scholarly journals Degradable endovascular neural interface for minimally invasive neural recording and stimulation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adele Fanelli ◽  
Laura Ferlauto ◽  
Elodie Geneviève Zollinger ◽  
Olivier Brina ◽  
Philippe Reymond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Neural Recording ◽  
The Body ◽  
Neural Interface ◽  
Traumatic Injuries ◽  
Brain Vasculature ◽  
Promising Strategy ◽  
Cerebrovascular System ◽  
The Brain

AbstractNeural recording and stimulation have been widely used to mitigate traumatic injuries, neurodegenerative diseases or mental disorders. Most neural interfaces commonly require invasive surgery, potentially entailing both transient and permanent complications. A promising strategy designed to overcome these risks involves exploiting the cerebrovascular system as an access route to the neural tissue. Here we present a novel endovascular neural interface for neural recording and stimulation, fully polymeric and degradable. This concept might allow for better integration of the device in the body, reduced inflammatory reaction, the possibility of replacing the implant after degradation, and avoiding removal surgeries. The vasculature’s strategic distribution and the use of soft polymers for the device’s fabrication will permit targeting both the brain vasculature and the peripheral system. Therefore, this novel endovascular neural interface will broaden the range of applications from neurological diseases and mental disorders to bioelectronics medicine.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in the Epigenome: A Cause or Consequence of Sexual Differentiation of the Brain?

Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Gegenhuber ◽  
Jessica Tollkuhn
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sexual Differentiation ◽  
Hormone Receptors ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
The Body ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
The Brain

Females and males display differences in neural activity patterns, behavioral responses, and incidence of psychiatric and neurological diseases. Sex differences in the brain appear throughout the animal kingdom and are largely a consequence of the physiological requirements necessary for the distinct roles of the two sexes in reproduction. As with the rest of the body, gonadal steroid hormones act to specify and regulate many of these differences. It is thought that transient hormonal signaling during brain development gives rise to persistent sex differences in gene expression via an epigenetic mechanism, leading to divergent neurodevelopmental trajectories that may underlie sex differences in disease susceptibility. However, few genes with a persistent sex difference in expression have been identified, and only a handful of studies have employed genome-wide approaches to assess sex differences in epigenomic modifications. To date, there are no confirmed examples of gene regulatory elements that direct sex differences in gene expression in the brain. Here, we review foundational studies in this field, describe transcriptional mechanisms that could act downstream of hormone receptors in the brain, and suggest future approaches for identification and validation of sex-typical gene programs. We propose that sexual differentiation of the brain involves self-perpetuating transcriptional states that canalize sex-specific development.

scholarly journals Aspects related to the interconnection between music and the human brain. Scientific discoveries and contemporary challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-241
Author(s):  
Rosina Caterina Filimon
Keyword(s):  
Structural Changes ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Complementary Method ◽  
Brain Level ◽  
The Brain

Abstract A new scientific discipline, neuromusicology, connects the scientific research of music and that of the nervous system, in particular of the brain. It studies the effects of music on the brain; the present paper relates to this particular field. Initially, the right hemisphere was associated with the process of music reception and it was considered that the activation of the left hemisphere was the responsibility of language. Neuroimaging, however, demonstrates that the elements of musical language activate various brain areas in both hemispheres, simultaneously generating the perception of music and emotions. Research in the field of psychoacoustics has revealed that listening to music triggers the production of neurotransmitters in the body that relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety. Another effect determined by listening and studying music is the structural changes that occur at brain level due to brain neuroplasticity. Pathological changes at brain level have consequences in perception and influence all human activities. Disease alters the artistic creativity of people suffering from various pathologies, biographies of many artists proving that neurological diseases influenced their artistic activity. Decoding the functioning of the brain in the presence of music and its effects on brain activity make it possible to use music therapy as a complementary method to medical treatment. The harmful effects of the current Covid-19 pandemic on the brain are obvious and are already reported in completed or ongoing research studies. The adoption of music as a therapeutic tool in the current global epidemiological crisis highlights its undeniable qualities in multiple pathologies and updates its mental and somatic benefits, complementary to medicine. All this provides an important drive in the reassessment and reconfiguration of the need to amplify the interference strategies between the field of music and that of medicine, implicitly that of neurology.

