Temporal Regions Research Articles

Spontaneous neural activity underlying neutral and happy speech recognition in noise and its association with psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia

BackgroundDeficits in speech and emotion perception are intertwined with psychiatric symptoms. How the happy prosody embedded in speech affects target speech-in-noise recognition (TSR) and relates to psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (SCHs) remains unclear. This study examined spontaneous brain activity underlying happy TSR and its association with psychiatric symptom dimensions in SCHs. MethodsFifty-four SCHs and 59 healthy control participants (HCs) underwent the TSR task, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) assessment, and magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Multivariate analyses of partial least squares (PLS) regression were used to explore the associations between whole-brain fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), happy-neutral TSR (target pseudo-sentences were uttered in happy and neutral prosodies), and five PANSS factor scores (excitement/hostility, depression/anxiety, cognition, positive, and negative). ResultsThe happy prosody did not alter TSR or TSR changing rates in either SCHs or HCs. SCHs exhibited lower happy and neutral TSR than HCs. A fALFF PLS component (including precentral/postcentral gyrus, Subcallosal Cortex, several temporal regions, and cerebellum) was associated with happy and neutral TSR. SCHs demonstrated higher PLS fALFF scores and PLS TSR scores than HCs. In SCHs, PLS fALFF scores were correlated with the PANSS positive factor score, and PLS TSR scores were correlated with the PANSS cognition factor score. ConclusionsThe positive-psychiatric-symptoms-related spontaneous activity profile was associated with happy and neutral TSR, contributing to the cognition psychiatric symptoms dimension. The findings suggest the potential to improve positive and cognitive symptoms by enhancing happy and neutral TSR in schizophrenia based on neuroplasticity.

Chinese Verbal Fluency Deficiency in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with and without Hippocampal Sclerosis: A Multiscale Study.

To test a Chinese character version of the phonemic verbal fluency task in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and assess the verbal fluency deficiency pattern in TLE with and without hippocampal sclerosis, a cross-sectional study was conducted including 30 patients with TLE and hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS), 28 patients with TLE and without hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-NHS), and 29 demographically matched healthy controls (HC). Both sexes were enrolled. Participants finished a Chinese character verbal fluency (VFC) task during functional MRI. The activation/deactivation maps, functional connectivity, degree centrality, and community features of the left frontal and temporal regions were compared. A neural network classification model was applied to differentiate TLE-HS and TLE-NHS using functional statistics. The VFC scores were correlated with semantic fluency in HC while correlated with phonemic fluency in TLE-NHS. Activation and deactivation deficiency was observed in TLE-HS and TLE-NHS (p < 0.001, k ≥ 10). Functional connectivity, degree centrality, and community features of anterior inferior temporal gyri were impaired in TLE-HS and retained or even enhanced in TLE-NHS (p < 0.05, FDR-corrected). The functional connectivity was correlated with phonemic fluency (p < 0.05, FDR-corrected). The neural network classification reached an area under the curve of 0.90 in diagnosing hippocampal sclerosis. The VFC task is a Chinese phonemic verbal fluency task suitable for clinical application in TLE. During the VFC task, functional connectivity of phonemic circuits was impaired in TLE-HS and was enhanced in TLE-NHS, representing a compensative phonemic searching strategy applied by patients with TLE-NHS.

Whole-head high-density diffuse optical tomography to map infant audio-visual responses to social and non-social stimuli

Abstract Infancy is a time of rapid brain development. High-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) is an optical neuroimaging method that maps changes in cortical haemoglobin concentration, a marker of functional brain activation. Recent years have seen a huge advance in wearable hardware for HD-DOT, however previous headgear has only been capable of sampling specific areas of the cortex. In this work, we aimed to develop headgear capable of sampling across the whole infant scalp surface and to conduct a proof-of-concept demonstration of whole-head HD-DOT in infants aged 5 to 7 months. We developed a whole-head infant implementation of the high-density LUMO design developed by Gowerlabs Ltd. (UK). HD-DOT data were collected from a cohort of infants (N = 16) during the presentation of a screen-based paradigm assessing social processing. Using whole-head HD-DOT, we mapped activity across the entirety of the optically-accessible cortex which far exceeds coverage achieved by previous infant optical neuroimaging methods. We found activity in temporal regions which corroborates previous research. Further, we mapped activity in regions outside those typically sampled in infant research using social processing paradigms, finding activation in regions across the occipital, parietal, and frontal cortices as well as an apparent inverted response in sensorimotor regions. Following this proof-of-concept, we envisage that whole-head HD-DOT will be applied to map the interaction between different regions of the brain, opening new avenues to map activity in the awake infant brain to better understand the trajectory of typical and atypical neurodevelopment.

