Transcranial brain stimulation and structural MRI

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaele Dubbioso ◽  
Axel Thielscher
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Cortical Mapping ◽  
Functional Markers ◽  
Frameless Stereotaxy ◽  
Brain Scans ◽  
Interindividual Variations ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Transcranial Brain Stimulation ◽  
The Individual

Non-invasive transcranial brain stimulation (NTBS) benefits in multiple ways from structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). Individual structural brain scans can be used to guide spatial targeting with frameless stereotaxy. For instance, sMRI informed transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) enables personalized cortical mapping aligned to the individual gyral anatomy. Segmented sMRI scans increase the accuracy and robustness of computational dosimetry approaches which are key to standardize the individual dose across individuals, mapping the NTBS induced electrical fields onto the individual brain. Several sMRI modalities can be used to identify macro and microstructural features that are related to the physiological and behavioral effects of NTBS. Structural MRI before NTBS can identify interindividual variations in brain structure that influence NTBS outcomes, including disease or age related anatomical changes. Repeated structural MRI measurements can trace NTBS induced changes in regional macro and microstructure. NTBS based functional markers can be combined with MRI based structural markers to predict disease progression or recovery in individual patients.

scholarly journals Vascular and haemodynamic issues of brain ageing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Beishon ◽  
Rebecca H. Clough ◽  
Meeriam Kadicheeni ◽  
Tamara Chithiramohan ◽  
Ronney B. Panerai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Brain Ageing ◽  
Haemodynamic Changes ◽  
Normal Ageing ◽  
The Individual

AbstractThe population is ageing worldwide, thus increasing the burden of common age-related disorders to the individual, society and economy. Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke, dementia) contribute a significant proportion of this burden and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Thus, understanding and promoting healthy vascular brain ageing are becoming an increasing priority for healthcare systems. In this review, we consider the effects of normal ageing on two major physiological processes responsible for vascular brain function: Cerebral autoregulation (CA) and neurovascular coupling (NVC). CA is the process by which the brain regulates cerebral blood flow (CBF) and protects against falls and surges in cerebral perfusion pressure, which risk hypoxic brain injury and pressure damage, respectively. In contrast, NVC is the process by which CBF is matched to cerebral metabolic activity, ensuring adequate local oxygenation and nutrient delivery for increased neuronal activity. Healthy ageing is associated with a number of key physiological adaptations in these processes to mitigate age-related functional and structural declines. Through multiple different paradigms assessing CA in healthy younger and older humans, generating conflicting findings, carbon dioxide studies in CA have provided the greatest understanding of intrinsic vascular anatomical factors that may mediate healthy ageing responses. In NVC, studies have found mixed results, with reduced, equivalent and increased activation of vascular responses to cognitive stimulation. In summary, vascular and haemodynamic changes occur in response to ageing and are important in distinguishing “normal” ageing from disease states and may help to develop effective therapeutic strategies to promote healthy brain ageing.

scholarly journals Rescuing Immunosenescence via Non-Specific Vaccination

Immuno ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-239
Author(s):  
Alexander I. Mosa
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Functional Markers ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
Related Disease ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Population Vulnerability ◽  
Mechanistic Basis ◽  
Promising Avenue

Discrepancies in lifespan and healthy-life span are predisposing populations to an increasing burden of age-related disease. Accumulating evidence implicates aging of the immune system, termed immunosenescence, in the pathogenesis of multiple age-related diseases. Moreover, immune dysregulation in the elderly increases vulnerability to infection and dampens pathogen-specific immune responses following vaccination. The health challenges manifesting from these age related deficits have been dramatically exemplified by the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Approaches to either attenuate or reverse functional markers of immunosenescence are therefore urgently needed. Recent evidence suggests systemic immunomodulation via non-specific vaccination with live-attenuated vaccines may be a promising avenue to at least reduce aged population vulnerability to viral infection. This short review describes current understanding of immunosenescence, the historical and mechanistic basis of vaccine-mediated immunomodulation, and the outstanding questions and challenges required for broad adoption.

