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BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jun 2024Substance use, including cigarettes and cannabis, is associated with poorer sustained attention in late adolescence and early adulthood. Previous studies were...
Substance use, including cigarettes and cannabis, is associated with poorer sustained attention in late adolescence and early adulthood. Previous studies were predominantly cross-sectional or under-powered and could not indicate if impairment in sustained attention was a predictor of substance-use or a marker of the inclination to engage in such behaviour. This study explored the relationship between sustained attention and substance use across a longitudinal span from ages 14 to 23 in over 1,000 participants. Behaviours and brain connectivity associated with diminished sustained attention at age 14 predicted subsequent increases in cannabis and cigarette smoking, establishing sustained attention as a robust biomarker for vulnerability to substance use. Individual differences in network strength relevant to sustained attention were preserved across developmental stages and sustained attention networks generalized to participants in an external dataset. In summary, brain networks of sustained attention are robust, consistent, and able to predict aspects of later substance use.
PubMed: 38617224
DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.03.587900 -
Cephalalgia : An International Journal... Apr 2024Functional anatomical research proposed the existence of a bilateral trigeminal ascending system although the anatomy trajectories of the trigeminothalamic connections...
BACKGROUND
Functional anatomical research proposed the existence of a bilateral trigeminal ascending system although the anatomy trajectories of the trigeminothalamic connections cranial to the pons remain largely elusive. This study therefore aimed to clarify the anatomical distributions of the trigeminothalamic connections in humans.
METHODS
Advanced deterministic tractography to an averaged template of diffusion tensor imaging data from 1065 subjects from the Human Connectome Project was used. Seedings masks were placed in Montreal Neurological Institute standard space by use of the BigBrain histological dataset. Waypoint masks of the sensory thalamus was obtained from the Brainnetome Atlas.
RESULTS
Tractography results were validated by use of the BigBrain histological dataset and Polarized Light Imaging microscopy. The trigeminothalamic tract bifurcated into a decussating ventral and a non-decussating dorsal tract. The ventral and dorsal tracts ascended to the contralateral thalamus and ipsilateral thalamus and reflected the ventral trigeminothalamic tract and the dorsal trigeminothalamic tract, respectively. The projection of the ventral trigeminothalamic tract and the dorsal trigeminothalamic tract to both thalami confirm the existence of a bilateral trigeminothalamic system in humans.
CONCLUSIONS
Because our study is strictly anatomical, no further conclusions can be drawn with regard to physiological functionality. Future research should explore if the dorsal trigeminothalamic tract and the ventral trigeminothalamic tract actually transmit signals from noxious stimuli, this offers potential in understanding and possibly treating neuropathology in the orofacial region.
Topics: Humans; Connectome; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Pons; Skull; Thalamus
PubMed: 38613234
DOI: 10.1177/03331024241235168 -
BMC Anesthesiology Apr 2024Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is preferentially treated by prompt endovascular coiling, which is not available in Guadeloupe. Subsequently, patients are... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is preferentially treated by prompt endovascular coiling, which is not available in Guadeloupe. Subsequently, patients are transferred to Paris, France mainland, by commercial airplane (6751 km flight) after being managed according to guidelines. This study describes the characteristics, management and outcomes related to these patients.
METHODS
Retrospective observational cohort study of 148 patients admitted in intensive care unit for a suspected aSAH and transferred by airplane over a 10-year period (2010-2019).
RESULTS
The median [interquartile range] age was 53 [45-64] years and 61% were female. On admission, Glasgow coma scale was 15 [13-15], World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) grading scale was 1 [1-3] and Fisher scale was 4 [2-4]. External ventricular drainage and mechanical ventilation were performed prior to the flight respectively in 42% and 47% of patients. One-year mortality was 16% over the study period. By COX logistic regression analysis, acute hydrocephalus (hazard ratio [HR] 2.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-5.58) prior to airplane transfer, WFNS grading scale on admission (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.16-2.02) and age (OR 1.03, 95% 1.00-1.07) were associated with one-year mortality.
CONCLUSION
When necessary, transatlantic air transfer of patients with suspected aSAH after management according to local guidelines seems feasible and safe.
Topics: Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Male; Retrospective Studies; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage; Aircraft; Drainage; France
PubMed: 38609864
DOI: 10.1186/s12871-024-02532-7 -
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease : JAD 2024Tau accumulation in and neurodegeneration of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons is observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated whether tangle and neuronal density...
Tau accumulation in and neurodegeneration of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons is observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated whether tangle and neuronal density in the rostral and caudal LC is characterized by an asymmetric pattern in 77 autopsy cases of the Rush Memory and Aging Project. We found left-right equivalence for tangle density across individuals with and without AD pathology. However, neuronal density, particularly in the caudal-rostral axis of the LC, is asymmetric among individuals with AD pathology. Asymmetry in LC neuronal density may signal advanced disease progression and should be considered in AD neuroimaging studies of LC neurodegeneration.
