MedWorm: Neuroscience

Concert Viewing Headphones

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

An audiovisual interface equipped with a projector, an inclina-tion sensor, and a distance sensor for zoom control has been developed that enables a user to selectively view and listen to specific performers in a video-taped group performance. Dubbed Concert Viewing Headphones, it has both image and sound processing functions. The image processing extracts the portion of the image indicated by the user and projects it free of distortion on the front and side walls. The sound processing creates imaginary microphones for those performers without one so that the user can hear the sound from any performer. Testing using images and sounds captured using a fisheye-lens camera and 37 lavalier microphones showed that sound locali-zation was fastest when an inverse square function was used for the ...

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Numerical Simulation of Density Current Evolution in a Diverging Channel

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

This study seeks to explore the ability of 2D width-averaged unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation approach for resolving density currents in an inclined diverging channel. 2D width-averaged unsteady RANS equations closed by a buoyancy-modified k−ε turbulence model are integrated in time with a second-order fractional step approach coupled with a direct implicit method and discretized in space on a staggered mesh using a second-order accurate finite volume approach incorporating a high-resolution semi-Lagrangian technique for the convective terms. A series of 2D width-averaged unsteady simulations is carried out for density currents. Comparisons with the experimental measurements and the other numerical simulations show that the predictions of velocity an...

Interspinous Spacer Implant in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Preliminary Results of a Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to compare clinical outcomes in patients treated with an investigational interspinous spacer (Superion) versus those treated with an FDA-approved spacer (X-STOP). One hundred sixty-six patients with moderate lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) unresponsive to conservative care were treated randomly with the Superion (n=80) or X-STOP (n=86) interspinous spacer. Study subjects were followed through 6 months posttreatment. Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ) symptom severity scores improved 30% with Superion and 25% with X-STOP (both P<0.001). Similar changes were noted in ZCQ physical function with improvements of 32% with Superion and 27% with X-STOP (both P<0.001). Mean ZCQ patient satisfaction score ranged from 1...

How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around the World

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

This article reviews research on the connections between language and later reading, environmental factors associated with language learning, and interventions developed in varied countries for encouraging book use by parents of young children. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

About Nodal Systems for Lagrange Interpolation on the Circle

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

We study the convergence of the Laurent polynomials of Lagrange interpolation on the unit circle for continuous functions satisfying a condition about their modulus of continuity. The novelty of the result is that now the nodal systems are more general than those constituted by the n roots of complex unimodular numbers and the class of functions is different from the usually studied. Moreover, some consequences for the Lagrange interpolation on [-1,1] and the Lagrange trigonometric interpolation are obtained. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

Emergency Department Crowding: Time for Interventions and Policy Evaluations

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

This paper summarises the consequences of emergency department crowding. It provides a comparison of the scales used to measure emergency department crowding. We discuss the multiple causes of crowding and present an up-to-date literature review of the interventions that reduce the adverse consequences of crowding. We consider interventions at the level of an individual hospital and a policy level. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

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Developing a Fuzzy Logic Based on Demand Multicast Routing Protocol

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

Multicast routing is an efficient method to lead data packets from one source group to several nodes as destination group. Although multicast routing algorithms could be efficient in many situations but their routing mechanism like as route request flooding packets likely results in poor performance in comparison to unicast routing algorithms. In this research, two efficient methods are proposed to improve the performance of On Demand Multicast Routing Protocol (ODMRP). The main proposed method tries to establish a small, efficient, and high-quality forwarding group. This is achieved by augmenting the Join Query packets with additional information such as speed, power level of node, and link bandwidths. Besides, the control overhead is further reduced by restricting the domain of control p...

Dynamic Analysis of an Impulsively Controlled Predator-Prey Model with Holling Type IV Functional Response

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

The dynamic behavior of a predator-prey model with Holling type IV functional response is investigated with respect to impulsive control strategies. The model is analyzed to obtain the conditions under which the system is locally asymptotically stable and permanent. Existence of a positive periodic solution of the system and the boundedness of the system is also confirmed. Furthermore, numerical analysis is used to discover the influence of impulsive perturbations. The system is found to exhibit rich dynamics such as symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation, chaos, and nonunique dynamics. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

On the Solution of Double-Diffusive Convective Flow due to a Cone by a Linearization Method

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

The paper details the use of a nonperturbation successive linearization method to solve the coupled nonlinear boundary value problem due to double-diffusive convection from an inverted cone. Diffusion-thermo and thermal-diffusion effects have been taken into account. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations using a suitable similarity transformation. The SLM is based on successively linearizing the governing nonlinear boundary layer equations and solving the resulting higher-order deformation equations using spectral methods. The results are compared with the limited cases from previous studies and results obtained using the Matlab inbuilt bvp4c numerical algorithm and a shooting technique that uses Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF45) and N...

