Cognition

2019 ◽  
pp. 39-63
Author(s):  
Kjetil Anders Hatlebrekke
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
The Brain

Intelligence institutions that want to increase the quality of their work must ensure their intelligence operatives are given a chance to develop their minds. They must be given freedom and oppor- tunities to develop their creativity and as such their integrity, and intelligence organisations, intelligence operatives and consumers therefore need to be attentive, alert, aware and sensitive to the reality of the holistic complexity of threats. The comprehension of this oneness and totality may help intelligence communities to analyse threat structures deeply and understand their order. Ideology, organisation, leadership, manning, funding, supporters and potential breeding grounds for threats are all factors needing exploration. This chapter will give special attention to the relation and structure of these factors and argues that they must never be understood separately. This chapter thus highlights that it is the interplay of the holistic complexity of threats that needs to be acknowledged, the challenge this complexity creates for the brain and how intelligence institutions can reduce this challenge.

Classification of methods for generating pseudo-CT from MRI images for MRI-alone RT

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
BOUKELLOUZ Wafa ◽  
MOUSSAOUI Abdelouahab
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Hybrid Methods ◽  
Dose Calculation ◽  
Absolute Error ◽  
Ct Images ◽  
General Technique ◽  
Therapy Field ◽  
The Brain

Background: Since the last decades, research have been oriented towards an MRI-alone radiation treatment planning (RTP), where MRI is used as the primary modality for imaging, delineation and dose calculation by assigning to it the needed electron density (ED) information. The idea is to create a computed tomography (CT) image or so-called pseudo-CT from MRI data. In this paper, we review and classify methods for creating pseudo-CT images from MRI data. Each class of methods is explained and a group of works in the literature is presented in detail with statistical performance. We discuss the advantages, drawbacks and limitations of each class of methods. Methods: We classified most recent works in deriving a pseudo-CT from MR images into four classes: segmentation-based, intensity-based, atlas-based and hybrid methods. We based the classification on the general technique applied in the approach. Results: Most of research focused on the brain and the pelvis regions. The mean absolute error (MAE) ranged from 80 HU to 137 HU and from 36.4 HU to 74 HU for the brain and pelvis, respectively. In addition, an interest in the Dixon MR sequence is increasing since it has the advantage of producing multiple contrast images with a single acquisition. Conclusion: Radiation therapy field is emerging towards the generalization of MRI-only RT thanks to the advances in techniques for generation of pseudo-CT images. However, a benchmark is needed to set in common performance metrics to assess the quality of the generated pseudo-CT and judge on the efficiency of a certain method.

Neuro-Optometric Treatment of Complications from a Cerebellar Astrocytoma

2020 ◽  
pp. 304-312
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Common Site ◽  
Us Army ◽  
Cranial Nerve Palsies ◽  
Pilocytic Astrocytomas ◽  
The Us ◽  
Extent Of Damage ◽  
Functional Components ◽  
The Brain

Background: Insult to the brain, whether from trauma or other etiologies, can have a devastating effect on an individual. Symptoms can be many and varied, depending on the location and extent of damage. This presentation can be a challenge to the optometrist charged with treating the sequelae of this event as multiple functional components of the visual system can be affected. Case Report: This paper describes the diagnosis and subsequent ophthalmic management of an acquired brain injury in a 22 year old male on active duty in the US Army. After developing acute neurological symptoms, the patient was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma of the cerebellum. Emergent neurosurgery to treat the neoplasm resulted in iatrogenic cranial nerve palsies and a hemispheric syndrome. Over the next 18 months, he was managed by a series of providers, including a strabismus surgeon, until presenting to our clinic. Lenses, prism, and in-office and out-of-office neurooptometric rehabilitation therapy were utilized to improve his functioning and make progress towards his goals. Conclusions: Pilocytic astrocytomas are the most common primary brain tumors, and the vast majority are benign with excellent surgical prognosis. Although the most common site is the cerebellum, the visual pathway is also frequently affected. If the eye or visual system is affected, optometrists have the ability to drastically improve quality of life with neuro-optometric rehabilitation.

