Motor Circuits Research Articles

Distinct patterns of metabolic motor cortex activity for phantom and residual limb pain in people with amputations: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

BackgroundPhantom pain limb (PLP) has gained more attention due to the large number of people with amputations around the world and growing knowledge of the pain process, although its mechanisms are not completely understood. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to understand, in patients with amputations, the association between PLP and residual limb pain (RLP), and the brain metabolic response in cortical motor circuits, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). MethodsSixty participants were recruited from the rehabilitation program in São Paulo, Brazil. Included patients were aged over 18 years, with traumatic unilateral lower-limb amputation, with PLP for at least 3 months after full recovery from amputation surgery. PLP and RLP levels were measured using visual analogue scales. fNIRS was performed during motor execution and motor mirror tasks for 20 s. In order to highlight possible variables related to variation in pain measures, univariate linear regression analyses were performed for both experimental conditions, resulting in four fNIRS variables (two hemispheres x two experimental conditions). Later, in order to test the topographic specificity of the models, eight multivariate regression analyses were performed (two pain scales x two experimental conditions x two hemispheres), including the primary motor cortex (PMC) related channel as an independent variable as well as five other channels related to the premotor area, supplementary area, and somatosensory cortex. All models were controlled for age, sex, ethnicity, and education. ResultsWe found that: i) there is an asymmetric metabolic activation during motor execution and mirror task between hemispheres (with a predominance that is ipsilateral to the amputated limb), ii) increased metabolic response in the PMC ipsilateral to the amputation is associated with increased PLP (during both experimental tasks), while increased metabolic response in the contralateral PMC is associated with increased RLP (during the mirror motor task only); ii) increased metabolic activity of the ipsilateral premotor region is associated with increased PLP during the motor mirror task; iii) RLP was only associated with higher metabolic activity in the contralateral PMC and lower metabolic activity in the ipsilateral inferior frontal region during motor mirror task, but PLP was associated with higher metabolic activity during both tasks. ConclusionThese results suggest there is both task and region specificity for the association between the brain metabolic response and the two different types of post-amputation pain. The metabolic predominance that is ipsilateral to the amputated limb during both tasks was associated with higher levels of PLP, suggesting a cortical motor network activity imbalance due to potential interhemispheric compensatory mechanisms. The present work contributes to the understanding of the underlying topographical patterns in the motor-related circuits associated with pain after amputations.

Facial emotion recognition deficits are associated with hypomimia and related brain correlates in Parkinson's disease.

Hypomimia is a frequent manifestation in Parkinson's disease (PD) that can affect interpersonal relationships and quality of life. Recent studies have suggested that hypomimia is not only related to motor dysfunction but also to impairment in emotional processing networks. Therefore, we hypothesized that the severity of hypomimia could be associated with performance on a task aimed at assessing facial emotion recognition. In this study, we explored the association between hypomimia, recognition of facial expressions of basic emotions using the Ekman 60 Faces Test (EF), and brain correlates of both hypomimia and performance on the EF. A total of 94 subjects underwent clinical assessments (neurological and neuropsychological examinations), and 56 of them participated in the neuroimaging study. We found significant correlation between hypomimia, EF Disgust (r = -0.242, p = 0.022) and EF Happiness (r = -0.264, p = 0.012); an independent reduction in Cortical Thickness (Cth) in the postcentral gyrus, insula, middle and superior temporal gyri, supramarginal gyrus, banks of the superior temporal sulcus, bilateral fusiform gyri, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, inferior and superior parietal cortex, and right cuneus and precuneus; and multiple correlations between negative emotions such as EF Disgust or EF Anger and a reduced Cth in fronto-temporo-parietal regions. In conclusion, these results suggest that the association between hypomimia and emotion recognition deficits in individuals with PD might be mediated by shared circuits, supporting the concept that hypomimia is not only the result of the dysfunction of motor circuits, but also of higher cognitive functions.

