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Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews May 2024The present review examined the consequences of focal brain injury on spatial attention studied with cueing paradigms, with a particular focus on the disengagement... (Review)
Review
The present review examined the consequences of focal brain injury on spatial attention studied with cueing paradigms, with a particular focus on the disengagement deficit, which refers to the abnormal slowing of reactions following an ipsilesional cue. Our review supports the established notion that the disengagement deficit is a functional marker of spatial neglect and is particularly pronounced when elicited by peripheral cues. Recent research has revealed that this deficit critically depends on cues that have task-relevant characteristics or are associated with negative reinforcement. Attentional capture by task-relevant cues is contingent on damage to the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) and is modulated by functional connections between the TPJ and the right insular cortex. Furthermore, damage to the dorsal premotor or prefrontal cortex (dPMC/dPFC) reduces the effect of task-relevant cues. These findings support an interactive model of the disengagement deficit, involving the right TPJ, the insula, and the dPMC/dPFC. These interconnected regions play a crucial role in regulating and adapting spatial attention to changing intrinsic values of stimuli in the environment.
Topics: Humans; Brain Injuries; Prefrontal Cortex; Perceptual Disorders; Cues; Space Perception; Parietal Lobe; Functional Laterality; Reaction Time
PubMed: 38490498
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105622 -
Sao Paulo Medical Journal = Revista... 2024Loxosceles spp are arthropods found worldwide. Its bite may produce cutaneous loxoscelism (necrotic or edematous) or cutaneous-visceral loxoscelism. Depending on their...
BACKGROUND
Loxosceles spp are arthropods found worldwide. Its bite may produce cutaneous loxoscelism (necrotic or edematous) or cutaneous-visceral loxoscelism. Depending on their severity and location, cutaneous forms are managed with local cold application and systemic administration of antihistamines, corticosteroids, antibiotics, polymorphonuclear inhibitors, and analgesics.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to report a case of cutaneous loxoscelism and to identify the main dermatological manifestations associated with the Loxosceles spp bite.
DESIGN AND SETTING
This case report and literature review was conducted in a Mexican university.
METHODS
A detailed report on the medical management of a patient with cutaneous loxoscelism treated at the emergency department of a public hospital was published. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify articles reporting cutaneous loxoscelism. The following keywords were used during the database search: "loxoscelism" OR "spider bite," OR "loxosceles" OR "loxosceles species" OR "loxosceles venom" OR "loxoscelism case report" AND "cutaneous" OR "dermonecrotic arachnidism."
RESULTS
A 62-year-old female patient with cutaneous loxoscelism was treated with systemic dapsone and local heparin spray. Eighteen studies with 22 clinical cases were included in this systematic review. Of the 22 patients, 12 (54.5%) were men. L. rufescens was the predominant spider species.
CONCLUSIONS
The administration of dapsone and heparin for the management of cutaneous loxoscelism demonstrated success in this case, with no sequelae observed. In general, the literature review indicated favorable outcomes in patients treated with antimicrobials and corticosteroids, with continuous healing of skin lesions.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO ID CRD42023422424 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023422424).
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Middle Aged; Dapsone; Spider Bites; Hemoglobins; Heparin; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Regeneration
PubMed: 38422241
DOI: 10.1590/1516-3180.2023.0151.04012023 -
International Journal of Bipolar... Feb 2024Systemic inflammation-immune dysregulation and brain abnormalities are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder (BD). However, the connections... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Systemic inflammation-immune dysregulation and brain abnormalities are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder (BD). However, the connections between peripheral inflammation and the brain, especially the interactions between different BD subtypes and episodes, remain to be elucidated. Therefore, we conducted the present study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex association between peripheral inflammation and neuroimaging findings in patients with bipolar spectrum disorders.
METHODS
This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42023447044) and conducted according to the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study Design (PICOS) framework. Online literature databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library) were searched for studies that simultaneously investigated both peripheral inflammation-related factors and magnetic resonance neurography of BD patients up to July 01, 2023. Then, we analysed the correlations between peripheral inflammation and neuroimaging, as well as the variation trends and the shared and specific patterns of these correlations according to different clinical dimensions.
