White matter variations in congenital adrenal hyperplasia: possible implications for glucocorticoid treatment.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia has been reported to manifest with white matter aberrations. However, many previous studies included only small samples, restricted their analyses to females, lacked a control group and/or did not correct for brain size. Here, we examined the largest sample to date, comprising 53 male and female participants with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, who were matched with 53 male and female controls in terms of sex, age, education, and verbal intelligence.

Effects of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and Biological Sex on Brain Size.

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) has been reported to involve structural alterations in some brain regions. However, it remains to be established whether there is also an impact on the size of the brain as a whole. Here, we compiled the largest CAH sample to date (n = 53), matched pair-wise to a control group (n = 53) on sex, age, and verbal intelligence.

The link between structural brain asymmetry and the dimensions of the corpus callosum: A systematic review.

Cerebral asymmetry is a defining feature of the human brain, but some controversy exists with respect to the relationship between structural brain asymmetry and the dimensions of the corpus callosum, the brain's major inter-hemispheric commissure. On the one hand, more asymmetric brains might house a proportionally smaller corpus callosum (negative link), potentially due to intra-hemispheric connections dominating over inter-hemispheric connections. On the other hand, asymmetric brains may contain a proportionately larger corpus callosum (positive link), to facilitate a possibly enhanced demand of interhemispheric communication, either through excitatory or inhibitory channels.

CAT: a computational anatomy toolbox for the analysis of structural MRI data.

A large range of sophisticated brain image analysis tools have been developed by the neuroscience community, greatly advancing the field of human brain mapping. Here we introduce the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT)-a powerful suite of tools for brain morphometric analyses with an intuitive graphical user interface but also usable as a shell script. CAT is suitable for beginners, casual users, experts, and developers alike, providing a comprehensive set of analysis options, workflows, and integrated pipelines.

Large-scale analysis of structural brain asymmetries during neurodevelopment: Associations with age and sex in 4265 children and adolescents.

Only a small number of studies have assessed structural differences between the two hemispheres during childhood and adolescence. However, the existing findings lack consistency or are restricted to a particular brain region, a specific brain feature, or a relatively narrow age range. Here, we investigated associations between brain asymmetry and age as well as sex in one of the largest pediatric samples to date (n = 4265), aged 1-18 years, scanned at 69 sites participating in the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) consortium.

Approximation of bone mineral density and subcutaneous adiposity using T1-weighted images of the human head.

Bones and brain are intricately connected and scientific interest in their interaction is growing. This has become particularly evident in the framework of clinical applications for various medical conditions, such as obesity and osteoporosis. The adverse effects of obesity on brain health have long been recognised, but few brain imaging studies provide sophisticated body composition measures.

Corpus callosum morphology and relationships to illness phenotypes in individuals with anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is an often-severe psychiatric illness characterized by significantly low body weight, fear of gaining weight, and distorted body image. Multiple neuroimaging studies have shown abnormalities in cortical morphology, mostly associated with the starvation state. Investigations of white matter, while more limited in number, have suggested global and regional volume reductions, as well as abnormal diffusivity in multiple regions including the corpus callosum.

Cortical gyrification in women and men and the (missing) link to prenatal androgens.

Previous studies have reported sex differences in cortical gyrification. Since most cortical folding is principally defined in utero, sex chromosomes as well as gonadal hormones are likely to influence sex-specific aspects of local gyrification. Classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) causes high levels of androgens during gestation in females, whereas levels in males are largely within the typical male range.

Reduced Age-Related Gray Matter Loss in the Orbitofrontal Cortex in Long-Term Meditators.

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a functionally heterogeneous brain region contributing to mental processes relating to meditation practices. The OFC has been reported to decline in volume with increasing age and differs in volume between meditation practitioners and non-practitioners. We hypothesized that the age-related decline of the OFC is diminished in meditation practitioners.

A cross-sectional study of discipline-based self-perceived digital literacy competencies of nursing students.

Aims: This study offers an empirical exploration of self-assessed digital competencies of students, most of whom studied in nursing courses, using a discipline-based self-assessment survey tool. A range of digital competencies were explored: information and communication technology proficiency and productivity, information literacy, digital creation, digital research, digital communication, digital learning and development, digital innovation, digital identity management and digital well-being.

Design: A cross-sectional empirical study.

Preliminary evidence for a lower brain age in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a debilitating disorder with apparent roots in abnormal brain development. Here, we quantified the level of individual brain maturation in children with ADHD using structural neuroimaging and a recently developed machine learning algorithm. More specifically, we compared the BrainAGE index between three groups matched for chronological age (mean ± SD: 11.

Preliminary evidence of links between ayahuasca use and the corpus callosum.

Background: Recent research suggests that ayahuasca and its alkaloid-containing ingredients may be helpful in the treatment and prevention of certain movement and neurodegenerative disorders. However, such research is still in its infancy and more studies in normative samples seem necessary to explore effects of ayahuasca on clinically relevant brain structures, such as the corpus callosum.

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to investigate links between ayahuasca use and callosal structure in a normative sample.

The neuroanatomy of pregnancy and postpartum.

