Spatial patterns of visual cortical fast EEG during conditioned reflex in a rhesus monkey

A preliminary assay was made of the existence of time-space coherence patterns of fast EEG activity in the visual cortex of a Rhesus monkey. The primary intent of the present study was to evaluate the similarities and differences in relation to the olfactory bulb, where such coherences ave been described and have been demonstrated to be associated with behavior. Segments 1.5 s in duration were recorded simultaneously without averaging from 16 of 35 subdural electrodes fixed over the left occipital lobe in an array3.6cm× 2.8cm. Each segment was taken during the delivery of a visual conditioned stimulus (CS) and the performance of a conditioned response (CR) by a well-trained Rhesus monkey. The EEGs appeared chaotic with irregular bursts lasting 75–200 ms, resembling those in the olfactory EEG but with lower peak frequencies. Fourier spectra showed broad distributions of power resembling ‘ 1/fnoise’ with multiple peaks in the range of 20–40 Hz. Time intervals were selected where coherent activity seemed to be present at a number of electrodes. A dominant component waveform that was common to all channels was extracted by principal components analysis (PCA) of each segment. The distribution of the power of this component across the electrodes (the factor loadings) was used to describe the spatial pattern of the coherent cortical activity. Statistical analyses suggested that different patterns could be associated to the CS and the CR, as has been found in the olfactory system. These patterns remained stable over a 6 week recording interval. The patterns can be better discriminated, when the factor loadings of each channel are normalized to zero mean and unit variance, to discard a basic pattern of power distribution, which may reflect anatomical and electrode positioning factors that are related to behavioral information processing by the cortex. The wide spatial distribution of the common patterns found suggests that EEG patterns that manifest differing states of the visual cortex may also be accessible with scalp electrodes.     

Toward noninvasive monitoring of ongoing electrical activity of human uterus and fetal heart and brain

Objective

To evaluate whether a full-coverage fetal-maternal scanner can noninvasively monitor ongoing electrophysiological activity of maternal and fetal organs.

Health consequences of acute and chronic marihuana use

Chemical content, assay procedures, and pharmacokinetics of cannabis sativa are discussed briefly. Cannabinoid cellular effects relating to chromosomes and immunity including cellular metabolism and allergic reactions are presented. Gross and microscopic brain pathology due to cannabis use is reviewed involving EEG alterations, psychopathology including aggressive behaviour as well as properties of psychomotor impairment, tolerance and dependence. Cardiopulmonary effects of marihuana are recorded under pulmonary pharmacological effects including the macrophage defense system and effects of smoke constituents; under cardiovascular effects cardiac toxicity and possible mechanism of action are discussed. Alterations of reproductive hormonal production and maturation of reproductive cells by marihuana in males and females with attendant impairment of reproductive function or fertility including reproductive outcome are reported. Field studies with healthy chronic cannabis users in Jamaica, Greece and Costa Rica are related as to observed medical alterations. Potential clinical effects are summarized in point form.     

Concentration of antiepileptic drugs in persons with epilepsy: a comparative study in serum and saliva

Aim of the study: The monitoring of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in clinical setting is important for measuring the efficacy of drugs and their safety and in personalizing drug therapy. We investigated the levels of AED, carbamazepine (CBZ), phenytoin (PHT) and phenobarbital (PHB), to understand their association in saliva compared with those in serum during the therapy. Materials and methods: In this study, we performed a prospective study of 116 persons with epilepsy (PWE; mean age 26.90 ± 11.83 years). Serum and saliva samples were collected at trough levels from the patients, who were under the treatment of CBZ, PHT and PHB either alone or in combination of these drugs for at least three months. The drug levels were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results and conclusions: The number of males (n = 88; 75.86%) was higher than females (n = 28; 24.14%) among the recruited patients. The intake of CBZ, PHT and PHB was observed in 49.14%, 68.10% and 38.79% of PWE, respectively. The levels of these AEDs showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between serum and saliva. Interestingly, the levels of mono-therapy or bi-therapy showed a significant association (p < 0.05) between serum and saliva, however, there was no significant association in case of poly-therapy. This is the first report in the Indian population on simultaneous estimation of the three commonly used AEDs, such as CBZ, PHT and PHB in serum and saliva implicating their associations, either in mono-therapy or bi-therapy in PWE.     

