The phenotypic manifestation of lead toxicity includes cognitive, learning, and memory decline which is associated with neuronal injuries and death and been a major challenge in public health especially in developing countries. Thus, we explore the prophylactic potentials of luteolin in prefrontal Pb intoxication. Thirty-six (36) male Wistar Rats were used for this research and di-vided into six (6) groups of six animals each and were treated orally as follows: Group 1-Normal saline (0.5ml daily for 14 days); Group 2- PbCl3 (50mg/kg of PbCl3 daily for 14 days); Group 3- luteolin (100mg/kg of LUT daily for 14 days); Group 4- luteolin and PbCl3 (50mg/kg PbCl3 and 100mg/kg LUT daily for 14 days); Group 5- PbCl3 then luteolin (50mg/kg of PbCl3 daily for 14 days followed by 100mg/kg of LUT daily for 14 days); Group 6- luteolin then PbCl3 (100mg/kg of LUT daily for 14days followed by 50mg/kg of PbCl3 daily for 14 days). We measured cerebral oxidative redox parameters, G6PDH, IL-6, acetylcholinesterase levels, and total protein profiles using ELISA and biochemical assay kits. We also examined cerebral morphology and the Nissl profile with H&E and toluidine blue staining techniques, as well as astrocytic morphology and synaptic integrity with anti-GFAP and anti-synaptophysin antibodies. As a result of Pb perturba-tion, luteolin treatment inhibits MDA, IL-6, and AChE expression while increasing antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, GPx) and G6PDH. Furthermore, luteolin has significant prophylactic po-tential against Pb-induced neuronal injuries and modulates astrocyte actions, preserving synap-tic integrity and thus improving cognition, learning, and memory. Taken together, our findings indicate that luteolin may be a promising candidate for managing and treating Pb neural intoxi-cation.

Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1) includes a series of congenital anomalies that share ectopia of the cerebellar tonsils below the foramen magnum, in some cases associated with syringomyelia or hydrocephalus. CM1 can cause dysfunction of the brainstem, spinal cord, and cranial nerves. This functional alteration of the nervous system can be detected by various modalities of neurophysiological tests, such as brainstem auditory evoked potentials, somatosensory evoked potentials, motor evoked potentials, electromyography and nerve conduction studies of the cranial nerves and spinal roots, as well as brainstem reflexes. The main goal of this study is to review the findings of multimodal neurophysiological examinations in published studies of patients with CM1 and their indication in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of these patients, as well as their utility in intraoperative monitoring.

This study examines the feasibility of using event-related potentials (ERPs) obtained from electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings as biomarkers for long-term memory item classification. Previous studies have identified old/new effects in memory paradigms associated with explicit long-term memory and familiarity. Recent advancements in convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have enabled the classification of ERP trials under different conditions and identification of features related to neural processes at the single-trial level. We employed this approach to compare three CNN models with distinct architectures using experimental data. Participants (N = 25) performed an association memory task while recording ERPs that were used for training and validation of the CNN models. The EEGNET-based model achieved the most reliable performance in terms of precision, recall, and specificity compared with the shallow and deep convolutional approaches. The classification accuracy of this model reached 70% for known items and 62% for unknown items. Good overall accuracy requires a trade-off between recall and specificity and depends on the architecture of the model and the dataset size. These results suggest the possibility of integrating ERP and CNN into online learning tools and identifying the underlying processes related to long-term memorization.

Background/Objectives: We defined the value of a machine learning algorithm to distinguish between the EEG response to no light or any light stimulation, and between red or green light stimulation in awake volunteers with closed eyelids. This new method of EEG analysis is visionary in the understanding of visual signal processing and will facilitate anaesthetic depth research. Methods: X-gradient boosting models were used to classify the cortical response to VEP stimulation (no light vs. any light stimulation; red vs. green light stimulation). For each of the two classifications, three scenarios were tested: training and prediction in all participants (all), training and prediction in one participant (individual), training across all but one participant with prediction in the participant left out (one out). Results: Ninety-four Caucasian adults were included. The machine learning algorithm had a very high predictive value and accuracy in differentiating between no light and any light stimulation (AUCROCall: 0.96; accuracyall: 0.94; AUCROCindividual: 0.96±0.05, accuracyindividual: 0.94±0.05; AUCROConeout: 0.98±0.04; accuracyo-neout:0.96±0.04). The machine learning algorithm was highly predictive and accurate in distinguishing between green and red colour stimulation (AUCROCall: 0.97; accuracyall: 0.91; AUCROCin-dividual: 0.98±0.04, accuracyindividual: 0.96±0.04; AUCROConeout: 0.96±0.05; accuracyoneout: 0.93±0.06). The predictive value and accuracy of both classification tasks was comparable between males and females. Conclusions: Machine learning algorithms could almost continuously and reliably differentiate between the cortical EEG responses to no light or any light stimulation and between green or red colour stimulation using VEPs in awake female and male volunteers with eyes closed. Our findings may open new possibilities for using VEPs in the intraoperative setting.

Canine distemper (CD) is a deadly, multi-system infection caused by a Morbillivirus. The Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) frequently affects the nervous system with demyelinating leukoenceph-alitis, the most common neurological manifestation. The disease has been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans due to the similar clinical presentation and pathophysiological mecha-nisms. In MS, visual evoked potentials (VEP) have been identified as a reliable marker for disease progression, enabling early detection of clinically suspected lesions. The aim of this study was to determine if there are any abnormalities in VEP responses in dogs with neurological CD. Visual evoked potentials and Electroretinogram (ERG) were recorded at both the cranial and spinal levels in dogs naturally infected with CDV and in healthy dogs. The results revealed a bilateral increase in the latency of N1, P1, N2, P2 and N3 waves of the VEP, without any alterations in their amplitudes. No significant differences were observed in the ERG, between both groups. These results suggest that altered VEP responses could serve as an early diagnostic indicator of neu-rological damage caused by distemper. Therefore, conducting these studies could potentially aid in the detection of central nervous conduction disorders during the subclinical phases of the disease.

Entropy generation, formulated by combining the first and second laws of thermodynamics with an appropriate thermodynamic potential, emerges as the difference between a phenomenological entropy function and a reversible entropy function. The phenomenological entropy function is evaluated over an irreversible path through thermodynamic state space via real time measurements of thermodynamic states. The reversible entropy function is calculated along an ideal reversible path through the same state space. Entropy generation models for various classes of systems—thermal, externally loaded, internally reactive, open and closed––are developed via selection of suitable thermodynamic potentials. Here we simplify thermodynamic principles to specify convenient and consistently accurate system governing equations and characterization models. The formulations introduce a new and universal Phenomenological Entropy Generation (PEG) theorem. The systems and methods presented––and demonstrated on grease degradation, battery charging and discharging, metal fatigue and pump flow––can be used for design, analysis, and support of diagnostic monitoring and optimization.