Combined Utility of Functional MRI, Cortical Mapping, and Frameless Stereotaxy in the Resection of Lesions in Eloquent Areas of Brain in Children

1997 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon R. Stapleton ◽  
Elaine Kiriakopoulos ◽  
David Mikulis ◽  
James M. Drake ◽  
Harold J. Hoffman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Mri ◽  
Cortical Mapping ◽  
Frameless Stereotaxy ◽  
Eloquent Areas

scholarly journals Effect of Transcranial Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Alzheimer Disease: A Review

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaele Nardone ◽  
Jürgen Bergmann ◽  
Monica Christova ◽  
Francesca Caleri ◽  
Frediano Tezzon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer Disease ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Pharmacological Treatments ◽  
Noninvasive Methods ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Limited Effectiveness ◽  
Transcranial Brain Stimulation

Available pharmacological treatments for Alzheimer disease (AD) have limited effectiveness, are expensive, and sometimes induce side effects. Therefore, alternative or complementary adjuvant therapeutic strategies have gained increasing attention. The development of novel noninvasive methods of brain stimulation has increased the interest in neuromodulatory techniques as potential therapeutic tool for cognitive rehabilitation in AD. In particular, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are noninvasive approaches that induce prolonged functional changes in the cerebral cortex. Several studies have begun to therapeutically use rTMS or tDCS to improve cognitive performances in patients with AD. However, most of them induced short-duration beneficial effects and were not adequately powered to establish evidence for therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, TMS and tDCS approaches, seeking to enhance cognitive function, have to be considered still very preliminary. In future studies, multiple rTMS or tDCS sessions might also interact, and metaplasticity effects could affect the outcome.

Computerized Image Enhancement for Visually Impaired Persons: New Technology, New Possibilities

1986 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 849-854
Author(s):  
E. Pell ◽  
L. E. Arend ◽  
G. T. Timberlake
Keyword(s):  
Image Enhancement ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Visual Degradation ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons ◽  
Made In

Patients with age-related visual loss suffer reduced ability to recognize faces and other scenes in photographs and on television. Recently, progress has been made in image enhancement, using controlled distortion of digitally stored images that increases their usefulness in particular applications. Described are two approaches to image enhancement for the visually impaired. In one approach, the visual losses that characterize individual patients and disease classes are described using detailed measurements of visual degradation transfer functions, which are profiles of loss of image information at various spatial scales. The particular distortion used for image enhancement is then adjusted to the impairment of the individual patient or disease class. A second approach takes advantage of the resemblance between the visual losses of many patients and the degradation of picture information in other applications due to external limitations (e.g., fog and haze) on photography. Several enhancement algorithms have been found useful with such images and may also improve picture recognition by the visually impaired.

Combining transcranial brain stimulation and PET/SPECT molecular imaging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang Soo Cho ◽  
Antonio P. Strafella
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Single Photon ◽  
Photon Emission ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Single Photon Emission ◽  
Neurochemical Mechanisms ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Transcranial Brain Stimulation ◽  
Plastic Changes

Transcranial brain stimulation (TMS) was introduced in 1985 by Barker and his colleagues. Since then, further improvements in technology have allowed additional applications and new stimulation protocols. In the last decade, while the use of TMS has expanded enormously in basic science as well as in the clinical scenario, the underlying neurophysiological or neurochemical mechanisms are still not fully understood. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) are neuroimaging modalities utilized to investigate brain functions. In spite of their lower spatial and time resolution compared with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), PET/SPECT have helped to elucidate some of the neurochemical mechanisms and neural plastic changes associated with TMS. In this chapter, we will provide an overview of these techniques, describing methodological details and application of TMS-PET/SPECT imaging in basic and clinical studies.

scholarly journals Plasticity induced by non-invasive transcranial brain stimulation: A position paper

2017 ◽  
Vol 128 (11) ◽  
pp. 2318-2329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Zu Huang ◽  
Ming-Kue Lu ◽  
Andrea Antal ◽  
Joseph Classen ◽  
Michael Nitsche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Position Paper ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Transcranial Brain Stimulation
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