BMC Neuroscience[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Protective effect of silencing lncRNA HCP5 against brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage by targeting miR-195-5p.
Lu Z, Huang K
BMC Neurosci · 2025 Jan · PMID 39780056 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a common subtype of stroke, characterized by a high mortality rate and a tendency to cause neurological damage. This study aims to investigate the role and mechanisms of lncR...
BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a common subtype of stroke, characterized by a high mortality rate and a tendency to cause neurological damage. This study aims to investigate the role and mechanisms of lncRNA HCP5 in ICH. METHODS: We simulated ICH in vivo by injecting collagenase into rats and established an in vitro model using hemoglobin-treated BV2 cells. HCP5 and miR-195-5p levels were quantified by RT-qPCR. mNSS score was used to evaluate neurological deficits in the rats. The dry-wet weight method assessed the degree of brain edema. Cell viability and apoptosis rates were determined using the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The targeting relationship between HCP5 and miR-195-5p was confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter assays and RNA immunoprecipitation. ELISA was utilized to measure inflammatory factors, and commercial kits were used to detect MDA and ROS levels. RESULTS: In the ICH model rats, HCP5 levels were significantly elevated. It was also found that silencing HCP5 significantly alleviated brain edema and neurological deficits in the ICH rats, and there was a marked improvement in ICH-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, HCP5 was found to sponge miR-195-5p, and inhibiting miR-195-5p could counteract the neuroprotective effects of silencing HCP5. Similar results were obtained in the in vitro experiments with BV2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Silencing HCP5 can alleviate brain edema, neurological dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress caused by ICH via miR-195-5p.
Crisdesalazine alleviates inflammation in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis multiple sclerosis mouse model by regulating the immune system.
Park SM, Oh YH, Lim GH … +6 more , An JH, Lee JH, Gwag BJ, Won SJ, Seo KW, Youn HY
BMC Neurosci · 2025 Jan · PMID 39754048 · Full text
Microglia/macrophages participate in the development of and recovery from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and the macrophage M1 (pro-inflammatory)/M2 (anti-inflammatory) phase transition is involved in E...
Microglia/macrophages participate in the development of and recovery from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and the macrophage M1 (pro-inflammatory)/M2 (anti-inflammatory) phase transition is involved in EAE disease progression. We evaluated the efficacy of crisdesalazine (a novel microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 inhibitor) in an EAE model, including its immune-regulating potency in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, and its neuroprotective effects in a macrophage-neuronal co-culture system. Crisdesalazine significantly alleviated clinical symptoms, inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination in the spinal cord, and altered the phase of microglial/macrophage and regulatory T cells. Crisdesalazine promoted the M1 to M2 phase transition in macrophages (immunomodulation) and reduced neuronal necrosis (neuroprotection) in vitro. This is the first study to directly demonstrate the therapeutic effects of a microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 inhibitor in an EAE model and its ability to alter macrophage polarization, suggesting that it may be a new therapeutic option for the treatment of patients affected by multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
Deep learning enhanced transmembranous electromyography in the diagnosis of sleep apnea.
Mandeville R, Sedghamiz H, Mansfield P … +7 more , Sheean G, Studer C, Cordice D, Ghanbari G, Malhotra A, Nemati S, Koola J
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39741274 · Full text
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is widespread, under-recognized, and under-treated, impacting the health and quality of life for millions. The current gold standard for sleep apnea testing is based on the in-lab sleep stud...
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is widespread, under-recognized, and under-treated, impacting the health and quality of life for millions. The current gold standard for sleep apnea testing is based on the in-lab sleep study, which is costly, cumbersome, not readily available and represents a well-known roadblock to managing this huge societal burden. Assessment of neuromuscular function involved in the upper airway using electromyography (EMG) has shown potential to characterize and diagnose sleep apnea, while the development of transmembranous electromyography (tmEMG), a painless surface probe, has made this opportunity practical and highly feasible. However, experience and ability to interpret electrical signals from the upper airway are scarce, and much of the pertinent information within the signal is likely difficult to detect visually. To overcome this issue, we explored the use of transformers, a deep learning (DL) model architecture with attention mechanisms, to model tmEMG data and distinguish between electromyographic signals from a cohort of control, neurogenic, and sleep apnea patients. Our approach involved three strategies to train a generalizable model on a relatively small dataset including, (1) transfer learning using an audio spectral transformer (AST), (2) the use of 6,000 simulated EMG recordings, converted to spectrograms and using standard backpropagation for fine-tuning, and (3) application of regularization to prevent overfitting and enhance generalizability. This DL approach was tested using 177 transoral EMG recordings from a prior study's database that included six healthy controls, five moderate to severe OSA patients, and five amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with evidence of bulbar involvement (neurogenic injury). Sensitivity and specificity for classifying neurogenic cases from controls were 98% and 73%, respectively, while classifying OSA from controls were 88% and 64%, respectively. Notably, by averaging the predicted probabilities of each segment for individual patients, the model correctly classified up to 82% of control and OSA patients. These results not only suggest a potential to diagnose OSA patients accurately, but also to identify OSA endotypes that involve neuromuscular pathology, which has major implications for clinical management, patient outcomes, and research.
