Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies Research Articles

White matter correlates of impulsive behavior in healthy individuals: A diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study.

To explore white matter (WM) tracts linked to impulsivity using the diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (DMRI) connectometry method. We analyzed 218 healthy participants from the Leipzig Study for Mind-Body-Emotion Interactions database. Impulsivity correlations with DMRI-derived WM changes were assessed using Urgency-Premeditation-Perseverance-Sensation (UPPS) Impulsive Behavior Scale subscales: lack of perseverance (PE), lack of premeditation (PM), sensation seeking (SS), and negative urgency. DMRI data were processed using connectometry, adjusting for sex and age, to examine WM tract integrity via quantitative anisotropy (QA). Also, two additional interaction analyses were conducted to separately examine the interaction effect between WM QA, and sex and age in predicting impulsive behavior scores. The significance level in our statistical analyses was set at a false discovery rate (FDR) below 0.05. QA in the bilateral cerebellum and middle cerebellar peduncle showed a negative association with PE and PM severity (FDR = 0.0004). QA in the middle cerebellar peduncle, corpus callosum body, and forceps major demonstrated a positive association with SS (FDR = 0.0001). Conversely, QA in forceps minor had a positive association with PM (FDR = 0.004), and QA in forceps minor and bilateral cingulum showed a positive association with SS (FDR = 0.0005). Age and sex had no significant effects on the association between WM QA and UPPS subscale scores. Impulsivity is linked to distinct WM integrity changes in various tracts, including the corpus callosum, cerebellum, and cingulum, offering insights into the pathophysiology of impulsivity and guiding future research.

Aberrant intrinsic brain activities in functional gastrointestinal disorders revealed by seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are characterized by complex interactions between the gut and brain, leading to altered brain function and symptom manifestation. We used neuroimaging meta-analytic techniques in order to analyze the correlation between FGIDs and aberrant brain activity. A systematic review was performed to ascertain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) studies examining brain function in FGIDs. Pooled meta-analyses by seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI) were performed to assess variations in regional brain activity, and sensitivity analyses were applied to evaluate the robustness of findings. Meta-regression analyses were then carried out to examine possible links between demographic factors and neuroimaging changes. Our meta-analysis revealed significant changes in regional brain activities among FGIDs patients compared to healthy controls (HC). Increased brain activation was observed in several regions including the postcentral gyrus, calcarine fissure/surrounding cortex, superior frontal gyrus, and insula, while decreased activity was noted in the left posterior cingulate gyrus, right median cingulate/paracingulate gyri, and the left caudate nucleus. Furthermore, meta-regression analyses indicated negative associations between disease duration and alterations in specific brain regions. These findings underscored the intricate interplay between gut dysfunction and aberrant brain activity in FGIDs. Early intervention and multidisciplinary approaches addressing both gastrointestinal symptoms and associated emotional distress are crucial for improving the quality of life of the patients.

Altered parasympathetic outflow and central sensitization response to continuous pain in cyclic vomiting syndrome: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder of brain-gut interaction characterized by recurrent episodes of nausea and vomiting interspersed with asymptomatic periods and associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction. We examined the dysautonomic response to noxious stimuli seen in CVS patients using our previously validated approach to integrate peripheral autonomic outflow metrics, temporal summation of pain, and brain fMRI. BOLD fMRI and ECG were acquired from CVS patients and healthy adults during a rest condition and a sustained cuff pressure pain stimulus at the leg. After the latter scan, participants rated pain for the full 6-minute pain stimulus as well as first, middle, and last two-minutes to calculate temporal summation. During sustained pain, patients (n=13) exhibited greater reduction in heart rate variability within the high-frequency range (HF-HRV) and reduced anticorrelation between HF-HRV and fMRI signal in the anterior insula, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, and ventrolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex relative to healthy adults (n=13). Compared to healthy adults (n=14), patients (n=14) exhibited increasing pain intensity over the course of sustained cuff pressure. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis revealed for healthy adults (n=13), pain sensitization correlated with pain-induced increases in connectivity between primary somatosensory cortex and regions of interest in both left anterior insula/posterior orbitofrontal cortex and right pre-supplementary motor area, while this correlation was disrupted in CVS (n=10). Our results support altered central coding of nociceptive stimuli and autonomic responsivity of CVS patients in key brain regions implicated in autonomic control and interoception.

