Sensory Deprivation Research Articles

Effects of social and sensory deprivation in newborns: A lesson from the Covid-19 experience

BackgroundInfancy is a complex period of human life, in which environmental experiences have a fundamental role for neurodevelopment. Although conditions of social and sensory deprivation are uncommon in high income countries, the Covid-19 pandemic abruptly modified this condition, by depriving people of their social stimuli of daily life. AimTo understand the impact of this deprivation on infants' behaviour, we investigated the short-term effects of isolation and use of individual protective systems by mothers during the first two weeks of life. MethodsThe study included 11 mother-infant dyads with mothers tested positive to SARS-CoV-2 at the time of delivery (Covid group) and 11 dyads with a SARS-CoV-2 negative mother as controls. Neurobehavioral, visual, and sensory processing assessments were performed from birth to 3 months of age. ResultsFindings showed the effect of deprivation on some neurobehavioral abilities of infants in the Covid group; in addition, differences in sensory maturation trends were observed, although they tended to gradually decrease until disappearance at 3 months of age. ConclusionThese findings suggest the significant effects of early sensory and social deprivation during the first two weeks of life, but also provide several insights on the ability of the brain to restore its aptitudes by deleting or reducing the effects of early deprivation before the critical periods' closure.

Systemic gene therapy rescues retinal dysfunction and hearing loss in a model of Norrie disease.

Deafness affects 5% of the world's population, yet there is a lack of treatments to prevent hearing loss due to genetic causes. Norrie disease is a recessive X-linked disorder, caused by NDP gene mutation. It manifests as blindness at birth and progressive sensorineural hearing loss, leading to debilitating dual sensory deprivation. To develop a gene therapy, we used a Norrie disease mouse model (Ndptm1Wbrg ), which recapitulates abnormal retinal vascularisation and progressive hearing loss. We delivered human NDP cDNA by intravenous injection of adeno-associated viral vector (AAV)9 at neonatal, juvenile and young adult pathological stages and investigated its therapeutic effects on the retina and cochlea. Neonatal treatment prevented the death of the sensory cochlear hair cells and rescued cochlear disease biomarkers as demonstrated by RNAseq and physiological measurements of auditory function. Retinal vascularisation and electroretinograms were restored to normal by neonatal treatment. Delivery of NDP gene therapy after the onset of the degenerative inner ear disease also ameliorated the cochlear pathology, supporting the feasibility of a clinical treatment for progressive hearing loss in people with Norrie disease.

Nothing to See? Paying Attention in the Dark Environment

A cloudy November evening deep in an old forest. It is really dark, and I try to observe my environment. I discern the difference between the treetops and the dark sky and the snow-covered ground. Everything else is formless. My vision is quite useless, and the other senses are weak in these circumstances. Only the background hum is audible and most aromas are erased by the freezing temperature. In a winter outfit, all I can feel is the moving air on my face. Yet, this is not sensory deprivation, there are things to observe. What is it possible to discern when the visual stimulus is minimized? This article focuses on the aesthetic experience of darkness by analyzing a visit to a deep natural darkness and attempts to connect this distinct case to aesthetic theory. The emphasis is on the descriptive analysis of the challenges of seeing in the darkness.

Increased excitability and reduced GABAergic levels in somatosensory cortex under chronic spinal cord injury

