Yardley Brice, Larry Morgan, Maaida Kirmani, Maha Kirmani, Mercy C Udeh
{"title":"COVID-19 Vaccine Evolution and Beyond.","authors":"Yardley Brice, Larry Morgan, Maaida Kirmani, Maha Kirmani, Mercy C Udeh","doi":"10.1177/26331055231180543","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055231180543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In December 2019, a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) was first reported in China. It would quickly spread and emerge as a COVID-19 pandemic. The illness caused by SARS CoV-2 would fall on a clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic, mild to severe respiratory symptoms, ARDS, and death. This led to significant morbidity and mortality further impacting at-risk populations with severe complications. Thus, a concerted worldwide effort to meet the challenges of diagnosing, treating, and preventing COVID-19 led to rapid advances in medicine. Some mitigating methods of masking, social distancing, and frequent handwashing, helped to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Effective therapeutics consisting of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies, plus their use for prophylaxis, contributed to the management of COVID-19. The vaccines from various platforms (mRNA, viral vectors, protein base, and inactivated) contributed to decreased incidence, severity, and overall decreased hospitalizations and mortality. This article aims to review the novel mRNA vaccines (Moderna + Pfizer/BioNTech), viral vector (Janssen& Johnson), and protein base (Novavax), their side effects, and their use as boosters.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"26331055231180543"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/4d/09/10.1177_26331055231180543.PMC10280118.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10070968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Larry Morgan, Mary Hollist, Katherine Au, Lena Ayari, Colton Betts, Batool F Kirmani
{"title":"Neuromuscular Disorders Associated With COVID-19.","authors":"Larry Morgan, Mary Hollist, Katherine Au, Lena Ayari, Colton Betts, Batool F Kirmani","doi":"10.1177/26331055231176251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055231176251","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an enormous impact on practically every aspect of daily life, and those with neuromuscular disorders have certainly not been spared. The effects of COVID-19 infection are far-reaching, going well beyond respiratory symptoms alone. From simple myalgias to debilitating critical illness neuromyopathies, we continue to learn and catalog the diverse pathologies presented by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS<i>-</i>CoV-2) as it relates to the neuromuscular system. Complications have been documented both as a direct result of primary infection but also in those with pre-existing neuromuscular disorders from myasthenia gravis to devastating critical illness neuromyopathies. In this review, we will discuss the relationship between COVID-19 infection and critical illness neuromyopathy, peripheral nerve palsies, myalgias, positional compressive neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"26331055231176251"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/72/aa/10.1177_26331055231176251.PMC10225906.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9545193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neurobiology of Disorganized Attachment: A Review of Primary Studies on Human Beings.","authors":"Marcelo Arancibia, Mariane Lutz, Álvaro Ardiles, Camila Fuentes","doi":"10.1177/26331055221145681","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055221145681","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article describes and analyzes various aspects related to the neurobiology of disorganized attachment (DA), which is associated with personality, eating, affective, dissociative, and addictive disorders. We included primary studies in humans, published in PubMed from 2000 to 2022. Eight genetic and one epigenetic study were considered. Three molecular studies describe possible roles of oxytocin and cortisol, seven neurophysiological studies investigated functional correlates, and five morphological studies describe anatomical changes. Findings in candidate genes involved in dopaminergic, serotonergic, and oxytonergic systems have not been able to be replicated in large-scale human studies. Alterations in the functioning of cortisol and oxytocin are preliminary. Neurophysiological studies show changes in subcortical structures (mainly in the hippocampus) and occipital, temporal, parietal, and insular cortices. Since there is a lack of robust evidence on the neurobiology of DA in humans, the possible inferences of these studies are preliminary, which restricts their translation to clinical parameters.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"26331055221145681"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/18/08/10.1177_26331055221145681.PMC9947683.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9340857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alexandria Wilson, Erica M Periandri, Mackenzie Sievers, Emily Petruccelli
