Book ReviewNutrition and the Brain. Vol. 3. Disorders of Eating and Nutrients in Treatment of Brain Diseases

AbstractFunctional magnetic resonance imaging a neuroimaging technique which is used in brain disorders and dysfunction studies, has been improved in recent years by mapping the topology of the brain connections, named connectopic mapping. Based on the fact that healthy and unhealthy brain regions and functions differ slightly, studying the complex topology of the functional and structural networks in the human brain is too complicated considering the growth of evaluation measures. One of the applications of irregular graph deep learning is to analyze the human cognitive functions related to the gene expression and related distributed spatial patterns. Since a variety of brain solutions can be dynamically held in the neuronal networks of the brain with different activity patterns and functional connectivity, both node-centric and graph-centric tasks are involved in this application. In this study, we used an individual generative model and high order graph analysis for the region of interest recognition areas of the brain with abnormal connection during performing certain tasks and resting-state or decompose irregular observations. Accordingly, a high order framework of Variational Graph Autoencoder with a Gaussian distributer was proposed in the paper to analyze the functional data in brain imaging studies in which Generative Adversarial Network is employed for optimizing the latent space in the process of learning strong non-rigid graphs among large scale data. Furthermore, the possible modes of correlations were distinguished in abnormal brain connections. Our goal was to find the degree of correlation between the affected regions and their simultaneous occurrence over time. We can take advantage of this to diagnose brain diseases or show the ability of the nervous system to modify brain topology at all angles and brain plasticity according to input stimuli. In this study, we particularly focused on Alzheimer’s disease.

Download Full-text

Genomic Mosaicism Formed by Somatic Variation in the Aging and Diseased Brain

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12071071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 1071

Author(s):

Isabel Costantino ◽

Juliet Nicodemus ◽

Jerold Chun

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequence ◽

Technology Development ◽

Copy Number Variations ◽

Brain Cell ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Multiple Forms ◽

Somatic Variation ◽

Dna Content Variation ◽

Effects Of Aging ◽

The Brain

Over the past 20 years, analyses of single brain cell genomes have revealed that the brain is composed of cells with myriad distinct genomes: the brain is a genomic mosaic, generated by a host of DNA sequence-altering processes that occur somatically and do not affect the germline. As such, these sequence changes are not heritable. Some processes appear to occur during neurogenesis, when cells are mitotic, whereas others may also function in post-mitotic cells. Here, we review multiple forms of DNA sequence alterations that have now been documented: aneuploidies and aneusomies, smaller copy number variations (CNVs), somatic repeat expansions, retrotransposons, genomic cDNAs (gencDNAs) associated with somatic gene recombination (SGR), and single nucleotide variations (SNVs). A catch-all term of DNA content variation (DCV) has also been used to describe the overall phenomenon, which can include multiple forms within a single cell’s genome. A requisite step in the analyses of genomic mosaicism is ongoing technology development, which is also discussed. Genomic mosaicism alters one of the most stable biological molecules, DNA, which may have many repercussions, ranging from normal functions including effects of aging, to creating dysfunction that occurs in neurodegenerative and other brain diseases, most of which show sporadic presentation, unlinked to causal, heritable genes.

Download Full-text

The brain timewise: how timing shapes and supports brain function

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2014.0170 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 370 (1668) ◽

pp. 20140170 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Riitta Hari ◽

Lauri Parkkonen

Keyword(s):

Human Brain ◽

Brain Imaging ◽

Brain Function ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Generative Models ◽

Network Activity ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Specific Information ◽

Non Invasive ◽

The Brain

We discuss the importance of timing in brain function: how temporal dynamics of the world has left its traces in the brain during evolution and how we can monitor the dynamics of the human brain with non-invasive measurements. Accurate timing is important for the interplay of neurons, neuronal circuitries, brain areas and human individuals. In the human brain, multiple temporal integration windows are hierarchically organized, with temporal scales ranging from microseconds to tens and hundreds of milliseconds for perceptual, motor and cognitive functions, and up to minutes, hours and even months for hormonal and mood changes. Accurate timing is impaired in several brain diseases. From the current repertoire of non-invasive brain imaging methods, only magnetoencephalography (MEG) and scalp electroencephalography (EEG) provide millisecond time-resolution; our focus in this paper is on MEG. Since the introduction of high-density whole-scalp MEG/EEG coverage in the 1990s, the instrumentation has not changed drastically; yet, novel data analyses are advancing the field rapidly by shifting the focus from the mere pinpointing of activity hotspots to seeking stimulus- or task-specific information and to characterizing functional networks. During the next decades, we can expect increased spatial resolution and accuracy of the time-resolved brain imaging and better understanding of brain function, especially its temporal constraints, with the development of novel instrumentation and finer-grained, physiologically inspired generative models of local and network activity. Merging both spatial and temporal information with increasing accuracy and carrying out recordings in naturalistic conditions, including social interaction, will bring much new information about human brain function.