PENGARUH PIJAT BAYI TERHADAP KUALITAS TIDUR BAYI UMUR 0 – 3 BULAN DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS SOSIAL PALEMBANG TAHUN 2016

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Widyastuti Wahyuningsih Juliana Widyastuti Wahyuningsih
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
P Value ◽  
Development Phase ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Infant Massage ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Brain

ABSTRAK Tidur merupakan kebutuhan yang harus terpenuhi terutama pada fase perkembangan karena selama tidur akan terjadi perkembangan otak maupun tubuh, sehingga gangguan tidur merupakan masalah yang akan menimbulkan dampak buruk terhadap pertumbuhan dan perkembangan bayi. Kualitas tidur bayi yang baik dapat diciptakan dengan memberikan pemijatan bayi secara rutin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membuktikan bahwa pemijatan dapat mempengaruhi kualitas tidur bayi umur 0-3 bulan. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian Quasy Eksperimental dengan metode One Group Pretest-Postest. Sampel 22 bayi yang dipilih dengan tehnik Total Sampling yang di observasi sebelum dan sesudah diberikan pemijatan. Variabel yang diukur dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitas tidur bayi 0-3 bulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ada pengaruh pijat bayi terhadap kualitas tidur bayi umur 0-3 bulan (p value  0,008 < α = 0,05).Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ini disarankan agar keluarga dan masyarakat memberikan pemijatan secara rutin dan mandiri untuk meningkatkan kebutuhan tidur bayi yang berkualitas.   ABSTRACT Sleep is a human necessity that must be met, especially in the development phase because during sleep will occur the brain and body developments, so that sleep disturbance is a problem that would cause adverse effects on infants’ growth and development. The good quality of sleep can be created by providing the infants massage routinely. This study aimed to prove that the massage could affect the quality of sleep on the 0-3 months old baby. This study used Quasy-experimental design with One Group Pretest-Posttest. The sample 22 infants selected by total sampling technique observed on before and after the massage. The variables measured in this study are the quality of sleep. The results of study indicate that there is an effect of infant massage to the sleep quality on 0-3 months old babies (p value 0,008 < α = 0,05).Based on the results of this study it recommended for the families and communities to provide infant massage regularly and independently to increase the quality of sleep on the baby.  

Integrated Biomarkers for Depression in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Critical Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Wenzler ◽  
Christian Knochel ◽  
Ceylan Balaban ◽  
Dominik Kraft ◽  
Juliane Kopf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Manifestation ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Control Functional

Depression is a common neuropsychiatric manifestation among Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. It may compromise everyday activities and lead to a faster cognitive decline as well as worse quality of life. The identification of promising biomarkers may therefore help to timely initiate and improve the treatment of preclinical and clinical states of AD, and to improve the long-term functional outcome. In this narrative review, we report studies that investigated biomarkers for AD-related depression. Genetic findings state AD-related depression as a rather complex, multifactorial trait with relevant environmental and inherited contributors. However, one specific set of genes, the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), specifically the Val66Met polymorphism, may play a crucial role in AD-related depression. Regarding neuroimaging markers, the most promising findings reveal structural impairments in the cortico-subcortical networks that are related to affect regulation and reward / aversion control. Functional imaging studies reveal abnormalities in predominantly frontal and temporal regions. Furthermore, CSF based biomarkers are seen as potentially promising for the diagnostic process showing abnormalities in metabolic pathways that contribute to AD-related depression. However, there is a need for standardization of methodological issues and for replication of current evidence with larger cohorts and prospective studies.

Choroidal metastases: case report and review

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Victor Duque ◽  
Carolina de la Pinta ◽  
Ciriaco Corral ◽  
Carmen Vallejo ◽  
Margarita Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
External Beam Radiotherapy ◽  
Choroidal Metastasis ◽  
Good Visual Acuity ◽  
Good Local Control ◽  
Radiological Response ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Introduction: Choroidal metastases are the most frequent intraocular secondary tumours, with a prevalence of 2–7% according to the literature. Our aim was to review a clinical case of choroidal metastasis. We present a case of a 63-year-old male patient diagnosed in 2018 with lung adenocarcinoma cT4N0M1. The patient had three metastases in the brain, which were successfully treated with radiosurgery (RS). The patient was treated with chemotherapy with pemetrexed–cisplatin schedule. Five months after diagnosis, the patient presented with decreased vision in the right eye. After ophthalmologic evaluation, he was diagnosed with a right choroidal metastasis, which was treated with external beam radiotherapy with 20 Gy in five fractions, resulting in improved visual acuity and a complete clinical and radiological response. The patient took part in a clinical trial that continued with systemic chemotherapy. Twenty-two months after radiotherapy to the eye, the patient has good visual acuity without any side effects. Conclusions: Choroidal metastasis treated with radiotherapy achieves good local control, with limited side effects, allowing an improvement in visual acuity and consequently, an improvement in the patient´s quality of life.

scholarly journals Mindfulness Research Update: 2008

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Greeson
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mindfulness Practice ◽  
Optimal Health ◽  
The Brain

Objective: To briefly review the effects of mindfulness on the mind, the brain, the body, and behavior. Methods: Selective review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases (2003—2008) using the terms ``mindfulness,'' ``meditation,'' ``mental health,'' ``physical health,'' ``quality of life,'' and ``stress reduction.'' A total of 52 exemplars of empirical and theoretical work were selected for review. Results: Both basic and clinical research indicate that cultivating a more mindful way of being is associated with less emotional distress, more positive states of mind, and better quality of life. In addition, mindfulness practice can influence the brain, the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones, the immune system, and health behaviors, including eating, sleeping, and substance use, in salutary ways. Conclusion: The application of cutting-edge technology toward understanding mindfulness— an ``inner technology''—is elucidating new ways in which attention, awareness, acceptance, and compassion may promote optimal health—in mind, body, relationships, and spirit.