The objective of this study was aimed to study the sensory processes of the “human-computer interaction” model when classifying visual images with an incomplete set of signs based on the analysis of early, middle, late and slow components of event-related potentials (ERPs). 26 healthy subjects (men) aged 20-22 years were investigated. ERPs in 19 monopolar sites according to the 10/20 system were recorded. Discriminant and factor analysis were applied. The component N450 is the most specialized indicator of the perception of unrecognizable (oddball) visual images. The amplitude of the ultra-late components N750 and N900 is also higher under conditions of presentation of the oddball image, regardless of the location of the registration points. The results of the study are discussed in the light of the paradigm of the P300 wave application in brain-computer interface systems, as well as with the peculiarities in brain pathology. Promising directions for the development of studies of the “Brain Computer Interface” (BCI) P300 systems are to increase the throughput of information flows. To extend the application of the P300 ERPs to multiple modalities, the underlying physiological mechanisms and responses of the brain for a particular sensory system and mental function must be carefully examined.

In this theoretical study we report on molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) of titled molecules confined by repulsive potentials of cylindrical symmetry mimicking a topology. Our calculations show that the spatial restriction significantly changes the picture of MEP of molecules in quantitative and qualitative sense. In particular, the drastic changes of MEP as a function of the strength of spatial confinement are observed for the BrCN molecule. This preliminary study is the first step in the investigations of the behavior of MEP of molecular systems under the orbital compression.

In the weak-field approximation of covariant theory of gravitation the problem of 4/3 is formulated for internal and external gravitational fields of a body in the form of a ball. The dependence of the energy and the mass of the moving substance on the energy of field accompanying the substance, as well as the dependence on the characteristic size of the volume occupied by the substance are described. Additives in the energy and the momentum of the body, defined by energy and momentum of the gravitational and electromagnetic fields associated with the body are explicitly calculated. The conclusion is made that the energy and the mass of the body can be described by the energy of ordinary and strong gravitation, and through the energies of electromagnetic fields of particles that compose the body.

An ability of different molecular potentials to reproduce the properties of 2D molybdenum disulphide polymorphs is examined. Structural and mechanical properties, as well as phonon dispersion of the 2H, 1T and 1T’ single-layer MoS2 (SL MoS2) phases, were obtained using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular statics calculations (MS) with Stillinger-Weber, REBO, SNAP, and ReaxFF interatomic potentials. Quantitative systematic comparison and discussion of the results obtained are reported.

The Standard Model is not a complete description of reality; it omits the existence of dark matter, dark energy, and an explanation as to why no CP violation has been observed. However, some of these phenomena could be explained through a new force mediated by a new boson. If such a boson were massless it would result in a power law potential and if massive the interaction would be Yukawa-like. A previous experiment employing a micro-mechanical oscillator and a spherical test mass interactions was successful in placing the best limits on a mass-mass Yukawa-like interaction, but the data was never analyzed in the context of a power law. Here that data is analyzed considering a power law for powers n = 1-5 where n is the number of boson exchanges. The results show that the limits obtained through power law analysis of this data are not better than the currently accepted limits. A discussion of an experiment design capable of producing better limits on power law extensions to the Standard Model is presented, and suggests micro mechanical oscillators based experiment remains capable of improving the limits by at least one order of magnitude.

This paper explores if plants are capable of responding to human movement by changes in their electrical signals. Towards that goal we conducted a series of experiments, where humans over a period of 6 months were performing different types of eurythmic gestures in proximity of garden plants, namely salad, basil, and tomatoes. To measure plant perception, we used the plant spikerbox, a device that measures changes in voltage differentials of plants between roots and leaves. Using machine learning, we find that the voltage differentials over time of the plant predict if (a) eurythmy has been performed, and (b) which kind of eurythmy gestures has been performed. We also find that the signals are different based on the species of the plant. In other words, the perception of a salad, tomato, or basil might differ just as perception of different species of animals differ. This opens new ways of studying plant ecosystems, while also paving the way to use plants as biosensors for analyzing human movement.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated, chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by demyelination, axonal degeneration, and cognitive impairment. It also has an important impact on the quality of life of patients and their family members. An estimated 2,500,000 people in the world have multiple sclerosis. Neurophysiological parameters, like sensitivity to demyelination and the strength of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic interactions in the cerebral cortex, can be identified through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). These parameters can be valid and objective parameters that can be correlated with the progression of MS, and can provide reliable indices for the severity of illness and the efficacy of drugs used to treat it. The discovery of specific and detailed neurophysiological parameters as surrogate end points for disease activity could represent an important step in clinical trials. Changes in cortical connectivity have already been demonstrated in MS, but in clinical practice, other measures are usually used to evaluate disease activity. We speculate that TMS may be more effective in identifying disease progression that leads to long-term disability, compared to standard surrogate markers, due to the fact that it represents a direct measure of synaptic transmission(s) in MS.

Background: Epileptic patients frequently encounter cognitive impairment. Functions that are mostly affected involve memory, attention and executive function; however this is mainly dependant on the location of the epileptic activity. The aim of the study is to assess cognitive functions in MRI-negative epilepsy patients by means of neurophysiological and neuropsychological measures. Methods: The patients were enrolled from the outpatient Epilepsy/Clinical Neurophysiology clinic over a time period of 6 months. The study sample comprised 20 MRI negative epilepsy patients [mean age ± standard deviation (SD), 30.3 ± 12.56 years; age range 16-60 years; average disease duration, 13.95 years) and 10 age-matched controls (mean age ± SD, 24.22 ± 15.39 years), that were also education-matched (p>0.05) Patients with epileptogenic lesions were excluded from the study. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Auditory ERPs and the cognitive screening tool EpiTrack, were administered to all subjects. Results: Latencies of P300 and slow waves were prolonged in patients compared to controls (p<0.05). ASM load and the patients’ performance in the EpiTrack maze subtest were the most significant predictors of P300 latency. A decline in memory, attention, and speed of information processing has been observed in patients with cryptogenic epilepsy compared to age-matched controls, as reflected by P300 latency and EpiTrack scores.

