Hasil untuk "Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry"

Shimelis Tilahun, Bezaye Alemu, Yonas Tesfaye

Abstract Background Body dysmorphic disorder is a common mental disorder among dermatology patients and causes significant psychological distress. However, its screening is usually missed in clinical settings. Moreover, limited studies have been conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to assess the magnitude and associated factors of body dysmorphic symptoms among dermatology patients in an Ethiopian setting. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude and associated factors of body dysmorphic disorder among dermatology patients during follow-up. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 404 study participants from September 1 to 30, 2023. Systematic random sampling was utilized to recruit participants. The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ), a screening tool based on DSM-IV criteria, was used to assess body dysmorphic disorders. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to evaluate the strength of associations. A P-value less than 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results A total of 399 patients participated in the study, for a response rate of 98.8%. The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder was 70(17.5%) with a 95% CI: (13.8, 21.30). Female sex (AOR = 2.81, 95% (CI = 1.30–6.08), low family income (AOR = 2.26, 95% (1.09–4.69), sexual abuse (AOR = 3.65, 95% (CI = 1.45–9.15), physical abuse (AOR = 2.85, 95% (CI = 1.10–7.39), low self-esteem (AOR = 3.31, 95% (CI = 1.14–9.61), depression (AOR = 2.64; 95% (CI = 1.26–5.53), anxiety (AOR = 2.23, 95% (CI = 1.07–4.63), stress (AOR = 2.76, 95% (CI = 1.34–5.684) and perceived stigma (AOR = 2.46, 95% (CI = 1.20–5.02) were factors associated with body dysmorphic disorder. Conclusion The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder among dermatology patients was high and positively associated with symptoms such as depression, anxiety, stress, sexual and physical abuse, low self-esteem, and perceived stigma. Therefore, skin health care providers are recommended to screen the patients for body dysmorphic disorder among dermatology patients and facilitate referral to mental health care.

Laura Navarro, Laura Navarro, Laura Navarro et al.

Brain damage (BD) caused by stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or neurodegenerative conditions often results in persistent cognitive, motor, and emotional impairments. Music-based interventions (MI) have been explored as adjunctive rehabilitation strategies; however, the evidence remains fragmented. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize available research on the effects of MI on functional recovery following BD, due to acquired brain injury (ABI), including both TBI and non-TBI. From a total of 868 publications screened in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov, 90 were included, of which 41 met the criteria for quantitative evaluation and meta-analysis, to assess the state-of-the-art of research on music and BD in the fields of neuropsychology and cognitive sciences. The reviewed studies span a range of methodologies, including randomized controlled trials and qualitative research, and incorporate diverse MI strategies, such as active music-making, structured listening, and improvisational techniques. The findings indicate that music supports recovery across motor, cognitive, and, albeit to a lesser extent, communicative and psychosocial domains. The findings suggest beneficial effects of MI, particularly in gait function (z = 3.46, P < 0.01), upper extremity function (z = 6.11, P < 0.01; UEF), communication (z = 3.21, P < 0.01), cognitive rehabilitation (z = 3.29, P < 0.01), and emotional, behavioral, and social outcomes (z = 2.35, P = 0.02); notably, these effects were often supported by consistent statistical significance across multiple subgroup analyses (e.g., gait, UEF). This study highlights the therapeutic potential of music in neurorehabilitation and supports its integration into multidisciplinary treatment programs. Despite these promising findings, methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, and short intervention durations limit the generalizability of results. The evidence suggests that music may modulate key neurobiological pathways in BD, supporting its integration into evidence-based neurorehabilitation programs.

Abdul Majid, Farhana Rafiq, Tufail Shafi et al.

Rasmus Møller-Larsen, Adam Izdebski, Jan Olszewski et al.

