Characterization of Contusive Spinal Cord Injury by Monitoring Motor-Evoked Potential.

Unlabelled: This study involves longitudinal neuro-electrophysiological analysis using motor-evoked potentials (MEP) and the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan behavioral examinations (BBB) to evaluate moderate mid-thoracic contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) in a rat model.

Objectives/background: The objective of the study is to characterize the onset and progression of contusive SCI over an eight-week period using a clinically applicable tool in an in vivo model. The background highlights the importance of a reliable and reproducible injury model and assessment tools for SCI.

Assessment of Brain Function After 240 Days Confinement Using Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy.

Future space exploration missions will expose astronauts to various stressors, making the early detection of mental stress crucial for prolonged missions. Our study proposes using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) combined with multiple machine learning models to assess the level of mental stress. The objective is to identify and quantify stress levels during 240 days confinement scenario.

One-Channel Wearable Mental Stress State Monitoring System.

Assessments of stress can be performed using physiological signals, such as electroencephalograms (EEGs) and galvanic skin response (GSR). Commercialized systems that are used to detect stress with EEGs require a controlled environment with many channels, which prohibits their daily use. Fortunately, there is a rise in the utilization of wearable devices for stress monitoring, offering more flexibility.

MXene-Based Flexible Electrodes for Electrophysiological Monitoring.

The advancement of flexible electrodes triggered research on wearables and health monitoring applications. Metal-based bioelectrodes encounter low mechanical strength and skin discomfort at the electrode-skin interface. Thus, recent research has focused on the development of flexible surface electrodes with low electrochemical resistance and high conductivity.

Mental Stress Detection and Mitigation using Machine Learning and Binaural Beat Stimulation.

Stress is an inevitable problem experienced by people worldwide. Continuous exposure to stress can greatly impact mental activity as well as physical health thereby leading to several diseases. In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of audio binaural beat stimulation (BBs) in mitigating mental stress.

Classification of Mental Stress Levels using EEG Connectivity and Convolutional Neural Networks.

Classifying mental stress is important as it helps in identifying the type and severity of stress, which can inform the most appropriate treatment or intervention. In this study, we propose utilizing electroencephalography (EEG) signals with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to classify four mental states: rest, control-alert, stress and stress mitigation. The mental stress state was induced using Stroop color word test (SCWT) with time constrains and was then mitigated using 16 Hz Binaural beat stimulation (BBs).

Detection of Astronaut's Stress Levels During 240-Day Confinement using EEG Signals and Machine Learning.

Early detection of mental stress is particularly important in prolonged space missions. In this study, we propose utilizing electroencephalography (EEG) with multiple machine learning models to detect elevated stress levels during a 240-day confinement. We quantified the levels of stress using alpha amylase levels, reaction time (RT) to stimuli, accuracy of target detection, and functional connectivity of EEG estimated by Phase Locking Value (PLV).

A Flexible Conductive Electrode Using Boronic-Acid Modified Carbon Dots.

Flexible electrodes are becoming a topic of interest for a range of applications including implantation. They can be used for neural signal recording and for electrical stimulation of atrophying muscles. Unlike the traditionally used metal electrodes that are harsh to the body's tissues, flexible electrodes conduct electricity while preserving the delicate tissues.

Mental Stress Management Using fNIRS Directed Connectivity and Audio Stimulation.

In this study, we propose a method to enhance cognitive vigilance and mitigate mental stress in the workplace. We designed an experiment to induce stress by putting participants through Stroop Color-Word Task (SCWT) under time constraint and negative feedback. Then, we used 16 Hz binaural beats auditory stimulation (BBs) for 10 minutes to enhance cognitive vigilance and mitigate stress.

Stress management using fNIRS and binaural beats stimulation.

In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of binaural beats stimulation (BBs) in enhancing cognitive vigilance and mitigating mental stress level at the workplace. We developed an experimental protocol under four cognitive conditions: high vigilance (HV), vigilance enhancement (VE), mental stress (MS) and stress mitigation (SM). The VE and SM conditions were achieved by listening to 16 Hz of BBs.

Improved Cognitive Vigilance Assessment after Artifact Reduction with Wavelet Independent Component Analysis.

Vigilance level assessment is of prime importance to avoid life-threatening human error. Critical working environments such as air traffic control, driving, or military surveillance require the operator to be alert the whole time. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a very common modality that can be used in assessing vigilance.

Asymmetry of Regional Phase Synchrony Cortical Networks Under Cognitive Alertness and Vigilance Decrement States.

