rudyvdbrink/CitationDatabase huggingface dataset:
Social Control of Hypothalamus-Mediated Male Aggression.
Neuron, 2017

How environmental and physiological signals interact to influence neural circuits underlying developmentally programmed social interactions such as male territorial aggression is poorly understood. We have tested the influence of sensory cues, social context, and sex hormones on progesterone receptor (PR)-expressing neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) that are critical for male territorial aggression. We find that these neurons can drive aggressive displays in solitary males independent of pheromonal input, gonadal hormones, opponents, or social context. By contrast, these neurons cannot elicit aggression in socially housed males that intrude in another male's territory unless their pheromone-sensing is disabled. This modulation of aggression cannot be accounted for by linear integration of environmental and physiological signals. Together, our studies suggest that fundamentally non-linear computations enable social context to exert a dominant influence on developmentally hard-wired hypothalamus-mediated male territorial aggression.
Spinal microglia are required for long-term maintenance of neuropathic pain.
Pain, 2017

While spinal microglia play a role in early stages of neuropathic pain etiology, whether they are useful targets to reverse chronic pain at late stages remains unknown. Here, we show that microglia activation in the spinal cord persists for >3 months following nerve injury in rodents, beyond involvement of proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine signalling. In this chronic phase, selective depletion of spinal microglia in male rats with the targeted immunotoxin Mac1-saporin and blockade of brain-derived neurotrophic factor-TrkB signalling with intrathecal TrkB Fc chimera, but not cytokine inhibition, almost completely reversed pain hypersensitivity. By contrast, local spinal administration of Mac1-saporin did not affect nociceptive withdrawal threshold in control animals nor did it affect the strength of afferent-evoked synaptic activity in the spinal dorsal horn in normal conditions. These findings show that the long-term, chronic phase of nerve injury-induced pain hypersensitivity is maintained by microglia-neuron interactions. The findings also effectively separate the central signalling pathways underlying the maintenance phase of the pathology from the early and peripheral inflammatory reactions to injury, pointing to different targets for the treatment of acute vs chronic injury-induced pain.
Survey of encoding and decoding of visual stimulus via FMRI: an image analysis perspective.
Brain imaging and behavior, 2014

A variety of exciting scientific achievements have been made in the last few decades in brain encoding and decoding via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This trend continues to rise in recent years, as evidenced by the increasing number of published papers in this topic and several published survey papers addressing different aspects of research issues. Essentially, these survey articles were mainly from cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging perspectives, although computational challenges were briefly discussed. To complement existing survey articles, this paper focuses on the survey of the variety of image analysis methodologies, such as neuroimage registration, fMRI signal analysis, ROI (regions of interest) selection, machine learning algorithms, reproducibility analysis, structural and functional connectivity, and natural image analysis, which were employed in previous brain encoding/decoding research works. This paper also provides discussions of potential limitations of those image analysis methodologies and possible future improvements. It is hoped that extensive discussions of image analysis issues could contribute to the advancements of the increasingly important brain encoding/decoding field.
Imaging studies of recovery from unilateral neglect.
Experimental brain research, 2010

The paper reviews the contribution of functional neuroimaging investigations (using single photon emission tomography, positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance) to the study of the neural mechanisms of recovery in patients with unilateral spatial neglect due to stroke. In addition, it highlights the important contribution of Luigi Pizzamiglio's experimental work in establishing a theoretical framework for the interpretation of imaging findings. The main tenet of this conception is that the brain reorganisation associated to recovery results from the engagement of both ipsilesional and contralesional brain areas, which in normal subjects are associated to task-relevant processes, such as oculomotor behaviour and visuo-spatial attentional shifts.
Prevalence of Insulin Pump Therapy and Its Association with Measures of Glycemic Control: Results from the Canadian Study of Longevity in Type 1 Diabetes.
Diabetes technology & therapeutics, 2016

We aimed to determine cross-sectional insulin pump prevalence and factors associated with measures of glycemic control as a secondary analysis in a long-standing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) national cohort.
A cell type-specific cortico-subcortical brain circuit for investigatory and novelty-seeking behavior.
Science (New York, N.Y.), 2021

