Classification of Hippocampal Ripples: Convolutional Neural Network Learns Episode-Specific Changes.

The hippocampus is known to play an important role in memory by processing spatiotemporal information of episodic experiences. By recording synchronized multiple-unit firing events (ripple firings with 300 Hz-10 kHz) of hippocampal CA1 neurons in freely moving rats, we previously found an episode-dependent diversity in the waveform of ripple firings. In the present study, we hypothesized that changes in the diversity would depend on the type of episode experienced.

Dual-Arm Visuo-Haptic Optical Tweezers for Bimanual Cooperative Micromanipulation of Nonspherical Objects.

Cooperative manipulation through dual-arm robots is widely implemented to perform precise and dexterous tasks to ensure automation; however, the implementation of cooperative micromanipulation through dual-arm optical tweezers is relatively rare in biomedical laboratories. To enable the bimanual and dexterous cooperative handling of a nonspherical object in microscopic workspaces, we present a dual-arm visuo-haptic optical tweezer system with two trapped microspheres, which are commercially available end-effectors, to realize indirect micromanipulation. By combining the precise correction technique of distortions in scanning optical tweezers and computer vision techniques, our dual-arm system allows a user to perceive the real contact forces during the cooperative manipulation of an object.

[Functional Movement Disorders That Do Not Improve after Explaining the Diagnosis: Do Not Treat the Disease, Treat the Patient].

The most important factor in the treatment of functional movement disorders is the initial discussion between the doctor and the patient, wherein the doctor must inform the patient regarding their diagnosis and obtain their consent. To obtain consent, explanations must be tailored to the patient's knowledge. To do so, it is important to know the patient.

Postural Abnormality in Parkinson's Disease: A Large Comparative Study With General Population.

Background: Postural abnormalities in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and unimpaired elderly are not well differentiated. Factors related to postural abnormality associated with PD are controversial.

Objective: We assessed differences in postural change between PD patients and unimpaired elderly and elucidated factors related to abnormal posture in PD patients.

Persistent Expression of Dopamine-Synthesizing Enzymes 15 Years After Gene Transfer in a Primate Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Restoring dopamine production in the putamen through gene therapy is a straightforward strategy for ameliorating motor symptoms for Parkinson's disease (PD). In a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) toxicity-based primate model of PD, we previously showed the safety and efficacy of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated gene delivery to the putamen of three dopamine-synthesizing enzymes (tyrosine hydroxylase [TH], aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase [AADC], and guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I [GCH]) up to 10 months postprocedure. Although three of four monkeys in this study have previously undergone postmortem analysis, one monkey was kept alive for 15 years after gene therapy to evaluate long-term effects.

[Patients' Perspective on Parkinson Disease Therapies: Comparative Results of Large-scale Surveys in 2008 and 2013 in Japan].

A large-scale patient survey was conducted in 2013 and results compared with those of a similar scale survey conducted in 2008 to clarify the current status of drug therapy and patients' understanding of Parkinson disease (PD) and therapy. A total of 4,278 and 101 patients respectively participated in primary mail survey and secondary interview surveys. Measures of PD severity, activity level, and level of assistance required in daily life were improved compared with those in the 2008 survey.

[Problem of alternative medicine in Parkinson's disease].

I asked about the usage of alternative medicine to 300 outpatients with Parkinson's disease. 163 patients (54.3%) had experience with health appliance and 128 patients (42.

Preoperative high-dose steroid has long-term beneficial effects for myasthenia gravis.

Previous studies addressing preoperative steroid treatment have revealed that control of myasthenia gravis (MG) with steroids prior to surgery appeared to stabilize postoperative status. The purpose of our study was to clarify the clinical benefits of the preoperative programmed high-dose steroid treatment on the long-term outcomes of MG patients. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 171 MG patients who were followed up after undergoing thymectomy in our hospital between 1988 and 2006.

[Disinhibitory abnormal behavior induced by treatment of Parkinson disease].

The treatment of Parkinson disease has considerably progressed in the last 20 years. However, such treatments results in the adverse event of disinhibitory abnormal behavior, which includes impulse control disorders, punding, and dopamine dysregulation syndrome. Pathological gambling is the most extensively studied among such abnormal behaviors.