Rapid Heterotrophic Ossification with Cryopreserved Poly(ethylene glycol-) Microencapsulated BMP2-Expressing MSCs

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

In this study we used mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their ease of harvest, replication potential, and immunomodulatory capabilities. MSCs were from sheep and pig due to their appeal as large animal models for bone nonunion. We demonstrated that cryopreservation of these microencapsulated MSCs did not affect their cell viability, adenoviral BMP2 production, or ability to initiate bone formation. Additionally, microspheres showed no appreciable damage from cryopreservation when examined with light and electron microscopy. These results validate the use of cryopreservation in preserving the viability and functionality of PEG-encapsulated BMP2-transduced MSCs. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

High Levels of Sequence Diversity in the 5′ UTRs of Human-Specific L1 Elements

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

Approximately 80 long interspersed element (LINE-1 or L1) copies are able to retrotranspose actively in the human genome, and these are termed retrotransposition-competent L1s. The 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of the human-specific L1 contains an internal promoter and several transcription factor binding sites. To better understand the effect of the L1 5′ UTR on the evolution of human-specific L1s, we examined this population of elements, focusing on the sequence diversity and accumulated substitutions within their 5′ UTRs. Using network analysis, we estimated the age of each L1 component (the 5′ UTR, ORF1, ORF2, and 3′ UTR). Through the comparison of the L1 components based on their estimated ages, we found that the 5′ UTR of human-specific L1s ac...

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Magic mushrooms, international law and the failed 'war on drugs'

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:36:26 +0100

Recent research suggesting potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin focus attention on the need to reform drug lawsIt's been a busy fortnight. First the publication of two major peer-reviewed research papers about magic mushrooms that attracted worldwide publicity. Then off to Prague for an international drugs policy symposium. And just last week, news of a large grant for our next collaborative study with Imperial College. But I'm getting ahead of myself.I established the Beckley Foundation some 14 years ago as a think tank on drugs policy. It was apparent even then that the "war on drugs" had failed. A 1997 report by the United Nations Drugs Control Programme put the value of the global trade in illicit drugs at around $400bn. Recent UN figures show that global production of opium (u...

Cracks in the Plaques: Mysteries of Alzheimer's Slowly Yielding to New Research

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +0100

This has been a big week in Alzheimer's news as scientists put together a clearer picture than ever before of how the disease affects the brain. Three recently published studies have detected the disease with new technologies, hinted at its prevalence, and described at last how it makes its lethal progress through the brain. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Neuronal transplants for treatment of obesity

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:58:00 +0100

There are many different factors which go into whether animals (or humans) develop obesity and diabetes. Different sensitivity to different chemicals, in different areas of the body and brain, can cause major differences in feeding behavior, body weight, fat, and insulin sensitivity. And now we’ve learned that changes in one circuit of the hypothalamus could make a big difference in a certain kind of obesity in mice. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Wnt proteins regulate acetylcholine receptor clustering in muscle cells

Molecular Brain — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: These results identify Wnts as new players in AChR cluster formation, which acts in a manner that requires both MuSK and LRP4, revealing a novel function of LRP4. (Source: Molecular Brain)

Adaptation as a mechanism for gain control in cockroach ON and OFF olfactory receptor neurons

European Journal of Neuroscience — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractIn many sensory systems adaptation acts as a gain control mechanism that optimizes sensory performance by trading increased sensitivity to low stimulus intensity for decreased sensitivity to high stimulus intensity. Adaptation of insect antennal olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) has been studied for strong odour concentrations, either pulsed or constant. Here, we report that during slowly oscillating changes in the concentration of the odour of lemon oil, the ON and OFF ORNs on the antenna of the cockroach Periplaneta americana adapt to the actual odour concentration and the rate at which concentration changes. When odour concentration oscillates rapidly with brief periods, adaptation improves gain for instantaneous odour concentration and reduces gain for the rate of concentration...

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Inactivation of the central nucleus of the amygdala reduces the effect of punishment on cocaine self‐administration in rats

European Journal of Neuroscience — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeN) plays a critical role in such regulation. To this end, rats were trained to press a lever to self‐administer cocaine under a chained schedule: a response on one lever (cocaine‐seeking lever) led to access to the other lever (cocaine‐taking lever), on which a response was reinforced by cocaine and cues. Thereafter, responses on the seeking lever were punished by footshock with a probability of 0.5. Cocaine self‐administration (SA) was significantly suppressed by punishment in an intensity‐dependent manner. Interestingly, rats trained with daily 6‐h (extended access) but not 2‐h (limited access) sessions showed resistance to the lower intensity of punishment. Inactivation of the CeN in...

Unconscious response priming by shape depends on geniculostriate visual projection

European Journal of Neuroscience — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractIt has been suggested that unconscious visual processing of some stimulus features might occur without the contribution of early visual cortex (V1/V2). In the present study, the causal role of V1/V2 in unconscious processing of simple shapes in intact human brain was studied by applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on early visual cortex or lateral occipital cortex (LO) while observers performed a metacontrast‐masked response priming task with arrow figures as visual stimuli. Magnetic stimulation of V1/V2 impaired masked priming 30–90 ms after the onset of the prime. Stimulation of LO reduced the magnitude of masked priming at 90–120 ms, but this effect occurred only in the early parts of the priming experiment. A control task measuring the visibility of masked...