Cohesion in the refractory metals Cr, Mo, and W is phenomenologically described in this work via a n-body energy functional with a set of physically motivated parameters that were optimized to reproduce selected experimental properties characteristic of perfect and defective crystals. The functional contains four terms accounting for the hard-core repulsion, the Thomas-Fermi kinetic energy repulsion and for contributions to the binding energy of s and d valence electrons. Lattice dynamics, molecular statics, and molecular dynamics calculations show that this model describes satisfactorily thermodynamic properties of the studied metals whereas, unlike other empirical approaches from the literature, predictions of phonon dispersion relations and of surface and point defect energetics reveal in fair good agreement with experiments. These results suggest that the present model is well adapted to large-scale simulations and whenever total energy calculations of thermodynamic properties are unfeasible

The cortical motor system can be reorganized following a stroke, with an increasing recruitment of the contralesional hemisphere. However, it is unknown whether a similar hemispheric shift occurs in the somatosensory system to adapt to this motor change, and whether this is related to movement impairments.  This proof-of-concept study assessed somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), P50 and N100, in hemiparetic stroke participants and age-matched controls using high-density electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings during tactile finger stimulation. The laterality index was calculated to determine hemispheric dominance of the SEP and re-confirmed with source localization.  The study found that latencies of P50 and N100 were significantly delayed in stroke brains when stimulating the paretic hand. The amplitude of P50 was negatively correlated with Fügl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Score in stroke. Bilateral cortical responses were detected in stroke, while only contralateral cortical responses were shown in controls, resulting in a significant difference in the laterality index.  These results suggested that somatosensory reorganization after stroke involves increased recruitment of ipsilateral cortical regions. This reorganization delays the latency of somatosensory processing after a stroke.  This research provided new insights related to the somatosensory reorganization after stroke, which could enrich future hypothesis-driven therapeutic rehabilitation strategies from a sensory or sensory-motor perspective.

In patients with unilateral tinnitus with normal hearing, several studies have compared the ipsilateral and contralateral ears; however, few studies have investigated its relationship with the duration of tinnitus. We compared the auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emission parameters between ipsilateral and contralateral ears in adults with unilateral tinnitus and normal hearing. This retrospective review included 84 patients with unilateral tinnitus and normal hearing who underwent auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emission; they were categorized according to the duration of tinnitus. The latencies and amplitudes of waves I, III, and V, and V/I ratio of both ears in auditory brainstem response, and the results of distortion-product otoacoustic emission and transient evoked otoacoustic emission were examined. The auditory brainstem response parameters, distortion-product otoacoustic emission parameters, and transient evoked otoacoustic emission parameters between the ipsilateral and contralateral ears along the duration of tinnitus were analyzed. Moreover, the failure rates of both distortion-product otoacoustic emission and transient evoked otoacoustic emission between the ears along with the duration and the effects of the variables on the amplitude and latency of each wave were examined. Although there was little significant difference between the ipsilateral and contralateral ears, laterality seemed to have an effect on wave I latency in the multiple linear regression analysis. The distortion-product otoacoustic emission failure rate of the ipsilateral ear was higher than that of the contralateral ear in all patients. However, there was no remarkable difference between the ears in the distortion-product otoacoustic emission and transient evoked otoacoustic emission parameters throughout the duration. We found that outer hair cells and the distal portion of the cochlear nerve are possible pathologic lesions in tinnitus with normal hearing and cochlear synaptopathy could be suspected. Further studies, including those on inner hair cells and higher central cortex, are needed.

Emotional dysfunction, including flat affect and emotional perception deficits, is a specific symptom of schizophrenia disorder. We used a modified multimodal odd-ball paradigm with fearful facial expressions accompanied by congruent and non-congruent sounds to investigate the impairment of emotional perception and reaction to other people's emotions. We analyzed subjective assessments and ERP data for emotionally charging congruent and non-congruent stimuli in patients with schizophrenia and healthy peers. The results showed the deficit of multimodal perception of fearful stimuli in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. The amplitude of N50 was significantly higher in subjects of the control group for non-congruent stimuli than congruent and did not differ in patients with schizophrenia. The dynamics of P100 and N200 components confirmed the impaired sensory gating in patients with schizophrenia. The lower amplitude of P3a could be associated with deficits in verbal memory and attention, less emotional arousal, or incorrect interpretation of emotional valence as specific features of patients. The difficulties in identifying the incoherence of facial and audial components of emotional expression could be significant in understanding the psychopathology of schizophrenia.

Music and language are hypothesized to share neural resources, particularly at the level of syntax processing. Recent reports suggest that attention modulates this sharing of neural resources, but the time-course of the effects of attention, and the degree to which attention operates similarly on music and language, are yet unclear. In this EEG study we manipulate the syntactic structure of simultaneously presented musical chord progressions and garden-path sentences in a modified rapid serial visual presentation paradigm, while varying top-down attentional demands to the two modalities. The Early Right Anterior Negativity (ERAN) was observed in response to both attended and unattended musical syntax violations. In contrast, an N400 was only observed in response to attended linguistic syntax violations, and a P3 only in response to attended musical syntax violations. Results show that top-down allocation of attention indeed affects the processing of syntax in both music and language, with different neural resources acting upon the two modalities particularly at later stages of cognitive processing. However, the processing of musical syntax at an earlier stage of the perceptual-cognitive pathway, as indexed by the ERAN, is partially automatic, and is strongly indicative of separate neural resources for music and language.

The Lead-DBS imaging toolbox reconstructs the location of β-oscillations in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The objective was to compare this probabilistic location with those of intraoperative monopolar β-oscillations (Vercise Cartesia directional electrodes, Boston Scientific). Also, the efficacy of stimulated structures in reducing motor symptoms were analysed. β-oscillations were computed from local field potentials [0.5-3kHz] by using shielded wires for monopolar recordings with an extracranial shielded reference. For each electrode contact, power spectral densities of the β-band [13-31Hz] were compared with those of all eight electrode contacts. The DISTAL, electrophysiological, and DBS target atlases of the Lead-DBS toolbox were applied to the reconstructed electrodes from preoperative MRI and postoperative CT. Thirty-six electrodes (20 patients: 7 female, 13 male; 16/20 both, 4/20 single STN) were analysed. Stimulation sites dorsal and/or lateral to the sensorimotor STN were most efficient. In 33/36 electrodes at least one contact was measured with stronger β-oscillations, 23 in or touching the ventral subpart of the probabilistic volume with β-oscillations, 10 not located in or touching but adjacent to this volume; in 3/36 electrodes, no contact was found with β-oscillations, they were distant from this volume. Monopolar local field potentials confirmed the ventral subpart of the probabilistic β-oscillations.