Exploring the physical and social environment is essential for understanding the surrounding world. We do not know how novelty-seeking motivation initiates the complex sequence of actions that make up investigatory behavior. We found in mice that inhibitory neurons in the medial zona incerta (ZIm), a subthalamic brain region, are essential for the decision to investigate an object or a conspecific. These neurons receive excitatory input from the prelimbic cortex to signal the initiation of exploration. This signal is modulated in the ZIm by the level of investigatory motivation. Increased activity in the ZIm instigates deep investigative action by inhibiting the periaqueductal gray region. A subpopulation of inhibitory ZIm neurons expressing tachykinin 1 (TAC1) modulates the investigatory behavior.
Alternative treatment of intracranial hypotension presenting as postdural puncture headaches using epidural fibrin glue patches: two case reports.
The International journal of neuroscience, 2014

Intracranial hypotension is a neurologic syndrome characterized by orthostatic headaches and, radiographically, by dural thickening and enhancement as well as subdural collections. Several of etiologies exist, including surgical dural violations, lumbar puncture, or spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak. Current management includes conservative management consisting of bed rest, caffeine, and hydration. When conservative management fails, open surgical or percutaneous options are considered. Currently, the gold standard in percutaneous management of intracranial hypotension involves the epidural injection of autologous blood. Recently, some therapies for intracranial hypotension have employed the use of epidural fibrin glue.
Changes in the expression of worries, anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder with increasing age: A population study of 70 to 85-year-olds.
International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2019

The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is supposed to decrease with age. Reasons suggested include that emotional control increases and that anxiety and worry are expressed differently in older adults. The aim of this study was to examine how the expression of anxiety and worry changes with age and how this influences diagnoses in current classification systems.
3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone prevents while methylone enhances methamphetamine-induced damage to dopamine nerve endings: β-ketoamphetamine modulation of neurotoxicity by the dopamine transporter.
Journal of neurochemistry, 2015

Methylone, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and mephedrone are psychoactive ingredients of 'bath salts' and their abuse represents a growing public health care concern. These drugs are cathinone derivatives and are classified chemically as β-ketoamphetamines. Because of their close structural similarity to the amphetamines, methylone, MDPV, and mephedrone share most of their pharmacological, neurochemical, and behavioral properties. One point of divergence in their actions is the ability to cause damage to the CNS. Unlike methamphetamine, the β-ketoamphetamines do not damage dopamine (DA) nerve endings. However, mephedrone has been shown to significantly accentuate methamphetamine neurotoxicity. Bath salt formulations contain numerous different psychoactive ingredients, and individuals who abuse bath salts also coabuse other illicit drugs. Therefore, we have evaluated the effects of methylone, MDPV, mephedrone, and methamphetamine on DA nerve endings. The β-ketoamphetamines alone or in all possible two-drug combinations do not result in damage to DA nerve endings but do cause hyperthermia. MDPV completely protects against the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine while methylone accentuates it. Neither MDPV nor methylone attenuates the hyperthermic effects of methamphetamine. The potent neuroprotective effects of MDPV extend to amphetamine-, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-, and MPTP-induced neurotoxicity. These results indicate that β-ketoamphetamine drugs that are non-substrate blockers of the DA transporter (i.e., MDPV) protect against methamphetamine neurotoxicity, whereas those that are substrates for uptake by the DA transporter and which cause DA release (i.e., methylone, mephedrone) accentuate neurotoxicity. METH (a) enters DA nerve endings via the DAT, causes leakage of DA into the cytoplasm and then into the synapse via DAT-mediated reverse transport. Methylone (METHY) and mephedrone (MEPH; b), like METH, are substrates for the DAT but release DA from cytoplasmic pools selectively. When METH is combined with METHY or MEPH (c), DA efflux and neurotoxicity are enhanced. MDPV (d), which is a non-substrate blocker of the DAT, prevents METH uptake and efflux of DA. Therefore, bath salts that are substrates for the DAT and release DA (METHY, MEPH) accentuate METH neurotoxicity, whereas those that are non-substrate blockers of the DAT (MDPV) are neuroprotective.
Scaling-up services for psychosis, depression and epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: development and application of a mental health systems planning tool (OneHealth).
Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences, 2017

Although financing represents a critical component of health system strengthening and also a defining concern of efforts to move towards universal health coverage, many countries lack the tools and capacity to plan effectively for service scale-up. As part of a multi-country collaborative study (the Emerald project), we set out to develop, test and apply a fully integrated health systems resource planning and health impact tool for mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders.
Down-regulation of ATF1 leads to early neuroectoderm differentiation of human embryonic stem cells by increasing the expression level of SOX2.
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2019

