scholarly journals Structure-Function Relationships behind the Phenomenon of Cognitive Resilience in Neurology: Insights for Neuroscience and Medicine

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Rudrauf

The phenomenon of cognitive resilience, that is, the dynamical preservation of normal functions despite neurological disorders, demonstrates that cognition can be highly robust to devastating brain injury. Here, cognitive resilience is considered across a range of neurological conditions. Simple computational models of structure-function relationships are used to discuss hypotheses about the neural mechanisms of resilience. Resilience expresses functional redundancies in brain networks and suggests a process of dynamic rerouting of brain signals. This process is underlined by a global renormalization of effective connectivity, capable of restoring information transfer between spared brain structures via alternate pathways. Local mechanisms of synaptic plasticity mediate the renormalization at the lowest level of implementation, but it is also driven by top-down cognition, with a key role of self-awareness in fostering resilience. The presence of abstraction layers in brain computation and networking is hypothesized to account for the renormalization process. Future research directions and challenges are discussed regarding the understanding and control of resilience based on multimodal neuroimaging and computational neuroscience. The study of resilience will illuminate ways by which the brain can overcome adversity and help inform prevention and treatment strategies. It is relevant to combating the negative neuropsychological impact of aging and fostering cognitive enhancement.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-130
Author(s):  
Pavithra Nagarajan

This article explores how a single-sex school for boys of color intentionally and unintentionally (re)defines masculinity through rules and rituals. The school’s mission posits that boys become men through developing three skills: selfregulation, self-awareness, and self-reflection. Drawing from qualitative research data, I examine how disciplinary practices prioritize boys’ ability to control their bodies and image, or “self-regulate.” When boys fail to self-regulate, they enter the punitive system. School staff describe self-regulation as integral to out-of-school success, but these practices may inadvertently reproduce negative labeling and control of black bodies. This article argues for school cultural practices that affirm, rather than deny, the benefits of boyhood.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 385-391
Author(s):  
Lin Zhong ◽  
Zhong Ming ◽  
Guobo Xie ◽  
Chunlong Fan ◽  
Xue Piao

: In recent years, more and more evidence indicates that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a significant role in the development of complex biological processes, especially in RNA progressing, chromatin modification, and cell differentiation, as well as many other processes. Surprisingly, lncRNA has an inseparable relationship with human diseases such as cancer. Therefore, only by knowing more about the function of lncRNA can we better solve the problems of human diseases. However, lncRNAs need to bind to proteins to perform their biomedical functions. So we can reveal the lncRNA function by studying the relationship between lncRNA and protein. But due to the limitations of traditional experiments, researchers often use computational prediction models to predict lncRNA protein interactions. In this review, we summarize several computational models of the lncRNA protein interactions prediction base on semi-supervised learning during the past two years, and introduce their advantages and shortcomings briefly. Finally, the future research directions of lncRNA protein interaction prediction are pointed out.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huoyin Zhang ◽  
Shiyunmeng Zhang ◽  
Jiachen Lu ◽  
Yi Lei ◽  
Hong Li

AbstractPrevious studies in humans have shown that brain regions activating social exclusion overlap with those related to attention. However, in the context of social exclusion, how does behavioral monitoring affect individual behavior? In this study, we used the Cyberball game to induce the social exclusion effect in a group of participants. To explore the influence of social exclusion on the attention network, we administered the Attention Network Test (ANT) and compared results for the three subsystems of the attention network (orienting, alerting, and executive control) between exclusion (N = 60) and inclusion (N = 60) groups. Compared with the inclusion group, the exclusion group showed shorter overall response time and better executive control performance, but no significant differences in orienting or alerting. The excluded individuals showed a stronger ability to detect and control conflicts. It appears that social exclusion does not always exert a negative influence on individuals. In future research, attention to network can be used as indicators of social exclusion. This may further reveal how social exclusion affects individuals' psychosomatic mechanisms.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 590
Author(s):  
Wei Cui ◽  
Ting Ouyang ◽  
Ye Qiu ◽  
Di Cui

As a global pandemic, COVID-19 shows no sign of letting up. With the control of the epidemic in China, the proportion of patients with severe and critical diseases being cured and discharged from hospital has increased, and the recovery of COVID-19 patients has become an important issue that urgently needs attention and solutions. By summarizing the exercise rehabilitation strategies and progress of SARS in 2003, this paper analyzed the differences in clinical indicators and recovery characteristics of severe pneumonia caused by the two viruses, and provided comprehensive exercise guidance and intervention strategies for COVID-19 patients for rehabilitation and nursing by referring to the problems and treatment strategies in the rehabilitation and nursing work of SARS. In the post-epidemic period, China will build a multi-dimensional epidemic prevention system by improving the effectiveness of mass training and strengthening local risk prevention and control. This paper discusses the exercise rehabilitation strategy of SARS patients after recovery, which has guiding significance for exercise intervention and scientific fitness of COVID-19 patients after recovery during epidemic prevention period.


