Visualization of volume of tissue activated modeling in a clinical planning system for deep brain stimulation.

Background: Pathway activating models try to describe stimulation spread in deep brain stimulation (DBS). Volume of tissue activated (VTA) models are simplified model variants allowing faster and easier computation. Our study aimed to investigate, how VTA visualization can be integrated into a clinical workflow applying directional electrodes using a standard clinical DBS planning system.

Electroconvulsive therapy modulates grey matter increase in a hub of an affect processing network.

A growing number of recent studies has suggested that the neuroplastic effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) might be prominent enough to be detected through changes of regional gray matter volumes (GMV) during the course of the treatment. Given that ECT patients are difficult to recruit for imaging studies, most publications, however, report only on small samples. Addressing this challenge, we here report results of a structural imaging study on ECT patients that pooled patients from five German sites.

Effect of CBT on Biased Semantic Network in Panic Disorder: A Multicenter fMRI Study Using Semantic Priming.

Objective: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been hypothesized to act by reducing the pathologically enhanced semantic, anxiety-related associations of patients with panic disorder. This study investigated the effects of CBT on the behavioral and neural correlates of the panic-related semantic network in patients with panic disorder.

Methods: An automatic semantic priming paradigm specifically tailored for panic disorder, in which panic symptoms (e.

Assessing the unwanted: A systematic review of instruments used to assess negative effects of psychotherapy.

Objective: While the efficacy of psychotherapy in the treatment of mental disorders is well examined, systematic research into negative effects of psychotherapy seems comparatively rare. Therefore, this review evaluates instruments for assessing negative effects of psychotherapy in order to create a consensus framework and make recommendations for their assessment.

Methods: The study selection procedure follows current best-practice guidelines for conducting systematic reviews, with 10 included studies in three databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science).

[Psychiatric polypharmacy and electroconvulsive therapy in treatment-resistant depression].

Background: Despite its relevant medical risks, polypharmacy is common particularly among difficult to treat conditions, e.g. treatment refractory depression (TRD).

Navigated 3-Dimensional Intraoperative Ultrasound for Spine Surgery.

Objective: To integrate 3-dimensional (3D) intraoperative ultrasound (iUS) data in spinal navigation.

Methods: In 11 patients with intradural spinal tumors, 3D-iUS was performed before and after tumor resection. Intraoperative computed tomography (iCT) was used for automatic patient registration for spinal navigation; fiducial-based registration was performed in 1 case.

Augmented reality in intradural spinal tumor surgery.

Background: Microscope-based augmented reality (AR) is commonly used in cranial surgery; however, until recently, this technique was not implemented for spinal surgery. We prospectively investigated, how AR can be applied for intradural spinal tumor surgery.

Methods: For ten patients with intradural spinal tumors (ependymoma, glioma, hemangioblastoma, meningioma, and metastasis), AR was provided by head-up displays (HUDs) of operating microscopes.

Empathy in Females With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Despite the fact that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common psychiatric diagnosis, knowledge about the special behavioral and neurobiological female phenotype is still scarce. The present study aimed to investigate neural correlates of empathy for physical and social pain and to assess the impact of egocentric perspective taking on social pain empathy in complex social situations in women and girls with ASD. Nine female individuals with high functioning ASD were compared to nine matched peers without ASD during two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments, examining empathy for physical and social pain using well-established paradigms.

TASK Channels Pharmacology: New Challenges in Drug Design.

Rational drug design targeting ion channels is an exciting and always evolving research field. New medicinal chemistry strategies are being implemented to explore the wild chemical space and unravel the molecular basis of the ion channels modulators binding mechanisms. TASK channels belong to the two-pore domain potassium channel family and are modulated by extracellular acidosis.

Contribution of astrocytes to metabolic dysfunction in the Alzheimer's disease brain.

Historically considered as accessory cells to neurons, there is an increasing interest in the role of astrocytes in normal and pathological conditions. Astrocytes are involved in neurotransmitter recycling, antioxidant supply, ion buffering and neuroinflammation, i.e.

Microscope-Based Augmented Reality in Degenerative Spine Surgery: Initial Experience.

Objective: To establish microscope-based augmented reality (AR) support for degenerative spine surgery.

Methods: Head-up displays of operating microscopes were used to establish AR in a series of 10 patients. Segmentation of the vertebra and additional target structures, which were visualized by AR, was based on preoperative magnetic resonance and computed tomography (CT) images, that were nonrigidly fused to low-dose intraoperative CT (iCT) data.

Implementation of augmented reality support in spine surgery.

Purpose: To implement a straightforward workflow that allows to establish augmented reality (AR) support in spine surgery.

Methods: Intraoperative computed tomography (iCT) applying a 32-slice movable scanner was used for navigation registration in a series of 10 patients who underwent surgery for extra- or intradural spinal lesions. Preoperative multimodal image data were integrated by nonlinear registration with the iCT images.

Neural mechanisms for coping with acoustically reduced speech.

