Neurological Research Research Articles

Seven Strategies to Integrate Equity within Translational Research in Neurology.

The rapidly accelerating translation of biomedical advances is leading to revolutionary therapies that are often inaccessible to historically marginalized populations. We identified and synthesized recent guidelines and statements to propose 7 strategies to integrate equity within translational research in neurology: (1) learn history; (2) learn about upstream forces; (3) diversify and liberate; (4) change narratives and adopt best communication practices; (5) study social drivers of health and lived experiences; (6) leverage health technologies; and (7) build, sustain, and lead culturally humble teams. We propose that equity should be a major goal of translational research, equally important as safety and efficacy. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:432-441.

Analysis of the Effect of Nicotine on Brain Activity and Function Using FMRI: Implications for Cigarette Dependence

This study examines the effect of nicotine, the main compound in cigarettes, on brain activity and function using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Nicotine influences the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which affect various aspects of life, including learning, memory, alertness, and emotional balance. Dependence on nicotine can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Neurological research shows differences in brain activity in smokers and non-smokers, especially in the ventral (rostral anterior cingulate cortex, insula, opercular, and occipital gyrus) and dorsal (dorsal medial/lateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex) areas. Brain disorders are also associated with psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression and compulsive behavior. Apart from that, nicotine use can also affect the dopamine and serotonin systems, resulting in sleep disorders and emotional disorders in cigarette addicts.

Limitations and Future Directions in Sex, Sexuality, and Gender Diverse Research in Neurology.

Sex, sexuality, and gender diversity is understudied and underserved in neurology. Neurology research inclusive of LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) people is limited. Existing research struggles with a paucity of neurology studies collecting sex, sexuality, and gender diverse (SSGD) data, conflation of sex and gender, lack of precision in measures, neglect of younger and older populations, nebulous benefit to community, and absent intersectionality. Future directions in SSGD neurology research include precise and community-based measurements, respect for LGBTQIA+ colleagues, and the application of minority stress models. All patients stand to benefit from research that elucidates how SSGD variables influence neurological health. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:421-431.

Highly efficient Ca2+ chelation activated by visible light.

Calcium ion (Ca2+) control is an essential tool in neuronal research. Herein, we report three thiocoumarin-based, visible light-activated Ca2+ chelators with quantum yields of 0.39, 0.52, and 0.83. The chelators demonstrated an over 105-fold increase in Ca2+ binding affinity upon irradiation. These chelators are efficiently triggered by biologically safer wavelengths, rendering them excellent candidates for use in neurological research and medicine.

A Power-and-Area-Efficient Channel-Interleaved Neural Signal Processor for Wireless Brain-Computer Interfaces with Unsupervised Spike Sorting.

Next generation of wireless brain-computer-interface (BCI) devices require dedicated neural signal processors (NSPs) to extract key neurological information while operating within given power consumption and transmission bandwidth limits. Spike detection and clustering are important signal processing steps in neurological research and clinical applications. Computational-friendly spike detection and feature extraction algorithms are first systematically evaluated in this work. The nonlinear energy operator (NEO) and the first-and-second-derivative (FSDE) together with the 'perturbed' K-mean clustering achieve the highest accuracy performance. An NSP ASIC is implemented in a channel-interleaved architecture and the folding ratio of 16 leads to the minimum power-and-area product. As the result, the NSP consumes 2-μW power consumption and occupies 0.0057 mm2 for each channel in a 65-nm CMOS technology. The proposed system achieves the unsupervised spike classification accuracy of 92% and a data-rate reduction of 98.3%, showing the promise for realizing high-channel-count wireless BCIs.

Facile stoichiometric interfacial surface bonded cerium oxide and graphene oxide heterostructure for efficient electrochemical non-enzymatic detection of dopamine.

