NeuroSci最新文献

Numerosity can be represented in symbolic formats and non-symbolic dot arrays. How numerosity load unfolds across WM encoding/maintenance and test-stage comparison within a single paradigm remains unclear, especially within the tested 4-6 range. We used a delayed match-to-sample task manipulating numerosity (4-6) and match status, with two test blocks (dot-digit and dot-dot). Behaviorally, a higher numerosity reduced accuracy and increased RTs in both blocks, with larger costs in dot-dot; the mismatch reliably slowed RTs. At sample onset, occipital P1 and N1 amplitudes decreased with increasing numerosity, consistent with greater perceptual/processing demands at higher load, with the strongest differences at the high end of the range. During the delay, numerosity modulation was temporally specific, emerging in the 450-650 ms posterior window and remaining significant after FDR correction across the four consecutive delay windows. At the test, the mismatch elicited a more negative N2 in both blocks (larger in dot-dot), while numerosity also modulated N2 only in dot-dot, showing a monotonic increase in negativity with load. Controlling for condition-mean logRT did not eliminate these N2 effects. P3 showed no reliable modulation, whereas a later positive component was enhanced by mismatch selectively in dot-dot. Together, these results indicate stage-differentiated effects: numerosity load impacts early encoding and a circumscribed maintenance interval, whereas mismatch effects arise primarily during the test-stage comparison, with additional late evaluative activity when formats are aligned.

The Benson Complex Figure Test (BCFT) is a neuropsychological tool designed to assess visuospatial construction and visual memory with lower complexity than traditional tests. This study evaluated its ability to differentiate between major dementia subtypes. In a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 1428 participants from a Greek third-age day center (healthy participants [Controls]; patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease dementia [ADD], Lewy body dementia [LBD], Frontotemporal dementia [FTD: behavioral variant (BV), non-fluent variant (NFV), semantic variant (SV)], Corticobasal dementia [CBD], Parkinson's disease dementia [PDD], and mixed Cardiovascular dementia with Alzheimer's disease [CVD/AD]), all participants completed the BCFT and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, and education, revealed distinct BCFT profiles across dementia subtypes. Patients with CBD showed significantly lower copy scores than those with ADD (p = 0.006). The FTD-NFV group exhibited superior memory scores compared to all other dementia subtypes (p < 0.001). Poorer BCFT recognition performance was strongly associated with diagnoses of ADD (OR = 0.39, p = 0.012), FTD-BV (OR = 0.22, p = 0.025), and PDD (OR = 0.26, p < 0.001). Classification accuracy was highest for controls and ADD (sensitivity > 89%) but low for rarer subtypes (<25%), partly reflecting sample size limitations. In conclusion, the BCFT captures distinct visuospatial and memory profiles across dementia syndromes, supporting its potential utility in differential diagnosis, particularly for common subtypes such as ADD. Its simpler design may facilitate assessment in older adults, although validation in larger and more balanced cohorts is required for rarer dementias.

Introduction: Vestibular migraine (VM) is a frequent but underdiagnosed cause of episodic vertigo, characterized by vestibular symptoms often accompanied by migrainous features. Despite its relatively high prevalence, diagnosis remains clinically challenging and may differ depending on the diagnostic criteria used. This systematic review evaluates VM prevalence and clinical features across age groups to improve recognition and guide age-appropriate management.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. This research was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, and Embase. Two independent reviewers screened studies by title and abstract, and a separate pair screened full texts. Eligible studies were observational and reported prevalence or clinical features of VM.

Results: A total of 874 publications were identified, leading to the review of 21 studies. Prevalence of VM varied widely, ranging from 6% to 35% in children and 2.7% to 40.9% in adults. Pooled prevalence across studies was 19% overall, 25% in children, and 14% in adults. Among patients with vertigo, the pooled prevalence was higher at 26%, with 33% in children and 18% in adults. Vertigo was the most consistent symptom in both age groups, and female predominance was observed in all age groups. Prevalence variability likely reflects diversity in applied diagnostic criteria and study design across included studies.

Conclusion: VM is a common cause of vertigo, particularly in pediatric populations. Age-specific clinical features highlight the need for tailored diagnostic and management strategies. Future research should focus on large-scale prospective studies.

Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) constitutes a late-life transition state that is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Herein, we cross-sectionally describe the MBI construct and its relationship with cognitive status in Mexican-Mestizos (MM) older adults. Participants were classified according to their cognitive and behavioral statuses using tests administered to older adults and their informants. APOE_rs429358/rs7412 variants were genotyped by real-time PCR. Multivariate correlation and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were used in statistical analysis. A total of 246 participants were included, 56.1% were classified as individuals with NC, 13.0% had subjective cognitive decline, and 30.9% had mild cognitive impairment. A total of 37% (91/246) of participants from all over the cognitive spectrum met the MBI criteria; among this group, APOEε4 homozygosity was associated with two subdomains of the MBI. Subjective cognitive complaint, symptoms of depression, and cognitive decline reported by the informant were associated with an increased risk for MBI (ORs in the range of 4.7-15.89). The first three components of PCA explained 68.0% of the variance of the dataset, including the MBI-checklist total score as a main contributor. Well-known risk factors for dementia also correlated with this PCA. MBI could be a potential marker for cognitive decline in non-demented MM elderly people; however, observed associations should be confirmed in future longitudinal studies.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal prion disease of the central nervous system that develops due to the conversion of the normal cellular protein PrPc to the abnormal PrPSc molecule. The first clinical cases were described in the 1920s. The aim of this paper is to present the clinical progress of the disease and the diagnostic process, including some of the most common diagnostic traps. The paper highlights a range of symptoms that should serve as a potential warning signal for clinicians-not just neurologists-indicating the need to evaluate the patient more thoroughly.

Background: Slowly expanding lesions (SELs) have been introduced as a radiological marker of chronic active demyelination and smoldering inflammation. These lesions are recognized as indicators of disability worsening and brain atrophy in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). We aimed to provide an overview of the available evidence on the prevalence and clinical relevance of SELs in PwMS.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched up to 25 May 2025, to identify studies evaluating SELs in PwMS. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We conducted a thorough review to evaluate the clinical relevance of SELs in MS. Additionally, a meta-analysis was performed using R software to estimate the pooled prevalence of SELs in MS.

Results: Twenty studies on 4970 PwMS met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis indicated that the pooled prevalence of SELs in PwMS was 57.1% (95% CI: 44.9% to 69.3%). Moreover, the systematic review showed that SELs were associated with chronic neuroinflammation, ongoing demyelination, disability, microstructural damage, and axonal degeneration. Intervention studies also indicated that the number and volume of SELs were decreased following the administration of disease-modifying therapies.

Conclusions: SELs are revealed to affect around half of PwMS and are associated with disability and disease progression in MS. These results highlight the potential role of SELs as a critical radiomarker in MS. However, future studies are warranted to validate these preliminary findings.

Background: Lower limb (LL) and low back Radicular Syndromes (RSs) may result from discopathy of the lumbo-sacral spine. Consistent benefits are reported from Epidural Adhesiolysis (EA).

Aim: To evaluate clinical and European Quality of Life items (EQ-5D) of Peri-Neural Release interventions (PNR, a modified approach and terminology for EA) among patients diagnosed with lumbo-sacral discopathy associated radicular syndromes.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by retrieving records of patients e treated by PNR for low back and lower limbs pain between January 2018 and December 2024. Eligible patients were adults who were diagnosed with lumbo-sacral discopathy, stenosis, or Post Lumbar Surgery Syndrome (PLSS). Data on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) adopting the European Quality of Life five items (Euro-QoL 5D) that includes self-ratings of mobility, active daily living, self-care, pain and discomfort, anxiety and depression) was collected before the procedure and on subsequent follow-up visits. Other clinical outcomes included numerical pain rating scales (NRSs), sleep quality, time to pain during activity, and self-reported health scores.

