Changes In Cerebral Activity Research Articles

Alterations of Prefrontal-Posterior Information Processing Patterns in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by different levels of repetitive and stereotypic behavior as well as deficits in social interaction and communication. In this current study, we explored the changes in cerebral neural activities in ASD. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there exists a dysfunction of interactive information processing between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions in ASD. We investigated the atypical connectivity and information flow between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions in ASD utilizing the entropy connectivity (a kind of directional connectivity) method. Eighty-nine patients with ASD and 94 typical developing (TD) teenagers participated in this study. Two-sample t-tests revealed weakened interactive entropy connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and posterior brain regions. This result indicates that there exists interactive prefrontal-posterior underconnectivity in ASD, and this disorder might lead to less prior knowledge being used and updated. Our proposals highlighted that aforementioned atypical change might accelerate the deoptimization of brain networks in ASD.

Multimodal cerebral imaging study on the effects of \u201cAdjust Zang Dredge Meridian\u201d electroacupuncture on cerebral central sensitization in PDPN patients: a study protocol for a sham-controlled, randomized trial

BackgroundPainful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN) has a great impact on an individual’s quality of life. The current researchers’ previous trial suggested that acupuncture was a promising adjunctive treatment for PDPN. However, the underlying mechanism of action of acupuncture treatment for PDPN is still unclear, especially its effects at the cerebral level. The aim of this trial will be to explore how acupuncture works in treating PDPN by using multimodal cerebral imaging.Method and designThis will be a randomized controlled trial. A total of 150 participants will be recruited and assigned to one of three groups: the healthy group, the DM without PDPN group and the DM with PDPN group. Participants in the DM without PDPN and the DM with PDPN groups will each be further divided between an electroacupuncture group and a sham electroacupuncture group. Participants will receive six treatment sessions per week for 4 weeks. Multimodal cerebral imaging includes resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS); this neurophysiological testing will be the primary outcome measure. Subjective pain scales and blood analysis will be a secondary outcome measure and will be used to assess the clinical efficacy of the intervention. Multimodal cerebral imaging will be used to detect cerebral activity changes in each treatment group. The clinical data and fMRI data will be analysed for all the groups. Multiple correlation regression analyses will be used to assess the association between changes in cerebral functional activity and the improvement of clinical outcomes after acupuncture treatment.DiscussionThis study is based on the results of the researchers’ previous study, and using combined clinical and cerebral function changes, it will help evaluate the effects of acupuncture on PDPN. The investigation of acupuncture’s central mechanism of action will further expand the understanding of acupuncture treatment of PDPN.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024109. Registered on 26 June 2019.

Abnormal Cerebral Blood Flow and Functional Connectivity Strength in Subjects With White Matter Hyperintensities.

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are common neuroimaging findings in the aging population and are associated with various clinical symptoms, especially cognitive impairment. Abnormal global cerebral blood flow (CBF) and specific functional connections have been reported in subjects with higher WMH loads. Nevertheless, the comprehensive functional mechanisms underlying WMH are yet to be established. In this study, by combining resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and arterial spin labeling, we investigated the neurovascular dysfunction in subjects with WMH in CBF, functional connectivity strength (FCS), and CBF–FCS coupling. The whole-brain alterations of all these measures were explored among non-dementia subjects with different WMH loads using a fine-grained Human Brainnetome Atlas. In addition, exploratory mediation analyses were conducted to further determine the relationships between these neuroimaging indicators, WMH load, and cognition. The results showed that subjects with higher WMH loads displayed decreased CBF and FCS mainly in regions involving the cognitive- and emotional-related brain networks, including the default mode network, salience network, and central executive network. Notably, subjects with higher WMH loads also showed an abnormal regional CBF–FCS coupling in several regions of the thalamus, posterior cingulate cortex, and parahippocampal gyrus involving the default mode network. Furthermore, regional CBF in the right inferior temporal gyrus and right dorsal caudate may mediate the relationship between WMH load and cognition in WMH subjects. These findings indicated characteristic changes in cerebral blood supply, brain activity, and neurovascular coupling in regions involving specific brain networks with the development of WMH, providing further information on pathophysiology underpinnings of the WMH and related cognitive impairment.