Dendritic calcium mechanisms and long‐term potentiation in cortical inhibitory interneurons

European Journal of Neuroscience — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractCalcium (Ca2+) is a major second messenger in the regulation of different forms of synaptic and intrinsic plasticity. Tightly organized in space and time, postsynaptic Ca2+ transients trigger the activation of many distinct Ca2+ signaling cascades, providing a means for a highly specific signal transduction and plasticity induction. High‐resolution two‐photon microscopy combined with highly sensitive synthetic Ca2+ indicators in brain slices allowed for the quantification and analysis of postsynaptic Ca2+ dynamics in great detail. Much of our current knowledge about postsynaptic Ca2+ mechanisms is derived from studying Ca2+ transients in the dendrites and spines of pyramidal neurons. However, postsynaptic Ca2+ dynamics differ considerably among different cell types. In particul...

Interactions of odorants with olfactory receptors and receptor neurons match the perceptual dynamics observed for woody and fruity odorant mixtures

European Journal of Neuroscience — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe present study aimed to create a direct bridge between observations on peripheral and central responses to odorant mixtures and their components. Three experiments were performed using mixtures of fruity (isoamyl acetate; ISO) and woody (whiskey lactone; WL) odorants known to contribute to some of the major notes in Burgundy red wine. These experiments consisted of (i) calcium imaging of human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293T) transfected with olfactory receptors (ORs); (ii) single‐unit electrophysiological recordings from olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and analyses of electro‐olfactogram (EOG) responses in the rat nose in vivo; and (iii) psychophysical measurements of the perceived intensity of the mixtures as rated by human subjects. The calcium imaging and electrophysio...

ECNP expresses concern at AstraZeneca neuroscience pull-out

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(European College of Neuropsychopharmacology) The European College of Neuropsychopharmacology expresses its deep concern at the recently announced withdrawal by AstraZeneca from neuroscience drug research. AstraZeneca's pull-out is especially disturbing given that it follows a series of similar withdrawals in the last two years by major pharmaceutical companies. There is a growing sense that neuroscience in Europe is now facing a severe crisis. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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What Are the Major Diseases Involving Copper Metabolism?

PediatricEducation.org — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:08:49 +0100

Discussion Nutritional problems can occur in all parts of the world and in all socioeconomic strata. Caloric and/or protein inadequacy unfortunately plagues too many people because of inadequate supplies or availability. Supplemental food programs around the world attempt to provide appropriate nutrition, but can be stymied because of war, political instability, economic instability and many other social factors. The most common specific nutrient deficiencies are iron and Vitamin D deficiencies. Minerals important for essential nutrition include copper, iodine, selenium and zinc. A typical mixed diet usually provides enough minerals. In the United States, mineral deficiencies are usually uncommon unless there is an underlying disease process or abnormal food restrictions or diet. Vegan an...

Spaghetti western reveals differences between human and monkey brains

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:03:00 +0100

A 'neurocinematic' comparison provides clues about evolution of the human brainMonkeys are closely related to us and their brains have long served as an indispensable model for understanding how our own brain works. But we're separated from each other by millions of years of evolution, so there are some major differences between their brains and ours. On the one hand, we can't assume that the results from experiments on their brains can be generalized to humans. But on the other, a better understanding of our differences can provide important clues about the evolutionary forces that shaped the human brain. A new method may help to overcome some of the difficulties in comparing the human and monkey brains. To test the method, researchers scanned the brains of humans and macaque monkeys whil...

Dopaminergic modulation of ganglion‐cell photoreceptors in rat

European Journal of Neuroscience — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractA novel class of photoreceptors, the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), express the photopigment melanopsin and drive non‐image‐forming responses to light such as circadian photoentrainment, the pupillary light reflex and suppression of nocturnal melatonin production in the pineal. Because dendrites from one subclass of these cells – the M1‐type ipRGCs – make presumptive synaptic contacts at sites of dopamine release from dopaminergic amacrine cells, they are prime targets for modulation by dopamine, a neuromodulator implicated in retinal circadian rhythms and light adaptation. In patch‐clamp recordings from ipRGCs in intact rat retinas, dopamine attenuated the melanopsin‐based photocurrent. We confirmed that this was the result of direct ac...

Spatial localization and projection densities of brainstem mossy fibre afferents to the forelimb C1 zone of the rat cerebellum

European Journal of Neuroscience — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe present study uses a double retrograde tracer technique in rats to examine the spatial localization and pattern of axonal branching in mossy fibres arising from three major sources in the medulla—the external cuneate nucleus, the sensory trigeminal nucleus and the reticular formation, to two electrophysiologically‐identified parts of the cerebellar cortex that are linked by common climbing fibre input – the forelimb‐receiving parts of the C1 zone in lobulus simplex and the paramedian lobule. In each experiment a small injection of rhodamine‐tagged beads was injected into one cortical region and an injection of fluorescein‐tagged beads was injected into the other region. The main findings were: (i) the proportion of double‐labelled cells in each of the three precer...