Results: A total of 221 patients were included in this analysis. Of these, 56.6% were female, with a mean age of 45.1 ± 14.7 years. In total, 50.2% of patients underwent PNR alone, followed by 28.1% who underwent PNR balloon decompression neuroplasty. Of the remaining patients, 7.2% underwent epiduroscopic PNR, 6.3% PNR combined with annuloplasty (biacuplasty) and 8.1% underwent PNR combined with nucleoplasty. Significant improvements were observed across all EQ-5D and NRS (p < 0.001) at follow-up assessments without major complications. The interventions were associated with a decrease in NRS from 7.9 to 3.1, and an increase in the duration of pain-free activity (walking, standing, sitting) (p < 0.001). Self-reported overall health scores improved from 53.9 ± 18.4 to 81.1 ± 15.1. In terms of complications, two patients reported post-operative headache. The remaining side effects included coccydynia at the site of intervention, resolving with application of non-steroid anti-inflammatory topicals and self-resolving lower limb numbness in five cases.

Conclusions: The presented data suggest that PNR-whether performed alone or in combination with adjunctive intradiscal procedures-is a safe intervention, and is associated, in the majority of patients, with substantial pain relief and improvement in EQ-5D both in the short- and long-term follow-up.

While typical benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) presents with reproducible patterns of nystagmus and vertigo during positional testing, atypical variants often deviate from typical patterns, making diagnosis more complex. Recognizing atypical BPPV is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate management. This study aims to describe the clinical spectrum of atypical BPPV, differentiate it from central positional vertigo, and provide practical diagnostic guidance for clinicians. A narrative review was conducted to explore the clinical spectrum of atypical BPPV. Findings indicate that it may present with vertigo without nystagmus, conflicting torsional components in bilateral cases, or persistent symptoms despite repositioning maneuvers. Canal switch and pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus have also been described. Although these variants may mimic central etiologies, the absence of consistent neurological signs supports a peripheral mechanism. Diagnosis relies on detailed assessment of nystagmus characteristics-such as latency, /duration, and direction-as well as the exclusion of red flags, like direction-changing nystagmus without head movement, vomiting, or non-positional ocular motor abnormalities. Atypical BPPV remains a diagnostic challenge and requires careful bedside assessment and clinical testing. Understanding these variants is essential for timely and appropriate treatment. When doubt persists and resolution with treatment does not occur, neuroimaging should be considered to exclude central pathology.

Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is characterized by complex visual hallucinations in visually impaired individuals who maintain intact cognitive function. Despite significant progress in understanding this condition, the precise neural mechanisms underlying CBS remain incompletely understood. This review synthesizes current evidence regarding the pathophysiology of CBS, with particular emphasis on emerging neurobiological models that extend beyond simple cortical hyperexcitability. Recent neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and computational modeling studies suggest that CBS hallucinations may arise from complex interactions among deafferentation-induced neural plasticity, neurotransmitter imbalances, and altered functional connectivity within visual processing hierarchies. The evidence increasingly points toward a model involving desynchronization between bottom-up and top-down visual processing pathways, rather than mere hyperexcitability of deafferented visual cortex. This integrated perspective has important implications for both the theoretical understanding of visual perception and the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.

The neuronal cell adhesion molecule NrCAM is widely expressed in the nervous system across the lifespan and has important physiological functions in the development of neuronal circuits through axonal growth and guidance and formation and maintenance of synapses in the cortex. NrCAM gene polymorphisms are associated with vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, as well as vulnerability to substance use disorders. We investigated the effects of acute and chronic stress and the effects of systemic administration of AMPAR antagonist CNQX and NMDAR antagonist MK-801 on delay discounting in male NrCAM knockout (KO) mice and their wild-type littermate controls (WT). Under the no-stress condition, no discounting differences were found. Acute stress increased discounting and impulsivity in WTs but not in NrCAM KO mice. Chronic stress increased discounting and impulsivity in both genotypes. CNQX increased impulsive choice in WT controls but not in NrCAM KOs; impulsive choice decreased in both genotypes after MK-801 administration. Relative to WTs, NrCAM KOs had more neuronal activation in the prelimbic and orbitofrontal cortices. In NrCAM KO mice, a low dose of MK-801 decreased neuronal activation in the ventral orbitofrontal cortex and increased activation in the accumbens shell and core. These results indicate differential effects of genotype, stress, and response to glutamatergic drugs and support a role for NrCAM in stress-induced behavioral alterations relevant to addiction and psychiatric disorders.