The European Journal Of Neuroscience[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
From Mechanisms to Medicine: Astrocyte Dysfunction in Stress-Related Neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's Disease.
Gupta KR, Thombre KR, Umekar MJ
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41956895 · Publisher ↗
Chronic stress is increasingly acknowledged as a pivotal precipitating factor in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, notably including depression and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Astrocytes...
Chronic stress is increasingly acknowledged as a pivotal precipitating factor in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, notably including depression and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Astrocytes, which constitute the predominant population of glial cells involved in the maintenance of synaptic homeostasis, the recycling of neurotransmitters, and the provision of metabolic support, display a pronounced susceptibility to sustained exposure to stress. The deleterious effects of astrocytic dysfunction instigate a series of neuroinflammatory and synaptic modifications that undermine both cognitive and emotional resilience. This review articulates the mechanistic interactions between stress-induced astrocyte dysfunction, neuroinflammatory signaling, and compromised neuroplasticity, underscoring the converging pathways that are implicated in both depression and AD. A thorough synthesis of the literature from 2020 to 2025 was conducted utilizing databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, with an emphasis on molecular, in vitro, in vivo, and translational studies that examine the modulation of astrocytic function under conditions of chronic stress and its pertinence to depression and AD. The chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis precipitates morphological alterations, diminished expression of glutamate transporters (GLT-1/EAAT2), disrupted brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling, and an augmented release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) from astrocytes. These biochemical alterations exacerbate excitotoxicity, disturb monoaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, and hasten synaptic degeneration. In the context of depression, this phenomenon is manifested as impaired mood regulation and a decline in neurogenesis. In AD, it synergistically interacts with amyloid-beta and tau pathologies to facilitate progressive cognitive impairment. Both conditions exhibit a common feature of diminished neurosignaling plasticity, which limits the brain's capacity for adaptation and repair. Astrocyte dysfunction constitutes a central mechanistic nexus wherein chronic stress, neuroinflammation, and synaptic pathology intersect to promote the progression of depression and AD. The targeting of astrocytic health via the modulation of reactive astrocyte phenotypes, the restoration of glutamate homeostasis, and the enhancement of neurotrophic signaling emerges as a promising therapeutic avenue for alleviating stress-related neurodegeneration and mood disorders.
Electroconvulsive Shock Induces Greater Plasticity of Dentate Gyrus Neurons Born in Adulthood Than Those Born in Development.
Zhang TR, Askari B, Smith R … +3 more , Mallela L, Vila-Rodriguez F, Snyder JS
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41956820 · Full text
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for severe depression but uptake is hindered due to effects on memory and a poor understanding of its mechanisms of action. Hippocampal plasticity is one co...
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for severe depression but uptake is hindered due to effects on memory and a poor understanding of its mechanisms of action. Hippocampal plasticity is one consequence of ECT that may be related to both the therapeutic and amnestic effects. In animals, electroconvulsive shock (ECS) dramatically increases adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG). However, little is known about how ECS impacts the morphology of adult-born neurons. Moreover, it is unknown whether ECS differentially impacts DG neurons that are born in development versus adulthood. To address these questions, here, we subjected male and female mice to a clinically relevant schedule of chronic ECS and examined effects on DG neuron populations. As predicted, ECS dramatically increased the survival of adult-born DG neurons generated shortly before treatment and the number of immature neurons present after treatment. Adult-born neurons from ECS-treated mice also had longer dendrites and larger presynaptic terminals, suggesting enhanced circuit integration. In contrast, ECS did not affect the survival of neurons born in early postnatal development and it did not alter the structure of their dendrites or presynaptic terminals. Instead, ECS reduced spine density on developmentally born neurons in the dorsal DG and, in the ventral DG, it increased mushroom spine density. Thus, adult-born neurons generally display greater ECS-induced plasticity than developmentally born neurons, which may be relevant for the effects of ECS/ECT on cognition and mood.
Distinct Neural Responses to Number Signs and Number Gestures in Hearing Second Language Signers.
Buyle M, Crollen V
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 · PMID 41956813 · Publisher ↗
Understanding the distinction between signs in sign language and gestures has been a topic of interest among researchers over the past decade. Recent arguments emphasize that sign languages exhibit syntactic, semantic, m...