Do scalp-recorded slow potentials during neuro-feedback training reflect the cortical activity?

Objective

Neuro-feedback (NFB) training by the self-regulation of slow potentials (SPs) <0.5?Hz recorded from the vertex scalp has been applied for seizure suppression in patients with epilepsy. However, SP is highly susceptible to artifact contamination, such as the galvanic skin response (GSR). This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between SPs recorded from the scalp and intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) by event-related coherence analysis.

Rapid‐acting antidepressant ketamine,its metabolites and other candidates: A historical overview and future perspective

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most disabling psychiatric disorders. Approximately one‐third of the patients with MDD are treatment resistant to the current antidepressants. There is also a significant therapeutic time lag of weeks to months. Furthermore, depression in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) is typically poorly responsive to antidepressants. Therefore, there exists an unmet medical need for rapidly acting antidepressants with beneficial effects in treatment‐resistant patients with MDD or BD. Accumulating evidence suggests that the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist ketamine produces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in treatment‐resistant patients with MDD or BD. Ketamine is a racemic mixture comprising equal parts of (R)‐ketamine (or arketamine) and (S)‐ketamine (or esketamine). Because (S)‐ketamine has higher affinity for NMDAR than (R)‐ketamine, esketamine was developed as an antidepressant. On 5 March 2019, esketamine nasal spray was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, preclinical data suggest that (R)‐ketamine exerts greater potency and longer‐lasting antidepressant effects than (S)‐ketamine in animal models of depression and that (R)‐ketamine has less detrimental side‐effects than (R,S)‐ketamine or (S)‐ketamine. In this article, the author reviews the historical overview of the antidepressant actions of enantiomers of ketamine and its major metabolites norketamine and hydroxynorketamine. Furthermore, the author discusses the other potential rapid‐acting antidepressant candidates (i.e., NMDAR antagonists and modulators, low‐voltage‐sensitive T‐type calcium channel inhibitor, potassium channel Kir4.1 inhibitor, negative modulators of γ‐aminobutyric acid, and type A [GABA_A] receptors) to compare them with ketamine. Moreover, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ketamine’s antidepressant effects are discussed.     

Update of the original HDLS kindred: divergent clinical courses

Sundal C, Ekholm S, Nordborg C, Jönsson L, Börjesson‐Hanson A, Lindén T, Zetterberg H, Viitanen M, Andersen O. Update of the original HDLS kindred: divergent clinical courses.
Acta Neurol Scand: 2012: 126: 67–75.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Background – Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS) was first identified among a Swedish kindred with 17 cases. The average age of onset was 36 years. Autopsy in four cases revealed the presence of axonal spheroids. The causative gene is unknown. Methods – We performed genealogical and longitudinal observations of the original kindred. Forty members were examined, five telephone‐interviewed, and one of the original HDLS cases from 1984 was neuropathologically examined. The clinical course was documented. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings of two recently affected cases were examined, and one of those autopsied. Results – Of those examined, two developed HDLS during our survey and 38 were healthy. Those interviewed by telephone were healthy. One had symptoms suggestive of HDLS in 1984, but autopsy during our survey showed no spheroids. This patient, two relatives healthy at our examination and one without symptoms at telephone interview had HDLS diagnoses in the 1984 report. Thus, four HDLS diagnoses were unconfirmed. The number of identified patients amounts to 15 among 75 individuals in four generations, including two recent cases who demonstrated a subacute multisystem encephalopathy in Case 1 and an insidious course in Case 2. CSF showed signs of neurodegeneration without inflammation, and autopsy verified HDLS in Case 1. Conclusions – Some HDLS cases were misdiagnosed with unspecified psychiatric diagnoses in affected relatives from the original 1984 publication. However, HDLS is an encephalopathy dominated by a frontal lobe syndrome with an inexorably progressive and fatal course, where the different symptomatology in two recent cases confirmed the existence of acute and chronic variants.     

