Tag: Sensory and Motor Systems

Nationwide Retrospective Analysis of Combinations of Advanced Therapies in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Background and Objectives Advanced therapies (ATs; deep brain stimulation [DBS] or pump therapies: continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion [CSAI], levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel [LCIG]) are used in later stages of Parkinson disease (PD). However, decreasing efficacy over time and/or side effects may require an AT change or combination in individual patients. Current knowledge about changing or combining… Continue reading Nationwide Retrospective Analysis of Combinations of Advanced Therapies in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Aging Brain Initiative symposium showcases “cutting-edge” research across MIT

AI SummaryMIT’s Aging Brain Initiative Symposium addressed the issue of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and ALS, by presenting research from various disciplines. The symposium featured discussions on the brain’s glymphatic system, mechanisms driving the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and potential therapies. Projects funded by ABI seed grants were also highlighted. Additionally, the event included… Continue reading Aging Brain Initiative symposium showcases “cutting-edge” research across MIT

[In Context] The wisdom of our mentors: clinical pearls in movement disorders

Clinical decision-making in modern neurology is built on four pillars: the physician’s own expertise; the patient’s preferences; expert guidelines and evidence-based medicine; and, more recently, scientific insights derived from big data analyses. In recent decades, increasing emphasis has been placed on scientific evidence and patient preferences by healthcare organisations and by society in general. This… Continue reading [In Context] The wisdom of our mentors: clinical pearls in movement disorders

Temporal Dynamics of Brain Activity Predicting Sense of Agency over Muscle Movements

Our muscles are the primary means through which we affect the external world, and the sense of agency (SoA) over the action through those muscles is fundamental to our self-awareness. However, SoA research to date has focused almost exclusively on agency over action outcomes rather than over the musculature itself, as it was believed that… Continue reading Temporal Dynamics of Brain Activity Predicting Sense of Agency over Muscle Movements

Human Neuroimaging Reveals Differences in Activation and Connectivity between Real and Pantomimed Tool Use

Because the sophistication of tool use is vastly enhanced in humans compared with other species, a rich understanding of its neural substrates requires neuroscientific experiments in humans. Although functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has enabled many studies of tool-related neural processing, surprisingly few studies have examined real tool use. Rather, because of the many constraints… Continue reading Human Neuroimaging Reveals Differences in Activation and Connectivity between Real and Pantomimed Tool Use

Drebrin Regulates Collateral Axon Branching in Cortical Layer II/III Somatosensory Neurons

Proper cortical lamination is essential for cognition, learning, and memory. Within the somatosensory cortex, pyramidal excitatory neurons elaborate axon collateral branches in a laminar-specific manner that dictates synaptic partners and overall circuit organization. Here, we leverage both male and female mouse models, single-cell labeling and imaging approaches to identify intrinsic regulators of laminar-specific collateral, also… Continue reading Drebrin Regulates Collateral Axon Branching in Cortical Layer II/III Somatosensory Neurons

Tonic Activation of NR2D-Containing NMDARs Exacerbates Dopaminergic Neuronal Loss in MPTP-Injected Parkinsonian Mice

AI SummaryMPTP intoxication leads to the recruitment of NR2D subunit-containing NMDA receptors in dopaminergic neurons, causing neuronal loss and gait deficits in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. This suggests that targeting NR2D recruitment could be a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.NR2D subunit-containing NMDA receptors (NMDARs) gradually disappear during brain maturation but can be… Continue reading Tonic Activation of NR2D-Containing NMDARs Exacerbates Dopaminergic Neuronal Loss in MPTP-Injected Parkinsonian Mice

Absence of paresthesia during high-rate spinal cord stimulation reveals importance of synchrony for sensations evoked by electrical stimulation

AI SummaryThe text explains that electrically stimulating somatosensory afferents at a high frequency does not cause paresthesia (abnormal sensations). The study by Sagalajev et al. found that when axons are stimulated faster than their refractory period, spikes become desynchronized. This desynchronization leads to inhibition, with asynchronous spikes being more likely to be blocked by inhibition… Continue reading Absence of paresthesia during high-rate spinal cord stimulation reveals importance of synchrony for sensations evoked by electrical stimulation

Pearls & Oy-sters: Familial Verbal Auditory Agnosia Due to C9orf72 Repeat Expansion

Chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) gene pathogenic variants have been typically associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but recent studies suggest their involvement in other disorders. This report describes a family with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance of progressive verbal auditory agnosia due to GGGGCC repeat expansion in… Continue reading Pearls & Oy-sters: Familial Verbal Auditory Agnosia Due to C9orf72 Repeat Expansion