Evaluation of Anticonvulsant and Anti-oxidant Potentials of Basella Alba by Influencing the Brain Enzyme Levels in Laboratory Animals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 5031-5034
Author(s):  
Asokan B.R. ◽  
Jaikumar S ◽  
Somasundaram G
Keyword(s):  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Chemical Constituents ◽  
The Body ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Basella Alba ◽  
Protective Enzyme ◽  
Anti Oxidant ◽  
Radical Generation ◽  
Brain Tissue Damage ◽  
The Brain

Epilepsy and convulsions constitute a significant class of symptoms that are commonly seen in many neurological diseases. It is understood that there is an apparent alteration in the levels of the enzymes which present brain during epilepsy. Anti-oxidant drugs are known to elevate the protective enzyme levels in the body and restore them to ensure the proper functioning is done. But when the enzyme levels are not managed properly, they can cause further damage and deterioration of the tissue. Basella alba is one of such drugs, which is rich in anti-oxidant chemical constituents. Many researchers concluded that many components like vitamin A, C and flavonoids, polyphenols are being reported. In the study, Basella alba was investigated for effect on an anti-oxidant enzyme in the brain. The extracts showed a better activity and prevented the brain tissue damage from any oxidative free radical generation. The enzyme levels were healthy at the dose of 400mg/kg of extract.

scholarly journals Connecting Neurons to a Mobile Robot: An In Vitro Bidirectional Neural Interface

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Novellino ◽  
P. D'Angelo ◽  
L. Cozzi ◽  
M. Chiappalone ◽  
V. Sanguineti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microelectrode Array ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
The Body ◽  
Neural Interface ◽  
Information Coding ◽  
Fast Prototyping ◽  
Neural Processes ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Computational Properties

One of the key properties of intelligent behaviors is the capability to learn and adapt to changing environmental conditions. These features are the result of the continuous and intense interaction of the brain with the external world, mediated by the body. For this reason x201C;embodiment” represents an innovative and very suitable experimental paradigm when studying the neural processes underlying learning new behaviors and adapting to unpredicted situations. To this purpose, we developed a novel bidirectional neural interface. We interconnected in vitro neurons, extracted from rat embryos and plated on a microelectrode array (MEA), to external devices, thus allowing real-time closed-loop interaction. The novelty of this experimental approach entails the necessity to explore different computational schemes and experimental hypotheses. In this paper, we present an open, scalable architecture, which allows fast prototyping of different modules and where coding and decoding schemes and different experimental configurations can be tested. This hybrid system can be used for studying the computational properties and information coding in biological neuronal networks with far-reaching implications for the future development of advanced neuroprostheses.

scholarly journals A Review of Microelectronic Systems and Circuit Techniques for Electrical Neural Recording Aimed at Closed-Loop Epilepsy Control

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (19) ◽  
pp. 5716
Author(s):  
Reza Ranjandish ◽  
Alexandre Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Closed Loop ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Neural Recording ◽  
Signal Acquisition ◽  
Electrical Characteristics ◽  
Brain Signals ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Implantable Electronics ◽  
Circuit Techniques ◽  
The Brain

Closed-loop implantable electronics offer a new trend in therapeutic systems aimed at controlling some neurological diseases such as epilepsy. Seizures are detected and electrical stimulation applied to the brain or groups of nerves. To this aim, the signal recording chain must be very carefully designed so as to operate in low-power and low-latency, while enhancing the probability of correct event detection. This paper reviews the electrical characteristics of the target brain signals pertaining to epilepsy detection. Commercial systems are presented and discussed. Finally, the major blocks of the signal acquisition chain are presented with a focus on the circuit architecture and a careful attention to solutions to issues related to data acquisition from multi-channel arrays of cortical sensors.

EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NANOPARTICLES TOXICITY OF NICKEL OXIDE IN TWO SIZES IN THE SUBCHRONIC EXPERIMENT

2018 ◽  
pp. 30-35
Author(s):  
M.P. Sutunkova ◽  
B.A. Katsnelson ◽  
L.I. Privalova ◽  
S.N. Solovjeva ◽  
V.B. Gurvich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nickel Oxide ◽  
Nervous Activity ◽  
Equal Mass ◽  
The Body ◽  
Subchronic Toxicity ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Nanoparticles Toxicity

We conducted a comparative assessment of the nickel oxide nanoparticles toxicity (NiO) of two sizes (11 and 25 nm) according to a number of indicators of the body state after repeated intraperitoneal injections of these particles suspensions. At equal mass doses, NiO nanoparticles have been found to cause various manifestations of systemic subchronic toxicity with a particularly pronounced effect on liver, kidney function, the body’s antioxidant system, lipid metabolism, white and red blood, redox metabolism, spleen damage, and some disorders of nervous activity allegedly related to the possibility of nickel penetration into the brain from the blood. The relationship between the diameter and toxicity of particles is ambiguous, which may be due to differences in toxicokinetics, which is controlled by both physiological mechanisms and direct penetration of nanoparticles through biological barriers and, finally, unequal solubility.

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