Brain Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Adaptation of Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia to Norwegian.","authors":"Ingvild Winsnes, Monica Norvik, Anna Volkmer","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090994","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090994","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>People with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and their communication partners report that having conversations becomes more difficult over time. They want speech and language therapy to help them have better conversations. Communication partner training has shown promise as an approach for people with PPA and their communication partners. However, there are currently no communication partner training programs available in Norwegian for people with PPA. The Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA) is a communication partner training program developed in the UK. In this study, we aimed to culturally adapt the BCPPA to meet the needs of Norwegian people with PPA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Guided by adaptation elements identified in a systematic review of frameworks for cultural adaptation, we translated the BCPPA into Norwegian before piloting it with four participant dyads, comprising people with PPA and their communication partners. The translated BCPPA was compared to the original BCPPA to identify adherence with core intervention components. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the acceptability of the intervention to participant dyads. Outcome data, including Goal Attainment Scaling, coding of conversation behaviours from video samples, the Aphasia Impact Questionnaire, and the Communicative Effectiveness Index, were recorded pre-, post-, and three months after intervention delivery to explore outcomes for Norwegian participant dyads. We used the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced to document the modifications.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results indicate high adherence to the core components in the original BCPPA. The pilot demonstrated that the participant dyads found the BCPPA acceptable, but they made some additional suggestions to complete the cultural adaptation further. Despite the progressive nature of PPA, the participant dyads achieved their goals on the Goal Attainment Scaling, and group analysis demonstrated maintenance on the Aphasia Impact Questionnaire and the Communicative Effectiveness Index over the three time points.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates that the Norwegian version of the BCPPA was acceptable to the participants with PPA and their communication partner in this study. As the first communication partner training program for people with PPA and their communication partners in Norwegian, the BCPPA has the potential to be a valuable treatment tool to support people affected by PPA to have better conversations.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12469227/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Language Learning as a Non-Pharmacological Intervention in Older Adults with (Past) Depression.","authors":"Jelle Brouwer, Floor van den Berg, Remco Knooihuizen, Hanneke Loerts, Merel Keijzer","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090991","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090991","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Language learning has been proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention to promote healthy aging. This intervention has not been studied in older adults with a history of depression, who experience high prevalence of cognitive dysfunction. This small-scale study was the first to investigate the potential efficacy of language learning in older adults with (past) depression. <b>Methods:</b> Data on psychosocial well-being, cognitive functioning, and language outcomes were collected in nineteen participants with (past) depression (M = 69.7 years old, SD = 2.9; 79% women, 21% men) and a control group of fifteen older adults without depression in the past 25 years (M = 70.1 years old, SD = 3.8; 60% women, 40% men). Data were collected before, immediately after, and four months after completing a three-month language course. <b>Results:</b> Participants with (past) depression showed significant decreases in apathy, social loneliness, and cognitive failures, and increases in associative memory and global cognition. The control group improved on associative memory and letter-number sequencing. Both groups improved in linguistic self-confidence and lexical access to English, while the group with (past) depression also improved on listening and speaking proficiency. <b>Conclusions:</b> The intervention had limited benefits for cognition and psychosocial well-being, but (longer) group-based learning interventions may build up social and motivational reserves protecting against morbidity. Research with larger samples and a no-training control sample is needed to further support these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12468076/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute Vertigo, Dizziness and Imbalance in the Emergency Department-Beyond Stroke and Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy-A Narrative Review.","authors":"Sun-Uk Lee, Jonathan A Edlow, Alexander A Tarnutzer","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090995","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090995","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>New-onset vertigo, dizziness and gait imbalance are amongst the most common symptoms presenting to the emergency department, accounting for 2.1-4.4% of all patients. The broad spectrum of underlying causes in these patients cuts across many specialties, which often results in diagnostic challenges. For patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for acute vestibular syndrome (AVS, i.e., presenting with acute-onset prolonged vertigo/dizziness with accompanying gait imbalance, motion intolerance, nausea/vomiting, with or without nystagmus), the typical differential diagnosis is vertebrobasilar stroke and acute unilateral vestibulopathy. However, other disorders may also present with AVS. These include non-neurological causes such as drug side-effects or intoxication, electrolyte disturbances, cardiac disease, severe anemia, carbon monoxide poisoning, endocrine disorders and others. Other non-stroke neurological disorders may also present with AVS or episodic vertigo/dizziness, including demyelinating CNS diseases, posterior fossa mass lesions, acute thiamine deficiency and vestibular migraine. Furthermore, acute physiological abnormalities (e.g., hypotension, fever, severe anemia) may unmask previous vestibular impairments that had been well-compensated. Here, we review the diagnostic approach to patients with acute-onset dizziness in the emergency room and discuss the most important differential diagnoses beyond stroke and acute unilateral vestibulopathy.