This study investigates intra-regional connectivity and regional hemispheric asymmetry under two vigilance states: alertness and vigilance decrement. The vigilance states were induced on nine healthy subjects while performing 30 min in-congruent Stroop color-word task (I-SCWT). We measured brain activity using Electroencephalography (EEG) signals with 64-channels.

Comparative analysis of functional assessment for contusion and transection models of spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Descriptive secondary analysis of two spinal cord injury (SCI) animal models.

Objectives: To compare the somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) and motor behavioral (BBB) assessments of the two most used rodent SCI models (contusion and transection), to elucidate their functional similarity and differences over the acute phase of 3 weeks.

Setting: Neuro-electrophysiology SSEP and motor behavioral BBB assessments are used to provide a comparative analysis of the functional changes among various severities of contusion and transection SCI.

A Review on Mental Stress Assessment Methods Using EEG Signals.

Mental stress is one of the serious factors that lead to many health problems. Scientists and physicians have developed various tools to assess the level of mental stress in its early stages. Several neuroimaging tools have been proposed in the literature to assess mental stress in the workplace.

Effect of thoracic spinal cord injury on forelimb somatosensory evoked potential.

In this paper, we investigate the forelimbs somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) signals, which are representative of the integrity of ascending sensory pathways and their stability as well as function, recorded from corresponding cortices, post thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI). We designed a series of distinctive transection SCI to investigate whether forelimbs SSEPs change after right T10 hemi-transection, T8 and T10 double hemi-transection and T8 complete transection in rat model of SCI. We used electrical stimuli to stimulate median nerves and recorded SSEPs from left and right somatosensory areas of both cortices.

Fabrication of titanium dioxide nanomaterial for implantable highly flexible composite bioelectrode for biosensing applications.

Implantable and stretchable electrodes have managed to progress the medical field from a medical diagnosis aspect to a patient treatment level. They offer the ability to detect biosignals and conduct electrical current to tissues that aid in muscle stimulation and axon regeneration. Current conventional electrodes are fabricated from stiff and very expensive, precious metals such as platinum.

Trading baseline with forelimbs somatosensory evoked potential for longitudinal analysis in thoracic transection spinal cord injury.

Patients who suffered from spinal cord injury (SCI) that come to healthcare professionals for diagnosis and treatment do not have electrophysiology baseline of somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP). The SSEP has always been used in research for data comparison to detect onset and severity of the SCI as well as for assessing its progress, endogenous and therapeutic recovery. This unmet need has motivated us to develop a new tool to substitute the baseline data with forelimb SSEP data of the same day.

Internet of things based multi-sensor patient fall detection system.

Accidental falls of patients cannot be completely prevented. However, timely fall detection can help prevent further complications such as blood loss and unconsciousness. In this study, the authors present a cost-effective integrated system designed to remotely detect patient falls in hospitals in addition to classifying non-fall motions into activities of daily living.

Brain Connectivity Analysis Under Semantic Vigilance and Enhanced Mental States.

In this paper, we present a method to quantify the coupling between brain regions under vigilance and enhanced mental states by utilizing partial directed coherence (PDC) and graph theory analysis (GTA). The vigilance state is induced using a modified version of stroop color-word task (SCWT) while the enhancement state is based on audio stimulation with a pure tone of 250 Hz. The audio stimulation was presented to the right and left ears simultaneously for one-hour while participants perform the SCWT.

Vigilance Decrement and Enhancement Techniques: A Review.

This paper presents the first comprehensive review on vigilance enhancement using both conventional and unconventional means, and further discusses the resulting contradictory findings. It highlights the key differences observed between the research findings and argues that variations of the experimental protocol could be a significant contributing factor towards such contradictory results. Furthermore, the paper reveals the effectiveness of unconventional means of enhancement in significant reduction of vigilance decrement compared to conventional means.

Measuring vigilance decrement using computer vision assisted eye tracking in dynamic naturalistic environments.

Eye tracking offers a practical solution for monitoring cognitive performance in real world tasks. However, eye tracking in dynamic environments is difficult due to high spatial and temporal variation of stimuli, needing further and thorough investigation. In this paper, we study the possibility of developing a novel computer vision assisted eye tracking analysis by using fixations.

Role of multisensory stimuli in vigilance enhancement- a single trial event related potential study.

Development of interventions to prevent vigilance decrement has important applications in sensitive areas like transportation and defence. The objective of this work is to use multisensory (visual and haptic) stimuli for cognitive enhancement during mundane tasks. Two different epoch intervals representing sensory perception and motor response were analysed using minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) based single trial ERP estimation to understand the performance dependency on both factors.