脑红蛋白在脑梗死大鼠表达及丁苯酞干预效应

目的探讨脑红蛋白在脑梗死大鼠中的表达和丁苯酞干预在氧化应激损伤中作用。方法将90只雄性SD大鼠随机分为假手术组、模型组、治疗组。每组再分为3个亚组:1 d组、3 d组和7 d组,每亚组10只。模型组和治疗组采用线栓法制作大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞模型(MCAO),假手术组只分离不结扎。治疗组在动物苏醒后以丁苯酞植物油灌胃,假手术组和模型组同法给予等量植物油灌胃。每只大鼠在术后3h和处死前行神经功能评分,应用RT-PCR和免疫组化检测脑组织脑红蛋白(NGB)表达,化学比色法检测超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量。结果 (1)神经功能评分,模型组和治疗组术后3 h评分差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),各时间点处死前评分差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。(2)NGB mRNA和免疫组化表达随时间延长逐渐降低,各时间点模型组较假手术组、治疗组较模型组高,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。(3)SOD活性和MDA含量随时间延长逐渐减少。SOD活性假手术组较治疗组、治疗组较模型组高,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);MDA含量假手术组较治疗组、治疗组较模型组低,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论丁苯酞促进脑缺血大鼠脑红蛋白表达,减少氧化应激损伤。     

Evaluation of the relationship between C677T variants of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene and hyperhomocysteinemia in children receiving antiepileptic drug therapy

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur-containing amino acid involved in methionine metabolism. Elevated plasma Hcy concentration is a possible risk factor for vascular disease. Folate and vitamin B-12 are vitamins that are necessary for remethylization of Hcy to methionine. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is the key enzyme in remethylation of Hcy to methionine and supplies the required 5-methyltetrahydrofolate as the methyl donor for this reaction. It is well known that some antiepileptic drugs (AED) can lead to hyperhomocysteinemia by affecting the levels of folate and vitamin B-12. The C677T variant of MTHFR gene can also lead to hyperhomocysteinemia particularly when serum folate level is decreased. In this study, we investigated the levels of serum folate, vitamin B-12 and Hcy in epileptic patients receiving carbamazepine (CBZ) or valproic acid (VPA) as monotherapy, and we also evaluated the probable contribution of the C677T variant of MTHFR gene in hyperhomocysteinemia. A total of 93 patients with idiopathic epilepsy receiving CBZ or VPA as monotherapy were included in this study. CBZ and VPA groups consisted of 29 and 64 patients, respectively. The control group comprised 62 healthy children. We measured serum folate, vitamin B-12 and Hcy levels in each group. We found that mean serum folate level was statistically lower and mean Hcy level was higher in epileptic patients receiving CBZ or VPA when compared with those of controls'. We also determined the C677T variants of MTHFR gene (as normal, heterozygote or homozygote) in epileptic patients. We compared the variant groups for serum folate, vitamin B-12 and Hcy levels and found no significant differences among them. In conclusion, C677T variants of MTHFR gene have no contribution in hyperhomocysteinemia in epileptic patients receiving CBZ or VPA.     

Differential Effects of Fondaparinux and Bemiparin on Angiogenic and Vasculogenesis-like processes

Introduction

Conventional therapy for venous thromboembolism or acute coronary syndrome involves the administration of glycoanticoagulants (heparins) or oligosaccharides (fondaparinux). We evaluated the effects of such drugs on angiogenesis and vasculogenesis-like models.