RESULTS
In total, 34 publications ultimately met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review, with 2993 subjects included. Among all patterns of interaction between peripheral inflammation and neuroimaging, the most common pattern was a positive relationship between elevated inflammation levels and decreased neuroimaging measurements. The brain regions most susceptible to inflammatory activation were the anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex.
LIMITATIONS
The small sample size, insufficiently explicit categorization of BD subtypes and episodes, and heterogeneity of the research methods limited further implementation of quantitative data synthesis.
CONCLUSIONS
Disturbed interactions between peripheral inflammation and the brain play a critical role in BD, and these interactions exhibit certain commonalities and differences across various clinical dimensions of BD. Our study further confirmed that the fronto-limbic-striatal system may be the central neural substrate in BD patients.
PubMed: 38388844
DOI: 10.1186/s40345-024-00327-w -
Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience 2024Brand equity plays a crucial role in a brand's commercial success; however, research on the brain regions associated with brand equity has had mixed results. This study...
INTRODUCTION
Brand equity plays a crucial role in a brand's commercial success; however, research on the brain regions associated with brand equity has had mixed results. This study aimed to investigate key brain regions associated with the decision-making of branded and unbranded foods using quantitative neuroimaging meta-analysis and machine learning.
METHODS
Quantitative neuroimaging meta-analysis was performed using the activation likelihood method. Activation of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) overlapped between branded and unbranded foods. The lingual and parahippocampal gyri (PHG) were activated in the case of branded foods, whereas no brain regions were characteristically activated in response to unbranded foods. We proposed a novel predictive method based on the reported foci data, referencing the multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) results. This approach is referred to as the multi-coordinate pattern analysis (MCPA). We conducted the MCPA, adopting the sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA) to detect unique brain regions associated with branded and unbranded foods based on coordinate data. The sPLS-DA is an extended PLS method that enables the processing of categorical data as outcome variables.
RESULTS
We found that the lingual gyrus is a distinct brain region in branded foods. Thus, the VMPFC might be a core brain region in food categories in consumer behavior, regardless of whether they are branded foods. Moreover, the connection between the PHG and lingual gyrus might be a unique neural mechanism in branded foods.
DISCUSSION
As this mechanism engages in imaging the feature-self based on emotionally subjective contextual associative memories, brand managers should create future-oriented relevancies between brands and consumers to build valuable brands.
PubMed: 38374888
DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2024.1310013 -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Feb 2024Cortico-Steroid Injections (CSI) are commonly used to treat patients with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS) but it is unclear which patients will experience...
BACKGROUND
Cortico-Steroid Injections (CSI) are commonly used to treat patients with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS) but it is unclear which patients will experience improvements in pain.
OBJECTIVES
To identify factors that influence improvements in pain for patients with GTPS treated with CSI.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
METHODS
A search was undertaken of AMED, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline and PEDro databases. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they investigated factors that influenced changes in pain experienced by patients with GTPS who received a CSI. Studies needed to include relevant summary statistics and tests of clinical significance. Risk Of Bias in Non-randomised Trials Of Interventions (ROBINS-I) and Risk Of Bias 2 (ROB2) tools were used to assess bias.
RESULTS
The search identified 466 studies, 8 were included in the final review with a total of 643 participants. There was no association between demographic variables such as age, sex, symptom duration or obesity and pain outcomes post-CSI. Having a co-existing musculoskeletal (MSK) condition such as knee osteoarthritis or sacroiliac/lumbar spine pain was associated with less pain reduction post-CSI. Injections into the Trochanteric Bursa were associated with longer lasting pain reduction than Gluteus Medius Bursa or extra-bursal injections. Image guidance of CSI maintained lower pain scores at six months but did not increase the duration of the therapeutic effect past six months. The presence of specific ultrasound scan features was not associated with differences in pain scores.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with co-existing MSK conditions may not respond to CSI as well as those without. Injections into the Greater Trochanteric Bursa may have longer lasting benefit. Further research is needed on the use of USS imaging findings and image guidance.