Inter-turn short circuit and demagnetization fault diagnosis of ship PMSM based on multiscale residual dilated CNN and BiLSTM

Inter-turn short circuit (ITSC) and demagnetization of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) can lead to serious ship accidents, timely and accurate fault diagnosis of these faults is very important. A multi-signal fusion fault diagnosis method (MD-CNN-BiLSTM) is proposed based on multi-scale residual dilated convolutional neural network (D-CNN) and bidirectional long and short-term memory (BiLSTM) for PMSM fault diagnosis. This method first takes three-phase current and vibration signals as input; uses a three-column parallel CNN structure with different scales to extract both global signal and local feature. A residual connection in the expanded CNN is then used to eliminate the problems of gradient disappearance or explosion; and finally, BiLSTM is used to further extract features and identify the fault. A 2.2 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor was used to build a fault simulation test rig. The motor stator was rewound to simulate the ITSC fault, and different sizes of permanent magnets were replaced to simulate demagnetization fault. ITSC, demagnetization and their coupled faults were simulated under 10 specific motor speeds and loads respectively. The test proved that the diagnostic accuracy of the proposed method was 4.2% higher than that of ordinary CNN and 29.06% higher than that of BiLSTM. It also had the best diagnostic effect under the noise interference of different intensities. It was verified that the proposed method has good noise interference and strong classification ability.

Simulation-based digital twin of a high-speed turbomachine (fan) used in avionics cooling

In this contribution, the simulation-based digital twin of a high-speed turbomachine, i.e. a fan with a nominal speed of 16500 rpm, that has been developed for the aerospace industry with multiple uses in various platforms, and the corresponding findings are presented. The relevant simulation-based digital twin is created by first running various multi-physics engineering simulations, i.e. computational solid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, and low-frequency electromagnetic analyses with Ansys software. Subsequent dynamic reduced order models (ROM) are formed and integrated together to create the digital twin that are bidirectionally connected with the asset. The digital twin is also validated via experimental data that are obtained with various setups for several parameters read at discrete locations via sensors, based on fidelity comparisons both between experiments and simulations, and between simulations and ROMs. Several operational scenarios including those with stress tests are run and the asset is checked against fatigue and thermal requirements for the rotor-stator assembly and the motor circuit respectively. This is done with an inhouse program that incrementally reads time, temperature, and rotational speed data and in which the relevant fatigue and thermal criteria are defined. This program is also used to simulate and analyse what-if scenarios. It is seen that vibration fatigue dominates all possible sources of failure in most cases. As a novel aspect, the fatigue induced by starts and stops of the fan is expressed as equivalent operating hours (EOH) depending on time and temperature parameters of the corresponding scenarios, as opposed to be taken as a constant value for all scenarios. Using this novelty, it is also conceptually demonstrated that simulation-based digital twins can play a significant role in operation and maintenance (O&M) when combined with conventional data-driven predictive maintenance techniques, not only for O&M teams but also asset owners and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) particularly with the use of what-if analyses. Approaches to simulation-based digital twins in context with multi-physics and ROM fidelity are also discussed based on several digital twin maturity models.

Longitudinal prognosis of Parkinson’s outcomes using causal connectivity

Despite the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD), there are no clinically-accepted neuroimaging biomarkers to predict the trajectory of motor or cognitive decline or differentiate Parkinson’s disease from atypical progressive parkinsonian diseases. Since abnormal connectivity in the motor circuit and basal ganglia have been previously shown as early markers of neurodegeneration, we hypothesize that patterns of interregional connectivity could be useful to form patient-specific predictive models of disease state and of PD progression. We use fMRI data from subjects with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), idiopathic PD, and healthy controls to construct predictive models for motor and cognitive decline and differentiate between the four subgroups. Further, we identify the specific connections most informative for progression and diagnosis. When predicting the one-year progression in the MDS-UPDRS-III1*1*A summary of all acronyms used in this paper is presented in Appendix A. Supplementary Data. and Montreal Cognitive assessment (MoCA), we achieve new state-of-the-art mean absolute error performance. Additionally, the balanced accuracy we achieve in the diagnosis of PD, MSA, PSP, versus healthy controls surpasses that attained in most clinics, underscoring the relevance of the brain connectivity features. Our models reveal the connectivity between deep nuclei, motor regions, and the thalamus as the most important for prediction. Collectively these results demonstrate the potential of fMRI connectivity as a prognostic biomarker for PD and increase our understanding of this disease.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE METHOD OF CALCULATINGTHE PARAMETERS OF THE INDUCTION MOTORS REPLACEMENT SCHEME

