Electroencephalography Longitudinal Markers of Central Neuropathic Pain Intensity in Spinal Cord Injury: A Home-Based Pilot Study.

Background: It is well known from cross-sectional studies that pain intensity affects brain activity as measured by electroencephalography (EEG) in people with neuropathic pain (NP). However, quantitative characterisation is scarce.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, ten people with spinal cord injury-related NP recorded their home EEG activity ten days before and after taking medications over a period of several weeks.

Targeting Divergent Pathways in the Nutritional Management of Depression.

The nutritional management of depression has long been discussed, due to the perceived benefit of a nutritional product having less side effects than pharmaceutical agents. Candidate nutrients for managing depression include vitamin D, B vitamins, tryptophan, branch chain amino acids, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, folate/methylfolate (also known as vitamin B9), and s-adenosylmethionine. This paper provides a narrative review of three nutrients which have significant scientific support for the management of depression.

Observed-to-expected lung-area-to-head-circumference ratio on ultrasound examination vs total fetal lung volume on magnetic resonance imaging in prediction of survival in fetuses with left-sided diaphragmatic hernia.

Objective: To assess and compare the value of antenatally determined observed-to-expected (O/E) lung-area-to-head-circumference ratio (LHR) on ultrasound examination vs O/E total fetal lung volume (TFLV) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination to predict postnatal survival of fetuses with isolated, expectantly managed left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study including all consecutive fetuses with isolated CDH that were managed expectantly in Mannheim, Germany, and in five other European centers, that underwent at least one ultrasound examination for measurement of O/E-LHR and one MRI scan for measurement of O/E-TFLV during pregnancy. All MRI data were centralized, and lung volumes were measured by two experienced operators blinded to the pre- and postnatal data.

The molecular machinery for maturation of primary mtDNA transcripts.

Human mitochondria harbour a circular, polyploid genome (mtDNA) encoding 11 messenger RNAs (mRNAs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Mitochondrial transcription produces long, polycistronic transcripts that span almost the entire length of the genome, and hence contain all three types of RNAs. The primary transcripts then undergo a number of processing and maturation steps, which constitute key regulatory points of mitochondrial gene expression.

Motor priming to enhance the effect of physical therapy in people with spinal cord injury.

Context: Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is an emerging neurorehabilitation therapy for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objective: The study aimed to test whether priming the sensorimotor system using BCI-controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) before physical practice is more beneficial than physical practice alone.

Methods: Ten people with subacute SCI participated in a randomized control trial where the experimental ( = 5) group underwent BCI-FES priming (∼15 min) before physical practice (30 min), while the control ( = 5) group performed physical practice (40 min) of the dominant hand.

Fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion vs expectant management for fetuses with severe left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Background: The treatment of fetuses with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia is challenging, but there is evidence that fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion has a benefit over expectant care. In addition, standardization and expertism have a great impact on survival and are probably crucial in centers that rely on expectant management with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after birth.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the survival and morbidity rates of fetuses with a severe isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia who underwent fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion vs expectant management in high-volume centers.

Source-Based EEG Neurofeedback for Sustained Motor Imagery of a Single Leg.

The aim of the study was to test the feasibility of visual-neurofeedback-guided motor imagery (MI) of the dominant leg, based on source analysis with real-time sLORETA derived from 44 EEG channels. Ten able-bodied participants took part in two sessions: session 1 sustained MI without feedback and session 2 sustained MI of a single leg with neurofeedback. MI was performed in 20 s on and 20 s off intervals to mimic functional magnetic resonance imaging.

The predictive value of cortical activity during motor imagery for subacute spinal cord injury-induced neuropathic pain.

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore whether cortical activation and its lateralization during motor imagery (MI) in subacute spinal cord injury (SCI) are indicative of existing or upcoming central neuropathic pain (CNP).

Methods: Multichannel electroencephalogram was recorded during MI of both hands in four groups of participants: able-bodied (N = 10), SCI and CNP (N = 11), SCI who developed CNP within 6 months of EEG recording (N = 10), and SCI who remained CNP-free (N = 10). Source activations and its lateralization were derived in four frequency bands in 20 regions spanning sensorimotor cortex and pain matrix.

Underpinning the neurological source of executive function following cross hemispheric tDCS stimulation.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising technique for enhancement of executive functions in healthy as well as neurologically disturbed patients. However, the evidence regarding the neuropsychological and behavioral change with neurophysiological shifts as well as the mechanism of tDCS action as evidenced by activation of neuronal sources important for executive functions have remained unaddressed. The study thereby endeavors to (1) determine the neuropsychological, behavioral, and neurophysiological change induced with five sessions of bilateral tDCS stimulation and (2) identify putative neuronal sources related to the executive functions responsible for neuropsychological and behavioral change.

Brain-Computer Interface Priming for Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Therapy: An Exploratory Case Study.

Loss of arm and hand function is one of the most devastating consequences of cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Although some residual functional neurons often pass the site of injury, recovery after SCI is extremely limited. Recent efforts have aimed to augment traditional rehabilitation by combining exercise-based training with techniques such as transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS), and movement priming.

Effective Connectivity in Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Neuropathic Pain.

Aim: The aim of this study was to differentiate the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI) and central neuropathic pain (CNP) on effective connectivity during motor imagery of legs, where CNP is typically experienced.

Methods: Multichannel EEG was recorded during motor imagery of the legs in 3 groups of people: able-bodied ( = 10), SCI with existing CNP ( = 10), and SCI with no CNP ( = 20). The last group was followed up for 6 months to check for the onset of CNP.