Recent advances in computational methods for designing biological sequences have sparked the development of metrics to evaluate these methods performance in terms of the fidelity of the designed sequences to a target distribution and their attainment of desired properties. However, a single software library implementing these metrics was lacking. In this work we introduce seqme, a modular and highly extendable open-source Python library, containing model-agnostic metrics for evaluating computational methods for biological sequence design. seqme considers three groups of metrics: sequence-based, embedding-based, and property-based, and is applicable to a wide range of biological sequences: small molecules, DNA, ncRNA, mRNA, peptides and proteins. The library offers a number of embedding and property models for biological sequences, as well as diagnostics and visualization functions to inspect the results. seqme can be used to evaluate both one-shot and iterative computational design methods.

Erpai Luo, Jinmeng Jia, Yifan Xiong et al.

Recent advances in large language models have enabled the emergence of AI scientists that aim to autonomously analyze biological data and assist scientific discovery. Despite rapid progress, it remains unclear to what extent these systems can extract meaningful biological insights from real experimental data. Existing benchmarks either evaluate reasoning in the absence of data or focus on predefined analytical outputs, failing to reflect realistic, data-driven biological research. Here, we introduce BAISBench (Biological AI Scientist Benchmark), a benchmark for evaluating AI scientists on real single-cell transcriptomic datasets. BAISBench comprises two tasks: cell type annotation across 15 expert-labeled datasets, and scientific discovery through 193 multiple-choice questions derived from biological conclusions reported in 41 published single-cell studies. We evaluated several representative AI scientists using BAISBench and, to provide a human performance baseline, invited six graduate-level bioinformaticians to collectively complete the same tasks. The results show that while current AI scientists fall short of fully autonomous biological discovery, they already demonstrate substantial potential in supporting data-driven biological research. These results position BAISBench as a practical benchmark for characterizing the current capabilities and limitations of AI scientists in biological research. We expect BAISBench to serve as a practical evaluation framework for guiding the development of more capable AI scientists and for helping biologists identify AI systems that can effectively support real-world research workflows. The BAISBench can be found at: https://github.com/EperLuo/BAISBench, https://huggingface.co/datasets/EperLuo/BaisBench.

Sujin Jeon, Heejae Park, Hyo Sung Kwak et al.

Purpose Vessel wall imaging (VWI) for carotid plaque is better for detecting unstable carotid plaque such as intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), and thin/ruptured fibrous cap. However, the role of VWI before carotid artery stenting (CAS) is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the findings of symptomatic carotid stenosis before CAS on angiography and carotid VWI and to evaluate the imaging findings associated with post-procedural clinical events after CAS. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 173 consecutive patients who underwent carotid VWI, CAS, and post-procedural diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) after CAS. Findings of unstable plaque on carotid VWI and unstable findings on angiography were analyzed. We also analyzed the incidence of post-procedural clinical events, any stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and death within 30 days of CAS. Results Of 173 patients, 101 (58.4%) had initial ischemic symptoms and positive findings on DWI. Symptomatic patients were significantly higher in patients with IPH than in patients without IPH (62.4% vs. 45.8%, P=0.031). Degree of stenosis, thrombus of the stenotic lesion, flow delay of internal carotid artery, and flow arrest by filter thrombus had significantly higher prevalence in the symptomatic group. Twenty patients (11.6%) had post-procedural clinical events such as any stroke, clinical symptoms, and/or MI. Hyperlipidemia and intraluminal thrombus on angiography were identified as significant factors influencing post-procedural events after CAS. Conclusion An intraluminal thrombus on angiography was identified as a significant factor influencing post-procedural clinical events after CAS.

Samuel Gibbon, Audrey Low, Charlene Hamid et al.

Abstract INTRODUCTION We tested associations between two retinal measures (optic disc pallor, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer [pRNFL] thickness) and four magnetic resonance imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD; lacunes, microbleeds, white matter hyperintensities, and enlarged perivascular spaces [ePVSs]). METHODS We used PallorMetrics to quantify optic disc pallor from fundus photographs, and pRNFL thickness from optical coherence tomography scans. Linear and logistic regression assessed relationships between retinal measures and SVD markers. Participants (N = 108, mean age 51.6) were from the PREVENT Dementia study. RESULTS Global optic disc pallor was linked to ePVSs in the basal ganglia in both left (β = 0.12, standard error [SE] = 0.05, P < 0.05) and right eyes (β = 0.13, SE = 0.05, P < 0.05). Associations were also noted in different disc sectors. No pRNFL associations with SVD markers were found. DISCUSSION Optic disc pallor correlated with ePVSs in the basal ganglia, suggesting retinal examination may be a useful method to study brain health changes related to SVD. Highlights Optic disc pallor is linked to enlarged perivascular spaces in basal ganglia. There is no association between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and cerebral small vessel disease markers. Optic disc examination could provide insights into brain health. The sample included 108 midlife adults from the PREVENT Dementia study.

