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The Journal of Neuroscience : the... Feb 2021High digital connectivity and a focus on reproducibility are contributing to an open science revolution in neuroscience. Repositories and platforms have emerged across... (Review)
Review
High digital connectivity and a focus on reproducibility are contributing to an open science revolution in neuroscience. Repositories and platforms have emerged across the whole spectrum of subdisciplines, paving the way for a paradigm shift in the way we share, analyze, and reuse vast amounts of data collected across many laboratories. Here, we describe how open access web-based tools are changing the landscape and culture of neuroscience, highlighting six free resources that span subdisciplines from behavior to whole-brain mapping, circuits, neurons, and gene variants.
Topics: Access to Information; Animals; Brain; Datasets as Topic; Gene Regulatory Networks; Humans; Internet; Nerve Net; Neurons
PubMed: 33472826
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1657-20.2020 -
Nutrients Feb 2022A large number of scientists and health professionals recognize that balanced nutrition is fundamental for a good state of physical health [...].
A large number of scientists and health professionals recognize that balanced nutrition is fundamental for a good state of physical health [...].
Topics: Diet; Health Personnel; Health Status; Humans; Nutritional Status
PubMed: 35215400
DOI: 10.3390/nu14040750 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Sep 2023The Rorschach inkblot test allows access to psychological processes that usually do not emerge in self-report measures and it has been widely used in clinical... (Review)
Review
The Rorschach inkblot test allows access to psychological processes that usually do not emerge in self-report measures and it has been widely used in clinical psychological and psychiatric settings. Recordings of brain activity during the administration of the Rorschach inkblots test could provide information on neural correlates of the underlying perceptual-cognitive processing and potentially identify neuroimaging markers of psychopathology risk. The present paper offers a systematization of the available literature on the Rorschach inkblot test and neuroimaging research. The 13 selected studies had been conducted with healthy participants and using fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS to investigate the neural underpinnings of Rorschach inkblot test responses. The neural processes underlying the visual, social, and emotional processes described by the included papers are systematically summarized. Research on the neural correlates of the Rorschach inkblot test is promising and would further benefit from studies on clinical populations, broader samples, and younger age groups.
Topics: Humans; Rorschach Test; Emotions
PubMed: 37311472
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105281 -
Journal of Neuroinflammation Sep 2023Most current disease-modifying therapies approved for multiple sclerosis (MS) are immunomodulatory drugs that counteract the aberrant activity of the immune system....
BACKGROUND
Most current disease-modifying therapies approved for multiple sclerosis (MS) are immunomodulatory drugs that counteract the aberrant activity of the immune system. Hence, new pharmacological interventions that drive anti-inflammatory activity and neuroprotection would represent interesting alternative therapeutic approaches or complementary strategies to treat progressive forms of MS. There is evidence of reduced noradrenaline levels and alterations to locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic neurons in MS patients, as well as in animal models of this disease, potentially factors contributing to the pathophysiology. Drugs that enhance noradrenaline appear to have some beneficial effects in MS, suggesting their potential to dampen the underlying pathology and disease progression.
METHODS
Therefore, we explored the consequences of chronic LC noradrenergic neurons activation by chemogenetics in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice, the most widely used experimental model of MS. LC activation from the onset or the peak of motor symptoms was explored as two different therapeutic approaches, assessing the motor and non-motor behavioral changes as EAE progresses, and studying demyelination, inflammation and glial activation in the spinal cord and cerebral cortex during the chronic phase of EAE.
RESULTS
LC activation from the onset of motor symptoms markedly alleviated the motor deficits in EAE mice, as well as their anxiety-like behavior and sickness, in conjunction with reduced demyelination and perivascular infiltration in the spinal cord and glial activation in the spinal cord and prefrontal cortex (PFC). When animals exhibited severe paralysis, LC activation produced a modest alleviation of EAE motor symptoms and it enhanced animal well-being, in association with an improvement of the EAE pathology at the spinal cord and PFC level. Interestingly, the reduced dopamine beta-hydroxylase expression associated with EAE in the spinal cord and PFC was reversed through chemogenetic LC activation.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, clear anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects were produced by the selective activation of LC noradrenergic neurons in EAE mice, having greater benefits when LC activation commenced earlier. Overall, these data suggest noradrenergic LC neurons may be targets to potentially alleviate some of the motor and non-motor symptoms in MS.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Multiple Sclerosis; Locus Coeruleus; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental; Adrenergic Neurons; Norepinephrine
PubMed: 37658434
DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02865-z -
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2023Since energy drinks (EDs) were sold to the general public as soft drinks and recreational beverages, mixing EDs with ethanol has grown in popularity, particularly among... (Review)
Review
Since energy drinks (EDs) were sold to the general public as soft drinks and recreational beverages, mixing EDs with ethanol has grown in popularity, particularly among younger people. Given the research that links these drinks with higher risk behaviors and increased ethanol intake, ethanol combined with EDs (AmEDs) is a particularly worrying combination. EDs generally commonly include a variety of ingredients. Sugar, caffeine, taurine, and B-group vitamins are almost always present. Studies on the combined effect of ethanol and sugar and caffeine on ethanol-induced behaviors are extensive. Not so much in regards to taurine and vitamins. This review briefly summarises available information from research on the isolated compounds on EtOH-induced behaviors first, and secondly, the combination of AmEDs on EtOH effects. The conclusion is that additional research is needed to fully comprehend the characteristics and consequences of AmEDs on EtOH-induced behaviors.