{"title":"<i>Drosophila</i> Stat92E Signaling Following Pre-exposure to Ethanol.","authors":"Alexandria Wilson, Erica M Periandri, Mackenzie Sievers, Emily Petruccelli","doi":"10.1177/26331055221146755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055221146755","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Repeated exposure to alcohol alters neuromolecular signaling that influences acute and long-lasting behaviors underlying Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Recent animal model research has implicated changes in the conserved JAK/STAT pathway, a signaling pathway classically associated with development and the innate immune system. How ethanol exposure impacts STAT signaling within neural cells is currently unclear. Here, we investigated the role of <i>Drosophila</i> Stat92E in ethanol-induced locomotion, signaling activity, and downstream transcriptional responses. Findings suggest that expressing <i>Stat92E-RNAi</i> causes enhanced ethanol-induced hyperactivity in flies previously exposed to ethanol. Furthermore, alternative splicing of <i>Stat92E</i> itself was detected after repeated ethanol exposure, although no changes were found in downstream transcriptional activity. This work adds to our growing understanding of altered neuromolecular signaling following ethanol exposure and suggests that STAT signaling may be a relevant target to consider for AUD treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"26331055221146755"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/c2/47/10.1177_26331055221146755.PMC9834942.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10589583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Somnath J Gupta, Matthew A Churchward, Kathryn G Todd, Ian R Winship
{"title":"Pleiotrophin Signals Through ALK Receptor to Enhance the Growth of Neurons in the Presence of Inhibitory Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans.","authors":"Somnath J Gupta, Matthew A Churchward, Kathryn G Todd, Ian R Winship","doi":"10.1177/26331055231186993","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055231186993","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), one of the major extracellular matrix components of the glial scar that surrounds central nervous system (CNS) injuries, are known to inhibit the regeneration of neurons. This study investigated whether pleiotrophin (PTN), a growth factor upregulated during early CNS development, can overcome the inhibition mediated by CSPGs and promote the neurite outgrowth of neurons in vitro. The data showed that a CSPG matrix inhibited the outgrowth of neurites in primary cortical neuron cultures compared to a control matrix. PTN elicited a dose-dependent increase in the neurite outgrowth even in the presence of the growth inhibitory CSPG matrix, with optimal growth at 15 ng mL<sup>-1</sup> of PTN (114.8% of neuronal outgrowth relative to laminin control). The growth-promoting effect of PTN was blocked by inhibition of the receptor anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) by alectinib in a dose-dependent manner. Neurite outgrowth in the presence of this CSPG matrix was induced by activation of the protein kinase B (AKT) pathway, a key downstream mediator of ALK activation. This study identified PTN as a dose-dependent regulator of neurite outgrowth in primary cortical neurons cultured in the presence of a CSPG matrix and identified ALK activation as a key driver of PTN-induced growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"26331055231186993"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/03/79/10.1177_26331055231186993.PMC10350765.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10665326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Possible Gender Differences in Classical Music, Flamenco and Fado.","authors":"Alicia Garcia-Falgueras","doi":"10.1177/26331055221147009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055221147009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Music is an art form and cultural activity whose language, the sounds and silences, is organized in time with logic and sensitivity. Music as a whole is the result of an ancestral nonverbal and international mode of human expression and communication. The primitive and former mother-child bonding might be highly influenced and modulated by the music and singing with their babies. Musicality and music imply two different sides of the same coin, where the former is based on the human capacity to produce the latter. Some theories about evolution suggest music might have an adaptive advantage for humans in society. Historical examples of different styles in music point out that if any allusion or reminder about gender in music might happen most probably occurs in folk non always written pagan or secular music with lyrics or voice. This genre of music usually tells about traditional gender differences in jobs, habits, lifestyles, etc., and has a clear preference for male musicians, while on the contrary, classical music usually does not have a clear gender difference in meaning, and instruments are played by both. In this text, I explore and empirically describe, neuroanatomically or functionally, some examples of different genres of music and brain differences, related to music and dance. Three different genres of music (Classical music, Fado and Flamenco) are explored in an attempt to elucidate some reasons for possible gender differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"26331055221147009"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/ca/2a/10.1177_26331055221147009.PMC9813978.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10513876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Test-Retest Reliability and Agreement of Single Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Measuring Activity in Motor Cortex in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.","authors":"Busk Henriette, Nilsen Marianne, Pedersen Julie Rønne, Kristensen Malene Glavin, Kjær Troels Wesenberg, Skou Søren Thorgaard, Wienecke Troels","doi":"10.1177/26331055221145002","DOIUrl":"10.1177/26331055221145002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is often used to examine neurophysiology. We aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and agreement of single pulse TMS in hospitalised acute ischemic stroke patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-one patients with first-time acute ischemic stroke (median age 72 (IQR 64-75), 35% females) underwent TMS motor threshold (MT) assessment in 4 muscles bilaterally, conducted by 1 of 2 physiotherapists. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using a two-way random effects model (2,1) absolute agreement-type Interclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and Smallest Detectable Change (SDC) were used to evaluate agreement.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Reliability, SEM, and SDC of TMS was found to be moderate in right opponens pollicis (0.78 [CI 95% 0.55-0.89], SEM: 4.51, SDC: 12.51), good in right vastus medialis and tibial anterior (0.88 [CI 95% 0.72-0.96], SEM: 2.89, SDC: 8.01 and 0.88 [CI 95% 0.76-0.94], SEM: 2.88, SDC: 7.98 respectively), and excellent in right and left biceps brachii (0.98 [CI 95% 0.96-0.99], SEM: 1.79 SDC: 4.96, and 0.94 [CI 95% 0.89-0.97], SEM: 2.17 SDC: 6.01), opponens pollicis (0.92 [CI 95% 0.83-0.96], SEM: 2.68 SDC: 8.26, vastus medialis (0.92 [CI 95% 0.84-0.96], SEM: 2.87 SDC: 7.95), and tibial anterior (0.93 [CI 95% 0.86-0.96], SEM: 2.51 SDC: 6.95).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The TMS demonstrated moderate to excellent inter-rater reliability confirming the ability of these measures to reliably discriminate between individuals in the current study sample. Improvements of less than 4.96 to 12.51 could be a result of measurement error and may therefore not be considered a true change.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":"17 ","pages":"26331055221145002"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/78/b0/10.1177_26331055221145002.PMC9791285.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9260458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ultrasound Stimulation Inhibits Morphological Degeneration of Motor Endplates in the Denervated Skeletal Muscle of Rats.","authors":"Akira Ito, Yuki Araya, Hideki Kawai, Hiroshi Kuroki","doi":"10.1177/26331055221138508","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055221138508","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recovery of motor function after peripheral nerve injury requires treatment of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), as well as the injured nerve and skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ultrasound (US) stimulation on NMJ degeneration after denervation using a rat model of peroneal nerve transection. Twelve-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: US stimulation, sham stimulation, and intact. US or sham stimulation was performed on the left tibialis anterior (TA) muscle starting the day after peroneal nerve transection for 5 minutes daily under anesthesia. Four weeks later, the number and morphology of the motor endplates were analyzed to assess NMJ in the TA muscle. The endplates were classified as normal, partially fragmented, or fully fragmented for morphometric analysis. In addition, the number of terminal Schwann cells (tSCs) per endplate and percentage of endplates with tSCs (tSC retention percentage) were calculated to evaluate the effect of tSCs on NMJs. Our results showed that endplates degenerated 4 weeks after transection, with a decrease in the normal type and an increase in the fully fragmented type in both the US and sham groups compared to the intact group. Furthermore, the US group showed significant suppression of the normal type decrease and a fully fragmented type increase compared to the sham group. These results suggest that US stimulation inhibits endplate degeneration in denervated TA muscles. In contrast, the number of endplates and tSC and tSC retention percentages were not significantly different between the US and sham groups. Further investigations are required to determine the molecular mechanisms by which US stimulation suppresses degeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":" ","pages":"26331055221138508"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2022-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/f3/07/10.1177_26331055221138508.PMC9677316.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40481948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Neuroscience InsightsPub Date : 2022-10-26eCollection Date: 2022-01-01DOI: 10.1177/26331055221132836
Lisa M James, Apostolos P Georgopoulos
{"title":"Reply to the Letter to the Editor by Sipila, Jussi.","authors":"Lisa M James, Apostolos P Georgopoulos","doi":"10.1177/26331055221132836","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055221132836","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This a Reply to the Letter to the Editor by Sipila, Jussi regarding our article titled: James LM, Georgopoulos AP. High Correlations Among Worldwide Prevalences of Dementias, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Motor Neuron Diseases Indicate Common Causative Factors. Neurosci Insights. 2022 Aug 8;17:26331055221117598. doi: 10.1177/26331055221117598.</p>","PeriodicalId":36527,"journal":{"name":"Neuroscience Insights","volume":" ","pages":"26331055221132836"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2022-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/e8/dc/10.1177_26331055221132836.PMC9623356.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40453730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}