Understanding the distinction between signs in sign language and gestures has been a topic of interest among researchers over the past decade. Recent arguments emphasize that sign languages exhibit syntactic, semantic, morphological and phonological features, whereas gestures are considered external to language. This theoretical distinction is importantly reflected at the brain level, with distinct brain regions being involved in sign language comprehension and gesture processing. Using a fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS) EEG design, the present study investigated whether this distinction is modulated by sign language knowledge in hearing adults. We compared neural responses of late hearing signers and hearing non-signers to finger-number configurations presented either as number signs (finger-montring) or number gestures (finger-counting). Results revealed that hearing signers showed significantly stronger neural discrimination responses to number signs than hearing non-signers, whereas both groups exhibited similar responses to number gestures. These findings demonstrate that number signs and number gestures elicit distinct neural responses as a function of linguistic experience. Crucially, they show that even late acquisition of sign language is sufficient to modulate neural processing of manual number representations, supporting the view that sign language recruits language-specific neural mechanisms. More broadly, these results provide neurophysiological evidence that manual configurations can be processed either as linguistic signs or as gestures depending on the observer's language knowledge, thereby underscoring the linguistic status of sign languages.
The Impact of Action Intention Versus Action-Effect Intention on Auditory Prediction Error Signals.
Widmann A, Korka BC, Schröger E
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41952557 · Full text
The human brain anticipates the sensory consequences of an action and generates a prediction error (PE) signal when the intended action effect does not occur. This study investigated auditory event-related potential PE m...
The human brain anticipates the sensory consequences of an action and generates a prediction error (PE) signal when the intended action effect does not occur. This study investigated auditory event-related potential PE markers based on whether participants intended to perform a specific action or produce a specific action effect. Participants were instructed to press a left or right button to produce low- or high-pitched tones, following a visual pattern. The instructions, actions and tone sequences were identical for all participants. The visual patterns differed in two groups: In the action-effect intention group, the visual pattern consisted of 'notes' (indicating low/high pitch). In the action intention group, the visual pattern consisted of 'letters' (indicating left/right button-press). In both groups, a button-press occasionally failed to produce the associated tone (incongruent sounds). The key finding was that these incongruent sounds elicited an enhanced auditory N1 component compared to congruent sounds only in the 'notes' group. We propose that participants in the 'notes' group selected their actions based on the intended action effect, which induced a predictive sensory representation of the expected tone. A violation of this prediction resulted in the early PE, reflected in the auditory N1. Later PE responses, specifically the N2b and P3 components, were observed in both groups. This suggests that action-effect associations were represented, and their violation was processed at a conceptual level even in the 'letters' group. These results support theories postulating that event representations integrate features of stimuli, actions and their associated outcomes.
Cortical and Subcortical Alpha-Band Electroencephalographic (EEG) Network Involved in the Interpersonal Space Sensitivity.
Cheron G, Ristori D, Petieau M … +4 more , Simar C, Zarka D, Kriwin P, Cebolla AM
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41937476 · Publisher ↗
The presence of another human in our immediate or distant environment is a crucial factor for survival and social behavior. Our actions vary depending on the other person's relative proximity, involving integration of br...
The presence of another human in our immediate or distant environment is a crucial factor for survival and social behavior. Our actions vary depending on the other person's relative proximity, involving integration of brain functions subserved by neural oscillations, to generate the most appropriate behavior. This study highlights the alpha EEG role and its neural generators in interpersonal space sensitivity (IPSS). To investigate this, participants stood face-to-face, gazing into each other's eyes, while wearing a mask preventing them from staring at each other. An auditory order instructed them to alternately close and open their eyes. It was observed that alpha power of the occipito-parietal region increased as the distance decreased, transitioning from extrapersonal space (4 m) to peripersonal space (< 40 cm) when the eyes were closed. Conversely, alpha power decreased for the same distances when the eyes were open. These significant event-related synchronization (ERS) and desynchronization (ERD) effects were absent when participants' heads were masked. Beta oscillations were not significantly involved in IPSS. The number of spontaneous blinks was not significantly influenced by IPSS. Source modeling identified alpha ERS and ERD in cortical and subcortical generators significantly involved in IPSS with independent components localized in: the parietal cortex bilaterally (BA7), the left limbic gyrus (BA23), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (right BA31, left and right BA24, right BA32), the right premotor cortex (BA6, including the supplementary motor area [SMA]), and the right frontal eye fields (BA8). These cortical areas were accompanied by the recruitment of the thalamus and cerebellum.
