Gender- and Age-Specific Differences in Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Central Autonomic Network in Adulthood.

Previous functional imaging studies have identified the role of central autonomic network (CAN) in autonomic regulation during various tasks. However, its variability with respect to gender and age, particularly in the resting state, remains poorly understood. Therefore, in this study we systematically investigated gender- and age-related differences in the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) seeded from core regions of this network, namely posterior mid-cingulate gyrus (pMCC), left amygdala, right anterior and left posterior insula, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), using a large cross-sectional adulthood sample.

Altered Central Autonomic Network in Baseball Players: A Resting-state fMRI Study.

The physiological adaptive regulation of healthy population with a high fitness level is associated with enhanced cognitive control in brain. This study further investigated the effects of different levels of sporting experience on intrinsic brain networks involved in central autonomic processing using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We explored functional connectivity of four core regions within central autonomic network (CAN), namely posterior midcingulate cortex (pMCC), left amygdala (AMYG), and right anterior (aINS) and left posterior insular cortices, in advanced and intermediate baseball players, and compared their strength of connectivity with individuals without baseball-playing experience.

Does well-harmonized homeostasis exist in heart rate fluctuations? Time series analysis and model simulations.

Analyzing heart rate variability from electrocardiographic recordings has been an important method for assessing cardiovascular autonomic regulation. Researchers have conducted extensive analyses on normal as well as pathological hearts, however, it is still unclear whether increasing or decreasing the complexity of heart rate variability is a characteristic of healthy systems. In this study, we find the existence of well-harmonized homeostasis in heart rate fluctuations, in particular, the evidence is verified among different individuals including healthy subjects, ICU patients, and one child with brainstem dysfunction.

Long-lived transient behavior in an n+-n-n+ semiconductor device with optical stochasticity.

We numerically study the response time of an ultrafast microwave switch, i.e., a GaAs-based Gunn device, under stochastic stimuli.