The songbird connectome (OSCINE-NET.ORG): structure-function organization beyond the canonical vocal control network.
Savoy A, Anderson KL, Gogola JV
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39731002 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Understanding the neural basis of behavior requires insight into how different brain systems coordinate with each other. Existing connectomes for various species have highlighted brain systems essential to va...
BACKGROUND: Understanding the neural basis of behavior requires insight into how different brain systems coordinate with each other. Existing connectomes for various species have highlighted brain systems essential to various aspects of behavior, yet their application to complex learned behaviors remains limited. Research on vocal learning in songbirds has extensively focused on the vocal control network, though recent work implicates a variety of circuits in contributing to important aspects of vocal behavior. Thus, a more comprehensive understanding of brain-wide connectivity is essential to further assess the totality of circuitry underlying this complex learned behavior. RESULTS: We present the Oscine Structural Connectome for Investigating NEural NETwork ORGanization (OSCINE-NET.ORG), the first interactive mesoscale connectome for any vocal learner. This comprehensive digital map includes all known connectivity data, covering major brain superstructures and functional networks. Our analysis reveals that the songbird brain exhibits small-world properties, with highly connected communities functionally designated as motor, visual, associative, vocal, social, and auditory. Moreover, there is a small set of significant connections across these communities, including from social and auditory sub-communities to vocal sub-communities, which highlight ethologically relevant facets of vocal learning and production. Notably, the vocal community contains the majority of the canonical vocal control network, as well as a variety of other nodes that are highly interconnected with it, meriting further evaluation for their inclusion in this network. A subset of nodes forms a "rich broker club," highly connected across the brain and forming a small circuit amongst themselves, indicating they may play a key role in information transfer broadly. Collectively, their bidirectional connectivity with multiple communities indicates they may act as liaisons across multiple functional circuits for a variety of complex behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: OSCINE-NET.ORG offers unprecedented access to detailed songbird connectivity data, promoting insight into the neural circuits underlying complex behaviors. This data emphasizes the importance of brain-wide integration in vocal learning, facilitating a potential reevaluation of the canonical vocal control network. Furthermore, we computationally identify a small, previously unidentified circuit-one which may play an impactful role in brain-wide coordination of multiple complex behaviors.
Structural-functional connectivity decoupling in multiscale brain networks in Parkinson's disease.
Zou T, Chen C, Chen H … +8 more , Wang X, Gan L, Wang C, Gao Q, Zhang C, Liao W, Cheng J, Li R
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39725901 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with functional and structural alterations beyond the nigrostriatal dopamine projection. However, the structural-functional (SC-F...
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with functional and structural alterations beyond the nigrostriatal dopamine projection. However, the structural-functional (SC-FC) coupling changes in combination with subcortical regions at the network level are rarely investigated in PD. METHODS: SC-FC coupling networks were systematically constructed using the structural connectivity obtained by diffusion tensor imaging and the functional connectivity obtained by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in 53 PD and 72 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Then, we explored how SC-FC coupling varied within and between several well-defined functional domains. RESULTS: Results showed that the SC-FC coupling in patients with PD was globally reduced in comparison with HCs. Specifically, regional SC-FC decoupled in the inferior parietal lobule, occipitotemporal cortex, motor cortex, and higher-order association cortex in patients with PD. Moreover, PD showed intranetwork SC-FC decoupling in the visual network (VIS), limbic and higher-order association networks. Furthermore, internetwork decoupling mainly linked to the VIS, the somatomotor network (SOM), the dorsal attention network, and the default mode network, was observed, increased internetwork coupling was found between the subcortical network and the SOM in PD (all p < 0.05, FDR corrected). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PD is characterized by SC-FC decoupling in topological organization of multiscale brain networks, providing insights into the brain network mechanisms in PD.