The complete or partial damage of ascending somatosensory pathways produced by a spinal cord injury triggers changes in the somatosensory cortex consisting in a functional expansion of activity from intact cortical regions towards deafferented ones, a process known as cortical reorganization. However, it is still unclear whether cortical reorganization depends on the severity of the spinal cord damage or if a spinal cord injury always leads to a similar cortical reorganization process in the somatosensory cortex. To answer these open questions in the field, we obtained longitudinal somatosensory evoked responses from bilateral hindlimb and forelimb cortex from animals with chronic full-transection or contusive spinal cord injury at thoracic level (T9-T10) to induce sensory deprivation of hindlimb cortex while preserving intact the forelimb cortex. Electrophysiological recordings from the four locations were obtained before lesion and weekly for up to 4 weeks. Our results show that cortical reorganization depends on the type of spinal cord injury, which tends to be more bilateral in full transection while is more unilateral in the model of contusive spinal cord injury. Moreover, in full transection of spinal cord, the deafferented and intact cortex exhibited similar increments of somatosensory evoked responses in both models of spinal cord injury - a feature observed in about 80% of subjects. The other 20% were unaffected by the injury indicating that cortical reorganization does not undergo in all subjects. In addition, we demonstrated an increased probability of triggered up-states in animals with spinal cord injury. This data indicates increased cortical excitability that could be proposed as a new feature of cortical reorganization. Finally, decreased levels of GABA marker GAD67 across cortical layers were only found in those animals with increased somatosensory evoked responses, but not in the unaffected population. In conclusion, cortical reorganization depends on the types of spinal cord injuries, and suggest that the phenomenon is strongly determined by cortical circuits. Moreover, changes in GABAergic transmission at the deprived cortex may be considered one of the mechanisms underlying the process of cortical reorganization and increased excitability.

Nonverbal hand movements serve self-related functions in blind individuals

ObjectiveBlind individuals suffer from visual (i.e., sensory) deprivation. So-called “blindisms” (or “nervous” movements) have been described as the nonverbal consequence of such deprivation. However, the neuropsychological functions of such behaviours of blind individuals have not been investigated yet. We therefore analyzed the nonverbal hand movement and gestural behaviour of blind individuals with the hypothesis that their nonverbal expressions rather serve their own mental state than the nonverbal (/gestural) depiction of (mental) images. MethodsThe (entire) nonverbal hand movement and gestural behaviour of right-handed healthy blind, (matched) sighted, and (matched) sighted/blindfolded individuals was analyzed during a standardized interview situation (about emotions and actions) by four independent (certified) raters employing the Neuropsychological Gesture (NEUROGES) Coding System. ResultsThe results show no difference of the overall hand movement activity between blind, sighted, and sighted/blindfolded individuals. Increased position shifts and on body focused hand movements were found in blind individuals when compared to sighted and sighted/blindfolded individuals. Sighted but neither blind nor sighted/blindfolded individuals increase egocentric deictic and pantomime gestures during the re-narration of an audio story. DiscussionBlind individuals seem to desynchronize during conversation (shifts), increase self-stimulation behaviour due to sensory deprivation (on body), but reduce the nonverbal transfer of mental images via hand gestures. We therefore conclude that nonverbal hand movements of blind individuals rather serve their own mental state but not for the transfer of mental images.

Brain rhythms control microglial response and cytokine expression via NF-κB signaling.

Microglia transform in response to changes in sensory or neural activity, such as sensory deprivation. However, little is known about how specific frequencies of neural activity, or brain rhythms, affect microglia and cytokine signaling. Using visual noninvasive flickering sensory stimulation (flicker) to induce electrical neural activity at 40 hertz, within the gamma band, and 20 hertz, within the beta band, we found that these brain rhythms differentially affect microglial morphology and cytokine expression in healthy animals. Flicker induced expression of certain cytokines independently of microglia, including interleukin-10 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor. We hypothesized that nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) plays a causal role in frequency-specific cytokine and microglial responses because this pathway is activated by synaptic activity and regulates cytokines. After flicker, phospho-NF-κB colabeled with neurons more than microglia. Inhibition of NF-κB signaling down-regulated flicker-induced cytokine expression and attenuated flicker-induced changes in microglial morphology. These results reveal a mechanism through which brain rhythms affect brain function by altering microglial morphology and cytokines via NF-κB.

Psychosocial Interventions in Approaching to the Individual with Sensory Deficiency

Recent advances in intensive care units have increased survival rates for critically ill patients. Patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit may show many psychological symptoms such as fatigue, hopelessness, anxiety, anger, depression, insomnia, sensory overload, sensory deprivation, agitation, delirium, and difficulty in adjustment. To prevent the consequences of these symptoms; patients can continue their psychological and sociological lives after discharge; It is important for health professionals to support patients and provide the necessary psychosocial intervention.

