The Case for Musical Instrument Training in Cerebral Palsy for Neurorehabilitation

Recent imaging studies in cerebral palsy (CP) have described several brain structural changes, functional alterations, and neuroplastic processes that take place after brain injury during early development. These changes affect motor pathways as well as sensorimotor networks. Several of these changes correlate with behavioral measures of motor and sensory disability. It is now widely acknowledged that management of sensory deficits is relevant for rehabilitation in CP. Playing a musical instrument demands the coordination of hand movements with integrated auditory, visual, and tactile feedback, in a process that recruits multiple brain regions. These multiple demands during instrument playing, together with the entertaining character of music, have led to the development and investigation of music-supported therapies, especially for rehabilitation with motor disorders resulting from brain damage. We review scientific evidence that supports the use of musical instrument playing for rehabilitation in CP. We propose that active musical instrument playing may be an efficient means for triggering neuroplastic processes necessary for the development of sensorimotor skills in patients with early brain damage. We encourage experimental research on neuroplasticity and on its impact on the physical and personal development of individuals with CP.

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Musical skills can be decoded from magnetic resonance images

10.1101/2020.07.19.210906 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Tuomas Puoliväli ◽

Tuomo Sipola ◽

Anja Thiede ◽

Marina Kliuchko ◽

Brigitte Bogert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Brain Structure ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Musical Instrument ◽

Structural Features ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Magnetic Resonance Images ◽

Supervised Machine Learning ◽

Support Vector ◽

The Brain

AbstractLearning induces structural changes in the brain. Especially repeated, long-term behaviors, such as extensive training of playing a musical instrument, are likely to produce characteristic features to brain structure. However, it is not clear to what extent such structural features can be extracted from magnetic resonance images of the brain. Here we show that it is possible to predict whether a person is a musician or a non-musician based on the thickness of the cerebral cortex measured at 148 brain regions encompassing the whole cortex. Using a supervised machine learning technique called support vector machines, we achieved significant (κ = 0.321, p < 0.001) agreement between the actual and predicted participant groups of 30 musicians and 85 non-musicians. The areas contributing to the prediction were mostly in the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes of the left hemisphere. Our results suggest that decoding an acquired skill from magnetic resonance images of brain structure is feasible to some extent. Further, the distribution of the areas that were informative in the classification, which mostly, but not entirely overlapped with earlier findings, implies that decoding-based analyses of structural properties of the brain can reveal novel aspects of musical aptitude.

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Infantile cerebral palsy as a result of prenatal brain dysontogenesis

Rossiyskiy Vestnik Perinatologii i Pediatrii (Russian Bulletin of Perinatology and Pediatrics) ◽

10.21508/1027-4065-2019-64-3-11-16 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 11-16

Author(s):

V. N. Salkov ◽

R. M. Khudoerkov

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Brain Damage ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Developing Brain ◽

Infantile Cerebral Palsy ◽

Clinical Form ◽

Etiological Factors ◽

Common Diseases ◽

The Brain

Infantile cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) is one of the most common diseases of the nervoussystem in children. The etiology of cerebral palsy may differ, but structural changes in the brain in children are similar, regardless of clinical form. The paper summarizes the results of the recent studies on structural changes in the brain due to cerebral palsy. The literature sources demonstrate that the term of etiological factors impact on the developing brain of the fetus determines the characteristics of brain damage and localization of the damage, as well as the nature of the response from the nervous system.

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Musical Anhedonia

Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie ◽

10.1024/1016-264x/a000292 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 62-68

Author(s):

Sara E. Holm ◽

Alexander Schmidt ◽

Christoph J. Ploner

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Nucleus Accumbens ◽

Brain Damage ◽

Parietal Cortex ◽

Neurological Disorders ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Precise Information ◽

Exact Localization ◽

High Prevalence

Abstract. Some people, although they are perfectly healthy and happy, cannot enjoy music. These individuals have musical anhedonia, a condition which can be congenital or may occur after focal brain damage. To date, only a few cases of acquired musical anhedonia have been reported in the literature with lesions of the temporo-parietal cortex being particularly important. Even less literature exists on congenital musical anhedonia, in which impaired connectivity of temporal brain regions with the Nucleus accumbens is implicated. Nonetheless, there is no precise information on the prevalence, causes or exact localization of both congenital and acquired musical anhedonia. However, the frequent involvement of temporo-parietal brain regions in neurological disorders such as stroke suggest the possibility of a high prevalence of this disorder, which leads to a considerable reduction in the quality of life.

