Sensory Asymmetry Research Articles

MODERN METHODS FOR ASSESSING MOTOR AND SENSORY INTER-HEMISPHERIC ASYMMETRY OF THE BRAIN IN CHILDREN OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL AGE (8-11 YEARS OLD)

Background: The neuropsychological study of some features of interhemispheric relationships in the motorsphere in children with various types of mental disorders is of undoubted interest. It can show a number of new aspects of the problem of the formation of inter-hemispheric asymmetry and inter-hemispheric interaction in ontogenesis. Methodology: Nowadays, two approaches are used in physiology to assess brain inter-hemispheric differences: the method of determining the "handiness" by means of a survey (Edinburgh test) and the method of actively detecting motor and sensory asymmetry by N.N. Bragina and T.A. Dobrokhotova methodology. Results: The neuropsychological study of some features of interhemispheric relationships in the motor sphere in children with various types of mental disorders is of undoubted interest. It can show a number of new aspects of the problem of the formation of inter-hemispheric asymmetry and inter-hemispheric interaction in ontogenesis. Both techniques are widely represented in modern scientific literature, but we have not found research that describes the relationship between the results of testing assessment of functional brain asymmetry using the Edinburgh test and tests for determining motor and sensory asymmetry. Normally, the formation of brain inter-hemispheric asymmetry and inter-hemispheric interaction is, of course, heterochronical in nature. Conclusion: Therefore, the examined schoolchildren may encounter an almost fully formed primary level of interhemispheric connections, while the second and third levels are still in their formation. At the same time, a comparison between the results of healthy children of 8–11 years of age shows that the functional organization of inter-hemispheric asymmetry and inter-hemispheric interaction in this age range is in a state of constant ongoing development.

Perinatal Stroke: Clinical Pearls and Future Directions

Perinatal strokes are disorders of cerebral vasculature occurring in the developing brain between 20 weeks of gestation and 28 days postnatally (Raju, 2007). This review describes specific types of perinatal strokes and includes up-to-date risk factors, clinical presentations, outcomes, and management including expert consensus and controversies. We will conclude with a discussion of new research focused on optimizing the quality of life for children with stroke and their families. Perinatal stroke can present acutely and should be considered for any newborn with unexplained encephalopathy or seizures, particularly those that are focal in nature. Presumed perinatal stroke syndromes present later in infancy with motor and sensory asymmetry. In either case, neuroimaging helps identify a specific perinatal stroke syndrome. Most perinatal stroke survivors experience long-term morbidity, inclusive of cerebral palsy (CP), epilepsy, cognitive and behavioural disabilities, and visual deficits. Significant progress has been made in understanding cerebrovascular injuries of the developing brain and the role of early rehabilitation in recovery. With limited preventative and acute treatment options available, long-term neurorehabilitation continues to be the focus of treatment. Equally important is to recognize the significant psychosocial impact of perinatal stroke on the entire family. Online resources and support systems are increasingly available through national and international pediatric stroke organizations.

Parameters of Functional Lateral Organization of Students of Medical University with Different Levels of Physical Fitness

INTRODUCTION: One of the parameters of the functional reserves of the human body is the level of physical fitness, which depends not only on the improvement of various methods used in the education of students in physical culture, but also on the individual characteristics of students, including parameters of their functional lateralization.
 AIM: To establish the character of the interrelations between the parameters of functional lateralization and the parameters of physical fitness in medical university students.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: Functional lateralization was determined by both the conventional test methods and by the method of neuro-energo mapping in 120 practically healthy medical university students of male gender aged 18 to 23 years. Physical fitness was assessed in conventional tests for determination of strength fitness, speed-strength fitness, speed endurance. All the data were processed using non-parametric statistical methods and correlation and cluster analysis.
 RESULTS: Based on the criterion of physical fitness, young men were divided to two groups: a group with a relatively high level of speed and strength endurance and flexibility (cluster 1, n = 71), and a group with a relatively high level of strength fitness (cluster 1, n = 49). Both the integral (coefficient of lateral organization profile CLOP) and partial parameters (manual and sensory asymmetry) of the functional lateralization were higher in the representatives of cluster 2, with this, the analysis of changes of the permanent potential level (method of neuro-energo mapping) in functional tests showed only an emerging tendency in the differences between the clusters. Also, in cluster 1, weak (r 0.3, р 0.05) negative relationships between the parameters of functional lateralization were found in behavioral tests, and between changes in the permanent potential level of the left and right cerebral hemispheres (TdTs lead) in load tests. In the representatives of the second cluster, no correlations were found.
 CONCLUSION: The results of the performed comprehensive analysis evidence, in the authors opinion, the differences in the central-peripheral relationships in the systemic organization of physiological functions that determine non-uniform physical fitness in young men with a relatively high level of speed-strength endurance and flexibility (cluster 1) and those with a relatively high level of strength fitness (cluster 2).