Intensity-Dependent Inhibition of Single Pulse TMS on Stretch-Evoked Long-Latency Responses in the Flexor Carpi Radialis.
Helm CA, Sergi F
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41925042 · Full text
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can modulate corticospinal excitability during stretch-evoked long-latency responses (LLRs). It has been previously established that suprathreshold TMS intensities can partially in...
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can modulate corticospinal excitability during stretch-evoked long-latency responses (LLRs). It has been previously established that suprathreshold TMS intensities can partially inhibit the cortical contribution to LLRs by relying on a cortical silent period occurring after TMS. However, it is unknown whether the TMS-induced inhibition of stretch-evoked LLRs that relies on the cortical silent period can also be achieved via subthreshold stimulation. In this study, 12 healthy participants performed a protocol combining surface electromyography (EMG), robot-evoked wrist perturbations, and single pulse TMS applied to the motor cortex to study the effect of TMS intensity on the LLR amplitude in the flexor carpi radialis. We tested two TMS intensities of subthreshold (90%) and suprathreshold (130%) of the active motor threshold applied such that the motor-evoked potential (MEP) peak would arrive 50 ms prior to perturbation onset. In suprathreshold TMS trials, TMS significantly reduced the cortical contribution to a LLR when applied prior to perturbation onset. When comparing the effects measured in the presence and absence of robot-applied muscle stretch, we observed that only suprathreshold conditions achieved inhibition of LLR, while subthreshold conditions did not result in LLR-specific inhibition. Overall, our findings establish a clear distinction between the effect of subthreshold and suprathreshold TMS on the LLR inhibition via the cortical silent period. These findings highlight the application of TMS to induce cortical inhibition of LLRs.
Dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens Signals Salience of Auditory Deviance.
Iizuka R, Yamaki R, Isoguchi Shiramatsu T … +3 more , Morikawa S, Ikegaya Y, Takahashi H
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41924943 · Full text
How the brain signals prediction errors for non-rewarding, yet significant, sensory events remains a central question. Although the cortical mismatch negativity provides a well-known signature for deviance detection, the...
How the brain signals prediction errors for non-rewarding, yet significant, sensory events remains a central question. Although the cortical mismatch negativity provides a well-known signature for deviance detection, the contribution of subcortical dopamine remains unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that phasic dopamine in the nucleus accumbens encodes the salience associated with the violation of an ongoing statistical regularity. Using fiber photometry in freely moving rats, we contrasted an auditory oddball paradigm with a many-standards control. Deviant stimuli elicited a significantly amplified dopamine response compared with standard stimuli. Crucially, this dopamine response enhancement was absent in the control condition, demonstrating that the nucleus accumbens dopamine responds specifically to rule violation rather than mere stimulus rarity. The long latency of this signal (~500 ms) relative to the cortical mismatch negativity argues against a direct role in the initial detection of deviance. Instead, our findings support a model in which subcortical dopamine acts as a distinct salience signal, operating in parallel with cortical deviance detection, to evaluate unexpected events and guide subsequent behavioral adjustments.
Sub-Anesthetic Ketamine Administration Decreases Deviance Detection Responses at the Cellular, Population- and Mesoscale Levels.
Carreño-Muñoz MI, Ciancone Chama A, Chehrazi P … +2 more , Chattopadhyaya B, Di Cristo G
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41919726 · Full text
In the neocortex, neuronal processing of sensory events is significantly influenced by their predictability. A common example is the suppression of responses to repetitive stimuli in sensory cortices, a phenomenon known...