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Gray-Matter Expansion of Social Brain Networks in Individuals High in Public Self-Consciousness

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11030374 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 374

Author(s):

Tomoyo Morita ◽

Minoru Asada ◽

Eiichi Naito

Keyword(s):

Gray Matter ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Japanese Version ◽

Brain Regions ◽

The Self ◽

Social Brain ◽

Default Mode ◽

Public Self Consciousness

Self-consciousness is a personality trait associated with an individual’s concern regarding observable (public) and unobservable (private) aspects of self. Prompted by previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, we examined possible gray-matter expansions in emotion-related and default mode networks in individuals with higher public or private self-consciousness. One hundred healthy young adults answered the Japanese version of the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS) questionnaire and underwent structural MRI. A voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed that individuals scoring higher on the public SCS showed expansions of gray matter in the emotion-related regions of the cingulate and insular cortices and in the default mode network of the precuneus and medial prefrontal cortex. In addition, these gray-matter expansions were particularly related to the trait of “concern about being evaluated by others”, which was one of the subfactors constituting public self-consciousness. Conversely, no relationship was observed between gray-matter volume in any brain regions and the private SCS scores. This is the first study showing that the personal trait of concern regarding public aspects of the self may cause long-term substantial structural changes in social brain networks.

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Cortical structural differences in major depressive disorder correlate with cell type-specific transcriptional signatures

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-21943-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jiao Li ◽

Jakob Seidlitz ◽

John Suckling ◽

Feiyang Fan ◽

Gong-Jun Ji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

Depressive Disorder ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Cell Type ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Structural Differences ◽

Neuroimaging Data ◽

Cell Type Specific

AbstractMajor depressive disorder (MDD) has been shown to be associated with structural abnormalities in a variety of spatially diverse brain regions. However, the correlation between brain structural changes in MDD and gene expression is unclear. Here, we examine the link between brain-wide gene expression and morphometric changes in individuals with MDD, using neuroimaging data from two independent cohorts and a publicly available transcriptomic dataset. Morphometric similarity network (MSN) analysis shows replicable cortical structural differences in individuals with MDD compared to control subjects. Using human brain gene expression data, we observe that the expression of MDD-associated genes spatially correlates with MSN differences. Analysis of cell type-specific signature genes suggests that microglia and neuronal specific transcriptional changes account for most of the observed correlation with MDD-specific MSN differences. Collectively, our findings link molecular and structural changes relevant for MDD.

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Inhaled Nitric Oxide Reduces Secondary Brain Damage after Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism ◽

10.1038/jcbfm.2012.176 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 311-318 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Nicole A Terpolilli ◽

Seong-Woong Kim ◽

Serge C Thal ◽

Wolfgang M Kuebler ◽

Nikolaus Plesnila

Keyword(s):

Nitric Oxide ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Brain Damage ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Lesion Volume ◽

Effective Treatment Option ◽

Secondary Brain Damage ◽

Edema Formation ◽

Regional Ischemia

Ischemia, especially pericontusional ischemia, is one of the leading causes of secondary brain damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI). So far efforts to improve cerebral blood flow (CBF) after TBI were not successful because of various reasons. We previously showed that nitric oxide (NO) applied by inhalation after experimental ischemic stroke is transported to the brain and induces vasodilatation in hypoxic brain regions, thus improving regional ischemia, thereby improving brain damage and neurological outcome. As regional ischemia in the traumatic penumbra is a key mechanism determining secondary posttraumatic brain damage, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of NO inhalation after experimental TBI. NO inhalation significantly improved CBF and reduced intracranial pressure after TBI in male C57 Bl/6 mice. Long-term application (24 hours NO inhalation) resulted in reduced lesion volume, reduced brain edema formation and less blood–brain barrier disruption, as well as improved neurological function. No adverse effects, e.g., on cerebral auto-regulation, systemic blood pressure, or oxidative damage were observed. NO inhalation might therefore be a safe and effective treatment option for TBI patients.

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Assessment of brain reference genes for RT-qPCR studies in neurodegenerative diseases

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep37116 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Rasmus Rydbirk ◽

Jonas Folke ◽

Kristian Winge ◽

Susana Aznar ◽

Bente Pakkenberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

Reference Genes ◽

Target Gene ◽

Structural Changes ◽

A Priori ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Quantitative Real Time Pcr ◽

Human Brain Tissue ◽

Web Based ◽

Gene Expression Levels

Abstract Evaluation of gene expression levels by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) has for many years been the favourite approach for discovering disease-associated alterations. Normalization of results to stably expressed reference genes (RGs) is pivotal to obtain reliable results. This is especially important in relation to neurodegenerative diseases where disease-related structural changes may affect the most commonly used RGs. We analysed 15 candidate RGs in 98 brain samples from two brain regions from Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Multiple System Atrophy, and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy patients. Using RefFinder, a web-based tool for evaluating RG stability, we identified the most stable RGs to be UBE2D2, CYC1, and RPL13 which we recommend for future RT-qPCR studies on human brain tissue from these patients. None of the investigated genes were affected by experimental variables such as RIN, PMI, or age. Findings were further validated by expression analyses of a target gene GSK3B, known to be affected by AD and PD. We obtained high variations in GSK3B levels when contrasting the results using different sets of common RG underlining the importance of a priori validation of RGs for RT-qPCR studies.

