Brain Cognitive Function Research Articles

A Comparative Study of the Brain Mechanism of Metaphor between Chinese and English

The purpose of this study is to reveal the unique law and mechanism of Chinese metaphorical processing. This study adopts Event-Related Potential (ERP) to further explore the mechanism of metaphorical processing in Chinese brains by using cognitive linguistic experimental paradigm and three kinds of grammatical structures, such as sentences, idioms and phrases. ERP method has been widely used in the research of brain cognitive function in recent years with the advantage of high time resolution. We can capture the changes of ERP waves of millisecond level by using ERP recorder. From the statistical analysis of SPSS, the average accuracy of metaphor is more than 90%, and the average accuracy of non-metaphor is more than 90% too. It is found that metaphorical processing is not only performed in any hemisphere, but also presents the dynamic distribution from left brain to right brain according to the standard level and semantic distance.

Function of Selective Neuromodulatory Projections in the Mammalian Cerebral Cortex: Comparison Between Cholinergic and Noradrenergic Systems.

Cortical processing is dynamically modulated by different neuromodulators. Neuromodulation of the cerebral cortex is crucial for maintaining cognitive brain functions such as perception, attention and learning. However, we do not fully understand how neuromodulatory projections are organized in the cerebral cortex to exert various functions. The basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic projection and the locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic projection are well-known neuromodulatory projections to the cortex. Decades of studies have identified anatomical and physiological characteristics of these circuits. While both cholinergic and noradrenergic neurons widely project to the cortex, they exhibit different levels of selectivity. Here, we summarize their anatomical and physiological features, highlighting selectivity and specificity of these circuits to different cortical regions. We discuss the importance of selective modulation by comparing their functions in the cortex. We highlight key features in the input-output circuits and target selectivity of these neuromodulatory projections and their roles in controlling four major brain functions: attention, reinforcement, learning and memory, sleep and wakefulness.

Musical Experience and Brain Plasticity: does musical training change brain structure and function?

Musical performance is a highly complicated task, requiring precise regulation and organization of sensorimotor system under high order cognitive functions of the human brain. The recent development of non-invasive measurements of brain structure and function, such as magnetic resonance imaging, in addition to conventional assessments, such as electrophysiology, and behavioral or cognitive tasks allows us to study short- and long-term brain plasticity associated with musical training. This article focuses on cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of musicians and indivisuals participating in music classes, reviews findings in terms of plastic and meta-plastic changes in the human brain induced by musical training over short and long period of time, and describes studies revealing transfer learning effects of musical training.

Ameliorative effect of carvacrol against propiconazole-induced neurobehavioral toxicity in rats

Propiconazole (PCZ) is a triazole fungicide extensively used in agriculture. Carvacrol (CAR) is a naturally occurring phenolic monoterpene which has various biological and pharmacological effects. The present study was designed to investigate the neurobehavioral toxic effects of PCZ in albino rats and to evaluate the ameliorative role of CAR against such toxic effects. Sixty adult male rats were used in this investigation; they were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups: control group, PCZ group, CAR group and PCZ + CAR group. PCZ (75 mg/kg) and/or CAR (50 mg/kg) were administered daily by oral gavage for 8 weeks. Behavioral investigation clearly demonstrated the negative impact of PCZ on psychological, motor and cognitive brain functions. Exposure to PCZ also adversely affected the measured oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation parameters in brain tissue. A significant decrease in activity of acetylcholinesterase enzyme in neural tissue was also observed in PCZ-exposed rats. Histopathological examination of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and hippocampus showed various histopathological lesions after exposure to PCZ which were confirmed by immunohistochemical examination. On the other hand, co-administration of CAR ameliorated most of the undesirable effects of PCZ.