Defecto del tubo neural: encefalocele occipital. Reporte de caso

Encephalocele is a rare congenital malformation of the central nervous system. The prevalence is estimated to be about 1 in 5,000-40,000 live births. It can involve different anatomical sites such as the occipital, frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. The fourth and fifth weeks of embryological development are essential for the development of the head and neck. When there is a failure in the separation of the superficial ectoderm from the neuroectoderm, neural tube defects appear, where encephaloceles can originate. Genetically it can be explained by the dysembryological theory, which involves certain mutated genes that interfere with important celular mechanisms in early neuronal development. Currently, thanks to prenatal screening tools such as ultrasound, it is possible to identify them from intrauterine life. It is extremely important to make an early diagnosis to establish protocols and provide individualized treatment, where a multidisciplinary team will be involved. Even though some cases are usually compatible with life, the expected prognosis of the anatomical site involved, as well as timely surgical management. Among the most important sequelae is the intellectual deficit. Keywords: Encephalocele; prenatal diagnosis; congenital malformations; neural tube; prognosis

Characteristics of Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Influenced by the Time of Onset

Introduction: Although the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is higher in older people compared to younger people, dementia has also been documented in younger adults. Although early-onset dementia and late-onset dementia had been considered a single disease in pathological investigations, many studies revealed differences in cognitive and neuroimaging changes between them. We evaluated differences in cognitive and neuroimaging changes among the following groups: individuals with early-onset AD (EOAD), late-onset AD (LOAD), early-onset mild cognitive impairment (EOMCI), or late-onset MCI (LOMCI), and healthy controls (HCs). Methods: Patients underwent both a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scan and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Differences in regional gray matter volumes and MMSE subscales were investigated among the five diagnostic groups. Results: Compared to the EOAD group, the LOAD group had significantly higher scores on orientation in place. Compared to the LOMCI patients, the EOMCI patients achieved significantly higher recall scores. The LOAD and LOMC groups showed significant volume reductions in bilateral medial temporal regions compared to the HCs. The EOAD and EOMCI groups did not show significant atrophy of the medial temporal region compared to the HC group. Conclusions: The hippocampal volume and memory were preserved in the patients with EOMCI or EOAD compared to those with LOMCI or LOAD. These findings may indicate that the distinct and differing patterns of neuropsychological changes between EOAD and LOAD are also common in MCI, which is intermediate between normal cognition and AD.

Investigating Noun and Verb Naming in Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Non-Patients Persian-Speaking

Introduction: Due to the prevalence of cognitive disorders, such as the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and the consequences that these disorders follow, early diagnosis and awareness of the deficiencies of these people in the cognitive and language areas is essential. Given that language is dependent on culture, examining the linguistic characteristics of such patients in different languages can provide valuable findings. Therefore, this study compares noun and verb naming abilities in individuals with bvFTD and non-patients Persian-speaking. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 3 cognitive tests, including frontal assessment battery (FAB), Montreal cognitive assessment, and mini-mental state examination (MMSE), along with 2 noun naming and verb naming tests were performed on 15 patients with bvFTD and 30 homogeneous non-patient individuals. Results: The bvFTD group had significantly different scores for both noun and verb naming compared to the non-patient group (P&lt;0.05). Meanwhile, the bvFTD group was more impaired in naming verbs than nouns, with the largest difference between groups in the verb naming task. Conclusion: the results showed that bvFTD patients have poorer noun and verb naming abilities than non-patients. In particular, in verb naming, they showed more deficits than nouns. One possible explanation is that the processing of verbs is more complicated than nouns and involves a more complex neural system and cognitive processes than noun processing. Another possibility is that verbs rely more heavily on frontal and temporal regions of the brain, which are typically affected by bvFTD.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Modulates Brain Connectivity in Children with Self-limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes.

Interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) alter brain connectivity in children with epilepsy; this connectivity change may be a mechanism by which epilepsy induces cognitive deficits. Here, we test whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, modulates connectivity and reduces IEDs in children with epilepsy. Nineteen children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS) participated in a cross-over study comparing the impact of active vs. sham rTMS on IEDs and brain connectivity. SeLECTS is an epilepsy syndrome affecting the motor cortex, and prior studies show that motor cortices become pathologically hyper-connected to frontal and temporal language cortices. Using a crossover design, we compared the effect of single doses of active versus sham motor cortex rTMS. Connectivity, which was quantified by the weighted phase lag index (wPLI), was measured before and after rTMS using single pulses of TMS combined with EEG (spTMS-EEG). Analyses focused on six regions: bilateral motor cortices and bilateral inferior frontal and superior temporal regions. IEDs were counted in the five minutes before and after rTMS. Active, but not sham, rTMS significantly and globally decreased wPLI connectivity between multiple regions, with the greatest reductions seen in the superior temporal region connections in the stimulated hemisphere. Additionally, there was a trend suggesting that rTMS decreases IED frequency. These findings underscore the potential of low-frequency rTMS to target pathologic hyperconnectivity and reduce IEDs in children with SeLECTS and potentially other pediatric epilepsy syndromes, offering a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention.

Gray matter volume differences in intimate partner violence perpetrators and its role in explaining dropout and recidivism

AimPsychological instruments that are employed to adequately explain treatment compliance and recidivism of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators present a limited ability and certain biases. Therefore, it becomes necessary to incorporate new techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to be able to surpass those limitations and measure central nervous system characteristics to explain dropout (premature abandonment of intervention) and recidivism. MethodThe main objectives of this study were: 1) to assess whether IPV perpetrators (n = 60) showed differences in terms of their brain's regional gray matter volume (GMV) when compared to a control group of non-violent men (n = 57); 2) to analyze whether the regional GMV of IPV perpetrators before starting a tailored intervention program explain treatment compliance (dropout) and recidivism rate. ResultsIPV perpetrators presented increased GMV in the cerebellum and the occipital, temporal, and subcortical brain regions compared to controls. There were also bilateral differences in the occipital pole and subcortical structures (thalamus, and putamen), with IPV perpetrators presenting reduced GMV in the above-mentioned brain regions compared to controls. Moreover, while a reduced GMV of the left pallidum explained dropout, a considerable number of frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, subcortical and limbic regions added to dropout to explain recidivism. ConclusionsOur study found that certain brain structures not only distinguished IPV perpetrators from controls but also played a role in explaining dropout and recidivism. Given the multifactorial nature of IPV perpetration, it is crucial to combine neuroimaging techniques with other psychological instruments to effectively create risk profiles of IPV perpetrators.

Language networks of normal-hearing infants exhibit topological differences between resting and steady states: An fNIRS functional connectivity study.

Task-related studies have consistently reported that listening to speech sounds activate the temporal and prefrontal regions of the brain. However, it is not well understood how functional organization of auditory and language networks differ when processing speech sounds from its resting state form. The knowledge of language network organization in typically developing infants could serve as an important biomarker to understand network-level disruptions expected in infants with hearing impairment. We hypothesized that topological differences of language networks can be characterized using functional connectivity measures in two experimental conditions (1) complete silence (resting) and (2) in response to repetitive continuous speech sounds (steady). Thirty normal-hearing infants (14 males and 16 females, age: 7.8 ± 4.8 months) were recruited in this study. Brain activity was recorded from bilateral temporal and prefrontal regions associated with speech and language processing for two experimental conditions: resting and steady states. Topological differences of functional language networks were characterized using graph theoretical analysis. The normalized global efficiency and clustering coefficient were used as measures of functional integration and segregation, respectively. We found that overall, language networks of infants demonstrate the economic small-world organization in both resting and steady states. Moreover, language networks exhibited significantly higher functional integration and significantly lower functional segregation in resting state compared to steady state. A secondary analysis that investigated developmental effects of infants aged 6-months or below and above 6-months revealed that such topological differences in functional integration and segregation across resting and steady states can be reliably detected after the first 6-months of life. The higher functional integration observed in resting state suggests that language networks of infants facilitate more efficient parallel information processing across distributed language regions in the absence of speech stimuli. Moreover, higher functional segregation in steady state indicates that the speech information processing occurs within densely interconnected specialized regions in the language network.