Emerging technology in the new era of sensors to detect and quantify neurological reaction-based research has demanded the development of sensors for the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA). In recent decades, electrochemical sensors have offered rapid and sensitive detection of DA, but the presence of interfering compounds, such as uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA), poses a great threat to the development of DA sensors. Additionally, reusing traditional methods leads to challenges like prolonged preparation and expensive instruments. This research work offers a nanohybrid two-dimensional (2D) paper-like graphene oxide (GO) and three-dimensional (3D) cerium oxide nanosphere (CeONS) heterostructure composite (G-CeONS) created via stoichiometric synthesis for the non-enzymatic detection of DA oxidation in the presence of other complex biological compounds. The constructed G-CeONS nanohybrid composite enables enhanced selectivity and sensitivity towards DA detection through its interfacial engineering. The heterostructure formation of a 2D nanosheet draped over 3D nanospheres exhibits a wide linear concentration range of 100-30 800 nM with a low detection limit of 20.98 nM. Further investigation of the real-time performance on human saliva and DA injections afforded prominent results. In addition, the synergetic effect of G-CeONS improves DA detection accuracy and reliability towards enabling transformational neurochemical and medicinal applications.

Study on Advancing Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Fingerprinting for Enhanced Neurological Research

Study on Advancing Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Fingerprinting for Enhanced Neurological Research

The interplay between Sleep, neuroplasticity, and health: Insights from a multi-level analysis

All articles must contain an abstract. The abstract text should be formatted using 10 point Times or Times New Roman and indented 25 mm from the left margin. Set the pre-paragraph to 0 pounds and the post-break to 22.7 pounds. Starting on the same page as the abstract. The abstract should give readers concise information about the content of the article and indicate the main results obtained and conclusions drawn. The abstract is not part of the text and should be complete in itself; no table numbers, figure numbers, references or displayed mathematical expressions should be included. It should be suitable for direct inclusion in abstracting services and should not normally exceed 200 words in a single paragraph. Since contemporary information-retrieval systems rely heavily on the content of titles and abstracts to identify relevant articles in literature searches, great care should be taken in constructing both. As the issue of sleep deprivation worsens, worries regarding its wider effects on societys health are raised. The detrimental effects of sleep deprivation and lack of sleep on attention, memory, and neuroplasticity have been the subject of several research. The complicated interplay between sleep and neuroplasticity is examined in this research from both a macro and micro level, with a focus on attention and memory. The study also emphasizes how important environmental factors like exercise and food are in affecting sleep patterns and neuroplasticity. These discoveries not only give sleep and neurological research a fresh angle and biological foundation, but they also offer up new options for therapeutic care. Additionally, they offer a theoretical framework based on neurobiology as well as helpful advice for creating public policy.

Human brain organoid: trends, evolution, and remaining challenges.

Advanced brain organoids provide promising platforms for deciphering the cellular and molecular processes of human neural development and diseases. Although various studies and reviews have described developments and advancements in brain organoids, few studies have comprehensively summarized and analyzed the global trends in this area of neuroscience. To identify and further facilitate the development of cerebral organoids, we utilized bibliometrics and visualization methods to analyze the global trends and evolution of brain organoids in the last 10 years. First, annual publications, countries/regions, organizations, journals, authors, co-citations, and keywords relating to brain organoids were identified. The hotspots in this field were also systematically identified. Subsequently, current applications for brain organoids in neuroscience, including human neural development, neural disorders, infectious diseases, regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and toxicity assessment studies, are comprehensively discussed. Towards that end, several considerations regarding the current challenges in brain organoid research and future strategies to advance neuroscience will be presented to further promote their application in neurological research.

Digital medicine in neurological research-Between hype and evidence

The rapid advancement of digital medicine and health technologies in neurology offers both significant potential and challenges. This article outlines fundamental aspects of digital medicine related to neurological research and highlights application examples of digital technologies in neurological research. To provide acomprehensive overview of current digital developments in neurology and their impact on neurological research. In this narrative review articles from various sources and references related to digital medicine and health technologies in neurology were compiled and analyzed. The data presented indicate that digital health technologies and digital therapeutics have the potential to decisively shape neurological care and research; however, it is emphasized that acritical evaluation and evidence-based approach to these technologies are essential to determine their actual value in neurology.