The combination of statistical learning technologies with large databases of psychophysiological data has appropriately generated enthusiastic interest in future clinical applicability. It is argued here that this enthusiasm should be tempered with the understanding that significant obstacles must be overcome before the systematic introduction of psychophysiological measures into neuropsychiatric practice becomes possible. The nonspecificity of psychophysiological measures complicates their use in diagnosis. Low test-retest reliability complicates use in longitudinal assessment, and quantitative psychophysiological measures can normalize in response to placebo intervention. Ten cautionary observations are introduced and, in some instances, possible directions for remediation are suggested.

Recent evidence suggests the existence of shared neural resources for rhythm processing in language and music. Such overlaps could be the basis of the facilitating effect of regular musical rhythm on spoken word processing previously reported for typical children and adults, as well as adults with Parkinson’s disease and children with developmental language disorders. The present study builds upon these previous findings by examining whether musical rhythmic priming also influences visual word processing, and the extent to which such cross-modal priming effect of rhythm is related to individual differences in musical aptitude and reading skills. EEG was recorded while participants listened to a rhythmic tone prime, followed by a visual target word with a stress pattern that either matched or mismatched the rhythmic structure of the auditory prime. Participants were also administered standardized assessments of musical aptitude and reading achievement. ERPs elicited by target words with a mismatching stress pattern showed an increased fronto-central negativity. Additionally, the size of the negative effect correlated with individual differences in musical rhythm aptitude and reading comprehension skills. Results support the existence of shared neurocognitive resources for linguistic and musical rhythm processing, and have important implications for the use of rhythm-based activities for reading interventions.

Neuromonitoring of the efferent nerve impulses transmission in the spinal cord tracts during surgical scoliosis treatment makes it possible to assess whether the functional status is deteriorating, affecting the procedure's safety. Is there any relationship between pre- and intraoperative motor evoked potentials recordings and does idiopathic scoliosis (IS) surgical correction improve directly the spinal efferent transmission? This study aimed to compare the results of surface recorded electromyography (EMG), electroneurography (ENG, M and F-waves), and especially motor evoked potentials (MEP) from tibialis anterior (TA) muscle bilaterally in 353 girls with the right idiopathic scoliosis (types 1A-4C according to Lenke classification). It has not yet been documented whether the results of MEPs recordings induced by transcranial single magnetic stimulus (TMS, pre – and postoperatively) and trains of electrical stimuli (TES; intraoperatively in T0-before surgery, T1 – after pedicle screws implantation, T2 – after scoliosis curvature distraction and derotation following two rods implantation) can be compared for diagnostic verification of improvement of the spinal neural transmission. The study also attempted to determine whether the constant level of optimal anesthesia during the certain surgical steps of scoliosis treatment affects the parameters of MEPs recorded during neuromonitoring procedures. No neurological deficits have been observed postoperatively. Values of amplitudes but not latencies in MEPs recordings evoked with TMS in IS patients compared before and after surgery indicated a slight improvement in the efferent transmission of neural impulses within the fibers of the spinal tracts postoperatively. Results of all neurophysiological studies in IS patients were significantly asymmetrical and recorded worse on the concave side, suggesting greater neurological motor deficits at p=0.04. This asymmetry had been significantly reduced following IS surgery. The surgeries in IS patients brought significant improvement (p=0.04) in parameters of amplitudes of sEMG recordings, however reflecting still the consequences of the neurogenic injury of TA muscle motor units. ENG studies results indicated the symptoms of the axonal type injury in peroneal motor fibers improved only on the concave side at p=0.04 in parallel with the significant improvement of F-waves parameters, which suggests that surgeries might result in the lumbar ventral roots decompression. There were not detected significant differences in amplitudes or latencies of MEPs induced with TMS or TES comparing the parameters recorded preoperatively (one day before surgery) and intraoperatively in T0. The amplitudes of TES evoked MEPs increased gradually at p=0.04 in the subsequent periods (T1 and T2) of observation. The significant reduction of MEPs latency at p=0.05 was observed only at the end of the IS surgery. Studies on the possible connections between the level of anesthesia fluctuations and the required TMS stimulus strength, as well as the MEPs amplitude changes measured in T0-T2 revealed lack of relationships. It is not likely that they could be the factors influencing the efferent transmission in spinal pathways beside the surgical procedures. Considering that MEPs amplitude parameter reflects the number of axons excited from the motor cortex and transmitting the efferent impulses via spinal descending tracts in the white matter, pre- (TMS evoked) and intraoperative (TES evoked) recordings are reliable for evaluating the patient’s neurological status before and during surgical scoliosis correction procedures. The results of this study indicate an agreement between preoperative and early-intraoperative evaluations with these both diagnostic methods. An increase of MEPs amplitude parameters recorded on both sides after scoliosis surgery proves immediate improvement of the total efferent spinal cord transmission. Considering comparative pre- and postoperative sEMG and ENG recordings it can be concluded that surgeries might directly result in the additional lumbar ventral roots decompression. Our results of the tests on the possible variability of the anesthesia level on the parameters of intraoperative recorded MEPs show no clear relationships. We can conclude that MEPs parameters changes are determined by the surgery procedures during neuromonitoring, not the anesthesia conditions if they are kept stable, which influences a decrease in the number of false-positive neuromonitoring warnings. Further studies on a larger population of patients with long-lasting observation postoperatively are required to confirm the presented conclusions on the direct influences of scoliosis surgery on improvement of the motor function in patients with IS.

Second-level hospitals face peculiarities that hinder the implementation of the hearing rescreening protocol, which are not uncommon in other settings. This study analyzes the hearing rescreening process in this kind of hospital. A total of 1130 individuals were included. In this cohort, 61.07% were newborns in the hospital who failed their first otoemission test after birth (n=679) or were unable to have the test performed (n=11), then being referred to outpatient clinic. The remaining 38.93% were individuals who were born in another hospital with their first test conducted in the outpatient clinic (n=440). A high amount of rescreenings were made outside the recommended time frame, mainly in children referred from another hospital. There was a high rate of lost to follow-up especially with otolaryngologist referrals. Neonatal Hearing screening in second level hospitals is difficult because of the staffing and time constraints. This results in longer than recommended turnaround times and interferes with the timely detection of hearing loss. This is particularly serious in outpatients. Referral of children with impaired screening to out-of-town centers leads to unacceptable loss of follow-up. A legislative support for all these rescreening issues is necessary. We discuss these findings and propose some solutions.