On the origin of the Roelofs and induced Roelofs effects

ABSTRACT When asked to align an object to what is perceived as straight ahead under conditions of an asymmetrical retinal stimulation observers systematically err in the direction of the centre of stimulation. This effect is known as Roelofs (or Dietzel-Roelofs) effect. When asked to judge the position of an object relative to an external reference under related conditions of sensory asymmetry a systematical bias of the opposite direction is usually observed. This effect has been called induced Roelofs effect. Here, I suggest that these illusions result from different attentional states caused by sensory asymmetry that are accompanied by changes in low-level spatial coding. This approach interlinks earlier ideas on the Roelofs effects and recent research on spatial attention, and can provide new insights into the origin of these effects.

Sensory Asymmetry Assessment of 8-11 Years Old Children With And Without Learning Disabilities

Symmetry-related symptoms may be important seems to be very important while child development and schooling. In science, there are two approaches for the evaluation of hemispheric differences: method of determination "of rucote" through the survey (Edinburgh test) (Oldfield, 1971) and the method of active identification of motor and sensory asymmetry by Bragina and Dobrokhotova (Bragina & Dobrokhotova, 1988). Тhe methods are widely represented in the modern scientific literature, but no studies have been found that assessed the relationship between the results of testing the functional asymmetry of the brain using the Edinburgh test and tests to determine motor and sensory asymmetry. For this purpose, the author studied and tested research methods aimed at the examination of the inter hemispheric asymmetry in normally developing and mentally retarded children aged 8-11 years identifying the degree of inter hemispheric interaction. The research was carried out in the scientific laboratory of the faculty of special and inclusive education of the Khachatur Abovyan Armenian state pedagogical university. The study involved a total of 131 children aged 8 to 11 years, 73 of them are healthy schoolchildren, as well as 58 children with mild mental retardation.

Hip-hop classes effect on lateral dominance indicator change among the non-sports university students

The goal of this work to evaluate the efficiency of using a hiphop class method during the educational process of non-sports university female students based on lateral dominance indicator manifestation. One of the most important evaluation parameters of brain hemispheres activity is lateral organization profile presence or absence. Brain lateralization is manifested as a consequence if the brain hemispheres functional asymmetry occurs. Unequal distribution of brain strain on the brain hemispheres’ activity is one of the obvious reasons of both motor and sensory asymmetry occurrence among those, who go in for physical training and sports. This is connected with unilateral character of the training process in sports and in physical training educational process. In the course of pedagogical testing of non-sports university female students, functional motor asymmetry with an individual right-hand type of the lateral profile has been revealed. This fact emphasizes insufficiency of impact on one of the coordination skills indicators in the process of physical training classes with students, which aggravates the processes of brain hemispheres functioning, which, in its turn, leads to inferior development of psychomotor qualities, which manifestation level is directly connected with coordination skills. As a result of the pedagogical experiment, based on using hip-hop as a means of coordination skills refinement, experimental group showed reliable improvement of lateral dominance indicator towards its decrease.

Life: Right antenna is bee's caller ID: Sensory neuron asymmetry affects how insects interact

Life: Right antenna is bee's caller ID: Sensory neuron asymmetry affects how insects interact

Intravenous Administration of Achyranthes Bidentata Polypeptides Supports Recovery from Experimental Ischemic Stroke in Vivo

Background Achyranthes bidentata Blume (A. bidentata) is a commonly prescribed Chinese medicinal herb. A. bidentata polypeptides (ABPP) is an active composite constituent, separated from the aqueous extract of A. bidentata. Our previous studies have found that ABPP have the neuroprotective function in vitro and in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in attenuating the brain infract area induced by focal ischemia-reperfusion. However, the ultimate goal of the stroke treatment is the restoration of behavioral function. Identifying behavioral deficits and therapeutic treatments in animal models of ischemic stroke is essential for potential translational applications.Methodology and Principal FindingsThe effect of ABPP on motor, sensory, and cognitive function in an ischemic stroke model with MCAO was investigated up to day 30. The function recovery monitored by the neurological deficit score, grip test, body asymmetry, beam-balancing task, and the Morris Water Maze. In this study, systemic administration of ABPP by i.v after MCAO decreased the neurological deficit score, ameliorated the forepaw muscle strength, and diminished the motor and sensory asymmetry on 7th and 30th day after MCAO. MCAO has been observed to cause prolonged disturbance of spatial learning and memory in rats using the MWM, and ABPP treatment could improve the spatial learning and memory function, which is impaired by MCAO in rats, on 30th day after MCAO. Then, the viable cells in CA1 region of hippocampus were counted by Nissl staining, and the neuronal cell death were significantly suppressed in the ABPP treated group.ConclusionABPP could improve the recovery of sensory, motor and coordination, and cognitive function in MCAO-induced ischemic rats. And this recovery had a good correlation to the less of neuronal injury in brain.