Topics: Humans; Locus Coeruleus; Alzheimer Disease; Female; Male; Aged, 80 and over; Aged; Neurons; Neurofibrillary Tangles; tau Proteins; Cell Count
PubMed: 38607758
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-231328 -
Anesthesiology Jul 2024Dynamic changes in neuronal activity and in noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) projections have been proposed during the transition from acute to chronic pain. Thus, the...
BACKGROUND
Dynamic changes in neuronal activity and in noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) projections have been proposed during the transition from acute to chronic pain. Thus, the authors explored the cellular cFos activity of the LC and its projections in conjunction with spontaneous pain-like behavior in neuropathic rats.
METHODS
Tyrosine hydroxylase:Cre and wild-type Long-Evans rats, males and females, were subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) for 2 (short-term, CCI-ST) or 30 days (long-term, CCI-LT), evaluating cFos and Fluoro-Gold expression in the LC, and its projections to the spinal cord (SC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). These tests were carried out under basal conditions (unstimulated) and after noxious mechanical stimulation. LC activity was evaluated through chemogenetic and pharmacologic approaches, as were its projections, in association with spontaneous pain-like behaviors.
RESULTS
CCI-ST enhanced basal cFos expression in the LC and in its projection to the SC, which increased further after noxious stimulation. Similar basal activation was found in the neurons projecting to the rACC, although this was not modified by stimulation. Strong basal cFos expression was found in CCI-LT, specifically in the projection to the rACC, which was again not modified by stimulation. No cFos expression was found in the CCI-LT LCipsilateral (ipsi)/contralateral (contra)→SC. Chemogenetics showed that CCI-ST is associated with greater spontaneous pain-like behavior when the LCipsi is blocked, or by selectively blocking the LCipsi→SC projection. Activation of the LCipsi or LCipsi/contra→SC dampened pain-like behavior. Moreover, Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs)-mediated inactivation of the CCI-ST LCipsi→rACC or CCI-LT LCipsi/contra→rACC pathway, or intra-rACC antagonism of α-adrenoreceptors, also dampens pain-like behavior.
CONCLUSIONS
In the short term, activation of the LC after CCI attenuates spontaneous pain-like behaviors via projections to the SC while increasing nociception via projections to the rACC. In the long term, only the projections from the LC to the rACC contribute to modulate pain-like behaviors in this model.
Topics: Animals; Locus Coeruleus; Rats; Male; Rats, Long-Evans; Female; Behavior, Animal; Time Factors; Neuralgia; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38602502
DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000005006 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) patients are characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and poor response to vaccination due to deficient generation of memory and...
INTRODUCTION
Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) patients are characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and poor response to vaccination due to deficient generation of memory and antibody-secreting B cells. B lymphocytes are essential for the development of humoral immune responses, and mitochondrial function, hreactive oxygen species (ROS) production and autophagy are crucial for determining B-cell fate. However, the role of those basic cell functions in the differentiation of human B cells remains poorly investigated.
METHODS
We used flow cytometry to evaluate mitochondrial function, ROS production and autophagy processes in human naïve and memory B-cell subpopulations in unstimulated and stimulated PBMCs cultures. We aimed to determine whether any alterations in these processes could impact B-cell fate and contribute to the lack of B-cell differentiation observed in CVID patients.
RESULTS
We described that naïve CD19CD27 and memory CD19CD27 B cells subpopulations from healthy controls differ in terms of their dependence on these processes for their homeostasis, and demonstrated that different stimuli exert a preferential cell type dependent effect. The evaluation of mitochondrial function, ROS production and autophagy in naïve and memory B cells from CVID patients disclosed subpopulation specific alterations. Dysfunctional mitochondria and autophagy were more prominent in unstimulated CVID CD19CD27 and CD19CD27 B cells than in their healthy counterparts. Although naïve CD19CD27 B cells from CVID patients had higher basal ROS levels than controls, their ROS increase after stimulation was lower, suggesting a disruption in ROS homeostasis. On the other hand, memory CD19CD27 B cells from CVID patients had both lower ROS basal levels and a diminished ROS production after stimulation with anti-B cell receptor (BCR) and IL-21.
CONCLUSION
The failure in ROS cell signalling could impair CVID naïve B cell activation and differentiation to memory B cells. Decreased levels of ROS in CVID memory CD19CD27 B cells, which negatively correlate with their cell death and autophagy, could be detrimental and lead to their previously demonstrated premature death. The final consequence would be the failure to generate a functional B cell compartment in CVID patients.
Topics: Humans; Reactive Oxygen Species; Common Variable Immunodeficiency; Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; B-Lymphocytes; Antigens, CD19; Autophagy; Mitochondria
PubMed: 38596676
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1362995 -
Archives of Plastic Surgery Mar 2024The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap is a versatile flap that has been described for various applications, mostly for lower extremity coverage...