The optimization of the equivalent circuit parameters of a three-phase induction motor with an equivalent double-circuit rotor is presented. The initial parameters of the equivalent circuit are estimated using a method known as engineering, based on the data provided in the manufacturer’s data sheet. The purpose of the work is aimed at increasing the accuracy of calculating currents and torques when using a double-circuit equivalent circuit of an induction motor by improving the method for determining the parameters of the equivalent circuit. A procedure for optimizing parameters has been developed to reduce errors between the calculated and actual values of the motor torque and current. Achieving the goal is ensured through the use of the author’s method of taking into account the nonlinearities of the motor, namely saturation of the magnetic circuit along the main path and scattering paths. To analyze the characteristics of an induction motor and predict its behavior in the event of faults and various operating modes, it is necessary to create a mathematical model of this motor. To ensure the adequacy of model calculations, it is necessary to take into account various nonlinearities of an induction motor, such as the effects of current displacement and machine saturation, steel losses, and others. The choice of a specific nonlinearity to take into account, as well as the methodology for taking it into account, are determined by the complexity of the tasks posed to the model. The depth of taking into account the nonlinear parameters of an induction motor depend on the requirements for the accuracy of the analysis and necessarily includes taking into account the most significant factors affecting the performance of the machine. A universal mathematical model has been created that describes an induction motor in a coordinate system that is stationary relative to the stator and takes into account the nonlinearity of its parameters. The parameters of the equivalent circuit of twelve industrial induction motors without and with optimization were assessed. A comparison was made of the results obtained from the engineering method and the actual data of the manufacturer to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Keywords: induction motor, nonlinearity of IM parameters, manufacturer’s data, optimization, parameter estimation, squirrel cage, mathematical modeling, experimental studies

Early Fault Detection of Stator Inter-Turn Short Circuit of Asynchronous Motor Based on Rotating High Frequency Voltage Injection

Early Fault Detection of Stator Inter-Turn Short Circuit of Asynchronous Motor Based on Rotating High Frequency Voltage Injection

Fast Assessment Method for Transient Voltage Stability of Photovoltaic Receiving‐End Grid

The incorporation of renewable energy on a broad scale into power grids increases the complexity to the issue of transient voltage stability in power systems. This research presents a rapid evaluation technique for assessing the stability of voltage fluctuations in power grids that receive electricity from photovoltaic sources. At first, a receiving‐end system model was developed, which includes photovoltaics, and an alternative circuit of the virtual induction motor (IM) is obtained by utilizing the Thevenin equivalent. Second, the torque balance equation and the Kirchhoff voltage equation are interconnected to determine the unstable slip of the IM following a malfunction. Finally, by merging the unstable slip with the conventional transient stability discriminant index, the effects of different photovoltaic outputs, IM ratios, and system contact impedances on transient voltage stability are investigated. The proposed method avoids the computational burden of solving the differential‐algebraic equations describing the complex transient processes of the IM. It also obviates the necessity of iteratively modifying the receiving load or fault clearance time in the simulation platform to achieve the constrained stability condition of the system’s transient voltage. The transient stabilization of voltage results is efficiently obtained by directly solving algebraic equations.

State Estimation for a New Battery and Motor Circuit Model of an Electric Vehicle Using Event-Triggered Functional Interval Observers

State Estimation for a New Battery and Motor Circuit Model of an Electric Vehicle Using Event-Triggered Functional Interval Observers

Type-B monoamine oxidase inhibitors in neurological diseases: clinical applications based on preclinical findings.

Type-B monoamine oxidase inhibitors, encompassing selegiline, rasagiline, and safinamide, are available to treat Parkinson's disease. These drugs ameliorate motor symptoms and improve motor fluctuation in the advanced stages of the disease. There is also evidence supporting the benefit of type-B monoamine oxidase inhibitors on non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as mood deflection, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. Preclinical studies indicate that type-B monoamine oxidase inhibitors hold a strong neuroprotective potential in Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases for reducing oxidative stress and stimulating the production and release of neurotrophic factors, particularly glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, which support dopaminergic neurons. Besides, safinamide may interfere with neurodegenerative mechanisms, counteracting excessive glutamate overdrive in basal ganglia motor circuit and reducing death from excitotoxicity. Due to the dual mechanism of action, the new generation of type-B monoamine oxidase inhibitors, including safinamide, is gaining interest in other neurological pathologies, and many supporting preclinical studies are now available. The potential fields of application concern epilepsy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and above all, ischemic brain injury. The purpose of this review is to investigate the preclinical and clinical pharmacology of selegiline, rasagiline, and safinamide in Parkinson's disease and beyond, focusing on possible future therapeutic applications.