Depression and Inflammatory Markers in Veterans With Multiple Sclerosis

2021 ◽  
pp. 109980042110500
Author(s):  
Pamela Newland ◽  
Yelyzaveta Basan ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
Gregory Wu
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Brain And Spinal Cord ◽  
The Brain

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), afflicts over one per thousand people in the United States. The pathology of MS typically involves lesions in several regions, including the brain and spinal cord. The manifestation of MS is variable and carries great potential to negatively impact quality of life (QOL). Evidence that inflammatory markers are related to depression in MS is accumulating. However, there are barriers in precisely identifying the biological mechanisms underlying depression and inflammation. Analysis of cytokines provides one promising approach for understanding the mechanisms that may contribute to MS symptoms. Methods: In this pilot study, we measured salivary levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1beta (β), and IL-10 in 24 veterans with MS. Descriptive statistics were reported and Pearson correlation coefficients were obtained between cytokines and depression. Results: The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was significantly negatively associated with depression in veterans with MS (r = −0.47, p = .024). Conclusion: Cytokines may be useful for elucidating biological mechanisms associated with the depression and a measure for nurses caring for veterans with MS.

Clinical and neuroimaging features of chronic cerebral ischemia in polycythemia vera

2021 ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
G. V. Zyrina ◽  
T. A. Slyusa
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Ischemia ◽  
Polycythemia Vera ◽  
Mini Mental State Examination ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Chronic Cerebral Ischemia ◽  
State Examination ◽  
The Brain

The purpose of the study. To study clinical and neuroimaging features of chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) in polycythemia vera (PV).Materials and methods. 66 patients with PV were examined – the main group (43 men, 23 women; mean age 62.0 ± 3.4 years), of which 64 (97.0%) patients were diagnosed with CCI. The comparison group consisted of 85 patients with CCI (34 men, 51 women; mean age 67.7 ± 4.6 years), who developed against the background of cerebral vascular atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension. To identify cognitive disorders, we used Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Insomnia was studied in accordance with the criteria of the International Classification of Sleep ICDS‑22005. The quality of sleep was determined using a questionnaire from the Federal Somnological Center. Neuroimaging (MRI of the brain) was performed on Siemens Symphony 1.5 T and GE Signa 1.5 T tomographs.Results. Subjective symptoms CCI are characterized by a greater representation of asthenic and insomniac disorders. Transient ischemic attacks in patients with PV are significantly more common than in the comparison group, their frequency depends on the duration of PV. The revealed changes in MRI of the brain in the majority of PV patients with CCI are characteristic of multiinfarction vascular encephalopathy; in the comparison group, changes that characteristic for subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy were more often recorded.

Intake of Anti-Epileptic Drugs and their Influences on Sexual Dysfunctions

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roheela Yasmeen ◽  
Nida Mobeen ◽  
Muhammad Amjad Khan ◽  
Irfan Aslam ◽  
Samia Chaudhry
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Sexual Dysfunction ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
Penile Erection ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Psychiatric Problems

Epilepsy which is also called seizures disorder is an uncontrolled action of the central nervous system. Itis not a single disease but a set of neurological disorders. Actually in this situation, the brain does notreceive a precise signal and as a result an abnormal condition is produced that is usually involuntary inaction. In this review, we aimed to focus on the relationship of anti-epileptic drugs with sexual dysfunctionand adaptation of better remedies that improve a patient’s family life. Sexual dysfunction is a commoncomorbidity in people with epilepsy which badly affects their quality of life. Sexual dysfunction is causedby different factors like psychiatric problems, anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) and social factors etc. Sexualdysfunctions include ejaculatory failure, lessen libido, penile erection in men and irregular menstrual cyclein women. Common drugs such as Topiramate, Gabapentin (GBP), Valproate (VA), Carbamazepine (CBZ),Olanzapine (OL) and Risperidone (RTG) that are in practice to treat epilepsy usually produced adverseeffect on sexual dysfunction. Even though a lot of studies have been carried out to control sexualdysfunction in epilepsy’s patient, but still research is going on. Medicine such as Cyproheptadine,Mianserin, Buspirone, Yohimbine were found better to treat epilepsy with minimum side effects of sexualdysfunction. Moreover, it is also seen that certain vasodilators, folate , and vitamin supplements areeffective in improving the quality of life.

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