NeuroSci最新文献

{"title":"On the Cranial Nerves","authors":"Hugo M. Libreros-Jiménez, Jorge Manzo, F. Rojas-Durán, G. Aranda-Abreu, L. I. García-Hernández, GA Coria-Avila, D. Herrera-Covarrubias, C. A. Pérez-Estudillo, M. R. Toledo-Cárdenas, M. Hernández-Aguilar","doi":"10.3390/neurosci5010002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci5010002","url":null,"abstract":"The twelve cranial nerves play a crucial role in the nervous system, orchestrating a myriad of functions vital for our everyday life. These nerves are each specialized for particular tasks. Cranial nerve I, known as the olfactory nerve, is responsible for our sense of smell, allowing us to perceive and distinguish various scents. Cranial nerve II, or the optic nerve, is dedicated to vision, transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain. Eye movements are governed by cranial nerves III, IV, and VI, ensuring our ability to track objects and focus. Cranial nerve V controls facial sensations and jaw movements, while cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve, facilitates facial expressions and taste perception. Cranial nerve VIII, or the vestibulocochlear nerve, plays a critical role in hearing and balance. Cranial nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve, affects throat sensations and taste perception. Cranial nerve X, the vagus nerve, is a far-reaching nerve, influencing numerous internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, and digestive system. Cranial nerve XI, the accessory nerve, is responsible for neck muscle control, contributing to head movements. Finally, cranial nerve XII, the hypoglossal nerve, manages tongue movements, essential for speaking, swallowing, and breathing. Understanding these cranial nerves is fundamental in comprehending the intricate workings of our nervous system and the functions that sustain our daily lives.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"77 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139151954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation between Blood Monocytes and CSF Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease: The Effect of Gender and Cognitive Decline","authors":"Carlotta Ginevra Valentina Cimiotti, Paolo Paganetti, Stefania Rossi, Emiliano Soldini, L. Sacco","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4040026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4040026","url":null,"abstract":"Neuroinflammation is one of the main mechanisms contributing to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), although its key role and the immune cells involved have not yet been identified. Blood monocytes appear to play a role in the clearance of AD-related amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau protein. This retrospective study evaluated a possible correlation between blood monocytes; the concentrations of Aβ, total tau (t-Tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); and cognitive decline assessed according to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). We collected data from 33 patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD (15 men and 18 women) and found, along with a significant reduction in the concentration of blood monocytes in women (p-value = 0.083),significant correlations between the number of blood monocytes and the concentration of t-Tau in CSF (p-value = 0.045) and between blood monocytes and MoCA score (p-value = 0.037). These results confirm the role of blood monocytes in the pathogenesis of AD, provide further evidence of a gender difference in the neuroinflammatory process underlying AD, and show that blood monocyte count may reflect the cognitive impairment of AD patients.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"30 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139009073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effects of Zinc on Proprioceptive Sensory Function and Nerve Conduction","authors":"Elizabeth R. Elliott, Kaitlyn E. Brock, Alaina C. Taul, Artin Asadipooya, Devin Bocook, Tessa Burnette, Isha V. Chauhan, Bilal Chhadh, Ryan Crane, Ashley Glover, Joshua Griffith, JayLa A. Hudson, Hassan Kashif, Samuel O. Nwadialo, Devan M. Neely, Adel Nukic, Deep R. Patel, Gretchen L. Ruschman, Johnathan C. Sales, Terra Yarbrough, Robin L. Cooper","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4040025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4040025","url":null,"abstract":"Zinc (Zn2+) is an essential element that can promote proper organ function, cell growth, and immune response; it can also, however, be present in too great a quantity. Zinc toxicity caused by overexposure may result in both minor and major physiological effects, with chronic exposure at low levels and acute exposure at high levels being harmful or even toxic. This investigation examines the effects of acute exposure to relatively high concentrations of Zn2+ on sensory nerve function and nerve conduction. A proprioceptive nerve in marine crab (Callinectes sapidus) limbs was used as a model to assess the effects of Zn2+ on stretch-activated channels (SACs) and evoked nerve conduction. Exposure to Zn2+ slowed nerve condition rapidly; however, several minutes were required before the SACs in sensory endings were affected. A depression in conduction speed and an increase followed by a decrease in amplitude were observed for the evoked compound action potential, while the frequency of nerve activity upon joint movement and stretching of the chordotonal organ significantly decreased. These altered responses could be partially reversed via extensive flushing with fresh saline to remove the zinc. This indicates that subtle, long-term exposure to Zn2+ may alter an organism’s SAC function for channels related to proprioception and nerve conduction.