Neurophysiological effects of various music genres on electroencephalographic (EEG) cerebral cortex activity

Abstract Background Music has been associated with therapeutic properties for thousands of years across a vast number of diverse regions and cultures. This study expands upon our current understanding of music’s influence on human neurophysiology by investigating the effects of various music genres on cerebral cortex activity using electroencephalography (EEG). Methods A randomized, controlled study design was used. EEG data were recorded from 23 healthy adults, ages 19–28, while listening to a music sequence consisting of five randomized songs and two controls. The five studied music genres include: Classical, Tribal Downtempo, Psychedelic Trance (Psytrance), Goa Trance, and Subject Choice. Results Controls were associated with lower percentages of beta frequencies and higher percentages of alpha frequencies than the music genres. Psytrance was associated with higher percentages of theta and delta frequencies than the other music genres and controls. The lowest percentages of beta frequencies and highest percentages of alpha frequencies occurred in the occipital and parietal regions. The highest percentages of theta and delta frequencies occurred in the frontal and temporal regions. Subjects with prior music training exhibited increased percentages of delta frequencies in the frontal region. Subject gender and music preference did not have a significant influence on frequency band percentages. Conclusions Findings from this study support those of previous music therapy studies and provide novel insights regarding music’s influence on human neurophysiology. These findings also support the hypothesis that music may promote changes in cerebral cortex activity that have similarities to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, while the listener remains awake.

Changes of cerebral network activity after invasive stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region in a rat stroke model

Motor deficits after stroke reflect both, focal lesion and network alterations in brain regions distant from infarction. This remote network dysfunction may be caused by aberrant signals from cortical motor regions travelling via mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) to other locomotor circuits. A method for modulating disturbed network activity is deep brain stimulation. Recently, we have shown that high frequency stimulation (HFS) of the MLR in rats has restored gait impairment after photothrombotic stroke (PTS). However, it remains elusive which cerebral regions are involved by MLR-stimulation and contribute to the improvement of locomotion. Seventeen male Wistar rats underwent photothrombotic stroke of the right sensorimotor cortex and implantation of a microelectrode into the right MLR. 2-[18F]Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ([18F]FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) was conducted before stroke and thereafter, on day 2 and 3 after stroke, without and with MLR-HFS, respectively. [18F]FDG-PET imaging analyses yielded a reduced glucose metabolism in the right cortico-striatal thalamic loop after PTS compared to the state before intervention. When MLR-HFS was applied after PTS, animals exhibited a significantly higher uptake of [18F]FDG in the right but not in the left cortico-striatal thalamic loop. Furthermore, MLR-HFS resulted in an elevated glucose metabolism of right-sided association cortices related to the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex. These data support the concept of diaschisis i.e., of dysfunctional brain areas distant to a focal lesion and suggests that MLR-HFS can reverse remote network effects following PTS in rats which otherwise may result in chronic motor symptoms.

Cerebral perfusion changes in chronic dizziness: A single-photon emission computed tomography study.

Background and purposeDizziness may persist even after the causative vestibular imbalance subsides. Although the precise mechanism of chronic dizziness is unknown, various cerebral activity changes associated with it have been reported. To understand its mechanism in the absence of the causative vestibular imbalance, we compared cerebral changes in chronic dizziness with and without persistent vestibular imbalance.MethodsBetween September 2014 and March 2020, we examined regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 12 patients having chronic post-lateral medullary infarction dizziness with persistent brainstem vestibular imbalance and 23 patients having chronic dizziness without currently active vestibular imbalance using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 99m Technetium-ethyl cysteinate dimer. Further, we analyzed the SPECT images using a voxel-based group comparison.ResultsWe observed a decreased rCBF in the occipital lobe and increased rCBF in the medial and inferior parts of the temporal lobe in patients having chronic dizziness with and without active vestibular imbalance compared to healthy controls. However, only patients having chronic dizziness without active vestibular imbalance exhibited increased rCBF in the frontal lobe, including the orbitofrontal cortex.ConclusionThis is the first study to highlight the difference in rCBF changes between patients having chronic dizziness with and without active vestibular imbalance. Decreased occipital lobe activity and increased medial and inferior temporal lobe activity may be related to keeping dizziness perception triggered regardless of the presence or absence of active vestibular imbalance, whereas increased frontal lobe activity may explain the dizziness background to persist after the disappearance of vestibular imbalance.