Assessment of All-Inside Sutures to the Posteromedial Capsule in Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Repair: Findings From a Retrospective Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Assessment of All-Inside Sutures to the Posteromedial Capsule in Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Repair: Findings From a Retrospective Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Case Report: Periocular Steroid Injection Combined Vemurafenib Therapy in the Long-term Management of Orbital Involvement of Erdheim-Chester Disease.

Abstract Purpose: To report a rare case of vision loss from Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) and long term, follow up, management and results. Case Report: A 62-year-old woman presented with bilateral exophthalmos and deterioration in visual acuity of both eyes. Magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed bilateral intraconal orbital tumors. She was diagnosed optic neuropathy in both eyes. The patient was treated with pegylated interferon and systemic pulse steroid. However, recurrences were common. Subsequently, the patient underwent regular corticosteroid injection directly into the retro-orbital region of both eyes monthly, which led to intermittent improvement of vision. At the 8th month of visual impairment, Vemurafenib was initiated. Results: The visual acuity and visual field scores were stable for 6 years during the follow-up. No major complication was observed. Conclusion: Combined vemurafenib and perioculer steroid injection is a well tolerated therapy with less systemic adverse effects which may benefit patients with orbital involvement of ECD. Key words: Erdheim–Chester disease; compressive optic neuropathy; vemurafenib; Optical coherence tomography; Optical coherence tomography angiography.

The Added Value of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Histogram Analysis in Assessing Treatment Response of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

Objective The aim of the study is to assess the diagnostic performance of quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging in assessing treatment response in cervical cancer patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was done for 50 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy and underwent magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging. Treatment response was classified into 4 categories according to RECIST criteria 6 months after therapy completion. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured using both region of interest (ROI) ADC and whole lesion (WL) ADC histogram for all cases at both baseline pretreatment and posttreatment Magnetic resonance imaging studies. Changes in ADC values were calculated and compared between groups. Results The percentage change of ROI-ADCmean at a cutoff value of >20 had excellent discrimination of responders versus nonresponders, while the percentage change of WL-ADCmean, ADCmin, and ADCmax at cutoff values of >12.5, >35.8, and > 19.6 had acceptable discrimination of responders versus nonresponders. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only baseline WL ADCmin was a statistically significant independent predictor of response. Cancer cervix patients with baseline ADCmin < or equal to 0.73 have 12.1 times higher odds of exhibiting a response. Conclusions The percentage change of ROI-ADCmean and WL histogram ADCmean values after concurrent chemoradiotherapy can predict response. Pretreatment WL histogram ADCmin was a statistically significant independent predictor of posttherapy response.

Abstract 4135873: Time Course of Late Gadolinium Enhancement Intensity in Ventricular Myocardium after Proton Beam Irradiation in Swine

Background: Proton beam irradiation to the ventricular myocardium may enable non-invasive targeting of ventricular tachycardia. Previous work has demonstrated the feasibility of imaging ablation lesion with late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Hypothesis: We hypothesize that proton beam irradiation will lead to progressively increasing density of LGE corresponding to lesion formation during follow-up after treatment delivery. Aim: The aim of the current study was to determine the time course of LGE intensity in ventricular myocardium following proton beam therapy. Methods: Eleven swine were irradiated with 40 Gy proton beam in the anterior or lateral left ventricular (LV) followed by LGE cardiac MRI every 4 weeks for up to 24 weeks. After manual contouring of the endocardial and epicardial myocardium, a region of interest (ROI) in the area irradiated with 0-5 Gy was contoured (remote ROI). The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the signal intensity (SI) of the remote ROI were calculated. Light LGE was defined as voxels with SI > mean+2SD but < mean+3SD of the remote ROI, while voxels with SI > mean+3SD of the remote ROI were classified as having dense LGE. Voxels identified as bright due to image artifacts or noise were manually removed. The analysis was conducted in a fashion blinded to swine ID and time point after irradiation. Results: A total of 33 time points were analyzed (3.1 ± 1.4 MRI studies per swine). Figure 1A shows a representative time course of LGE in the same swine, progressing from diffuse light LGE at 8 weeks to dense LGE at 16-24 weeks. Figure 1B demonstrates the proportion of light versus dense LGE across timepoints in irradiated myocardial regions. At 8 weeks, light and dense LGE areas were evenly distributed. At 12 to 24 weeks, dense LGE increased to approximately 75%. The proportion of dense versus light LGE was significantly higher at 12, 16, and 24 weeks, as compared to 8 weeks. Conclusion: In ventricular myocardium, diffuse light LGE evident at 8 weeks progresses to denser LGE at 12-24 weeks following proton beam irradiation corresponding with lesion formation.