A Molecule from Madness: An Exploration into Patients’ Illnesses through West Texas Polio

Neurology holds a unique perspective that embodies the art of capturing a patient’s story. Despite medical advancements, many neurological conditions leave patients permanently impaired. This sudden loss of independence can be demoralizing and, in most cases, directly changes a person’s identity. It is therefore a necessary part of a neurologist’s trade to know their patient’s history—their story. Their tales reveal intimate details of their personality changes, memory loss, sensory deprivation, and movement disorders. A true neurologist is a person that remains vulnerable through their willingness to take a history—the story of their patient—and remain curious, vulnerable, and compassionate through their journey to heal and comfort the patient. To understand the patient’s illness experience in neurology, the underlying themes of patient recovery (compassion, determination, and patience) are explored with regard to the neurological patient’s experience. These themes are then expanded to include the neurology patient’s mental perceptions of themselves, and their illness’ influences over their identity, recovery, and daily life. In addition to the patient’s experience, the neurologist’s awareness and emotional response to the patient’s illness experience can provide an opportunity to develop a strong therapeutic bond with their patient and improve patient outcomes. Given that their neurological impairment causes a loss of independence and control over their identity and self-worth, neurologists can incorporate the patient’s experience into their management and treatment, to better address their emotional and spiritual needs as they come to terms with their identity.

Effects of sensory deprivation on glomerular interneurons in the mouse olfactory bulb: differences in mortality and phenotypic adjustment of dopaminergic neurons.

Neurogenesis persists in the mammalian subventricular zone after birth, producing various populations of olfactory bulb (OB) interneurons, including GABAergic and mixed dopaminergic/GABAergic (DA) neurons for the glomerular layer. While olfactory sensory activity is a major factor controlling the integration of new neurons, its impact on specific subtypes is not well understood. In this study we used genetic labeling of defined neuron subsets, in combination with reversible unilateral sensory deprivation and longitudinal in vivo imaging, to examine the behavior of postnatally born glomerular neurons. We find that a small fraction of GABAergic and of DA neurons die after 4 weeks of sensory deprivation while surviving DA-neurons exhibit a substantial decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression levels. Importantly, after reopening of the naris, cell death is arrested and TH levels go back to normal levels, indicating a specific adaptation to the level of sensory activity. We conclude that sensory deprivation induces adjustments in the population of glomerular neurons, involving both, cell death and adaptation of neurotransmitter use in specific neuron types. Our study highlights the dynamic nature of glomerular neurons in response to sensory deprivation and provide valuable insights into the plasticity and adaptability of the olfactory system.

THEORETICAL AND APPLIED ASPECTS OF SOCIAL AND PEDAGOGICAL WORK WITH FAMILIES OF LABOUR MIGRANTS

The article deals with the problem of social orphanhood as a result of labour migration of parents. It requires effective assistance to children in combating the negative consequences of the distant way of family existence. The long absence of parents in a child' daily life affects his or her psychical and emotional state. It can lead to deprivation (inability to meet basic life needs for a long time), in particular, sensory deprivation (reduction in the number of sensitive stimulus or their restriction); cognitive deprivation (the structure of the surrounding world is perceived without a clear order and meaning); emotional deprivation (restrictions in establishing emotional contact or interruption of emotional connection); social deprivation (limited ability to understand an independent social role through identification with an adult). It has been established that the basis of social and pedagogical work with children of labour migrants is made up of social work technologies, which include social adaptation; rehabilitation; compensation; prevention; correction; social support; social protection; social security, social control; social propaganda, etc. It has been studied that internally displaced persons (IDPs) need to solve basic household issues and a range of problems faced by distant families (if one of the parents remained in the occupied territory or abroad, and the children in Ukraine), but in an advanced post-traumatic state. As for children of labour migrants (as children in care) and children from internally displaced persons (IDPs), general secondary education establishments (GSEEs) in Rivne provide social and pedagogical measures for adaptation, diagnosis, prevention of these children from falling into the «risk group», psychological correction and psychotherapy, and social support.