Efficacy and central mechanism of acupuncture treatment in patients with neck pain: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAcupuncture is effective for reducing the symptoms of neck pain (NP). However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Based on evaluating the efficacy of two acupuncture prescriptions for treating NP, this study aims to investigate the potential central mechanism of acupuncture treatment for NP by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).MethodsThis is a randomized controlled trial; 86 patients will be randomly assigned into two acupuncture treatment groups at a ratio of 1:1. The whole study period includes 2 weeks baseline, 2 weeks treatments, and 12 weeks follow-up (4 and 12 weeks after treatment). The pain severity, the neck disability index, the cervical range of motion, and the pressure pain threshold, etc., will be used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of two acupuncture prescriptions for NP treatment. The MRI scans will be performed to detect cerebral activity changes of 20 patients in each group. The clinical data and MRI data will be analyzed, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficient will be used to evaluate the association between changes of cerebral activity features and improvement of clinical symptoms.DiscussionThe results will provide further evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture in the treatment of NP.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000040930. Registered on 16 December 2020.

Dynamic Changes of Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations in Patients With Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background: Growing evidence demonstrate that diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients have a high risk of cognitive decline and exhibit abnormal brain activity. However, neuroimaging studies thus far have focused on static cerebral activity changes in DR patients. The characteristics of dynamic cerebral activity in patients with DR are poorly understood.Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the dynamic cerebral activity changes in patients with DR using the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) method.Materials and methods: Thirty-four DR patients (18 men and 16 women) and 38 healthy controls (HCs) (18 males and 20 females) closely matched in age, sex, and education were enrolled in this study. The dALFF method was used to investigate dynamic intrinsic brain activity differences between the DR and HC groups.Results: Compared with HCs, DR patients exhibited increased dALFF variability in the right brainstem, left cerebellum_8, left cerebellum_9, and left parahippocampal gyrus. In contrast, DR patients exhibited decreased dALFF variability in the left middle occipital gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus.Conclusion: Our study highlighted that DR patients showed abnormal variability of dALFF in the visual cortices, cerebellum, and parahippocampal gyrus. These findings suggest impaired visual and motor and memory function in DR individuals. Thus, abnormal dynamic spontaneous brain activity might be involved in the pathophysiology of DR.

The effects of age on brain cortical activation and functional connectivity during video game-based finger-to-thumb opposition movement: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the age-related changes in cerebral cortex activation and functional connectivity (FC) during finger-to-thumb opposition movement based on video games (FTOMBVG). MethodsA electronic fingercot was developed for FTOMBVG. The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (Delta [HbO]) signals, measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), were recorded from prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC) and occipital lobe (OL) of two groups of subjects (old and young). ResultsThe cognitive region of the old group showed bilateral activation, while the young group only showed unilateral activation. Both groups showed a wide range of bilateral activation in the motor region. The FC between cognitive region and motor region of the old group was enhanced considerably. ConclusionChanges in cerebral cortex activation and the FC of different brain regions in the old group help explain the decline in cognitive executive and motor control function in the old from the perspective of brain functional structure, and provide a theoretical reference for the prevention of neural diseases caused by aging.

Acute Stroke Patients with Sleep Apnea Acording to the Disability and Incidence of Relapse.

