Deactivation of anterior cingulate cortex during virtual social interaction in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Studies about social functioning in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are lacking, even though neuroimaging studies and metacognition evaluation results suggest abnormal neural responses during social interactions. This study examined neural responses of OCD patients during handshakes with a virtual avatar. Because of the nature of the handshaking task, we expected that OCD patients with predominantly contamination/washing symptoms (CON) would show different neural responses compared to healthy controls (HCs) and to disease-controlled (NCON) patients.

Technical Considerations in Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression.

With technical development and evolution of endoscopic instruments, endoscopic spinal surgery has become one of the standard treatments for various lumbar spinal diseases ranging from a simple contained disc to complicated cases such as highly migrated disc herniation and other pathology combined with bony degeneration to produce foraminal and canal stenosis. Favorable clinical results of endoscopic decompression for lumbar stenotic disease were reported by several authors. However, studies have also reported limitations, such as steep learning curves and a relatively high complication rate compared with conventional techniques.

Comparative Analysis between Three Different Lumbar Decompression Techniques (Microscopic, Tubular, and Endoscopic) in Lumbar Canal and Lateral Recess Stenosis: Preliminary Report.

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to compare the results of spinal decompression using the full-endoscopic interlaminar technique, tubular retractor, and a conventional microsurgical laminotomy technique and evaluate the advantages and clinical feasibility of minimally invasive spinal (MIS) lumbar decompression technique in the lumbar canal and lateral recess stenosis.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed clinical and radiological data from 270 patients who received microsurgical (group E: 72 patients), tubular (group T: 34 patients), or full-endoscopic decompression surgery (group E: 164 patients) for their lumbar canal and lateral recess stenosis from June 2016 to August 2017. Clinical (VAS, ODI, and Mcnab criteria), radiologic (spinal canal diameter, segmental dynamic angle, and disc height), and surgical outcome parameters (CPK level, Operative time, blood loss, and hospital stay) were evaluated pre- and postoperatively and compared among the three groups by means of statistical analysis.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Decompression in Lumbar Canal and Lateral Recess Stenosis - The Surgical Learning Curve.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to characterize the learning curve of endoscopic lumbar decompression based on peri- and postoperative parameters and to suggest the potential of full endoscopic decompression as a primary treatment option for lumbar canal and lateral recess stenosis.

Methods: The records of 223 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic decompression by a single surgeon for their lumbar canal and lateral recess stenosis were reviewed. Patients were stratified into group 1 (n=100) and group 2 (n=123), depending on their case number.

The Usefulness of Percutaneous Endoscopic Technique in Multifocal Lumbar Pathology.

The multifocal lumbar pathology including disc herniation and stenosis in the spinal canal or foramen has been considered the most difficult to approach surgically. It often requires mandatory dual approaches and/or fusion techniques. Traditional percutaneous endoscopic lumbar transforaminal and interlaminar approach has been focused on unifocal disc herniation.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Laminotomy with Flavectomy by Uniportal, Unilateral Approach for the Lumbar Canal or Lateral Recess Stenosis.

Objective: To evaluate clinical feasibility and safety of percutaneous endoscopic decompression by a uniportal, unilateral approach for lumbar canal or lateral recess stenosis.

Methods: In this retrospective study, the procedure was performed with endoscopic instruments in the same way as conventional microscopic laminotomy and flavectomy. Clinical outcomes (visual analog scale, Oswestry Disability Index, modified MacNab criteria) were evaluated.

Which Approach Is Advantageous to Preventing Development of Adjacent Segment Disease? Comparative Analysis of 3 Different Lumbar Interbody Fusion Techniques (ALIF, LLIF, and PLIF) in L4-5 Spondylolisthesis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare radiologic and clinical outcomes in patients with L4-5 lumbar spondylolisthesis who have undergone either instrumented anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), or posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), especially with regard to the development of adjacent segment disease (ASD).

Methods: Eighty-two patients with preoperative L4-5 spondylolisthesis and minimal ASD who underwent instrumented L4-5 fusion were divided into 3 groups according to the surgical approach used for treatment (ALIF: 27 patients, LLIF: 24 patients, PLIF: 31 patients). Radiographic measurements including preoperative and postoperative foraminal and disk height, segmental and lumbar lordosis, percentage of vertebral slippage, and reduction rate were reviewed.

Suppression of AIMP1 protects cognition in Alzheimer's disease model mice 3xTg-AD.