The link between language processing and motor systems has been the focus of increasing interest to Cognitive Neuroscience. Some classical papers studying Event Related Potentials (ERPs) induced by linguistic stimuli have found differences in electrophysiological activity when comparing action and non-action words; more specifically, a bigger p200 for action words. On the other hand, a series of studies have validated the use of a grip force sensor (GFS) to measure language-induced motor activity during both isolated words and sentence listening, finding that action words induce an augmentation in the grip force around 250-300 ms after the onset of the stimulus. The purpose of the present study is to combine both techniques to assess if the p200 is related to the augmentation of the grip force measured by a GFS. We measured ERP and GFS changes elicited by listening to action and non-action words while maintaining an active grasping task in 10 healthy subjects. Our results show that the amplitude of the p200 in central electrodes is correlated to the augmentation in the GFS around 300 ms induced by linguistic stimuli. To our knowledge, this is the first study where the electrophysiological activity and the changes in the grip force induced by auditory language processing are put together, opening new venues of interpretation for the sensorimotor interaction in language processing.

Syringomyelia can be associated with multiple etiologies. The treatment of the underlying causes is the first-line therapy, however, a direct approach to the syrinx is accepted as rescue treatment. Any direct intervention on the syrinx requires a myelotomy, posing a significant risk of iatrogenic spinal cord (SC) injury. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is crucial to detect and prevent surgically induced damage in neural SC pathways. We retrospectively reviewed the perioperative and intraoperative neurophysiological data and perioperative neurological examinations in ten cases of syringomyelia surgery. All monitored modalities remained stable throughout the surgery in six cases, correlating with no new postoperative neurological deficits. In two patients, significant transitory attenuation, or loss of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), were observed and recovered after a corrective surgical maneuver, with no new postoperative deficit. In two cases, a significant MEP decrement was noted, which lasted until the end of the surgery and was associated with postoperative weakness. A transitory train of neurotonic electromyography (EMG) discharges was reported in one case, the surgical plan was adjusted and the patient showed no postoperative deficit. The dorsal nerve roots were stimulated and identified in the seven cases where the myelotomy was performed via the dorsal root entry zone. Dorsal column mapping guided the myelotomy entry zone in four cases. In conclusion, multimodal IONM is feasible and reliable and may help prevent iatrogenic SC injury during syringomyelia surgery.

Invasion of plant species has been considered as one of the most dangerous force in biodiversity changes and alteration of soil properties. Due to their significant impacts on ecology and the economy, it is important to find an effective approaches to manage the invasive plants expansion and utilize them as beneficial biomass sources. This review focuses on the characterization of the negative and positive features of invasive plant species in general. Most studies targeted on invasive species removal and lacked an evaluation of their potentials in modern biotechnologies. Currently, there are studies aimed at their use in soil remediation, medicine, the chemical industry, the textile industry, and even gastronomy. Based on these reviews, we bring forward possible future development in this research field, which might serve as a theoretical premise for further researches.

Electroencephalography (EEG) enabled earbuds represent a promising frontier in evaluating brain activity beyond traditional laboratory settings. However, these devices need more comprehensive characterization before widespread health related usage. A toolbox was developed to facilitate and expand the assessment of ear-EEG devices. The first component of this toolbox is a desktop application (“EaR-P Lab”) that integrates EEG validation paradigms. This application is designed to be used with EEG amplifiers compatible with the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL) protocol. The second element of the toolbox introduces an adaptation of the phantom testing concept, to the domain of ear-EEG by using 3D ear scans of the tested individuals, allowing controlled assessment of ear-EEG devices. The EEG paradigms were validated for scalp acquisitions and applied on ear-EEG measurements, under wet ear electrode conditions. The ear-EEG phantom was successful in measuring useful metrics in EEG system characterization, highlighting performance differences within the electrodes on the tested earpieces. This knowledge was factored in to select an optimal electrode reference which resulted in increased response power on the auditory steady-state response (ASSR). Through this work, an ear-EEG evaluation toolkit is made available with the intention to enable future and systematic assessment of novel ear-EEG devices from the hardware to the neural signals.

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) testing is very important when microvascular decompression (MVD) is performed with hemifacial spasm (HFS). The reason for this is that the vestibulocochlear nerve is located right next to the facial nerve, so the vestibulocochlear nerve may be affected by manipulation by surgery. The BAEPs test method for detecting vestibulocochlear nerve damage during surgery has been developed a lot and is helping a lot during surgery. In most HFS patients with normal vestibulocochlear nerve, the degree of vestibulocochlear nerve damage caused by surgery is reflected very well in the BAEPs test waveforms. Therefore, a real time test is the best way to minimize the damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve. The purpose of this study was to review the most recently published BAEPs test used in MVD surgery and to find out in detail the relationship between the vestibulocochlear nerve damage and the BAEPs waveforms.

When 2−1/Q<p≤2, we establish the C^{0,1} and C^{1,α}-regularities of weak solutions to quasi-linear p-Laplacian type non-homogeneous equations in the Heisenberg group.

Background: New controversies have raised on brain death (BD) diagnosis when lesions are localized in the posterior fossa. Objective: To discuss the particularities of diagnosis BD in patients with posterior fossa lesions. Material and Methods. The author made a systematic review of literature on this topic. Results and Conclusions: A supratentorial brain lesion usually produces a rostrocaudal transtentorial brain herniation, resulting in forebrain and brainstem loss of function. In secondary brain lesions [i.e., cerebral hypoxia], the brainstem is also affected like the forebrain. Nevertheless, some cases complaining posterior fossa lesions [i.e., basilar artery thrombotic infarcts, or hemorrhages of the brainstem and/or cerebellum] may retain intracranial blood flow and EEG activity. In this article I discuss that if a posterior fossa lesion does not produce an enormous increment of intracranial pressure, a complete intracranial circulatory arrest does not occur, explaining the preservation of EEG activity, evoked potentials, and autonomic function. I also address Jahi McMath, who was declared braindead, but ancillary tests, performed 9 months after initial brain insult, showed conservation of intracranial structures, EEG activity, and autonomic reactivity to “Mother Talks” stimulus, rejecting the diagnosis of BD. Jahi McMath’s MRI study demonstrated a huge lesion in the pons. Some authors have argued that in patients with primary brainstem lesions it might be possible to find a in some cases partial recover of consciousness, even fulfilling clinical BD criteria. This was the case in Jahi McMath.