Bending-torsional coupling vibration characteristics of asynchronous motorized spindle considering electromechanical coupling and multi-excitation effect

For the asynchronous motorized spindle directly driven by the induction motor, the load-dependent slip ratio determines that its transient characteristics are sensitive to load. For the accurate evaluation of transient characteristics, it is necessary to deeply analyze the bending-torsional coupling vibration characteristics of the asynchronous motorized spindle with the non-ideal energy source. In this work, starting from energy conservation and clarifying the multi-physical field coupling mechanism, the bending-torsional coupling dynamic model is developed. Considering the speed fluctuation, the mass eccentricity excitation is deconstructed to explore its contribution to the coupling vibration. From the load-displacement relationship, the unbalanced excitation experienced by the journal from the bearing is modeled, considering the friction. According to the T-type equivalent circuit and mechanical characteristics of the induction motor, the electromagnetic torque considering power conservation is obtained. Furthermore, combined with Maxwell's stress formula, the electromagnetic excitation from electromagnetic torque and magnetic pull is obtained, considering the tangential and normal magnetic stress. Based on the projection and synthesis of forces, the semi-empirical mechanical cutting force model is employed to calculate the milling load. And a numerical algorithm for the fast acquisition of state-dependent delay is proposed. In particular, to reasonably characterize the energy characteristics in the system, the influence of structural vibration as an energy sink on the multi-physical field composed of mechanical, electromagnetic, and thermal fields is explored from the energy conservation. The proposed model was validated experimentally. The effects of electrical and mechanical parameters on the response are numerically discussed.

Vector control system for autonomous electric drive

The study and development of autonomous electric drive systems are relevant, since currently such systems are widespread especially in the marine and river fleet industries. A simulation model of an autonomous frequency-controlled synchronous electric drive with vector control and active power circuit of an electric motor has been proposed. Simulation results have been presented. The improvement of the control system is aimed at increasing the efficiency and reliability of autonomous electric drives. The implementation of the active power circuit allows one to effectively limit the power consumed from the generator, protecting it from surges that lead to the shutdown of the diesel generator set. The regulation of the active power on the shaft is more appropriate for electric propeller drives than the regulation of the shaft rotation speed. The creation of a unified control system for an autonomous electric drive makes it possible to take into account the mutual influence of parameters of the diesel generator set and the electric motor, including more efficient regulation of the voltage and frequency of the generator in order to maintain the quality of electricity produced at an acceptable level. The integration into a single system will further integrate neural networks as adaptive neural network regulators and Virtual Assistant systems. Modern simulation software makes it possible at the design stage to evaluate the quality of transient processes of currents, speed and torque of the electric motor, as well as the quality of energy parameters of the power supply system. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to form requirements for synchronous machines, for semiconductor elements of the power part and converters. The simulation results confirm the correctness of the adjustment of the control circuits and allow us to talk about the suitability of the developed model for engineering calculations.

Learning Strategies in PAUD to Stimulate Early Childhood Gross Motor Development

Learning strategies in PAUD to stimulate gross motor development have several strategies such as developmental aspects, approaches and movement development. The aim of this research is to determine learning strategies in PAUD to stimulate gross motor development in early childhood. The research method uses qualitative research with a literature study research design. Based on the research results, there are strategies that can be used to develop children's gross motor skills, such as outdoor activities, dance, gymnastics, traditional games, central learning models, learning methods based on aud gross motor development and circuit training activities.

Quantitative brain morphometry identifies cerebellar, cortical, and subcortical gray and white matter atrophy in late-onset Tay-Sachs disease.

Cerebellar atrophy is a characteristic sign of late-onset Tay-Sachs disease (LOTS). Other structural neuroimaging abnormalities are inconsistently reported. Our study aimed to perform a detailed whole-brain analysis and quantitatively characterize morphometric changes in LOTS patients. Fourteen patients (8 M/6F) with LOTS from three centers were included in this retrospective study. For morphometric brain analyses, we used deformation-based morphometry, voxel-based morphometry, surface-based morphometry, and spatially unbiased cerebellar atlas template. The quantitative whole-brain morphometric analysis confirmed the finding of profound pontocerebellar atrophy with most affected cerebellar lobules V and VI in LOTS patients. Additionally, the atrophy of structures mainly involved in motor control, including bilateral ventral and lateral thalamic nuclei, primary motor and sensory cortex, supplementary motor area, and white matter regions containing corticospinal tract, was present. The atrophy of the right amygdala, hippocampus, and regions of occipital, parietal and temporal white matter was also observed in LOTS patients in contrast with controls (p < 0.05, FWE corrected). Patients with dysarthria and those initially presenting with ataxia had more severe cerebellar atrophy. Our results show predominant impairment of cerebellar regions responsible for speech and hand motor function in LOTS patients. Widespread morphological changes of motor cortical and subcortical regions and tracts in white matter indicate abnormalities in central motor circuits likely coresponsible for impaired speech and motor function.

Cross-species conservation in the regulation of parvalbumin by perineuronal nets.

Parvalbumin (PV) neurons play an integral role in regulating neural dynamics and plasticity. Therefore, understanding the factors that regulate PV expression is important for revealing modulators of brain function. While the contribution of PV neurons to neural processes has been studied in mammals, relatively little is known about PV function in non-mammalian species, and discerning similarities in the regulation of PV across species can provide insight into evolutionary conservation in the role of PV neurons. Here we investigated factors that affect the abundance of PV in PV neurons in sensory and motor circuits of songbirds and rodents. In particular, we examined the degree to which perineuronal nets (PNNs), extracellular matrices that preferentially surround PV neurons, modulate PV abundance as well as how the relationship between PV and PNN expression differs across brain areas and species and changes over development. We generally found that cortical PV neurons that are surrounded by PNNs (PV+PNN neurons) are more enriched with PV than PV neurons without PNNs (PV-PNN neurons) across both rodents and songbirds. Interestingly, the relationship between PV and PNN expression in the vocal portion of the basal ganglia of songbirds (Area X) differed from that in other areas, with PV+PNN neurons having lower PV expression compared to PV-PNN neurons. These relationships remained consistent across development in vocal motor circuits of the songbird brain. Finally, we discovered a causal contribution of PNNs to PV expression in songbirds because degradation of PNNs led to a diminution of PV expression in PV neurons. These findings reveal a conserved relationship between PV and PNN expression in sensory and motor cortices and across songbirds and rodents and suggest that PV neurons could modulate plasticity and neural dynamics in similar ways across songbirds and rodents.

Neuronal substrates of egg-laying behaviour at the abdominal ganglion of Drosophila melanogaster

Egg-laying in Drosophila is the product of post-mating physiological and behavioural changes that culminate in a stereotyped sequence of actions. Egg-laying harbours a great potential as a paradigm to uncover how the appropriate motor circuits are organized and activated to generate behaviour. To study this programme, we first describe the different phases of the egg-laying programme and the specific actions associated with each phase. Using a combination of neuronal activation and silencing experiments, we identify neurons (OvAbg) in the abdominal ganglion as key players in egg-laying. To generate and functionally characterise subsets of OvAbg, we used an intersectional approach with neurotransmitter specific lines—VGlut, Cha and Gad1. We show that OvAbg/VGlut neurons promote initiation of egg deposition in a mating status dependent way. OvAbg/Cha neurons are required in exploration and egg deposition phases, though activation leads specifically to egg expulsion. Experiments with the OvAbg/Gad1 neurons show they participate in egg deposition. We further show a functional connection of OvAbg neurons with brain neurons. This study provides insight into the organization of neuronal circuits underlying complex motor behaviour.

Effects of Virtual Reality Cognitive Training on Neuroplasticity: A Quasi-Randomized Clinical Trial in Patients with Stroke.

Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR) is a therapeutic approach designed to improve cognitive functioning after a brain injury, including stroke. Two major categories of techniques, namely traditional and advanced (including virtual reality-VR), are widely used in CR for patients with various neurological disorders. More objective outcome measures are needed to better investigate cognitive recovery after a stroke. In the last ten years, the application of electroencephalography (EEG) as a non-invasive and portable neuroimaging method has been explored to extract the hallmarks of neuroplasticity induced by VR rehabilitation approaches, particularly within the chronic stroke population. The aim of this study is to investigate the neurophysiological effects of CR conducted in a virtual environment using the VRRS device. Thirty patients with moderate-to-severe ischemic stroke in the chronic phase (at least 6 months after the event), with a mean age of 58.13 (±8.33) for the experimental group and 57.33 (±11.06) for the control group, were enrolled. They were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group, receiving neurocognitive stimulation using VR and the same amount of conventional neurorehabilitation, respectively. To study neuroplasticity changes after the training, we focused on the power band spectra of theta, alpha, and beta EEG rhythms in both groups. We observed that when VR technology was employed to amplify the effects of treatments on cognitive recovery, significant EEG-related neural improvements were detected in the primary motor circuit in terms of power spectral density and time-frequency domains. Indeed, EEG analysis suggested that VR resulted in a significant increase in both the alpha band power in the occipital areas and the beta band power in the frontal areas, while no significant variations were observed in the theta band power. Our data suggest the potential effectiveness of a VR-based rehabilitation approach in promoting neuroplastic changes even in the chronic phase of ischemic stroke.

A brainstem circuit for phonation and volume control in mice

Mammalian vocalizations are critical for communication and are produced through the process of phonation, in which expiratory muscles force air through the tensed vocal folds of the larynx, which vibrate to produce sound. Despite the importance of phonation, the motor circuits in the brain that control it remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a subpopulation of ~160 neuropeptide precursor Nts (neurotensin)-expressing neurons in the mouse brainstem nucleus retroambiguus (RAm) that are robustly activated during both neonatal isolation cries and adult social vocalizations. The activity of these neurons is necessary and sufficient for vocalization and bidirectionally controls sound volume. RAm Nts neurons project to all brainstem and spinal cord motor centers involved in phonation and activate laryngeal and expiratory muscles essential for phonation and volume control. Thus, RAm Nts neurons form the core of a brain circuit for making sound and controlling its volume, which are two foundations of vocal communication.

Cognitive Reserve proxies can modulate motor and non-motor basal ganglia circuits in early Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is hallmarked by dysfunctional circuitry between the basal ganglia and dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex. Recently progress has been made in understanding factors contributing to differential susceptibility to pathology mitigating disease-related cognitive decline. Cognitive reserve, the brain processing resources accumulated throughout life while engaged in mentally stimulating activities, can play an important protective role in cognitive performance. We tested the hypothesis that Cognitive Reserve proxies may exert an impact on the basal ganglia and dorsolateral-prefrontal atrophy in early PD. Forty-five early patients with PD and 20 age-gender-matched healthy controls (HC) completed the Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire to quantify Cognitive Reserve proxies by three indexes (CRI-Education, CRI-Working Activity, CRI-Leisure Time) and a structural MRI examination (3T). Morphometrical indexes for basal ganglia (bilateral putamen, caudate, pallidum volume) and dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex (cortical thickness) were computed. Significant differences between HC and PD were tested by direct comparisons in demographics, cognitive level, and cognitive reserve proxies indexes. Then two multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of the basal ganglia and dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex structural integrity. Regression analysis revealed that basal ganglia volume was significantly predicted by CRI-Education (pFDR = 0.029), sex (pFDR = 0.029), and Total Intracranial Volume (pFDR < 0.001). Instead, the dorsolateral-prefrontal thickness was predicted by CRI-Leisure Time (pFDR = 0.030) and age (pFDR = 0.010). Cognitive Reserve proxies, especially education and leisure-time activities, can play a protective role on the structural integrity of the basal ganglia and dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex, respectively, critical regions hallmarking brain status of early phases of PD.

Plastic Spinal Motor Circuits in Health and Disease.

In the past, the spinal cord was considered a hard-wired network responsible for spinal reflexes and a conduit for long-range connections. This view has changed dramatically over the past few decades. It is now recognized as a plastic structure that has the potential to adapt to changing environments. While such changes occur under physiological conditions, the most dramatic alterations take place in response to pathological events. Many of the changes that occur following such pathological events are maladaptive, but some appear to help adapt to the new conditions. Although a number of studies have been devoted to elucidating the underlying mechanisms, in humans and animal models, the etiology and pathophysiology of various diseases impacting the spinal cord are still not well understood. In this review, we summarize current understanding and outstanding challenges for a number of diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS), and spinal cord injury (SCI), with occasional relations to stroke. In particular, we focus on changes resulting from SCI (and stroke), and various influencing factors such as cause, site and extent of the afflicted damage.