PubMed: 36865774
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1057262 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023
PubMed: 37533710
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1248233 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024
Topics: Neuroendocrinology; Sleep; Circadian Rhythm
PubMed: 38344664
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1372967 -
Computer Methods and Programs in... Sep 2021Introduction Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and analysis are techniques that are, each year, applied to millions of patients with pathologies with million of... (Review)
Review
Introduction Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and analysis are techniques that are, each year, applied to millions of patients with pathologies with million of patients annually. The detection of the so called A and B-waves, and the analysis of subtle changes in C-waves, which are present in ICP waveform, may indicate decreased intracranial compliance, and may improve the clinical outcome. Despite the advances in the field of computerized data analysis, the visual screening of ICP continues to be the means principally employed to detect these waves. To the best of our knowledge, no review study has addressed automated ICP analysis in sufficient detail and a need to research the state of the art of ICP analysis has, therefore, been identified. Methodology This paper presents a systematic mapping study to provide answers to 7 research questions: publication time, venue and source trends, medical tasks undertaken, research methods used, computational systems developed, validation methodology, tools and systems employed for evaluation and research problems identified. An ICP software prototype is presented and evaluated as a consequence of the results. Results A total of 23 papers, published between 1990 and 2020, were selected from 6 online databases. After analyzing these papers, the following information was obtained: diagnosis and monitoring medical tasks were addressed to the same extent, and the main research method used was evaluation research. Several computational systems were identified in the papers, the main one being image classification, while the main analysis objective was single pulse analysis. Correlation with expert analysis was the most frequent validation method, and few of the papers stated the use of a published dataset. Few authors referred to the tools used to build or evaluate the proposed solutions. The most frequent research problem was the need for new analysis methods. These results have inspired us to propose a software prototype with which provide an automated solution that integrates ICP analysis and monitoring techniques. Conclusions The papers in this study were selected and classified with regard to ICP automated analysis methods. Several research gaps were identified, which the authors of this study have employed as a based on which to recommend future work. Furthermore, this study has identified the need for an empirical comparison between methods, which will require the use and development of certain standard metrics. An in-depth analysis conducted by means of systematic literature review is also required. The software prototype evaluation provided positive results, showing that the prototype may be a reliable system for A-wave detection.
Topics: Databases, Factual; Humans; Intracranial Pressure; Monitoring, Physiologic; Software; Systematic Reviews as Topic
PubMed: 34450483
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2021.106334 -
BMJ Health & Care Informatics Aug 2021
Topics: COVID-19; Environmental Exposure; Exposome; Humans; Informatics
PubMed: 34413119
DOI: 10.1136/bmjhci-2021-100371 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Mar 2022This protocol aims to characterize patients with dual disorders (DD; comorbid major depression and schizophrenia) compared with patients with only a diagnosis of...
This protocol aims to characterize patients with dual disorders (DD; comorbid major depression and schizophrenia) compared with patients with only a diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD) and those with only a diagnosis of severe mental illness (SMI; major depression and schizophrenia), evaluating clinical and personality characteristics, circadian rhythmic functioning, genetic polymorphism and neuropsychological performance in order to obtain a clinical endophenotype of differential vulnerability for these diagnostic entities. Patients will be divided into three groups: DD (45 men with comorbid schizophrenia, 45 men and 30 women with major depression), SUD ( = 90, with a minimum of 30 women) and SMI males (45 with schizophrenia, 45 with major depression). All patients will be under treatment, with at least three months of SUD abstinence and/or with SMI in remission or with stabilized symptoms. Outpatients of both sexes with insufficient restoration of circadian rhythmicity with SUD ( = 30) and dual depression ( = 30) will be asked to participate in a second two-month study, being alternately assigned to the condition of the chronobiological adjuvant approach to the treatment of regular hour habits and exposure to light or to the usual treatment (control). The effect of the intervention and patient compliance will be monitored with a Kronowise KW6 ambulatory device during the first two weeks of treatment and again at weeks 4 and 8 weeks. After completing the evaluation, follow-up of the clinical evolution will be carried out at 3, 6 and 12 months. This project will allow us to analyze the functional impact of DD comorbidity and to develop the first study of chronobiological therapy in the treatment of SUD and dual depression, with results transferable to the clinical setting with cost-effective recommendations for a personalized approach.
PubMed: 35407454
DOI: 10.3390/jcm11071846