Vibration-reduced anxiety-like behavior relies on ameliorating abnormalities of the somatosensory cortex and medial prefrontal cortex

Tibetan singing bowls emit low-frequency sounds and produce perceptible harmonic tones and vibrations through manual tapping.The sounds the singing bowls produce have been shown to enhance relaxation and reduce anxiety.However,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In this study,we used chronic restraint stress or sleep deprivation to establish mouse models of anxiety that exhibit anxiety-like behaviors.We then supplied treatment with singing bowls in a bottomless cage placed on the top of a cushion.We found that unlike in humans,the combination of harmonic tones and vibrations did not improve anxietylike behaviors in mice,while individual vibration components did.Additionally,the vibration of singing bowls increased the level of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 in the somatosensory cortex and prefrontal cortex of the mice,decreased the level ofγ-aminobutyric acid A(GABA)receptorα1 subtype,reduced the level of CaMKII in the prefrontal cortex,and increased the number of GABAergic interneurons.At the same time,electrophysiological tests showed that the vibration of singing bowls significantly reduced the abnormal low-frequency gamma oscillation peak frequency in the medial prefrontal cortex caused by stress restraint pressure and sleep deprivation.Results from this study indicate that the vibration of singing bowls can alleviate anxiety-like behaviors by reducing abnormal molecular and electrophysiological events in somatosensory and medial prefrontal cortex.

Dopamine in the prefrontal cortex plays multiple roles in the executive function of patients with Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease can affect not only motor functions but also cognitive abilities,leading to cognitive impairment.One common issue in Parkinson’s disease with cognitive dysfunction is the difficulty in executive functioning.Executive functions help us plan,organize,and control our actions based on our goals.The brain area responsible for executive functions is called the prefrontal co rtex.It acts as the command center for the brain,especially when it comes to regulating executive functions.The role of the prefrontal cortex in cognitive processes is influenced by a chemical messenger called dopamine.However,little is known about how dopamine affects the cognitive functions of patients with Parkinson’s disease.In this article,the authors review the latest research on this topic.They start by looking at how the dopaminergic syste m,is alte red in Parkinson’s disease with executive dysfunction.Then,they explore how these changes in dopamine impact the synaptic structure,electrical activity,and connection components of the prefrontal cortex.The authors also summarize the relationship between Parkinson’s disease and dopamine-related cognitive issues.This information may offer valuable insights and directions for further research and improvement in the clinical treatment of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.

Morphological disruption and visual tuning alterations in the primary visual cortex in glaucoma(DBA/2J)mice

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreve rsible blindness wo rldwide,and previous studies have shown that,in addition to affecting the eyes,it also causes abnormalities in the brain.However,it is not yet clear how the primary visual cortex(V1)is altered in glaucoma.This study used DBA/2J mice as a model for spontaneous secondary glaucoma.The aim of the study was to compare the electrophysiological and histomorphological chara cteristics of neurons in the V1between 9-month-old DBA/2J mice and age-matched C57BL/6J mice.We conducted single-unit recordings in the V1 of light-anesthetized mice to measure the visually induced responses,including single-unit spiking and gamma band oscillations.The morphology of layerⅡ/Ⅲneurons was determined by neuronal nuclear antigen staining and Nissl staining of brain tissue sections.Eighty-seven neurons from eight DBA/2J mice and eighty-one neurons from eight C57BL/6J mice were examined.Compared with the C57BL/6J group,V1 neurons in the DBA/2J group exhibited weaker visual tuning and impaired spatial summation.Moreove r,fewer neuro ns were observed in the V1 of DBA/2J mice compared with C57BL/6J mice.These findings suggest that DBA/2J mice have fewer neurons in the VI compared with C57BL/6J mice,and that these neurons have impaired visual tuning.Our findings provide a better understanding of the pathological changes that occur in V1 neuron function and morphology in the DBA/2J mouse model.This study might offer some innovative perspectives regarding the treatment of glaucoma.

