Annals of Neurosciences最新文献

Background: An injury to the brain affects a person in some or all cognitive, emotional, behavioural and physical domains impacting quality of life. Quality of life is essential to well-being and optimum functioning of a person in daily life. It is influenced by various individual and social aspects like physical, psychological, social relationships and environment. This article discusses an overview of impact of acquired brain injury on quality of life.

Purpose: This article aims to create an awareness of the nature of brain injury, factors impacting quality of life, and inter-relationships amongst them which can have implications for clinical rehabilitation.

Conclusion: An acquired brain injury is a life-changing event for the affected person and the family. It is globally considered a national burden. As compared to the developed countries, the availability and access to social determinants of health is low in the underdeveloped, and developing countries. An awareness of the nature of brain injury, the prognosis, available approaches to treatment can enable simple cost-effective psychosocial interventions to complement overall rehabilitation plan.

Background: Excessive internet use is a growing concern globally, and internet addiction negatively impacts academic performance. Limited research has been conducted on this topic among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction and its impact on academic performance among medical students in Bangladesh, with a focus on the role of yoga in reducing Internet addiction as a proposed intervention.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among third-year medical students in four colleges in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Simple random sampling techniques were used to select participants, and data were collected using pretested questionnaires and a checklist for office records through face-to-face interviews. SPSS version 25 was used for data processing and analysis.

Results: Out of 312 students, 84% were addicted to the internet, and only 16% were normal. In total, 64.4% had good results in the first professional examination, while 35.6% had poor results. In total, 85.9% had good attendance, while 14.1% had poor attendance. The association between internet addiction level and first professional examination results and class attendance was highly significant.

Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence and negative impacts of internet addiction among medical students in Bangladesh. The study suggests that promoting awareness about healthy technology use, establishing a better balance between internet usage and academic study, and encouraging the practice of yoga can help alleviate this problem. Further research and interventions are needed to tackle this emerging public health issue. Encouraging students to use the internet for academic purposes and providing education and resources can help promote healthy technology use. Healthcare professionals should also be aware of the risks and encourage seeking help if needed.

Background: The retina is affected by Parkinson's disease (PD).

Purpose: We aimed to assess the anatomical and vascular deterioration of the retina in PD.

Methods: Sixty-six patients with PD and 66 healthy volunteers were evaluated in this study. Choriocapillaris vessel density (CCVD), superficial vascular density (SVD), deep vascular densities (DVD), central macular thickness (CMT), retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), ganglionic cell layer (GCL), and choroidal thickness (CT) were assessed.

Results: RNFL, GCL, CMT, and CT were thinner than in HC, and also the differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < .05). SVD and DVD were not statistically different between the groups (P > .05). There was a decrease in vascular density in all quadrants of the choriocapillary layer. The decrease in vascular density was statistically significant in the nasal, inferior and central quadrants (P < .05).

Conclusion: These results supported vascular thinning in the choroidal layer. Also showed that vascular and neural layers were affected together. It could help clinicians in the follow-up of Parkinson's patients.

Background: The problem of treatment of patients in coma and persistent disturbances of consciousness is difficult and often neglected.

Purpose: The study validated the effectiveness of functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography and isotopic brain perfusion in differentiating vegetative state from minimal conscious state.

Methods: The study was performed in a group of 61 patients with persistent disturbances of consciousness. All patients underwent CRS-R differentiation of consciousness and functional magnetic resonance imaging, EEG, and SPECT/CT studies according to a uniform diagnostic protocol.

Results: Analysis has shown that functional magnetic resonance imaging is an effective tool for detecting of consciousness. Analysis of the EEG showed that the occurrence of primary alpha rhythm in patients with impaired consciousness coincides with the state of minimal conscious and may indicate a favourable prognosis. Sector analysis of isotopic cerebral perfusion allowed to put forward the thesis that the key role in the maintenance of consciousness plays a medial part of the left parietal lobe.

Conclusion: On the basis of these results, diagnostic protocol was developed for patients with disturbances of consciousness.

Background: The fascinating ability of brain to integrate information from multiple sensory inputs has intrigued many researchers. Audio-visual (AV) interaction is a form of multisensory integration which we encounter to form meaningful representations of the environment around us. There is limited literature related to the underlying neural mechanisms.

Purpose: Quantitative EEG (QEEG), a tool with high temporal resolution can be used to understand cortical sources of AV interactions.

Methods: EEG data was recorded using 128 channels from 30 healthy subjects using audio, visual and AV stimuli in 'object detection task'. Electrical source imaging was performed using s-LORETA across seven frequency bands (lower alpha 1, lower alpha 2, upper alpha, beta, delta, gamma, theta) during AV versus unimodal conditions across 66 gyri.