In the neocortex, neuronal processing of sensory events is significantly influenced by their predictability. A common example is the suppression of responses to repetitive stimuli in sensory cortices, a phenomenon known as habituation. Within a sensory information stream, whenever a novel stimulus deviates from expectations, enhanced brain responses are observed. Mismatch negativity (MMN), the electroencephalographic waveform reflecting rule violations, is a well-established biomarker for auditory deviant detection. MMN has been shown to depend on intact NMDA receptor signaling across species; nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms at the neuronal and mesoscale levels are still not fully understood. Using multi-electrode array recordings in awake mice, we identified a specific biphasic spiking response in a subpopulation of primary auditory cortex (A1) neurons elicited by deviant, but not standard, sounds, wherein the second peak is abolished by acute sub-anesthetic injection of ketamine, a partial non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist. We further showed that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a critical hub for multisensory integration and sensorimotor coordination, responds to deviant, but not repetitive, sounds, and this response is dependent upon intact NMDA receptor-mediated signaling. Finally, to explore the effects of ketamine on inter-cortical communication following deviance detection, we performed weighted phase lag index (wPLI) analyses during the presentation of deviant and standard sounds. This analysis showed a functional connectivity between A1 and PPC following deviant detection, which is impaired by ketamine administration. Altogether, our findings provide novel insights into the NMDA receptor-dependent mechanisms underlying the processing of novelty in auditory stimuli.
Magnetoencephalography Source Connectivity Pipeline Reveals Long-Range Connectivity in Audio-Visual Integration.
Bornfleth H, Cho JH, Rusiniak M … +4 more , Kornwebel O, Xu W, Hämäläinen J, Spangler R
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41919528 · Full text
We present a pipeline for analysing source-level brain connectivity, applied to data from an MEG study investigating audio-visual integration. The study involved both auditory and visual stimuli (Chinese spoken syllables...
We present a pipeline for analysing source-level brain connectivity, applied to data from an MEG study investigating audio-visual integration. The study involved both auditory and visual stimuli (Chinese spoken syllables and written characters) presented simultaneously to native Chinese speakers and a control group unfamiliar with the language. To identify significant differences in brain connectivity between the groups, source-level connectivity was examined using cluster permutation statistical analysis. For an improved source model in the absence of individual anatomy, the coregistration of MEG data with a template brain was enhanced using the fitted locations of primary auditory and visual responses. Connectivity results indicate that long-range connectivity in the Delta frequency band plays a crucial role in audio-visual integration. Specifically, native speakers showed Delta band connectivity following pathways between prefrontal and occipital sources bilaterally, with a left-hemisphere bias, and interhemispheric connections. Key regions engaged in this connectivity included the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior superior temporal gyrus, Heschl's gyrus, middle temporal area, occipital cortex (bilaterally) and fusiform face area. Connectivity patterns in other frequency bands were similar across both groups, or differences did not reach statistical significance. Interaction effect analysis further revealed group differences in the processing of congruent versus incongruent stimuli, with the fusiform face area showing differential engagement, though these effects generally trended below significance across regions. Significance: The presented pipeline enabled a detailed analysis of source-level connectivity in audiovisual integration. Our findings provide source-localized evidence that audiovisual integration is hierarchically organized by neural oscillations and shaped by language expertise.
Should Mentoring Become a Core Academic Activity? Moving Towards an Academic Culture of Embedded Mentorship.
Yhnell E, Tse D
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41915545 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Astrocyte Proximity Protects Synapses From Human Amyloid-Beta Induced Degeneration in a Mouse Ex Vivo Model of Early Alzheimer's Disease.
Gobbo F, King D, Tulloch J … +9 more , Gobbo D, Bonthron C, Meftah S, Stoddart-Campbelton C, Tamura A, Rose J, Smith C, Durrant C, Spires-Jones TL
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41902755 · Full text
Synapse loss is the strongest pathological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is most pronounced around amyloid plaque pathology in the brain. Although mechanisms remain incompletely understoo...
Synapse loss is the strongest pathological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is most pronounced around amyloid plaque pathology in the brain. Although mechanisms remain incompletely understood, hyperactivity downstream of soluble amyloid beta (Aβ) is strongly implicated in synapse degeneration. Engulfment of synapses by reactive astrocytes was observed in end-stage disease tissue, particularly around plaques. Due to astrocytes' role in synaptic modulation, we hypothesised that astrocytes could modulate synapse degeneration downstream of soluble Aβ earlier in disease pathogenesis. To test this, we challenged organotypic mouse brain slices with human AD brain homogenates containing Aβ. Changes in synaptic activity were detected 2 h after Aβ challenge, and spine loss was seen after 24 h. We observe that Aβ-containing homogenate induces a significant loss of spines compared with controls. Aβ-containing homogenate also causes a significant increase in the frequency of synaptic calcium events, particularly in synapses lost at 24 h. Dendritic spines associated with astrocytic processes were significantly more likely to survive at 24 h after Aβ challenge and had reduced levels of externalised phosphatidyl serine despite no effect of astrocyte proximity on synaptic activity. Inhibiting astrocytic glutamate transporters prevented the protective effects of astrocytes on synapses, indicating that astrocytes are protective of synapses at least in part through removing excess glutamate from the synaptic microenvironment. Our findings suggest that an organotypic mouse brain slice model challenged with disease tissue homogenates effectively recapitulates key features of early AD, including synapse loss and hyperexcitability. Moreover, they indicate that astrocytes play a protective role in preserving synapses, particularly during short-term exposure to low concentrations of toxic Aβ. Future work is needed to elucidate the role of astrocyte-mediated synapse phagocytosis in response to chronic Aβ exposure.