Age-related volume decrease in subcortical gray matter is a part of healthy brain aging in men.

With the global population aging, the number of individuals over 60 is expected to double by 2050. Brain volume increases until age 13, stabilizes between 18 and 35, then declines by 0.2% annually. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies highlight significant gray matter atrophy, necessitating differentiation between normal aging and neurodegeneration. This study assessed the impact of aging on subcortical gray matter in healthy males to identify biomarkers of physiological aging. A retrospective study of 106 healthy males who underwent brain MRI from 2012 to 2016, divided into two age groups: younger and older than 35years. MRI scans were performed using a 3T machine, and volumetric analysis was conducted with VolBrain software. Subcortical gray matter volumes were compared between groups. The Shapiro-Wilk test evaluated normality. Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis, with significance defined as p < 0.05. Total intracranial volume was comparable between age groups (p = 0.527). Significant volume reductions (p < 0.05) were observed in subcortical gray matter structures, including the nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, thalamus, and ventral diencephalon, particularly on the right side in the elderly group. Subcortical gray matter volume in healthy males shows significant differences between older and younger individuals (p < 0.05), with asymmetrical reduction and certain structures on the right aging more rapidly. These findings are significant for distinguishing healthy aging from neurodegeneration.

A distributed brain response predicting the facial expression of acute nociceptive pain.

Pain is a private experience observable through various verbal and non-verbal behavioural manifestations, each of which may relate to different pain-related functions. Despite the importance of understanding the cerebral mechanisms underlying those manifestations, there is currently limited knowledge of the neural correlates of the facial expression of pain. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, noxious heat stimulation was applied in healthy volunteers and we tested if previously published brain signatures of pain were sensitive to pain expression. We then applied a multivariate pattern analysis to the fMRI data to predict the facial expression of pain. Results revealed the inability of previously developed pain neurosignatures to predict the facial expression of pain. We thus propose a facial expression of pain signature (FEPS) conveying distinctive information about the brain response to nociceptive stimulations with minimal or no overlap with other pain-relevant brain signatures associated with nociception, pain ratings, thermal pain aversiveness, or pain valuation. The FEPS may provide a distinctive functional characterization of the distributed cerebral response to nociceptive pain associated with the socio-communicative role of non-verbal pain expression. This underscores the complexity of pain phenomenology by reinforcing the view that neurosignatures conceived as biomarkers must be interpreted in relation to the specific pain manifestation(s) predicted and their underlying function(s). Future studies should explore other pain-relevant manifestations and assess the specificity of the FEPS against simulated pain expressions and other types of aversive or emotional states.

A distributed brain response predicting the facial expression of acute nociceptive pain

Pain is a private experience observable through various verbal and non-verbal behavioural manifestations, each of which may relate to different pain-related functions. Despite the importance of understanding the cerebral mechanisms underlying those manifestations, there is currently limited knowledge of the neural correlates of the facial expression of pain. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, noxious heat stimulation was applied in healthy volunteers and we tested if previously published brain signatures of pain were sensitive to pain expression. We then applied a multivariate pattern analysis to the fMRI data to predict the facial expression of pain. Results revealed the inability of previously developed pain neurosignatures to predict the facial expression of pain. We thus propose a facial expression of pain signature (FEPS) conveying distinctive information about the brain response to nociceptive stimulations with minimal or no overlap with other pain-relevant brain signatures associated with nociception, pain ratings, thermal pain aversiveness, or pain valuation. The FEPS may provide a distinctive functional characterization of the distributed cerebral response to nociceptive pain associated with the socio-communicative role of non-verbal pain expression. This underscores the complexity of pain phenomenology by reinforcing the view that neurosignatures conceived as biomarkers must be interpreted in relation to the specific pain manifestation(s) predicted and their underlying function(s). Future studies should explore other pain-relevant manifestations and assess the specificity of the FEPS against simulated pain expressions and other types of aversive or emotional states.

Neural Correlates of Retrieval Success and Precision: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Prior studies examining the neural mechanisms underlying retrieval success and precision have yielded inconsistent results. Here, the neural correlates of success and precision were examined with a memory task that assessed precision for spatial location. A sample of healthy young adults underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning during a single study-test cycle. At study, participants viewed a series of object images, each placed at a randomly selected location on an imaginary circle. At test, studied images were intermixed with new images and presented to the participants. The requirement was to move a cursor to the location of the studied image, guessing if necessary. Participants then signaled whether the presented image had been studied. Memory precision was quantified as the angular difference between the studied location and the location selected by the participant. A precision effect was evident in the left angular gyrus, where BOLD activity covaried with location accuracy. In addition, multivoxel pattern analysis revealed a significant item-level reinstatement effect in the angular gyrus for high-precision trials. There was no evidence of a retrieval success effect in this region. BOLD activity in the hippocampus was insensitive to both success and precision. These findings are partially consistent with prior evidence that success and precision are dissociable features of memory retrieval.

How Can Graph Theory Inform the Dual-stream Model of Speech Processing? A Resting-state Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Stroke and Aphasia Symptomology.

The dual-stream model of speech processing describes a cortical network involved in speech processing. However, it is not yet known if the dual-stream model represents actual intrinsic functional brain networks. Furthermore, it is unclear how disruptions after a stroke to the functional connectivity of the dual-stream model's regions are related to speech production and comprehension impairments seen in aphasia. To address these questions, in the present study, we examined two independent resting-state fMRI data sets: (1) 28 neurotypical matched controls and (2) 28 chronic left-hemisphere stroke survivors collected at another site. We successfully identified an intrinsic functional network among the dual-stream model's regions in the control group using functional connectivity. We then used both standard functional connectivity analyses and graph theory approaches to determine how this connectivity may predict performance on clinical aphasia assessments. Our findings provide evidence that the dual-stream model of speech processing is an intrinsic network as measured via resting-state MRI and that functional connectivity of the hub nodes of the dual-stream network defined by graph theory methods, but not overall average network connectivity, is weaker in the stroke group than in the control participants. In addition, the functional connectivity of the hub nodes predicted linguistic impairments on clinical assessments. In particular, the relative strength of connectivity of the right hemisphere's homologues of the left dorsal stream hubs to the left dorsal hubs, versus to the right ventral stream hubs, is a particularly strong predictor of poststroke aphasia severity and symptomology.

Brain functional alternation in patients with systemic sclerosis: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

BackgroundNeuropsychiatric manifestations, such as cognitive impairment, are relatively prevalent in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. This study aimed to investigate the resting state (RS) functional alternations of SSc patients and the potential influenced factors.MethodsForty-four SSc patients (mean age, 46.3 ± 11.4 years; 40 females) and 19 age and sex comparable healthy volunteers (mean age, 42.6 ± 11.3 years; 16 females) were recruited and underwent RS functional MR imaging (fMRI) and neuropsychological assessments. Functional segregation analysis was performed to calculate the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). Functional integration analysis was conducted using group independent component analysis to calculate intra-network and inter-network functional connectivity (FC). The fMRI measurements were compared between SSc patients and healthy volunteers using voxel-based pairwise two-sample t-tests. The correlations between clinical characteristics and fMRI measurements were also analyzed.ResultsCompared to healthy volunteers, SSc patients exhibited significantly decreased ALFF and increased ReHo (all P < 0.01, FWE corrected). SSc patients predominantly showed decreased intra-network and inter-network FC in the auditory network, visual network, default mode network, frontoparietal network and attention network (intra-network FC: P < 0.01, uncorrected, cluster size > 30; inter-network FC: P < 0.05, FDR correction). Furthermore, clinical characteristics including disease duration (r value ranged from − 0.31 to 0.36), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.35), Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (r = 0.43), and Hamilton Depression Scale score (r = -0.40) were significantly associated with fMRI measurements (all P < 0.05).ConclusionsSpontaneous activity and functional connectivity alternations can be seen in SSc patients, which are partially associated with neuropsychiatric manifestations and tend to aggravate with disease duration.

Predicting analog intrusions from neural correlates of immediate and lasting effects of cognitive reappraisal.

Emotional dysregulation is considered as an etiologically relevant factor for posttraumatic stress disorder. The relevance of immediate and lasting effects of cognitive reappraisal, a prominent emotion regulation strategy, and its habitual use for the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms in response to an experimental trauma are therefore investigated in our study. Eighty-five healthy women participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study, which included an emotion regulation paradigm prior to the conduction of the trauma film paradigm, which was used to assess the development of analog intrusions. During the first phase of the emotion regulation paradigm, participants were instructed to use two reappraisal tactics (reinterpretation and distancing) to reduce negative feelings toward aversive pictures or to passively watch aversive and neutral pictures. One week later, these pictures were presented again during a passive reexposure phase. Ratings of negative feelings and blood oxygen level dependent responses in regions of interest served as main outcome variables. The habitual use of cognitive reappraisal was assessed by questionnaire. Reduced habitual use and stronger lasting effects of cognitive reappraisal, as indicated by reduced insula activation during reexposure to pictures previously reinterpreted and distanced from, predicted the development of long-term analog intrusions. Stronger lasting effects of both reappraisal tactics for women with long-term analog intrusions seem to result from stronger emotional reactivity processes. Women with long-term analog intrusions in response to an experimental trauma seem to benefit to a greater extent from a cognitive reappraisal training than women without long-term intrusions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation on depressive symptoms targeting prefrontal cortex in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies: a combined systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a critical non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) target for treating depression. However, the alterations of brain activations post-intervention remain inconsistent and the clinical moderators that could improve symptomatic effectiveness are unclear. The study aim was to systematically review the effectiveness of NIBS on depressive symptoms targeting PFC in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. In our study, we delivered a combined activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis and meta-regression. Until November 2020, three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE) were searched and fourteen studies with a total sample size of 584 were included in the ALE meta-analysis; after NIBS, four clusters in left cerebrum revealed significant activation while two clusters in right cerebrum revealed significant deactivation (P &amp;lt; 0.001, cluster size &amp;gt; 150 mm3). Eleven studies were statistically reanalyzed for depressive symptoms pre-post active-NIBS and the pooled effect size was very large (d = 1.82, 95%CI [1.23, 2.40]); significant moderators causing substantial heterogeneity (Chi2 = 75.25, P &amp;lt; 0.01; I2 = 87%) were detected through subgroup analysis and univariate meta-regression. Multivariate meta-regression was then conducted accordingly and the model suggested good fitness (Q = 42.32, P &amp;lt; 0.01). In all, NIBS targeting PFC balanced three core depressive-related neurocognitive networks (the salience network, the default mode network and the central executive network); striatum played a central role and might serve as a candidate treatment biomarker; gender difference, treatment-resistant condition, comorbidity, treatment duration and localization all contributed to moderating depressive symptoms during NIBS. More high-quality, multi-center randomized controlled trails delivering personalized NIBS are urged for clinical practice in the future.

Altered resting-state brain activity of the superior parietal cortex and striatum in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia

BackgroundResting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown altered brain activity in major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SZ). Despite differing diagnoses, SZ and MDD share similar features. However, functional brain activity similarities and differences between SZ and MDD remain unclear. MethodsParticipants with MDD, SZ, and normal controls (n=36 each) underwent resting-state fMRI scans. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) was used to analyze the preprocessed rs-fMRI data. One-way ANOVAs and post hoc analyses compared ALFF values in different brain regions. Pearson correlation analysis examined associations with clinical symptoms. ResultsComparison among the three groups revealed significant differences in ALFF values within the left superior parietal cortex (L-SPC) and bilateral striatum. Through pairwise comparisons, patients with SZ but not patients with MDD were found to exhibit increased striatum ALFF values relative to NC individuals, but decreased in MDD. Meanwhile, L-SPC ALFF values were significantly increased in patients with SZ relative to both normal control individuals and patients with MDD, while no differences in these values were observed between the normal control and MDD groups. The Pearson correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between ALFF in the striatum and PANSS positive score, but no significant correlation with other symptom severity in SZ and MDD. ConclusionThese findings support the hypothesis of alterations in brain functional activity as a fundamental component of the pathogenesis of MDD and SZ. The observed differences in functional brain activity in the superior parietal cortex and striatum between MDD and SZ provide a neuroimaging basis that can contribute to the differential diagnosis of these debilitating conditions.

Inverse Association between the Body Mass Index and the Incidence of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms-Insights from the Hamburg City Health Population Study.

Overweight/obese patients experience a lower incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) compared to non-overweight patients, even though elevated body mass index (BMI) has been associated with various SAH risk factors. Given that intracranial aneurysms are a primary cause of SAH, a potential protective effect of a high BMI on intracranial aneurysms is likely but remains insufficiently investigated. This population-based MRI study aims to conduct detailed analyses on risk factors associated with the incidence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA). Retrospective analysis of subjects enrolled in the prospective Hamburg City Health study who underwent intracranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was done. MRI scans were screened for UIA using time-of-flight angiography. Subject data including medical history, laboratory examinations, and risk factors for UIA were collected, and a multivariable logistic regression model was used to investigate the relationship between risk factors and UIA incidence. 2688 subjects (mean (IQR) age, 65 (58-71); 1176 female (43.8%) were included. An UIA was detected in 214 subjects with an incidence of 10.6% (6.0%) in females (males). Determinants for UIA were female sex (OR 2.00, 95%CI 1.45-2.77, p < 0.001), hypertension (OR 1.48, 95%CI 1.08-2.04, p = 0.015), smoking (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.03-1.95, p = 0.036), and BMI (OR 0.95, 95%CI 0.91-0.98, p = 0.004). Among subjects with UIA, 9.4% with a BMI > 25 had multiple aneurysms, compared to 21.6% with BMI ≤ 25 (p = 0.012). This study suggests that a high BMI exhibits a protective effect on UIA incidence and the development of multiple aneurysms. Additionally, the data confirms established risk factors for UIA development, such as female sex, hypertension, and smoking.

Efficient Quantum of Mechanical Simulation of Diffusion-Weighted MRI

Modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiments require simultaneous spin and spatial dynamics treatment. This paper aims to demonstrate the possibility of simulating a large spin system for diffusion-weighted MRI experiments. The numerical simulation of diffusion MRI depends on Bloch-Torrey equations. The latter describe the behavior of spin systems under the influence of magnetic fields and diffusion processes. They are particularly relevant in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. The equations deal with uncoupled (-1/2) spins associated with three-dimensional spatial dynamics represented by diffusion and flow. The proposed method recommends using an unopened Kronecker product for evolution generators to minimize the simulation time and reduce the occupied computer memory. Two and three-dimensional diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging associated with four pairs of coupled spin systems were utilized to achieve the study’s goals. Utilizing four pairs of coupled spin systems in MRI simulation enhances accuracy and realism in modeling interactions between spins, leading to improved tissue characterization and diagnostic capabilities. The obtained results were impossible using previous simulation packages. The results of the study demonstrate that the Spinach library can simulate complex spin systems with significant spatial dynamics.

Сучасне розуміння етіопатогенезу дегенеративної хвороби дисків поперекового відділу у осіб дитячого віку. Освітлення ключових аспектів і перспектив

Low back pain is the most common complaint among people of any age, and degenerative disc disease (DHD) is the most common cause. Low back pain due to lumbar spondylolysis in adolescent athletes ranges from 8.8% to 47%. Features of the structure of intervertebral discs, a combination of genetic, mechanical, metabolic, and inflammatory factors create conditions for the development of degenerative changes in the vertebral motor segment, especially in intervertebral discs. The results of pathomorphological and magnetic resonance imaging studies show that degenerative changes in discs begin in childhood. Individual publications present data on the formation of a protrusion, even hernias occur in teenagers. Some publications have shown the effectiveness of drugs containing chondrocyte substitutes, indicating that early diagnosis of degenerative changes in the discs will allow timely treatment and secondary preventive measures. Further detailed research is needed to study the features of the development of degenerative changes in the discs in adolescents using imaging methods, taking into account the most common etiopathogenetic factors.

A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Phrase Structure and Subject Island Violations.

In principle, functional neuroimaging provides uniquely informative data in addressing linguistic questions, because it can indicate distinct processes that are not apparent from behavioral data alone. This could involve adjudicating the source of unacceptability via the different patterns of elicited brain responses to different ungrammatical sentence types. However, it is difficult to interpret brain activations to syntactic violations. Such responses could reflect processes that have nothing intrinsically related to linguistic representations, such as domain-general executive function abilities. To facilitate the potential use of functional neuroimaging methods to identify the source of different syntactic violations, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment to identify the brain activation maps associated with two distinct syntactic violation types: phrase structure (created by inverting the order of two adjacent words within a sentence) and subject islands (created by extracting a wh-phrase out of an embedded subject). The comparison of these violations to control sentences surprisingly showed no indication of a generalized violation response, with almost completely divergent activation patterns. Phrase structure violations seemingly activated regions previously implicated in verbal working memory and structural complexity in sentence processing, whereas the subject islands appeared to activate regions previously implicated in conceptual-semantic processing, broadly defined. We review our findings in the context of previous research on syntactic and semantic violations using ERPs. Although our results suggest potentially distinct underlying mechanisms underlying phrase structure and subject island violations, our results are tentative and suggest important methodological considerations for future research in this area.