Stepping Away from Sensory Deprivation: An Analysis of Floatation-REST Research

Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulus Technique/Therapy), more commonly known as sensory deprivation, is a technique for relaxation and stress reduction that is quickly growing more popular due to the many benefits it seems to provide for its participants. Floatation-REST is a mild form of sensory deprivation/isolation in which the participant floats in a tank of saltwater (magnesium sulfate) which has been heated to skin temperature (35.5-36℃). The buoyant saltwater allows the participant to relax in a supine position, and they experience complete darkness and silence within the tank. Many studies have shown this technique to be beneficial in treating ailments such as anxiety, chronic pain, and other conditions associated with stress and muscle tension. However, Floatation-REST has much stigma surrounding it due to the negative histories associated with the term ‘sensory deprivation’, and many of those who experience anxieties that could be helped by Floatation-REST are put off by the idea of it and experience anxiety about the idea of the technique itself. It is necessary to de-stigmatize Floatation-REST and for it to be presented as a more accessible, viable option for those with severe anxieties, chronic pain, and other conditions which could benefit from this technique.

Sensorimotor control of swimming Polypterus senegalus is preserved during sensory deprivation conditions across altered environments

Control of locomotion involves the interplay of sensory signals and motor commands. Sensory information is essential for adjusting locomotion in response to environmental changes. A previous study using mathematical modelling of lamprey swimming has shown that, in the absence of sensory feedback, increasing fluid viscosity constrains swimming kinematics, limiting tail amplitude and body wavelength, resulting in decreased swimming speed. In contrast, previous experiments with Polypterus senegalus reported increased magnitude swimming kinematics (increased body curvature, body wave speed and frequency, and pectoral fin frequency) in high viscosity water suggesting that sensory information is used to adjust swimming form. It is not known what sensory systems are providing the necessary information to respond to these environmental changes. We tested the hypothesis that lateral line and visual input are responsible for the sensory-driven increase in swimming kinematics in response to experimentally increased fluid viscosity. The kinematics of five P. senegalus were recorded in two different viscosities of water while removing lateral line and visual sensory feedback. Unlike the mathematical model devoid of sensory feedback, P. senegalus with lateral line and/or visual senses removed did not reduce the magnitude of swimming kinematic variables, suggesting that additional sensory feedback mechanisms are present in these fish to help overcome increased fluid viscosity. Increases in swimming speed when both lateral line and visual sensory feedback were removed suggest that lateral line and visual information may be used to regulate swimming speed in P. senegalus, possibly using an internal model of predictions to adjust swimming form.

Haptic Systems: Trends and Lessons Learned for Haptics in Spacesuits

Haptic technology uses forces, vibrations, and movements to simulate a sense of touch. In the context of spacesuits, proposals to use haptic systems are scant despite evidence of their efficacy in other domains. Existing review studies have sought to summarize existing haptic system applications. Despite their contributions to the body of knowledge, existing studies have not assessed the applicability of existing haptic systems in spacesuit design to meet contemporary challenges. This study asks, “What can we learn from existing haptic technologies to create spacesuits?”. As such, we examine academic and commercial haptic systems to address this issue and draw insights for spacesuit design. The study shows that kinesthetic and tactile haptic systems have been effectively utilized in various domains, including healthcare, gaming, and education to improve the sense of touch and terrain and reduce sensory deprivation. Subjective and objective evaluation methods have been utilized to assess the efficacy and safety of haptic systems. Furthermore, this study discusses the usefulness, safety, and applicability of haptics in spacesuits and the implications for research into space haptics.

Offset responses in primary auditory cortex are enhanced after notched noise stimulation.

