Comparison of group-level, source localized activity for simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy-magnetoencephalography and simultaneous fNIRS-fMRI during parametric median nerve stimulation.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a noninvasive neuroimaging technique, which uses light to measure changes in cerebral blood oxygenation through sensors placed on the surface of the scalp. We recorded concurrent fNIRS with magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in order to investigate the group-level correspondence of these measures with source-localized fNIRS estimates. Healthy participants took part in both a concurrent fNIRS-MEG and fNIRS-fMRI neuroimaging session during two somatosensory stimulation tasks, a blocked design median nerve localizer and parametric pulsed-pair median nerve stimulation using interpulse intervals from 100 to 500 ms.

Magnetoencephalography-based identification of functional connectivity network disruption following mild traumatic brain injury.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) leads to long-term cognitive sequelae in a significant portion of patients. Disruption of normal neural communication across functional brain networks may explain the deficits in memory and attention observed after mTBI. In this study, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine functional connectivity during a resting state in a group of mTBI subjects (n = 9) compared with age-matched control subjects (n = 15).

Dynamic encoding of face information in the human fusiform gyrus.

Humans' ability to rapidly and accurately detect, identify and classify faces under variable conditions derives from a network of brain regions highly tuned to face information. The fusiform face area (FFA) is thought to be a computational hub for face processing; however, temporal dynamics of face information processing in FFA remains unclear. Here we use multivariate pattern classification to decode the temporal dynamics of expression-invariant face information processing using electrodes placed directly on FFA in humans.

Bodies adapt orientation-independent face representations.

Faces and bodies share a great number of semantic attributes, such as gender, emotional expressiveness, and identity. Recent studies demonstrate that bodies can activate and modulate face perception. However, the nature of the face representation that is activated by bodies remains unknown.

Sex and regional differences in effects of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure on subsequent excitotoxic challenges in hippocampal slice cultures.

The organotypic hippocampal slice culture technique was used to study how the effects of repeated ethanol withdrawal might differ between males and females at the cellular level, including potential modulation of subsequent insults. A chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure paradigm was employed, with 3 days of exposure followed by 24 h withdrawal for 3 cycles. Slices were next exposed to corticosterone (CORT) or pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) for 24 h then imaged for propidium iodide (PI) signal intensities.

Voluntary wheel running attenuates ethanol withdrawal-induced increases in seizure susceptibility in male and female rats.

We recently found that voluntary wheel running attenuated ethanol withdrawal-induced increased susceptibility to chemoconvulsant-induced seizures in male rats. Since female rats recover from ethanol withdrawal (EW) more quickly than male rats across several behavioral measures, this study was designed to determine whether the effects of exercise on EW seizures also exhibited sex differences. Animals were maintained under no-wheel, locked-wheel or free-wheel conditions and ethanol was administered by liquid diet for 14 days with control animals pair-fed an isocaloric diet, after which seizure thresholds were determined at 1 day or 3 days of EW.

Running wheel activity protects against increased seizure susceptibility in ethanol withdrawn male rats.

Ethanol withdrawal is a dysphoric condition that arises from termination of ethanol intake by dependent individuals. Common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, increased reactivity to stimuli and increased seizure susceptibility as well as the risk of increased seizure severity. We use an animal model of dependence and withdrawal to study withdrawal behaviors and potential underlying neurobiological mechanisms.

Ethanol-induced loss-of-righting response during ethanol withdrawal in male and female rats: associations with alterations in Arc labeling.

Background: There is increasing evidence for relevant sex differences in responses to ethanol. Several investigations have found differences in expression and recovery from ethanol withdrawal (EW) in people and across various animal models. We have found that female rats recover more quickly than male rats and show differential responses to various behavioral assessments and pharmacological challenges during withdrawal.