Materials and Methods

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells or human endothelial progenitor cells were treated with bemiparin, fondaparinux or unfractionated heparin, at concentrations reflecting the doses used in clinical practice. After 24 h, cell viability, proliferation, tubule formation and angiogenic molecular mechanisms, such as activation of the serine/threonine kinase AKT, were assessed. In vivo angiogenesis was studied using a Matrigel sponge assay in mice.

Results

Bemiparin gave a significant decrease of in vitro angiogenesis as shown by the reduction of endothelial cell tubule network, while both fondaparinux and unfractionated heparin did not show any significant effect. In assays of Matrigel sponge invasion in mice, unfractionated heparin was able to stimulate angiogenesis and, conversely, bemiparin inhibited angiogenesis. Furthermore, both bemiparin and fondaparinux caused a significant reduction in an in vitro vasculogenesis-like model, as demonstrated by the decrease of tubule network after co-seeding of endothelial progenitor cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In addition, unfractionated heparin but not bemiparin was able to increase AKT phosphorylation.

Conclusions

In in vitro experiments, bemiparin was the only drug to show an anti-angiogenic and vasculogenic-like effect, unfractionated heparin showed only a trend to increase in angiogenesis assay and fondaparinux affected only the vasculogenesis-like model. Notably, the in vivo experiments corroborated these data. Such results are important for the choice of a patient-tailored therapy.     

Factors affecting the survival following surgical treatment of chronic subdural haematoma: Single institutional experience

BackgroundChronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is one of the most commonly treated condition in neurosurgery. It affects elderly populations who often have significant medical co-morbidities resulting in poor prognosis. The study aimed at identifying clinical factors influencing the survival following surgical management of CSDH.MethodsRetrospective study included 267 cases that underwent surgery for CSDH and followed over 5-year period (2010–2015); data retrieved with reference to operation details, radiology reports and discharge. Using logistic and Cox regression analysis, the patient survival data was analysed with respect to patient demographics, type of surgery, co-morbidities, anticoagulation treatment, and discharge destination.ResultsThe overall survival in the cohort was 37.0 months (IQR: 20.0–60.0). The median age of the patients was 76 years (IQR: 66–82) and the median length of hospital stay was 10 days (range 1–126 days; IQR: 6–17 days). The recurrence rate was 6.37% (n = 17). Fifty-three (19.85%) patients recorded deceased on the IPM database as of October 2016 and of those 11 died in hospital. Univariate Cox-regression analysis revealed increased age (HR: 1.80; 95%CI: 1.04–3.11), length of hospital stay (HR: 2.50; 95%CI: 1.41–4.41) and number of co-morbidities (HR: 2.19; 95%CI: 1.26–3.79) were associated with poor prognosis. Glasgow coma scale (GCS) at discharge was found to be significantly associated with survival whilst anticoagulation treatment did not. Multivariate analysis confirmed similar findings significant statistically.ConclusionAge at admission, median length of hospital stay, number of co-morbidities, GCS at discharge and discharge destination have been found to influence survival significant statistically.     

Walking from thought

Online analysis and classification of single electroencephalogram (EEG) trials during motor imagery were used for navigation in the virtual environment (VE). The EEG was recorded bipolarly with electrode placement over the hand and foot representation areas. The aim of the study was to demonstrate for the first time that it is possible to move through a virtual street without muscular activity when the participant only imagines feet movements. This is achieved by exploiting a brain-computer interface (BCI) which transforms thought-modulated EEG signals into an output signal that controls events within the VE. The experiments were carried out in an immersive projection environment, commonly referred to as a "Cave" (Cruz-Neira, C., Sandin, D.J., DeFanti, T.A., Surround-screen projection-based virtual reality: the design and implementation of the CAVE. Proceedings of the 20th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques, ACM Press, 1993, pp. 135-142) where participants were able to move through a virtual street by foot imagery only. Prior to the final experiments in the Cave, the participants underwent an extensive BCI training.     