Glial response in the midcingulate cortex in Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease(HD)is a genetic disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of the striatum and cortex.Patients can present with a variety of symptoms that can broadly be classified into motor symptoms,inclusive of choreatic movements and rigidity,mood and psychiatric symptoms,such as depression and apathy,and cognitive symptoms,such as cognitive decline.The causal mutation underlying HD results from an expansion of a CAG repeat sequence on the IT15 gene,resulting in the formation and accumulation of a mutant huntingtin protein.

Regulation of specific abnormal calcium signals in the hippocampal CA1 and primary cortex M1 alleviates the progression of temporal lobe epilepsy

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a multifactorial neurological dysfunction syndrome that is refractory,resistant to antiepileptic drugs,and has a high recurrence rate.The pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy is complex and is not fully understood.Intracellular calcium dynamics have been implicated in temporal lobe epilepsy.However,the effect of fluctuating calcium activity in CA1 pyramidal neurons on temporal lobe epilepsy is unknown,and no longitudinal studies have investigated calcium activity in pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 and primary motor cortex M1 of freely moving mice.In this study,we used a multichannel fiber photometry system to continuously record calcium signals in CA1 and M1 during the temporal lobe epilepsy process.We found that calcium signals varied according to the grade of temporal lobe epilepsy episodes.In particular,cortical spreading depression,which has recently been frequently used to represent the continuously and substantially increased calcium signals,was found to correspond to complex and severe behavioral characteristics of temporal lobe epilepsy ranging from gradeⅡto gradeⅤ.However,vigorous calcium oscillations and highly synchronized calcium signals in CA1 and M1 were strongly related to convulsive motor seizures.Chemogenetic inhibition of pyramidal neurons in CA1 significantly attenuated the amplitudes of the calcium signals corresponding to gradeⅠepisodes.In addition,the latency of cortical spreading depression was prolonged,and the above-mentioned abnormal calcium signals in CA1 and M1 were also significantly reduced.Intriguingly,it was possible to rescue the altered intracellular calcium dynamics.Via simultaneous analysis of calcium signals and epileptic behaviors,we found that the progression of temporal lobe epilepsy was alleviated when specific calcium signals were reduced,and that the end-point behaviors of temporal lobe epilepsy were improved.Our results indicate that the calcium dynamic between CA1 and M1 may reflect specific epileptic behaviors corresponding to different grades.Furthermore,the selective regulation of abnormal calcium signals in CA1 pyramidal neurons appears to effectively alleviate temporal lobe epilepsy,thereby providing a potential molecular mechanism for a new temporal lobe epilepsy diagnosis and treatment strategy.

Enhancing m^(6)A modification in the motor cortex facilitates corticospinal tract remodeling after spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury typically causes corticospinal tract disruption. Although the disrupted corticospinal tract can self-regenerate to a certain degree, the underlying mechanism of this process is still unclear. N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A) modifications are the most common form of epigenetic regulation at the RNA level and play an essential role in biological processes. However, whether m^(6)A modifications participate in corticospinal tract regeneration after spinal cord injury remains unknown. We found that expression of methyltransferase 14 protein(METTL14) in the locomotor cortex was high after spinal cord injury and accompanied by elevated m^(6)A levels. Knockdown of Mettl14 in the locomotor cortex was not favorable for corticospinal tract regeneration and neurological recovery after spinal cord injury. Through bioinformatics analysis and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we found that METTL14 regulated Trib2 expression in an m^(6)A-regulated manner, thereby activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and promoting corticospinal tract regeneration. Finally, we administered syringin, a stabilizer of METTL14, using molecular docking. Results confirmed that syringin can promote corticospinal tract regeneration and facilitate neurological recovery by stabilizing METTL14. Findings from this study reveal that m^(6)A modification is involved in the regulation of corticospinal tract regeneration after spinal cord injury.

