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Deep Learning-Driven Estimation of Centiloid Scales from Amyloid PET Images with 11C-PiB and 18F-Labeled Tracers in Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-21 Tensho Yamao, Kenta Miwa, Yuta Kaneko, Noriyuki Takahashi, Noriaki Miyaji, Koki Hasegawa, Kei Wagatsuma, Yuto Kamitaka, Hiroshi Ito, Hiroshi Matsuda
Background: Standard methods for deriving Centiloid scales from amyloid PET images are time-consuming and require considerable expert knowledge. We aimed to develop a deep learning method of automating Centiloid scale calculations from amyloid PET images with 11C-Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB) tracer and assess its applicability to 18F-labeled tracers without retraining. Methods: We trained models on
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Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-21 Víctor Navarro-López, Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda, Pilar Fernández-González, Selena Marcos-Antón, Aitor Blázquez-Fernández, María Fernández-Cañas, Diego Fernández-Vázquez
The finger tapping test (FTT) is a tool to evaluate the motor performance of the hand and fingers and eye-hand coordination with applicability in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the TappingPro® mobile app and the construct validity between this app and validated clinical scales for motor performance in healthy subjects
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Sensorimotor Oscillations in Human Infants during an Innate Rhythmic Movement Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Helene Vitali, Claudio Campus, Valentina De Giorgis, Sabrina Signorini, Federica Morelli, Marco Fasce, Monica Gori
The relationship between cerebral rhythms and early sensorimotor development is not clear. In recent decades, evidence revealed a rhythmic modulation involving sensorimotor processing. A widely corroborated functional role of oscillatory activity is to coordinate the information flow across sensorimotor networks. Their activity is coordinated by event-related synchronisation and desynchronisation in
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Differential Cortical and Subcortical Activations during Different Stages of Muscle Control: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Yu Peng, Zhaoxin Wang
Movement and muscle control are crucial for the survival of all free-living organisms. This study aimed to explore differential patterns of cortical and subcortical activation across different stages of muscle control using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). An event-related design was employed. In each trial, participants (n = 10) were instructed to gently press a button with their right
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Imagery and Verbal Strategies in Spatial Memory for Route and Survey Descriptions Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Ioanna Markostamou, Sol Morrissey, Michael Hornberger
Being able to represent and remember verbally-encoded information about spatial environments from different perspectives is important for numerous daily activities. The present study examined how frequently individuals spontaneously engage in visual mental imagery and verbal rehearsal strategies in memory recall of spatial descriptions, and whether using certain strategies is associated with better
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What Does It Take to Play the Piano? Cognito-Motor Functions Underlying Motor Learning in Older Adults Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Florian Worschech, Edoardo Passarotto, Hannah Losch, Takanori Oku, André Lee, Eckart Altenmüller
The acquisition of skills, such as learning to play a musical instrument, involves various phases that make specific demands on the learner. Knowledge of the cognitive and motor contributions during learning phases can be helpful in developing effective and targeted interventions for healthy aging. Eighty-six healthy older participants underwent an extensive cognitive, motoric, and musical test battery
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The Necessity of Taking Culture and Context into Account When Studying the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Brain Development Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Julie M. Schneider, Mohammad Hossein Behboudi, Mandy J. Maguire
Decades of research has revealed a relationship between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and brain development at the structural and functional levels. Of particular note is the distinction between income and maternal education, two highly correlated factors which seem to influence brain development through distinct pathways. Specifically, while a families’ income-to-needs ratio is linked with
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Complete Neuron Reconstruction Based on Branch Confidence Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Ying Zeng, Yimin Wang