Sensory "aftereffects" are a subgroup of sensory illusions that can be defined as an illusory phenomenon triggered after prolonged exposure to a given sensory inducer. These phenomena are interesting because they can provide insights into the mechanisms of perception. In auditory modality, there is a special interest in the so-called "Zwicker tone" (ZT), an auditory aftereffect triggered after the presentation of a notched noise (NN, broadband noise with a missing frequency band). The ZT has been considered a plausible model of a specific tinnitus subtype since it presents some key characteristics in common with tinnitus. Indeed, both the tinnitus percept and ZT can be triggered by a relative "sensory deprivation," and their pitch corresponds to the frequency region that has been sensory deprived. The effects of a NN presentation on the central auditory system are still barely investigated, and the mechanisms of the ZT are elusive. In this study, we analyzed the laminar structure of the neural activity in the primary cortex of anesthetized and awake guinea pigs during and after white noise (WN) and NN stimulation. We found significantly increased offset responses, in terms of both spiking activity and local field potential amplitude, after NN compared with WN presentation. The offset responses were circumscribed to the granular and upper infragranular layers (input layers) and were maximal when the neuron's best frequency was within or near the missing frequency band. The mechanisms of the offset response and its putative link with the ZT are discussed.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Notched noise (white noise with embedded spectral gap) causes significant excitatory offset responses in the auditory cortex of awake and anesthetized guinea pigs. The largest offset responses were located in the infragranular/granular layers, and current source density analysis revealed that offset responses were associated with an early current sink localized in the upper infragranular layers. We discuss the possibility that the offset responses might be associated with an auditory phantom percept (Zwicker tone).

Brain Connectivity: A Journal of Clinical Neurology, Neuroscience, & Neuroimaging Advancing the Field of Neurology

Brain Connectivity: A Journal of Clinical Neurology, Neuroscience, & Neuroimaging Advancing the Field of Neurology

The Bitter Touch: Acquired Tactile-Gustatory Synesthesia

AbstractIntroductionGustatory sensation in response to tactile stimulation has been reported to occur in only 0.6% of synesthetes and has rarely been formally described.MethodsCase Study: A 29-year-old female with schizoaffective disorder – depressed subtype, two months prior to presentation, began noticing that when she touched objects, she would experience an abnormal taste in her mouth. When she would touch specific items with her fingertips, for instance wood, bedsheets, tables, cups, plates, silverware, metal, trash cans, and toothpaste would induce a bitter taste. Touching wood caused the most intense bitter taste. Touching glass did not precipitate a taste.ResultsMental Status Examination: Disheveled and guarded with minimal eye contact. Anxious and agitated. She believes people are stalking her and that cell phones, radios, and computers emit radiation which makes her head burn as if it is on fire. She perceived that inanimate objects, such as furniture, were staring at her. Other: CT scan of brain with and without contrast: normal.DiscussionThis could be due to neural overactivation between brain regions due to a neighborhood effect, with cross-firing of connecting fibers. The cortical taste area of the brain lies within the Brodmann area 43 of the parietal lobe which includes the pre- as well as post-central gyri extending into the parietal operculum. Brodmann areas 3, 1, and 2 in the postcentral gyrus is where the primary sensation for touch is mediated. The stimulation in adjacent and overlapping anatomical structures may be explained by ephaptic transmission with firing of one causing discharge of the second, yclept the adjacency principle.This co-localization hypothesis is further supported by the occurrence of pathological state of seizures which manifest both tactile and gustatory sensation. Such a hypothesis would be supported by Anderson’s 1886 observation discussing a peculiar sensation in the right arm and hand elicited concurrently with a bitter sensation in the mouth. Through an overflow phenomenon, touch may induce a diffuse serotonergic discharge to more remote regions of the brain that may mediate their functions through serotonin, such as taste. Possibly, other pathology may be invoked to explain this synesthesia. A deprived sensory system may be hyper-receptive to stray or overflow of sensations which are then interpreted within the sensorily deprived sensory system, as in Charles Bonnet syndrome. In the chemosensory sphere, sensory deprivation is associated with chemosensory hallucinations. If the patient manifests gustatory deficit, it may have predisposed her to sensitivity to such stray or overflowing sensory stimulus from touch manifesting as gustation. In those who present with synesthesia, investigation of pathology in the sensory system of the receiving concurrent sensation is warranted.FundingNo Funding

Effect of Auditory Stimulation with Occupational Noise on the Consciousness Level of Comatose Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Clinical Trial Study

