A frontal but not parietal neural correlate of auditory consciousness.

Hemodynamic correlates of consciousness were investigated in humans during the presentation of a dichotic sequence inducing illusory auditory percepts with features analogous to visual multistability. The sequence consisted of a variation of the original stimulation eliciting the Deutsch's octave illusion, created to maintain a stable illusory percept long enough to allow the detection of the underlying hemodynamic activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Two specular 500 ms dichotic stimuli (400 and 800 Hz) presented in alternation by means of earphones cause an illusory segregation of pitch and ear of origin which can yield up to four different auditory percepts per dichotic stimulus.

Hemispheric asymmetries in bilinguals: tongue similarity affects lateralization of second language.

It is known that the left hemisphere of the human brain is critical in understanding and producing spoken language, but it remains a topic of great interest determining the cerebral lateralization of multiple languages. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of similarity between languages on hemispheric asymmetry of bilingual brains. The involvement degree of left and right hemisphere was examined during the processing of the first (L1) and second (L2) language in two different groups of bilinguals with English as L2.

Features of biopsy in diagnosis of metatypical basal cell carcinoma (Basosquamous Carcinoma) of head and neck.

Metatypical Basal Cell Carcinoma, also known as Basosquamous Carcinoma is a subtype of Basal Cell Carcinoma. It is similar to Basal Cell Carcinoma for the gross aspect and regional recurrences, but it has the capacity to spread and develop metastasis. This terrible characteristic endangers the life of the patient if it is not readily recognized by the physicians.

Asymmetric cortical adaptation effects during alternating auditory stimulation.

The present study investigates hemispheric asymmetries in the neural adaptation processes occurring during alternating auditory stimulation. Stimuli were two monaural pure tones having a frequency of 400 or 800 Hz and a duration of 500 ms. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded from 14 volunteers during the presentation of the following stimulus sequences, lasting 12 s each: 1) evoked potentials (EP condition, control), 2) alternation of frequency and ear (FE condition), 3) alternation of frequency (F condition), and 4) alternation of ear (E condition).

Neural correlates of cognitive ability.

The challenge to neuroscientists working on intelligence is to discover what neural structures and mechanisms are at the basis of such a complex and variegated capability. Several psychologists agree on the view that behavioral flexibility is a good measure of intelligence, resulting in the appearance of novel solutions that are not part of the animal's normal behavior. This article tries to indicate how the supposed differences in intelligence between species can be related to brain properties and suggests that the best neural indicators may be the ones that convey more information processing capacity to the brain, i.

The sound of consciousness: neural underpinnings of auditory perception.

The neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), i.e., patterns of brain activity that specifically accompany a particular conscious experience, have been investigated mainly in the visual system using particularly suited paradigms, such as binocular rivalry and multistable percepts in combination with neural recordings or neuroimaging.

Ear and pitch segregation in Deutsch's octave illusion persist following switch from stimulus alternation to repetition.

Deutsch's octave illusion occurs when two tones that are spaced an octave apart are repeatedly presented in alternation; the sequence is presented to both ears simultaneously but offset by one tone, so that two dichotic chords are repeatedly presented in alternation. The most common illusory percept consists of an intermittent high tone in one ear alternating with an intermittent low tone in the other ear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether, once the illusory percept has emerged, the illusion will persist when the original sequence is followed by another sequence consisting of the repeated presentation of one of the two dichotic chords.

Malignant paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Objective: An insidious percentage of paroxysmal positional vertigo appears to be intractable with canalith repositioning maneuver and also is not self-limiting. This type of positional vertigo is sustained by the action of intracranial tumors that mimics the clinical aspects of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.Aim of this study is to clarify the features of these forms of positional vertigo, which we indicate as malignant paroxysmal positional vertigo.

"Binaural rivalry": dichotic listening as a tool for the investigation of the neural correlate of consciousness.

Since about two decades neuroscientists have systematically faced the problem of consciousness: the aim is to discover the neural activity specifically related to conscious perceptions, i.e. the biological properties of what philosophers call qualia.

Orbital exenteration in elderly patients: personal experience.

Orbital exenteration is a disfiguring procedure which typically involves removal of the entire contents of the orbit including the periorbita, appendages, eyelids and, sometimes, a varying amount of surrounding skin. This operation is reserved for the treatment of potentially life-threatening malignancies arising from the orbit, paranasal sinuses or periocular skin. The marked increase in the average life span and resulting greater incidence of invasive malignant skin tumours of the face, typical of old age, is the reason for the increased rate of exenterations in elderly patients.

Combined effects of electromagnetic fields on immune and nervous responses.

In technologically developed countries, there is concern about hazards from electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Several studies have reported that immune and neuroendocrine systems exert an integrated response to EMF exposure. The aim of this review is to summarize the results of studies on the effect of low and high frequency EMF on immune and neuroendocrine systems on which our research group has been working for several years.

"In vitro" effects of different arsenic compounds on PBMC (preliminary study).

Aim of this investigation was to compare the effects of 10(-4) M and 10(-7) M As compounds on spontaneous and PHA stimulated PBMC proliferation and IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha release. The inhibitory effect of the 10(-4) M As salts was in the following order: momo-methyl-arsinous acic (MMAs(III)) > sodium arsenite (As(III)) > tetraphenyl arsonium chloride (As(V)) > sodium arsenate (As(V)) > potassium- and sodium-esa-fluorum arsenate (As(V)) > dimethyl arsinic acid (DMAs(V)), while monomethyl-arsonic-acid (MMAs(V)) and arsenobetaine did not exert immune effects. 10(-7) M MMAs(III) stimulated the spontaneous PBMC proliferation, while As(III) and DMAs(V) enhanced the PHA stimulated PBMC proliferation.

Different effects of platinum, palladium, and rhodium salts on lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine release.

The effects of graded concentrations of Pt, Pd, and Rh salts on spontaneous and PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation and IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-5 release were the focus of this study. Spontaneous PBMC proliferation was inhibited by all 10(-4) M salts (with the exception of PtCl2), while it was enhanced by 10(-5) M PtCl2 as well as by 10(-5) and 10(-6) M (NH4)2[RhCl6] and RhCl3 (but not by 10(-7) M salts). Pt, Pd, and Rh compounds showed similar effects on PHA-stimulated PBMC proliferation and cytokine release; however, the effects on IFN-gamma release were stronger.