Wrist posture unpredictably affects perception of targeted transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with wrist-placed electrodes.

Objective: Targeted transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (tTENS) is a non-invasive neural stimulation technique that involves activating sensory nerve fibers to elicit tactile sensations in a distal, or referred, location. Though tTENS is a promising approach for delivering haptic feedback in virtual reality or for use by those with somatosensory deficits, it was not known how the perception of tTENS might be influenced by changing wrist position during sensorimotor tasks.

Approach: We worked with 12 able-bodied individuals and delivered tTENS by placing electrodes on the wrist, thus targeting the ulnar, median, and radial nerves, and eliciting tactile sensations in the hand.

Pathophysiology, blood biomarkers, and functional deficits after intimate partner violence-related brain injury: Insights from emergency department patients and a new rat model.

Intimate partner violence is a serious, but underappreciated, issue that predominantly affects women and often results in concussion (i.e., mild traumatic brain injury).

The effect of traumatic brain injury on learning and memory: A synaptic focus.

Deficits in learning and memory are some of the most commonly reported symptoms following a traumatic brain injury (TBI). We will examine whether the neural basis of these deficits stems from alterations to bidirectional synaptic plasticity within the hippocampus. Although the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus has been a focus of TBI research, the dentate gyrus should also be given attention as it exhibits a unique ability for adult neurogenesis, a process highly susceptible to TBI-induced damage.

Quantifying physical degradation alongside recording and stimulation performance of 980 intracortical microelectrodes chronically implanted in three humans for 956-2246 days.

Motivation: The clinical success of brain-machine interfaces depends on overcoming both biological and material challenges to ensure a long-term stable connection for neural recording and stimulation. Therefore, there is a need to quantify any damage that microelectrodes sustain when they are chronically implanted in the human cortex.

Methods: Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we imaged 980 microelectrodes from Neuroport arrays chronically implanted in the cortex of three people with tetraplegia for 956-2246 days.

GRM7 deficiency, from excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation to neurodegeneration: Systematic review of GRM7 deficient patients.

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 (mGluR7) is a presynaptic G-protein-coupled glutamate receptor that modulates neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity at presynaptic terminals. It is encoded by GRM7, and recently variants have been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and brain malformations. To gain updated insights into the function of GRM7 and the phenotypic spectrum of genetic variations within this gene, we conducted a systematic review of relevant literature utilizing PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases.

A comparison of white matter microstructure and correlates with neuropsychological measures in younger and older adults.

Objective: With a globally aging population, there is a need to better understand how brain structure relates to function in healthy older and younger adults.

Methods: 34 healthy participants divided into older (17; Mean = 70.9, SD = 5.

Adiponectin rescues synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus of a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and is the leading known single-gene cause of autism spectrum disorder. Patients with FXS display varied behavioural deficits that include mild to severe cognitive impairments in addition to mood disorders. Currently, there is no cure for this condition; however, there is an emerging focus on therapies that inhibit mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent protein synthesis owing to the clinical effectiveness of metformin for alleviating some behavioural symptoms in FXS.

Developmental ethanol exposure produces deficits in long-term potentiation in vivo that persist following postnatal choline supplementation.

Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is one of the leading causes of neurodevelopmental disorder for which there is a pressing need for an effective treatment. Recent studies have investigated the essential nutrient choline as a postnatal treatment option. Supplementation with choline has produced improvements in behavioral tasks related to learning and memory and reverted changes in methylation signature following third-trimester equivalent ethanol exposure.

Optimizing GABA receptor antagonism for the induction of long-term potentiation in the mouse and rat dentate gyrus in vitro.

The reliable induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus (DG) in vitro requires the blockade of the γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABA) receptor. In these studies we examined the effectiveness of the specific GABA receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodide (BMI) in facilitating LTP in the DG from hippocampal slices obtained from either C57Bl/6 mice or Sprague-Dawley rats, two species commonly used for electrophysiology. In the C57Bl/6 mice, maximal short-term potentiation and LTP in the DG were produced with a concentration of 5 µM BMI.

Active nerve management for above the knee amputation: A comparison of through the wound versus posterior approach.

Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) and regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) are used to prevent or treat neuromas in amputees. TMR for above-the-knee amputation (AKA) is most commonly performed through a posterior incision rather than the stump wound because recipient motor nerves are primarily located in the proximal third of the thigh. When preventative TMR is performed with concurrent AKA, a posterior approach requires intraoperative repositioning and an additional incision.