In the past few years, significant advancements in microscopic imaging technology have led to the production of numerous high-resolution images capturing brain neurons at the micrometer scale. The reconstructed structure of neurons from neuronal images can serve as a valuable reference for research in brain diseases and neuroscience. Currently, there lacks an accurate and efficient method for neuron
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The Impact of Fatigue on Sleep and Other Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Stefania Diaconu, Vlad Monescu, Rafaela Filip, Laura Marian, Cristian Kakucs, Iulia Murasan, K. Ray Chaudhuri, Dragos Catalin Jianu, Cristian Falup-Pecurariu, Bianca Opritoiu
Fatigue is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but even so, it may still be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed in current practice due to its non-specific manifestations. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of fatigue in PD patients compared to healthy controls and to identify the main characteristics and associations of fatigue with other non-motor symptoms and
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Cerebral and Peripheral Immune Cell Changes following Rodent Juvenile Traumatic Brain Injury Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Allie M. Smith, Erin B. Taylor, Ruth J. Brooks, Christiano Dos Santos e Santos, Bernadette E. Grayson
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability. TBI is associated with neuroinflammation, but temporal changes in immune and inflammatory signaling following TBI have not been fully elucidated. Furthermore, there have been no previous studies on changes in immune cell populations following TBI via the Closed Head Injury Model of Engineered Rotational Acceleration
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Acupuncture Extended the Thrombolysis Window by Suppressing Blood–Brain Barrier Disruption and Regulating Autophagy–Apoptosis Balance after Ischemic Stroke Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Zhihui Zhang, Tianliang Lu, Shanshan Li, Ruyu Zhao, Honglei Li, Xinchang Zhang, Yiyang Li, Yawen Xia, Guangxia Ni
Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The narrow therapeutic window (within 4.5 h) and severe hemorrhagic potential limits therapeutic efficacy of recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) intravenous thrombolysis for patients. Xingnao Kaiqiao (XNKQ) acupuncture is an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, specifically designed
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Impact of Empathic Concern on Prosocial Behavior in Gain and Loss Contexts: Evidence from Event-Related Potential Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Xi Luo, Taowen Yu, Min Tan, Yiping Zhong
This study employs event-related potential (ERP) to examine the impact of empathic concern on prosocial decision-making with costs in both gain and loss contexts. In this experiment, participants can choose between two types of lottery tickets and pay lottery money to help the target person gain more money or lose less money. The behavioral results showed that regardless of the context of the decision
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Predicting Brain Age and Gender from Brain Volume Data Using Variational Quantum Circuits Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Yeong-Jae Jeon, Shin-Eui Park, Hyeon-Man Baek
The morphology of the brain undergoes changes throughout the aging process, and accurately predicting a person’s brain age and gender using brain morphology features can aid in detecting atypical brain patterns. Neuroimaging-based estimation of brain age is commonly used to assess an individual’s brain health relative to a typical aging trajectory, while accurately classifying gender from neuroimaging
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Psychiatric Co-Morbidities and Profile of Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Northern India Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Ankita Saroj, Adarsh Tripathi, Sumit Rungta, Sujita Kumar Kar
Objectives: To study sociodemographic and clinical variables, including psychiatric co-morbidities, in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Methods: A total of 158 patients attending a medical gastroenterology clinic in a tertiary care center in Northern India were screened, from whom 100 were selected for the study. Rome IV criteria were used to diagnose IBS, and the severity of symptoms was assessed
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Racial and Socioeconomic Status among a Patient Population Presenting with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage versus Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm: A Single-Center Study Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Ashia M. Hackett, Christopher O. Adereti, Ariel P. Walker, Elsa Nico, Lea Scherschinski, Emmajane G. Rhodenhiser, Adam T. Eberle, Anant Naik, Juan P. Giraldo, Joelle N. Hartke, Redi Rahmani, Ethan A. Winkler, Joshua S. Catapano, Michael T. Lawton