More Than One Blow For A Concussion In Football

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:00:08 +0100

As you watch the Patriots and Giants smash into each other Sunday, consider this. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

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Neurotrophins-Growth Factors Update

Neuromics — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:06:00 +0100

Our Neurotrophins and Growth Factor Antibodies and Recombinant Proteins help support a wide span of research areas. These areas include: neuroscience, immunology, cardiac disease research and cancer.I would like to update you on recent publications highlighting use of some of these reagents: Aiko Sada, Kazuteru Hasegawa, Pui Han Pin, Yumiko Saga. NANOS2 Acts Downstream of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Signaling to Suppress Differentiation of Spermatogonial Stem Cells. DOI: 10.1002/stem.790. Copyright © 2011 AlphaMed Press...anti-GFRA1 (1:200, Neuromics, Edina, MN)...Images: Ngn3-Cre targets GFRA1-negative cells. (A-F): At P7, Rosa-YFP; Ngn3-Cre double transgenic testes were immunostained with the indicated markers. Most of YFP-positive spermatogonia (Ngn3-lineage c...

siRNA Delivery Group on Linkedin

siRNA and DsiRNA Transfection Efficiency — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:44:00 +0100

I wanted to make readers aware of an excellent discussion group on Linkedin named "siRNA Delivery". Included are tip, updates on commercialization and key publications. Here're some examples:Alnylam Announces Publication of Pre-clinical Results with ALN-HTT, an RNAi Therapeutic for the Treatment of Huntington’s Disease, in Experimental NeurologyDelivering siRNA to Neurons Life Technologies develops new drug delivery technology Recent experiments demonstrate a novel method of liposomal encapsulation of siRNA/RNA/DNA at 4C, could be a promising method to minimize degradation.Happy reading. (Source: siRNA and DsiRNA Transfection Efficiency)

Brain Injury Rate 7 Times Greater among U.S. Prisoners

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

A car accident, a rough tackle, an unexpected tumble. The number of ways to bang up the brain are almost as numerous as the people who sustain these injuries. And only recently has it become clear just how damaging a seemingly minor knock can be. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is no longer just a condition acknowledged in military personnel or football players and other professional athletes. Each year some 1.7 million civilians will suffer an injury that disrupts the function of their brains, qualifying it as a TBI. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Increased [3H]D‐aspartate release and changes in glutamate receptor expression in the hippocampus of the mnd mouse

Journal of Neuroscience Research — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:17:27 +0100

AbstractNeuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of hereditary childhood diseases characterized mainly by lipopigment accumulation and a multisystemic pattern of symptoms including mental retardation, seizures, motor impairment, and blindness. The mnd mouse, carrying a mutation in the Cln8 gene, has been proposed as a model of epilepsy with mental retardation (EPMR, ornorthern epilepsy). We recently showed neuronal hyperexcitability and seizure hypersusceptibility in mnd mice. To elucidate the cellular mechanisms related to hippocampal hyperexcitability, the glutamatergic transmission and the expression of postsynaptic glutamate receptors were investigated in hippocampus. A significant increase in either spontaneous or KCl‐stimulated overflow of [3H]D‐aspartate was found in mn...

Aging-Caloric Restriction and BDNF-Leptin

Neuromics — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:35:00 +0100

In this study, the investigators found that by restricting calories in rats, DVC BDNF immunoreactive concentrations were elevated and resulting in satiety threshold stability. This indicates functional desensitization of the DVC to these signals: Karine Bédard, Stéphanie Segura, Stéphanie Mahaut, Catherine Tardivel, Guylaine Ferland, Bruno Lebrun, Pierrette Gaudreau. Effects of aging and caloric restriction on brainstem satiety center signals in rats. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2012.01.004.The authors used our BDNF Antibody to determine expression in the DVC.....goat serum and 0.3% Triton-X-100) (Sigma–Aldrich), overnight at 4 °C with chicken anti-rat BDNF antibody (Neuromics, Edina, MN; diluted 1/200 in blocking buffer), rinsed 3×...

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Jacqueline Rose: a life in writing

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:55:08 +0100

'Victimhood is something that happens but when you turn it into an identity you're psychically and politically finished'One day, Jacqueline Rose came across a troubling passage in Proust's A la recherche du temps perdu. The narrator, Marcel, lies beside his sleeping lover Albertine and masturbates against her. "It seemed to me at those moments," writes Proust in Carol Clark's recent Penguin translation, "that I possessed her more completely, like an unconscious part of dumb nature." Professor Rose, feminist and psychoanalytic critic, bristled. "I thought 'This is ridiculous – she'd have woken up by now!' I had my feminist reaction – which is not my most obvious default position – which is just let the woman speak."So Rose decided to awaken Proust's lover from her implausible slumber....

[Report] Abnormal Brain Structure Implicated in Stimulant Drug Addiction

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

A neurological marker of addiction vulnerability occurs in sibling pairs who do not take drugs.Authors: Karen D. Ersche, P. Simon Jones, Guy B. Williams, Abigail J Turton, Trevor W. Robbins, Edward T. Bullmore (Source: Science: Current Issue)

[Brevia] Nanoscopy in a Living Mouse Brain

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

Super high-resolution microscopy resolves neuron dynamics in the cerebral cortex of a living mouse.Authors: Sebastian Berning, Katrin I. Willig, Heinz Steffens, Payam Dibaj, Stefan W. Hell (Source: Science: Current Issue)

[Perspective] Neuroscience: To Stop or Not to Stop?

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

Does chronic drug abuse cause brain abnormalities, or do they develop before the onset of dependence?Authors: Nora D. Volkow, Ruben D. Baler (Source: Science: Current Issue)

The Science of Concussion and Brain Injury

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0100

How medicine, sports and society are trying to heal and protect the brains of millions amidst the growing awareness of the long-lasting effects of traumatic head injury [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

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Depletion of extracellular Ca2+ prompts astroglia to moderate synaptic network activity.