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":" April","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of Circulating Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines and Chemotherapy-Associated Subjective Cognitive Impairment in a South African Cohort of Breast Cancer Patients","authors":"Nicholas Keetile, Elzbieta Osuch, Antonio G. Lentoor, Tsakani Rasakanya","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4040024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4040024","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The evidence links chemotherapy to cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients. This study assessed the link between subjective chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation in breast cancer patients. Methods: In a correlational study, 113 patients aged 21 to 60 years on chemotherapy regimens completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognition Test (FACT-Cog) as a measure of subjective cognitive functioning at three time points (baseline- T0, third cycle- T1, and sixth cycle- T2). The levels of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)) were measured using an assay method and compared with the subjective cognitive impairment. Results: Midway through chemotherapy, higher levels of TNF-α were inversely linked with self-perceived cognitive performance, while higher levels of IL-1β were positively associated (p = 0.030). However, at the end of chemotherapy, only IL-8 (p = 0.50) was associated with higher self-perceived cognitive problems. Conclusions: The specific roles that various cytokines and their interactions may play in neuroinflammation or neuroprotection require further investigation.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135476145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effects of Lithium on Proprioceptive Sensory Function and Nerve Conduction","authors":"Kaitlyn E. Brock, Elizabeth R. Elliott, Alaina C. Taul, Artin Asadipooya, Devin Bocook, Tessa Burnette, Isha V. Chauhan, Bilal Chhadh, Ryan Crane, Ashley Glover, Joshua Griffith, JayLa A. Hudson, Hassan Kashif, Samuel O. Nwadialo, Devan M. Neely, Adel Nukic, Deep R. Patel, Gretchen L. Ruschman, Johnathan C. Sales, Terra Yarbrough, Robin L. Cooper","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4040023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4040023","url":null,"abstract":"Animals are exposed to lithium (Li+) in the natural environment as well as by contact with industrial sources and therapeutic treatments. Low levels of exposure over time and high volumes of acute levels can be harmful and even toxic. The following study examines the effect of high-volume acute levels of Li+ on sensory nerve function and nerve conduction. A proprioceptive nerve in the limbs of a marine crab (Callinectes sapidus) was used as a model to address the effects on stretch-activated channels (SACs) and evoked nerve conduction. The substitution of Li+ for Na+ in the bathing saline slowed nerve conduction rapidly; however, several minutes were required before the SACs in sensory endings were affected. The evoked compound action potential slowed in conduction and slightly decreased in amplitude, while the frequency of nerve activity with joint movement and chordotonal organ stretching significantly decreased. Both altered responses could be partially restored with the return of a Na+-containing saline. Long-term exposure to Li+ may alter the function of SACs in organisms related to proprioception and nerve conduction, but it remains to be investigated.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"28 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135616772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Literature on Narcolepsy: Insights into the Sleep Disorder That Strikes during the Day","authors":"Ana-Maria Mațotă, Andrei Bordeianu, Emilia Severin, Alexandra Jidovu","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4040022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4040022","url":null,"abstract":"Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that disrupts the regulation of a person’s sleep–wake cycle, leading to significant challenges in daily functioning. It is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden muscle weakness (cataplexy), sleep paralysis, and vivid hypnagogic hallucinations. A literature search was conducted in different databases to identify relevant studies on various aspects of narcolepsy. The main search terms included “narcolepsy”, “excessive daytime sleepiness”, “cataplexy”, and related terms. The search was limited to studies published until May 2023. This literature review aims to provide an overview of narcolepsy, encompassing its causes, diagnosis, treatment options, impact on individuals’ lives, prevalence, and recommendations for future research. The review reveals several important findings regarding narcolepsy: 1. the classification of narcolepsy—type 1 narcolepsy, previously known as narcolepsy with cataplexy, and type 2 narcolepsy, also referred to as narcolepsy without cataplexy; 2. the genetic component of narcolepsy and the complex nature of the disorder, which is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, disrupted sleep patterns, and potential impacts on daily life activities and social functioning; and 3. the important implications for clinical practice in the management of narcolepsy. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the different types of narcolepsies and their associated symptoms, as this can aid in accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. The review underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to narcolepsy management, involving specialists in sleep medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and psychology. Clinicians should consider the impact of narcolepsy on a person’s daily life, including their ability to work, study, and participate in social activities, and provide appropriate support and interventions. There are several gaps in knowledge regarding narcolepsy. Future research should focus on further elucidating the genetic causes and epigenetic mechanisms of narcolepsy and exploring potential biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis. Long-term studies assessing the effectiveness of different treatment approaches, including pharmacological interventions and behavioral therapies, are needed. Additionally, there is a need for research on strategies to improve the overall well-being and quality of life of individuals living with narcolepsy, including the development of tailored support programs and interventions.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135968614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward an Etiology of Spaceflight Neuroplastic Syndrome: Evolutionary Science Leads to New Hypotheses and Program Priorities","authors":"Margaret Boone Rappaport, Christopher J. Corbally","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4040021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4040021","url":null,"abstract":"Evolutionary theory is applied to recent neuroscientific findings on factors associated with risk-and-reward systems, and consequently, aspects of human decision making in spaceflight. Factors include enzymes aiding metabolic pathways of dopamine and serotonin; neurotrophic factors supporting neuronal functioning and plasticity; and genes associated with serotonin and dopamine systems. Not all factors are at risk in spaceflight. Some remain stable. It is hypothesized that neural deconditioning in spaceflight arises from faulty signals sent to the brain and gut in attempting to adapt phenotypically to a novel space environment. There is a mismatch between terrestrial selection pressures during human evolution and conditions of cosmic radiation, microgravity, and higher CO2, which together cause scattered results. A contrary question is broached: Given these findings, why are human sequelae not worse? Discussion of programmatic issues then focuses on methodologies to determine the suitability of civilians for spaceflight, an issue that grows more pressing while more varied populations prepare for spaceflight in LEO and on, and in orbit around the Moon.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135817543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is There a Role of Inferior Frontal Cortex in Motor Timing? A Study of Paced Finger Tapping in Patients with Non-Fluent Aphasia","authors":"Chrysanthi Andronoglou, George Konstantakopoulos, Christina Simoudi, Dimitrios Kasselimis, Ioannis Evdokimidis, Evangelos Tsoukas, Dimitrios Tsolakopoulos, Georgia Angelopoulou, Constantin Potagas","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4030020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4030020","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of the present study was to investigate the deficits in timing reproduction in individuals with non-fluent aphasia after a left hemisphere lesion including the inferior frontal gyrus, in which Broca’s region is traditionally localised. Eighteen stroke patients with non-fluent aphasia and twenty-two healthy controls were recruited. We used a finger-tapping Test, which consisted of the synchronisation and the continuation phase with three fixed intervals (450 ms, 650 ms and 850 ms). Participants firstly had to tap simultaneously with the device’s auditory stimuli (clips) (synchronisation phase) and then continue their tapping in the same pace when the stimuli were absent (continuation phase). Patients with aphasia demonstrated less accuracy and greater variability during reproduction in both phases, compared to healthy participants. More specifically, in the continuation phase, individuals with aphasia reproduced longer intervals than the targets, whereas healthy participants displayed accelerated responses. Moreover, patients’ timing variability was greater in the absence of the auditory stimuli. This could possibly be attributed to deficient mental representation of intervals and not experiencing motor difficulties (due to left hemisphere stroke), as the two groups did not differ in tapping reproduction with either hand. Given that previous findings suggest a potential link between the IFG, timing and working memory, we argue that patients’ extra-linguistic cognitive impairments should be accounted for, as possible contributing factors to timing disturbances.