Racial and socioeconomic health disparities are well documented in the literature. This study examined patient demographics, including socioeconomic status (SES), among individuals presenting with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) to identify factors associated with aSAH presentation. A retrospective assessment was conducted of all patients with aSAH
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Brain Activation for Social Cognition and Emotion Processing Tasks in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Neuroimaging Studies Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Matthias Schurz, Jan-Patrick Berenz, Jeff Maerz, Raphael Perla, Anna Buchheim, Karin Labek
The present meta-analysis summarizes brain activation for social cognition and emotion-processing tasks in borderline personality disorder (BPD). We carried out two meta-analyses to elaborate on commonalities and potential differences between the two types of tasks. In the first meta-analysis, we implemented a more liberal strategy for task selection (including social and emotional content). The results
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Exploring Embodied and Bioenergetic Approaches in Trauma Therapy: Observing Somatic Experience and Olfactory Memory Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Sara Invitto, Patrizia Moselli
Recent studies highlight how body psychotherapy is becoming highly cited, especially in connection with studies on trauma-related disorders. This review highlights the theoretical assumptions and recent points in common with embodied simulation and new sensory theories by integrating bioenergetic analysis, embodiment, and olfactory memory in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy
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Implementing an Early Detection Program for Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Polish Primary Healthcare Setting—Possible Obstacles and Experiences from Online ASD Screening Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Mateusz Sobieski, Urszula Grata-Borkowska, Maria Magdalena Bujnowska-Fedak
A screening questionnaire for autism symptoms is not yet available in Poland, and there are no recommendations regarding screening for developmental disorders in Polish primary healthcare. The aim of this study was to assess the opinions of parents and physicians on the legitimacy and necessity of screening for autism spectrum disorders, potential barriers to the implementation of the screening program
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A Four-Week High-Fat Diet Induces Anxiolytic-like Behaviors through Mature BDNF in the mPFC of Mice Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Huixian Huang, Jia Huang, Wensi Lu, Yanjun Huang, Ran Luo, Luqman Bathalian, Ming Chen, Xuemin Wang
The effect of a high-fat diet (HFD) on mood is a widely debated topic, with the underlying mechanisms being poorly understood. This study explores the anxiolytic effects of a four-week HFD in C57BL/6 mice. Five-week-old mice were exposed to either an HFD (60% calories from fat) or standard chow diet (CD) for four weeks, followed by cannula implantation, virus infusion, behavioral tests, and biochemical
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Reading Skill Profiles in School-Aged Italian-Speaking Children: A Latent Profile Analysis Investigation into the Interplay of Decoding, Comprehension and Attentional Control Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Angela Pasqualotto, Noemi Mazzoni, Francesco Benso, Carlo Chiorri
Our study examined the complex relationships among reading performance (decoding, comprehension) and language, visuo-spatial, and attentional control abilities in 115 Italian-speaking children. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct clusters of participants showcasing quantitative differences in decoding skills, including word, pseudo-word, text reading speed and accuracy. Then, we used
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Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Pilot Study Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Kyriaki Neophytou, Kelly Williamson, Olivia Herrmann, Alexandros Afthinos, Jessica Gallegos, Nadine Martin, Donna C. Tippett, Kyrana Tsapkini
Background: This study aims to determine (a) if home-based anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) delivered to the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG) coupled with verbal short-term memory/working memory (vSTM/WM) treatment (“RAM”, short for “Repeat After Me”) is more effective than sham-tDCS in improving vSTM/WM in patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and (b) whether tDCS effects
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AI and Aphasia in the Digital Age: A Critical Review Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Adam John Privitera, Siew Hiang Sally Ng, Anthony Pak-Hin Kong, Brendan Stuart Weekes
Aphasiology has a long and rich tradition of contributing to understanding how culture, language, and social environment contribute to brain development and function. Recent breakthroughs in AI can transform the role of aphasiology in the digital age by leveraging speech data in all languages to model how damage to specific brain regions impacts linguistic universals such as grammar. These tools, including