Science Signaling — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:18:02 +0100

Authors: Rusakov DA Abstract Over the past decade, rapid signal exchange between astroglia and neurons across the interstitial space emerged as an essential element of synaptic circuit functioning in the brain. How and where exactly this exchange occurs in various physiological scenarios and the underlying cellular cascades remain a subject of intense study. The excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid are thought to be the primary signal carriers that are regularly dispatched by active synapses to engage target receptors and transporters on the surface of astrocytes. New evidence identifies another ubiquitous messenger, extracellular calcium ions (Ca(2+)), which can report neural network activity to astroglia. Astrocytes in the...

Extracellular Ca2+ acts as a mediator of communication from neurons to glia.

Science Signaling — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:18:02 +0100

Authors: Torres A, Wang F, Xu Q, Fujita T, Dobrowolski R, Willecke K, Takano T, Nedergaard M Abstract Defining the pathways through which neurons and astrocytes communicate may contribute to the elucidation of higher central nervous system functions. We investigated the possibility that decreases in extracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca(2+)](e)) that occur during synaptic transmission might mediate signaling from neurons to glia. Using noninvasive photolysis of the photolabile Ca(2+) buffer diazo-2 {N-[2-[2-[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]-5-(diazoacetyl)phenoxy]ethoxy]-4-methylphenyl]-N-(carboxymethyl)-, tetrapotassium salt} to reduce [Ca(2+)](e) or caged glutamate to simulate glutamatergic transmission, we found that a local decline in extracellular Ca(2+) triggered astrocytic...

New device removes stroke-causing blood clots better than standard treatment

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0100

An experimental device for removing blood clots in stroke patients dramatically outperformed the standard mechanical treatment, according to research presented by UCLA Stroke Center director Dr. Jeffrey L. Saver at the American Stroke Association's 2012 international conference in New Orleans on Feb. 3. The SOLITAIRE Flow Restoration Device is among an entirely new generation of devices designed to remove blood clots from blocked brain arteries in patients experiencing stroke. It has a self-expanding, stent-like design and, once inserted into a clot using a thin catheter tube, it compresses and traps the clot. The clot is then removed by withdrawing the device, thus reopening the blocked blood vessel. In the first U.S. clinical trial of SOLITAIRE, the device opened blocked ve...

Guardian Open Weekend: two days of smashing science and technology

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:38:17 +0100

We're throwing open our doors on 24 and 25 March to host talks and debates about the frontiers of particle physics, neuroscience and the law, and host masterclasses on podcasting, journalism, web tools and photographyDo you have a burning question about the Higgs boson, supersymmetry or the standard of the coffee in the canteen at the home of the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva? On Sunday 25 March as part the Guardian's Open Weekend, three scientists at the cutting edge of physics will be on hand to answer all the most basic or esoteric questions that may have built up in your mind (where they might well be burning a hole) over the past year of incredible research results.Led by the Guardian's Ian Sample and our superstar physics blogger, Prof Jon Butterworth, this is your chance to get ...

Link Between Insulin Resistance And Brain Health In Elderly

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

New research from Uppsala University shows that reduced insulin sensitivity is linked to smaller brain size and deteriorated language skills in seniors. The findings are now published in the scientific journal Diabetes Care. The main hormonal function of insulin is to support the uptake and use of glucose in muscles and fat tissues. However, in an earlier article recently published in Molecular Neurobiology, Christian Benedict from the Department of Neuroscience at Uppsala University has reported that when insulin reaches the brain, it enhances memory function in humans... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Language and human nature:kurt goldstein's neurolinguistic foundation of a holistic philosophy

Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:27:19 +0100

This article will discuss the work of Kurt Goldstein, who is known for both his groundbreaking contributions to neuropsychology and his holistic philosophy of human nature. By focusing on Goldstein's neurolinguistic research, I want to reconstruct the empirical foundations of his holistic program without ignoring its cultural background. In this sense, Goldstein's work provides a case study for the formation of a scientific theory through the complex interplay between specific empirical evidences and the general cultural developments of the Weimar Republic. (Source: Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences)

Quantitative assessment of visual behavior in disorders of consciousness

Journal of Neurology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:20:39 +0100

In this study we aimed to provide a quantitative assessment of visual tracking behavior in response to moving stimuli in DoC patients. Nine VS patients and nine MCS patients were recruited in a Neurorehabilitation Unit for patients with chronic DoC; 11 matched healthy subjects were tested as the control group. All participants underwent a quantitative evaluation of eye-tracking pattern by means of a computerized infrared eye-tracker system; stimuli were represented by a red circle or a small color picture slowly moving on a PC monitor. The proportion of on- or off-target fixations differed significantly between MCS and VS. Most importantly, the distribution of fixations on or off the target in all VS patients was at or below the chance level, whereas in the MCS group seven out of nin...