Diethyl nitrosamine-induces neurobehavioral deficit, oxido-nitrosative stress in rats' brain: a neuroprotective role of diphenyl diselenide.
Owumi S, Chimezie J, Emmanuel PD … +2 more , Okeibuno AC, Owoeye O
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39722026 · Full text
Diethylnitrosamine (DEN), a common dietary carcinogen, is associated with neurotoxicity in humans and animals. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of diphenyl diselenide (DPDS) against DEN-induced neuroto...
Diethylnitrosamine (DEN), a common dietary carcinogen, is associated with neurotoxicity in humans and animals. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of diphenyl diselenide (DPDS) against DEN-induced neurotoxicity in male Albino Wistar rats (n = 40). Rats were randomly distributed into cohorts and treated as follows: vehicle control (corn oil 2 mL/kg; gavage), DPDS-only (5 mg/kg; gavage) and DEN-only (200 mg/kg; single dose i.p.). Also, two other rat cohorts were pre-treated with DPDS (3 or 5 mg/kg) for 15 days (day: 0-15), subsequently administered with DEN (200 mg/kg) and continuously treated with DPDS for another 7 days, (days:15-21). Behavioural tests (OFT- using the open field test; NORT- novel object recognition test; FST- forced swimming test and Y-maze) were conducted from days 19-21, followed by biochemical analysis of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex for oxidative stress, inflammation, neurotransmitter metabolic enzyme, and histopathology. DEN-treated rats exhibited decreased locomotor activity, spatial memory function and antioxidant activity, increased oxidative and nitration stress, anxiety, and depressive-like behaviour, causing histoarchitectural damage in prefrontal and hippocampal cortices. DPDS treatment (pre- and post-DEN exposure) significantly alleviated these neurotoxic, oxidative, and nitration effects, reversed DEN-induced histopathological alterations, and improved locomotive and cognitive functions. In conclusion, DPDS demonstrates potent neuroprotective effects against DEN-induced toxicity, likely through enhanced endogenous antioxidant capacity that mitigates oxido-nitrative damage. These findings suggest that the organo-selenium -DPDS- is a promising chemotherapeutic agent potent in alleviating DEN-mediated neurotoxicity and maintaining brain health.
Variable and slow-paced neural dynamics in HVC underlie plastic song production in juvenile zebra finches.
Bistere L, Wilczek S, Vallentin D
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39716055 · Full text
Zebra finches undergo a gradual refinement of their vocalizations, transitioning from variable juvenile songs to the stereotyped song of adulthood. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying song crystallization-a c...
Zebra finches undergo a gradual refinement of their vocalizations, transitioning from variable juvenile songs to the stereotyped song of adulthood. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying song crystallization-a critical phase in this developmental process-we performed intracellular recordings in HVC (a premotor nucleus essential for song learning and production) of juvenile birds. We then compared these recordings to previously published electrophysiological data from adult birds. We found that HVC projection neurons in juvenile zebra finches during the song crystallization phase exhibited more variable spiking patterns compared to the precise bursting observed in adult HVC projection neurons. Additionally, subthreshold membrane potential fluctuations in juvenile neurons exhibited longer durations and larger amplitude excitatory postsynaptic potentials. These distinct temporal dynamics in HVC during song crystallization likely play a crucial role in the fine-tuning processes that shape the precise timing and structure of the mature zebra finch song.
The antioxidative effect of STAT3 involved in cellular vulnerability to isoflurane.
Yang Y, Song S, Wang H … +2 more , Ma Z, Gao Q
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39633283 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The vulnerable period to neurotoxicity of isoflurane overlaps with a developmental stage characterized by programmed neuronal death. STAT3 has been identified as a crucial molecule involved in survival pathwa...