Background:Sleep is a complex process involving the interactions of several brain regions, which play a key role in regulating the sleep process, particularly the brainstem, thalamus, and anterior basal brain regions. The process of sleep is accompanied by a change in body functions, as well as a change in cerebral electrical activity, which is under the control of the autonomic nervous system.Objective:The aim of the study was to analyze the frequency of stroke recurrence and disability of patients with stroke and apnea.Methods:It was analyzed 110 acute stroke patients with sleep apnea. All patients were evaluated with: Glasgow scale, The American National Institutes of Health Scale Assessment, Mini Mental Test, The Sleep and snoring Questionnaire Test, The Berlin Questionnaire Test, The Epworth Sleepiness Scale, The Stanford Sleepiness Scale, and The general sleep questionnaire.Results:The largest number of patients with apnea on admission had a degree of disability of 4, and on discharge of 1. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean values of incapacity for admission and discharge. The student’s t - test did not determine a statistically significant difference in disability according to the Rankin scale between patients with and without apnea at admission (t = 0.059, p = 0.95) and discharge (t = 0.71, p = 0.48). According to the NIHS scale, patients of both sexes with apnea had a neurological deficit of 7.55 ± 5.22 on admission and 7.1 ± 4.3 without apnea. Statistically significant difference was not found on the neurological deficit of both sexes, with and without apnea, at admission and discharge. With apnea, there were 13 relapses of stroke during one year, and without apnea in only 3 patients.Conclusion:Patients with acute stroke have a significantly higher correlation rate according to sleep apnea. There is no significant correlation in the degree of disability between patients with and without apnea.

Research on blood oxygen activity in cerebral cortical motor function areas with adjustment intention during gait.

The study of the neural mechanism of human gait control can provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of walking disorders or the improvement of rehabilitation strategies, and further promote the functional rehabilitation of patients with movement disorders. However, the performance and changes of cerebral cortex activity corresponding to gait adjustment intentions are still not clear. The purpose of this study was to detect the blood oxygen activation characterization of the cerebral cortex motor function area when people have the intention to adjust gait during walking. Thirty young volunteers (21 ± 1 years old) performed normal walking, speed increase, speed reduction, step increase, and step reduction, during which oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO), deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR), and total oxyhemoglobin (HbT) information in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), premotor cortex (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA) was continuous monitored using near-infrared brain functional imaging. (1) With the intention to adjust gait, the HbO concentration in the SMA increased significantly, while the HbT concentration in the medial-PFC decreased significantly. (2) In the HbO concentration, step reduction is more activated than the step increase in the left-PMC (p= 0.0130); step adjustment is more activated than speed adjustment in the right-PMC (p= 0.0067). In the HbR concentration, the speed reduction is more activated than the speed increase in the left-PFC (p= 0.0103). When the intention of gait adjustment occurs, the increase of HbO concentration in the SMA indicates the initial stage of gait adjustment will increase the cognitive-locomotor demand of the brain. The left brain area meets the additional nerve needs of speed adjustment. The preliminary findings of this study can lay an important theoretical foundation for the realization of gait control based on fNIRS-BCI technology.

Agonism of Histaminergic-H1 Receptors in Ischemic Postconditioning During Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury is Protective.

Stroke is associated with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Ischemic postconditioning (IPoC) reduces cerebral ischemic injury in rats and offers neuroprotection. The central histaminergic pathway possesses a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cerebral I/R, but its neuroprotective role in IPoC is still unidentified. This research explored the role of the histaminergic in IPoC during cerebral I/R injury in the rat. Global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (GCI/R) injury in Wistar albino rats was induced by occluding the bilateral carotid arteries for 10 minutes, followed by reperfusion. IPoC was provided by giving three episodes of I/R post GCI (10 min), after which of reperfusion was permitted. Inclined- beam-walk, hanging-wire, lateral-push, and rota-rod tests were employed to assess motor functions, and Morris water maze (MWM) was used to assess spatial learning as well as memory in animals. Cerebral oxidative markers (thiobarbituric acid reactive species-TBARS, reduced glutathione- GSH), inflammatory markers (myeloperoxidase-MPO), acetylcholinesterase activity- AChE, infarct size, and histopathological changes were also assessed. L-histidine and chlorpheniramine were used as histaminergic agonists and antagonists. I/R animals showed a reduction in memory and motor function, and an increase in cerebral oxidative stress, inflammation, AChE activity, infarct size and histopathological changes. Episodes of IPoC post-ischemia attenuated the deleterious effects of I/R injury. Pretreatment (30 min before cerebral ischemia) with L-histidine mimicked the neuroprotective effects of IPoC. However, neuroprotection produced by IPoC was abolished by pretreatment with chlorpheniramine (histaminergic- H1 receptor antagonist). IPoC may provide neuroprotection against cerebral I/R induced brain injury by modulating the histaminergic-H1-receptor pathway.

Changes in Resting-State Cerebral Activity in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Functional MR Imaging Study.