Efficacy, Safety, and Longevity of Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection in Treating Temple Hollowness by Sonographic Identifying 17 Soft Tissue Layers.

Successful aesthetic interventions in upper-face aging require a profound understanding of the intricate anatomy of temporal. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) injection in temple areas by combining quantitative analysis with detailed anatomical insights. Twenty-five women received HA injections for temple hollowness. The injections targeted the interfacial layer between superficial and deep temporal fascia. Three-dimensional scanning, hollowness examination, and sonographic measurements were conducted 3 and 6 months postprocedure. Sonography identified 17 soft tissue layers in the temple, each with distinct characteristics. The notable layers include the epidermis, dermis, superficial and deep temporal fasciae, innominate fasciae, and superficial and deep temporal fat compartments. Three-dimensional volume was 0.86 mL at 3 months and 0.72 mL at 6 months. The average thickness of HA was 3.82 mm (immediately), 3.00 mm (3 mo), and 2.51 mm (6 mo). The depression on the temple was 4.33 mm (preprocedure), 0.71 mm (3 mo), and 1.62 mm (6 mo). The grade improved by 2.41 and 1.74 levels at 3 and 6 months. Identifying detailed superficial and deep layers of the deep temporal fascia challenged traditional descriptions, with detailed dividing of superficial and deep temporal fascia in sonography. Innominate fascia was also distinguished. This study provided a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of HA injections in temple areas. Precise anatomical insights and quantitative assessments contribute to a deeper understanding of the structural changes induced by this procedure. Sonography is valuable for delineating distinct layers and guiding aesthetic interventions in the temporal region.

Engagement of the speech motor system in challenging speech perception: Activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses.

The relationship between speech production and perception is a topic of ongoing debate. Some argue that there is little interaction between the two, while others claim they share representations and processes. One perspective suggests increased recruitment of the speech motor system in demanding listening situations to facilitate perception. However, uncertainties persist regarding the specific regions involved and the listening conditions influencing its engagement. This study used activation likelihood estimation in coordinate-based meta-analyses to investigate the neural overlap between speech production and three speech perception conditions: speech-in-noise, spectrally degraded speech and linguistically complex speech. Neural overlap was observed in the left frontal, insular and temporal regions. Key nodes included the left frontal operculum (FOC), left posterior lateral part of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), left planum temporale (PT), and left pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA). The left IFG activation was consistently observed during linguistic processing, suggesting sensitivity to the linguistic content of speech. In comparison, the left pre-SMA activation was observed when processing degraded and noisy signals, indicating sensitivity to signal quality. Activations of the left PT and FOC activation were noted in all conditions, with the posterior FOC area overlapping in all conditions. Our meta-analysis reveals context-independent (FOC, PT) and context-dependent (pre-SMA, posterior lateral IFG) regions within the speech motor system during challenging speech perception. These regions could contribute to sensorimotor integration and executive cognitive control for perception and production.

Architecture and anatomy of executive processes: evidence from verbal fluency and Trail Making Test in 2009 stroke patients.