Pregnancy and giving birth are exceptional states in a woman's life for many reasons. While the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on the female body are obvious, less is known about their impact on the female brain, especially in humans. The scientific literature is still sparse but we have identified 12 longitudinal neuroimaging studies conducted in women whose brains were scanned before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and/or after giving birth.

Aberrant callosal morphology in ex-smokers.

Background: Cigarette smoking is associated with widespread structural alterations in both brain hemispheres as well as of the corpus callosum (i.e., the brain's main interhemispheric white matter pathway).

Marked to Die-Cell Death Mechanisms for Keratinocyte Acantholysis in Pemphigus Diseases.

Pemphigus is a group of blistering autoimmune diseases causing painful skin lesions, characterized by acantholysis and by the production of autoantibodies against, mainly, adhesion proteins. We reviewed the literature for molecules and/ or features involved in the 12 cell death pathways described by Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death, taking place in pemphigus patients, cell lines, or human skin organ cultures treated with sera or IgG from pemphigus patients or in pemphigus mouse models, and found 61 studies mentioning 97 molecules involved in cell death pathways. Among the molecules, most investigated were pleiotropic molecules such as TNF and CASP3, followed by FASL and CASP8, and then by FAS, BAX, BCL2, and TP53, all involved in more than one pathway but interpreted to function only within apoptosis.

Brain Sex in Transgender Women Is Shifted towards Gender Identity.

Transgender people report discomfort with their birth sex and a strong identification with the opposite sex. The current study was designed to shed further light on the question of whether the brains of transgender people resemble their birth sex or their gender identity. For this purpose, we analyzed a sample of 24 cisgender men, 24 cisgender women, and 24 transgender women before gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Postpartum Gray Matter Changes in the Auditory Cortex.

After giving birth, a mother's brain undergoes functional adaptations fostering the ability to properly respond to the needs of her newborn. Tuning into and understanding her baby's crying is among the top skills required and executed in the early stages of motherhood. However, surprisingly little is known about potential changes in the anatomy of the maternal auditory cortex.

What Helps, What Hinders? Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Clinical Placements Based on a Thematic Synthesis of Literature.

Introduction: Clinical placements are a mandatory component of nursing students' education internationally. Despite clinical education being a key to nursing students' achievement of nursing competencies, few studies have reviewed students' narratives to describe their experiences of learning during clinical placement. Such studies may be important in offering a deeper insight into clinical learning experiences than quantitative surveys.

Cytoarchitectonically Defined Volumes of Early Extrastriate Visual Cortex in Unmedicated Adults With Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

Background: Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) misperceive that they have prominent defects in their appearance, resulting in preoccupations, time-consuming rituals, and distress. Previous neuroimaging studies have found abnormal activation patterns in the extrastriate visual cortex, which may underlie experiences of distorted perception of appearance. Correspondingly, we investigated gray matter volumes in individuals with BDD in the early extrastriate visual cortex using cytoarchitectonically defined maps that were previously derived from postmortem brains.

Reduced age-related gray matter loss in the subgenual cingulate cortex in long-term meditators.

Accumulating evidence suggests that meditation practices have positive effects on brain ageing overall. The cingulate is known to be recruited during meditation, but research into possible effects of meditation on the ageing of the cingulate is currently missing. Thus, the present study was designed to help close this knowledge gap, with particular focus on the subgenual cingulate, a region involved in emotional regulation and autonomic and endocrine functions, making it potentially relevant for meditation.

Optimal Blood Pressure Keeps Our Brains Younger.

: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a major health risk factor and the leading global cause of premature death. Hypertension is also a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. However, when elevated blood pressure starts impacting cerebral health is less clear.

Differential involvement of hippocampal subfields in Niemann-Pick type C disease: a case-control study.

Hippocampal brain regions are strongly implicated in Niemann Pick type C disease (NPC), but little is known regarding distinct subregions of the hippocampal complex and whether these are equally or differentially affected. To address this gap, we compared volumes of five hippocampal subfields between NPC and healthy individuals using MRI. To this end, 9 adult-onset NPC cases and 9 age- and gender-matched controls underwent a 3 T T1-weighted MRI scan.

Nursing degree students' clinical placement experiences in Australia: A survey design.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate Australian nursing students' views of placements at seven tertiary education institutions with the use of the Placement Evaluation Tool (PET).

Background: Clinical placements are a core element of healthcare education programs around the world (Chuan and Barnett, 2012) with undergraduate nursing students required to complete a prescribed number of hours as part of their degree. The quality of nursing clinical placements varies with a range of positive and negative learning experiences.

Significant increases of the amygdala between immediate and late postpartum: Pronounced effects within the superficial subregion.

Research exploring the underlying neuroanatomical correlates of early motherhood seems to suggest that the period after giving birth is marked by tissue increases in the mother's brain. While some studies point to the amygdala as one of the areas undergoing postpartum changes, existing analyses did not discriminate between the different subregions of this functionally heterogeneous structure. Thus, to further extend this understudied field of research and to better understand the potential role of the amygdala when transitioning to motherhood, we applied an advanced region-of-interest technique that enabled us to analyze the amygdala as a whole as well as its different subareas, specifically the left and right centromedian (CM), laterobasal (LB), and superficial (SF) regions.