acute withdrawal. MethodsSprague-Dawley rats were exposed to ethanol vapor or control condition for 17 h per day for 8 weeks. MAO-A activity and protein levels were measured immediately after exposure, acute withdrawal (24 h), protracted withdrawal (4 day), and protracted abstinence (3 weeks) (n = 16/group; 8 alcohol exposed, 8 control). ResultsChronic ethanol vapor exposure significantly elevated MAO-A activity and protein levels in the PFC and ACC at 24-h withdrawal (multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), activity: F2,13 = 3.82, p = .05, protein: F2,13 = 5.13, p = .02). There were no significant changes in MAO-A level or activity at other timepoints. ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest a causal relationship between acute alcohol withdrawal and elevated MAO-A levels and activity, clarifying the observation of greater MAO-A binding in human alcohol withdrawal. This has important implications for developing methods of targeting MAO-A and/or sequelae of its dysregulation in alcohol dependence.

What goes up must come down: homeostatic synaptic plasticity strategies in neurological disease.

Brain activity levels are tightly regulated to minimize imbalances in activity state. Deviations from the normal range of activity are deleterious and often associated with neurological disorders. To maintain optimal levels of activity, regulatory mechanisms termed homeostatic synaptic plasticity establish desired 'set points' for neural activity, monitor the network for deviations from the set point and initiate compensatory responses to return activity to the appropriate level that permits physiological function [1,2]. We speculate that impaired homeostatic control may contribute to the etiology of various neurological disorders including epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease, two disorders that exhibit hyperexcitability as a key feature during pathogenesis. Here, we will focus on recent progress in developing homeostatic regulation of neural activity as a therapeutic tool.

Ameliorative activity of ethanolic flower extract of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (L.) against scopolamine-induced amnestic effect and profiling of active compounds using gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Background: Amnesia state damages the hippocampus and leads to the loss of short-term memory. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (L.) is used in traditional medicines to treat various ailments. Objective: In the present investigation, we evaluated the efficacy of ethanolic extract of flowers of N. arbor-tristis against scopolamine-induced amnestic effect in male Wister rats and intended to identify the major compounds present in the extract. Materials and Methods: The anti-amnestic profile of flower extract was screened by elevated plus maze (EPM), passive avoidance (PA), and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. Results: EPM test confirmed the anxiolytic effect of the extract in rats and decreased the transfer latency in the protected arm of the EPM. During PA test, the extract resulted significant increase in step-down latencies during both the acquisition and retention sessions. In MWM task, the scopolamine injection significantly prolonged the escape latency time, whereas this time was shortened in flower extract-treated group. For the confirmation of anti-amnestic effect of extract, acetylcholine (Ach) content, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in hippocampus brain were evaluated. The extract significantly increased ACh content and decreased the activity of AChE in the hippocampus of the brain. Similarly, the extract declined the MDA and increased the GSH and SOD levels in brain tissues. The phytol (RT 19.69) and loliolide (RT 23.50) were identified in the extract through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The four major compounds such as 4-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid hemihydrate, chalcone, and melatonin were identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Conclusion: The anti-amnestic effect of ethanolic extract of the flower was confirmed. It contains several compounds which might be useful in the treatment and to control several neurodegenerative diseases. Abbreviations used: ACh: Acetylcholine; AChE: Acetylcholinesterase; EPM: Elevated plus maze; MWM: Morris water maze; PA: Passive avoidance.

Natural resources as a factor of development of national resort clusters of the North Caucaus