The few voxel-wise lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) studies aimed at identifying the anatomy of executive function are limited by the absence of a model and by small populations. Using Trail Making Test (TMT) and verbal fluency and a model of their architectures, our objective was to identify the key structures underlying two major executive processes, set-shifting and strategic word search. We applied a validated VLSM analysis to harmonized cognitive and imaging data from 2009 ischemic stroke patients as a part of the Meta VCI Map consortium. All contrast analyses used an adjusted threshold with 2000 Freedman-Lane permutations (p ≤ 0.05). The TMT parts A and B were associated with structures involved in visual-spatial processing, the motor system, the frontal lobes, and their subcortical connections. Set-shifting depended on the left dorsomedial frontal region. Both semantic and phonemic fluency tests depended on verbal output abilities and processing speed with similar slopes in different languages. The strategic search process depended on Broca's area, F2 and related tracts, temporal and deep regions. Lastly, the lesion map of set-shifting did not overlap with those of strategic word search processes. Our results identify the anatomical substrates of two main executive processes, revealing that they represent only a specific subpart of previously reported structures. Finally, our results indicate that executive functions depend on several specific, anatomically separable executive processes mainly operating in various parts of the frontal lobes.

Alcohol and brain structure across the lifespan: A systematic review of large-scale neuroimaging studies.

Alcohol exposure affects brain structure, but the extent to which its effects differ across development remains unclear. Several countries are considering changes to recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption, so high-quality evidence is needed. Many studies have been conducted among small samples, but recent efforts have been made to acquire large samples to characterize alcohol's effects on the brain on a population level. Several large-scale consortia have acquired such samples, but this evidence has not been synthesized across the lifespan. We conducted a systematic review of large-scale neuroimaging studies examining effects of alcohol exposure on brain structure at multiple developmental stages. We included studies with an alcohol-exposed sample of at least N = 100 from the following consortia: ABCD, ENIGMA, NCANDA, IMAGEN, Framingham Offspring Study, HCP and UK BioBank. Twenty-seven studies were included, examining prenatal (N = 1), adolescent (N = 9), low-to-moderate-level adult (N = 11) and heavy adult (N = 7) exposure. Prenatal exposure was associated with greater brain volume at ages 9-10, but contemporaneous alcohol consumption during adolescence and adulthood was associated with smaller volume/thickness. Both low-to-moderate consumption and heavy consumption were characterized by smaller volume and thickness in frontal, temporal and parietal regions, and reductions in insula, cingulate and subcortical structures. Adolescent consumption had similar effects, with less consistent evidence for smaller cingulate, insula and subcortical volume. In sum, prenatal exposure was associated with larger volume, while adolescent and adult alcohol exposure was associated with smaller volume and thickness, suggesting that regional patterns of effects of alcohol are similar in adolescence and adulthood.

Influence of Age and Sex on Stability Indicators of the Right-Left Hemodynamic Balance of Skin Microcirculation in Symmetrical Areas of the Human Head.

Indicators (markers) of microcirculation stability (MCR) of the skin in symmetric areas of the head were studied in young (18-19-years-old) and elderly (60-80-years-old) male and female subjects. We performed synchronous MCR measurements of symmetrical areas of the head using laser Doppler flowmetry in 40 healthy volunteers (10 men and 10 women in each age group). Numerical values of stability markers (T1, T2, and ζ) and indicators of the right-left hemodynamic balance of the MCR (regression coefficients a1, a2, b1, b2) were obtained using the previously developed computational and experimental methods. The coefficients a2 and b2 that determine the contribution of the right MCR bed to the right-left hemodynamic balance were higher in elderly men than in young men, while in young and elderly women, no significant differences in the values of these coefficients were revealed. In young men, coefficients a2 and b2 were lower than in young women, while in elderly subjects, the sex differences in these coefficients were leveled. Young men have lower stability markers than women, while in elderly subjects, these stability markers were similar in men and women. No significant age and sex differences in the level of perfusion of the symmetrical temporal regions were found. The results attest to low stability of MCR in young men in comparison with young women and similar stability in old age, which, apparently, can be explained by the influence of sex hormones on the regulation of human cardiovascular functions.