Hypoglycemia and cognitive function in diabetic patients

AimsHypoglycemia can be considered the most common complication of Diabetes Mellitus treatment. So far, controversial studies have been carried out to examine the impacts of hypoglycemia on the cognitive function. MethodsThis study was conducted as case-control. The case group was 35 patients with Diabetes Mellitus Types I or II hospitalized in Imam Hussein Hospital, Tehran, Iran, who have experienced hypoglycemic attacks (glucose level below 70 mg/dl). The control group consisted of diabetic patients hospitalized in hospital, but they had no history of hypoglycemia. As the blood glucose level became in normal range and the patients’ Mental status became stable, the brain cognitive function was examined using Mini-Mental State test. ResultsThe mean age of the subjects in the case and control groups was 56.77, 53.73 years old, respectively. The mean cognitive score in the control and hypoglycemic groups was 29.09 and 25.29, respectively. The mean MMSE cognitive score was significantly diminished in the hypoglycemic group (p < 0.001). ConclusionsThis study indicated that incidence of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients is associated with cognitive disorders. Further, there is a linear association between cognitive disorders and hypoglycemia, age and diabetes mellitus complication.

Dementia Etiologies and Remedies in Traditional Persian Medicine; A Review of Medicinal Plants and Phytochemistry.

Dementia is a chronic neurodegenerative disease causing progressive and gradual impairment of different brain's cognitive functions. The prevalence of dementia is about 3 to 7% in different parts of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the etiologies of dementia according to the Traditional Persian Medicine scientists' viewpoint and introduce their recommended herbal remedies for this disease. The authors explored six main Traditional Persian Medicine textbooks for the disease of dementia, its etiologies and related recommended herbal treatments. Two main keywords of "Lisarghes" and" Nesyan" were searched for this purpose. Medical databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched for related articles published between 1966 and 2016 to review the pharmacological components and active ingredients of suggested herbal medicines. According to the Traditional Persian Medicine, dementia is resulted from brain dystemperament, a condition caused by cold and moist or cold and dry tempers. To treat this disease, Traditional Persian scientists recommended various herbal remedies. Current studies have demonstrated that some of these medicinal plants have beneficial effects for the aforementioned disease, including acetyl cholinesterase inhibitory function, neuroprotective effects, and memory enhancing role. The Traditional Persian Medicine literature suggested different herbal remedies for treating dementia. Modern studies support the usefulness of some of these medicines. However, the effect of a large number of these remedies has remained unexamined, a matter which needs to be investigated in future researches.

Probiotics drive gut microbiome triggering emotional brain signatures

ABSTRACTExperimental manipulation of the gut microbiome was found to modify emotional and cognitive behavior, neurotransmitter expression and brain function in rodents, but corresponding human data remain scarce. The present double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised study aimed at investigating the effects of 4 weeks’ probiotic administration on behavior, brain function and gut microbial composition in healthy volunteers. Forty-five healthy participants divided equally into three groups (probiotic, placebo and no intervention) underwent functional MRI (emotional decision-making and emotional recognition memory tasks). In addition, stool samples were collected to investigate the gut microbial composition. Probiotic administration for 4 weeks was associated with changes in brain activation patterns in response to emotional memory and emotional decision-making tasks, which were also accompanied by subtle shifts in gut microbiome profile. Microbiome composition mirrored self-reported behavioral measures and memory performance. This is the first study reporting a distinct influence of probiotic administration at behavioral, neural, and microbiome levels at the same time in healthy volunteers. The findings provide a basis for future investigations into the role of the gut microbiota and potential therapeutic application of probiotics.

Ovarian Function Modulates the Effects of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on the Mouse Cerebral Cortex.