Neurodevelopmental delay in small babies at term. A systematic review

Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractBackground: Being small for gestational age (SGA) or having fetal growth restriction (FGR) may be associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes compared to being appropriate for gestational age (AGA). The aim of this paper was to evaluate the existence and magnitude of decrease in neurodevelopmental scores in SGA and FGR infants born at term from a systematic review of the existing literature.Methods: Studies of neurodevelopment in SGA/FGR babies were identified from a search of the internet scientific databases. Studies which included preterm births and those that did not define absolute indices of standardised cognitive outcome were excluded. SGA was defined as birthweight below the 10th centile for gestation and FGR as the same birthweight standard with abnormal umbilical a...

Effect of Cerebellohypothalamic Glutamatergic Projections on Immune Function.

Cerebellum — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lu JH, Mao HN, Cao BB, Qiu YH, Peng YP Abstract Our previous work has shown that lesions of the cerebellar interposed nuclei (IN) suppress immune cell functions. Since there is no direct structural connection between the cerebellum and immune system, we explored the pathway mediating the cerebellar immunomodulation at the profile of cerebellohypothalamic projections to understand this modulation. Anterograde tracing of nerve tracts from the cerebellar IN to the hypothalamus was conducted by injection of anterograde tracer dextran-texas red (dextran-TR) in the cerebellar IN. We observed that dextran-TR-labeled nerve fibers, which were sent by cerebellar IN neurons, traveled in the superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP), crossed in SCP decussation, and entered the hypothalamus. ...

Rapid synaptic potentiation within the anterior cingulate cortex mediates trace fear learning

Molecular Brain — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Although the cortex has been extensively studied in long-term memory storage, less emphasis has been placed on immediate cortical contributions to fear memory formation. AMPA receptor plasticity is strongly implicated in learning and memory, and studies have identified calcium permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPARs) as mediators of synaptic strengthening. Trace fear learning engages the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), but whether plastic events occur within the ACC in response to trace fear learning, and whether GluN2B subunits are required remains unknown. Here we show that the ACC is necessary for trace fear learning, and shows a rapid 20% upregulation of membrane AMPA receptor GluA1 subunits that is evident immediately after conditioning. Inhibition of NMDA receptor GluN2B subunits during...

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Cellular mechanisms of plasmalemmal sealing and axonal repair by polyethylene glycol and methylene blue

Journal of Neuroscience Research — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We report that endogenous sealing in both preparations is enhanced by Ca2+‐containing solutions and is decreased by Ca2+‐free solutions containing antioxidants such as dithiothreitol (DTT), melatonin (MEL), methylene blue (MB), and various toxins that decrease vesicular interactions. In contrast, the fusogen polyethylene glycol (PEG) at 10–50 mM artificially seals the cut ends of B104 cells and rat sciatic axons within seconds and is not affected by Ca2+ or any of the substances that affect endogenous sealing. At higher concentrations, PEG decreases sealing of transected axons and disrupts the plasmalemma of intact cells. These PEG‐sealing data are consistent with the hypothesis that lower concentrations of PEG directly seal a damaged plasmalemma. We have considered these and other...

Rapid, effective, and long‐lasting behavioral recovery produced by microsutures, methylene blue, and polyethylene glycol after completely cutting rat sciatic nerves

Journal of Neuroscience Research — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We report that, after complete cut‐ or crush‐severance of rat sciatic nerves, morphological continuity, action potential conduction, and behavioral functions can be consistently (>98% of trials), rapidly (minutes to days), dramatically (70–85% recovery), and chronically restored and some Wallerian degeneration prevented. We assess axoplasmic and axolemmal continuity by intra‐axonal dye diffusion and action potential conduction across the lesion site and amount of behavioral recovery by Sciatic Functional Index and Foot Fault tests. We apply well‐specified sequences of solutions containing FDA‐approved chemicals. First, severed axonal ends are opened and resealing is prevented by hypotonic Ca2+‐free saline containing antioxidants (especially methylene blue) that inhibit pla...

Ischemic tolerance in the brain: Endogenous adaptive machinery against ischemic stress

Journal of Neuroscience Research — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractAlthough more than 100 drugs have been examined clinically, tissue plasminogen activator remains the only drug approved for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Since the discovery of ischemic tolerance, it has been widely recognized that the brain possesses an endogenous protective machinery to protect against ischemic stress. Recent studies have clarified that both the upregulation of neuroprotective signaling and the downregulation of inflammatory or apoptotic pathways are involved equally in the acquisition of ischemic tolerance. The triggering stimuli for ischemic stresses are divided into hypoxic, oxidant/inflammatory, and glutamate stress. Glutamate stress, particularly the synaptic stimulation of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor, leads to activation of the cAMP re...

Levodopa influences striatal activity but does not affect cortical hyper‐activity in Parkinson’s disease

European Journal of Neuroscience — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractMotor studies of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have shown cortical hypo‐activity in relation to nigrostriatal dopamine depletion. Cognitive studies also identified increased cortical activity in PD. We have previously suggested that the hypo‐activity/hyper‐activity patterns observed in PD are related to the striatal contribution. Tasks that recruit the striatum in control participants are associated with cortical hypo‐activity in patients with PD, whereas tasks that do not result in cortical hyper‐activity. The putamen, a structure affected by the neurodegeneration observed in PD, shows increased activation for externally‐triggered (ET) and self‐initiated (SI) movements. The first goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of levodopa on the putamen’s response to ET...