Winners and losers in brain computer interface competitive gaming: directional connectivity analysis.

. To characterize the direction within and between brain connectivity in winning and losing players in a competitive brain-computer interface game..

The importance of self-efficacy and negative affect for neurofeedback success for central neuropathic pain after a spinal cord injury.

EEG-based neurofeedback uses mental behaviours (MB) to enable voluntary self-modulation of brain activity, and has potential to relieve central neuropathic pain (CNP) after a spinal cord injury (SCI). This study aimed to understand neurofeedback learning and the relationship between MB and neurofeedback success. Twenty-five non-CNP participants and ten CNP participants received neurofeedback training (reinforcing 9-12 Hz; suppressing 4-8 Hz and 20-30 Hz) on four visits.

Carbamazepine efficacy in a severe electro-clinical presentation of SLC13A5-epilepsy.

Recessive mutations in the SLC13A5 gene encoding the sodium-dependent citrate transporter are a recently identified cause of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Here, we describe a child harboring a novel homozygous loss-of-function mutation in the SLC13A5 gene (c.1496C>T-p.

Short term priming effect of brain-actuated muscle stimulation using bimanual movements in stroke.

Objective: Brain-computer interface triggered-functional electrical stimulation (BCI-FES) is an emerging neurorehabilitation therapy post stroke, mostly for the affected hand. We explored the feasibility of a bimanual BCI-FES and its short-term priming effects, i.e.

Effect of Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation on Sensorimotor Cortical Activity during Upper-Limb Movements in Healthy Individuals.

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) can improve upper-limb motor function after spinal cord injury. A number of studies have attempted to deduce the corticospinal mechanisms which are modulated following tSCS, with many relying on transcranial magnetic stimulation to provide measures of corticospinal excitability. Other metrics, such as cortical oscillations, may provide an alternative and complementary perspective on the physiological effect of tSCS.

A Neuromorphic Model With Delay-Based Reservoir for Continuous Ventricular Heartbeat Detection.

There is a growing interest in neuromorphic hardware since it offers a more intuitive way to achieve bio-inspired algorithms. This paper presents a neuromorphic model for intelligently processing continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. This model aims to develop a hardware-based signal processing model and avoid employing digitally intensive operations, such as signal segmentation and feature extraction, which are not desired in an analogue neuromorphic system.

Brain Synchrony in Competition and Collaboration During Multiuser Neurofeedback-Based Gaming.

EEG hyperscanning during multiuser gaming offers opportunities to study brain characteristics of social interaction under various paradigms. In this study, we aimed to characterize neural signatures and phase-based functional connectivity patterns of gaming strategies during collaborative and competitive alpha neurofeedback games. Twenty pairs of participants with no close relationship took part in three sessions of collaborative or competitive multiuser neurofeedback (NF), with identical graphical user interface, using Relative Alpha (RA) power as a control signal.

Brain Networks With Modified Connectivity in Patients With Neuropathic Pain and Spinal Cord Injury.

Neuropathic pain (NP) following spinal cord injury (SCI) affects the quality of life of almost 40% of the injured population. The modified brain connectivity was reported under different NP conditions. Therefore, brain connectivity was studied in the SCI population with and without NP with the aim to identify networks that are altered due to injury, pain, or both.

EEG Monitoring Is Feasible and Reliable during Simultaneous Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation.

Transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulatory technique that has in recent years been linked to improved volitional limb control in spinal-cord injured individuals. Although the technique is growing in popularity there is still uncertainty regarding the neural mechanisms underpinning sensory and motor recovery. Brain monitoring techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) may provide further insights to the changes in coritcospinal excitability that have already been demonstrated using other techniques.

Markers of Central Neuropathic Pain in Higuchi Fractal Analysis of EEG Signals From People With Spinal Cord Injury.

Central neuropathic pain (CNP) negatively impacts the quality of life in a large proportion of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). With no cure at present, it is crucial to improve our understanding of how CNP manifests, to develop diagnostic biomarkers for drug development, and to explore prognostic biomarkers for personalised therapy. Previous work has found early evidence of diagnostic and prognostic markers analysing Electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillatory features.

Nanotechnology in Tumor Biomarker Detection: The Potential of Liganded Nanoclusters as Nonlinear Optical Contrast Agents for Molecular Diagnostics of Cancer.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of premature death, and, as such, it can be prevented by developing strategies for early and accurate diagnosis. Cancer diagnostics has evolved from the macroscopic detection of malignant tissues to the fine analysis of tumor biomarkers using personalized medicine approaches. Recently, various nanomaterials have been introduced into the molecular diagnostics of cancer.

Automated semi-real-time detection of muscle activity with ultrasound imaging.

Ultrasound imaging (USI) biofeedback is a useful therapeutic tool; however, it relies on qualitative assessment by a trained therapist, while existing automatic analysis techniques are computationally demanding. This study aims to present a computationally inexpensive algorithm based on the difference in pixel intensity between USI frames. During an offline experiment, where data was analyzed after the study, participants performed isometric contractions of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle, as executed (30% of maximum contraction) or attempted (low force contraction up to a point when the participant is aware of exerting force or contracting the muscle) movements, while USI, EMG, and force data were recorded.

Understanding the neurological mechanism involved in enhanced memory recall task following binaural beat: a pilot study.

Binaural beat (BB) is a promising technique for memory improvement in elderly or people with neurological conditions. However, the related modulation of cortical networks followed by behavioral changes has not been investigated. The objective of this study is to establish a relationship between BB oscillatory brain activity evoked by stimulation and a behavioral response in a short term memory task.