Different dietary ratios of n−6/n−3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) may alter brain lipid profile, neural activity, and brain cognitive function. To determine whether ovarian hormones influence the effect of diet on the brain, ovariectomized and sham-operated mice continuously treated with placebo or estradiol were fed for 3 months with diets containing low or high n−6/n−3 LC-PUFA ratios. The fatty acid (FA) profile and expression of key neuronal proteins were analyzed in the cerebral cortex, with intact female mice on standard diet serving as internal controls of brain lipidome composition. Diets containing different concentrations of LC-PUFAs greatly modified total FAs, sphingolipids, and gangliosides in the cerebral cortex. Some of these changes were dependent on ovarian hormones, as they were not detected in ovariectomized animals, and in the case of complex lipids, the effect of ovariectomy was partially or totally reversed by continuous administration of estradiol. However, even though differential dietary LC-PUFA content modified the expression of neuronal proteins such as synapsin and its phosphorylation level, PSD-95, amyloid precursor protein (APP), or glial proteins such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an effect also dependent on the presence of the ovary, chronic estradiol treatment was unable to revert the dietary effects on brain cortex synaptic proteins. These results suggest that, in addition to stable estradiol levels, other ovarian hormones such as progesterone and/or cyclic ovarian secretory activity could play a physiological role in the modulation of dietary LC-PUFAs on the cerebral cortex, which may have clinical implications for post-menopausal women on diets enriched with different proportions of n−3 and n−6 LC-PUFAs.

Cyclic AMP-producing chemogenetic activation of indirect pathway striatal projection neurons and the downstream effects on the globus pallidus and subthalamic nucleus in freely moving mice.

The indirect pathway striatal medium spiny projection neurons (iMSNs) are critical to motor and cognitive brain functions. These neurons express a high level of cAMP-increasing adenosine A2a receptors. However, the potential effects of cAMP production on iMSN spiking activity have not been established, and recording identified iMSNs in freely moving animals is challenging. Here, we show that in the transgenic mice expressing cAMP-producing G protein Gs -coupled designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug (Gs-DREADD) in iMSNs, the baseline spike firing in MSNs is normal, indicating DREADD expression does not affect the normal physiology of these neurons. Intraperitoneal injection of the DREADD agonist clozapine-N-oxide (CNO; 2.5mg/kg) increased the spike firing in 50% of the recorded MSNs. However, CNO did not affect MSN firing in Gs-DREADD-negative mice. We also found that CNO injection inhibited the spike firing of globus pallidus external segment (GPe) neurons in Gs-DREADD-positive mice, further indicating CNO excitation of iMSNs. Temporally coincident with these effects on spiking firing in the indirect pathway, CNO injection selectively inhibited locomotion in D2 Gs-DREADD mice. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that cAMP production in iMSNs can increase iMSN spiking activity and cause motor inhibition, thus addressing a long-standing question about the cellular functions of the cAMP-producing adenosine A2a receptors in iMSNs. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14181.

An Attempt to Eradicate Alcohol Dependency from Adult Men in Service Privately Managed Pharmaceutical Institutions in India

An Attempt to Eradicate Alcohol Dependency from Adult Men in Service Privately Managed Pharmaceutical Institutions in India

The neurobiology of focus and distraction: The case for incorporating mindfulness into leadership.

Increasingly health leaders are experiencing greater demands and pressures, which require the need for better focus while limiting unwarranted distractions. This article offers a neurobiological explanation of how the brain focuses and becomes distracted, in order to help health leaders gain insight into their own effectiveness. Two main neural circuits are contrasted: the mind-wandering default mode circuit and the attentional central executive system. These two systems act in an antagonistic pairing, where the degree of toggling between systems is associated with the degree a person can sustain focus and filter out unwarranted distractions. Excessive multitasking appears to compromise the neural switch of these two systems, thereby diminishing our focus and concentration. In contrast, mindfulness practice is shown to have the opposite effect by enhancing the neural switch, thereby enhancing leadership focus that can lead to greater flexibility, foresight, regulation, and creativity. To conclude, leaders who are excessively distracted, such as with multitasking, may be compromising cognitive brain functioning, while engaging in mindfulness may replenish the brain and thereby enhance leaders' ability to sustain focus and tap into higher cognitive functioning.

Metabolic Brain Network Analysis of Hypothyroidism Symptom Based on [18F]FDG-PET of Rats.