The correspondence between classical and quaternion quantum equations, permits considering the universe (vacuum) as an ideal elastic solid. Elementary particles would have to be standing or soliton-like waves. Tension induced by the compression and twisting of the elastic medium would increase the energy density, consequently generate a gravity forcing and affect the wave speed. Consequently the gravity could be described by an index of refraction. Theory was created by combining the Cauchy model of the elastic continuum with the Planck-Kleinert crystal hypothesis. The quaternion-imaginary Lagrange’an, the quaternion motion equation and the quaternionic oscillator allowed deriving: - The Schrödinger equation from the functional integral, which identifies the quaternion-imaginary quantum Hamiltonian. - The 2nd order wave equation system describing both the bosons and the gravity in terms of quaternionic Poisson equation. - The first order quaternionic wave equation system. - The family of the second order wave equation systems describing both the particles and the generated quaternionic force-fields (four-potentials). - The fundamental Planck and gravity constants. - The quaternionic continuity equation in an ideal elastic solid.

Abstract: Background and Objectives: Holter-based late potentials (LPs) are useful for predicting lethal arrhythmias in organic cardiac diseases. Although Holter-based LPs exhibit diurnal varia-tion, no studies have evaluated the optimal timing of LP measurement over 24 h for predicting lethal arrhythmia that leads to sudden cardiac death. Thus, this study aimed to validate the most effective timing for Holter-based LP testing and to explore factors influencing diurnal variability of LP parameters. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 126 patients with post-myocardial infarction (MI) status and 60 control participants who underwent high-resolution Holter electrocardiography. Among the 126 post-MI patients, 23 developed sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (the MI-VT group), while 103 did not (the MI-non-VT group) during the obser-vation period. Holter-based LPs were measured at 0:00, 4:00, 8:00, 12:00, 16:00, and 20:00, and heart rate variability analysis was simultaneously performed to investigate factors influencing diurnal variability of LP parameters. Results: Holter-based LP parameters showed diurnal variation with significant deterioration at night and improvement during the day. Assessment at the time with the longest duration of low-amplitude signals <40 μV in the filtered QRS complex terminus (LAS40) gave the highest receiver operating characteristics curve (area under the curve, 0.659) and the highest odds ratio (3.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.45–9.71; p=0.006) for predicting VT. In the multiple regression analysis, heart rate and noise were significant factors affecting LP parameters in the MI-VT and control groups. In the non-VT group, LP parameters were significantly influenced by noise and parasympathetic heart rate variability parameters such as logPNN50. Conclusions: For Holter-based LP measurements, test accuracy was higher when LP was measured at the time of the highest or worst value of LAS40. Changes in autonomic nervous system activity, including heart rate and noise levels, were factors influencing diurnal variability.

This paper explores the interactions of dynamic dark energy with other components of the cosmos, such as dark matter and baryonic matter, and its wide-ranging implications in cosmology. By investigating the interplay between dynamic dark energy and the universe's large-scale structure, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of cosmic evolution and the behavior of dark energy in different cosmological epochs. We also examine the potential of dynamic dark energy to offer novel insights into long-standing cosmological puzzles and their impact on the formation and evolution of cosmic structures.

Aging is accompanied by frontal lobe and non-dominant hemisphere recruitment that supports executive functioning, such as inhibitory control, which is crucial to all cognitive functions. Yet, the spatio-temporal sequence of processing underlying successful inhibition and how it changes with age is understudied. Thus, we assessed N200 (conflict monitoring) and P300 (response inhibition, performance evaluation) event-related potentials (ERPs) in young and healthy older adults during comparably performed successful stop-signal inhibition. We additionally interrogated the continuous spatio-temporal dynamics of N200- and P300-related activation within each group. Young adults had left hemisphere dominant N200, while older adults had overall larger amplitudes and right hemisphere dominance. N200 activation was biphasic in both groups but differed in scalp topography. P300 also differed, with larger right amplitudes in young, but bilateral amplitudes in old, with old larger than young in the left hemisphere. P300 was characterized by an early parieto-occipital peak in both groups, followed by a parietal slow wave only in older adults. A temporally similar but topographically different final wave followed in both groups that showed anterior recruitment in older adults. These findings illuminate differential age-related spatio-temporal recruitment patterns for conflict monitoring and response inhibition that are critically important for understanding age-related compensatory activation.

We take what we see, hear, smell and feel for the reality. However, as neuroscientists, we know that this reality, that is, our perceptual world, is in fact made up by the brain from the processing of the nerve impulses coming from receptors. Ancient Greeks used to think that this perceptual world, sometimes called our 3D movie (Chalmers), is emitted and has its own physical nature. Given how real the 3D movie looks to us, it is still difficult today to consider that all we would be dealing with would be patterns of brain activity The present study thus aimed at testing whether the perceptual world could have some physical existence in addition to that of the neural patterns responsible for it. To achieve that goal, we tried to see whether brains could be sensitive to the 3D movie of others. This, admittedly unusual, operational hypothesis was based on two assumptions. First, brains are sensitive to the 3D movie, as our experience includes reactions to our perceptual world. Second, the physicality at stake does not differ across individuals. We recorded the event-related brain potentials (ERPs) evoked by stimuli of the international affective picture system in pairs of closely-related participants. Most importantly, they could neither see the stimuli simultaneously presented to their partners nor their reactions to them. As in Bouten et al. (2015), around 400 ms after the onset of the stimuli, ERPs started being more positive in inconsistent conditions. Namely, when the two subjects of each pair were presented with the same stimulus whereas they were told it would be a different one and vice-versa (i.e., different-stimuli expected to be same). ERPs were less positive when the two subjects of a pair were presented with the same stimuli and were told they were the same and conversely (i.e., different-stimuli expected to be different). The same experiment was then run in pairs of strangers. No significant effect of consistency on ERPs was observed even though participants could, this time, see, in the very periphery of their visual field, the reactions of their partner to the stimuli. We thus use the results of both studies to support a new version of the emission theory of consciousness and to suggest that the sensitivity to the perceptual world of others may depend on their prior familiarity with it.

Background: Cervical myelopathy (CM) is a common cause of morbidity and disability in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) and, therefore, early detection is crucial for best surgical intervention and follow-up. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) non-invasively evaluates the conductivity along the cortico-spinal tract, also allowing preclinical diagnosis and monitoring. Methods: motor evoked potentials (MEPs) to TMS were recorded in a group of 8 patients with MPS-related CM. Responses were obtained during mild tonic contraction through a circular coil applied over the “hot spot” of the first dorsal interosseous and tibialis anterior muscles, bilaterally. Central motor conduction time was estimated as the difference between MEP cortical latency and the peripheral motor conduction time by cervical or lumbar magnetic stimulation. Peak-to-peak MEP amplitude to cortical stimulation and right-to-left difference of each parameter were also measured. Results: TMS revealed abnormal findings from both upper and lower limbs compatible with axonal damage and demyelination in 6 of them. Notably, a subclinical cervical spinal disease was detected before the occurrence of an overt CM in two patients, whereas TMS signs compatible with a CM of variable degree persisted despite surgery in all treated subjects. Conclusions: TMS screening should be performed in MPS patients, before and after surgery.