Sudden change from chaos to oscillation death in the Bonhoeffer-van der Pol oscillator under weak periodic perturbation.

In this paper, we analyze the sudden change from chaos to oscillation death generated by the Bonhoeffer-van der Pol (BVP) oscillator under weak periodic perturbation. The parameter values of the BVP oscillator are chosen such that a stable focus and a stable relaxation oscillation coexist if no perturbation is applied. In such a system, complicated bifurcation structure is expected to emerge when weak periodic perturbation is applied because the stable focus and the stable relaxation oscillation coexist in close proximity in the phase plane.

Subregional 6-[18F]fluoro-ʟ-m-tyrosine uptake in the striatum in Parkinson's disease.

Background: In idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) the clinical features are heterogeneous and include different predominant symptoms. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between subregional aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) activity in the striatum and the cardinal motor symptoms of PD using high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) with an AADC tracer, 6-[18F]fluoro-ʟ-m-tyrosine (FMT).

Methods: We assessed 101 patients with PD and 19 healthy volunteers.

[Patients' perspective on Parkinson disease therapies: results of a large-scale survey in Japan].

Parkinson's disease (PD) affects 145,000 people in Japan. Most of these patients are treated with levodopa in combination with other anti-PD therapies. In order to maximize efficacy and patient satisfaction, this survey was conducted to investigate patients' perspective of current PD management in Japan.

A phase I study of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene therapy for Parkinson's disease.

Gene transfer of dopamine-synthesizing enzymes into the striatal neurons has led to behavioral recovery in animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD). We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and potential efficacy of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector-mediated gene delivery of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) into the putamen of PD patients. Six PD patients were evaluated at baseline and at 6 months, using multiple measures, including the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), motor state diaries, and positron emission tomography (PET) with 6-[(18)F]fluoro-L-m-tyrosine (FMT), a tracer for AADC.

Management of non-motor complications in Parkinson's disease.

This paper summarizes the methods we devised for the treatment of psychosis, orthostatic hypotension, and mood disorders among the various non-motor complications of Parkinson's disease. Psychosis may not manifest when a patient believes in his/her delusions. If left untreated over a prolonged period, however, the delusions progress to paranoia that is very difficult to cure.

Oscillation and its inhibition in a neuronal network model for tinnitus sound therapy.

Tinnitus is the perception of phantom sounds in the ears or in the head. Sound therapy techniques for tinnitus treatment have been proposed. In order to investigate mechanisms of tinnitus generation and the clinical effects of sound therapy from the viewpoint of neural engineering, we have proposed a computational model using a neural oscillator.

[Pathological gambling and Parkinson disease].

Pathological gambling (PG) is defined by the DSM IV criteria as inappropriate, persistent, and maladaptive gambling behavior that has repercussions on family, personal, and professional life. It is classified as an impulse control disorder and is widely understood as a nonpharmacological addiction. PG has been reported as a complication in the treatment of Parkinson disease (PD).

Dynamical properties of a plastic neural network model for tinnitus therapy and inhibition of oscillation using noise stimulus.

Tinnitus is the perception of phantom sounds in the ears or in the head. Sound therapy techniques for tinnitus have been proposed. To account for mechanisms of tinnitus generation and the clinical effects of sound therapies from the viewpoint of neural engineering, we have proposed a plastic neural network model for the human auditory system.

Oscillation and its inhibition in a neural oscillator model for tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a symptom of perceiving phantom sounds. As one of its treatment techniques, tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) has been proposed. It consists of psychotherapy by counseling and physical therapy based on masking theory by external stimuli.

Dropped head in Parkinson's disease.

"A propensity to bend the trunk forward" and "the chin is now almost immovably bent down upon the sternum" were described by James Parkinson in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The term "dropped head" was first reported in "Gerlier disease" in Switzerland and 'kubisagari' in Japan and since then also reported in myositis, myopathy, myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, neuropathy, and hypothyroidism. Disproportionate antecollis occurs in about half cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA) and is considered dystonic in nature.