Topics: Humans; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Bursitis; Bursa, Synovial; Musculoskeletal Pain; Injections
PubMed: 38365672
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-024-07217-3 -
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2024Olfaction is understudied in neuroimaging research compared to other senses, but there is growing evidence of its therapeutic benefits on mood and well-being. Olfactory... (Review)
Review
Olfaction is understudied in neuroimaging research compared to other senses, but there is growing evidence of its therapeutic benefits on mood and well-being. Olfactory imagery can provide similar health benefits as olfactory interventions. Harnessing crossmodal visual-olfactory interactions can facilitate olfactory imagery. Understanding and employing these cross-modal interactions between visual and olfactory stimuli could aid in the research and applications of olfaction and olfactory imagery interventions for health and wellbeing. This review examines current knowledge, debates, and research on olfaction, olfactive imagery, and crossmodal visual-olfactory integration. A total of 56 papers, identified using the PRISMA method, were evaluated to identify key brain regions, research themes and methods used to determine the suitability of fNIRS as a tool for studying these topics. The review identified fNIRS-compatible protocols and brain regions within the fNIRS recording depth of approximately 1.5 cm associated with olfactory imagery and crossmodal visual-olfactory integration. Commonly cited regions include the orbitofrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The findings of this review indicate that fNIRS would be a suitable tool for research into these processes. Additionally, fNIRS suitability for use in naturalistic settings may lead to the development of new research approaches with greater ecological validity compared to existing neuroimaging techniques.
PubMed: 38356646
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1266664 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Feb 2024In patients with COVID-19 infection and respiratory insufficiency, corticosteroid (CCS) administration is recommended. Among the wide range of complications and...
BACKGROUND
In patients with COVID-19 infection and respiratory insufficiency, corticosteroid (CCS) administration is recommended. Among the wide range of complications and interactions, time-limited high-dose CCS administration might promote avascular necrosis (AVN) in a cumulative dose. This systematic review updated the current evidence and characterises the trend of AVN following time-limited high-dose CCS administration in patients who had severe COVID-19, discussing management strategies and outcomes.
METHODS
This systematic review was conducted according to the 2020 PRISMA statement. In October 2023, the following databases were accessed: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus restricting the search to the years 2019 to 2023. All the clinical studies which investigated the association between time-limited high-dose CCS administration in patients with severe COVID-19 infection and AVN were accessed.
RESULTS
A total of 245 patients (9 studies) who experienced AVN following COVID-19 were included in the present investigation. 26% (63 of 245 included patients) were women. The mean age of the patients was 42.9 ± 17.7 years. Four studies focused on AVN of the hip and two on the knee, and the other studies included patients with AVN from mixed areas of the body (spine, pelvis, and shoulder). The mean time elapsed from COVID-19 infection to the development of symptomatic AVN was 79.4 ± 59.2 days (range, 14 to 166 days).
CONCLUSION
It is possible that even time-limited high-dose CCS administration in patients with severe COVID-19 infection increased the incidence of AVN. The mean time elapsed from COVID-19 infection to the development of symptomatic AVN was approximately 80 days. Given the high risk of bias in all the included studies, the quality of recommendations of the present investigation is low, and no reliable conclusion can be inferred.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adult; Middle Aged; Male; Pandemics; Risk Factors; COVID-19; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Osteonecrosis; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 38347592
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-024-04556-8 -
Heliyon Feb 2024Previous studies have reported alterations in brain structure in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with suicide attempts. However, age-related changes in suicidal...