BackgroundPrevious studies have found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have some degree of brain function change as well as cognitive function and emotions, such as poor executive functioning and memory, anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these alterations have not yet been clarified.MethodFasting serum hormone testing, neuropsychological testing and resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were performed in 41 women with newly diagnosed PCOS and 41 healthy controls matched by age and education during their 2–5 days of menstrual period. Analysis of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was used to calculate the seed points. Then, the functional connectivity (FC) values between these abnormal seed points and other voxels in the whole brain were calculated. Finally, the correlations among clinical indexes, neuropsychological evaluation scores, and neuroimaging data were analyzed.ResultsCompared with the control group, the PCOS group showed higher luteinizing hormone (LH) and serum insulin levels, worse sleep quality, increased depressive and anxiety state scores, and memory and executive function impairments. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that the decreased ALFF value in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG.L), which is related to poor executive performance and depressive disorders, was negatively correlated with the plasma insulin level in subjects with insulin resistance. Furthermore, the increased FC strength between the MFG.L and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG.L) was positively correlated with the serum testosterone level. The enhanced FC strength between the left posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG.L) and triangular part of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFGtriang.L) was negatively correlated with the plasma LH level. When use the right middle occipital gyrus (MOG.R) as the seed point, the FC strength with the right inferior occipital gyrus (IOG.R), which is associated with impaired memory, was decreased.ConclusionThe ALFF and FC results elucidated brain functional abnormalities at the regional and network levels in women with PCOS, while correlation analyses simultaneously demonstrated that these alterations were associated with serum hormones and cognitive function. These results may provide useful information regarding the potential mechanisms of cognitive impairment and emotional changes in this population.

ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC MARKERS OF LATERAL SHIFTS OF BRAIN MIDLINE STRUCTURES IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE SPONTANEOUS SUPRATENTORIAL INTRACEREBRAL HAEMORRHAGE

The aim of this study is to improve the diagnostic approaches in acute period of spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage by detecting the most informative parameters of spectral analysis of the electroencephalographic pattern in the evaluation of cerebral bioelectrical activity changes caused by the lateral shifts of brain midline structures. Materials and methods. We carried out clinical and paraclinical examination of 156 patients (90 men and 66 women, mean age 66,7±0,8 years) with firstly appeared hypertensive spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage. The diagnosis was based on the findings of computed tomography. Lateral shift was evaluated as an average from septum pellucidum and pineal gland displacements. Clinical neurological investigation included the evaluation according to the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale. Computed electroencephalography was carried out within the first 48 hours from the disease onset. Spectral rhythm power, fronto-occipital gradients, interhemispheric rhythm asymmetry parameters were analyzed. Statistical processing included evaluating differences between the groups studied, logistic regression analysis, ROC-analysis. Results. No lateral shift of brain midline structure was found in 57 (36.5%) patients; lateral shift ranged from 1-5mm was diagnosed in 72 (46.2%) patients; the lateral shift over 5 mm was found in 27 (17.3%) patients. We have found out the following values can be used as electroencephalographic criteria of lateral shift of brain midline structures: values of relative spectral power rhythm of alpha band ≤20,5% in affected hemisphere (Se=79,8%, Sp=77,2%) and ≤17,7% in intact hemisphere (Se=71,7%, 75,4%), fronto-occipital rhythm gradients of alpha2 band >–0,085 in affected hemisphere (Se=71,7%, Sp=63,2%) and >–0,266 in intact hemisphere (Se=80,8%, Sp=54,4%), while relative spectral rhythm power of delta band >48,4% in affected hemisphere (Se=88,9%, Sp=74,2%) and >46,8% in intact hemisphere (Se=92,6%, Sp=72,4%), fronto-occipital rhythm gradients of alpha band >–0,001 in affected hemisphere (Se=81,5%, Sp=65,1%). These values demonstrate disturbances in cerebral bioelectrical activity caused by lateral shift over 5 mm. Conclusions. The values of relative spectral rhythm power and fronto-occipital rhythm gradients of alpha band in affected and intact hemispheres are the most informative parameters of spectral electroencephalographic pattern analysis for detection of bioelectrical brain activity deteriorations caused by the lateral shift of brain midline structure due to acute spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral haemorrhage.