Short- and long-term behavioral effects of exposure to 21%, 40% and 100% oxygen after perinatal hypoxia–ischemia in the rat

Until recently, supplementation with 100% oxygen was standard therapy for newborns who required resuscitation at birth or suffered later hypoxic–ischemic events. Exposure to high concentrations of oxygen, however, may worsen oxidative stress induced by ischemic injury. In this study we investigated the short- and long-term behavioral outcomes in rats that had undergone hypoxic–ischemic brain injury on postnatal day 7, followed by 2 h exposure to 21%, 40%, or 100% oxygen, compared to normal controls. There were no differences in the development of walking, head lifting and righting reflexes from postnatal days 9 to 15. Cliff avoidance showed some abnormal responses in the H21 animals. From postnatal days 28 to 56, three tests of sensorimotor coordination were performed weekly: ledged tapered beam, cylinder, and bilateral tactile stimulation. The ledged tapered beam test without prior training of animals was sensitive to injury, but did not distinguish between treatment groups. The cylinder test showed a greater use of the unimpaired limb in female 21% and 40% oxygen groups compared to controls. Performance in both cylinder and the beam tests showed a correlation with the degree of brain injury. The bilateral tactile stimulation test showed that the male 21% oxygen groups had worse sensory asymmetry than male 40% or 100% oxygen groups, but was not statistically significantly different from controls. We thus found a minor benefit to post-hypoxia–ischemic treatment with 100% and 40% oxygen compared to 21% in one test of early motor skills. Our results for long-term sensorimotor behavior, however, showed conflicting results, however, as males treated with 40% or 100% oxygen had less sensory asymmetry (better performance) in the bilateral tactile stimulation test than males treated with 21% oxygen, while females had impaired motor performance in the cylinder test with both 21% and 40% oxygen.

Hemispheric asymmetries for visual and auditory temporal processing: an evoked potential study

Lateralization for temporal processing was investigated using evoked potentials to an auditory and visual gap detection task in 12 dextral adults. The auditory stimuli consisted of 300-ms bursts of white noise, half of which contained an interruption lasting 4 or 6 ms. The visual stimuli consisted of 130-ms flashes of light, half of which contained a gap lasting 6 or 8 ms. The stimuli were presented bilaterally to both ears or both visual fields. Participants made a forced two-choice discrimination using a bimanual response. Manipulations of the task had no effect on the early evoked components. However, an effect was observed for a late positive component, which occurred approximately 300–400 ms following gap presentation. This component tended to be later and lower in amplitude for the more difficult stimulus conditions. An index of the capacity to discriminate gap from no-gap stimuli was gained by calculating the difference waveform between these conditions. The peak of the difference waveform was delayed for the short-gap stimuli relative to the long-gap stimuli, reflecting decreased levels of difficulty associated with the latter stimuli. Topographic maps of the difference waveforms revealed a prominence over the left hemisphere. The visual stimuli had an occipital parietal focus whereas the auditory stimuli were parietally centered. These results confirm the importance of the left hemisphere for temporal processing and demonstrate that it is not the result of a hemispatial attentional bias or a peripheral sensory asymmetry.

Contralateral Rotatory Bias in the Free-Swimming Test After Unilateral Hemispherectomy in Adult Swiss Mice

In the free-swimming rotatory test mice spend most of the time swimming close to the wall of the container attempting to escape from an aversive test situation. The attraction to the wall may suggest that turning behavior in the free-swimming test reflects the existence of intrinsic sensory asymmetries, which determine preferential attention adhesion to one side. In order to test this hypothesis, we investigated the rotatory swimming behavior of mice submitted to a unilateral hemispherectomy at adulthood, a condition of extreme sensory asymmetry. Fifteen days after surgery procedures, each mouse was tested for 5 min on 3 different days. We found that the hemispherectomized mice had a significant strong bias to turn in the direction contralateral to their lesion. These data could be explained considering that, in attempting to escape from the test situation, animals bring the recipient wall into their intact sensory field and, as a consequence, set the direction of locomotion. Thus, the free-swimming test may be useful to investigate sensory asymmetries during an aversive test situation.