In spoken language, reductions of word forms occur regularly and need to be accommodated by the listener. Intriguingly, this accommodation is usually achieved without any apparent effort. The neural bases of this cognitive skill are not yet fully understood.

Augmented Reality in Transsphenoidal Surgery.

Objective: We investigated how augmented reality (AR) can be applied to support transsphenoidal surgery.

Methods: AR was established using the head-up displays integrated into operating microscopes. Navigation registration was performed with either fiducial-based or automatic registration using intraoperative computed tomography (iCT).

Ubiquitylome profiling of Parkin-null brain reveals dysregulation of calcium homeostasis factors ATP1A2, Hippocalcin and GNA11, reflected by altered firing of noradrenergic neurons.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder in the old population. Among its monogenic variants, a frequent cause is a mutation in the Parkin gene (Prkn). Deficient function of Parkin triggers ubiquitous mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation in the brain, but it remains unclear how selective neural circuits become vulnerable and finally undergo atrophy.

Fiber tractography of the optic radiations: impact of diffusion model, voxel shape and orientation.

Background: Reliable visualization of the optic radiations (OR) is of major importance in tumor surgery close to the OR to prevent permanent visual field deficits. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based fiber tractography (FT) has become a standard tool to visualize major white matter tracts and to support the prevention of postoperative deficits. Nevertheless, FT of the OR is notoriously challenging due to its high neuroanatomical complexity.

Promoting Help-seeking using E-technology for ADolescents with mental health problems: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial within the ProHEAD Consortium.

Background: The highest incidence and prevalence of mental health problems across the lifespan as well as the first onset of most long-term mental health conditions are reported for youths between 14 and 25 years of age. At the same time, only 25% of adolescents with mental health problems receive professional treatment. One explanation for poor treatment access in youths is their low help-seeking behavior.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Internet-based selective eating disorder prevention: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial within the ProHEAD Consortium.

Background: The development of efficacious, cost-effective, and widely accessible programs for the prevention of eating disorders (EDs) is crucial in order to reduce the ED-related burden of illness. Programs using dissonance-based and cognitive behavioral approaches are most effective for the selective prevention of ED. Internet-based delivery is assumed to maximize the reach and impact of preventive efforts.

School-based mental health promotion in children and adolescents with StresSOS using online or face-to-face interventions: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial within the ProHEAD Consortium.

Background: Schools are an ideal setting in which to promote health. However, empirical data on the effectiveness of school-based mental health promotion programs are rare, and research on universal Internet-based prevention in schools is almost non-existent. Following the life skills approach, stress management training is an important component of health promotion.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two online interventions for children and adolescents at risk for depression (E.motion trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial within the ProHEAD consortium.

Background: Depression is a serious mental health problem and is common in children and adolescents. Online interventions are promising in overcoming the widespread undertreatment of depression and in improving the help-seeking behavior in children and adolescents.

Methods: The multicentre, randomized controlled E.

Implementation of Intraoperative Computed Tomography for Deep Brain Stimulation: Pitfalls and Optimization of Workflow, Accuracy, and Radiation Exposure.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for movement disorders. Stereotactic electrode placement can be guided by intraoperative imaging, which also allows for immediate intraoperative quality control. This article is about implementation and refining a workflow applying intraoperative computed tomography (iCT) for DBS.

Electroconvulsive therapy induced gray matter increase is not necessarily correlated with clinical data in depressed patients.

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and depression have been associated with brain volume changes, especially in the hippocampus and the amygdala.

Methods: In this retrospective study we collected data from individual pre-post ECT whole brain magnetic resonance imaging scans of depressed patients from six German university hospitals. Gray matter volume (GMV) changes were quantified via voxel-based morphometry in a total sample of 92 patients with major depressive episodes (MDE).

Poetic speech melody: A crucial link between music and language.

Research on the music-language interface has extensively investigated similarities and differences of poetic and musical meter, but largely disregarded melody. Using a measure of melodic structure in music--autocorrelations of sound sequences consisting of discrete pitch and duration values--, we show that individual poems feature distinct and text-driven pitch and duration contours, just like songs and other pieces of music. We conceptualize these recurrent melodic contours as an additional, hitherto unnoticed dimension of parallelistic patterning.

Effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P Group Parenting Program as an Additional Intervention in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Effects on Parenting Variables.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often are faced with the challenges of difficult parenting situations. We explored the effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) group parent training as an additional intervention in the treatment of ASD. Parents (n = 23) went through a waiting period and participated afterwards in the training program.

A functional genetic variation of SLC6A2 repressor hsa-miR-579-3p upregulates sympathetic noradrenergic processes of fear and anxiety.

Increased sympathetic noradrenergic signaling is crucially involved in fear and anxiety as defensive states. MicroRNAs regulate dynamic gene expression during synaptic plasticity and genetic variation of microRNAs modulating noradrenaline transporter gene (SLC6A2) expression may thus lead to altered central and peripheral processing of fear and anxiety. In silico prediction of microRNA regulation of SLC6A2 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assays and identified hsa-miR-579-3p as a regulating microRNA.