Recent researches have demonstrated the value of using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to reveal the hypothyroidism-related damages in local brain regions. However, the influence of hypothyroidism on the entire brain network is barely studied. This study focuses on the application of graph theory on analyzing functional brain networks of the hypothyroidism symptom. For both the hypothyroidism and the control groups of Wistar rats, the functional brain networks were constructed by thresholding the glucose metabolism correlation matrices of 58 brain regions. The network topological properties (including the small-world properties and the nodal centralities) were calculated and compared between the two groups. We found that the rat brains, like human brains, have typical properties of the small-world network in both the hypothyroidism and the control groups. However, the hypothyroidism group demonstrated lower global efficiency and decreased local cliquishness of the brain network, indicating hypothyroidism-related impairment to the brain network. The hypothyroidism group also has decreased nodal centrality in the left posterior hippocampus, the right hypothalamus, pituitary, pons, and medulla. This observation accorded with the hypothyroidism-related functional disorder of hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) feedback regulation mechanism. Our research quantitatively confirms that hypothyroidism hampers brain cognitive function by causing impairment to the brain network of glucose metabolism. This study reveals the feasibility and validity of applying graph theory method to preclinical [18F]FDG-PET images and facilitates future study on human subjects.

Abstract P6-12-26: The axonal damage marker, serum phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit, as a potential marker of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy

Abstract Background: Chemotherapy-induced neurologic disorders such as peripheral neuropathy and cognitive disturbance are clinically significant problems for cancer survivors, but their objective assessment methods have not been established. We previously reported in a cross-sectional study that the serum phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit (pNF-H), a biomarker of axonal damage, was increased in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to temporally assess the neurological adverse events and evaluate the association of serum pNF-H level with cognitive functions and neuropathy following sequential chemotherapy. Methods: Thirty-five breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled prospectively. They underwent brain MRI and cognitive function tests including Controlled Oral Word Association (COWA), Trail Making Test (TMT), and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) before chemotherapy (baseline), one month after completing sequential chemotherapy (post-phase) and more than six months after completing chemotherapy (late-phase). Serum pNF-H levels and questionnaires reporting peripheral neuropathy were measured at the three phases, and every 3 weeks during chemotherapy. Brain MRI volumetry was calculated by the automatic analysis software, BAAD® (Brain Anatomical Analysis using Dartel). The correlations among cognitive functions, brain volume, peripheral neuropathy and serum pNF-H levels were statistically analyzed. Results: Patients' median age was 48 years (range 24-71). A decrease of more than 10% in cognitive function test (COWA) scores was seen in 10 cases (31%) at post-phase. A brain volume loss of more than 10% was seen in 5 cases (15%) at post-phase. The correlation between brain volume change and cognitive disturbance was not significant (p=0.45) and both changes were improved at late-phase. A peripheral neuropathy grade above CTCAE grade 2 was seen in 19 cases (54%). The neuropathy was significantly more severe in anthracycline followed by taxane regimen than taxane followed by anthracycline during chemotherapy (p=0.016), although this difference was not seen at the late-phase (p=0.08). An elevated serum pNF-H level at baseline was seen in only one case, and this case demonstrated the cognitive disturbance, brain volume loss, and peripheral neuropathy following chemotherapy. During chemotherapy, pNF-H was elevated in 24 patients (69%), with especially higher levels noted during the taxane regimen compared to the anthracycline regimen (p=0.019). In the cases treated with anthracycline followed by taxane, the taxane-phase elevation was especially significant (p=0.014). The maximum pNF-H level during taxane therapy was significantly correlated with peripheral neuropathy grade (p=0.002). At late-phase, the significant reduction of pNF-H level was seen in all cases. Conclusions: Change of cognitive function, brain volume and peripheral neuropathy was observed following chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. This study suggests that the serum axonal damage marker, pNF-H, may reflect chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Citation Format: Kida K, Sumitani M, Ogata T, Kotake R, Natori A, Hashimoto J, Shimokawa T, Yamauchi H, Yamauchi T. The axonal damage marker, serum phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit, as a potential marker of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-12-26.