Possible involvement of D2/D3 receptor activation in ischemic preconditioning mediated protection of the brain

Ischemic stroke is a medical condition that arises because of poor blood supply to the brain. Reperfusion being salvage to the brain further causes, exacerbation of tissue injury, known as reperfusion injury. Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) has been known to provide benefits against ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Dopamine D2/D3 receptor mediated several pathways are also reported as mediators in the IPC mediated neuroprotection. This study investigates the possible involvement of D2/D3 receptor activation in IPC mediated neuroprotection in the I/R brain. Global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (GCI/R) injury in swiss albino mice was induced by occluding the common carotid arteries for 17 min, followed by 24 h reperfusion. IPC was provided by giving 3 episodes of I/R prior to Ischemia (17 min). Morris water maze (MWM) was used to assess the spatial learning, memory and Rota rod, lateral push test as well as inclined beam test were conducted to assess the motor functions in animals. Cerebral oxidative markers (thiobarbituric acid reactive species-TBARS, reduced glutathione-GSH, superoxide dismutase-SOD, and catalase-CAT), inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and myeloperoxidase-MPO), acetylcholinesterase activity-AChE, infarct size (% weight and % volume), and histopathological changes were also assessed. Haloperidol (0.05 mg/kg, i.p) was used to antagonize the effects of D2/D3 receptor activation. I/R animals showed reduction in memory, motor function, increase in cerebral oxidative stress, inflammation, AChE activity, infarct size and histopathological changes. Episodes of IPC prior to ischemia, attenuated the deleterious effects of I/R injury. Administration of haloperidol abolished the protective effects of IPC. Hence, it may be concluded that IPC mediated neuroprotection may involves dopamine D2/D3 receptor activation in mice.

Alterations of functional connectivity density in a Chinese family with a mild phenotype associated with a novel inherited variant of SCN8A

ObjectiveOnly a few heritable SCN8A variants have been described in patients with a mild phenotype of epilepsy. Here, we describe a Chinese family with a novel inherited SCN8A variant and investigate changes in spontaneous cerebral activity during the resting-state in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative patients with epilepsy and their unaffected siblings. MethodsA gene panel targeting 535 epilepsy genes was performed on the proband and his parents. The identified variant was confirmed in other affected members by Sanger sequencing. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data were gathered from the family (4 affected individuals and 3 unaffected siblings) and 72 healthy controls (HCs). Functional connectivity density (FCD) was used to assess whether distant or local functional network changes occurred in patients with epilepsy. ResultsA heterozygous missense variant (c.4568C>A; p.A1523D) in SCN8A was identified in the Chinese family, with a total of 7 members who presented with a mild phenotype (childhood seizures and normal cognition). All patients remained seizure-free, and one patient remained seizure-free without medication. Increased FCD values in the thalamocortical network and basal ganglia network were observed in both patients with epilepsy and their unaffected siblings compared with the HCs. Direct comparison between SCN8A variant patients and unaffected siblings showed that more serious and distributed abnormal changes occurred in the mesial frontal regions of patients with epilepsy. ConclusionsWe identified a novel SCN8A variant with a mild familial epilepsy phenotype. A similar pattern of FCD alterations in patients and their unaffected siblings might represent an endophenotype of benign epilepsy associated with the SCN8A inherited variant, and more extensive alterations in mesial frontal regions may help us to further understand the pathogenesis of SCN8A-related mild epilepsy.

Pharmaco-fUS for Characterizing Drugs for Alzheimer's Disease - The Case of THN201, a Drug Combination of Donepezil Plus Mefloquine.

Donepezil is a potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, largely used worldwide to alleviate cognitive symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Beyond the widely described neuronal impact of donepezil, it was recently shown that targeting connexins, the proteins involved in astrocyte network organization, potentiates donepezil efficacy profile using behavioral tests in AD rodent models. We herein present data demonstrating the potential of functional ultrasound imaging to monitor cerebral activity changes after pharmacological challenge in mice. As an example, we showed that although administration of donepezil or mefloquine alone at low dose had only very limited effects on the signal compared to the baseline, their combination produced marked hemodynamic effects in the hippocampus, in line with previously published behavioral data demonstrating a synergic interaction between both drugs. Thus, the present study provides new perspectives, (i) through the use of pharmaco-fUS, a new non-clinical imaging modality, to move forward drug discovery in AD and (ii) by the profiling of two drug treatments on brain dynamics, one used in AD: donepezil, and the other in development: donepezil combined with mefloquine (THN201) as a modulator of astrocyte network.