Induction and stabilization of delta frequency brain oscillations by phase-synchronized rTMS and tACS

BackgroundBrain oscillations in the delta frequency band have been linked with deep sleep and consolidation of declarative memory during sleep. However, the causal relationship of these associations remains not competely clarified, primarily due to constraints by technical limitations of brain stimulation approaches suited to induce and stabilize respective oscillatory activity in the human brain. The objective of this study was to establish a non-invasive brain stimulation protocol capable of reliably inducing, and stabilizing respective oscillatory activity in the delta frequency range. HypothesisWe aimed to develop an efficient non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) protocol for delta frequency induction and stabilization via concurrent, phase-locked repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). We hypothesized that rTMS induces oscillatory resting-state activity in the delta frequency and that tACS stabilizes this effect, as has been shown before for alpha and theta frequencies. Methods19 healthy participants took part in a repeated-measures experimental protocol. We applied rTMS pulses synchronized with the peak or trough phase of 0.75Hz tACS over the bilateral prefrontal cortex. Resting state EEG in eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions was recorded before, immediately after and every 10 min for up to 1 h after intervention. ResultsrTMS phase-synchronized to the trough of the tACS waveform significantly increased delta frequency activity for up to 60 min in both EO and EC conditions after stimulation. The effects extended from frontal to temporal regions and this enhancement of oscillatory activity was shown to be specific for the delta frequency range. ConclusionConcurrent, trough-synchronized 0.75 Hz rTMS combined with tACS may be a reliable protocol to induce long-lasting oscillatory activity in the delta frequency range. The results of the current study might perspectively be relevant for clinical treatment of sleep disturbances which are accompanied by pathologically altered brain oscillations, and enhancement of memory consolidation.

Transcriptional patterns of amygdala functional connectivity in first-episode, drug-naïve major depressive disorder

Previous research has established associations between amygdala functional connectivity abnormalities and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, inconsistencies persist due to limited sample sizes and poorly elucidated transcriptional patterns. In this study, we aimed to address these gaps by analyzing a multicenter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dataset consisting of 210 first-episode, drug-naïve MDD patients and 363 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Using Pearson correlation analysis, we established individualized amygdala functional connectivity patterns based on the Automated Anatomical Labeling (AAL) atlas. Subsequently, machine learning techniques were employed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of amygdala functional connectivity for identifying MDD at the individual level. Additionally, we investigated the spatial correlation between MDD-related amygdala functional connectivity alterations and gene expression through Pearson correlation analysis. Our findings revealed reduced functional connectivity between the amygdala and specific brain regions, such as frontal, orbital, and temporal regions, in MDD patients compared to HC. Importantly, amygdala functional connectivity exhibited robust discriminatory capability for characterizing MDD at the individual level. Furthermore, we observed spatial correlations between MDD-related amygdala functional connectivity alterations and genes enriched for metal ion transport and modulation of chemical synaptic transmission. These results underscore the significance of amygdala functional connectivity alterations in MDD and suggest potential neurobiological mechanisms and markers for these alterations.

Neurostructural, Neurofunctional, and Clinical Features of Chronic, Untreated Schizophrenia: A Narrative Review.

Studies of individuals with chronic, untreated schizophrenia (CUS) can provide important insights into the natural course of schizophrenia and how antipsychotic pharmacotherapy affects neurobiological aspects of illness course and progression. We systematically review 17 studies on the neuroimaging, cognitive, and epidemiological aspects of CUS individuals. These studies were conducted at the Shanghai Mental Health Center, Institute of Mental Health at Peking University, and Huaxi MR Research Center between 2013 and 2021. CUS is associated with cognitive impairment, severe symptoms, and specific demographic characteristics and is different significantly from those observed in antipsychotic-treated individuals. Furthermore, CUS individuals have neurostructural and neurofunctional alterations in frontal and temporal regions, corpus callosum, subcortical, and visual processing areas, as well as default-mode and somatomotor networks. As the disease progresses, significant structural deteriorations occur, such as accelerated cortical thinning in frontal and temporal lobes, greater reduction in fractional anisotropy in the genu of corpus callosum, and decline in nodal metrics of gray mater network in thalamus, correlating with worsening cognitive deficits and clinical outcomes. In addition, striatal hypertrophy also occurs, independent of antipsychotic treatment. Contrasting with the negative neurostructural and neurofunctional effects of short-term antipsychotic treatment, long-term therapy frequently results in significant improvements. It notably enhances white matter integrity and the functions of key subcortical regions such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and striatum, potentially improving cognitive functions. This narrative review highlights the progressive neurobiological sequelae of CUS, the importance of early detection, and long-term treatment of schizophrenia, particularly because treatment may attenuate neurobiological deterioration and improve clinical outcomes.

White matter correlates of cognition: A diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study

BackgroundOur comprehension of the interplay of cognition and the brain remains constrained. While functional imaging studies have identified cognitive brain regions, structural correlates of cognitive functions remain underexplored. Advanced methods like Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DMRI) facilitate the exploration of brain connectivity and White Matter (WM) tract microstructure. Therefore, we conducted connectometry method on DMRI data, to reveal WM tracts associated with cognition. Methods125 healthy participants from the National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Healthy Volunteer Dataset were recruited. Multiple regression analyses were conducted between DMRI-derived Quantitative Anisotropy (QA) values within WM tracts and scores of participants in Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test (attention), Dimensional Change Card Sort (executive function), Picture Sequence Memory Test (episodic memory), and List Sorting Working Memory Test (working memory) tasks from National Institute of Health toolbox. The significance level was set at False Discovery Rate (FDR)<0.05. ResultsWe identified significant positive correlations between the QA of WM tracts within the left cerebellum and bilateral fornix with attention, executive functioning, and episodic memory (FDR=0.018, 0.0002, and 0.0002, respectively), and a negative correlation between QA of WM tracts within bilateral cerebellum with attention (FDR=0.028). Working memory demonstrated positive correlations with QA of left inferior longitudinal and left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi (FDR=0.0009), while it showed a negative correlation with QA of right cerebellar tracts (FDR=0.0005). ConclusionOur results underscore the intricate link between cognitive performance and WM integrity in frontal, temporal, and cerebellar regions, offering insights into early detection and targeted interventions for cognitive disorders.

Exploring age-related functional brain changes during audio-visual integration tasks in early to mid-adulthood

The seamless integration of visual and auditory information is a fundamental aspect of human cognition. Although age-related functional changes in Audio-Visual Integration (AVI) have been extensively explored in the past, thorough studies across various age groups remain insufficient. Previous studies have provided valuable insights into age-related AVI using EEG-based sensor data. However, these studies have been limited in their ability to capture spatial information related to brain source activation and their connectivity. To address these gaps, our study conducted a comprehensive audio-visual integration task with a specific focus on assessing the brain maturation effects in various age groups, particularly in early-mid adulthood. We presented visual, auditory, and audio-visual stimuli and recorded EEG data from Young (18–25 years), Transition (26–33 years), and Middle (34–50 years) age cohort healthy participants. We utilized source-based features for the classification of these age groups. We aimed to understand how aging affects brain activation and functional connectivity among hubs during audio-visual tasks. Our findings unveiled diminished levels of brain activation among middle-aged individuals, which escalate when exposed to AVI stimuli. Lower frequency bands showed substantial changes with increasing age during AVI. Our results demonstrated that implementing the k-means elbow method during the AVI task successfully categorized brain regions into five distinct brain networks. Additionally, we observed increased functional connectivity in middle age, particularly in the frontal, temporal, and occipital regions. These results highlight the compensatory neural mechanisms involved in aging during cognitive tasks.

Peripheral ulcerative keratitis secondary to tuberculosis: A case report and literature review.

Compared with intraocular tuberculosis, ocular tuberculosis with ocular surface involvement is rare. Corneal involvement in ocular tuberculosis may include interstitial keratitis or peripheral ulcerative keratitis. We report a case of peripheral ulcerative keratitis directly caused by tuberculosis. A 20-year-old man complained of vision loss and pain in the left eye that had lasted for 1 week. A slit lamp examination of the left eye showed a corneal epithelial defect, interstitial corneal edema, and a white irregular infiltrative lesion and ulcer (with the dimension of 2 × 2.5 mm) in the inferior temporal region. The corneal ulcer was scraped, and the Mycobacterium tuberculosis deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase chain reaction was positive. After a month of oral antituberculosis treatment, the corneal ulcer resolved, and the intraocular inflammation improved. Peripheral ulcerative keratitis secondary to tuberculosis can be directly caused by M tuberculosis.