BACKGROUND: The vulnerable period to neurotoxicity of isoflurane overlaps with a developmental stage characterized by programmed neuronal death. STAT3 has been identified as a crucial molecule involved in survival pathways during this period. We aimed to investigate the role of STAT3 in cellular vulnerability to isoflurane. METHODS: C57/BL6 mice on postnatal day 7 or 21, primary neurons derived from mice embryos at gestational days 14-16 and cultured for 5 or 14 days, as well as human neuroglioma U251 cells were treated with isoflurane. A plasmid containing human wild-type STAT3, STAT3 anti-sense oligonucleotide, STAT3 specific inhibitor STA21, proteasome inhibitor MG-132 and calcineurin inhibitor FK506 were utilized to evaluate the influence of STAT3 levels on isoflurane-induced cytotoxicity. The levels of Western blot results, mRNA, intracellular ROS, apoptotic rate, and calcineurin activity were analyzed using unpaired Student's t-test or one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc test, as appropriate. RESULTS: Elevated levels of STAT3, reduced activity of calcineurin, as well as a diminished response to isoflurane-induced calcineurin activation and neuroapoptosis were observed in more mature brain or neurons. Isoflurane accelerated the degradation of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins but did not facilitate ubiquitin conjugation to proteins. STAT3 was of particular importance in the all ubiquitin-conjugated proteins degraded by isoflurane. Knockdown or inhibition of STAT3 nuclear translocation exacerbated isoflurane-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis, while STAT3 overexpression mitigated these effects. Finally, this study demonstrated that FK506 pretreatment mitigated the apoptosis, ROS accumulation, and the impairment of neurite growth in primary neurons after exposed to isoflurane. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that specific regulation of STAT3 was closely related with the cellular vulnerability to isoflurane via an antioxidative pathway.
Older is order: entropy reduction in cortical spontaneous activity marks healthy aging.
Chang D, Wang X, Chen Y … +5 more , Han ZR, Wang Y, Liu B, Zhang Z, Zuo XN
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Dec · PMID 39627691 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Entropy trajectories remain unclear for the aging process of human brain system due to the lacking of longitudinal neuroimaging resource. RESULTS: We used open data from an accelerated longitudinal cohort (PR...
BACKGROUND: Entropy trajectories remain unclear for the aging process of human brain system due to the lacking of longitudinal neuroimaging resource. RESULTS: We used open data from an accelerated longitudinal cohort (PREVENT-AD) that included 24 healthy aging participants followed by 4 years with 5 visits per participant to establish cortical entropy aging curves and distinguish with the effects of age and cohort. This reveals that global cortical entropy decreased with aging, while a significant cohort effect was detectable that people who were born earlier showed higher cortical entropy. Such entropy reductions were also evident for large-scale cortical networks, although with different rates of reduction for different networks. Specifically, the primary and intermediate networks reduce their entropy faster than the higher-order association networks. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed that cortical entropy decreases continually in the aging process, both globally and regionally, and we conclude two specific characteristics of the entropy of the human cortex with aging: the shift of the complexity hierarchy and the diversity of complexity strengthen.
A rat model establishment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia-related lung & brain injury within 28 days after birth.
Lin X, Zhou M, Wang H
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39609737 · Full text
PURPOSE: Lung injury associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and its related neurodevelopmental disorders have garnered increasing attention in the context of premature infants. Establishing a reliable animal mo...
PURPOSE: Lung injury associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and its related neurodevelopmental disorders have garnered increasing attention in the context of premature infants. Establishing a reliable animal model is essential for delving into the underlying mechanisms of these conditions. METHODS: Newborn rats were randomly assigned to two groups: the hyperoxia-induced BPD group and the normoxia (NO) group. For the BPD group, they were nurtured in a hyperoxic environment with a high oxygen inspired fraction (0.85) from birth until day 14 within 28 days postnatally. In contrast, the NO group consisted of newborn rats that were nurtured in a normoxic environment with a standard oxygen inspired fraction (0.21) for 28 days postnatally. Various pathological sections of both lung and brain tissues were examined. TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence assays, and functional tests were performed, and the results were meticulously analyzed to assess the impact of hyperoxia environments on the developing organs. RESULTS: In the newborn rats of the BPD group, a significant reduction in alveolar number coupled with enlargement was observed, alongside severe fibrosis, collagen deposition, and constriction of bronchi and vascular lumens. This was accompanied by an accumulation of inflammatory cells and a marked deterioration in lung function compared to the NO group (P < 0.05). Additionally, a decrease in neuronal count, an increase in neuronal apoptosis, proliferation of neuroglia cells, and demyelination were noted, and poorer performance in the Morris water maze test within the BPD group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The BPD-rats model was established successfully. Lung injury in the BPD group evident across the bronchi to the alveoli and pulmonary vessels, which was associated with deteriorated lung function at postnatal day 14. Concurrently, brain injury extended from the cerebral cortex to the hippocampus, which was associated with impaired performance in orientation navigation and spatial probe tests at postnatal day 28.
