Quadro-pulse stimulation is more effective than paired-pulse stimulation for plasticity induction of the human motor cortex

OBJECTIVE: Repetitive paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at I-wave periodicity has been shown to induce a motor-evoked potential (MEP) facilitation. We hypothesized that a greater enhancement of motor cortical excitability is provoked by increasing the number of pulses per train beyond those by paired-pulse stimulation (PPS). METHODS: We explored motor cortical excitability changes induced by repetitive application of trains of four monophasic magnetic pulses (quadro-pulse stimulation: QPS) at 1.5-ms intervals, repeated every 5s over the motor cortex projecting to the hand muscles. The aftereffects of QPS were evaluated with MEPs to a single-pulse TMS, motor threshold (MT), and responses to brain-stem stimulation. These effects were compared to those after PPS. To evaluate the QPS safety, we also studied the spread of excitation and after discharge using surface electromyograms (EMGs) of hand and arm muscles. RESULTS: Sizes of MEPs from the hand muscle were enhanced for longer than 75min after QPS; they reverted to the baseline at 90min. Responses to brain-stem stimulation from the hand muscle and cortical MEPs from the forearm muscle were unchanged after QPS over the hand motor area. MT was unaffected by QPS. No spreads of excitation were detected after QPS. The appearance rate of after discharges during QPS was not different from that during sham stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that QPS can safely induce long-lasting, topographically specific enhancement of motor cortical excitability. SIGNIFICANCE: QPS is more effective than PPS for inducing motor cortical plasticity.     

Least-square conformal brain mapping with spring energy

The human brain cortex is a highly convoluted sheet. Mapping of the cortical surface into a canonical coordinate space is an important tool for the study of the structure and function of the brain. Here, we present a technique based on least-square conformal mapping with spring energy for the mapping of the cortical surface. This method aims to reduce the metric and area distortion while maintaining the conformal map and computation efficiency. We demonstrate through numerical results that this method effectively controls metric and area distortion, and is computational efficient. This technique is particularly useful for fast visualization of the brain cortex.     

听神经病的纯音听阈检查结果分析

目的 探讨听神经病纯音听阈(PTT)检查的特征。方法 对48例听神经病患者的PTT检查结果进行分析，并与耳蜗性聋进行对照比较。结果 听神经病的PTT图有上升型、峰型、匙型、W型、倒S型、水平型和缓降型。双耳对称的PTT图有38例，不对称的有10例。听神经病的听阈升高程度呈轻、中度。左右耳听阈升高程度基本一致。低频听阈升高或以低频听阈升高为主的PTT图型占93．75％(90／96耳)。结论 双耳对称或基本对称的低频听阈升高或以低频听阈升高为主是听神经病的重要特征。     

Maturation of executive function in autism.

BACKGROUND: Executive dysfunction has been reported at different ages in autism. It is not clear however, when this impairment emerges or how its expression is affected by development. METHODS: 61 non-mentally retarded autism participants (AUT) and 61 age, gender, and IQ matched typically developing participants (CON) were assessed with two oculomotor executive function tasks, the oculomotor delayed response task (ODR) and the antisaccade task (AS), as well as a visually-guided saccade sensorimotor task (VGS). RESULTS: The AUT group demonstrated impairments in response inhibition and spatial working memory at all ages tested. Developmental improvements in speed of sensorimotor processing and voluntary response inhibition were similar in both groups indicating sparing of some attentional control of behavior. Developmental progression in the speed of initiating a cognitive plan and maintaining information on line over time, however, was impaired in the AUT group indicating abnormal development of working memory. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that while executive dysfunction is present throughout development, there is evidence for both typical and atypical developmental progression of executive functions in autism. The plasticity suggested by the developmental improvements may have implications regarding appropriate developmental epochs and types of interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive capacities in individuals with autism.     

采用扩散张量纤维束成像技术研究活体Broca语言功能区及其纤维环路的结构

目的 采用扩散张量成像技术揭示健康人Broea区与其他脑功能区间的纤维联系规律。方法 健康成人20名，采用Siemens Trio 3．0T MR仪及工作站行数据采集和后处理及Broea区（B45和44区）纤维追踪，分析由语言功能区发出的神经纤维分布和走行。结果 BroeaB45区纤维束平均值左侧为428束，右侧相应脑区为416束，两侧差异无统计学意义（t=0．216，P〉0．05）；B44区纤维束平均值左侧为432束，右侧相应脑区为344束，两侧差异有统计学意义（t=2．314，P〈0．05）。B45区部分各向异性左侧平均为0．336，右侧同区为0．317（t=-3．656，P〈0．05）；B44区左侧平均为0．342，右侧同脑区为0．342（t=0．093，P〉0．05）。弓状纤维束平均左侧为199束，右侧为205束（t=-0．465，P〉0．05）；平均部分各向异性左侧为0．385，右侧为0．375（t=1．912，P〈0．05）。Broea区发出纤维走行和分布，主要向前上到额叶前部内侧面皮层下，过胼胝体到对侧相应结构，向外下穿外囊向后经颞叶到枕叶，向内下穿苍白球和内囊后肢向下行。结论 Broea区及其相关的纤维结构形成重要的语言纤维环路结构，结构完整是完成语言功能的基础。     

