Our Humanity

Neurobiological research highlights the significance of our physical existence as feeling, conscious, and purposeful beings. Antonio Damasio describes the core self as a witness to one’s own purposeful existence—a possible location for the notion of human dignity. In contrast to the notion of the isolated individual, Damasio defines the self as a conductor created by an orchestra. Daniel Siegel sees the self as a composite entity determined by the flow of information and energy among internal and external events and responses. He also points out the significance of Attachment theory is revealing our need, like other primates, of a secure base; grounded in social relationships with others.

Music in Waiting Rooms: A Literature Review

Objective: We aim to review existing literature on the effects of background music in waiting rooms on patients. Furthermore, we examine existing neurobiological research for potential mechanisms by which music may affect patients. Background: Music has been studied in healthcare in various forms, from formal interventions such as music therapy to passive listening as therapy. However, music is also present in the healthcare environment in the form of background music in waiting rooms. There has been interest in whether background music in such a setting may have beneficial effects on patient anxiety in order to potentially inform healthcare workers whether and what type of music may be suitable for waiting rooms. Methods: We reviewed existing literature on music in healthcare waiting rooms and the neurobiological mechanisms by which music affects anxiety. Results: We located several small studies performed in a range of settings, including physician office waiting rooms and preoperative waiting areas. The studies generally reported that most patients viewed music in these areas positively; some, but not all, studies showed positive effects on patient anxiety. A variety of theories by which music may impact patient anxiety was noted. Conclusions: We conclude that there exists some evidence to support an anxiety-reducing effect of background music on patients, though studies vary widely in methodology and music selection. A small amount of neurobiological research into the pertinent mechanisms has been conducted, but further research will be required to elucidate the exact mechanisms by which this intervention may reduce anxiety.

Novel Insights Into the Neurobiology of the Antidepressant Response From Ketamine Research: A Mini Review

The serendipitous discovery of ketamine’s antidepressant effects represents one of the major landmarks in neuropsychopharmacological research of the last 50 years. Ketamine provides an exciting challenge to traditional concepts of antidepressant drug therapy, producing rapid antidepressant effects seemingly without targeting monoaminergic pathways in the conventional way. In consequence, the advent of ketamine has spawned a plethora of neurobiological research into its putative mechanisms. Here, we provide a brief overview of current theories of antidepressant drug action including monoaminergic signaling, disinhibition of glutamatergic neurotransmission, neurotrophic and neuroplastic effects, and how these might relate to ketamine. Given that research into ketamine has not yet yielded new therapies beyond ketamine itself, current knowledge gaps and limitations of available studies are also discussed.

Wireless, battery-free, subdermally implantable platforms for transcranial and long-range optogenetics in freely moving animals

Wireless, battery-free, and fully subdermally implantable optogenetic tools are poised to transform neurobiological research in freely moving animals. Current-generation wireless devices are sufficiently small, thin, and light for subdermal implantation, offering some advantages over tethered methods for naturalistic behavior. Yet current devices using wireless power delivery require invasive stimulus delivery, penetrating the skull and disrupting the blood–brain barrier. This can cause tissue displacement, neuronal damage, and scarring. Power delivery constraints also sharply curtail operational arena size. Here, we implement highly miniaturized, capacitive power storage on the platform of wireless subdermal implants. With approaches to digitally manage power delivery to optoelectronic components, we enable two classes of applications: transcranial optogenetic activation millimeters into the brain (validated using motor cortex stimulation to induce turning behaviors) and wireless optogenetics in arenas of more than 1 m2 in size. This methodology allows for previously impossible behavioral experiments leveraging the modern optogenetic toolkit.

PC12 and THP-1 Cell Lines as Neuronal and Microglia Model in Neurobiological Research

Models based on cell cultures have become a useful tool in modern scientific research. Since primary cell lines are difficult to obtain and handle, neoplasm-derived lines like PC12 and THP-1 offer a cheap and flexible solution for neurobiological studies but require prior differentiation to serve as a neuronal or microglia model. PC12 cells constitute a suitable research model only after differentiation by incubation with nerve growth factor (NGF) and THP-1 cells after administering a differentiation factor such as phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Still, quite often, studies are performed on these cancer cells without differentiation. The study aimed to assess the impact of PC12 or THP-1 cell differentiation on sensitivity to harmful factors such as Aβ25-35 (0.001–5 µM) (considered as one of the major detrimental factors in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease) or lipopolysaccharide (1–100 µM) (LPS; a pro-inflammatory factor of bacterial origin). Results showed that in most of the tests performed, the response of PC12 and THP-1 cells induced to differentiation varied significantly from the effect in undifferentiated cells. In general, differentiated cells showed greater sensitivity to harmful factors in terms of metabolic activity and DNA damage, while in the case of the free radicals, the results were heterogeneous. Obtained data emphasize the importance of proper differentiation of cell lines of neoplastic origin in neurobiological research and standardization of cell culture handling protocols to ensure reliable results.

To whose good? Directions and gaps in psychiatric research

Background: Psychiatry’s evidence-, implementation-, and treatment-gaps. Aims: The aim of this study is to uncover current trends and gaps in psychiatric research. Understanding where psychiatric research is going and where there might be blind spots is important to better align it with global mental health challenges and with service users’ needs. Method: 10 top-ranking scientific journals (highest impact factors) in psychiatry were identified for 3 years (1999, 2009, 2019) using Clarivate Analytics. Metadata of all papers published by these journals in the index years were downloaded, and the relevance and relatedness of terms from all titles and abstracts were computed and visualized using VOSviewer. Results: In 1999, prominent themes included schizophrenia and novel antipsychotics as well as research on families. Ten and 20 years later, neurobiological research, especially genetic and animal studies, had gained importance. Social and psychological themes were less present across all three time points. Conclusions: In high-ranking psychiatric journals, neurobiological research appears to gain importance while social themes are under-represented. In view of challenges such as implementation gaps, marginalization of people with severe mental illness and mental health risks through social inequality, there seems to be a dissociation between research and patient needs. We suggest a systems approach to bring together different kinds of knowledge.