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Rubella Immunization: Present Status and Future Perspectives

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.65.6.1174 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 65 (6) ◽

pp. 1174-1176

Author(s):

Saul Krugman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Mental Retardation ◽

Brain Damage ◽

Behavior Disorders ◽

Present Status ◽

The United States ◽

Future Perspectives ◽

Rubella Vaccine ◽

Cardiac Malformations

Sixteen years have elapsed since the last major epidemic of rubella in the United States. Prior to 1964, extensive outbreaks occurred at about six- to nine-year intervals. These outbreaks were associated with the birth of many thousands of infants with one or more of the following defects: cataracts, deafness, cardiac malformations, and brain damage causing mental retardation, cerebral palsy, or severe behavior disorders. In addition, many pregnancies were terminated by spontaneous or therapeutic abortions. This devastating "rubella problem" provided the motivation for the development of rubella vaccine. The live attenuated rubella vaccine was licensed for use in 1969—two to four years before the next anticipated epidemic.

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Experience, but not age, is associated with volumetric mushroom body expansion in solitary alkali bees

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.238899 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. jeb.238899

Author(s):

Mallory A. Hagadorn ◽

Makenna M. Johnson ◽

Adam R. Smith ◽

Marc A. Seid ◽

Karen M. Kapheim

Keyword(s):

Structural Changes ◽

Evolutionary Relationship ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Mushroom Bodies ◽

Order Processing ◽

Social Species ◽

Evolution Of Sociality ◽

Foraging Experience ◽

Brain Changes ◽

The Brain

In social insects, changes in behavior are often accompanied by structural changes in the brain. This neuroplasticity may come with experience (experience-dependent) or age (experience-expectant). Yet, the evolutionary relationship between neuroplasticity and sociality is unclear, because we know little about neuroplasticity in the solitary relatives of social species. We used confocal microscopy to measure brain changes in response to age and experience in a solitary halictid bee (Nomia melanderi). First, we compared the volume of individual brain regions among newly-emerged females, laboratory females deprived of reproductive and foraging experience, and free-flying, nesting females. Experience, but not age, led to significant expansion of the mushroom bodies—higher-order processing centers associated with learning and memory. Next, we investigated how social experience influences neuroplasticity by comparing the brains of females kept in the laboratory either alone or paired with another female. Paired females had significantly larger olfactory regions of the mushroom bodies. Together, these experimental results indicate that experience-dependent neuroplasticity is common to both solitary and social taxa, whereas experience-expectant neuroplasticity may be an adaptation to life in a social colony. Further, neuroplasticity in response to social chemical signals may have facilitated the evolution of sociality.

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The Proliferation of Dentate Gyrus Progenitors in the Ferret Hippocampus by Neonatal Exposure to Valproic Acid

Frontiers in Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnins.2021.736313 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Kazuhiko Sawada ◽

Shiori Kamiya ◽

Ichio Aoki

Keyword(s):

Valproic Acid ◽

Cerebral Cortex ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Dentate Gyrus ◽

Structural Changes ◽

S100 Protein ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Magnetic Resonance Images ◽

Neonatal Exposure

Prenatal and neonatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) is associated with human autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can alter the development of several brain regions, such as the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and amygdala. Neonatal VPA exposure induces ASD-like behavioral abnormalities in a gyrencephalic mammal, ferret, but it has not been evaluated in brain regions other than the cerebral cortex in this animal. This study aimed to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of brain abnormalities induced by developmental VPA exposure in ferrets. We examined gross structural changes in the hippocampus and tracked proliferative cells by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling following VPA administration to ferret infants on postnatal days (PDs) 6 and 7 at 200 μg/g of body weight. Ex vivo short repetition time/time to echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high spatial resolution at 7-T was obtained from the fixed brain of PD 20 ferrets. The hippocampal volume estimated using MRI-based volumetry was not significantly different between the two groups of ferrets, and optical comparisons on coronal magnetic resonance images revealed no differences in gross structures of the hippocampus between VPA-treated and control ferrets. BrdU-labeled cells were observed throughout the hippocampus of both two groups at PD 20. BrdU-labeled cells were immunopositive for Sox2 (>70%) and almost immunonegative for NeuN, S100 protein, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. BrdU-labeled Sox2-positive progenitors were abundant, particularly in the subgranular layer of the dentate gyrus (DG), and were denser in VPA-treated ferrets. When BrdU-labeled Sox2-positive progenitors were examined at 2 h after the second VPA administration on PD 7, their density in the granular/subgranular layer and hilus of the DG was significantly greater in VPA-treated ferrets compared to controls. The findings suggest that VPA exposure to ferret infants facilitates the proliferation of DG progenitors, supplying excessive progenitors for hippocampal adult neurogenesis to the subgranular layer.

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