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Using Objective Speech Analysis Techniques for the Clinical Diagnosis and Assessment of Speech Disorders in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Zeynep Z. Sonkaya, Bilgin Özturk, Rıza Sonkaya, Esra Taskiran, Ömer Karadas
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the chronic and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). It generally affects motor, sensory, cerebellar, cognitive, and language functions. It is thought that identifying MS speech disorders using quantitative methods will make a significant contribution to physicians in the diagnosis and follow-up of MS patients. In this study, it was aimed
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An Overview of the Bodily Awareness Representation and Interoception: Insights and Progress in the Field of Neurorehabilitation Research Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Chiara Parma, Federica Doria, Aida Zulueta, Jacopo Lanzone, Marilisa Boscarino, Luca Giani, Christian Lunetta, Marta Vassallo, Eugenio Agostino Parati, Mario Picozzi, Davide Sattin
In the last two decades, the scientific literature on so-called body representations has been increasing, and the notion of body awareness (BA) is particularly interesting for neurorehabilitation. In this article, we present results derived from recent studies on this representation, considering the different definitions and explicative models proposed as well as the empirical settings used to test
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Pragmatic Communication Deficit and Functional Outcome in Patients with Right- and Left-Brain Damage: A Pilot Study Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Simona Spaccavento, Sofia Caliendo, Roberta Galetta, Emilia Picciola, Ernesto Losavio, Robert Glueckauf
Pragmatic communication abilities refer to the capacity to use language in a social context. Despite evidence to the contrary, the left cerebral hemisphere of the majority of right handers has been considered exclusively specialized for control of language phonology, syntax and semantics, whereas the right hemisphere has been specialized for the control of language pragmatics. Many studies have shown
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Postnatal Development of Synaptic Plasticity at Hippocampal CA1 Synapses: Correlation of Learning Performance with Pathway-Specific Plasticity Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-14 Yuheng Yang, Yuya Sakimoto, Dai Mitsushima
To determine the critical timing for learning and the associated synaptic plasticity, we analyzed developmental changes in learning together with training-induced plasticity. Rats were subjected to an inhibitory avoidance (IA) task prior to weaning. While IA training did not alter latency at postnatal day (PN) 16, there was a significant increase in latency from PN 17, indicating a critical day for
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The Role of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Mediated F-Actin in the Acupuncture-Induced Mitigation of Inflammatory Pain in Arthritic Rats Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-14 Xu Zhou, Yu-Chen Zhang, Kai-Qiu Lu, Ran Xiao, Wen-Chao Tang, Fan Wang
The analgesic efficacy of acupuncture has been widely recognized. However, the mechanism by which manual acupuncture-generated mechanical stimuli translate into biological signals remains unclear. This study employed a CFA-induced inflammatory pain rat model. Acupuncture intervention was then performed following standardized procedures. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assessed inflammatory
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Positive Effect of Super-Resolved Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Mild Cognitive Impairment Detection Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-14 Ovidijus Grigas, Robertas Damaševičius, Rytis Maskeliūnas
This paper presents a novel approach to improving the detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) through the use of super-resolved structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and optimized deep learning models. The study introduces enhancements to the perceptual quality of super-resolved 2D structural MRI images using advanced loss functions, modifications to the upscaler part of the generator, and
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Repeated Bilateral Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Auditory Cortex for Tinnitus Treatment: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-12 Ali Yadollahpour, Samaneh Rashidi, Nader Saki, Pramod Singh Kunwar, Miguel Mayo-Yáñez
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless technique of brain neuromodulation that applies a low-intensity galvanic current to the scalp with the aim of stimulating specific areas of the brain. Preliminary investigations have indicated the potential therapeutic efficacy of multisession tDCS applied to the auditory cortex (AC) in the treatment of chronic tinnitus.