Abstract WP255: Omega-3 Fatty Acids as a Treatment for Experimental Ischaemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: The number of stroke patients arriving at hospital within a therapeutic timeframe is increasing, enabling earlier and more successful intervention with thrombolysis and thrombectomy. Despite promising animal data, no neuroprotectants have translated into clinical practice. Brain tissue contains a high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid essential for normal brain growth and cognitive function. As DHA plays a critical role in neuronal survival and synaptic function, and is also a potent modulator of brain inflammation, it is a strong candidate for a successful neuroprotectant in stroke. Aims: We therefore aimed to summarise the current evidence for omega-3 fatty acids as a treatment for experimental acute ischaemic stroke. Methods: A systematic literature review of papers reporting omega-3 administration in animal models of acute stroke was conducted using the CAMARADES systematic review facility (SyRF). 1173 titles were screened, 168 abstracts reviewed and data extracted from 15 studies. Data were extracted manually, and collated, organised and analysed within CAMARADES. Measures of study quality were recorded, reflecting current STAIR recommendations for pre-clinical studies. Pre-defined endpoints extracted included mortality, infarct volume and neurobehavioural score. Results: DHA reduced infarct volume with an effect size of 48.5%, (95% CI 32.2 - 65.5) compared to control treatments. Neurobehavioural score was improved by 34.8%,( 95% CI 21.8 - 47.7) in DHA treated animals. There was a decrease in mortality of 61% for DHA treated animals (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.21-0.77(12 studies, no heterogeneity)). All studies used male animals, and no studies co-administered alteplase. Composition of omega-3 preparations was a source of significant heterogeneity (P&lt;0.05). Post hoc analysis showed laboratory group was also a significant source of heterogeneity. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that DHA administration significantly improves outcome and decreases mortality in animal models of acute ischaemic stroke, providing support for further translational studies.

Abstract TP417: Cortical Microinfarcts on 3T MRI in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy: Associations With MRI Burden and Cognitive Dysfunction

Background: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) causes vascular cognitive impairment, possibly due to ischemic lesions that are caused by impaired cerebral blood flow. Cerebral microinfarcts (CMIs) are small ischemic lesions that are found in CAA patients at autopsy. Hypothesis: Cortical CMIs can be detected on in vivo 3T MR images in CAA and will correlate with markers of CAA-related vascular brain injury and cognitive function. Methods: We analysed data from CAA cases and neurologically healthy controls participating in the Functional Assessment of Vascular Reactivity (FAVR) study. All participants underwent a standardized clinical, neuropsychological and 3T MR assessment. Cortical CMIs were rated according to standardized criteria, by a single rater blinded to clinical information. Results: There were 36 CAA patients (mean age 73.0±9.0 years) and 22 healthy controls (69.0±8.3 years). Cortical CMIs were found in significantly more patients with CAA (50%) (median number: 1, range: 1-9) than in healthy controls (18%) ( p =0.02). In CAA, patients with cortical CMIs had higher white matter hyperintensity volumes (median 29.5 mL vs 13.0 mL, p =0.04) and cerebral microbleed counts (median 28 vs 5.5, p =0.049). CAA patients with cortical CMIs also showed lower occipital fMRI activation (median BOLD change 1.97% vs 2.57%, r =0.24, p =0.15) and worse memory performance (mean z -score -0.60 vs -0.05, p =0.12), although both effects were non-significant. No significant association of cortical CMIs with age, sex or vascular risk factors was found. Conclusions: Cortical CMIs are frequently detected on 3T MRI in CAA. They relate to well-established ischemic and hemorrhagic MRI markers of CAA. Therefore in vivo cortical CMIs can be regarded as a new marker of CAA disease severity. Additional, larger studies are needed to determine the relationship between CMI and clinical outcomes in CAA.