Download Full-text

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid in the Brain Gliovascular Unit: Prospective Targets in Therapy

Pharmaceutics ◽

10.3390/pharmaceutics13030334 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 334

Author(s):

Huilong Luo ◽

Xavier Declèves ◽

Salvatore Cisternino

Keyword(s):

Transient Receptor Potential ◽

Receptor Potential ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid ◽

Main Role ◽

Trpv Channels ◽

Gliovascular Unit ◽

Transient Receptor ◽

The Brain

The gliovascular unit (GVU) is composed of the brain microvascular endothelial cells forming blood–brain barrier and the neighboring surrounding “mural” cells (e.g., pericytes) and astrocytes. Modulation of the GVU/BBB features could be observed in a variety of vascular, immunologic, neuro-psychiatric diseases, and cancers, which can disrupt the brain homeostasis. Ca2+ dynamics have been regarded as a major factor in determining BBB/GVU properties, and previous studies have demonstrated the role of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels in modulating Ca2+ and BBB/GVU properties. The physiological role of thermosensitive TRPV channels in the BBB/GVU, as well as their possible therapeutic potential as targets in treating brain diseases via preserving the BBB are reviewed. TRPV2 and TRPV4 are the most abundant isoforms in the human BBB, and TRPV2 was evidenced to play a main role in regulating human BBB integrity. Interspecies differences in TRPV2 and TRPV4 BBB expression complicate further preclinical validation. More studies are still needed to better establish the physiopathological TRPV roles such as in astrocytes, vascular smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. The effect of the chronic TRPV modulation should also deserve further studies to evaluate their benefit and innocuity in vivo.

Download Full-text

PHENOMENOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE OF A MIND AND OPERATIONAL ARCHITECTONICS OF THE BRAIN: THE UNIFIED METASTABLE CONTINUUM

New Mathematics and Natural Computation ◽

10.1142/s1793005709001258 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 05 (01) ◽

pp. 221-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

ANDREW A. FINGELKURTS ◽

ALEXANDER A. FINGELKURTS ◽

CARLOS F. H. NEVES

Keyword(s):

Distributed Computing ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Machine Consciousness ◽

Self Organized ◽

Conscious Level ◽

The Brain ◽

Activity Organization

In our contribution we will observe phenomenal architecture of a mind and operational architectonics of the brain and will show their intimate connectedness within a single integrated metastable continuum. The notion of operation of different complexity is the fundamental and central one in bridging the gap between brain and mind: it is precisely by means of this notion that it is possible to identify what at the same time belongs to the phenomenal conscious level and to the neurophysiological level of brain activity organization, and what mediates between them. Implications for linguistic semantics, self-organized distributed computing algorithms, artificial machine consciousness, and diagnosis of dynamic brain diseases will be discussed briefly.

Download Full-text

A biomedical system based on fuzzy discrete hidden Markov model for the diagnosis of the brain diseases

Expert Systems with Applications ◽

10.1016/j.eswa.2007.08.006 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 1104-1114 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Harun Uğuz ◽

Ali Öztürk ◽

Rıdvan Saraçoğlu ◽

Ahmet Arslan

Keyword(s):

Markov Model ◽

Hidden Markov Model ◽

Hidden Markov ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Biomedical System ◽

The Brain

Download Full-text

Ganglioside GM1 Targets Astrocytes to Stimulate Cerebral Energy Metabolism

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.653842 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Charles Finsterwald ◽

Sara Dias ◽

Pierre J. Magistretti ◽

Sylvain Lengacher

Keyword(s):

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Neuroprotective Effect ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Mitochondrial Activity ◽

Ganglioside Gm1 ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

Wide Range ◽

Cord Injury ◽

Clinical Benefits ◽

The Brain

Gangliosides are major constituents of the plasma membrane and are known to promote a number of physiological actions in the brain, including synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection. In particular, the ganglioside GM1 was found to have a wide range of preclinical and clinical benefits in brain diseases such as spinal cord injury, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. However, little is known about the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of GM1 in the brain. In the present study, we show that GM1 exerts its actions through the promotion of glycolysis in astrocytes, which leads to glucose uptake and lactate release by these cells. In astrocytes, GM1 stimulates the expression of several genes involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism. GM1 also enhances neuronal mitochondrial activity and triggers the expression of neuroprotection genes when neurons are cultured in the presence of astrocytes. Finally, GM1 leads to a neuroprotective effect in astrocyte-neuron co-culture. Together, these data identify a previously unrecognized mechanism mediated by astrocytes by which GM1 exerts its metabolic and neuroprotective effects.