The Neural and Perceptual Effects of Stevia During Retronasal Occlusion.
Ko HK, Shi J, Eidenberger T … +2 more , Shi W, McCabe C
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41902640 · Full text
We have recently shown that occluding retronasal pathways with a nose clip reduces both the subjective and neural responses to sucrose, suggesting the involvement of retronasal pathways in sucrose perception. However, ho...
We have recently shown that occluding retronasal pathways with a nose clip reduces both the subjective and neural responses to sucrose, suggesting the involvement of retronasal pathways in sucrose perception. However, how other sweet tastes such as stevia might also be affected by retronasal occlusion at the subjective and neural level is unknown. We examined the neural activity to stevia with a nose clip on (blocking retronasal pathways) and nose clip off, in a robust sample of healthy adults (N = 34, mean 25 years). Neural activity to stevia was reduced with the nose clip on in the olfactory cortex, hypothalamus, the subgenual and pregenual anterior cingulate and the nucleus accumbens. Stevia pleasantness was tracked by the posterior insula, but this was not apparent with the nose clip on. In conclusion, our findings are the first to demonstrate that blocking retronasal pathways significantly reduces neural responses to stevia taste, supporting the proposal that retronasal pathways play a role in the perception of tastes like stevia, and that stevia-sweetened products could be made more palatable via retronasal pathways.
Profiles of Women in Science: Rachael Dangarembizi, Associate Professor at the Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Joëls M
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41896033 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Rapid Mandarin Tone Learning in Passive and Active Listening: A Magnetoencephalography Study.
Jiang K, Li Q, Kurkela JLO … +4 more , Monto S, Hämäläinen JA, Li X, Astikainen P
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41896029 · Full text
Adults can learn to represent foreign phonetic features, but only a few studies have tracked the phonetic learning process using both behavioral and brain activity measurements over several days. This study examined how...
Adults can learn to represent foreign phonetic features, but only a few studies have tracked the phonetic learning process using both behavioral and brain activity measurements over several days. This study examined how 4 days of listening to changes in Mandarin tones on the vowel /a/ affect behavioral change detection and modulate magnetoencephalography (MEG) responses in native Finnish-speaking adults (n = 9). On each day, participants completed one 25-min passive listening session and one 45-min active listening training session during which they responded behaviorally to tone changes. We found that behavioral accuracy improved immediately after the first day, and reaction times were faster on Days 3 and 4 compared with Day 1. In terms of brain activity, the amplitude of the M200 component, corresponding to the N2b in electroencephalography, increased during active listening from Day 1 to Days 2 and 3. No significant changes were observed in active listening in the M350 amplitude, which corresponds to the P3b component. During passive listening, an increase in the amplitude of the M215 response, corresponding to mismatch negativity, was observed after Day 1 and remained stable thereafter. These findings suggest that a single listening session of foreign speech sounds can modulate adults' behavioral and neural responses to phonetic changes, but replication with a larger sample is needed to confirm these effects.
Wrist Vibration Increases Presynaptic Inhibition of the Soleus Muscle During Step Initiation in People With Freezing of Gait and Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study.
Silva-Batista C, Liu W, Coelho DB … +3 more , Quinn JF, Horak FB, Mancini M
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41895855 · Publisher ↗
Presynaptic inhibition (PSI) at the spinal cord level is crucial for coordinating postural preparation with step initiation. People with freezing of gait and Parkinson's disease (PD + FOG) show loss of PSI of the soleus...