Ultrafast fMRI sequences for studying the cognitive brain architectures

The purpose of this work was to test the ultrafast fMRI sequences for the study of the sensorimotor and cognitive functions of the human brain. In a series of test tasks for performing motor movements, the obtained fMRI data showed similar results of brain activity for the block paradigm with standard sequences (TR = 2000 ms) and ultrafast (TR = 300 ms) and event-related paradigm with the use of ultra-fast sequences. In the emotional task, fMRI data was performed in three scan modes: TR=2000 ms, TR=1000 ms, TR=700 ms. The obtained data show the promise of using in cognitive studies of ultrafast sequences, which opens up fundamentally new opportunities for fully non-invasive visualization of networks in the brain.

The effect of moxibustion on brain functional connectivity and effective brain networks in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and preliminary results

Background and objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate state between normal aging and dementia, and can be divided into amnestic and non-amnestic types. Patients with amnestic MCI present with memory impairments that are often considered as the early manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with amnestic MCI are more likely to progress to Alzheimer’s disease than patients with non-amnestic MCI. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved any drug that can treat amnestic MCI. Moxibustion is a common noninvasive traditional oriental intervention, which uses mainly the heat generated by burning herbal preparations containing moxa and mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) to simulate acupoints for alleviating the symptoms. To date, many clinical studies have investigated the clinical use of moxibustion to improve memory impairments of Alzheimer’s disease, but these have failed to make a distinction between amnestic and non-amnestic MCI. Therefore, this trial has been designed to assess the effectiveness of moxibustion on amnestic MCI using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale. We will also assess the safety of moxibustion in healthy controls, and analyze the variation of brain functional connectivity and effective brain networks in patients with amnestic MCI undergoing moxibustion using function magnetic resonance imaging. Design: This is a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods: This study will enroll 64 patients with amnestic MCI and 48 healthy controls at Baoan People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China. The first 64 recruited patients with amnestic MCI will be randomly divided into moxibustion, placebo moxibustion, drug, and control groups (n = 16 per group). In the moxibustion group, patients will be given moxa-wool moxibustion for 12 consecutive weeks. The placebo moxibustion group will receive placebo moxibustion on the same acupoints. Patients in the drug group will be given oral administration of donepezil hydrochloride tablets, 5 mg daily, for 12 consecutive weeks. The control group will receive no intervention. Forty-eight healthy controls will also be randomly assigned into moxibustion, placebo moxibustion, and control groups (n = 16 per group). Interventions will be the same as those received by the patients with amnestic MCI. Evaluators will be blind to group allocation. Outcome measures and preliminary results: The primary outcome measure will be the improvement in cognitive function 12 months after treatment. Secondary outcome measures will be the scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination Scale, and Activity of Daily Living Scale before treatment, after 12 weeks of treatment, and 6 months after the end of treatment, as well as brain function analysis before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment and adverse events during treatment and follow-up. A correlation analysis between cognitive function scores and brain function results will be performed. Results of our preliminary study involving 60 patients with amnestic MCI who experienced moxibustion or received no treatment showed that moxibustion on acupoints significantly improved cognitive ability and quality of sleep in patients relative to the baseline and compared with the control group. Moreover, the scores on attention and delayed recall in the moxibustion group after treatment were significantly higher than those at base line. In the control group the scores on visual space, execution, and delayed recall were significantly lower than those at baseline. These findings indicate that moxibustion improves patient’s attention and delayed recall. If not, visual space, execution, and delayed recall in MCI patients tend to be declined over time. No obvious adverse responses to moxibustion treatment occurred in the preliminary study. Discussion: This proposed trial has the potential to uncover that moxibustion will enhance cognitive-related brain function connections and effector brain networks, which is not yet known. If moxibustion is shown to be an effective and safe treatment strategy in patients with amnestic MCI, then this may pave the way for use of this treatment in clinic amnestic MCI. Ethics and dissemination: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (approval No. ChiECRCT-2017018) in October 2016, and registered on April 2017. The study was designed in June 2016. Patient recruitment was initialized in October 2016. Data analysis will be completed in December 2019. Results will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Protocol version: 1.0. Trial registration: This trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR-POC-17011162).