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12467902/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validity of the Japanese Version of the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity (WCPA)-10 on Assessing Executive Function in Patients with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).","authors":"Asako Matsubara, Yasuhiro Higashi, Mio Kawabata, Katsunobu Sugihara","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090993","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090993","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: The Weekly Calendar Planning Activity (WCPA) is one of the assessments of functional cognition, including executive function, by the cognitive instrumental activities of daily living (C-IADL). It is translated and adapted in many countries, but not in Japan. <b>Methods</b>: This study aimed to examine the validity of the Japanese version of the WCPA-10 (WCPA-10-J) in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI), and to explore the characteristics of cognitive strategy use among that population. Fifty-three patients with ABI aged 27-81 years and 52 healthy controls (HCs) completed the WCPA-10-J, three neuropsychological tests, and the assessment of the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). <b>Results</b>: Results demonstrated that the WCPA-10-J was able to discriminate between the patients with ABI and the HCs. We found significant limitations in ABI patients' ability to use strategies. Concurrent, convergent, and ecological validities were partly demonstrated through correlations between the neuropsychological test scores, IADL, and the WCPA-10-J performance. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study provides initial evidence for the validity of the WCPA-10-J for patients with ABI and suggests the need to use performance-based tests even in patients with normal cognitive screening test results. The WCPA-10-J could provide useful information for strategy-based interventions for patients with ABI.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12467931/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diabetes, Cognitive Function and Mortality Risk Among Older Hispanics.","authors":"Jagdish Khubchandani, Elizabeth England-Kennedy, Srikanta Banerjee, Karen Kopera-Frye, Kavita Batra","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090988","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090988","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Diabetes is a leading cause of death globally and is strongly associated with aging-related conditions, such as cognitive decline. Both diabetes and cognitive impairment share overlapping biological mechanisms, including vascular damage and insulin resistance. While each condition independently affects health outcomes, the impact of their coexistence on mortality risk among older Hispanic adults remains understudied. This study aimed to examine the impact of the combination of diabetes and low cognitive performance on mortality risk among this marginalized population. <b>Methods:</b> Data were drawn from 636 Hispanic adults aged 60 years and older who participated in NHANES 1999-2002, with mortality follow-up through 2019. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related variables. <b>Results:</b> Among participants, 23.3% had diabetes, and 54.9% had low cognitive performance. The combination of diabetes and low cognitive performance was associated with a significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.70-3.28). No statistically significant increase in mortality risk was observed for either condition alone (i.e. diabetes or cognitive impairment). <b>Conclusions:</b> Coexisting diabetes and cognitive impairment in older Hispanic adults were associated with more than a twofold increase in mortality risk. These findings underscore the need for culturally appropriate, interdisciplinary strategies to address the dual burden of diabetes and cognitive decline in aging minority populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12468931/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptive Multimodal Fusion in Vertical Federated Learning for Decentralized Glaucoma Screening.","authors":"Ayesha Jabbar, Jianjun Huang, Muhammad Kashif Jabbar, Asad Ali","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090990","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Early and accurate detection of glaucoma is vital for preventing irreversible vision loss, yet traditional diagnostic approaches relying solely on unimodal retinal imaging are limited by data sparsity and constrained context. Furthermore, real-world clinical data are often fragmented across institutions under strict privacy regulations, posing significant challenges for centralized machine learning methods. <b>Methods:</b> To address these barriers, this study proposes a novel Quality Aware Vertical Federated Learning (QAVFL) framework for decentralized multimodal glaucoma detection. The proposed system dynamically integrates clinical text, retinal fundus images, and biomedical signal data through modality-specific encoders, followed by a Fusion Attention Module (FAM) that adaptively weighs the reliability and contribution of each modality. Unlike conventional early fusion or horizontal federated learning methods, QAVFL operates in vertically partitioned environments and employs secure aggregation mechanisms incorporating homomorphic encryption and differential privacy to preserve patient confidentiality. <b>Results:</b> Extensive experiments conducted under heterogeneous non-IID settings demonstrate that QAVFL achieves an accuracy of 98.6%, a recall of 98.6%, an F1-score of 97.0%, and an AUC of 0.992, outperforming unimodal and early fusion baselines with statistically significant improvements (<i>p</i> < 0.01). <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings validate the effectiveness of dynamic multimodal fusion under privacy-preserving decentralized learning and highlight the scalability and clinical applicability of QAVFL for robust glaucoma screening across fragmented healthcare environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12468838/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multifaceted Role of Nef in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: Histopathological Alterations and Underlying Mechanisms.","authors":"Grazia Scuderi, Paolo Fagone, Maria Cristina Petralia, Ferdinando Nicoletti, Maria Sofia Basile","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090987","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090987","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although antiretroviral regimens achieve durable suppression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication, individuals living with HIV remain at an increased risk of developing chronic comorbidities, such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). In the absence of definitive biomarkers or curative treatments, HAND impacts the survival and quality of life in up to 50% of individuals with HIV. Therefore, novel