A strategic neurological research agenda for Europe: Towards clinically relevant and patient-centred neurological research priorities.

Neurological disorders constitute a significant portion of the global disease burden, affecting >30% of the world's population. This prevalence poses a substantial threat to global health in the foreseeable future. A lack of awareness regarding this high burden of neurological diseases has led to their underrecognition, underappreciation, and insufficient funding. Establishing a strategic and comprehensive research agenda for brain-related studies is a crucial step towards aligning research objectives among all pertinent stakeholders and fostering greater societal awareness. A scoping literature review was undertaken by a working group from the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) to identify any existing research agendas relevant to neurology. Additionally, a specialized survey was conducted among all EAN scientific panels, including neurologists and patients, inquiring about their perspectives on the current research priorities and gaps in neurology. The review revealed the absence of a unified, overarching brain research agenda. Existing research agendas predominantly focus on specialized topics within neurology, resulting in an imbalance in the number of agendas across subspecialties. The survey indicated a prioritization of neurological disorders and research gaps. Building upon the findings from the review and survey, key components for a strategic and comprehensive neurological research agenda in Europe were delineated. This research agenda serves as a valuable prioritization tool for neuroscientific researchers, as well as for clinicians, donors, and funding agencies in the field of neurology. It offers essential guidance for creating a roadmap for research and clinical advancement, ultimately leading to heightened awareness and reduced burden of neurological disorders.

Networking of community organizations for neurological disorder management and research

Networking of community organizations for neurological disorder management and research

History of the creation and activity of the Functional Neurology Research Unit over 30 years

Background: The Functional Neurology Research Unit (FNRU) was created in 1992 at the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova. The activity of the scientific unit was essentially based on the concept of Functional Neurology, which was published in an article in the prestigious Italian journal Functional Neurology (1998) and continues to be further developed by Professors I. Moldovanu and V. Vovc. Conclusions: Physiological aspects in the researches carried out by collaborators of the FNRU concerned research of breathing pattern, autonomic parameters of suprasegmental and segmental level (research of heart rate variability, segmental vegetative samples, etc.), reactivity of cerebral vessels to modeled hypocapnia, trigeminal, somesthetic, visual, auditory evoked potentials in patients with chronic headache, etc. To conclude, the scientific objectives of the research carried out by the collaborators of the Functional Neurology Research Unit during 30 years of activity – the development of the problem of identifying and using the huge, so far still insufficiently researched possibilities of the “reserves” of the human brain for therapeutic purposes (treatment of chronic pain, movement disorders as a result of organic brain lesions, autonomic disorders, etc.) in the context of a new, modern and advanced understanding of the relationship and interaction of the human brain, psyche and body within a social background which is the essence of the functional neurology.

Mild behavioral impairment in prodromal Alzheimer´s disease and its association with APOE and BDNF risk genetic polymorphisms

