Neuroscience
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Brain responses to discrete short sounds have been studied intensively using the event-related potential (ERP) method, in which the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal is divided into epochs time-locked to stimuli of interest. Here we introduce and apply a novel technique which enables one to isolate ERPs in human elicited by continuous music. The ERPs were recorded during listening to a Tango Nuevo piece, a deep techno track and an acoustic lullaby. ⋯ Negative deflation occurring around 100 milliseconds after the stimulus onset (N100) and positive deflation occurring around 200 milliseconds after the stimulus onset (P200) ERP responses to peak changes in the acoustic features were distinguishable and were often largest for Tango Nuevo. In addition to large changes in these musical features, long phases of low values that precede a rapid increase - and that we will call Preceding Low-Feature Phases - followed by a rapid increase enhanced the amplitudes of N100 and P200 responses. These ERP responses resembled those to simpler sounds, making it possible to utilize the tradition of ERP research with naturalistic paradigms.
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Measures of short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) can be contaminated by excitatory influences of short-interval intracortical facilitation (SICF), unless examined at individually-optimized interstimulus intervals (ISIs). We hypothesized that age-related differences in SICF would explain previously reported reduced SICI in children and adolescents compared with adults. ⋯ This is the first report of enhanced SICF in young children. It remains possible that enhanced SICF may have confounded earlier reports of reduced SICI in children less than 8years.
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Phantom hand and wrist movements in upper limb amputees are slow but naturally controlled movements.
After limb amputation, patients often wake up with a vivid perception of the presence of the missing limb, called "phantom limb". Phantom limbs have mostly been studied with respect to pain sensation. But patients can experience many other phantom sensations, including voluntary movements. ⋯ Finger extension movements appeared to be 24% faster than finger flexion movements. Neither the number of types of phantom movements that can be executed nor the kinematic characteristics were related to the elapsed time since amputation, highlighting the persistence of post-amputation neural adaptation. We hypothesize that the perceived slowness of phantom movements is related to altered proprioceptive feedback that cannot be recalibrated by lack of visual feedback during phantom movement execution.
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Sox2 (SRY (Sex-determining region Y)-related high mobility group (HMG) box 2) is a transcription factor that serves key roles in controlling the balance between stem cells maintenance and commitment to differentiated lineages throughout the lifetime. Importantly, Sox2 deficiency results in early embryonic lethality whereas the down-regulation of Sox2 expression triggers neurodegeneration in the adult mouse brain. Moreover, Sox2 is decreased in the brain of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and co localizes with the β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP) in stem cells. ⋯ In addition, we demonstrate that Sox2 is a potent activator of the non amyloidogenic processing of βAPP as shown by the Sox2-dependent augmentation of ADAM10 catalytic activity, immunoreactivity, promoter transactivation and mRNA levels with no modification of the activity and the expression of the β-secretase BACE1. Finally, the fact that γ-secretase inhibition induces an increase of ADAM10 protein levels in SH-SY5Y cells further supports the occurrence of functional AICD/Sox2/ADAM10 interactions. Altogether, our study identifies and characterizes new functional cross-talks between Sox2 and proteins involved in AD, thereby adding support to the view that Sox2 likely behaves as a protective factor during the development of this neurodegenerative disease.
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Chronic exposure to low-dose 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in marmoset monkeys was used to model the prodromal stage of Parkinson's disease (PD), and to investigate mechanisms underlying disease progression and recovery. Marmosets were subcutaneously injected with MPTP for a period of 12weeks, 0.5mg/kg once per week, and clinical signs of Parkinsonism, motor- and non-motor behaviors were recorded before, during and after exposure. In addition, postmortem immunohistochemistry and proteomics analysis were performed. ⋯ Also levels of TH in putamen and caudate nucleus were unaltered, no differences were observed in DA, serotonin or nor-adrenalin levels in the caudate nucleus, and proteomics analysis revealed no global changes in protein expression in these brain areas between treatment groups. Our findings indicate that parkinsonian symptoms can occur without detectable damage at the cellular or molecular level. Moreover, we show that parkinsonian symptoms may be reversible when diagnosed and treated early.