strategies are highly warranted to improve the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of individuals with HAND and a deeper characterization of the still poorly understood pathogenesis of HAND is fundamental to this aim. The pathogenesis, progression, and clinical outcomes of HAND are influenced by different factors, including viral proteins like negative factor (Nef). Among HIV proteins, Nef emerges as a potential key contributor to HAND pathogenesis. Nef could drive specific histopathological alterations in the brain and could be involved in HAND through different interconnected pathogenetic mechanisms. These include: immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, disruption of autophagy, myelin damage and oligodendrocytes dysfunction, blood-brain barrier disruption, alterations of cholesterol homeostasis, and certain potential converging mechanisms with Alzheimer's disease. Both extracellular and intracellular Nef can contribute to the development of HAND. Interestingly, it has been proposed that Nef may participate in HAND through its incorporation into extracellular vesicles. This review explores the multifaceted role of Nef in HAND, highlighting the histopathological alterations and the pathogenetic mechanisms potentially involved and the potential emerging relevance of Nef as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in HAND.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12468010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating the Complexity of Bilingual Aphasia: Current Insights and Future Directions.","authors":"Marissa Russell-Meill, Manuel J Marte, Erin Carpenter, Swathi Kiran","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090989","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090989","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bilingual aphasia is shaped by a dynamic interplay of neural, cognitive, linguistic, and experiential factors that influence both impairment and recovery. This review synthesizes current evidence on bilingual language organization, assessment, and treatment, emphasizing how individual language histories and cognitive systems contribute to variability in outcomes. We highlight the challenges of estimating pre-stroke proficiency, evaluating impairment across languages, and interpreting recovery patterns. Finally, we explore emerging technological directions while emphasizing that advances in machine learning, automated assessment, and neurotechnology must be developed with explicit attention to cultural responsiveness and equity to ensure benefits reach diverse multilingual populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12467905/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From Bacillus Criminalis to the Legalome: Will Neuromicrobiology Impact 21st Century Criminal Justice?","authors":"Alan C Logan, Barbara Cordell, Suresh D Pillai, Jake M Robinson, Susan L Prescott","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090984","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090984","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The idea that gut microbes or a \"bacillus of crime\" might promote criminal behavior was popularized in the early 20th century. Today, advances in neuromicrobiology and related omics technologies are lending credibility to the idea. In recent cases of dismissal of driving while intoxicated charges, courts in the United States and Europe have acknowledged that gut microbes can manufacture significant amounts of systemically available ethanol, without a defendant's awareness. Indeed, emergent research is raising difficult questions for criminal justice systems that depend on prescientific notions of free moral agency. Evidence demonstrates that gut microbes play a role in neurophysiology, influencing cognition and behaviors. This may lead to justice involvement via involuntary intoxication, aggression, anger, irritability, and antisocial behavior. Herein, we discuss these 'auto-brewery syndrome' court decisions, arguing that they portend a much larger incorporation of neuromicrobiology and multi-omics science within the criminal justice system. The legalome, which refers to the application of gut microbiome and omics sciences in the context of forensic psychiatry/psychology, will likely play an increasing role in 21st century criminal justice. The legalome concept is bolstered by epidemiology, mechanistic bench science, fecal transplant studies, multi-omics and polygenic research, Mendelian randomization work, microbiome signature research, and human intervention trials. However, a more robust body of microbiota-gut-brain axis research is needed, especially through the lens of prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation. With ethical guardrails in place, greater inclusion of at-risk or justice-involved persons in brain science and microbiome research has the potential to transform justice systems for the better.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12469233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sleep Disorders in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Developmental Impact and Intervention Strategies.","authors":"Maria Ludovica Albertini, Giulia Spoto, Graziana Ceraolo, Maria Flavia Fichera, Carla Consoli, Antonio Gennaro Nicotera, Gabriella Di Rosa","doi":"10.3390/brainsci15090983","DOIUrl":"10.3390/brainsci15090983","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sleep disorders are highly prevalent in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), profoundly impacting their neurodevelopment and daily functioning. Alterations in sleep architecture and regulatory mechanisms contribute to difficulties with sleep onset, maintenance, and overall sleep quality. Sensory processing differences, commonly observed in ASD, may further exacerbate these disturbances by affecting arousal regulation and environmental responsiveness during sleep. Given the fundamental role of sleep in brain maturation, its disruption negatively impacts synaptic plasticity and neurological development, particularly during critical periods. These sleep-related alterations can influence cognitive and behavioral outcomes and may serve as early indicators of ASD, highlighting their potential value in early diagnosis and intervention. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms linking sleep and ASD is essential for developing targeted therapeutic strategies. Ongoing research increasingly focuses on pharmacological, nutraceutical, and behavioral interventions aimed at mitigating sleep disorders and their cascading effects on neurodevelopment. Optimizing these therapeutic approaches through a multidisciplinary lens is crucial for enhancing clinical outcomes and improving overall quality of life in children with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":9095,"journal":{"name":"Brain Sciences","volume":"15 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12468115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145173533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}