The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap is a versatile flap that has been described for various applications, mostly for lower extremity coverage and head and neck reconstructions. However, there are few publications reporting its use for breast reconstruction, mainly because of its low volume availability. In this article, we present the case of a patient who successfully underwent a partial breast and immediate nipple-areola complex (NAC) reconstruction with an SCIP flap. She had been previously reconstructed with an implant after a nipple-sparing mastectomy, but the NAC turned out to be involved with cancer needing further resection. Our goal with this article, is to introduce a novel concept for addressing partial breast and NAC reconstruction and mostly, to illustrate the importance of an adaptable surgical plan based on every individual case emphasizing the versality of microsurgery for breast cancer reconstruction.
PubMed: 38596154
DOI: 10.1055/a-2223-5325 -
Cureus Mar 2024This case report glances at the physiotherapy management and motor recovery outcomes of a 47-year-old female who had a pontine infarction complicated by Millard-Gubler...
This case report glances at the physiotherapy management and motor recovery outcomes of a 47-year-old female who had a pontine infarction complicated by Millard-Gubler syndrome. Pontine infarction is a stroke that occurs in the pons region of the brainstem, resulting in impaired blood flow and subsequent tissue damage. Millard-Gubler syndrome, a rare form of pontine infarction, is distinguished by ipsilateral abducens (sixth cranial nerve) and facial (seventh cranial nerve) nerve palsy, which cause horizontal gaze palsy and facial weakness, respectively. Other common symptoms include contralateral hemiparesis or hemiplegia, dysarthria, and hypertonia. In this case, the patient had nystagmus, dysarthria, hypertonia, decreased consciousness, and limited mobility. Physiotherapy interventions were used in a multidisciplinary approach to address these deficits, with a focus on improving gaze stability, reducing hypertonia, facilitating bed mobility, and improving respiratory function. The outcomes were evaluated using standardised measures such as the Brunnstrom staging for motor recovery, the Modified Ashworth Scale for hypertonia, and the Functional Independence Measure for functional status. This case demonstrates the critical role of physiotherapy in improving motor recovery and functional outcomes.
PubMed: 38595881
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55894 -
ELife Apr 2024Locus coeruleus (LC) projections to the hippocampus play a critical role in learning and memory. However, the precise timing of LC-hippocampus communication during...
Locus coeruleus (LC) projections to the hippocampus play a critical role in learning and memory. However, the precise timing of LC-hippocampus communication during learning and which LC-derived neurotransmitters are important for memory formation in the hippocampus are currently unknown. Although the LC is typically thought to modulate neural activity via the release of norepinephrine, several recent studies have suggested that it may also release dopamine into the hippocampus and other cortical regions. In some cases, it appears that dopamine release from LC into the hippocampus may be more important for memory than norepinephrine. Here, we extend these data by characterizing the phasic responses of the LC and its projections to the dorsal hippocampus during trace fear conditioning in mice. We find that the LC and its projections to the hippocampus respond to task-relevant stimuli and that amplifying these responses with optogenetic stimulation can enhance long-term memory formation. We also demonstrate that LC activity increases both norepinephrine and dopamine content in the dorsal hippocampus and that the timing of hippocampal dopamine release during trace fear conditioning is similar to the timing of LC activity. Finally, we show that hippocampal dopamine is important for trace fear memory formation, while norepinephrine is not.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Dopamine; Locus Coeruleus; Fear; Hippocampus; Norepinephrine
PubMed: 38592773
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.91465 -
Cureus Mar 2024Anorexia nervosa (AN) is often accompanied by numerous medical complications and mental disorders. There are few specialized AN facilities in Japan, resulting in the...
Consecutive Serious Medical Concomitants Associated With Extremely Severe Anorexia Nervosa in a Patient With Body Mass Index of 10.2 Kilograms per Square Meter: A Case Report.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is often accompanied by numerous medical complications and mental disorders. There are few specialized AN facilities in Japan, resulting in the unmet medical needs of patients with AN. A 37-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to the hospital after experiencing a disturbance of consciousness. Her body mass index was 10.2 kg/m. She developed the following serious medical concomitants associated with extremely severe AN: hypothermia, shock liver, refractory hypoglycemia, acute gastric mucosal bleeding, gelatinous marrow transformation, catheter-related bloodstream infection and infective endocarditis due to β-lactamase-negative , aspiration pneumonia, intracranial hemorrhage, candidemia, and osmotic demyelination syndrome in the pons, which led to a fatal condition that quickly worsened after we started treatment. The patient was able to overcome several serious concomitants and be discharged from the hospital after multidisciplinary treatment team care. AN is associated with increased rates of all-cause mortality. It is important to take an interdisciplinary approach with emergency physicians, intensivists, hematologists, gastroenterologists, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, a nutrition support team with a nationally registered nutritionist and hospitalists, and hospitalization as required based on appropriate medical evaluation with good patient and family rapport. Furthermore, social and educational efforts aimed at preventing the development of AN are necessary.
PubMed: 38586716
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55749