Download Full-text

Pathological potential of astroglia

Physiological Research ◽

10.33549/physiolres.931604 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. S101-S110

Author(s):

A Chvátal ◽

M Anděrová ◽

H Neprašová ◽

I Prajerová ◽

J Benešová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Glial Cells ◽

Brain Parenchyma ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Brain Pathology ◽

Pathological Conditions ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Neurological Defect ◽

Del Rio ◽

The Brain ◽

Brain Homeostasis

The pathological potential of glial cells was recognized already by Rudolf Virchow, Santiago Ramon y Cajal and Pio Del Rio-Ortega. Many functions and roles performed by astroglia in the healthy brain determine their involvement in brain diseases; as indeed any kind of brain insult does affect astrocytes, and their performance in pathological conditions, to a very large extent, determines the survival of the brain parenchyma, the degree of damage and neurological defect. Astrocytes being in general responsible for overall brain homeostasis are involved in virtually every form of brain pathology. Here we provide an overview of recent developments in identifying the role and mechanisms of the pathological potential of astroglia.

Download Full-text

Increased Expression of Plasma miRNA-320a and let-7b-5p in Heroin-Dependent Patients and Its Clinical Significance

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.679206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Haixiong Liu ◽

Wenjin Xu ◽

Jiying Feng ◽

Hong Ma ◽

Jianbin Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Roc Curves ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Circulating Mirnas ◽

Heroin Use ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Heroin Use Disorder ◽

Subjective Reports ◽

The Brain ◽

Potential Use ◽

Plasma Mirnas

Heroin use disorder is a chronic and relapsing disease that induces persistent changes in the brain. The diagnoses of heroin use disorders are mainly based on subjective reports and no valid biomarkers available. Recent researches have revealed that circulating miRNAs are useful non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. However, studies on circulating miRNAs for the diagnosis of heroin use disorders are rarely reported. In this study, we investigated the differential expression of plasma miRNAs in 57 heroin-dependent patients. Based on literature research and microarray analysis, two candidate miRNAs, miR-320a and let-7b-5p, were selected and analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The results showed miR-320a and let-7b were significantly upregulated in plasma of the heroin-dependent patients compared to that in healthy controls. The area under curves (AUCs) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of miR-320a and let-7b-5p were 0.748 and 0.758, respectively. The sensitivities of miR-320a and let-7b-5p were 71.9 and 70.2%, while the specificities of miR-320a and let-7b-5p were 76.1 and 78.3%, respectively. The combination of these two miRNAs predicted heron dependence with an AUC of 0.782 (95% CI 0.687–0.876), with 73.7% sensitivity and 82.6% specificity. Our findings suggest a potential use for circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of heroin abuse.

Download Full-text

Extracellular vesicles (exosomes and ectosomes) play key roles in the pathology of brain diseases

Molecular Biomedicine ◽

10.1186/s43556-021-00040-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jacopo Meldolesi

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Extracellular Vesicles ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Target Cells ◽

Surface Binding ◽

Cells Of Origin ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

And Function ◽

The Brain

AbstractLast century, neurons and glial cells were mostly believed to play distinct functions, relevant for the brain. Progressively, however, it became clear that neurons, astrocytes and microglia co-operate intensely with each other by release/binding of signaling factors, direct surface binding and generation/release of extracellular vesicles, the exosomes and ectosomes, called together vesicles in this abstract. The present review is focused on these vesicles, fundamental in various brain diseases. Their properties are extraordinary. The specificity of their membrane governs their fusion with distinct target cells, variable depending on the state and specificity of their cells of origin and target. Result of vesicle fusion is the discharge of their cargos into the cytoplasm of target cells. Cargos are composed of critical molecules, from proteins (various nature and function) to nucleotides (especially miRNAs), playing critical roles in immune and neurodegenerative diseases. Among immune diseases is multiple sclerosis, affected by extensive dysregulation of co-trafficking neural and glial vesicles, with distinct miRNAs inducing severe or reducing effects. The vesicle-dependent differences between progressive and relapsing-remitting forms of the disease are relevant for clinical developments. In Alzheimer’s disease the vesicles can affect the brain by changing their generation and inducing co-release of effective proteins, such Aβ and tau, from neurons and astrocytes. Specific miRNAs can delay the long-term development of the disease. Upon their traffic through the blood-brainbarrier, vesicles of various origin reach fluids where they are essential for the identification of biomarkers, important for diagnostic and therapeutic innovations, critical for the future of many brain patients.

Download Full-text