Author(s):  
Anahita Basirat ◽  
Cédric Patin ◽  
Jérémie Jozefowiez

Abstract Focusing on the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP), we investigated the extent to which adult native speakers of French are sensitive to sonority-related constraints compared to lexical attestedness. In a non-word acceptability task, participants were asked to rate the acceptability of three types of non-words using a 6-point scale: non-words with attested sonority rising onset, non-words with unattested sonority rising onset, and non-words with unattested sonority falling onset. Data analysis was done using the signal detection theory approach to measure sensitivity of participants to lexical attestedness and to phonological well-formedness (i.e., respecting or violating the SSP). The results showed that speakers distinguished well-formed and ill-formed forms even when lexical attestedness was controlled for. This is consistent with previous findings on sonority projection effects. Participants were more sensitive to lexical attestedness than phonological well-formedness. Future research using computational models should investigate mechanisms that could account for these findings, namely whether a similar result would be obtained without including any assumption about the SSP in these models.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendall A. Johnson ◽  
Clive H. Bock ◽  
Phillip M. Brannen

Abstract Background Phony peach disease (PPD) is caused by the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex (Xfm). Historically, the disease has caused severe yield loss in Georgia and elsewhere in the southeastern United States, with millions of PPD trees being removed from peach orchards over the last century. The disease remains a production constraint, and management options are few. Limited research has been conducted on PPD since the 1980s, but the advent of new technologies offers the opportunity for new, foundational research to form a basis for informed management of PPD in the U.S. Furthermore, considering the global threat of Xylella to many plant species, preventing import of Xfm to other regions, particularly where peach is grown, should be considered an important phytosanitary endeavor. Main topics We review PPD, its history and impact on peach production, and the eradication efforts that were conducted for 42 years. Additionally, we review the current knowledge of the pathogen, Xfm, and how that knowledge relates to our understanding of the peach—Xylella pathosystem, including the epidemiology of the disease and consideration of the vectors. Methods used to detect the pathogen in peach are discussed, and ramifications of detection in relation to management and control of PPD are considered. Control options for PPD are limited. Our current knowledge of the pathogen diversity and disease epidemiology are described, and based on this, some potential areas for future research are also considered. Conclusion There is a lack of recent foundational research on PPD and the associated strain of Xfm. More research is needed to reduce the impact of this pathogen on peach production in the southeastern U.S., and, should it spread internationally, wherever peaches are grown.


1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1360-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta J Frackiewicz ◽  
John J Sramek ◽  
John M Herrera ◽  
Neil M Kurtz ◽  
Neal R Cutler

OBJECTIVE: To review the data generated by studies examining interethnic/racial differences in response to antipsychotics. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search (1966-19%) identified all articles examining differences in antipsychotic response among Caucasians, Asians, Hispanics, and African-Americans, as well as articles evaluating postulated mechanisms for these differences. STUDY SELECTION: All abstracts, studies, and review articles were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Ethnic/racial differences in response to antipsychotic medications have been reported and may be due to genetics, kinetic variations, dietary or environmental factors, or variations in the prescribing practices of clinicians. Studies suggest that Asians may respond to lower doses of antipsychotics due to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences. Research relevant to African-Americans is limited, but some studies suggest that differences in this group may be due to clinician biases and prescribing practices, rather than to pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic variability. CONCLUSIONS: Future research directed at validating the hypotheses that different ethnic/racial groups show variations in response to antipsychotics should focus on homogenous ethnic groups, use recent advances in pharmacogenetic testing, and control for such variables as observer bias, gender, disease chronicity, dietary and environmental factors, and exposure to enzyme-inducing and -inhibiting agents. Clinicians should be aware that potential interethnic/racial differences in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics may exist that can alter response to antipsychotics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 435
Author(s):  
Andreas-Christian Hade ◽  
Mari-Anne Philips ◽  
Ene Reimann ◽  
Toomas Jagomäe ◽  
Kattri-Liis Eskla ◽  
...  

The Mediodorsal (MD) thalamus that represents a fundamental subcortical relay has been underrepresented in the studies focusing on the molecular changes in the brains of subjects with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In the current study, MD thalamic regions from AUD subjects and controls were analyzed with Affymetrix Clariom S human microarray. Long-term alcohol use induced a significant (FDR ≤ 0.05) upregulation of 2802 transcripts and downregulation of 1893 genes in the MD thalamus of AUD subjects. A significant upregulation of GRIN1 (glutamate receptor NMDA type 1) and FTO (alpha-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase) was confirmed in western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed similar heterogenous distribution of GRIN1 in the thalamic nuclei of both AUD and control subjects. The most prevalent functional categories of upregulated genes were related to glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, cellular metabolism, and neurodevelopment. The prevalent gene cluster among down-regulated genes was immune system mediators. Forty-two differentially expressed genes, including FTO, ADH1B, DRD2, CADM2, TCF4, GCKR, DPP6, MAPT and CHRH1, have been shown to have strong associations (FDR p < 10−8) with AUD or/and alcohol use phenotypes in recent GWA studies. Despite a small number of subjects, we were able to detect robust molecular changes in the mediodorsal thalamus caused by alcohol emphasizing the importance of deeper brain structures such as diencephalon, in the development of AUD-related dysregulation of neurocircuitry.


1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan B. Hamann ◽  
Larry R. Squire

Recent studies have challenged the notion that priming for ostensibly novel stimuli such as pseudowords (REAB) reflects the creation of new representations. Priming for such stimuli could instead reflect the activation of familiar memory representations that are orthographically similar (READ) and/or the activation of subparts of stimuli (RE, EX, AR), which are familar because they occur commonly in English. We addressed this issue in three experiments that assessed perceptual identification priming and recognition memory for novel and familiar letter strings in amnesic patients and control subjects. Priming for words, pseudowords, and orthographically illegal nonwords was fully intact in the amnesic patients following a single exposure, whereas recognition memory was impaired for the same items. Thus, priming can occur for stimuli that are unlikely to have preexisting representations. Words and pseudowords exhibited twice as much priming as illegal nonwords, suggesting that activation may contribute to priming for words and wordlike stimuli. Additional results showed that priming for illegal nonwords resulted from the formation of new perceptual associations among the component letters of each nonword rather than the activation of individual letter representations. In summary, the results demonstrate that priming following a single exposure can depend on the creation of new perceptual representations and that such priming is independent of the brain structures essential for declarative memory.


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