Conference focuses on vaccines for chronic diseases

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) At a symposium sponsored by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and scheduled for Feb. 7-9, an international group of researchers will discuss development of vaccines for addiction, cancer, chronic infectious diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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A new study shows how to boost the power of pain relief, without drugs

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Association for Psychological Science) Placebos reduce pain by creating an expectation of relief. Distraction -- say, doing a puzzle -- relieves it by keeping the brain busy. But do they use the same brain processes? Neuromaging suggests they do. When applying a placebo, scientists see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. That's the part of the brain that controls high-level cognitive functions like working memory and attention -- which is what you use to do that distracting puzzle. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Could an Infection Cause Tourette's-Like Symptoms in Teenage Girls?

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:05:00 +0100

Over the weekend Erin Brockovich made the news yet again as she and her nonprofit team descended on the village of Le Roy, N.Y., determined to test for environmental toxins that might be giving the town's teenagers symptoms of Tourette's syndrome. She has reportedly been stonewalled thus far by local officials, who have already ruled out toxins as the cause of last October's sudden outbreak of tics and involuntary movements in 12 girls who attend Le Roy Junior–Senior High School. An environmental testing company surveyed the air and water and found nothing amiss, and a local neurologist concluded upon examining the girls that they had "conversion disorder," a catchall moniker for physical symptoms that originate in the mind because of stress, trauma or even mass...

Controversy: Can Repeat Concussions Cause Lou Gehrig's Disease? (preview)

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:05:00 +0100

Kevin Turner was a premier athlete in the National Football League, a fullback who could run, catch and block. At 6' 1" and roughly 230 pounds, he was slightly undersized for his position, but he had tremendous thrust in his legs and used all of it to launch himself into players who were bigger than he was. He played for the New England Patriots from 1992 to 1994, then joined the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he stayed until his abrupt retirement in 1999. Some called him “the Collision Expert”--a nickname he got because of the gouges he collected on his helmet. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Inside Story: What Happens When Brain Hits Skull

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Concussion, the most common among traumatic brain injuries, which occurs 1.7 million times a year in the U.S., represents a major public-health problem. It occurs when there is a sudden acceleration or deceleration of the head, a process depicted here in this animation. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Astrocytes build blood vessel scaffolds for long distance neuron migrations | Mo Costandi | Neurophilosophy blog

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:53:00 +0100

Star-shaped cells called astrocytes build blood vessel highways for migrating neuronsThe journey undertaken by newborn neurons in the adult mouse brain is like the cellular equivalent of the arduous upstream migration of salmon returning to their hatching river. Soon after being born in the subventricular zone near the back of the brain, these cells embark on a long-distance migration to the front-most tip of the brain. Their final destination – the olfactory bulb – is the furthest point from their birth place, and they travel two-thirds of the length of the brain to get there.Several years ago, a team of researchers from Canada showed that the pathway for this migration – called the rostral migratory stream – is lined with a scaffold of capillaries, and that the young cells crawl ...

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Early olfactory experience induces structural changes in the primary olfactory center of an insect brain

European Journal of Neuroscience — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe antennal lobe (AL) is the first olfactory center of the insect brain and is constituted of different functional units, the glomeruli. In the AL, odors are coded as spatiotemporal patterns of glomerular activity. In honeybees, olfactory learning during early adulthood modifies neural activity in the AL on a long‐term scale and also enhances later memory retention. By means of behavioral experiments, we first verified that olfactory learning between the fifth and eighth day of adulthood induces better retention performances at a late adult stage than the same experience acquired before or after this period. We checked that the specificity of memory for the odorants used was improved. We then studied whether such early olfactory learning also induces long‐term structural chang...

Association of childhood family environments with the risk of social withdrawal (‘hikikomori’) in the community population in Japan

Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that hikikomori cases are more likely to occur in families where the parents have high levels of education. Maternal panic disorder may be another risk factor for children to develop hikikomori. (Source: Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences)

Aripiprazole may be free from tachyphylaxis: Preliminary findings

Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Loss of antipsychotic efficacy (tachyphylaxis), possibly linked to an increase in D2 receptor number and sensitivity, is a significant impediment to treatment in chronic schizophrenia patients. Animal studies, however, suggest that aripiprazole may be free from tachyphylaxis. The aim of the present study was to investigate this hypothesis. In this preliminary study, aripiprazole‐treated patients were retrospectively investigated for the presence or absence of tachyphylaxis. Clinical Global Impression‐Improvement (CGI‐I) scores did not significantly change and there was no significant association of CGI scores with fixed dose duration. This suggests that aripiprazole may be free from tachyphylaxis. (Source: Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences)

Right hemispheric dominance and interhemispheric cooperation in gaze‐triggered reflexive shift of attention

Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The right hemisphere appears to be dominant, and there is interhemispheric cooperation in gaze‐triggered reflexive shift of attention. (Source: Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences)

Untangling the mysteries of Alzheimer's

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) Researchers have found new evidence that confirms the significance of a protein that neuroscientists call tau to the development of Alzheimer's disease. While earlier studies have focused on tau's aggregation into twisted structures known as "neurofibrillary tangles," the new work emphasizes intermediary steps between single protein units and the much larger tangles - small assemblages of two, three, four or more proteins, which the investigators believe are the most toxic entities in Alzheimer's. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Study flags over-reliance on computer tests in return-to-plan decisions after concussion