Guillermo B. Morales

Advancing our knowledge of how the brain processes information remains a key challenge in neuroscience. This thesis combines three different approaches to the study of the dynamics of neural networks and their encoding representations: a computational approach, that builds upon basic biological features of neurons and their networks to construct effective models that can simulate their structure and dynamics; a machine-learning approach, which draws a parallel with the functional capabilities of brain networks, allowing us to infer the dynamical and encoding properties required to solve certain input-processing tasks; and a final, theoretical treatment, which will take us into the fascinating hypothesis of the "critical" brain as the mathematical foundation that can explain the emergent collective properties arising from the interactions of millions of neurons. Hand in hand with physics, we venture into the realm of neuroscience to explain the existence of quasi-universal scaling properties across brain regions, setting out to quantify the distance of their dynamics from a critical point. Next, we move into the grounds of artificial intelligence, where the very same theory of critical phenomena will prove very useful for explaining the effects of biologically-inspired plasticity rules in the forecasting ability of Reservoir Computers. Halfway into our journey, we explore the concept of neural representations of external stimuli, unveiling a surprising link between the dynamical regime of neural networks and the optimal topological properties of such representation manifolds. The thesis ends with the singular problem of representational drift in the process of odor encoding carried out by the olfactory cortex, uncovering the potential synaptic plasticity mechanisms that could explain this recently observed phenomenon.

Hong Qin

Based on the study of cellular aging using the single-cell model organism of budding yeast and corroborated by other studies, we propose the Emergent Aging Model (EAM). EAM hypothesizes that aging is an emergent property of complex biological systems, exemplified by biological networks such as gene networks. An emergent property refers to traits that a system has at the system level but which its low-level components do not. EAM is based on a quantitative definition of aging using the mortality rate. A biological entity with a constant mortality rate is considered non-aging which is equivalent to a first-order chemical reaction. Aging can be quantitatively defined as an increasing mortality rate over time, corresponding to an organism's increasing chance of dying over time. EAM posits that biological aging can arise at the system level of an organism, even if the system is composed of only non-aging components. EAM is consistent with the observation that aging is largely stochastic, influenced by numerous genes and epigenetic factors, with no single gene or factor known as the bona fide cause of aging. A parsimonious version of EAM can predict the Gompertz model of biological aging, the Strehler-Mildvan correlation, and the trade-off between initial reproductive fitness (asexual reproductive fitness) and late-life survival. EAM has been applied to experimental results of the replicative lifespan of the budding yeast and can potentially offer new insights into the aging process of other biological species.

Seyedmehdi Orouji, Martin C. Liu, Tal Korem et al.

Machine learning techniques are steadily becoming more important in modern biology, and are used to build predictive models, discover patterns, and investigate biological problems. However, models trained on one dataset are often not generalizable to other datasets from different cohorts or laboratories, due to differences in the statistical properties of these datasets. These could stem from technical differences, such as the measurement technique used, or from relevant biological differences between the populations studied. Domain adaptation, a type of transfer learning, can alleviate this problem by aligning the statistical distributions of features and samples among different datasets so that similar models can be applied across them. However, a majority of state-of-the-art domain adaptation methods are designed to work with large-scale data, mostly text and images, while biological datasets often suffer from small sample sizes, and possess complexities such as heterogeneity of the feature space. This Review aims to synthetically discuss domain adaptation methods in the context of small-scale and highly heterogeneous biological data. We describe the benefits and challenges of domain adaptation in biological research and critically discuss some of its objectives, strengths, and weaknesses through key representative methodologies. We argue for the incorporation of domain adaptation techniques to the computational biologist's toolkit, with further development of customized approaches.