Neuroinflammation has been raised as a candidate of unifying pathogenesis and a target of a disease-modifying strategy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex (ARS)-interacting multifunctional protein 1 (AIMP1) is a cytokine that is known to amplify the actions of tumor necrosis factor-α and to be involved in microglial activation and neuronal death. In this respect, AIMP1 could be a plausible target for the treatment of AD.

Frontostriatal Connectivity Changes in Major Depressive Disorder After Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Study.

Objective: The aim of this randomized, sham-controlled study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of underlying neurobiological changes after 2-week repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment using functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging in patients with major depression.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with major depressive disorder diagnosed with DSM-IV-TR criteria were randomly assigned to the active rTMS (n = 13) or sham (n = 11) groups from January 2009 to June 2011. rTMS was given for 2 weeks at 110% of the motor threshold for 10 minutes at 10 Hz over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid improves viability of artificial RBCs.

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is known to prevent apoptosis through the Bax pathway and to promote neovascularization by enhancing the mobilization of stem cells, their differentiation. This study was performed to investigate the effect of TUDCA on erythropoiesis in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Since erythropoiesis of CD34(+) HSCs is divided into four phases, the total cell number, viable cell number, cell viability, cell morphology, and expressed erythroid markers in each phase were examined.

Foraminoplastic Superior Vertebral Notch Approach with Reamers in Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy : Technical Note and Clinical Outcome in Limited Indications of Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy.

To describe the details of the foraminoplastic superior vertebral notch approach (FSVNA) with reamers in percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and to demonstrate the clinical outcomes in limited indications of PELD. Retrospective data were collected from 64 patients who underwent PELD with FSVNA from August 2012 to April 2014. Inclusion criteria were high grade migrated disc, high canal compromised disc, and disc protrusion combined with foraminal stenosis.

Radicular compression by intraspinal epidural gas bubble occurred in distant two levels after lumbar microdiscectomy.

The authors report a case of symptomatic epidural gas accumulation 2 weeks after the multi-level lumbar surgery, causing postoperative recurrent radiculopathy. The accumulation of epidural gas compressing the dural sac and nerve root was demonstrated by CT and MRI at the distant two levels, L3-4 and L5-S1, where vacuum in disc space was observed preoperatively and both laminectomy and discectomy had been done. However, postoperative air was not identified at L4-5 level where only laminectomy had been done in same surgical field, which suggested the relationship between postoperative epidural gas and the manipulation of disc structure.

The antibody atliximab attenuates collagen-induced arthritis by neutralizing AIMP1, an inflammatory cytokine that enhances osteoclastogenesis.

ARS-interacting multifunctional protein 1 (AIMP1) induces production of inflammatory cytokines from immune cells. Since osteoclastogenesis is promoted by positive regulation of inflammatory cytokines, whether AIMP1 could promote osteoclastogenesis was investigated. AIMP1 induced osteoclastogenesis and acted synergistically with RANKL to promote osteoclastogenesis.

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, a bile acid, promotes blood vessel repair by recruiting vasculogenic progenitor cells.

Although serum bile acid concentrations are approximately 10 µM in healthy subjects, the crosstalk between the biliary system and vascular repair has never been investigated. In this study, tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) induced dissociation of CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from stromal cells by reducing adhesion molecule expression. TUDCA increased CD34(+) /Sca1(+) progenitors in mice peripheral blood (PB), and CD34(+) , CD31(+) , and c-kit(+) progenitors in human PB.

Distinct functional connectivity of limbic network in the washing type obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Neurobiological models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) emphasize disturbances of the corticostriatal circuit, but it remains unclear as to how these complex network dysfunctions correspond to heterogeneous OCD phenotypes. We aimed to investigate corticostriatal functional connectivity alterations distinct to OCD characterized predominantly by contamination/washing symptoms. Functional connectivity strengths of the striatal seed regions with remaining brain regions during the resting condition and the contamination symptom provocation condition were compared among 13 OCD patients with predominant contamination/washing symptoms (CON), 13 OCD patients without these symptoms (NCON), and 18 healthy controls.

Disruption of orbitofronto-striatal functional connectivity underlies maladaptive persistent behaviors in alcohol-dependent patients.

Objective: Alcohol dependence is characterized by persistent alcohol-seeking despite negative consequences. Previous studies suggest that maladaptive persistent behaviors reflect alcohol-induced brain changes that cause alterations in the cortico-striatal-limbic circuit.