Presynaptic inhibition (PSI) at the spinal cord level is crucial for coordinating postural preparation with step initiation. People with freezing of gait and Parkinson's disease (PD + FOG) show loss of PSI of the soleus muscle during step initiation that is associated with abnormal anticipatory postural adjustments (APA). Here, we hypothesize that increasing PSI of the soleus muscle during step initiation via wrist vibration in PD + FOG would decrease abnormally large APA. Fifteen PD + FOG performed self-initiated steps on a force platform without electrical stimulation and with test or conditioned Hoffman reflexes (H-reflex) to measure PSI of the soleus muscle under three conditions: OFF medication, OFF medication with vibration, and ON medication without vibration. Soleus H-reflexes were recorded during quiet stance (a control task) and when the amplitude of the APA under the same leg exceeded 10%-20% of the mean baseline mediolateral displacement. Vibration consisted of 200-300 Hz applied to the wrist when the ipsilateral leg during APA (same leg where H-reflexes were evoked) was on the ground. PD + FOG showed decreased PSI during APA in OFF and ON medication, but PSI was increased during vibration (p < 0.05). Increased PSI was associated with smaller APA during vibration (p < 0.05). Smaller APAs were associated with lower subjective freezing of gait severity (p < 0.05). These preliminary results show that wrist vibration decreases abnormal APA during step initiation by increasing ipsilateral PSI levels of the soleus muscle. Because PSI is modulated by cortical and brainstem areas related to FOG and APA, proprioceptive drive during vibration may reorganize these brain circuits.
Characterization of Social and Repetitive Behaviors of Mllt11/Af1q/TcF7c Conditional Knockout Mice.
Witt EA, Stanton-Turcotte D, Garay P … +2 more , Ge J, Iulianella A
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41891759 · Full text
Mllt11 (myeloid/lymphoid or mixed-lineage leukemia translocated to chromosome 11; also known as Af1q/TcF7c) has been identified as a novel regulator of neural development, playing a role in the migration and outgrowth of...
Mllt11 (myeloid/lymphoid or mixed-lineage leukemia translocated to chromosome 11; also known as Af1q/TcF7c) has been identified as a novel regulator of neural development, playing a role in the migration and outgrowth of cortical projection neurons. We previously reported that the conditional inactivation of the Mllt11 gene in the mouse superficial cortex resulted in reduced connectivity of the corpus callosum and white matter fiber tracts, resulting in reduced cortical thickness. However, the behavioral consequences of Mllt11 loss are unknown. Callosal abnormalities are thought to be present in 3%-5% of all neurodevelopmental disorders and reduced corpus callosum volume correlates with core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in humans. Cortical thickness dysregulation is likewise shared among various neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD. We therefore investigated the behavioral consequences of conditional knockout of Mllt11 using transgenic Cux2 mice. Utilizing tasks designed to reflect core ASD symptoms, we examined the behaviors of both male and female conditional knockout animals. These tests included olfaction habituation/dishabituation, three-chambered social approach, marble burying, and nestlet shredding. We found sex-dependent disruptions in social preference and nestlet shredding in animals lacking Mllt11, with the female mice presenting with more disruptions than the males. Understanding the behavioral phenotype associated with genes of interest, specifically in the context of sex differences, is crucial to individualized treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Integrating Eye Tracking and Inertial Sensing for Enhanced Freezing of Gait Detection in Parkinson's Disease.
Pulliam CL, Chen J, Liao JY
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Apr · PMID 41891752 · Full text
Freezing of gait (FOG), a disabling symptom in Parkinson's disease, presents a major challenge for wearable classification algorithms that struggle to distinguish freezes from voluntary stops. To address this ambiguity,...
Freezing of gait (FOG), a disabling symptom in Parkinson's disease, presents a major challenge for wearable classification algorithms that struggle to distinguish freezes from voluntary stops. To address this ambiguity, we evaluated whether incorporating eye-gaze kinematics could improve classification accuracy compared to using ankle-mounted inertial measurement units (IMUs) alone. We analyzed data from 10 participants performing standardized walking tasks and compared two deep learning classifiers differing only in their inputs: an IMU-only model (bilateral ankle accelerometer and gyroscope) and an IMU + Gaze model that improved macro-averaged F1 from 0.657 (95% bootstrap CI: 0.461-0.756) to 0.757 (0.591-0.832; Δ = 0.099, bootstrap p = 0.016). Class level improvements were largest for standing (F1: 0.600 vs. 0.356; Δ = 0.244, p = 0.019, Holm-corrected p = 0.056), driven by recall increasing from 36.4% to 81.8%, and standing windows misclassified as freezing reduced from 59.1% (13/22) to 13.6% (3/22). These findings show that gaze kinematics complement ankle kinematics for disambiguating voluntary stopping from FOG and potentially strengthen automated monitoring, clinician-facing assessment, and patient-facing assistive technologies.