Seizure localization using EEG analytical signals

ObjectiveLocalization of epileptic seizures, usually characterized by abnormal hypersynchronous wave patterns from the cortex, remains elusive. We present a novel, robust method for automatic localization of seizures on the scalp from clinical electroencephalogram (EEG) data.MethodsSeizure patient EEG data was decomposed via the Hilbert Transform and processed through the following methodology: sorting the analytic amplitude (AA) in the time instance, locating the maximum amplitude within the vector of channels, cross-correlating amplitude values in the time index with the channel vector. The channel with highest AA value in time was located.ResultsOur approach provides an automated way to isolate the epi-genesis of seizure events with 93.3% precision and 100% sensitivity. The method differentiates seizure-related neural activity from other common EEG noise artifacts (e.g., blinks, myogenic noise).ConclusionsWe evaluated performance characteristics of our source location methodology utilizing both phase and energy of EEG signals from patients who exhibited seizure events. Feasibility of the new algorithm is demonstrated and confirmed.SignificanceThe proposed method contributes to high-performance scalp localization for seizure events that is more straightforward and less computationally intensive than other methods (e.g., inverse source modeling). Ultimately, it may aid clinicians in providing improved patient diagnosis.     

Separation of pineal extracts by gelfiltration

Summary Aqueous extracts of sheep pineal bodies were separated on Sephadex G-25. A low molecular Sephadex G-25 fraction F 4 was filtrated on Sephadex G-10. Several distinct peaks could be detected showing excitation and fluorescence maxima resembling those of indoles.A thinlayer chromatography study revealed that one Sephadex G-10 peak contained a spot identical with that of synthetic 5-methoxytryptophol, another a spot with the same Rf-values in different solvents as synthetic 5-hydroxytryptophol, while from a third peak a substance was isolated identical with synthetic melatonin. Mass spectra of the isolated compounds were recorded.These results are compared with those of previous isolation studies.     

42例强直性肌营养不良症(MYD)电生理表现

为了研究探讨MYD患者的电生理特点,本文对42例MYD病人进行了肌电图(EMG)、神经传导速度(NCV)和体感诱发电位(SEPs)检查。结果发现,全部患者均有电肌强直表现,其放电频率以拇短展肌最高。28%的病人发现NCV减慢,以运动神经为主,且早年症状组NCV异常率明显高于成年症状组病人。SEPs异常检出率为24%,且多数合并周围神经损害。结论:42例MYD患者存在着广泛的电生理异常,且早年症状组较成年症状组病人更为常见。     

Intermittent theta burst stimulation over primary motor cortex enhances movement-related beta synchronisation

Objective

The objective of this study is to investigate how transcranial magnetic intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) with a prolonged protocol affects human cortical excitability and movement-related oscillations.

Methods

Using motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and movement-related magnetoencephalography (MEG), we assessed the changes of corticospinal excitability and cortical oscillations after iTBS with double the conventional stimulation time (1200 pulses, iTBS1200) over the primary motor cortex (M1) in 10 healthy subjects. Continuous TBS (cTBS1200) and sham stimulation served as controls.

Results

iTBS1200 facilitated MEPs evoked from the conditioned M1, while inhibiting MEPs from the contralateral M1 for 30 min. By contrast, cTBS1200 inhibited MEPs from the conditioned M1. Importantly, empirical mode decomposition-based MEG analysis showed that the amplitude of post-movement beta synchronisation (16–26 Hz) was significantly increased by iTBS1200 at the conditioned M1, but was suppressed at the nonconditioned M1. Alpha (8–13 Hz) and low gamma-ranged (35–45 Hz) rhythms were not notably affected. Movement kinetics remained consistent throughout.

Conclusions

TBS1200 modulated corticospinal excitability in parallel with the direction of conventional paradigms with modestly prolonged efficacy. Moreover, iTBS1200 increased post-movement beta synchronisation of the stimulated M1, and decreased that of the contralateral M1, probably through interhemispheric interaction.

Significance

Our results provide insight into the underlying mechanism of TBS and reinforce the connection between movement-related beta synchronisation and corticospinal output.