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A Data Augmentation Method for Motor Imagery EEG Signals Based on DCGAN-GP Network Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-12 Xiuli Du, Xiaohui Ding, Meiling Xi, Yana Lv, Shaoming Qiu, Qingli Liu
Motor imagery electroencephalography (EEG) signals have garnered attention in brain–computer interface (BCI) research due to their potential in promoting motor rehabilitation and control. However, the limited availability of labeled data poses challenges for training robust classifiers. In this study, we propose a novel data augmentation method utilizing an improved Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial
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Physical and Mental Health Characteristics of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients with and without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Turkey Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-13 Abdulbari Bener, Murat Atmaca, Abdulla O. A. A. Al-Hamaq, Antonio Ventriglio
The aim of this study was to assess the rates of depression, anxiety, and stress and quality of sleeping among COVID-19 patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A case and control design has been employed, involving patients affected by COVID-19 infection (884 with T2DM vs. 884 controls without T2DM) and hospitalized in Istanbul (Turkey) from January to December 2021. A multivariate
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Olfactory Epithelium Stimulation Using Rhythmic Nasal Air-Puffs Improves the Cognitive Performance of Individuals with Acute Sleep Deprivation Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-13 Hanieh Riazi, Milad Nazari, Mohammad Reza Raoufy, Javad Mirnajafi-Zadeh, Amir Shojaei
This study aimed to investigate the effects of intranasal air-puffing on cognitive impairments and brain cortical activity following one night of partial sleep deprivation (PSD) in adults. A total of 26 healthy adults underwent the numerical Stroop test (NST) and electroencephalography (EEG) before and after one night of PSD. Following PSD, subjects in the treatment group (n = 13) received nasal air-puffs
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Prevalence and Correlates of the Concurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-13 Claudia Aymerich, Malein Pacho, Ana Catalan, Noorulain Yousaf, Violeta Pérez-Rodríguez, Matthew J. Hollocks, Mara Parellada, Georgina Krebs, Bruce Clark, Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo
Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are two common and impairing neurodevelopmental conditions with partial symptomatic overlap. The aim of this study is to systematically and meta-analytically examine the following: (i) the prevalence of an OCD diagnosis among young people with ASD, (ii) the prevalence of an ASD diagnosis among young people with OCD,
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Exploring the Role of Conscious and Unconscious Processes in Hypnosis: A Theoretical Review Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-12 Gavriel Knafo, Joel Weinberger
This review provided a comprehensive examination of various theories that attempt to explain hypnosis, focusing on the interplay between conscious and unconscious processes. We conducted a thorough analysis of key theories, from historical origins to recent models centered on cognition, social factors, and attributions. A central theme emerged: the critical role of the unconscious as a “gatekeeper”
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Sensorimotor Network Segregation Predicts Long-Term Learning of Writing Skills in Parkinson’s Disease Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-12 Nicholas D’Cruz, Joni De Vleeschhauwer, Martina Putzolu, Evelien Nackaerts, Moran Gilat, Alice Nieuwboer
The prediction of motor learning in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is vastly understudied. Here, we investigated which clinical and neural factors predict better long-term gains after an intensive 6-week motor learning program to ameliorate micrographia. We computed a composite score of learning through principal component analysis, reflecting better writing accuracy on a tablet in single and dual task conditions
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Selective Vestibular Neurectomy through the Presigmoid Retrolabyrinthine Approach in the Treatment of Meniere’s Disease Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Fabrizio Salvinelli, Francesca Bonifacio, Mara Capece, Denis Aiudi, Alessio Iacoangeli, Fabio Greco, Maurizio Gladi, Maurizio Iacoangeli
Background: Meniere’s disease (MD) is a disabling disease, especially in patients who are refractory to medical therapy. Moreover, selective vestibular neurectomy (VN), in these selected cases, can be considered a surgical alternative which preserves hearing function and facial nerve. Methods: We retrospectively studied 23 patients with MD diagnosis and history of failed extradural endolymphatic sac
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Correction: Spanò et al. Effect of Dual-Task Motor-Cognitive Training in Preventing Falls in Vulnerable Elderly Cerebrovascular Patients: A Pilot Study. Brain Sci. 2022, 12, 168 Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Barbara Spanò, Maria G. Lombardi, Massimo De Tollis, Maria A. Szczepanska, Claudia Ricci, Alice Manzo, Simone Giuli, Lorenzo Polidori, Ivo A. Griffini, Fulvia Adriano, Carlo Caltagirone, Roberta Annicchiarico
In the original publication [...]