Methods: Twenty one alcohol dependent patients and 24 age-matched healthy controls performed a decision-making task during functional MRI.

ARS-interacting multi-functional protein 1 induces proliferation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by accumulation of β-catenin via fibroblast growth factor receptor 2-mediated activation of Akt.

ARS-Interacting Multi-functional Protein 1 (AIMP1) is a cytokine that is involved in the regulation of angiogenesis, immune activation, and fibroblast proliferation. In this study, fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) was isolated as a binding partner of AIMP peptide (amino acids 6-46) in affinity purification using human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). AIMP1 peptide induced the proliferation of adult BMMSCs by activating Akt, inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3β, and thereby increasing the level of β-catenin.

rTMS over bilateral inferior parietal cortex induces decrement of spatial sustained attention.

Sustained attention is an essential brain function that enables a subject to maintain attention level over the time of a task. In previous work, the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL) has been reported as one of the main brain regions related to sustained attention, however, the right lateralization of vigilance/sustained attention is unclear because information about the network for sustained attention is traditionally provided by neglect patients who typically have right brain damage. Here, we investigated sustained attention by applying a virtual lesion technique, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), over the left and right superior parietal lobe (SPL) and IPL.

Neural evidence for emotional involvement in pathological alcohol craving.

Aims: Reducing craving is a key to success in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The emotion circuit may be involved in pathological craving for alcohol. In this study, we investigated neural correlates of emotional involvement in craving in alcohol dependence.

A new paradigm for stem cell therapy: substance-P as a stem cell-stimulating agent.

Bone marrow is a reservoir for hematopoietic stem cells, endothelial precursor cells, and bone marrow stromal cells (also generally called mesenchymal stem cells), whose positive role in tissue repair is highly anticipated. In this report, we introduce a novel function of substance-P (SP), an 11-amino-acid peptide, as an injury-inducible messenger to mobilize bone marrow stem cells to the blood and finally to engage in tissue repair. This new drug may substitute for ex vivo cell culture of therapeutic cells by stimulating cell proliferation in the bone marrow in vivo and mobilizing those therapeutic cells to the patient's own blood stream.

Schwann-like cells from human melanocytes and their fate in sciatic nerve injury.

We induced human melanocyte dedifferentiation to Schwann cell-like cells in vitro by a combination of forskolin, neuregulin-β1, neurotrophin-3, platelet-derived growth factor-aa, basic fibroblast growth factor, laminin, and heparin. Cultured human melanocytes constitutively expressed neural cell and melanocyte markers but melanocyte-specific marker, including microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and tyrosinase, expression was selectively lost after induction. In the sciatic nerve injury site, the induced cells were engrafted and closely aligned to axons and P0-expressing myelin sheaths, whereas uninduced cells were not colocalized with axons and myelin sheaths and reexpressed melanocyte-specific tyrosinase activity in vivo.

Surgical management and outcome of tethered cord syndrome in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults.

Objective: The adolescent presentation of tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is well-recognized, but continues to pose significant diagnostic and management controversies. The authors conducted a retrospective study of clinical outcomes after surgical intervention in 24 school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with TCS.

Methods: All 83 patients with a lipomyelomeningocele (LMMC) underwent untethering surgery for caudal cord tethering between 1987 and 2007.

Neural basis of attributional style in schizophrenia.

Attributional style means how people typically infer the causes of emotional behaviors. No study has shown neural basis of attributional style in schizophrenia, although it was suggested as a major area of social cognition research of schizophrenia. Fifteen patients with schizophrenia and 16 healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing three (happy, angry, and neutral) conditions of attribution task.

Brain mechanisms involved in processing unreal perceptions.

Individuals sometimes experience an illusory or hallucinatory perception. This unreal perception is usually resolved after the individual recognizes that the perception was not real. In this study, we investigated the brain mechanisms involved in the process to an illusory or hallucinatory perception through 'obtaining insight into unreality'.

Alteration of brain metabolites in young alcoholics without structural changes.

Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated concentrations of various brain metabolites, including glutamate, and measured brain volumes and neuropsychological performances in 13 recently abstinent young alcoholic men compared with 18 controls. No differences were found in volumetric variables between groups (intracranial volume, white matter, grey matter, anterior cingulate, insula, hippocampus, and amygdala). For the anterior cingulate, choline and creatine levels in the patient group were significantly lower than controls, and the glutamate to creatine ratio was significantly increased.