Natural medical factors favourably differ in safety, availability, dosage simplicity, absence of by-effects and immunity to the action of disorder agents. More humane, social and scientifically progressive principles are the basis of sanatoriumand-health resort treatment: preventive and rehabilitation trend, succession between out-patient and diagnostic, hospital and sanatorium institutions, high specialization of the administered treatment. Sanatorium-and-health resort service of Russia has proved its medical and economic efficiency in the system of medical rehabilitation and health improvement of Russian people for decades. There are more than 130 medicinal mineral springs are concentrated in this unique nook surrounded with a picturesque ring of Caucasian Mountains. There are 115 spa-hotels, equipped with the advanced equipment only of four cities in the Caucasian Mineral Waters region. Spa -hotels have many well qualified and highly experienced doctors and medical teams. They can offer health services in Wellness centres, natural thermal and mud baths. There are 2 medical institutes. At present Caucasian Mineral Waters region is a nationwide centre of balneology and sanatorium-resort treatment. Hydro-mineral springs, climatic conditions, sanatoria and boarding houses are some kind of a «supporting frame» of the tourist- recreational regional complex. The worked out infrastructure, available human resources and natural ecological conditions is a competitive condition, a factor of stable recreation functioning. At the resort region of the North Caucasus complex monitoring ( mineral springs -trace element composition, aerosol, trace gases NOx, CO, О3, CH4; periodically – heavy metals) is performed at two high levels (860 masl - a park zone of a large mountain resort, 2070 masl - alpine grassland, the net station). The results of the measurements are used in programs of bioclimatic, landscape and medical monitoring to specify the influence of aerosol on rehabilitation properties of the environment and human adaptative reserves. The natural aero ionization ∑(N+)+(N-) varied from 960 ion/cm3 to 1460 ion/cm3 in the resort park (860 m); from 1295 ion/cm3 to 4850 ion/cm3 on the Alpine meadow (2070 m); from 1128 ion/cm3 to 3420 ion/cm3 – on the tested site near the edge of the pinewood (1720 m). In the group of volunteers the trip from low-hill terrain zone (860 m) to the lower zone of highlands (2070 m) caused the activation of neuro and humoral regulation, vegetative and central parts of nervous system, psychoemotional status, normalization of frequency spectrum of brain activity and organism adaptation level. Drinking mineral water treatment is used for medical rehabilitation diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolism, excretory and cardiovascular system. Shortterm metabolic reactions (single dose) and effects after the course of procedures (14-21 days) are distinguished in the structure of the biological effect of the MW.

Multiple pathways of reserve simultaneously present in cognitively normal older adults.

To examine neural correlates of intellectual activity underlying multiple pathways imparting reserve by testing that higher intellectual activity is associated with lower brain amyloid pathology, greater gray matter (GM) volume, and differential task-evoked brain activation levels as a function of amyloid positivity status among clinically intact older adults. Eighty-two cognitively normal older adults and 46 healthy young participants underwent fMRI during task switching. All older participants completed 18F-florbetaben-PET and an individual's amyloid positivity status was determined. To assess GM volume, T1-weighted high-resolution structural images were processed using voxel-based morphometry. As lifestyle factors, intellectual activity was estimated by a composite score of vocabulary, reading ability, and years of education. Across all older participants, intellectual activity was associated with lower amyloid deposition in lateral and medial frontoparietal and temporal lobes but higher amyloid deposition in superior frontal and parietal cortices, larger GM volume across widespread brain regions, and reduced brain activation during task switching. These patterns of associations, however, differed by amyloid positivity status. While the patterns of associations remained similar among amyloid-negative older adults, among amyloid-positive older adults, intellectual activity was associated with increased amyloid deposition in frontoparietal cortices and increased activation during task. Intellectual activity simultaneously exerts both neuroprotective and compensatory effects via multiple neural pathways that promote optimal brain aging and help maintain normal cognition during amyloid accumulation.

Early childhood stress exposure, reward pathways, and adult decision making

Individuals who have experienced chronic and high levels of stress during their childhoods are at increased risk for a wide range of behavioral problems, yet the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. We measured the life circumstances of a community sample of school-aged children and then followed these children for a decade. Those from the highest and lowest quintiles of childhood stress exposure were invited to return to our laboratory as young adults, at which time we reassessed their life circumstances, acquired fMRI data during a reward-processing task, and tested their judgment and decision making. Individuals who experienced high levels of early life stress showed lower levels of brain activation when processing cues signaling potential loss and increased responsivity when actually experiencing losses. Specifically, those with high childhood stress had reduced activation in the posterior cingulate/precuneus, middle temporal gyrus, and superior occipital cortex during the anticipation of potential rewards; reduced activation in putamen and insula during the anticipation of potential losses; and increased left inferior frontal gyrus activation when experiencing an actual loss. These patterns of brain activity were associated with both laboratory and real-world measures of individuals' risk taking in adulthood. Importantly, these effects were predicated only by childhood stress exposure and not by current levels of life stress.