Real-time whole-brain imaging of hemodynamics and oxygenation at micro-vessel resolution with ultrafast wide-field photoacoustic microscopy

High-speed high-resolution imaging of the whole-brain hemodynamics is urgently needed to facilitate the next level of neurovascular research. Image acquisition speed and image quality are crucial to visualizing real-time hemodynamics in complex brain vascular networks, and displaying fast pathophysiological dynamics on a micro and macro-level, enabling advances in current queries in neurovascular and brain metabolism research, including stroke, dementia and acute brain injury. Further, real-time oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (sO2) imaging to differentiate arteries from veins and capture fast-paced oxygen delivery dynamics is needed to solve pertinent questions in these fields and beyond. Here, we present a novel ultrafast functional photoacoustic microscopy (UFF-PAM) to image the whole-brain hemodynamics and oxygen delivery. UFF-PAM takes advantage of several key engineering innovations, including Raman-shifter-based dual-wavelength laser excitation, water-immersible 12-facet-polygon scanner, high-sensitivity ultrasound transducer, and deep-learning-based image upsampling. A volumetric imaging rate of 2 Hz has been achieved over a field of view (FOV) of 11× 7.5 × 1.5 mm3 with a high spatial resolution of ~10 µm. Using the UFF-PAM system, we have demonstrated proof-of-concept functional studies on the mouse brains in response to systemic hypoxia, sodium nitroprusside, and stroke. We observed the mouse brain’s fast morphological and functional changes over the entire cortex, including vasoconstriction, vasodilation, and deoxygenation. More interestingly, for the first time, under the whole-brain FOV and micro-vessel resolution, we captured the vasoconstriction and oxygenation change simultaneously in the spreading depolarization (SD) wave. Our work provides a great potential for fundamental brain research under various pathological and physiological conditions.

Everyday Functioning in a Community-Based Volunteer Population: Differences Between Participant- and Study Partner-Report

Introduction: Impaired awareness in dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders made study partner-report the preferred method of measuring interference in “instrumental activities of daily living” (IADL). However, with a shifting focus toward earlier disease stages and prevention, the question arises whether self-report might be equally or even more appropriate. The aim of this study was to investigate how participant- and study partner-report IADL perform in a community-based volunteer population without dementia and which factors relate to differences between participant- and study partner-report.Methods: Participants (N = 3,288; 18–97 years, 70.4% females) and their study partners (N = 1,213; 18–88 years, 45.8% females) were recruited from the Dutch Brain Research Registry. IADL were measured using the Amsterdam IADL Questionnaire. The concordance between participant- and study partner-reported IADL difficulties was examined using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Multinomial logistic regressions were used to investigate which demographic, cognitive, and psychosocial factors related to participant and study partner differences, by looking at the over- and underreport of IADL difficulties by the participant, relative to their study partner.Results: Most A-IADL-Q scores represented no difficulties for both participants (87.9%) and study partners (89.4%). The concordance between participants and study partners was moderate (ICC = 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.51, 0.59]); 24.5% (N = 297) of participants overreported their IADL difficulties compared with study partners, and 17.8% (N = 216) underreported difficulties. The presence of depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31, 95% CI = [1.12, 1.54]), as well as memory complaints (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = [1.80, 3.34]), increased the odds of participants overreporting their IADL difficulties. Higher IADL ratings decreased the odds of participant underreport (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = [0.67, 0.74]).Conclusion: In this sample of community-based volunteers, most participants and study partners reported no major IADL difficulties. Differences between participant and study partner were, however, quite prevalent, with subjective factors indicative of increased report of IADL difficulties by the participant in particular. These findings suggest that self- and study partner-report measures may not be interchangeable, and that the level of awareness needs to be considered, even in cognitively healthy individuals.

A multidimensional model of interaction as a framework for a phenomenon-driven approach to communication

Interaction between people is a cornerstone of being human. Despite huge developments in languages and communicative skills, interaction often fails, which causes problems and costs in everyday life and work. An inability to conduct dialogue also produces conflicts between groups of people, states and religions. Therefore, there are good reasons to claim that miscommunication and failures in interaction are among the most serious problems in the world. Researchers from different fields - linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, brain research, philosophy - have tried to tackle this complex phenomenon. Their method-driven approaches enrich our understanding of the features of interaction in many ways. However, what is lacking is an understanding of the very essence of interaction, which needs a more holistic, phenomenon-driven approach. The aim of this paper is to show that the only way to reach this goal is multidisciplinarity, that is, using the results and methods of different fields of research. This is not an easy goal and task because the way of thinking and doing research varies greatly discipline-wise. A further obstacle is the researchers training, which, as a rule, focuses on the tradition of only one field of research. The Multidimensional Model of Interaction provides a good framework for a more holistic approach to interaction by viewing the complex phenomenon from different angles. The model includes various phases of the process of interaction, beginning with the choice of the topic by the speaker and ending with identification of the reference by the recipient, as well as the mental worlds of the interlocutors (knowledge, attitudes, values, emotional state etc.), recipient design (accommodation of speech) and external circumstances.