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Modulation of Corticospinal Excitability during Action Observation in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Mauro Mancuso, Lucia Mencarelli, Laura Abbruzzese, Benedetta Basagni, Pierluigi Zoccolotti, Cristiano Scarselli, Simone Capitani, Francesco Neri, Emiliano Santarnecchi, Simone Rossi
Brain imaging studies have recently provided some evidence in favor of covert cognitive processes that are ongoing in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) (e.g., a minimally conscious state and vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) when engaged in passive sensory stimulation or active tasks such as motor imagery. In this exploratory study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation
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Lamination, Borders, and Thalamic Projections of the Primary Visual Cortex in Human, Non-Human Primate, and Rodent Brains Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Song-Lin Ding
: The primary visual cortex (V1) is one of the most studied regions of the brain and is characterized by its specialized and laminated layer 4 in human and non-human primates. However, studies aiming to harmonize the definition of the cortical layers and borders of V1 across rodents and primates are very limited. This article attempts to identify and harmonize the molecular markers and connectional
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Correction: Toader et al. Cognitive Crescendo: How Music Shapes the Brain’s Structure and Function. Brain Sci. 2023, 13, 1390 Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-09 Corneliu Toader, Calin Petru Tataru, Ioan-Alexandru Florian, Razvan-Adrian Covache-Busuioc, Bogdan-Gabriel Bratu, Luca Andrei Glavan, Andrei Bordeianu, David-Ioan Dumitrascu, Alexandru Vlad Ciurea
In the original publication [...]
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Exploring the Relationship between Neuroticism and Perinatal Depressive Symptoms: Findings from a 2-Year, Multicenter Study in Italy Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-09 Melania Severo, Annamaria Petito, Antonio Ventriglio, Salvatore Iuso, Giulio Ianzano, Alessia Marconcini, Elisa Giannaccari, Giuseppe Luigi Palma, Mario Altamura, Felice Sorrentino, Giuseppe Maruotti, Luigi Nappi, Antonella Caroli, Antonello Bellomo
Neuroticism is a personality trait associated with the risk of affective disorders and perinatal depression. We investigated the relationship between different levels of neuroticism, psychological characteristics, and depressive symptoms in a sample of pregnant women (N = 2631) who accessed the gynecology departments in the Puglia Region (Italy) from July 2020 to November 2022. Women were assessed
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Electroencephalographic Signal Data Augmentation Based on Improved Generative Adversarial Network Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-09 Xiuli Du, Xinyue Wang, Luyao Zhu, Xiaohui Ding, Yana Lv, Shaoming Qiu, Qingli Liu
EEG signals combined with deep learning play an important role in the study of human–computer interaction. However, the limited dataset makes it challenging to study EEG signals using deep learning methods. Inspired by the GAN network in image generation, this paper presents an improved generative adversarial network model L-C-WGAN-GP to generate artificial EEG data to augment training sets and improve
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Independence Threat or Interdependence Threat? The Focusing Effect on Social or Physical Threat Modulates Brain Activity Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-09 Guan Wang, Lian Ma, Lili Wang, Weiguo Pang
Objective: The neural basis of threat perception has mostly been examined separately for social or physical threats. However, most of the threats encountered in everyday life are complex. The features of interactions between social and physiological threats under different attentional conditions are unclear. Method: The present study explores this issue using an attention-guided paradigm based on ERP
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Tic-Related Obsessive–Compulsive and Eating Disorders in Dandy–Walker Variant: A Case Report and Systematic Reappraisal of Psychiatric Profiles Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-06 Riccardo Bortoletto, Anna Candolo, Alessandra Nicotra, Luana Saetti, Laura Perini, Matteo Balestrieri, Marco Colizzi, Carla Comacchio
Dandy–Walker complex (DWC) consists of a continuum of brain malformations involving the posterior fossa, often leading to psychiatric manifestations during adulthood. We discussed the case of a young woman with Dandy–Walker variant (DWV) and a comorbid complex neuropsychiatric presentation, who was diagnosed with an eating disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and a tic disorder. Afterwards, we
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Correction: Dreismickenbecker et al. Electroencephalography-Based Effects of Acute Alcohol Intake on the Pain Matrix. Brain Sci. 2023, 13, 1659 Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-08 Elias Dreismickenbecker, Sebastian Zinn, Mara Romero-Richter, Madeline Kohlhaas, Lukas R. Fricker, Silvana Petzel-Witt, Carmen Walter, Matthias Kreuzer, Stefan W. Toennes, Malte Anders
This paper [...]