Barbara Schildkrout, Kathy Niu, Joseph J. Cooper

Andrea Kühn

Lesley J. Rogers

Evidence of sensory experience influencing the development of lateralized brain and behavior is reviewed. The epigenetic role of light exposure during two specific stages of embryonic development of precocial avian species is a particular focus of the research discussed. Two specific periods of light sensitivity (in early versus late incubation), each depending on different subcellular and cellular processes, affect lateralized behavior after hatching. Auditory and olfactory stimulation during embryonic development is also discussed with consideration of interactions with light-generated visual lateralization.

Soichi Hayashi, Bradley A. Caron, Anibal Sólon Heinsfeld et al.

Neuroscience research has expanded dramatically over the past 30 years by advancing standardization and tool development to support rigor and transparency. Consequently, the complexity of the data pipeline has also increased, hindering access to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperabile, and Reusable) data analysis to portions of the worldwide research community. brainlife.io was developed to reduce these burdens and democratize modern neuroscience research across institutions and career levels. Using community software and hardware infrastructure, the platform provides open-source data standardization, management, visualization, and processing and simplifies the data pipeline. brainlife.io automatically tracks the provenance history of thousands of data objects, supporting simplicity, efficiency, and transparency in neuroscience research. Here brainlife.io's technology and data services are described and evaluated for validity, reliability, reproducibility, replicability, and scientific utility. Using data from 4 modalities and 3,200 participants, we demonstrate that brainlife.io's services produce outputs that adhere to best practices in modern neuroscience research.

James Edomwonyi Edokpolor, Dagogo William Legg-Jack, Patience Osebhakhomen Imeokparia

The study explored the relationship between work burnout (WB) dimensions (e.g. emotional exhaustion, cynicism and lack of professional accomplishment) and job performance (JP) components (e.g. task and contextual) of vocational education lecturers (VELs) in universities in Nigeria. The target population of the study were 284 VELs from public universities in Nigeria. The study employed a structured questionnaire for data collection. Pearson correlational Metrix and linear regression with a bootstrap bias-correction technique were applied for the analyses of data. The results shows that WB dimensions (e.g. emotional exhaustion, cynicism and lack of professional accomplishment) do not significantly correlate with JP components (e.g. task and contextual) of VELs. The results provided evidence concerning the relationship between WB dimensions and JP components of VELs. However, WB experienced by VELs has affected their JP. In all, caution must be exercised by university administrators in assigning job responsibilities to lecturers.

Jérôme Baranger, Olivier Villemain, Matthias Wagner et al.

Abnormal variations of the neonatal brain perfusion can result in long-term neurodevelopmental consequences and cerebral perfusion imaging can play an important role in diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. To identify at-risk situations, perfusion imaging of the neonatal brain must accurately evaluate both regional and global perfusion. To date, neonatal cerebral perfusion assessment remains challenging. The available modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound imaging, computed tomography (CT), near-infrared spectroscopy or nuclear imaging have multiple compromises and limitations. Several promising methods are being developed to achieve better diagnostic accuracy and higher robustness, in particular using advanced MRI and ultrasound techniques.The objective of this state-of-the-art review is to analyze the methodology and challenges of neonatal brain perfusion imaging, to describe the currently available modalities, and to outline future perspectives.