Evaluation of the patients after the surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis in long-term follow-up with the clinical neurophysiology methods has not been presented in detail. This study aimed to compare the results of the neurophysiological studies in 45 girls with scoliosis of Lenke 1-3 types performed pre- (T0), postoperatively (T1, one week after surgery), and 6 months after the surgery (T2). Parameters of surface electromyography during the attempt of maximal contraction (mcsEMG) and transcranially evoked motor evoked potentials (MEP) recorded from anterior tibial muscles, as well as the electroneurography (ENG) of peripheral transmission in the peroneal nerve motor fibers were compared. The results indicate that efferent neural conduction function both centrally and peripherally as well as TA muscle function improve immediately after surgical correction of scoliosis (at p=0.05) and further normalization appears after six months in long-term follow-up (at p=0.03). It has been found in sEMG recordings, that the TA muscle motor unit recruitment function after half a year from surgical treatment in IS patients is comparable to the normal condition. ENG recordings results indicated the gradual retreat of the motor fibers injury symptoms mainly of the axonal type in peroneal nerves, the surgeries improved also the lumbar ventral roots’ neural transmission to the functional status considered as normal. MEP amplitude parameters recorded after the surgical scoliosis correction in T1 indicated a slight improvement in the efferent transmission of neural impulses within the fibers of the spinal tracts; in long-lasting T2 observation, they reached values comparable to those recorded in healthy volunteers bilaterally. Preoperatively (T0) the results of all neurophysiological study parameters in IS patients were asymmetrical at p=0.036-0.05 and recorded as worse on the concave side, suggesting the lateralization of neurological motor deficits. One week postoperatively (T1), this asymmetry was recorded as gradually reduced, showing almost no difference between the right and left sides six months later (T2). The presented algorithm of the diagnostic proceeding pre-, early post-, and long-lasting postoperatively using mcsEMG, MEP, and ENG neurophysiological examinations can be significant not only in making the final decision regarding surgical treatment and its personalization but also helps in precise ascertaining its effects as well as in predicting the final result of IS treatment.

The practical problem-solving of incidental unreliability of intraoperative neuromonitoring may be the simultaneous neurophysiological recording and the inspection of the surgical field through the camera (the "Real-time neuromonitoring" concept). This would allow the immediate warning of the surgeon on the possibility of the spinal structures insult during but not after the application of the standard procedures in scoliosis surgery (the “Interactive verbal surgeon-neurophysiologist neuromonitoring" concept). This study aimed to compare the advantages, utility, reliability, and time-consuming of both intraoperative neuromonitoring scenarios using non-invasive and innovative recordings from peroneal nerves (PER) versus tibialis anterior muscles (TA) with surface electrodes of motor evoked potentials (MEP) bilaterally as a result of transcranial magnetic (TMS) or electrical (TES) stimulations. Studies were performed in two similar groups ("Real-time neuromonitoring", N=60 and "Interactive verbal sur-geon-neurophysiologist neuromonitoring", N=60) of patients treated surgically because of mainly Lenke 2 type idiopathic scoliosis (IS) pre- (T0), intra- (T1 – before surgical procedures, T2 – after surgical procedures) and postoperatively (T3) as well as in healthy volunteers (N=60, Control). The cumulative parameters of MEP amplitudes and latencies recorded from PER compared to those recorded from TA in healthy volunteers were approximately 67% (1100µV) lower at p=0.007 and 10.6% shorter (3.1 ms) at p=0.04, respectively. A similar trend was also observed in patients from both groups at each follow-up stage. MEP recordings from TA and PER in patients of both groups differed similarly in T0-T3 compared to controls at p=0.008-0.04. MEP parameters in all patients induced by TMS (T0) and TES (T1) did not differ. The parameters of MEP amplitudes recorded from TA and PER intraoperatively in T1 and T2 differed at p=0.04-0.03, indicating the bilateral improvement of neural spinal conduction due to the surgical intervention. Parameters of TMS-induced MEP amplitudes in T3 further increased bilaterally compared to the tests recorded in T0 at p=0.03-0.02. In both groups of patients, an average 51,8 BIS level of anaesthesia minimally affects the variability of the MEP amplitude, especially in PER recordings when ap-plied TES strength was at 98.2 mA. The number of MEP parameter fluctuations, mainly the amplitudes decreasing, was strictly associated with the neurophysiologist's warnings due to transpedicular screws implantation, corrective rods implantation, distraction, derotation, and compression procedures, respectively; at p=0.04-0.03 more in patients from the “Interactive S-N neuromonitoring” group. The average duration of the surgery was significantly shorter (p=0.04) by about 1 hour in the "Real-time neuromonitoring" group. The number of two-way communications between the surgeon and neurophysiologist and vice versa in the "Real-time neuromonitoring" group was reduced by approximately half at p=0.008. The study's results prove the advantages of using the "Real-time neuromonitoring" procedure in increasing safety and non-invasiveness, shortening the time, and lowering the costs of surgical treatment of patients with pathological lateral curvature of the spine. The modifications of the MEP nerve conduction recording technology with surface electrodes from nerves presented in this study enable precise and reliable information on the patient's neurological condition at every stage of applied surgical procedures, even in conditions of slight fluctuations in the anaesthesia.

Depression is diagnosed when a specific set of symptoms appear over a defined period with a certain intensity. According to the DSM-5, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is diagnosed when five or more symptoms are present over a two-week period. Depression, a debilitating mental health disorder affecting millions worldwide, poses a complex challenge for researchers and clinicians. In children and adolescents, depression can result in negative outcomes such as substance abuse, academic problems, risky sexual behavior, physical health issues, impaired social relationships, and a thirty-fold increased risk of suicide. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alone and CBT combined with selective ser-otonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in a remediation program. The study included 16 children and adolescents with depression (8 males and 8 females) and 16 typically developing peers (8 males and 8 females) aged 9 to 15 years (M = 11.94, SD = 2.02). Baseline evaluations using Event-Related Po-tentials (ERPs), the Children Depression Inventory (CDI), and reaction time tests showed that participants with depression had cognitive deficits in attention and memory, indicated by longer P300 latencies. After undergoing remediation with either CBT alone or CBT combined with med-ication, the children and adolescents with depression exhibited lower CDI scores and shorter P300 latencies and reaction times compared to before remediation and relative to the control group.