Introduction: Auditory stimulation is a treatment method for sensory deprivation of comatose patients, which helps wake up the patient by activating the choroid plexuses in the brain. Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of auditory stimulation with occupational noise on the consciousness level of comatose patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 50 comatose patients with TBI hospitalized in intensive care units of one of the hospitals in Qom City, Iran. They were randomly assigned to two groups of control (n=25) and intervention (n=25) using the block randomization method. The intervention group received auditory stimulation with occupational voice for 10 days in the morning and evening shifts, each for 15-20 minutes. The consciousness level of patients was evaluated before and after stimulation using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, the independent t test, and the generalized estimating equations model. Results: The Mean±SD ages of the patients were 35.92±14.68 years in the intervention group and 33.32±13.74 years in the control group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding demographic or disease-related variables. The Mean±SD scores of GCS before the stimulation were 5.28±1.81 in the control group and 5.12±1.90 in the intervention group. This difference was not statistically significant. The mean ± SD scores of GCS after the stimulation were 6.60±3.25 in the control group and 8.80±4.05 in the intervention group. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.038). The level of consciousness in the intervention group increased more than in the control group in the 10 th day of study. Conclusion: Auditory stimulation with occupational noise can increase the consciousness level of comatose patients with TBI. Auditory stimulation can raise the consciousness level of these patients hospitalized in intensive care units.

The disruptive effects of changing-state sound and emotional prosody on verbal short-term memory in blind, visually impaired, and sighted listeners

ABSTRACT Previous findings suggest that blind listeners are less susceptible to auditory distraction in a verbal serial recall task, compared to sighted individuals. However, it is unclear whether this is due to more selective encoding / filtering of auditory information (e.g. efficient perceptual streaming) or to enhanced attentional control. To test these alternatives, the interference induced by changing-state sound was compared with the disruptive effect of emotional speech prosody (happy, angry, fearful intonations) in blind (n = 17), visually impaired (n = 23), and sighted (n = 89) individuals. While a reduced changing-state effect suggests more efficient perceptual filtering, a reduced emotional prosody effect indicates enhanced attentional control. Blind participants were able to recall more items compared to sighted and visually impaired individuals. Moreover, in sighted and visually impaired participants, the changing-state effect was found to be enhanced with angry prosody, whereas blind individuals were less susceptible to changing-state sound regardless of the prosody. The results also suggest group differences in prosody processing, as both visually impaired and blind participants were better able to ignore fearful speech, compared to other prosodies. The findings suggest that profound visual sensory deprivation leads not only to a capacity increment in verbal short-term memory, but enables listeners to shield memory against auditory distracters, suggesting more efficient perceptual streaming.

Where art thou? Reflecting on auditory hallucinosis

IntroductionHallucinosis has evolved out of classification systems but what about patients who present with exclusive or almost exclusive hallucinations? Auditory hallucinations are especially likely to swiftly be considered due to psychiatric illness.An elderly patient with chronic auditory hallucinations without other significant psychopathology nor other symptoms prompted reflection and literature review.ObjectivesTo review differential diagnosis of auditory hallucinosis.MethodsPubmed search for terms: auditory and hallucinosis.ResultsHallucinations should be evaluated according to: type, onset and evolution, association with physical and /or neurological symptoms, association with other hallucinations and/or other psychopathology, characteristics.Auditory hallucinations may present along a continuum from tinnitus, simple, verbal, musical.The Pubmed search retrieved articles pertaining to auditory hallucinations associated with:1. Sensory deprivation; 2. Hearing loss, auditory Charles Bonnet syndrome; 3. Dementia, neurodegenerative disorders; 4. Brainstem lesions; 5. Other central nervous lesions: thalamus, temporal, other; 6. Epilepsy; 7. Tic disorders; 8. Alcohol use disorders; 9. Borderline personality disorder; 10. Others.ConclusionsPatients presenting with auditory hallucinosis should be carefully evaluated to exclude non-psychiatric disorders.In some patients, such as the one who prompted the review, an identifiable cause may not yet be found.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF MODELING SEPTOPLASTY AND DEPRIVATION OF THE OLFACTORY ANALYZER IN RATS ON CHANGES IN HEART RATE VARIABILITY

The effect of modeling septoplasty and modeling sensory deprivation of the olfactory analyzer in rats on changes in the frequency domain of heart rate variability was compared. Bulbectomy provokes more pronounced changes in heart rate variability in rats, compared with septoplasty simulation.