Does choline have an effect on Transient Global Amnesia (TGA)?
Rahmanian S, Shapouri M, Mohammadian MK … +11 more , Mahmoudi Z, Saeedirad Z, Mobarakeh KA, Parhiz A, Shekari S, Harsini AR, Valisoltani N, Khoshdooz S, Doaei S, Kooshki A, Gholamalizadeh M
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39558271 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Choline was frequently reported to have some beneficial effects on memory function. However, the association of dietary choline with different types of amnesia is not well understood. The objective of this st...
BACKGROUND: Choline was frequently reported to have some beneficial effects on memory function. However, the association of dietary choline with different types of amnesia is not well understood. The objective of this study was to examine the association between dietary intake of choline and transient global amnesia (TGA). METHODS: This case-control study was carried out on 258 patients with TGA and 520 participants without amnesia. Data on dietary choline intake was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). All participants were examined for amnesia by a neurologist according to the Kaplan and Hodges criteria. RESULTS: There was an inverse association between TGA and dietary choline intake after adjustment for age and gender (OR: 0.98, CI 95% 0.96-0.98, P = 0.03). The association remained significant after additional adjusting for physical activity, body mass index (BMI), occupation, marital status, smoking, and drinking alcohol (OR: 0.98, CI 95% 0.96-0.99, P = 0.04) and after further adjustment for calorie and food groups intake (OR: 0.98, CI 95% 0.96-0.99, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that choline may have beneficial effects against TGA. Further longitudinal studies are warranted.
Effect and mechanism of Tetramethylpyrazine in repair of sciatic nerve injury in rats.
Li Y, Li Y, Wang G … +2 more , Li Y, Zhuo N
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39538151 · Full text
OBJECTIVE: Observing the effects of Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on the expression of Collagen IV and Laminin in neurovascular basement membrane and the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells, and to study the mechanism of...
OBJECTIVE: Observing the effects of Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on the expression of Collagen IV and Laminin in neurovascular basement membrane and the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells, and to study the mechanism of TMP in the treatment of sciatic nerve injury. RESULTS: Compared with the NS group, the TMP group had a significant increase in the sciatic nerve function index (P < 0.01).The miss times in TMP group was significantly lower than that in NS group (P < 0.01). The HE staining results of the TMP group showed irregular arrangement of some neuronal axons and Schwann cells, and more edema and rupture of cells. The proliferation of glial cells and inflammatory cells was significantly increased in TMP group. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of type IV collagen and laminin in the TMP group group was distributed around the blood vessels, vascular endothelial cells, basal membrane and glial cells after SNI. The expression of type IV collagen and laminin in TMP group increased significantly(P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence showed that compared with NS group, the apoptosis rate of TMP group was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Flow cytometry results showed that compared with the NS group, the number of CECs in the TMP group was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TMP can effectively improve the sciatic nerve functional index (SFI) of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, enhance the proliferation of sciatic nerve vascular endothelial cells, reduce apoptosis, promote the expression of Collagen IV and Laminin in sciatic nerve microvascular basal membrane components, thereby promoting angiogenesis and improving lower limb function in rats.
Retraction Note: 27-Hydroxycholesterol increases α-synuclein protein levels through proteasomal inhibition in human dopaminergic neurons.
Schommer J, Marwarha G, Schommer T … +3 more , Flick T, Lund J, Ghribi O
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39511475 · Full text
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Tapping into the vocal learning and rhythmic synchronization hypothesis.
Theofanopoulou C
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506690 · Full text
In this article, I present three main points that could benefit the "vocal learning and rhythmic synchronization hypothesis", encompassing neurogenetic mechanisms of gene expression transmission and single motor neuron f...
In this article, I present three main points that could benefit the "vocal learning and rhythmic synchronization hypothesis", encompassing neurogenetic mechanisms of gene expression transmission and single motor neuron function, classification of different behavioral motor phenotypes (e.g., spontaneous vs. voluntary), and other evolutionary considerations (i.e., the involvement of reward mechanisms).
Beat-based dancing to music has evolutionary foundations in advanced vocal learning.
Patel AD
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506663 · Full text
Dancing to music is ancient and widespread in human cultures. While dance shows great cultural diversity, it often involves nonvocal rhythmic movements synchronized to musical beats in a predictive and tempo-flexible man...