Over 130 countries have committed to reaching net-zero CO2 or GHG emissions by 2050, yet this ambition is rarely underpinned by robust policies. By applying a detailed integrated assessment modelling approach for Brazil, we assess, for the first time, the extent to which the existing and planned local policies could put Brazil on the path to its net zero pledge. This includes quantifying the role of nature-based solutions, such as protection and restoration, and engineered solutions, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). We show protection is the single most important climate mitigation measure at relatively low costs, whereas relying heavily on engineered solutions would jeopardise Brazil’s chances of achieving its net zero pledge. We also show that the mismatch between Brazil's short- and long-term climate targets reflects current weak environmental governance. Our analysis reinforces the urgent need for Brazil to eliminate illegal deforestation and go beyond to help fight climate change whilst curbing biodiversity loss.

Geranylgeranyl acetone (GGA) protects against various types of cell damages by upregulating heat shock proteins. We investigated whether GGA protect neuronal cells from cell death induced by oxidative stress. Glutamate exposure was lethal to HT-22 cells which comprise a neuronal line derived from mouse hippocampus. This configuration is often used as a model for hippocampus neurodegeneration in vitro. In the present study, GGA protected HT-22 cells from glutamate-induced oxidative stress. GGA pretreatment did not induce Hsps. Moreover, reactive oxygen species increased to the same extent in both GGA-pretreated and untreated cells exposed to glutamate. In contrast, glutamate exposure and GGA pretreatment increased mitochondrial membrane potential. However, increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration were inhibited by GGA pretreatment. In addition, the increase of phosphorylated ERKs by the glutamate exposure was inhibited by GGA pretreatment. These findings suggest that GGA protects HT-22 cells from glutamate-provoked cell death without Hsp induction and that the mitochondrial calcium buffering capacity plays an important role in this protective effect.

A method is proposed for describing the dynamics of systems of interacting particles in terms of an auxiliary field, which in the static mode is equivalent to given interatomic potentials, and in the dynamic mode is a classical relativistic composite field. It is established that for interatomic potentials, the Fourier transform of which is a rational algebraic function of the wave vector, the auxiliary field is a composition of elementary fields that satisfy the Klein-Gordon equation with complex masses. The interaction between particles carried by the auxiliary field is nonlocal both in space variables and in time. The temporal non-locality is due to the dynamic nature of the auxiliary field and can be described in terms of functional-differential equations of retarded type. Due to the finiteness mass of the auxiliary field, the delay in interactions between particles can be arbitrarily large. A qualitative analysis of the dynamics of few-body and many-body systems with retarded interactions has been carried out, and a non-statistical mechanisms for both the thermodynamic behavior of systems and synergistic effects has been established.

Paired associative stimulation (PAS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that modulates synaptic plasticity in the human motor cortex (M1). Since previous studies have primarily used motor evoked potentials (MEPs) as outcome measure, cortical correlates of PAS-induced plasticity remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this observational study was to investigate cortical correlates of a standard PAS induced plasticity in the primary motor cortex by using a combined TMS-EEG approach in a cohort of eighteen healthy subjects. In addition to the expected long-lasting facilitatory modulation of MEPs amplitude, PAS intervention also induced a significant increase in transcranial magnetic stimulation evoked potentials (TEPs) P30 and P60 amplitude. No significant correlation between the magnitude of PAS-induced changes in TEP components and MEP amplitude were observed. However, the linear regression analysis revealed that the combined changes in P30 and P60 component amplitudes significantly predicted the MEP facilitation after PAS. The findings of our study offer novel insight into the neurophysiological changes associated with PAS-induced plasticity at M1 cortical level and suggest a complex relationship between TEPs and MEPs changes following PAS.

Theta oscillations generated in hippocampal (HPC) and cortical neuronal networks are involved in various aspects of brain function, including sensorimotor integration, movement planning, memory formation and attention. Disruptions of theta rhythms are present in individuals with various disorders, including epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. Theta rhythm generation involves a specific interplay between cellular (ionic) and network (synaptic) mechanisms. HCN channels are theta modulators, and several medications are known to enhance their activity. We investigated how different doses of lamotrigine (LTG), an HCN channel activator, and antiepileptic and neuroprotective agent, would affect hippocampal theta rhythms in acute HPC slices (in vitro) and anaesthetized rats (in vivo). Whole-cell patch clamp recordings revealed that LTG decreased GABAA-fast transmission in CA3 and CA1 cells, in vitro. In addition, LTG directly depressed CA3 and CA1 pyramidal neuron excitability. These effects were partially blocked by ZD 7288, a selective HCN blocker, and are consistent with decreased excitability associated with antiepileptic actions. Lamotrigine also depressed hippocampal theta oscillations in vitro, also consistent with its neuronal depressant effects. In contrast, it exerted an opposite, enhancing effect, on theta recorded in vivo. The contradictory in vivo and in vitro results indicate that LTG increases ascending theta activating medial septum/entorhinal synaptic inputs that over-power the depressant effects seen in hippocampal neurons. These results provide new insights into LTG actions and indicate an opportunity to develop more precise therapeutics for the treatment of dementias, memory disorders and epilepsy.

Electrophysiological mapping (EM) using acute electrode probes is a common procedure performed during functional neurosurgery. Due to their constructive specificities, the EM probes are lagging in innovative enhancements. This work addressed complementing a clinically employed EM probe with carbonic and circumferentially segmented macrocontacts that are operable both for neurophysiological sensing ("recording") of local field potentials (LFP), and for test stimulation. The paper illustrates in-depth the development, that is based on direct writing of functional materials. The unconventional fabrication processes were optimized on planar geometry and then transferred to the cylindrically thin probe body. We report and discuss on the constructive concept and architecture of the probe, characteristics of the electrochemical interface deduced from voltammetry and chronopotentiometry, and the results of in vitro and in vivo recording and pulse stimulation tests. Two and three directional macrocontacts were added on probes having shanks of 550 and 770 m diameters and 10-23 cm lengths. The graphitic material presents a ~2.7 V-wide, almost symmetric water electrolysis window, and an ultra-capacitive charge transfer. When tested with 150 s biphasic current pulses, the interfacial polarization stayed safely away from the water window for pulse amplitudes up to 9 mA (135 C/cm2). The in vivo experiments on adult rat models confirmed the high-quality sensing of LFPs. Additionally, the in vivo-prevailing increase of the electrode impedance and overpotential are discussed and modeled by an ionic mobility-reducing spongiform structure; this restricted diffusion model gives new applicative insight into the in vivo-uprisen stimulation overpotential.