Improved cognitive performance and event-related potential changes following working memory training in patients with multiple sclerosis.

BackgroundFew studies of cognitive rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS) have targeted working memory specifically.ObjectiveWe examined the effects of n-back working memory training on cognitive performance and brain function in patients with MS.MethodsPatients with MS (n = 12) and healthy controls (HC; n = 12) underwent 20 sessions of n-back working memory training. Before and after training (pre- and posttest) cognitive event-related potential (ERP) measures were obtained during a 3-back task. In addition, a battery of cognitive tests was administered.ResultsFollowing n-back training, both MS patients and HCs showed significant improvement on tests of working memory, processing speed, complex attention, and reasoning ability. MS and HCs also exhibited an enhancement of N2 ERP component amplitude, and earlier N2 and P3 latencies, following n-back training.ConclusionsTargeted training of working memory with the n-back task may improve cognitive function in MS. Enhancement of N2 ERP component amplitude and shorter N2 and P3 latency following training in patients with MS is consistent with plasticity of neural processes that are involved in working memory.

Complexity Measures for Quantifying Changes in Electroencephalogram in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive disorder that affects cognitive brain functions and starts many years before its clinical manifestations. A biomarker that provides a quantitative measure of changes in the brain due to AD in the early stages would be useful for early diagnosis of AD, but this would involve dealing with large numbers of people because up to 50% of dementia sufferers do not receive formal diagnosis. Thus, there is a need for accurate, low‐cost, and easy to use biomarkers that could be used to detect AD in its early stages. Potentially, electroencephalogram (EEG) based biomarkers can play a vital role in early diagnosis of AD as they can fulfill these needs. This is a cross‐sectional study that aims to demonstrate the usefulness of EEG complexity measures in early AD diagnosis. We have focused on the three complexity methods which have shown the greatest promise in the detection of AD, Tsallis entropy (TsEn), Higuchi Fractal Dimension (HFD), and Lempel‐Ziv complexity (LZC) methods. Unlike previous approaches, in this study, the complexity measures are derived from EEG frequency bands (instead of the entire EEG) as EEG activities have significant association with AD and this has led to enhanced performance. The results show that AD patients have significantly lower TsEn, HFD, and LZC values for specific EEG frequency bands and for specific EEG channels and that this information can be used to detect AD with a sensitivity and specificity of more than 90%.

Structural and functional relationship of consciousness and the unconscious (anesthesia) in the focus of cognitive impairment

Consciousness is one of the main factors of human existence. It gives life meaning and at the same time it is the most mysterious phenomenon of the Universe. Why do we perceive colors and shapes this way when we see them? How is all this connected with the processes taking place in the brain? Our usual research methods donʼt work here. Consciousness by judging the case anomaly, which we need to integrate into our vision of the world, but we do not know how? It doesnʼt hang out outside the physical world like something extra. Itʼs underlying. General anesthetics remain one of the most prominent known pharmacological discoveries, however, despite more than a century of research, the unitary mechanism through which they act to cause reversible loss of consciousness remains a mystery. The current neurophysical paradigm considers the brain as a computer machine performing classical deterministic I/O operations. The linear structure helps to simplify perhaps the most complex biological system. General anesthesia affects brain function at all levels, including neural membranes, ion channels, receptors, neurotransmitters, brain blood flow and metabolism. Fully unexplored pathogenesis and scope of anesthetics do not allow to formulate a pathogenetically sound approach to the problem of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, as well as the development of effective prevention and treatment. Anaesthetics can subtly alter the dynamics of protein and interaction at the molecular level, and lead to changes in the rate of neuronal suppression and unconsciousness. In the human brain, cytoskeletal filaments, 25 nanometers in diameter (microtubules), are present in neurons and are involved in the fact that they play an important role in the functioning of neurons and the brain and suggest that they generate cognitive brain functions such as memory, consciousness and POCD.