Frontiers in neuroscience
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Frontiers in neuroscience · Jan 2019
Attenuation of Pain Perception Induced by the Rubber Hand Illusion.
Adaptive behavior usually requires accurate representations of body positions and ownership, which rely on integration of multiple sources of sensory information. The rubber hand illusion (RHI) presents a compelling example demonstrating that the combination of visual and tactile signals strongly influences the subjective experience of body ownership. However, it still remains unclear how the perception of body ownership in turn alters other aspects of sensory processing, such as pain perception. ⋯ Results showed that pain ratings were significantly lower under the synchronous condition than those under the other two conditions, suggesting the RHI could induce a significant analgesic effect. Furthermore, the correlation analysis showed that the degree of the analgesic effect was positively correlated with the RHI strength across individuals. Taken together, these results suggest an analgesic effect of the RHI and support the potential usage of visual illusions in future translational research on pain.
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Frontiers in neuroscience · Jan 2019
Intranasal Administration of Insulin Reduces Chronic Behavioral Abnormality and Neuronal Apoptosis Induced by General Anesthesia in Neonatal Mice.
Children, after multiple exposures to general anesthesia, appear to be at an increased risk of developing learning disabilities. Almost all general anesthetics-including sevoflurane, which is commonly used for children-are potentially neurotoxic to the developing brain. Anesthesia exposure during development might also be associated with behavioral deficiencies later in life. ⋯ Biochemical and immunohistochemical studies indicate that anesthesia induced a decrease in brain levels of postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95), a postsynaptic marker, and marked activation of neuronal apoptosis in neonatal mice. Importantly, insulin administered through intranasal delivery prior to anesthesia was found to prevent the anesthesia-induced long-term behavioral abnormalities, reduction of PSD95, and activation of neuronal apoptosis. These findings suggest that intranasal insulin administration could be an effective approach to prevent the increased risk of neurotoxicity and chronic damage caused by anesthesia in the developing brain.
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Frontiers in neuroscience · Jan 2019
MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound Versus Radiofrequency Capsulotomy for Treatment-Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Cost-Effectiveness Threshold Analysis.
Meta-analytic techniques support neuroablation as a promising therapy for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This technique appears to offer a more favorable complication rate and higher utility than deep brain stimulation. Moreover, these pooled findings suggest that bilateral radiofrequency (RF) capsulotomy has marginally greater efficacy than stereotactic radiosurgery or cingulotomy. ⋯ Rollback analysis of RF capsulotomy yielded an expected effectiveness of 0.212 quality-adjusted life years/year at an average cost of $24,099. Compared to RF capsulotomy, MRgFUS was more cost-effective under a range of possible cost and complication rates. While further study will be required, MRgFUS lacks many of the inherent risks associated with more invasive modalities and has potential as a safe and cost-effective treatment for OCD.
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Frontiers in neuroscience · Jan 2019
Cognitive Training and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Pilot Trial.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive stimulation, represents a potential intervention to enhance cognition across clinical populations including Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This randomized clinical trial in MCI investigated the effects of anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) delivered to left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) combined with gist-reasoning training (SMART) versus sham tDCS (s-tDCS) plus SMART on measures of cognitive and neural changes in resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF). We were also interested in SMART effects on cognitive performance regardless of the tDCS group. ⋯ One intriguing finding is a-tDCS to left IFG plus SMART increased blood flow to right MFC, however, the stimulation seemingly blocked cognitive benefits of SMART on EF (inhibition and innovation) and episodic memory compared to s-tDCS + SMART group. Although the sample size is small, this paper contributes to growing evidence that cognitive training provides a way to significantly enhance cognitive performance in adults showing memory loss, where the role of a-tDCS in augmenting these effects need further study.
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Frontiers in neuroscience · Jan 2019
Randomized Controlled Trial of Physical Exercise in Diabetic Veterans With Length-Dependent Distal Symmetric Polyneuropathy.
Rationale: Physical exercise is an essential adjunct to the management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therapeutic interventions that improve blood flow to peripheral nerves, such as exercise, may slow the progression of neuropathy in the diabetic patient. Aims: This randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine whether a structured program of aerobic, isokinetic strength, or the combination of aerobic-isokinetic strength exercise intervention alters peripheral nerve function in glycemic-controlled diabetic patients with advanced length-dependent distal symmetric polyneuropathy. ⋯ Large-scale exercise lifestyle intervention trials are warranted to further evaluate the impact of aerobic exercise on sensory nerve fiber function in diabetic neuropathic patients. Clinical Trial Registration: www. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT00955201.