Syahrun Syahrun, Alfrina Hany, Masruroh Rahayu

Background: Dysphagia often occurs in post-stroke patients, causing aspiration that can result in disability or death. Nurses have an essential role to play in preventing these complications as they 24/7 care for patients. However, there is no written standard of nursing care regarding specific interventions of post-stroke dysphagia in reality. Objective: The purpose of this article is to conduct a literature review of interventions that can be made in patients with post-stroke dysphagia so that it can be a recommendation for Indonesian nursing standards. Design: Electronic literature searches PubMed, EBSCO (Medline), ProQuest, and ScienceDirect databases from January 2011 to October 2020. There was sixteen studies reviewed included in this systematic study were experimental, randomized controlled trials, or systematic reviews (which are also experimental designs, randomized controlled trials). The study focused on non-invasive interventions performed on post-stroke dysphagia patients. Results: Interventions in dysphagia found, namely: The use of food thickeners against the risk of aspiration resulted in the patient's swallowing ability significantly increased by 71.9% (p <0.01); Chin down intervention combined with thickening fluid provides a solution to improve the nutritional needs of patients dysphagia post-stroke; Tongue training interventions, swallowing training and speech therapy; Tongue stretching exercises that have a positive effect on tongue motility and oromotor function in post-stroke dysphagia patients; Intervention of Tongue resistance training that increases the strength of the tongue and reduces fluid residue in the vallecular; and early screening of dysphagia by nurses using formal guidelines to manage dysphagia patients thereby reducing chest infections and mortality. Conclusion: Nurses should not diagnose dysphagia, but can identify post-stroke dysphagia to determine the interventions necessary for nutrition management, hydration, and aspiration prevention. Interventions include early dysphagia screening within 24 hours after stroke, thickening nutrition according to nutritionist recommendations, laryngeal elevation exercises, peripheral stimulation, posture regulation, and education on eating and drinking.

Vaner Köksal, Mahmoud Osama, Mohammed Ali Alvi

Background and Importance: Brown-Sequard Syndrome (BSS) is a rare neurological condition resulting from a hemisection injury to or unilateral compression on the spinal cord. The common causes of BSS that are amenable to be treated surgically can be divided into traumatic and non-traumatic injuries. Traumatic injuries are often reported as the main cause of BSS. However, non-traumatic injuries of the spinal cord are more seen in recent years. This study aims to classify and update surgically treatable causes of BSS. Case Presentation: Retrospective data of 17 patients operated for BSS between 2008 and 2020 were included. The long-term outcomes of these patients were evaluated. In addition, a comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL was conducted for the retrieval of all relevant studies. Results: Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) of our patients revealed Cervical Disc Herniation (CDH), spinal canal stenosis with cervical spondylosis, epidural hematoma, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. The postoperative outcomes of our cases ranged from partial to complete recovery. While the patients with acute epidural hemorrhage achieved complete recovery after surgery, neurological deficits in the other patients, especially those with severe cervical spinal canal stenosis, persisted despite adequate surgical decompression. The systematic literature review revealed that CDH is the most common non-traumatic surgically treatable cause of BSS, followed by spinal cord herniation and spinal epidural hematoma. Conclusion: Non-traumatic injuries of the spinal cord accompanied by narrowed cervical spinal canal pathologies are prominent surgically treatable causes of BSS. Contrary to the definition made 100 years ago, BSS can occur spontaneously due to underlying pathologies rather than major traumatic injuries.

Marike Lancel, Marike Lancel, Hein J. F. van Marle et al.

Sleep disturbances frequently co-occur with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Insomnia and nightmares are viewed as core symptoms of PTSD. Yet, relations between disturbed sleep and PTSD are far more complex: PTSD is linked to a broad range of sleep disorders and disturbed sleep markedly affects PTSD-outcome. This article provides a concise overview of the literature on prevalent comorbid sleep disorders, their reciprocal relation with PTSD and possible underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. Furthermore, diagnostic procedures, standard interventions—particularly first choice non-pharmacological therapies—and practical problems that often arise in the assessment and treatment of sleep disturbances in PTSD are described. Finally, we will present some perspectives on future multidisciplinary clinical and experimental research to develop new, more effective sleep therapies to improve both sleep and PTSD.

N. Giroud, M.K. Pichora-Fuller, P. Mick et al.

Using data from the COMPASS-ND study we investigated associations between hearing loss and hippocampal volume as well as cortical thickness in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). SCD participants with greater pure-tone hearing loss exhibited lower hippocampal volume, but more cortical thickness in the left superior temporal gyrus and right pars opercularis. Greater speech-in-noise reception thresholds were associated with lower cortical thickness bilaterally across much of the cortex in AD. The AD group also showed a trend towards worse speech-in-noise thresholds compared to the SCD group.