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have reported alterations in brain structure in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with suicide attempts. However, age-related changes in suicidal MDD patients remain unclear.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant studies from inception to January 2023. All voxel-based and surface-based morphometry studies comparing suicidal MDD patients to MDD or healthy controls were included. Studies were then grouped by age range (old, middle-age, adolescent) and the commonalities and age-related structural brain alterations were summarized. The included studies were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
RESULTS
A total of 17 studies met the inclusion criteria, including 3 of late-life depression (LLD) patients, 11 of middle-aged depression (MAD) patients, and 3 of adolescent depression (AOD) patients. The majority of studies had moderate to high NOS scores, indicating good quality. Patients in all three age groups exhibited extensive alterations in the lateral, medial, and orbital regions of the frontal lobes. Furthermore, suicidal MAD patients showed a specific decrease in the gray matter volume of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to suicidal LLD patients. Cortical thickness and left angular gyrus volume were decreased in suicidal MAD and suicidal LLD patients, but increased in suicidal AOD patients.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review summarizes structural brain changes in suicidal MDD patients at three age groups: elderly, middle-aged, and adolescent. These findings help elucidate the common circuitry of MDD related to suicide over the lifespan and highlight unique circuitry associated with different ages. These findings may help predict the risk of suicide in MDD patients at different ages.
PubMed: 38317985
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24894 -
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B Mar 2024The term 'functional/dissociative seizures (FDS)' refers to a paroxysmal, transient clinical manifestation that may include motor, sensory, vegetative, psychological and... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
The term 'functional/dissociative seizures (FDS)' refers to a paroxysmal, transient clinical manifestation that may include motor, sensory, vegetative, psychological and cognitive signs, similar to the manifestations observed in epileptic seizures. In recent years, there has been an increase of literature in the field of brain imaging research on functional neurological disorders and, more specifically, on FDS. However, most of the studies have been carried out on limited samples. We propose an update of this review work by performing a systematic review of studies performed since 2017 in the field of neuroimaging in patients with FDS.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of the literature using the PRISMA methodology and reproduced most of the methodological elements of the latest systematic literature review.
RESULTS
Our work over the last five years has identified 14 articles. It is still difficult to isolate a distinct structure or network specifically involved in the mechanism of FDS. However, certain structures are recurrently involved in imaging studies, notably the amygdala, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the anterior cingulate cortex.
CONCLUSION
The contribution of neuroimaging may allow a more precise explanation of the disorder for patients, avoiding the stigma frequently associated with this diagnosis. as with other 'conversion' phenomena which have traditionally been considered only as 'medically unexplained'. In the longer term and beyond a better understanding of the physiopathology of the disorder, the challenge of this neuroimaging work would be to identify specific imaging biomarkers for a diagnosis of FDS.
Topics: Humans; Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures; Conversion Disorder; Dissociative Disorders; Seizures; Epilepsy
PubMed: 38281393
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109654 -
Translational Psychiatry Jan 2024Major depressive disorder (MDD) is marked by altered processing of emotional stimuli, including facial expressions. Recent neuroimaging research has attempted to...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is marked by altered processing of emotional stimuli, including facial expressions. Recent neuroimaging research has attempted to investigate how these stimuli alter the directional interactions between brain regions in those with MDD; however, methodological heterogeneity has made identifying consistent effects difficult. To address this, we systematically examined studies investigating MDD-associated differences present in effective connectivity during the processing of emotional facial expressions. We searched five databases: PsycINFO, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, using a preregistered protocol (registration number: CRD42021271586). Of the 510 unique studies screened, 17 met our inclusion criteria. These studies identified that compared with healthy controls, participants with MDD demonstrated (1) reduced connectivity from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to the amygdala during the processing of negatively valenced expressions, and (2) increased inhibitory connectivity from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to amygdala during the processing of happy facial expressions. Most studies investigating the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex noted differences in their connectivity; however, the precise nature of these differences was inconsistent between studies. As such, commonalities observed across neuroimaging modalities warrant careful investigation to determine the specificity of these effects to particular subregions and emotional expressions. Future research examining longitudinal connectivity changes associated with treatment response may provide important insights into mechanisms underpinning therapeutic interventions, thus enabling more targeted treatment strategies.
Topics: Humans; Brain; Brain Mapping; Depressive Disorder, Major; Emotions; Facial Recognition; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Prefrontal Cortex
PubMed: 38272868
DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02734-0