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Review of EEG Affective Recognition with a Neuroscience Perspective Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-08 Rosary Yuting Lim, Wai-Cheong Lincoln Lew, Kai Keng Ang
Emotions are a series of subconscious, fleeting, and sometimes elusive manifestations of the human innate system. They play crucial roles in everyday life—influencing the way we evaluate ourselves, our surroundings, and how we interact with our world. To date, there has been an abundance of research on the domains of neuroscience and affective computing, with experimental evidence and neural network
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Effects of Hydrocodone Overdose and Ceftriaxone on Astrocytic Glutamate Transporters and Glutamate Receptors, and Associated Signaling in Nucleus Accumbens as well as Locomotor Activity in C57/BL Mice Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-05 Woonyen Wong, Youssef Sari
Chronic opioid treatments dysregulate the glutamatergic system, inducing a hyperglutamatergic state in mesocorticolimbic brain regions. This study investigated the effects of exposure to hydrocodone overdose on locomotor activity, expression of target proteins related to the glutamatergic system, signaling kinases, and neuroinflammatory factors in the nucleus accumbens. The locomotor activity of mice
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Advances in Research on Brain Health and Dementia: Prevention and Early Detection of Cognitive Decline and Dementia Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-01 Takao Yamasaki, Takuro Ikeda
Although “brain health” has many definitions, the core definition is the maintenance of optimal brain structure and function [...]
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How Lifetime Evolution of Parkinson’s Disease Could Shape Clinical Trial Design: A Shared Patient–Clinician Viewpoint Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-03 Jules M. Janssen Daalen, Aranka Gerritsen, Gijs Gerritse, Jan Gouman, Hannie E. M. Meijerink, Leny Rietdijk, Sirwan K. L. Darweesh
Parkinson’s disease (PD) has a long, heterogeneous, pre-diagnostic phase, during which pathology insidiously accumulates. Increasing evidence suggests that environmental and lifestyle factors in early life contribute to disease risk and progression. Thanks to the extensive study of this pre-diagnostic phase, the first prevention trials of PD are being designed. However, the highly heterogenous evolution
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Parafoveal Word Frequency Does Not Modulate the Effect of Foveal Load on Preview in Chinese Reading: Evidence from Eye Movements Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-04 Yue Sun, Sainan Li, Yancui Zhang, Jingxin Wang
The foveal load effect is one of the most fundamental effects in reading psychology, and also one of the most controversial issues in recent years. The foveal load effect refers to the phenomenon that the difficulty of foveal processing affects parafoveal preview. In Chinese reading, whether the foveal load effect exists, as well as whether this effect is modulated by parafoveal word frequency, remains
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Use of Prescribed and Non-Prescribed Treatments for Cluster Headache in a Swedish Cohort Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-31 Gabriella Smedfors, Felicia Jennysdotter Olofsgård, Anna Steinberg, Elisabet Waldenlind, Caroline Ran, Andrea Carmine Belin
Background: Cluster headache (CH) is a debilitating condition, but current therapies leave CH patients in pain. The extent of this problem in Sweden is unknown. Methods: An anonymized questionnaire was sent to 479 Swedish CH patients to investigate patterns and perceived effects of treatments. Results: Three hundred fourteen answers were analyzed. The population was representative regarding age of
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Sex-Specific Differences and the Role of Environmental Enrichment in the Expression of Hippocampal CB1 Receptors following Chronic Unpredictable Stress Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-03 Evgenia Dandi, Evangelia Kesidou, Constantina Simeonidou, Evangelia Spandou, Nikolaos Grigoriadis, Despina A. Tata
Stress-related mental disorders have become increasingly prevalent, thus endangering mental health worldwide. Exploring stress-associated brain alterations is vital for understanding the possible neurobiological mechanisms underlying these changes. Based on existing evidence, the brain endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) plays a significant role in the stress response, and disruptions in its function
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The Effect of Antipsychotics on Cognition in Schizophrenia—A Current Narrative Review Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-03 Petru Fabian Lungu, Corina Miruna Lungu, Alin Ciobica, Ioana Miruna Balmus, Raluca Vitalaru, Ioannis Mavroudis, Romeo Dobrin, Mirela Cimpeanu, Irina Luciana Gurzu