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"30 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135203011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Deep Learning Model for Preoperative Differentiation of Glioblastoma, Brain Metastasis, and Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: An External Validation Study","authors":"L. Tariciotti, Davide Ferlito, V. Caccavella, Andrea Di Cristofori, G. Fiore, L.G. Remore, M. Giordano, G. Remoli, G. Bertani, S. Borsa, M. Pluderi, P. Remida, G. Basso, C. Giussani, M. Locatelli, G. Carrabba","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4010003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci4010003","url":null,"abstract":"(1) Background: Neuroimaging differentiation of glioblastoma, primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and solitary brain metastasis (BM) represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in neurosurgical practice, expanding the burden of care and exposing patients to additional risks related to further invasive procedures and treatment delays. In addition, atypical cases and overlapping features have not been entirely addressed by modern diagnostic research. The aim of this study was to validate a previously designed and internally validated ResNet101 deep learning model to differentiate glioblastomas, PCNSLs and BMs. (2) Methods: We enrolled 126 patients (glioblastoma: n = 64; PCNSL: n = 27; BM: n = 35) with preoperative T1Gd-MRI scans and histopathological confirmation. Each lesion was segmented, and all regions of interest were exported in a DICOM dataset. A pre-trained ResNet101 deep neural network model implemented in a previous work on 121 patients was externally validated on the current cohort to differentiate glioblastomas, PCNSLs and BMs on T1Gd-MRI scans. (3) Results: The model achieved optimal classification performance in distinguishing PCNSLs (AUC: 0.73; 95%CI: 0.62–0.85), glioblastomas (AUC: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.71–0.87) and moderate to low ability in differentiating BMs (AUC: 0.63; 95%CI: 0.52–0.76). The performance of expert neuro-radiologists on conventional plus advanced MR imaging, assessed by retrospectively reviewing the diagnostic reports of the selected cohort of patients, was found superior in accuracy for BMs (89.69%) and not inferior for PCNSL (82.90%) and glioblastomas (84.09%). (4) Conclusions: We investigated whether the previously published deep learning model was generalizable to an external population recruited at a different institution—this validation confirmed the consistency of the model and laid the groundwork for future clinical applications in brain tumour classification. This artificial intelligence-based model might represent a valuable educational resource and, if largely replicated on prospective data, help physicians differentiate glioblastomas, PCNSL and solitary BMs, especially in settings with limited resources.","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86731375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lithium Prevents Telomere Shortening in Cortical Neurons in Amyloid-Beta Induced Toxicity.","authors":"Rafael M Themoteo, Vanessa J R De Paula, Nicole K R Rocha, Helena Brentani, Orestes V Forlenza","doi":"10.3390/neurosci4010001","DOIUrl":"10.3390/neurosci4010001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is consistent evidence of the potential benefits of lithium attenuating mechanisms of neurodegeneration, including those related to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and facilitating neurotrophic and protective responses, including maintenance of telomere length. The aim was to investigate the protective effect of the pre-treatment with lithium on amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced toxicity and telomere length in neurons.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cortical neurons were treated with lithium chloride at therapeutic and subtherapeutic concentrations (2 mM, 0.2 mM and 0.02 mM) for seven days. Amyloid toxicity was induced 24 h before the end of lithium treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Lithium resulted in 120% (2 mM), 180% (0.2 mM) and 140% (0.02 mM) increments in telomere length as compared to untreated controls. Incubation with Aβ_1-42 was associated with significant reductions in MTT uptake (33%) and telomere length (83%) as compared to controls.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Lithium prevented loss of culture viability and telomere shortening in neuronal cultures challenged with Aβ fibrils.</p>","PeriodicalId":74294,"journal":{"name":"NeuroSci","volume":"4 1","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11523687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142559653","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}