Neurophysiological aspects of chronic motor cortex stimulation

Chronic motor cortex stimulation is a treatment option for neuropathic drug-resistant pain and possibly associated movement disorders. Preliminary studies suggest the possibility to treat symptoms of Parkinson disease in selected patients. Recently, MCS has been suggested to enhance motor recovery in patients with poststroke hemiparesis. One or more electrodes are placed extradurally over the motor cortex through a burr hole or a small craniotomy, and then connected to a totally implantable neurostimulator. The accurate positioning of the stimulating electrodes over the motor cortex is the key point of the surgical procedure. Motor cortex identification results from the integration of anatomical, neuroradiological, functional, and neurophysiological data, taking into account the huge population variability. Intraoperative neurophysiological mapping of the motor cortex is of paramount importance, in spite of very sophisticated neuroradiological mathematical reconstructions of the motor area. We discuss and compare the different techniques that are utilized by different authors. Moreover, clinical neurophysiology is also helpful in evaluating the results of this neuromodulation procedure and in hypothesizing the mechanisms that are put in play by MCS.     

Functional Anatomy of Visuomotor Skill Learning in Human Subjects Examined with Positron Emission Tomography

The present study was designed to examine patterns of regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) associated with the learning of a repeated visuomotor sequence both in the early and late phases of the acquisition process. In addition, changes in blood flow related to the implicit versus explicit aspects of learning such a skill were investigated. Fourteen normal control subjects were scanned while performing the task (i) in both early and advanced learning stages of the visuomotor sequence; (ii) after having acquired explicit knowledge of the sequences; and (iii) in two control conditions (perceptual and random sequence). Subtraction of the random condition from the highly learned condition revealed specific areas of activity in the right ventral striatum and dentate nucleus of the cerebellum. Blood flow changes in the right hemisphere were also seen in the medial posterior parietal and prestriate regions, as well as in the anterior cingulate cortex. Finally, once the subjects had acquired explicit knowledge of the embedded sequence that was presented in the highly learned condition, increased CBF activity was observed only in the mid-ventrolateral frontal area in the right hemisphere. These findings confirm that both the striatum and the cerebellum are involved in the implicit acquisition of a visuomotor skill, especially in the advanced stages of the learning process, and furthermore that the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex contributes preferentially to the declarative aspect of this task.     

Numerical data on neocortical neurons in adult rat, with special reference to the GABA population

The disector method was used to estimate the numerical density of neurons (number per unit volume) and their actual number per column (number under a given area of pial surface), in the occipital (monocular segment of the primary visual area, Oc1M), the parietal (somatosensory barrelfield area, Par1) and the frontal cortex (primary motor area, Fr1) of adult rat. Values were first obtained for all neurons in each layer, and then for GABA neurons as identified with postembedding immunocytochemistry on semithin sections. The numerical density of neurons in the frontal cortex (34,000/mm³) was significantly lower than in the two other neocortical areas (occipital: 52,000; parietal: 48,000/mm³). The GABA population showed a similar difference and consequently represented an equivalent proportion of total (15%) in the three cortical areas. Across layers, there was an alternate distribution of low and high density of neurons from layers II–III to VI in the three cortical areas, with the highest density in layer IV of the two sensory areas. The laminar changes in density of the GABA neurons were not as pronounced as those of the overall population. Consequently, the layers with the highest overall neuronal densities tended to have a lower proportion of GABA neurons and vice versa. There were more neurons under 1 mm² of surface in the parietal (90,000) than the occipital or the frontal cortex (71,000), which was also true of the GABA neurons. The greater number of neurons per column in the parietal cortex was mostly imputable to layer IV, the main recipient of thalamic axons. Comparing these values from the rat with those previously obtained in cat and monkey, it seemed that the number of neurons per cortical column was the highest in the sensory area preferentially used by each species.     

高危新生儿脑干听觉诱发电位的近期观察

目的 为了解高危新生儿脑干及听觉功能障碍情况.方法 于1995年8月～1996年1月对128例高危新生儿进行脑干听觉诱发电位(Anditory Brainstem Responses—ABR)测定.结果 急性期高危新生儿ABR异常率为51.4%,其中高胆红素血症,低体重儿,窒息和丁胺卡那霉素应用组ABR异常率分别为61.1%、66.7%、53.8%和 2.8%.血清胆红素(Sb)值>290.7μmol/L和重度窒息儿ABR异常率明显高于Sb<290.7μmol/L和轻度窒息儿.早产儿和足月小样儿ABR异常率无明显差异.丁卡组对听阀的近期影响不大.结论 高危新生儿是脑干和听觉功能障碍的高危人群,应当密切随防和早期干预.     

Auditory and visual semantic priming using different stimulus onset asynchronies: An event-related brain potential study

Semantic priming effects (behavioral and electrophysiological) were compared in the visual and auditory modalities across three stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs; 0, 200, and 800 ms). When both prime and target were presented in the visual modality (the prime just to the left of a fixation point and the target to the right) there were N400 priming effects present across the three SOAs. However, the N400 in the 0-ms SOA condition extended longer in time (800 vs. 500 ms) than in the other SOAs. When both the prime and target were presented in the auditory modality (the prime to the right ear and the target to the left), the largest priming effects were found for the 800-ms SOA. Moreover, there was a relatively early priming effect present in the 0- and 800-ms SOA conditions but not in the 200-ms condition. The results are discussed in terms of modality differences in the time course of word comprehension processes.