Brain Awareness Week 2021 at Ibn Sina Academy (India): A Report

Brain- and neuroscience-related diseases and research are an important aspect to be discussed and explored at public interest. International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) is an international organization that is involved in spearheading both these activities. Brain Awareness Week (BAW) was never organized in a city which gave rise to the foundation of “Indian Academy of Neurosciences (IAN).” Stalwarts like Professor P. N. Saxena, Professor Om Chandra, Professor Mahdi Hasan, Professor K. C. Singhal, etc. did some significant efforts to promote neuroscience and brain research in Aligarh. They also established “Interdisciplinary Brain Research Centre” at Aligarh Muslim University and organized many scientific events including the Fifth Annual Conference of the IAN from December 7 to December 9, 1986. They also established “Interdisciplinary Brain Research Centre” at Aligarh Muslim University. Likewise, Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences is another institution where a large number of publications on neuroscience exist. With this background, BAW with a theme, “Neuroscience through the ages to modern times” was organized by the courtesy of IBRO-APRC Brain Awareness Week Grant. The exhibition of publications extant at Ibn Sina Academy (depicting history of neuroscience since medieval era specially the works of medieval Arabs who played a significant role in the growth of neurosurgery) and public awareness lectures on importance of neuroscience research helped in some extent to increase public awareness, foster public enthusiasm and interest in the younger generation. Students of all science disciplines including Unani medicine were invited to participate at various events such as presentation of postal stamps on neuroscience, paintings, essay writing competition, and poetry on brain and neuroscience.

Bioelectromagnetism in Human Brain Research: New Applications, New Questions

Bioelectromagnetism has contributed some of the most commonly used techniques to human neuroscience such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and transcranial electric stimulation (TES). The considerable differences in their technical design and practical use give rise to the impression that these are quite different techniques altogether. Here, we review, discuss and illustrate the fundamental principle of Helmholtz reciprocity that provides a common ground for all four techniques. We show that, more than 150 years after its discovery by Helmholtz in 1853, reciprocity is important to appreciate the strengths and limitations of these four classical tools in neuroscience. We build this case by explaining the concept of Helmholtz reciprocity, presenting a methodological account of this principle for all four methods and, finally, by illustrating its application in practical clinical studies.

Mongolian Neuroscience Society (MNS) - The 8th Annual Meeting of the Mongolian Neuroscience Society and IBRO-APRC Ulaanbaatar Associate School on Fundamental Techniques in Neuroscience 2021

In 2021, the Mongolian Neuroscience Society (MNS), together with the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS), organized two events: The 8th Annual Meeting of the Mongolian Neuroscience Society themed as "Multidisciplinary Brain Science 2021" and the IBRO-APRC Ulaanbaatar Associate School on Fundamental Techniques in Neuroscience. Multidisciplinary Brain Science 2021 aimed to bring together scientists with brain science-related backgrounds under an umbrella meeting consisting of educational lectures and academic connections. It was held with 14 invited lecturers and 20 speakers for two days virtually from August 13 to 14, 2021. The meeting was streamed live on social media, which brought together 2.6K online viewers. The goal of the IBRO-APRC Associate School on Fundamental Techniques in Neuroscience was to enable students to understand the theoretical and practical fundamentals of neuroscience. This virtual school was formed by 20 students and 16 faculty members from 5 countries. The students participated in lectures, technical talks, interactive discussions, and hands-on sessions on responsible conduct of research in neuroscience with a high neuroethical standard during the 6-day program. The events were a great success, offering a unique opportunity for the participants to get updated with current advances in brain science by global and regional experts in neuroscience and facilitate academic collaborations.

Scientific and publishing activity of Ivan Vernadsky as a realization of his civil position

Significant opportunities, a wide choice and saturation of the market with goods and services make it difficult for consumers to make decisions about buying certain goods. Companies, experiencing high competition, actively use all possible approaches and methods of marketing. Often consumers do not rely on rational factors, but on their own subconscious motivations caused by marketing incentives. Therefore, companies pay considerable attention to research into consumer behavior and tastes to bring the end consumer closer to the product, convincing him of the need for its consumption. Most domestic companies continue to use the tools of classical marketing, despite the emergence of innovative methods of promotion. Traditional marketing research yields results that can be ineffective and deviate significantly from reality, so companies are beginning to look for alternative ways to study consumer behavior. One of the modern directions of research on consumer behavior is neuromarketing, whose methods exacerbate the problem of ethics of neuroscience. The purpose of this article is to analyze the possibilities of neuromarketing tools to study consumer behavior and determine the ethical aspects of the use of neuromarketing in today's market conditions. This goal involves the following tasks: 1) to reveal the relevance of the use of neuromarketing; 2) define the concept of neuromarketing and its types; 3) compare traditional marketing research and neuromarketing; 4) define the concept of neuroethics; 5) consider the problems of neuroethics in marketing; 6) consider the role of the code of ethics on the example of the NMSBA Code of Ethics; 7) identify solutions to ethical problems of neuromarketing. It has been found that neuromarketing is a promising marketing tool because it provides new information that cannot be obtained through traditional marketing research. It uses neurobiology to identify consumers’ subconscious decision-making processes and to understand the true stimuli for their behavior. Neuromarketologists conduct research to determine consumer actions that occur under the influence of their feelings, thoughts, and subconscious processes. Therefore, neuromarketing makes it possible to increase the value of products for consumers and society, provided that it simplifies the relationship between consumers and products. Unlike traditional marketing research, neuromarketing research allows to obtain results with smaller deviations from reality due to the ability to study consumers’ subconscious processes. Brain research for medical and commercial purposes involves the need to study ethical, legal and social issues and consequences that may arise in the research process. These questions are studied by a science called neuroethics. The most common ethical problems of neuromarketing are autonomy, informed consent, consumer confidentiality, and privacy. But if you follow the rules of the code of ethics, the use of these tools can be more effective.