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Indiana University) A new study by researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus and Pace University is critical of the widespread use of computerized neuropsychological tests in decisions regarding when athletes can return to play after suffering a concussion. The study points to inadequate levels of reliability and validity in the tests; their strain on brains that should be resting; and the fact that they miss elements that could be more important to recovery. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Science Shows How Massage Eases Sore Muscles

The Doctors Lounge - Neurology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0100

Getting one post-workout can spur cellular processes that cut inflammation and pain (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Neurology)

New Map Shows that Most Lyme-Infected Ticks Are in Northeast, Northern Midwest

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0100

Female blacklegged tick courtesy of Graham Hickling/University of Tennessee Lyme disease is notoriously tough to diagnose. The symptoms often don’t appear for one or two weeks after a bite and can vary from feeling flu-ish to longer-term neurological damage. And ticks seem to lie in wait throughout much of the U.S., prepared to pounce and infect a passerby. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Transformation of Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 Peptidomimetic Positive Allosteric Modulators of the Dopamine D2 Receptor into Negative Modulators

ACS Chemical Neuroscience — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:10:31 +0100

ACS Chemical NeuroscienceDOI: 10.1021/cn200096u (Source: ACS Chemical Neuroscience)

Blood glutamate scavengers prolong the survival of rats and mice with brain-implanted gliomas

Investigational New Drugs — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:10:49 +0100

Summary L-Glutamate (Glu) plays a crucial role in the growth of malignant gliomas. We have established the feasibility of accelerating a naturally occurring brain to-blood Glu efflux by decreasing blood Glu levels with intravenous oxaloacetate, the respective Glu co-substrate of the blood resident enzyme humane glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase (hGOT). We wished to demonstrate that blood Glu scavenging provides neuroprotection in the case of glioma. We now describe the neuroprotective effects of blood Glu scavenging in a fatal condition such as brain-implanted C6 glioma in rats and brain-implanted human U87 MG glioma in nude mice. Rat (C-6) or human (U87) glioma cells were grafted stereotactically in the brain of rats or mice. After development of tumors, the animals w...

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Certain Neurons Respond Specifically to Animals

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

Whether cute and cuddly or fierce and frightening, animals affect the brain in ways scientists are just starting to appreciate. In a study of people who had electrodes implanted in their brain for the treatment of epilepsy, an international team discovered neurons that respond specifically to animals. The 41 individuals in the study were shown picturesof recognizable landmarks, objects, animals and people for about one second each as tiny electrodes measured the activity of individual neurons in three regions of their brain. When the researchers analyzed the electrical data from the 400 to 550 neurons in each region, they found a marked jump in the activity of neurons in the right amygdala that was not seen in the other brain regions tested--and only after viewing the pictures of animals. ...

Concussion Is a Serious Problem for Child Athletes

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

The dangers of life in the National Football League made headlines in 2009, when a study commissioned by the NFL found that retired players were 19 times more likely than other men of similar ages to develop severe memory problems. The obvious culprit: continued play after repeated head injuries. Indeed, head injury can imitate many types of neurodegenerative disease, including Parkinson’s disease and, as journalist Jeffrey Bartholet reports in “The Collision Syndrome,” on page 66, perhaps even amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Secrets of the inner voice unlocked

NHS News Feed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:19:00 +0100

Conclusion This study of 15 people undergoing brain surgery has demonstrated a method of reconstructing the sound of a heard word using only the signals obtained from the brain. This study represents an important progression in the field of speech reconstruction, which has the potential to improve the lives of many who suffer from speech difficulties in the future. But the words, when reconstructed, were not of good enough quality to be recognised by a human listener when played. The words could only be identified when the original and reconstructed sound patterns were compared visually. The researchers suggest that improving the brain sensors detecting the STG brain activity may, in the future, improve the reconstructed sound to a level that could be understood by a person listening. The ...

Cortex — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:23:23 +0100

(Source: Cortex)

Editorial Board/Title Page

Cortex — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:23:23 +0100

(Source: Cortex)

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Cover Figure

Cortex — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:23:23 +0100

(Source: Cortex)

Retroperitoneal Bronchogenic Cyst Mimicking Hydatid Liver: A Case Report

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:23:13 +0100

We report a case of retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst below the right hemidiaphragm mimicking a hydatid cyst of the liver in a 30-year-old female. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

Lack of dystrophin in mdx mice modulates the expression of genes involved in neuron survival and differentiation

European Journal of Neuroscience — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this study, differences in gene expression in the superior cervical ganglion of postnatal day (P)5, P10 and 6–7‐week‐old wild‐type and genetically dystrophic mdx mice were evaluated by DNA microarray analysis. The main aim was to verify whether the lack of dystrophin affected the transcript levels of genes related to different aspects of neuron development and differentiation. Ontological analysis of more than 500 modulated genes showed significant differences in genetic class enrichment at each postnatal date. Upregulated genes mainly fell in the categories of vesicular trafficking, and cytoskeletal and synaptic organization, whereas downregulated genes were associated with axon development, growth factors, intracellular signal transduction, metabolic processes, gene expression...

Reciprocity: Weak or strong? What punishment experiments do (and do not) demonstrate.