Objective:We aimed to examine the profile and severity of mild behavioral impairment (MBI) in a sample of β-amyloid positive individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI)compared to cognitively normal older adults (CN). Within aMCI, we further examined the potential influence of APOE and BDN Frisk genetic polymorphisms on MBI severity.Methods:We included 64 β-amyloid positive aMCI participants and 50 CN older adults from the Czech Brain Aging Study. The participants underwent neurological, comprehensive neuropsychological examination, APOE and BDNF genotyping, and magnetic resonance imaging.MBI was diagnosed with the Mild behavioral impairment checklist (MBI-C) developed for MBI case detection, and the diagnosis was based on the MBI-C total score ≥7. Additionally, self-report instruments for anxiety (the Beck Anxiety Inventory) and depressive symptoms (the Geriatric Depression Scale-15) were administered. The participants were stratified based on the presence of at least one risk allele in genes for APOE (i.e., e4 carriers and non-carriers) and BDNF (i.e., Met carriers and non-carriers). We used linear regressions to examine the between-group differences.Results:MBI symptoms (MBI-C total score ≥1) were present in 28% CN and 83% aMCI. Almost half (48.4%) of the aMCI individuals met the criteria for the MBI syndrome. Compared to the CN, the aMCI group displayed more affective, apathy, and impulse dyscontrol symptoms (p<0.001) but not social inappropriateness or psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, aMCI participants reported more depressive (p<0.01) but similar anxiety symptoms to CN on self-report measures. Within the aMCI group, APOE e4 and BDNF Met carriers did not differ from non-carriers in the severity of NPS in either instrument. However, the results suggested that an interaction between these polymorphisms influenced self-reported anxiety (p=0.034), with Met carriers/e4 non-carriers reporting the highest anxiety levels.Conclusion:MBI is frequent in prodromal Alzheimer´s disease and characterized by affective, apathy, and impulse dyscontrol symptoms. APOE and BDNF risk genetic polymorphisms did not influence the NPS severity when considered separately; however, their interaction might influence anxiety, which warrants further investigation.The research has received funding from the EEA/ Norway Grants 2014-2021 and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic – project number TO01000215, Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, grant no. 19-04-00560, National Institute for Neurological Research (Programme EXCELES, ID Project No. LX22NPO5107) - funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU and GAČR 22-33968S.

Consumption Analysis and Optimization Strategies for Four-Bit Absolute-Value Detectors

As embedded systems, communication systems, and neurology research continue to advance, the demand for high-performance components in digital circuits has risen. Simultaneously, there is a growing need for low-energy consumption. In this paper, Four-Bit Absolute-Value Detectors, as crucial components in digital circuits, have garnered significant attention for their role in achieving energy efficiency. This paper embarks on a comprehensive exploration, commencing with the fundamentals of circuit theory, circuit topologies, and circuit styles. Through extensive calculations and comparative studies, this paper conduct a thorough analysis of the factors influencing energy consumption in these circuits. The study reveals that various parameters have a substantial impact on energy consumption. To mitigate this, the author proposes multiple strategies, including gate size optimization, supply voltage optimization, and the selection of appropriate circuit styles. The significance of this study lies in providing foundational insights into the energy optimization of Four-Bit Absolute-Value Detectors. By investigating the interplay between gate sizes, supply voltage, path length, capacitance load, and circuit topology, this paper offer a holistic perspective on energy-efficient design.

Preclinical Evidence for the Role of the Yin/Yang Angiotensin System Components in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Therapeutic Target of Astaxanthin.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence is emerging with an unclear etiology, hindering effective therapeutic interventions. Recent studies suggest potential renin-angiotensin system (RAS) alterations in different neurological pathologies. However, its implications in ASD are unexplored. This research fulfills the critical gap by investigating dual arms of RAS and their interplay with Notch signaling in ASD, using a valproic acid (VPA) model and assessing astaxanthin's (AST) modulatory impacts. Experimentally, male pups from pregnant rats receiving either saline or VPA on gestation day 12.5 were divided into control and VPA groups, with subsequent AST treatment in a subset (postnatal days 34-58). Behavioral analyses, histopathological investigations, and electron microscopy provided insights into the neurobehavioral and structural changes induced by AST. Molecular investigations of male pups' cortices revealed that AST outweighs the protective RAS elements with the inhibition of the detrimental arm. This established the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory axes of RAS (ACE2/Ang1-7/MasR) in the ASD context. The results showed that AST's normalization of RAS components and Notch signaling underscore a novel therapeutic avenue in ASD, impacting neuronal integrity and behavioral outcomes. These findings affirm the integral role of RAS in ASD and highlight AST's potential as a promising treatment intervention, inviting further neurological research implications.

