Depth of sedation with dexmedetomidine increases transcranial magnetic stimulation-evoked potential amplitude non-linearly.

Background: Cortical excitability is higher in unconsciousness than in wakefulness, but it is unclear how this relates to anaesthesia. We investigated cortical excitability in response to dexmedetomidine, the effects of which are not fully known.

Methods: We recorded transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and EEG in frontal and parietal cortex of 20 healthy subjects undergoing dexmedetomidine sedation in four conditions (baseline, light sedation, deep sedation, recovery).

How to be responsible in all the steps of a data science pipeline: The case of the Italian public sector.

The paper highlights how each step of a data science pipeline can be performed in a "responsible" way, taking into account privacy, ethics, and quality issues. Several examples from the Italian public sector contribute to clarifying how data collections and data analyses can be carried out under a responsible view.

N400-like responses to three-chord harmonic sequences with unexpected out of key endings: scalp topography, cortical sources, and perspectives for a clinical use.

A series of ERP components, each provided with both a precise timing with respect to stimulation and a specific cortical localization, reflects the temporal succession of processing stages of music information. This makes the musical stimulus potentially usable to probe residual brain functions in non-communicating patients with disorders of consciousness. In an attempt to find a simple stimulation protocol that was suitable for use in a clinical setting, the purpose of this study was to verify whether a minimum-length musical stimulus, provided with a definite music-syntactic connotation, was still able to elicit musical ERPs in a group of eight healthy subjects.

Family functioning in severe brain injuries: correlations with caregivers' burden, perceived social support and quality of life.

Severe brain injuries have long-term consequences on functional status and psychosocial functioning. Family life can be greatly influenced as well, and features of high caregiver burden can emerge. Although the data on caregivers' distress are constantly increasing, less information is available about the role of family functioning.

A case of post-traumatic minimally conscious state reversed by midazolam: Clinical aspects and neurophysiological correlates.

Purpose: We describe the case of a subject in a post-traumatic Minimally Conscious State (MCS) who retrieved full interaction with the environment after midazolam infusion. We studied EEG correlates of the "awakening reaction" in the different domains of frequency, time and cortical topography, along with the intrinsic connectivity within both the task-positive and the linguistic network.

Methods: EEG recorded before and after midazolam administration has been submitted to spectral power analysis, sLORETA analysis and intrinsic connectivity analysis within both functional networks.

Quantitative EEG analysis in minimally conscious state patients during postural changes.

Mobilization and postural changes of patients with cognitive impairment are standard clinical practices useful for both psychic and physical rehabilitation process. During this process, several physiological signals, such as Electroen-cephalogram (EEG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), Photopletysmography (PPG), Respiration activity (RESP), Electrodermal activity (EDA), are monitored and processed. In this paper we investigated how quantitative EEG (qEEG) changes with postural modifications in minimally conscious state patients.

EEG complexity drug-induced changes in disorders of consciousness: a preliminary report.

The goal of this work is to investigate EEG (ElectroEncephaloGram) dynamics after drug intake in patients being in states of Disorders Of Consciousness (DOC) after brain injury. Four patients were involved in the study. All the patients exhibit cerebral lesions located in the same anatomical region.

[Dental adhesive and sealing products submitted to biological in vivo control].

To assess the biocompatibility of 5 dental materials (Gluma, Scotchbond Light Cured, Fuji Type II, Aquacem and Dual Cement), 40 standardized class V restorations were repaired in vivo in human premolars due to be extracted for orthodontic purposes. Histological observation revealed that Gluma, Scotchbond Light Cured and Fuji Type II were eliciting "slight" to "severe" pulpal responses alongside altered odontoblastic layers and inhibited dentinogenesis. These alterations were observed after periods up to 50 days.