The majority of schizophrenia-affected individuals display deficiencies in multiple cognitive domains such as attention, working memory, long-term memory, and learning, deficiencies that are stable throughout the disease. The purpose of this narrative review was to examine the effect of antipsychotics on several cognitive domains affected by schizophrenia. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Elsevier, Scopus
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Investigating Dyslexia through Diffusion Tensor Imaging across Ages: A Systematic Review Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-31 Bruce Martins, Mariana Yumi Baba, Elisa Monteiro Dimateo, Leticia Fruchi Costa, Aila Silveira Camara, Katerina Lukasova, Mariana Penteado Nucci
Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that presents a deficit in accuracy and/or fluency while reading or spelling that is not expected given the level of cognitive functioning. Research indicates brain structural changes mainly in the left hemisphere, comprising arcuate fasciculus (AF) and corona radiata (CR). The purpose of this systematic review is to better understand the possible methods for
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Advances in Non-Invasive Neuromodulation Techniques for Improving Cognitive Function: A Review Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-01 Ruijuan Chen, Lengjie Huang, Rui Wang, Jieying Fei, Huiquan Wang, Jinhai Wang
Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques are widely utilized to study and improve cognitive function, with the aim of modulating different cognitive processes. For workers performing high-intensity mental and physical tasks, extreme fatigue may not only affect their working efficiency but may also lead to cognitive decline or cognitive impairment, which, in turn, poses a serious threat to their physical
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Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders in the COVID-19 Era Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-02 Tommaso Ercoli, Francesco Loy, Carla Masala, Paolo Solla
Over the 4 last years, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has determined the diffusion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global outbreak [...]
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Neuromodulation for Cannabis Use: A Scoping Review Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-02 Anthony Ngoy, Victor M. Tang, Kebin Xiao, Daniel M. Blumberger, Tony P. George, Joshua L. Gowin, Bernard Le Foll, Matthew E. Sloan
This scoping review explores the use of neuromodulation techniques in individuals with cannabis use. Our goal was to determine whether cannabis use alters cortical excitation and inhibition in the context of neuromodulation and to determine whether neuromodulation affects craving and cannabis use patterns. A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, OVID Medline, and PsycINFO from inception to
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Radio, Podcasts, and Music Streaming—An Electroencephalography and Physiological Analysis of Listeners’ Attitude, Attention, Memory, and Engagement Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-29 Shannon Bosshard, Emma Rodero, Isabel Rodríguez-de-Dios, Jamie Brickner
Whilst radio, podcasts, and music streaming are considered unique audio formats that offer brands different opportunities, limited research has explored this notion. This current study analyses how the brain responds to these formats and suggests that they offer different branding opportunities. Participants’ engagement, attitude, attention, memory, and physiological arousal were measured while each
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The Interplay between Glioblastoma Cells and Tumor Microenvironment: New Perspectives for Early Diagnosis and Targeted Cancer Therapy Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-29 Assunta Virtuoso, Giuseppa D’Amico, Federica Scalia, Ciro De Luca, Michele Papa, Grazia Maugeri, Velia D’Agata, Celeste Caruso Bavisotto, Agata Grazia D’Amico
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) stands out as the most tremendous brain tumor, constituting 60% of primary brain cancers, accompanied by dismal survival rates. Despite advancements in research, therapeutic options remain limited to chemotherapy and surgery. GBM molecular heterogeneity, the intricate interaction with the tumor microenvironment (TME), and non-selective treatments contribute to the neoplastic
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Behavioral and Psychiatric Disorders in Syndromic Autism Brain Sci. (IF 3.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-30 Ann C. Genovese, Merlin G. Butler
Syndromic autism refers to autism spectrum disorder diagnosed in the context of a known genetic syndrome. The specific manifestations of any one of these syndromic autisms are related to a clinically defined genetic syndrome that can be traced to certain genes and variants, genetic deletions, or duplications at the chromosome level. The genetic mutations or defects in single genes associated with these