Altered Development of the Hurst Exponent in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Preschoolers With Autism.

Background: Atypical balance of excitation (E) and inhibition (I) in the brain is thought to contribute to the emergence and symptomatology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). E/I ratio can be estimated from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using the Hurst exponent, H. A recent study reported decreased ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) H in male adults with ASD.

Modulation of neuronal activity in human centromedian nucleus during an auditory attention and working memory task.

Centromedian nucleus (CM) is one of several intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus and is thought to be involved in consciousness, arousal, and attention. CM has been suggested to play a key role in the control of attention, by regulating the flow of information to different brain regions such as the ascending reticular system, basal ganglia, and cortex. While the neurophysiology of attention in visual and auditory systems has been studied in animal models, combined single unit and LFP recordings in human have not, to our knowledge, been reported.

Reduced covariation between brain morphometry and local spontaneous activity in young children with ASD.

While disruptions in brain maturation in the first years of life in ASD are well documented, little is known about how the brain structure and function are related in young children with ASD compared to typically developing peers. We applied a multivariate pattern analysis to examine the covariation patterns between brain morphometry and local brain spontaneous activity in 38 toddlers and preschoolers with ASD and 31 typically developing children using T1-weighted structural MRI and resting-state fMRI data acquired during natural sleep. The results revealed significantly reduced brain structure-function correlations in ASD.

Single-unit analysis of the human posterior hypothalamus and red nucleus during deep brain stimulation for aggressivity.

OBJECTIVE Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior hypothalamus (PH) has been reported to be effective for aggressive behavior in a number of isolated cases. Few of these case studies have analyzed single-unit recordings in the human PH and none have quantitatively analyzed single units in the red nucleus (RN). The authors report on the properties of ongoing neuronal discharges in bilateral trajectories targeting the PH and the effectiveness of DBS of the PH as a treatment for aggressive behavior.

Expression of collagen in ovular membranes of pregnant smokers and non-smokers: a pilot study.

Objective: Our study compared the amount of total collagen and type I collagen in ovular membranes of pregnant smokers and non-smokers.

Material And Methods: The study group consisted of 14 pregnant smokers at 24-36 weeks of gestation; 39 pregnant non-smokers between 24-36 weeks of gestation comprised the control group. The expressions of total collagen and type I collagen were analyzed using two histological sections of the fetal membranes.

What factors are associated with the provision of assistive technologies: the Bogotá D.C. case.

Aim: To examine what demographics and clinical factors are associated with the provision of assistive technology (AT) devices in a low-income country.

Method: Retrospective cross-sectional exploratory study design including 15 of the 20 localities across Bogotá D.C.

Using virtual robot-mediated play activities to assess cognitive skills.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of using virtual robot-mediated play activities to assess cognitive skills.

Method: Children with and without disabilities utilized both a physical robot and a matching virtual robot to perform the same play activities. The activities were designed such that successfully performing them is an indication of understanding of the underlying cognitive skills.

Bone marrow edema patterns in the ankle and hindfoot: distinguishing MRI features.

Objective: Many disorders produce similar or overlapping patterns of bone marrow edema in the ankle. Bone marrow edema may present in a few hindfoot bones simultaneously or in a single bone. The purpose of this pictorial essay is to provide guidelines based on clinical history and specific MRI patterns and locations to accurately identify the cause of ankle bone marrow edema.