Correction to 'Role of Odour Perception in Health and Disease'.
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 · PMID 41873886 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
The Role of (Missing) Fundamentals, Active Listening, and Musical Expertise in Cortical and Subcortical Correlates of Consonance/Dissonance.
Andermann M, Reineke AL, Riedel H … +1 more , Rupp A
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41873637 · Publisher ↗
Consonance/dissonance (C/D) is an important feature in music; it mainly arises from the relation of fundamental frequencies (f) within chords or dyads. The current magnetoencephalography study investigated early cortical...
Consonance/dissonance (C/D) is an important feature in music; it mainly arises from the relation of fundamental frequencies (f) within chords or dyads. The current magnetoencephalography study investigated early cortical and subcortical C/D correlates and their robustness against (1) the physical presence of f and listener's propensity for f-based pitch processing, (2) active vs. passive listening, and (3) the listener's musical expertise. A sample of N = 39 normal-hearing adults underwent psychometric testing for individual pitch perception preference and musical aptitude. They also listened to consonant and dissonant dyads with and without physically present f while their cortical auditory evoked fields and brainstem-level frequency-following responses (FFRs) were simultaneously recorded, in a paradigm comprising both active- and passive-listening conditions. Consonant dyads elicited earlier transient cortical activity than dissonant dyads and stronger FFRs to the f of the high dyad component. Moreover, the C/D-related transient responses evolved comparably for dyads with vs. without f and were unchanged by active listening, musical aptitude, or individual pitch perception preference. Active listening, in turn, went with larger amplitudes in the continuous subcortical and cortical activity, reflecting top-down attentional gain. Listeners with more f-based pitch perception showed worse behavioral performance in dyads with missing f. Both active listening and the processing of missing f information were unrelated to the listener's musical aptitude. Together, our results show how active listening and missing f processing are reflected in psychophysiological responses; however, early neural C/D correlates appear largely robust against these variables.
Asymmetric Cholinergic Basal Forebrain Atrophy Marks Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease.
Craig CE, Kanel P, Ray NJ … +1 more , Bohnen NI
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41866810 · Full text
Freezing of gait (FoG) and falls are among the most disabling symptoms in late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). While right-lateralised thalamic cholinergic denervation has been linked to FoG and gait impairment, it is un...
Freezing of gait (FoG) and falls are among the most disabling symptoms in late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). While right-lateralised thalamic cholinergic denervation has been linked to FoG and gait impairment, it is unclear whether similar asymmetry exists within the cortically-projecting cholinergic basal forebrain (cBF), particularly the nucleus basalis of Meynert (Ch4). In this cross-sectional study, we assessed structural MRI in 136 nondemented people with PD, stratified into three groups: FoG (n = 18), fallers without FoG (n = 31) and nonfallers without FoG (n = 87). Subregional cBF volumes were quantified using volumetry, normalised by total intracranial volume and compared across groups. Mixed ANOVAs revealed significantly reduced Ch4 and Ch4p volumes in the FoG group compared to both other groups, with right-lateralised Ch4p atrophy observed specifically in FoG. After adjusting for disease severity, sex, levodopa equivalent dose (LEDD), and most affected side, the FoG group continued to show significantly reduced volumes in only the right Ch4p. A mediation model indicated that global cognitive performance (MoCA) did not significantly mediate the association between Ch4p volume and FoG status, suggesting that Ch4p degeneration may contribute to FoG through mechanisms not captured by global cognition alone. Overall, the findings support a right-hemisphere cholinergic vulnerability in FoG, implicating Ch4p degeneration in networks relevant to both gait regulation and attentional-visuospatial function. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether this lateralised structural vulnerability predicts progression to FoG or cognitive decline in PD.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe