Preoperative mapping techniques for brain tumor surgery: a systematic review.

Accurate preoperative mapping is crucial for maximizing tumor removal while minimizing damage to critical brain functions during brain tumor surgery. Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are established methods for assessing motor and language function. Following PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review analyzes the reliability, clinical utility, and accessibility of these techniques.

BRAF inhibitor monotherapy in BRAFV600E-mutated pediatric low-grade glioma: a single center's experience.

Background: Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) have an overall survival of over 90%; however, patients harboring a BRAF alteration may have worse outcomes, particularly when treated with classic chemotherapy. Combined BRAF/MEK inhibition following incomplete resection demonstrated improved outcome in BRAF altered pLGG compared to combined carboplatin/vincristine chemotherapy and is now considered the standard FDA-approved treatment for this group of tumors. The aim herein was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of single agent BRAF inhibitor treatment in BRAF altered pLGG.

Parkinson's disease exacerbation following Levetiracetam administration: an unusual phenomenon.

Background: Several studies have investigated the potential beneficial and side effects of levetiracetam on Parkinson's disease (PD). We hereby report a case of PD exacerbation following Levetiracetam administration for seizure prophylaxis.

Case Description: A 77-year-old female, known to have PD, presented with a head injury following a fall.

Improved motor imagery skills after repetitive passive somatosensory stimulation: a parallel-group, pre-registered study.

Introduction: Motor-imagery-based Brain-Machine Interface (MI-BMI) has been established as an effective treatment for post-stroke hemiplegia. However, the need for long-term intervention can represent a significant burden on patients. Here, we demonstrate that motor imagery (MI) instructions for BMI training, when supplemented with somatosensory stimulation in addition to conventional verbal instructions, can help enhance MI capabilities of healthy participants.

Relevance of the GH-VEGFB/VEGFA axis in liver grafts from brain-dead donors with alcohol-associated liver disease.

Introduction: Grafts with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) subjected to prolonged cold ischaemia from donors after brain death (DBD) are typically unsuitable for transplantation. Here, we investigated the role of growth hormone (GH) in livers with ALD from DBDs and its relationship with vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and VEGFB.

Methods: Livers from rats fed ethanol for 6 weeks and with brain death (BD) were cold stored for 24 h and subjected to reperfusion.

Positive end-expiratory pressure increases intracranial pressure but not pressure reactivity index in supine and prone positions: a porcine model study.

Introduction: Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and prone positioning can improve gas exchange by promoting uniform lung aeration. However, elevated ventilation pressures may increase intracranial pressure (ICP) and disrupt cerebral autoregulation. This study investigated the effects of PEEP on ICP and cerebral autoregulation in a porcine model with healthy lungs and normal ICP, comparing prone and supine positions.

Neurological impact of HIV/AIDS and substance use alters brain function and structure.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has successfully controlled AIDS, but HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs) remain prevalent among people with HIV. HIV infection is often associated with substance use, which promotes HIV transmission and viral replication and exacerbates HANDs even in the era of cART.

Assessing the Fear of Covid-19 in Psychiatric Patients: Results from an Italian Multicentric Study.

Objective: Even though the COVID-19 emergency has concluded, its consequences are still relevant. Recent evidence suggests that a significant proportion of individuals experience persistent symptoms long after the initial infection has resolved, classified as "Long COVID" condition. Fear of COVID-19 increases anxiety and stress levels in healthy individuals and exacerbates the symptoms of those with pre-existing psychiatric disorders; therefore understanding the impact of the pandemic on psychiatric disorders remains of utmost importance.

The effects of high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training on patients underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery; a systematic review.

Objectives: To our knowledge, there is no clear consensus on a definitive cardiac rehabilitation method for patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG). We conducted this systematic review to compare and evaluate the effects of two of the most frequent cardiac rehabilitation modalities, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), on cardiopulmonary variables.

Methods: We carried out a systematic search of the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar.

Physical cardiac rehabilitation effects on cardio-metabolic outcomes in the patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a systematic review.

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to review existing evidence to evaluate the effects of physical cardiac rehabilitation on cardio-pulmonary outcomes in the patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The initial search led to 1222 citations after removing duplicate results.

Achilles tendon morphology adaptations in chronic post-stroke hemiparesis: a comparative analysis with neurologically intact controls.

Introduction: In individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis, slow walking speed is a significant concern related to inadequate propulsion of the paretic limb. However, an overlooked factor is this population's altered morphology of the Achilles tendon, which may compromise the propulsive forces by the paretic limb. This study aimed to explore changes in Achilles tendon morphology, including gross thickness and intra-tendinous collagen fiber bundle organization, following stroke-induced brain lesions.

Understanding gender differences in reasoning and specific paradigm using meta-analysis of neuroimaging.

Reasoning is a fundamental cognitive process that allows individuals to make inferences, decisions, and solve problems. Understanding the neural mechanisms of reasoning and the gender differences in these mechanisms is crucial for comprehending the neural foundations of reasoning and promoting gender equality in cognitive processing. This study conducted an Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of 275 studies, revealing that reasoning involves multiple brain regions, including the parts of frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal lobes, limbic system, and subcortical areas.

Acute aerobic exercise enhances associative learning in regular exercisers but not in non-regular exercisers.

Introduction: Physical exercise has repeatedly been reported to have advantageous effects on brain functions, including learning and memory formation. However, objective tools to measure such effects are often lacking. Eyeblink conditioning is a well-characterized method for studying the neural basis of associative learning.

Maternal exposure to dim light at night induces behavioral alterations in the adolescent and adult offspring Wistar rat.

Introduction: Access to electric light has exposed living organisms to varying intensities of light throughout the 24 h day. Dim light at night (DLAN) is an inappropriate signal for the biological clock, which is responsible for the circadian organization of physiology. During the gestational period, physiological adaptations occur to ensure a successful pregnancy and optimal fetal development.

Radiomics model based on computed tomography images for prediction of radiation-induced optic neuropathy following radiotherapy of brain and head and neck tumors.

Purpose: We aimed to build a machine learning-based model to predict radiation-induced optic neuropathy in patients who had treated head and neck cancers with radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: To measure radiation-induced optic neuropathy, the visual evoked potential values were obtained in both case and control groups and compared. Radiomics features were extracted from the area segmented which included the right and left optic nerves and chiasm.

Adenosine A2A receptor activation is necessary to gate the TrkB-dependent intramuscular nerve sprouting during muscle reinnervation after a nerve crush.

Compelling evidence has demonstrated that rehabilitation through physical exercise, a non-invasive and non-surgical intervention, enhances muscle reinnervation and motor recovery after peripheral nerve injury (PNI) by increasing muscle-derived brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and triggering TrkB-dependent axonal plasticity. Adenosine has been widely acknowledged to trigger TrkB via A2A receptor (A2AR). Since motor nerve terminals co-express TrkBs and A2ARs and depolarizing conditions increase muscle release of BDNF and adenosine, we examined whether A2ARs activation could recapitulate the functional recovery benefits of intermittent exercise after a nerve crush.

Prenatal bisphenol A and/or diethylhexyl phthalate exposure followed by adult estradiol treatment affects behavior and brain monoamines in female rat offspring.

Significance: Women are at increased risk for mood disorders, which may be partly attributed to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during sensitive periods such as pregnancy. Exposure during these times can impact brain development in the offspring, potentially leading to mood disorders in later life. Additionally, fluctuating levels of endogenous estrogens, as seen during pregnancy, or the use of oral contraceptives, can further elevate this risk.

Application of Multifunctional Metal Nanoparticles in the Treatment of Glioma.

Glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor with a poor survival rate. It is characterized by diffuse and invasive growth and heterogeneity, which limits tumor identification and complete resection. Therefore, the precise detection and postoperative adjuvant therapy of gliomas have become increasingly important and urgent.

Spontaneous blinking and brain health in aging: Large-scale evaluation of blink-related oscillations across the lifespan.

Blink-related oscillations (BROs) are newly discovered neurophysiological brainwave responses associated with spontaneous blinking, and represent environmental monitoring and awareness processes as the brain evaluates new visual information appearing after eye re-opening. BRO responses have been demonstrated in healthy young adults across multiple task states and are modulated by both task and environmental factors, but little is known about this phenomenon in aging. To address this, we undertook the first large-scale evaluation of BRO responses in healthy aging using the Cambridge Centre for Aging and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN) repository, which contains magnetoencephalography (MEG) data from a large sample ( = 457) of healthy adults across a broad age range (18-88) during the performance of a simple target detection task.

Therapeutic potential of hydrogen-rich water in zebrafish model of Alzheimer's disease: targeting oxidative stress, inflammation, and the gut-brain axis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder, with amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation playing a key role in its pathogenesis. Aβ-induced oxidative stress leads to neuronal damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis, making antioxidative strategies promising for AD treatment. This study investigates the effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) in a zebrafish AD model.

Sex-specific ultrasound imaging biomarkers of neurodegeneration in a mouse model.

Introduction: Early detection of neurodegeneration is essential for optimizing interventions. The highly reproducible progression of neurodegeneration in the decrepit () mouse allows investigation of early biomarkers and mechanisms of brain injury.

Methods: Using high-frequency ultrasound, the common carotid arteries of female and male and control mice were imaged longitudinally at time points bracketing the disease progression (50, 75, and 125 days of age) ( = 6 mice/group/sex).

Age-dependent phenotypes of cognitive impairment as sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Cognitive changes associated with PASC may not be uniform across populations. We conducted individual-level pooled analyses and meta-analyses of cognitive assessments from eight prospective cohorts, comprising 2,105 patients and 1,432 controls from Argentina, Canada, Chile, Greece, India, Italy, Russia, and the UK. The meta-analysis found no differences by country of origin.

A Veteran Presenting With Fatigue and Weakness.

: A 65-year-old male veteran presented to the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System (VABHS) emergency department with progressive fatigue, dyspnea on exertion, lightheadedness, and falls over the last month. New bilateral lower extremity numbness up to his knees developed in the week prior to admission and prompted him to seek care. Additional history included 2 episodes of transient loss of consciousness resulting in falls and a week of diarrhea, which had resolved.

Molecular Characteristics of High-Grade Glioma in Relation to 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) Fluorescence Intensity.

Introduction: 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence used in glioma surgery has different intensities within tumors and among different patients, some molecular and external factors have been implicated, but there is no clear evidence analyzing the difference of fluorescence according to glioma molecular characteristics. This study aimed to compare molecular factors of glioma samples with fluorescence intensity to identify potential cofounders and associations with clinically relevant tumor features.

Methods: Tumor samples of high-grade glioma patients operated using 5-ALA for guided resection were included for comparative analysis of fluorescence intensity and molecular features.