We reveal by high-throughput screening that activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) is a novel pluripotent regulator in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The knockdown of ATF1 expression significantly up-regulated neuroectoderm (NE) genes but not mesoderm, endoderm, and trophectoderm genes. Of note, down-regulation or knockout of ATF1 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA), small interfering RNA (siRNA), or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) was sufficient to up-regulate sex-determining region Y-box (SOX)2 and paired box 6 (PAX6) expression under the undifferentiated or differentiated conditions, whereas overexpression of ATF1 suppressed NE differentiation. Endogenous ATF1 was spontaneously down-regulated after d 1-3 of neural induction. By double-knockdown experiments, up-regulation of SOX2 was critical for the increase of PAX6 and SOX1 expression in shRNA targeting
Standardization of the Computerized Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI) in an urban setting, in Kenya: a study protocol.
BMC research notes, 2019

In sub Saharan Africa one of the key challenges in assessment using neuropsychological tools has been the lack of adequately validated and easily implementable measures. This study will translate into English, adapt and standardize the Computerized Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI). The BENCI battery will be adapted using back-translation design, comprehensive cultural adaptation and standardized in a case-control study involving two groups of children: HIV infected and HIV unexposed, uninfected children. The content adaptation will be iteratively carried out using knowledge of English and feedback from pilot testing with children. The proposed study will first involve the cultural adaptation of the BENCI. It will then recruit 544 children aged 8-11 years with half of them being HIV+, while the other half will be HIV unexposed-uninfected. Test-retest reliability will be analyzed using Pearson's correlation while ANOVA and correlational analyses will be used to calculate discriminant, convergent and construct validity.
Frontal defect contribution to decreasing of body mass index in Parkinson's disease patients.
Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia, 2020

Weight loss is common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been reported that low Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with disease progression in these patients, but only a few data are available on the relationship between BMI and cognitive dysfunctions in PD patients. In the present study we systematically assessed the possible relationship between BMI index and specific cognitive defects.
Opioid modulation of ventral pallidal afferents to ventral tegmental area neurons.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2013

Activation of mu opioid receptors within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) can produce reward through the inhibition of GABAergic inputs. GABAergic neurons in the ventral pallidum (VP) provide a major input to VTA neurons. To determine the specific VTA neuronal targets of VP afferents and their sensitivity to mu opioid receptor agonists, we virally expressed channel rhodopsin (ChR2) in rat VP neurons and optogenetically activated their terminals in the VTA. Light activation of VP neuron terminals elicited GABAergic IPSCs in both dopamine (DA) and non-DA VTA neurons, and these IPSCs were inhibited by the mu opioid receptor agonist DAMGO. In addition, using a fluorescent retrograde marker to identify VTA-projecting VP neurons, we found them to be hyperpolarized by DAMGO. Both of these actions decrease GABAergic input onto VTA neurons, revealing two mechanisms by which endogenous or exogenous opioids can activate VTA neurons, including DA neurons.
Inhibition of autophagy triggers melatonin-induced apoptosis in glioblastoma cells.
BMC neuroscience, 2019

Autophagy is considered to be another restorative focus for the treatment of brain tumors. Although several research have demonstrated that melatonin induces autophagy in colon cancer and hepatoma cells, there has not been any direct evidence of whether melatonin is capable of inducing autophagy in human glioma cells.
Systemic administration of ghrelin increases extracellular dopamine in the shell but not the core subdivision of the nucleus accumbens.
Neurochemistry international, 2009

The gut-hormone ghrelin endogenously binds to the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R) to promote foraging and feeding behaviours mainly via the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). GHS-Rs are also expressed in midbrain dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) suggesting that ghrelin may modulate the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system. In support of this hypothesis, previous results have shown that intraventricular administration of ghrelin in rats increases DA levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In the present study, the systemic doses of ghrelin capable of triggering central activation were first determined, and growth hormone (GH) levels were used as a marker of ghrelin-induced activation. Similar dose regimen was then used to measure ghrelin-induced effects on extracellular levels of monoamines in the shell and core subdivisions of the NAc using microdialysis in freely moving rats. We show that subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of ghrelin produced an increase in basal plasmatic ghrelin concentrations that was paralleled by enhanced GH secretion. In addition, a significant increase in extracellular levels of DA was observed specifically in the NAc shell, with no effect in the core subdivision. Extracellular serotonin (5-HT) levels were also affected in the shell subregion, but without reaching statistical significance. Increased extracellular DA levels in the NAc shell have been typically associated with the acute reinforcing effects of addictive drugs. The present findings therefore suggest that systemic ghrelin may modulate the valence of reinforcers such as food and drugs of abuse by interfering with mesolimbic DA activity.
Office hysteroscopy in the management of women with postmenopausal bleeding.
Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society, 2020

Postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) is a relevant aspect for health-care providers in clinical practice: the first objective is to rule out potential gynecological cancer. The purpose of this narrative review is to evaluate the role of office hysteroscopy in the management of PMB. Office hysteroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure allowing direct visualization of uterine pathology without the need for general anesthesia and the use of an operating room, generating cost savings and greater compliance among patients. Here, we focus on major intrauterine diseases (polyps, submucosal myomas, endometrial hyperplasia, and cancer) as causes of PMB. Office hysteroscopy appears to be safe and feasible, and could allow accurate diagnosis of intrauterine pathologies, especially that with a focal growth pattern, otherwise misdiagnosed with blinded procedures. However, studies focusing exclusively on postmenopausal women are still few, so further research, especially randomized controlled trials, is needed.
Physical work environment factors affecting risk for disability pension due to mental or musculoskeletal diagnoses among nursing professionals, care assistants and other occupations: a prospective, population-based cohort study.
BMJ open, 2019

To study the influence of physical work factors on the risks of future disability pension (DP) due to mental or musculoskeletal diagnoses among nursing professionals, care assistants and all other occupations in the general working population in Sweden.
Associations of 4AT with mobility, length of stay and mortality in hospital and discharge destination among patients admitted with hip fractures.
Age and ageing, 2020

the 4AT (Alertness, Abbreviated Mental Test-4, Attention and Acute change or fluctuating course), a tool to screen cognitive impairment and delirium, has recently been recommended by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. We examined its ability to predict health outcomes among patients admitted with hip fractures to a single hospital between January 2018 and June 2019.
Genetic and environmental influences on writing and their relations to language and reading.
Annals of dyslexia, 2013

Identical and fraternal twins (N=540, age 8 to 18 years) were tested on three different measures of writing (Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement-Writing Samples and Writing Fluency; Handwriting Copy from the Group Diagnostic Reading and Aptitude Achievement Tests), three different language skills (phonological awareness, rapid naming, and vocabulary), and three different reading skills (word recognition, spelling, and reading comprehension). Substantial genetic influence was found on two of the writing measures, writing samples and handwriting copy, and all of the language and reading measures. Shared environment influences were generally not significant, except for Vocabulary. Non-shared environment estimates, including measurement error, were significant for all variables. Genetic influences among the writing measures were significantly correlated (highest between the speeded measures writing fluency and handwriting copy), but there were also significant independent genetic influences between copy and samples and between fluency and samples. Genetic influences on writing were significantly correlated with genetic influences on all of the language and reading skills, but significant independent genetic influences were also found for copy and samples, whose genetic correlations were significantly less than 1.0 with the reading and language skills. The genetic correlations varied significantly in strength depending on the overlap between the writing, language, and reading task demands. We discuss implications of our results for education, limitations of the study, and new directions for research on writing and its relations to language and reading.
Effects of two different specific neck exercise interventions on palmitoylethanolamide and stearoylethanolamide concentrations in the interstitium of the trapezius muscle in women with chronic neck shoulder pain.
Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 2014

Chronic neck/shoulder pain (CNSP) is one of the most common pain conditions. The understanding of mechanisms, including the peripheral balance between nociceptive and antinociceptive processes, is incomplete. N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are a class of endogenous compounds that regulate inflammation and pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of two NAEs: the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor type-α ligand palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and stearoylethanolamide (SEA) in the muscle interstitium of the trapezius muscle in women with CNSP randomized to two different neck specific training programs and in a healthy pain-free control group (CON).
Blockade of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans-induced axonal growth inhibition by LOTUS.
Neuroscience, 2017

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are axon growth inhibitors in the glial scar, and restrict axon regeneration following damage to the adult mammalian central nervous system. CSPGs have recently been identified as functional ligands for Nogo receptor-1 (NgR1), which is the common receptor for Nogo proteins, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) and B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS). We have previously reported that through its binding to NgR1, lateral olfactory tract usher substance (LOTUS) suppresses Nogo, MAG, OMgp, and BLyS-induced axon growth inhibition. However, it remains unknown whether LOTUS also exerts this suppressive action on CSPG-induced axon growth inhibition. LOTUS overexpression rescued CSPG-induced growth cone collapse and neurite outgrowth inhibition in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons, which only weakly express endogenous LOTUS. In cultured olfactory bulb neurons, which endogenously express LOTUS, the growth cone was insensitive to CSPG-induced collapse, but was sensitive to collapse induced by CSPGs in lotus-deficient mice. Our data demonstrate that LOTUS suppresses CSPG-induced axon growth inhibition, suggesting that LOTUS may represent a promising therapeutic agent for promoting axon regeneration.