Neuroanatomical Basis Research Articles

Structural brain correlates of creative personality: a voxel-based morphometric study

ABSTRACT The current study explored the neuroanatomical basis of creative personality using the voxel-based morphometric (VBM) approach. The sample comprised two groups – Creative (CR) group (professional creative artists) and matched controls with no demonstrated artistic creativity (NC) with 20 participants in each group, in the age range of 20–40 years, right-handed (screened using Edinburgh Handedness Inventory) and had minimum average intelligence (IQ > 90 on Raven’s Progressive Matrices). Professional creative artists were selected using the creativity achievement questionnaire, creativity was assessed using the Wallach & Kogan test of creativity, and personality was administered using NEO-FFI. The result indicates that creative individuals have significantly higher openness to new experiences and it positively correlates with the right middle frontal gyrus. VBM analysis indicates increased gray matter volume in the inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus in the CR group, pointing toward the integration of cognitive and imaginative processes that might be implicated in creative personality.

Structural MRI Correlates of Anosognosia in Huntington's Disease.

Anosognosia, or unawareness of symptoms, is common in Huntington's disease (HD), but the neuroanatomical basis of this is unknown. To identify neuroanatomical correlates of HD anosognosia using structural MRI data. We leveraged a pre-processed dataset of 570 HD participants across the well-characterized PREDICT-HD and TRACK-HD cohort studies. Anosognosia index was operationalized as the score discrepancies between HD participants and their caregivers on the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe). Univariate correlation analyses identified volumes of globus pallidus, putamen, caudate, basal forebrain, substantia nigra, angular gyrus, and cingulate cortex as significant correlates of anosognosia after correction for multiple comparisons. A multivariable model constructed with stepwise regression that included volumetric data showed globus pallidus volume alone explained more variance in anosognosia severity than motor impairment or CAP score alone. Anosognosia appears to be related to degeneration affecting both cortical and subcortical areas. Globus pallidus neurodegeneration in particular appears to be a key process of importance.

Dysphagia in primary progressive aphasia: Clinical predictors and neuroanatomical basis.

Dysphagia is an important feature of neurodegenerative diseases and potentially life-threatening in primary progressive aphasia (PPA) but remains poorly characterized in these syndromes. We hypothesized that dysphagia would be more prevalent in nonfluent/agrammatic variant (nfv)PPA than other PPA syndromes, predicted by accompanying motor features, and associated with atrophy affecting regions implicated in swallowing control. In a retrospective case-control study at our tertiary referral centre, we recruited 56 patients with PPA (21 nfvPPA, 22 semantic variant [sv]PPA, 13 logopenic variant [lv]PPA). Using a pro forma based on caregiver surveys and clinical records, we documented dysphagia (present/absent) and associated, potentially predictive clinical, cognitive, and behavioural features. These were used to train a machine learning model. Patients' brain magnetic resonance imaging scans were assessed using voxel-based morphometry and region-of-interest analyses comparing differential atrophy profiles associated with dysphagia presence/absence. Dysphagia was significantly more prevalent in nfvPPA (43% vs. 5% svPPA and no lvPPA). The machine learning model revealed a hierarchy of features predicting dysphagia in the nfvPPA group, with excellent classification accuracy (90.5%, 95% confidence interval = 77.9-100); the strongest predictor was orofacial apraxia, followed by older age, parkinsonism, more severe behavioural disturbance, and more severe cognitive impairment. Significant grey matter atrophy correlates of dysphagia in nfvPPA were identified in left middle frontal, right superior frontal, and right supramarginal gyri and right caudate. Dysphagia is a common feature of nfvPPA, linked to underlying corticosubcortical network dysfunction. Clinicians should anticipate this symptom particularly in the context of other motor features and more severe disease.

Medial to lateral frontal functional connectivity mapping reveals the organization of cingulate cortex.

The functional organization of the frontal lobe is a source of debate, focusing on broad functional subdivisions, large-scale networks, or local refined specificities. Multiple neurocognitive models have tried to explain how functional interactions between cingulate and lateral frontal regions contribute to decision making and cognitive control, but their neuroanatomical bases remain unclear. We provide a detailed description of the functional connectivity between cingulate and lateral frontal regions using resting-state functional MRI in rhesus macaques. The analysis focuses on the functional connectivity of the rostral part of the cingulate sulcus with the lateral frontal cortex. Data-driven and seed-based analysis revealed three clusters within the cingulate sulcus organized along the rostro-caudal axis: the anterior, mid, and posterior clusters display increased functional connectivity with, respectively, the anterior lateral prefrontal regions, face-eye lateral frontal motor cortical areas, and hand lateral frontal motor cortex. The location of these clusters can be predicted in individual subjects based on morphological landmarks. These results suggest that the anterior cluster corresponds to the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas the posterior clusters correspond to the face-eye and hand cingulate motor areas within the anterior midcingulate cortex. These data provide a comprehensive framework to identify cingulate subregions based on functional connectivity and local organization.

Anatomical topology of extrahippocampal projections from dorsoventral CA pyramidal neurons in mice.

The hippocampus primarily functions through a canonical trisynaptic circuit, comprised of dentate granule cells and CA1-CA3 pyramidal neurons (PNs), which exhibit significant heterogeneity along the dorsoventral axis. Among these, CA PNs are known to project beyond the hippocampus into various limbic areas, critically influencing cognitive and affective behaviors. Despite accumulating evidence of these extrahippocampal projections, the specific topological patterns-particularly variations among CA PN types and between their dorsal and ventral subpopulations within each type-remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we utilized cell type-specific Cre mice injected with fluorescent protein-expressing AAVs to label each CA PN type distinctly. This method further enabled the dual-fluorescence labeling of dorsal and ventral subpopulations using EGFP and tdTomato, respectively, allowing a comprehensive comparison of their axonal projections in an animal. Our findings demonstrate that CA1 PNs predominantly form unilateral projections to the frontal cortex (PFC), amygdala (Amy), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and lateral septum (LS), unlike CA2 and CA3 PNs making bilateral innervation to the LS only. Moreover, the innervation patterns especially within LS subfields differ according to the CA PN type and their location along the dorsoventral axis of the hippocampus. This detailed topographical mapping provides the neuroanatomical basis of the underlying functional distinctions among CA PN types.

Lesions Causing Alice in Wonderland Syndrome Map to a Common Brain Network Linking Body and Size Perception

ObjectiveAlice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS) profoundly affects human perception of size and scale, particularly regarding one's own body and the environment. Its neuroanatomical basis has remained elusive, partly because brain lesions causing AIWS can occur in different brain regions. Here, we aimed to determine if brain lesions causing AIWS map to a distributed brain network.MethodsA retrospective case–control study analyzing 37 cases of lesion‐induced AIWS identified through systematic literature review was conducted. Using resting‐state functional connectome data from 1,000 healthy individuals, the whole‐brain connections of each lesion were estimated and contrasted with those from a control dataset comprising 1,073 lesions associated with 25 other neuropsychiatric syndromes. Additionally, connectivity findings from lesion‐induced AIWS cases were compared with functional neuroimaging results from 5 non‐lesional AIWS cases.ResultsAIWS‐associated lesions were located in various brain regions with minimal overlap (≤33%). However, the majority of lesions (≥85%) demonstrated shared connectivity to the right extrastriate body area, known to be selectively activated by viewing body part images, and the inferior parietal cortex, involved in size and scale judgements. This pattern was uniquely characteristic of AIWS when compared with other neuropsychiatric disorders (family‐wise error‐corrected p < 0.05) and consistent with functional neuroimaging observations in AIWS due to nonlesional causes (median correlation r = 0.56, interquartile range 0.24).InterpretationAIWS‐related perceptual distortions map to one common brain network, encompassing regions critical for body representation and size‐scale processing. These findings lend insight into the neuroanatomical localization of higher‐order perceptual functions, and may inform future therapeutic strategies for perceptual disorders. ANN NEUROL 2024;96:662–674

The Neuroanatomical Basis of the 5-HT Syndrome and Harmalineinduced Tremor.

The 5-HT syndrome in rats is composed of head weaving, body shaking, forepaw treading, flat body posture, hindlimb abduction, and Straub tail. The importance of the brainstem and spinal cord for the syndrome is underlined by findings of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT)-induced denervation supersensitivity in response to 5-HT-stimulant drugs. For head weaving and Straub tail, supersensitivity occurred when the neurotoxin was injected into the cisterna magna or spinal cord, for forepaw treading in cisterna magna, and for hindlimb abduction in the spinal cord. Although 5,7- DHT-related body shaking increased in the spinal cord, the sign decreased when injected into the striatum, indicating the modulatory influence of the basal ganglia. Further details on body shaking are provided by its reduced response to harmaline after 5-HT depletion caused by intraventricular 5,7-DHT, electrolytic lesions of the medial or dorsal raphe, and lesions of the inferior olive caused by systemic injection of 3-acetylpyridine along with those found in Agtpbp1pcd or nr cerebellar mouse mutants. Yet the influence of the climbing fiber pathway on other signs of the 5-HT syndrome remains to be determined.

Thalamic Nuclei Morphometry and Handedness: Assessing Grey Matter Volume Differences in Left- and Right-Dominant Individuals

The connection between thalamic structure and handedness has important implications for understanding the neural basis of lateralization, and this may shed light on the underlying mechanisms of motor control and cognitive processes. This study investigated the relationship between thalamic nuclei morphometry and handedness, aiming to elucidate the neuroanatomical basis of manual preference. Utilising neuroimaging data from a test-retest functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dataset, T1-weighted volumes were acquired and processed using automated segmentation methods. Thalamic nuclei were parcellated into 25 regions, and grey matter volumes were analysed using the Freesurfer software tool. Statistical comparisons of the interhemispheric volume of the four thalamic nuclei between left- and right-dominant individuals were conducted using independent sample t-tests. This study identified interhemispheric differences in specific thalamic nuclei (the ventral anterior thalamic nucleus and the ventral posterolateral thalamic nuclei) in the left- and right-dominant individuals, suggesting structural variability within the thalamus associated with handedness. The findings underscore the importance of considering subcortical structures in understanding the neural basis of manual preference and highlight avenues for further research in thalamic morphology and its relationship with handedness.

The neuroanatomical correlates of daily habitual tendencies and mediating effect on the association between daily habitual tendencies and symptoms of behavioral addictions

Habitual behaviors significantly shape our daily actions. Furthermore, habit formation is proposed as a key mechanism contributing to the development and maintenance of addiction. However, the neural substrates underlying daily habitual tendencies and their contribution to behavioral addiction symptoms in everyday life remain poorly understood. To explore these questions, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of data from 219 individuals who underwent neuroimaging (structural MRI) assessments alongside evaluations of their daily habitual tendencies and symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU). Using voxel-based morphometry, meta-analytic decoding, and mediation analysis, we found that daily habitual tendencies were positively correlated with larger gray matter volumes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), precuneus, superior frontal gyrus (SFG), inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), and supplementary motor area (SMA). Notably, the midline regions, including the vmPFC and precuneus, play a crucial role in value-based computation, emotional regulation, social cognition, and self-referential thinking. Individual variations in gray matter volumes within these regions served as mediators, influencing the bidirectional relationship between daily habitual tendencies and IGD symptoms. However, vmPFC variations were specifically found to mediate the pathway from PSU to daily habitual tendencies. Our findings suggest that the morphological architecture of the vmPFC and precuneus is associated with habitual tendencies in daily life and may mediate the development of addictive behaviors. This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the neuroanatomical basis of daily habitual tendencies and their role in addictive behaviors.

A modified neural circuit framework for semantic memory retrieval with implications for circuit modulation to treat verbal retrieval deficits.

Word finding difficulty is a frequent complaint in older age and disease states, but treatment options are lacking for such verbal retrieval deficits. Better understanding of the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical basis of verbal retrieval function may inform effective interventions. In this article, we review the current evidence of a neural retrieval circuit central to verbal production, including words and semantic memory, that involves the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), striatum (particularly caudate nucleus), and thalamus. We aim to offer a modified neural circuit framework expanded upon a memory retrieval model proposed in 2013 by Hart etal., as evidence from electrophysiological, functional brain imaging, and noninvasive electrical brain stimulation studies have provided additional pieces of information that converge on a shared neural circuit for retrieval of memory and words. We propose that both the left inferior frontal gyrus and fronto-polar regions should be included in the expanded circuit. All these regions have their respective functional roles during verbal retrieval, such as selection and inhibition during search, initiation and termination of search, maintenance of co-activation across cortical regions, as well as final activation of the retrieved information. We will also highlight the structural connectivity from and to the pre-SMA (e.g., frontal aslant tract and fronto-striatal tract) that facilitates communication between the regions within this circuit. Finally, we will discuss how this circuit and its correlated activity may be affected by disease states and how this circuit may serve as a novel target engagement for neuromodulatory treatment of verbal retrieval deficits.

Neural basis underlying the association between thought control ability and happiness: The moderating role of the amygdala.

Thought control ability (TCA) plays an important role in individuals' health and happiness. Previous studies demonstrated that TCA was closely conceptually associated with happiness. However, empirical research supporting this relationship was limited. In addition, the neural basis underlying TCA and how this neural basis influences the relationship between TCA and happiness remain unexplored. In the present study, the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method was adopted to investigate the neuroanatomical basis of TCA in 314 healthy subjects. The behavioral results revealed a significant positive association between TCA and happiness. On the neural level, there was a significant negative correlation between TCA and the gray matter density (GMD) of the bilateral amygdala. Split-half validation analysis revealed similar results, further confirming the stability of the VBM analysis findings. Furthermore, gray matter covariance network and graph theoretical analyses showed positive association between TCA and both the node degree and node strength of the amygdala. Moderation analysis revealed that the GMD of the amygdala moderated the relationship between TCA and happiness. Specifically, the positive association between TCA and self-perceived happiness was stronger in subjects with a lower GMD of the amygdala. The present study indicated the neural basis underlying the association between TCA and happiness and offered a method of improving individual well-being.

Ventral amygdalofugal pathway as an integrated surgically important network: microsurgical anatomy and segmentation based on fiber dissection.

The ventral amygdalofugal pathway (VAFP) provides afferent and efferent connections to the amygdala and spans along some of the frequently traversed intra-axial surgical corridors as a dominant fiber bundle. This study aimed to reveal the frequently overlooked VAFP fibers by examining their courses and connections to the basal forebrain, septal region, hypothalamus, thalamus, tegmentum, and brainstem. Ten postmortem human brains were used to display the characteristics of the VAFP, and fiber dissection results were compared with those of tractography. From anterior to posterior, the VAFP was separated into 5 different portions: 1) amygdala-substantia innominata; 2) amygdaloseptal (diagonal band of Broca); 3) amygdalo-thalamic; 4) amygdalo-hypothalamic, intermingling with the medial forebrain bundle and extending to the bed nucleus of stria terminalis; and 5) amygdalotegmental. The results of fiber dissections were confirmed with findings obtained from diffusion tensor tractography. This study supports the concept that interconnected forebrain, diencephalic, mesencephalic, and brainstem connections of the VAFP form an integrated surgically important network. The fiber dissection findings also provide the neuroanatomical basis for VAFP segmentation, which may help neurosurgeons better appreciate the complex microsurgical anatomy of the amygdalar connections. Amygdala-substantia innominata and amygdalotegmental connections are demonstrated for the first time and clarified within the structure of the VAFP.

Pervasive alterations of intra-axonal volume and network organization in young children with a 16p11.2 deletion

Reciprocal Copy Number Variants (CNVs) at the 16p11.2 locus confer high risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Morphometric MRI studies have revealed large and pervasive volumetric alterations in carriers of a 16p11.2 deletion. However, the specific neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying such alterations, as well as their developmental trajectory, are still poorly understood. Here we explored differences in microstructural brain connectivity between 24 children carrying a 16p11.2 deletion and 66 typically developing (TD) children between 2 and 8 years of age. We found a large pervasive increase of intra-axonal volume widespread over a high number of white matter tracts. Such microstructural alterations in 16p11.2 deletion children were already present at an early age, and led to significant changes in the global efficiency and integration of brain networks mainly associated to language, motricity and socio-emotional behavior, although the widespread pattern made it unlikely to represent direct functional correlates. Our results shed light on the neuroanatomical basis of the previously reported increase of white matter volume, and align well with analogous evidence of altered axonal diameter and synaptic function in 16p11.2 mice models. We provide evidence of a prevalent mechanistic deviation from typical maturation of brain structural connectivity associated with a specific biological risk to develop ASD. Future work is warranted to determine how this deviation contributes to the emergence of symptoms observed in young children diagnosed with ASD and other NDDs.

Quantitative functional imaging of the pigeon brain: implications for the evolution of avian powered flight.

The evolution of flight is a rare event in vertebrate history, and one that demands functional integration across multiple anatomical/physiological systems. The neuroanatomical basis for such integration and the role that brain evolution assumes in behavioural transformations remain poorly understood. We make progress by (i) generating a positron emission tomography (PET)-based map of brain activity for pigeons during rest and flight, (ii) using these maps in a functional analysis of the brain during flight, and (iii) interpreting these data within a macroevolutionary context shaped by non-avian dinosaurs. Although neural activity is generally conserved from rest to flight, we found significant increases in the cerebellum as a whole and optic flow pathways. Conserved activity suggests processing of self-movement and image stabilization are critical when a bird takes to the air, while increased visual and cerebellar activity reflects the importance of integrating multimodal sensory information for flight-related movements. A derived cerebellar capability likely arose at the base of maniraptoran dinosaurs, where volumetric expansion and possible folding directly preceded paravian flight. These data represent an important step toward establishing how the brain of modern birds supports their unique behavioural repertoire and provide novel insights into the neurobiology of the bird-like dinosaurs that first achieved powered flight.

Network Localization of Spontaneous Confabulation.

Spontaneous confabulation is a symptom in which false memories are conveyed by the patient as true. The purpose of the study was to identify the neuroanatomical substrate of this complex symptom and evaluate the relationship to related symptoms, such as delusions and amnesia. Twenty-five lesion locations associated with spontaneous confabulation were identified in a systematic literature search. The network of brain regions functionally connected to each lesion location was identified with a large connectome database (N=1,000) and compared with networks derived from lesions associated with nonspecific (i.e., variable) symptoms (N=135), delusions (N=32), or amnesia (N=53). Lesions associated with spontaneous confabulation occurred in multiple brain locations, but they were all part of a single functionally connected brain network. Specifically, 100% of lesions were connected to the mammillary bodies (familywise error rate [FWE]-corrected p<0.05). This connectivity was specific for lesions associated with confabulation compared with lesions associated with nonspecific symptoms or delusions (FWE-corrected p<0.05). Lesions associated with confabulation were more connected to the orbitofrontal cortex than those associated with amnesia (FWE-corrected p<0.05). Spontaneous confabulation maps to a common functionally connected brain network that partially overlaps, but is distinct from, networks associated with delusions or amnesia. These findings lend new insight into the neuroanatomical bases of spontaneous confabulation.

Neuroanatomical correlates of distracted straight driving performance: a driving simulator MRI study across the lifespan.

Driving is the preferred mode of transportation for adults across the healthy age span. However, motor vehicle crashes are among the leading causes of injury and death, especially for older adults, and under distracted driving conditions. Understanding the neuroanatomical basis of driving may inform interventions that minimize crashes. This exploratory study examined the neuroanatomical correlates of undistracted and distracted simulated straight driving. One-hundred-and-thirty-eight participants (40.6% female) aged 17-85 years old (mean and SD = 58.1 ± 19.9 years) performed a simulated driving task involving straight driving and turns at intersections in a city environment using a steering wheel and foot pedals. During some straight driving segments, participants responded to auditory questions to simulate distracted driving. Anatomical T1-weighted MRI was used to quantify grey matter volume and cortical thickness for five brain regions: the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), precentral gyrus (PG), superior temporal cortex (STC), posterior parietal cortex (PPC), and cerebellum. Partial correlations controlling for age and sex were used to explore relationships between neuroanatomical measures and straight driving behavior, including speed, acceleration, lane position, heading angle, and time speeding or off-center. Effects of interest were noted at an unadjusted p-value threshold of 0.05. Distracted driving was associated with changes in most measures of straight driving performance. Greater volume and cortical thickness in the PPC and cerebellum were associated with reduced variability in lane position and heading angle during distracted straight driving. Cortical thickness of the MFG, PG, PPC, and STC were associated with speed and acceleration, often in an age-dependent manner. Posterior regions were correlated with lane maintenance whereas anterior and posterior regions were correlated with speed and acceleration, especially during distracted driving. The regions involved and their role in straight driving may change with age, particularly during distracted driving as observed in older adults. Further studies should investigate the relationship between distracted driving and the aging brain to inform driving interventions.

The neuroscience of respect: insights from cross-cultural perspectives.

Cultural values such as respect influence cognition, emotion, and behavior by modulating brain functioning. This mini-review discusses the cultural differences of respect as an essential human value, and the neural underpinnings accompanying them. Although neuroscientific studies are limited, we outline potential brain structures and networks that contribute to respect and use clinical examples to illustrate how behavior changes when these neural systems fail. A better understanding of the neuroanatomical basis of respect and its neural manifestations across cultures will help to advance current conceptualizations of the biology of human values.

Anomia: Deciphering Functional Neuroanatomy in Primary Progressive Aphasia Variants.

Naming decline is one of the most common symptoms of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Most studies on anomia in PPA are performed without taking into account PPA variants, especially for action naming. Only limited data are available for the neuroanatomical basis of anomia considering differences in the pathogenesis of PPAs. The aim of our study is to investigate the associations between anomia severity for both noun and verb naming and gray matter (GM) atrophy, as well as accompanying functional connectivity (FC) changes in three PPA variants. A total of 17 patients with non-fluent (nfvPPA), 11 with semantic (svPPA), and 9 with logopenic (lvPPA) PPA variants were included in the study and underwent cognitive/naming assessments and brain MRIs. Voxel-based morphometry was performed to evaluate GM volume. A resting-state functional MRI was applied to investigate FC changes in the identified GM areas. The study shows that different brain regions are involved in naming decline in each PPA variant with a predominantly temporal lobe involvement in svPPA, parietal lobe involvement in lvPPA, and frontal lobe involvement in nfvPPA. Separate data for object and action naming in PPA variants are provided. The obtained results mainly correspond to the current understanding of language processing and indicate that the evaluation of language impairments is preferable for each PPA variant separately. A further analysis of larger cohorts of patients is necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

Data‐driven analysis of most common neurodegenerative dementias reveals atrophy patterns associated with overlapping cognitive symptoms

AbstractBackgroundA precise understanding of the neuroanatomical basis of clinical manifestation of dementia is an important step for timely diagnosis. Dementia due to proteinopathies, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), have different yet overlapping atrophy patterns which could account for their overlapping clinical presentations. To disentangle these relationships and facilitate timely differential diagnosis, we estimated distinct and overlapping atrophy patterns and associated them with cognitive deficits.MethodWe included 1702 AD (age = 66.1±8.3), 319 FTD (age = 63.3±7.7), 213 DLB (age = 69.7±7.0), and 1330 subjective cognitive decline (SCD) (age = 59.8±9.0) participants from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort. MRIs were processed with Freesurfer and outputs were manually checked. Scanner‐related bias in outputs was corrected using NeuroHarmony pipeline. Participants’ cognition was evaluated using standardized neuropsychological tests. Z‐scores for cognitive domains of memory, executive functioning, attention, language, and visuospatial functioning were derived using SCD group as reference. We estimated distinct and overlapping atrophy patterns in each disease by computing odds ratio in each region, using SCD group as reference. Furthermore, we computed group‐wise Pearson partial correlation between the (sub‐)cortical measures and cognition while correcting for confounding effects of age, sex, and education level.ResultAtrophy in bilateral inferior temporal, and right hippocampus was more prevalent in AD and FTD patients than in DLB patients (Figures 1‐3). Temporal pole atrophy was more prevalent in FTD than in AD or DLB patients. Superior parietal and supra marginal atrophy was more prevalent in AD than in FTD or DLB patients. Bilateral hippocampus and amygdala atrophy associated with memory impairment in AD, whereas left hemisphere atrophy associated with memory impairment in FTD. Frontal atrophy associated with worse executive functioning and attention in FTD, but not in AD. Language deficit associated with left temporal lobe atrophy in both FTD and AD. Visuospatial dysfunction associated with parietal lobe atrophy in both AD and FTD. In DLB, we observed no significant correlation between atrophy and cognitive deficits.ConclusionWe identified distinct and overlapping atrophy patterns and associations of atrophy patterns with cognitive deficits in AD, FTD, and DLB. These data‐driven insights are crucial for accurate diagnosis and prognosis.

Exploration of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment option for adjuvant cancer and heart failure therapy

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has gained prominence in the treatment of various clinical disorders such as migraine, depression, and tinnitus. Based on increased scientific knowledge of the VNS and insights into the vagus nerve (VN) function and anatomy/conduction, robust treatment approaches have been developed. There are both noninvasive and invasive VNS (iVNS) techniques. Currently, only iVNS techniques are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In contrast, transcutaneous VNS (tVNS) is a new treatment option that is receiving increasing attention. The tVNS application uses the cutaneous distribution of afferent VN fibers in the auricle, the auricular branch of the VN (ABVN), or in the neck, the cervical branch of the VN (CBVN). However, the tVNS technique has not yet been sufficiently researched in its application and mode of action to be used clinically on a large scale. Moreover, the stimulation parameters of the VN vary widely in different studies. Despite the growing number of research papers on this topic, more coherence in neurostimulation research and neuroanatomical basis is needed. The aim of this review is to highlight new clinical treatment options based on existing clinically applied treatment options. In this article, current clinical applications of tVNS are analyzed and important stimulation parameters are highlighted. Based on this data, useful new tVNS therapies are recommended. The focus will be placed on the study of inflammatory processes associated with cancer and on applications to cardiovascular events such as heart failure.