Morphological asymmetries of the tectum opticum in the pigeon.

Pigeons are visually lateralized with a dominance of the right eye. Due to the virtually complete decussation of the optic nerves in birds, a right eye superiority probably depends on a left brain hemisphere dominance. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether morphological asymmetries in the cross-sectional area of perikarya can be found within the retina and the optic tectum. With an image-analyzing system the cross-sectional areas of the somata of retinal ganglion cells and tectal neurons were measured in the left and the right side under blind conditions. The results reveal significant morphological left-right differences, with cells in superficial layers 2-12 being larger on the left side while neurons in laminae 13-15 have larger somata in the right tectum. No retinal asymmetries could be revealed. Since pigeon embryos keep their head turned to the right within the egg, such that the right eye is stimulated by light shining through the shell, it is possible that the morphological asymmetries at the tectal level are induced by left-right differences in prehatching photic stimulation. This embryonic sensory asymmetry might lead to a higher activity level of right eye ganglion cells and to a larger amount of released neurotrophins in the left tectum. This in turn could exert the morphological effects on soma sizes in the superficial retinorecipient layers.

FETAL COCAINE EXPOSURE AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES: BIOLOGIC AND SELF-REPORT MEASURES. ▴ 1664

In 276 infants (132 cocaine-exposed and 144 non-exposed) recruited into a longitudinal study of fetal cocaine exposure at birth, standardized clinical interviews, urine screens, and meconium assays were used to assess the relationship of cocaine and polydrug exposure to infant birth and neonatal neurobehavioral outcomes. Clinical interviews yielded maternal self-report of frequency and severity of cocaine, alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use while pregnant. Meconium assays measured cocaine and its metabolites; cocaine (COC), Benzoylecgonine (BEN), M-O-H Benzoylecgonine (MOH), and cocaethylene (COCETH); marijuana (THC), and tobacco (COT). In addition to measuring birth parameters, Gardner's Neurobehavioral (NB) Assessment was administered at 2 weeks(corrected ages). In regressions controlling for alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use, and GA if warranted, maternal report of higher frequency of days of cocaine use predicted lower infant BW (p <.02), GA (p <.02), and birth length (p <.03), but not head circumference. Meconium measures Ng BEN and MOH were related to birth length (r's = -.17 and -.14, p's <.05). Higher levels of COCETH, the metabolite formed from the combination of cocaine and alcohol, were related to increased attentional abnormalities (r =.18, p<.01) and to more sensory asymmetry (r =.20, p <.01) on the NB assessment. Higher levels of BEN and MOH were related to poorer head control(r's =.19, and.21, p's <.02). These data support a dose-response effect of in utero cocaine exposure on birth outcomes and neurobehavioral functioning.(NIDA 07957).

Benzodiazepine receptor autoradiography in corpus striatum of rat after large frontal cortex lesions and chronic treatment with diazepam

It has previously been shown that diazepam impairs behavioural recovery from partial unilateral ablation of the cerebral cortex in rats. The present study confirmed this in rats with large unilateral lesions of the frontal cortex and showed that diazepam (5 mg/kg i.p. daily for 14 days immediately after surgery) prevented recovery from sensory asymmetry even after 120 days. In saline-treated rats > 80% recovery had occurred by this time. A study of binding to benzodiazepine receptors, using an in vitro autoradiographic technique, was performed to determine whether the lack of recovery after administration of diazepam was associated with any long-term receptor changes on the damaged side of the brain. Binding of [ 3H]Ro15-1788 was increased by up to 40% in the caudate putamen on the decorticated side at 14–120 days. This was not significantly altered by treatment with diazepam. Binding of [ 3H]Ro15-1788 in the nucleus accumbens was not altered by lesion of the frontal cortex alone or after treatment with diazepam. It is concluded that the lack of recovery from sensory asymmetry, produced by diazepam after lesion of the frontal cortex cannot be correlated with any change in binding to benzodiazepine receptors within the corpus striatum.

Recovery of function after brain damage: Severe and chronic disruption by diazepam

Following unilateral damage to the anterior-medial region of the neocortex (AMC) in rats a sensory asymmetry appeared, but recovered within a week. In a separate group of rats with AMC lesions daily 3-week exposure to diazepam (Valium, 5 mg/kg) beginning 12 h after surgery caused recovery to be delayed indefinitely. The efficiency and speed (as opposed to symmetry) of behavior was not impaired. More than 9 weeks after discontinuation of diazepam (12 weeks postsurgery), recovery was still not apparent. Postmortem analysis ruled out lesion size as a contributing factor. In a second experiment undrugged animals with AMC lesions were allowed to recover for at least 3 weeks before being exposed to diazepam. These animals showed only a transient (2-day) reinstatement of asymmetry despite continuous drug treatment. We conclude that important mechanisms serving recovery of function may be vulnerable during a short period soon after brain damage.

Neonatal hemidecortication and bilateral cutaneous stimulation in rats.

In humans, a dominant somatosensory consequence of extensive unilateral neocortex damage is "simultaneous extinction," which is an interhemispheric perceptual interaction that is operationally distinguishable from neglect. A tactile stimulus presented on the contralateral side of the body is detected when presented singly, but is completely masked during bilateral stimulation. Analogous tests designed to calibrate somatosensory asymmetries in rats were used to determine the long-term effects of hemidecortication sustained on postnatal Day 1. These data were compared with that observed in adult operated rats at a comparable postoperative period. In one respect the neonatal brain was more vulnerable than the adult brain. That is, unlike adult operated rats which were tested at 3 postoperative months, a sensory asymmetry appeared to be permanent in the neonatally operated rats, at least for the duration of testing (3-9 months). Further analysis suggested that in another way the neonates were more resistant to the effects of hemidecortication than were the adults. Neonatally operated rats appeared to be capable of processing input from both sides of the body simultaneously, even during markedly asymmetrical input. In other words, the early occurrence of brain damage may have spared them from a condition reminiscent of "simultaneous extinction." Finally, the adult operated and neonatally operated rats both displayed a subtle motor abnormality. Thus, depending on the test used, the neonatal operation yielded more severe, less severe, or comparable behavior deficits.

Unilateral injection of GABA agonists in the superior colliculus: Asymmetry to tactile stimulation

A unilateral microinjection of each one of three different GABA agonists (Muscimol: 1.4 nmoles; Baclofen: 0.8 nmole; THIP: 10.7 nmoles) into the superior colliculus was found to result in a reversible asymmetry in the rat's responsiveness to tactile stimulation. The rat was hyporeactive to stimulations applied contralaterally and hyperreactive to stimulations applied ipsilaterally to the infusion site. Furthermore, the rat showed ipsiversive turning in response to tactile stimulation applied either ipsi- or contralaterally to the infusion site. The results are discussed in relation with motor and sensory asymmetry produced by unilateral manipulations affecting the striato-nigro tectal system.

Mechanisms of a neonatal rightward turning bias: A reply to Liederman and Kinsbourne

Liederman and Kinsbourne have presented interesting data concerning possible mechanisms involved in the newborn infant's rightward turning bias. They have not, however, justified their contention that they have identified the mechanism of the neonatal rightward turning bias. They have attempted to advance their position by presenting, as alternative possibilities, a sensory and a motor hypothesis and then choosing between the two. It is my contention that given the state of our current knowledge, these are neither reasonable nor necessary alternatives. Furthermore, their study does not successfully address the issue presented so that if it were desirable to choose between a sensory and a motor hypothesis it would not be possible to do so on the basis of the data presented. In addition to a sensory or a motor hypoth.esis it is clearly possible to entertain a sensory and a motor hypothesis. In fact, although I have stressed the sensory asymmetry (because it is less obvious), the hypotheses advanced and the data thus far collected by me and my collaborators indicate that the right-turning bias of infants reflects both motor and sensory asymmetries and that both of these are influenced by the infants' prior head position. As regards a motor asymmetry, in the first paper in which we reported a right-turning bias in response to somesthetic stimulation of the perioral region we also noted infants were more likely to turn right than left when their heads were released from a midline position even when such release was not preceded by perioral stimulation (Turkewitz, Gordon, & Birch, 1965). In a subsequent study we showed that even after a treatment known to eliminate differential responding to stimulation of the two sides, infants over 12 hours of age are still more likely to turn fight than left tbllowing release from a midline position (Turkewitz & Creighton, 1974), clearly a finding likely to be due at least in part to a motor asymmetry. With regard to a sensory asymmetry, we have found differences in the

Olfaction and sensory asymmetry

Olfaction and sensory asymmetry