OCEAN-AI framework with EmoFormer cross-hemiface attention approach for personality traits assessment

Psychological and neurological studies earlier suggested that a personality type can be determined by the whole face as well as by its sides. This article discusses novel research using deep neural networks that address the features of both sides of the face (hemifaces) to assess the human’s Big Five personality traits (PT). For this, we have developed a real-time approach called EmoFormer with cross-hemiface attention. The novelty of the presented approach lies in the confirmation that each hemiface exhibits high predictive capabilities in terms of human’s PT distinction. Our approach is based on a novel mid-level emotional feature extractor for each hemiface and a cross-hemiface attention fusion strategy for hemiface feature aggregation. The consequent fusion of both hemifaces has outperformed the use of the whole face by the relative value of 3.6% in terms of Concordance Correlation Coefficient (0.634 vs. 0.612) on the ChaLearn First Impressions V2 corpus. The proposed approach has also outperformed all the existing state-of-the-art approaches for PT assessment based on the face modality. We have also analyzed the “best hemiface”, the one that predicts PT more accurately in terms of demographic characteristics (gender, ethnicity, and age). We have found that the best hemiface for two of the five PT (Openness to experience and Non-Neuroticism) is different depending on demographic characteristics. For the other three traits, the right hemiface is dominant for Extraversion, while the left one is more indicative of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness. These findings support previous psychological and neurological research. Besides, we provide an open-source framework referred to as OCEAN-AI that can be seamlessly integrated into expert systems with practical applications in various domains including healthcare, education, and human resources.

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID EVALUATION AS A DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS TOOL: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE 100 MOST CITED ARTICLES

Introduction: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is critical in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of a wide range of diseases, including multiple sclerosis, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions. Objective: Bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited articles to obtain deeper insights into the status of research in this sector, in order to provide support for evidence-based medicine (EBM). Methodology: The main collection of the Web of Science was used to collect relevant studies on the topic, and the VOSviewer software was employed to build bibliometric networks. The examination did not include materials from editorials, books, patents, or research with unspecified designs. The articles chosen are in the time range from 1991 to 2020. Results: It was noted that most of the articles were human observational studies focusing on the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer's, which were published in neurology and/or Alzheimer's-related journals, mainly in the United States of America. We discovered forward-looking research hotspots and trends in this domain, which can serve as an important guide to neurological research, generating subsidies for medical decision-making. Conclusion: The number of primary articles on the subject points to the need for further future research on CSF associated, mainly, with other neurodegenerative diseases, in addition to Alzheimer's, sustaining the diagnostic efficacy and EBM.

Neurological research in Italy from 2020 to 2023.

To assess the state of neurological scientific research in Italy in the time interval 2020-2023. Elsevier's modular integrated platform "SciVal" was used to analyze bibliometric research products starting from scientific production data uploaded onto Scopus. We considered the research area "Neurology" in the 01/01/2020-14/06/2023 time interval, and the following variables were extracted: number of published studies, number of citations, Field-Weighted Citation Impact, and percentage of international collaborations. The contribution of Italian scientists to the neurological research was compared to that of the other nations. Research identified 90,633 scientific papers in the neurological area worldwide, with a total of 472,750 citations. The products assigned to Italian groups were 6670 (53,587 citations, Field-Weighted Citation Impact 1.68, 41% international collaborations). According to the present study, Italian neurological research 2020 to 2023 ranks fifth globally and third in Europe.

Large Language Models in Neurology Research and Future Practice.

Recent advancements in generative artificial intelligence, particularly using large language models (LLMs), are gaining increased public attention. We provide a perspective on the potential of LLMs to analyze enormous amounts of data from medical records and gain insights on specific topics in neurology. In addition, we explore use cases for LLMs, such as early diagnosis, supporting patient and caregivers, and acting as an assistant for clinicians. We point to the potential ethical and technical challenges raised by LLMs, such as concerns about privacy and data security, potential biases in the data for model training, and the need for careful validation of results. Researchers must consider these challenges and take steps to address them to ensure that their work is conducted in a safe and responsible manner. Despite these challenges, LLMs offer promising opportunities for improving care and treatment of various neurologic disorders.