Results: The cortical sources were activated in the theta, beta, and gamma bands in cross modal versus unimodal conditions, which we propose, reflect neural communication for AV interaction network. The cortical sources constituted areas involved with visual processing, auditory processing, established multisensory (frontotemporal cortex, parietal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus) and potential multisensory areas (paracentral, postcentral and subcallosal).

Conclusion: Together, these results offer an integrative view of cortical areas in frequency oscillations during AV interactions.

Background: Many military service members are victims of repetitive blast traumatic brain injuries (rbTBI) and endure diverse altered psychological and behavioural conditions during their lifetime. Some of these conditions include anxiety, post-traumatic stress and pain. Thus, this study attempts to fill the knowledge gap on enduring behavioural and neuroinflammatory marker alterations 1 month after rbTBI.

Purpose: Although previous rbTBI animal studies have shown behavioural and histopathological changes either a few days (acute) or many months (chronic) after trauma, knowledge related to post-traumatic changes during the intermediate timeframe, i.e. a month after rbTBI is less clear or unavailable.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats (male; n = 12) were assigned to either rbTBI or sham conditions. Animals assigned to the rbTBI group were subjected to 1 blast exposure per day for three consecutive days, while animals in the sham group were exposed to identical experimental conditions sans blast exposure. All animals were tested for anxiety at baseline. 30 days post-injury, animals were tested again for anxiety and paw thermal sensitivity, followed by brain harvest for immunohistochemical analyses.

Results: Animals exposed to rbTBI showed signs of anxiety-like behaviour on parameters of elevated plus-maze and behavioural signs of pain indicated by reduced thermal withdrawal latency of the forepaw. Histologically, brain sections from animals exposed to rbTBI showed a significantly increased number of microglial/macrophage and astrocytic counts in the medial prefrontal cortex.

Conclusion: Data from this initial preclinical study support the prevalence of putative anxiety-like behaviour, enhancement in forepaw thermal sensitivity and increase in the number of glial cells even 1 month after rbTBI. These findings have potential implications in the treatment evaluation of blast-exposed military and civilian populations and emphasise the need for devising protective measures for people susceptible to single or repeated exposures. A greater further understanding of rbTBI-related chronic concurrent behavioural and neuropathological sequela is warranted.

Background: Understanding the complex interplay between emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns among adolescents holds a pivotal role in shaping their developmental trajectories and overall well-being. Adolescence, marked by rapid physical, emotional and cognitive changes, is a critical phase where emotional skills and behavioural tendencies are particularly malleable.

Purpose: The study investigates the interplay between emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns among adolescents in Gujarat and Maharashtra, India. The research objectives encompassed assessing emotional intelligence levels, exploring gender differences and examining the relationship between emotional intelligence and behaviour patterns.

Methods: The research design employed ex post facto methodology, collecting data from 740 adolescents across CBSE schools. Validated measures for emotional intelligence and criminal propensity were utilized.

Results: The results revealed the impact of gender, regions and their interaction on different dimensions of emotional intelligence and criminal propensity. While some dimensions were significantly influenced by these factors, others remained unaffected. The correlation analysis underscored intricate relationships between emotional intelligence dimensions and criminal propensity.

Conclusion: The study contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of Emotional Intelligence and Behaviour Patterns among adolescents, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support systems. These findings hold implications for educators, parents and policymakers in fostering Emotional Intelligence development and curbing potential Behavioural concerns among adolescents.

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is four times more common in geriatric age group patients compared to younger ones. Most of the trials have targeted adult population, and there is scarcity of data in the geriatric age group.

Purpose: A real-world study was planned on geriatric patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy to analyse the effectiveness and safety of first-line drugs used in the management of peripheral neuropathy.

Methods: It was a randomised, open-label, active comparator clinical trial in which first-line drugs for peripheral neuropathy were compared [amitriptyline (10 mg), duloxetine (30 mg), gabapentin (300 mg), pregabalin (75 mg)] for their effectiveness and safety. The trial duration was eight weeks. The modified Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Score (mTCNS), Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were used for effectiveness. Safety was assessed by monitoring adverse events. Multiple groups were compared with Kruskal-Wallis test, and post hoc analysis was performed with Dunn's test. A p value <.05 was considered significant.

Results: A total of 80 patients were recruited (20 patients in each arm) with a mean age of 65.4 years, and 56.3% were male. Pregabalin was superior to amitriptyline (p = .04) and duloxetine (p = .02) in reducing mTCNS. Similarly, pregabalin was superior to amitriptyline (p = .041 and duloxetine (p = .009) in reducing GDS score. All drugs were comparable in reducing VRS (p = .17). A total of 14 adverse events were observed, out of which constipation, sedation and dizziness were common. Maximum adverse events were observed in the duloxetine arm (6/14).

Conclusion: Pregabalin was superior to amitriptyline and duloxetine, whereas it was comparable to gabapentin in effectiveness. Constipation was the most common adverse event, but the central nervous system was the most involved in adverse events.