Dancing to music is ancient and widespread in human cultures. While dance shows great cultural diversity, it often involves nonvocal rhythmic movements synchronized to musical beats in a predictive and tempo-flexible manner. To date, the only nonhuman animals known to spontaneously move to music in this way are parrots. This paper proposes that human-parrot similarities in movement to music and in the neurobiology of advanced vocal learning hold clues to the evolutionary foundations of human dance. The proposal draws on recent research on the neurobiology of parrot vocal learning by Jarvis and colleagues and on a recent cortical model for speech motor control by Hickock and colleagues. These two lines of work are synthesized to suggest that gene regulation changes associated with the evolution of a dorsal laryngeal pitch control pathway in ancestral humans fortuitously strengthened auditory-parietal cortical connections that support beat-based rhythmic processing. More generally, the proposal aims to explain how and why the evolution of strong forebrain auditory-motor integration in the service of learned vocal control led to a capacity and proclivity to synchronize nonvocal movements to the beat. The proposal specifies cortical brain pathways implicated in the origins of human beat-based dancing and leads to testable predictions and suggestions for future research.
Dance as mindful movement: a perspective from motor learning and predictive coding.
Fitch WT, Barnstaple R
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506656 · Full text
Defining "dance" is challenging, because many distinct classes of human movement may be considered dance in a broad sense. Although the most obvious category is rhythmic dancing to a musical beat, other categories of exp...
Defining "dance" is challenging, because many distinct classes of human movement may be considered dance in a broad sense. Although the most obvious category is rhythmic dancing to a musical beat, other categories of expressive movement such as dance improvisation, pantomime, tai chi, or Japanese butoh suggest that a more inclusive conception of human dance is needed. Here we propose that a specific type of conscious awareness plays an overarching role in most forms of expressive movement and can be used to define dance (in the broad sense). We can briefly summarize this broader notion of dance as "mindful movement." However, to make this conception explicit and testable, we need an empirically verifiable characterization of "mindful movement." We propose such a characterization in terms of predictive coding and procedural learning theory: mindful movement involves a "suspension" of automatization. When first learning a new motor skill, we are highly conscious of our movements, and this is reflected in neural activation patterns. As skill increases, automatization and overlearning occurs, involving a progressive suppression of conscious awareness. Overlearned, habitual movement patterns become mostly unconscious, entering consciousness only when mistakes or surprising outcomes occur. In mindful movement, this automatization process is essentially inverted or suspended, reactivating previously unconscious details of movement in the conscious workspace, and crucially enabling a renewed aesthetic attention to such details. This wider perspective on dance has important implications for potential animal analogs of human dance and leads to multiple lines of experimental exploration.
Learning ballet technique modulates the stretch reflex in students with cerebral palsy: case series.
López-Ortiz C, He M, Gaebler-Spira D … +1 more , Levin MF
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506647 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered the most prevalent developmental motor disorder in children. There is a need for training programs that enhance motor abilities and normalize function from an early age. Prev...
BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered the most prevalent developmental motor disorder in children. There is a need for training programs that enhance motor abilities and normalize function from an early age. Previous studies report improved motor outcomes in dance interventions for CP. Investigating the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying such improvements is necessary for efficient and safe intervention design. This study reports changes in stretch reflex responses as the primary neurophysiological motor outcome of a targeted ballet class intervention. RESULTS: A case series of participants with mixed spastic and dyskinetic CP (n = 4, mean age = 12.5 years, SD = 6.9S years, three female, one male) who learned ballet technique in a course of one-hour classes twice per week for six weeks is presented. Changes in stretch reflex responses and in clinical motor tests as secondary outcomes were observed after the course and at one-month follow-up. Quantitative measures of elbow or ankle stretch reflex were obtained using electromyography and electrogoniometry. The joint angle of the stretch reflex onset varied across velocities of stretch, and its variability decreased after the intervention. Within-subject tests of the central tendency of stretch reflex angle coefficients of variation and frequency distribution demonstrated significant changes (p-values < 0.05). Secondary outcomes included the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS), Dyskinesia Impairment Scale (DIS), and Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE). All the participants demonstrated improvements larger than the minimal clinical important difference (MCID) or the smallest detectable difference (SDD), as applicable. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence of changes in the stretch reflex responses in these four cases of mixed CP was observed. The observed variability in the stretch reflex responses may be due to the dyskinetic component of the mixed CP presentations. More studies with a larger sample size and longer duration of learning and practice of ballet technique are necessary to establish the extent of possible modulation and adaptation of the stretch reflex response as a neurophysiological basis for observed improvements in clinical measures. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Clinical Trials Protocol Registration and Results System (NCT04237506, January 17, 2020).
APOE4 rat model of Alzheimer's disease: sex differences, genetic risk and diet.
Colarusso B, Ortiz R, Yeboah J … +4 more , Chang A, Gupta M, Kulkarni P, Ferris CF
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506641 · Full text
The strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (ApoE ε4). A high fat diet also adds to the risk of dementia and AD. In addition, there are sex differences as women car...
The strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (ApoE ε4). A high fat diet also adds to the risk of dementia and AD. In addition, there are sex differences as women carriers have a higher risk of an earlier onset and rapid decline in memory than men. The present study looked at the effect of the genetic risk of ApoE ε4 together with a high fat/high sucrose diet (HFD/HSD) on brain function in male and female rats using magnetic resonance imaging. We hypothesized female carriers would present with deficits in cognitive behavior together with changes in functional connectivity as compared to male carriers. Four-month-old wildtype and human ApoE ε4 knock-in (TGRA8960), male and female Sprague Dawley rats were put on a HFD/HSD for four months. Afterwards they were imaged for changes in function using resting state BOLD functional connectivity. Images were registered to, and analyzed, using a 3D MRI rat atlas providing site-specific data on 173 different brain areas. Resting state functional connectivity showed male wildtype had greater connectivity between areas involved in feeding and metabolism while there were no differences between female and male carriers and wildtype females. The data were unexpected. The genetic risk was overshadowed by the diet. Male wildtype rats were most sensitive to the HFD/HSD presenting with a deficit in cognitive performance with enhanced functional connectivity in neural circuitry associated with food consumption and metabolism.
De-sync: disruption of synchronization as a key factor in individual and collective creative processes.
Laroche J, Bachrach A, Noy L
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506636 · Full text
Creativity is a key skill for the twenty-first century, where the individual and collective imperative to adapt is omnipresent. Yet, it is still unclear how to put creativity theories into practice, which signals a lacun...
Creativity is a key skill for the twenty-first century, where the individual and collective imperative to adapt is omnipresent. Yet, it is still unclear how to put creativity theories into practice, which signals a lacuna in our understanding of the pragmatic means by which we get creative. This paper starts from the identification of a number of gaps in the literature. In particular, individual and group creativity are usually treated separately, and the emphasis on the search for novelty seems to overshadow the importance experts give to the disruption of their habitual patterns of behavior. To overcome these gaps, we propose foundations for a unifying framework that takes the perspective of dynamical systems. Specifically, we suggest that de-synchronization, a hallmark of disruption, is an integral part of the creative processes that operate across individual and collective levels of analysis. We show that by conjuring uncertainty, de-synchronized states provide opportunities for creative reorganization. In order to ground this framework, we survey and discuss existing literature, and focus on group improvisation practices (in particular, music and dance improvisation), where partners use the dynamics of their interaction to bring forth a collective performance in real-time. In these practices, disruption by de-synchronization, termed here as 'problematization of coordination', is a pragmatic approach used to push the creative process forward. We suggest that this approach might also be relevant in other types of individual and collective creative processes.
The cognitive neuroscience and neurocognitive rehabilitation of dance.
Hackney ME, Burzynska AZ, Ting LH
BMC Neurosci · 2024 Nov · PMID 39506634 · Full text
Creative movement, in the form of music- and dance-based exercise and rehabilitation, can serve as a model for learning and memory, visuospatial orientation, mental imagery, and multimodal sensory-motor integration. This...
Creative movement, in the form of music- and dance-based exercise and rehabilitation, can serve as a model for learning and memory, visuospatial orientation, mental imagery, and multimodal sensory-motor integration. This review summarizes the advancement in cognitive neuroscience aimed at determining cognitive processes and brain structural and functional correlates involved in dance or creative movement, as well as the cognitive processes which accompany such activities. We synthesize the evidence for the use of cognitive, motor, and cognitive-motor function in dance as well as dance's potential application in neurological therapy and neurorehabilitation. Finally, we discuss how partnered interaction and sensorimotor integration in dance, and "dancing robots" could shed light on future application of dance as rehabilitation, of dance used in technology and potential mechanisms of benefit from dance-based activities.
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