Gender differences in brown adipose tissue-related brain functional networks: an 18F-FDG-PET study.

Thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is controlled by central modulating mechanisms, although changes in brain metabolism of BAT-positive subjects with different genders are still unclear. We hypothesized that changes in regional cerebral glucose metabolic activity were associated with BAT activities, and this association differed in different genders. Brain glucose metabolism of 26 BAT-positive and 26 BAT-negative healthy subjects was compared using a brain fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET scan, and gender differences in BAT-related brain functional networks and effect of sex hormones were assessed by comparing the brain PET images of BAT-positive and BAT-negative subjects of different genders and postmenopausal female subjects. Compared with controls, BAT-positive male subjects had a significant hypermetabolic area in the right extranuclear and significant hypometabolic areas in the right inferior parietal lobule and right inferior frontal gyrus; while at the same threshold, BAT-positive female subjects had richer hypermetabolic regions, including bilateral limbic lobes, bilateral frontal lobes, right cerebellum, left sublobar, and right parietal lobe. However, BAT-positive postmenopause female subjects only showed significant hypometabolic regions in left lingual gyrus. BAT-related brain functional networks are different between male and female subjects. Female networks are more significant and more concentrated while male networks are smaller and more dispersed, and these gender differences may be related to sex hormones.

Effect of acupuncture and its influence on cerebral activity in patients with persistent asthma: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundPrevious studies suggested that acupuncture was a promising adjunctive treatment for asthma. However, the underlying mechanism of acupuncture for asthma remains unclear. The aim of the present trial is to explore whether and how specific meridian acupuncture works in quality of life and symptomatic improvement by modulating brain function in patients with asthma.Methods/designThis is a randomized controlled functional brain imaging trial currently being conducted in Sichuan, China. In total, 48 patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma will be recruited randomly and allocated to either of two acupuncture groups: acupuncture at the lung meridian or acupuncture at the heart meridian. The treatment period will last 4 weeks. The Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire is the primary outcome. The Asthma Control Test, peak expiratory flow rate, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and Zung Self-rating Depression Scale will also be used to assess the clinical efficacy of different interventions. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be performed to detect cerebral activity changes in each group. The clinical data and fMRI data will be analyzed between groups, then, the Pearson correlation analysis will be used to assess the association between the changes of cerebral activity features and the improvement of clinical outcomes in each group.DiscussionThe present study has been established on the basis of the “meridian–viscera relationship” theory of traditional Chinese medicine and the modern central mechanism of acupuncture. The results of this trial would be useful to identify the efficiency of the specific meridian acupuncture for asthma. The investigation of its central mechanism would further expand knowledge of acupuncture for asthma.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900027478. Registered on 15 November 2019.

Microstate in resting state: an EEG indicator of tinnitus?

Background: Tinnitus was a subjective auditory phantom phenomenon which could be highly distressing and had no objective indicators for evaluation.Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how did electroencephalography (EEG) microstates of subjective tinnitus patients change in resting state and whether could be an objective indicator for tinnitus.Material and Methods: We enrolled chronic subjective tinnitus patients and matched age and gender with healthy controls. EEG recording, microstate analysis and statistical analysis were performed.Results: We finally had 10 male and 8 female age-matched participants in tinnitus group and healthy control group. Statistical differences were found in the microstate A, C and D durations between the two groups (class A, p = .024; class B, p = .018; class D, p = .029). Microstate durations of class A and D had linear correlation with VAS scores in tinnitus patients (microstate A [R spare = 0.43, p = .003*]; microstate D [R spare = 0.46, p = .002*]).Conclusions: Microstates had changed in chronic tinnitus patients and provided an indicator or perspective to explore the mechanisms of tinnitus. The maintenance of chronic subjective tinnitus may be related to changes in cerebral cortex activity.