Neuropsychological Profile of a Patient with Acquired Brain Damage Following Vascular Lesion of the Left Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Stroke is a physiological alteration associated with changes in blood flow that can result in sudden-onset cognitive impairment. It has a heterogenous clinical presentation with varying degrees of severity correlated with specific central nervous system zones or areas, and its prognosis is uncertain. This case study describes a 62-year-old male patient with acquired brain damage of the anterior cingulate cortex as a result of an ischemic event in the territory of the left anterior cerebral artery. Cognitive function was assessed using the neuropsychological executive function and frontal lobe test battery (BANFE-2) as well as other neuropsychological tests. The results show a profile of higher mental functions characterized by the presence of dysexecutive syndrome with marked behavioral alteration and diencephalic amnesia. .

Massively parallel characterization of regulatory elements in the developing human cortex

Nucleotide changes in gene regulatory elements are important determinants of neuronal development and diseases.Using massively parallel reporter assays in primary human cells from mid-gestation cortex and cerebral organoids,we interrogated the cis-regulatory activity of 102,767 open chromatin regions,including thousands of sequences with cell type-specific accessibility and variants associated with brain gene regulation.In primary cells,we identified 46,802 active enhancer sequences and 164 variants that alter enhancer activity.Activity was comparable in organoids and primary cells,suggesting that organoids provide an adequate model for the developing cortex.Using deep learning we decoded the sequence basis and upstream regulators of enhancer activity.This work establishes a comprehensive catalog of functional gene regulatory elements and variants in human neuronal development.

基于KeystoneⅡ构架的Cortex A15内核系统设计与异常处理策略

阐述以高性能SOC TMS320C66AK2H的Cortex A15内核为例,利用Cortex A15内核中断控制器(GIC 400)和SOC中断处理控制器(CIC2)实现一个系统异常处理机制,能够准确快速的定位系统运行出错的地方。以Cortex A15内核使用EDMA3模块非法访问共享内存MSMC为例,验证系统异常处理机制的可行性,经测试该方法准确有效。

基于Cortex主控芯片的MCU测试验证方法研究

随着国家在芯片技术方面投入的加大,越来越多的国产化芯片实现量产,测试验证成为确保芯片设计与工艺质量可靠性的关键环节,可以提前判定器件功能和参数的可靠性。基于Cortex-M3内核的微处理器(MCU)芯片和V93000自动测试设备研究了一种MCU测试验证方法及流程。通过测试母版原理设计和测试向量生成,测试分析了芯片功能和关键直流参数,形成了一套芯片测试验证流程及方法,对于MCU芯片国产化测试验证具有一定的借鉴意义。

Transient neurogenesis in ischemic cortex from Sox2^(+)astrocytes

The adult cortex has long been regarded as non-neurogenic.Whether injury can induce neurogenesis in the adult cortex is still controversial.Here,we report that focal ischemia stimulates a transient wave of local neurogenesis.Using 5′-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine labeling,we demonstrated a rapid generation of doublecortin-positive neuroblasts that died quickly in mouse cerebral cortex following ischemia.Nestin-Cre^(ER)-based cell ablation and fate mapping showed a small contribution of neuroblasts by subventricular zone neural stem cells.Using a mini-photothrombotic ischemia mouse model and retrovirus expressing green fluorescent protein labeling,we observed maturation of locally generated new neurons.Furthermore,fate tracing analyses using PDGFRα-,GFAP-,and Sox2-Cre^(ER) mice showed a transient wave of neuroblast generation in mild ischemic cortex and identified that Sox2-positive astrocytes were the major neurogenic cells in adult cortex.In addition,a similar upregulation of Sox2 and appearance of neuroblasts were observed in the focal ischemic cortex of Macaca mulatta.Our findings demonstrated a transient neurogenic response of Sox2-positive astrocytes in ischemic cortex,which suggests the possibility of inducing neuronal regeneration by amplifying this intrinsic response in the future.

Cortex A57的轻量级人脸检测算法研究

针对高性能人脸检测模型参数量大、计算复杂度高,难以在嵌入式设备进行边缘部署的问题,对RetinaFace模型进行轻量化改进,提出一种轻量级人脸检测算法。采用MobileNetV2_0.5×作为特征提取骨干,应用轻量的PANLite对多尺度特征进行双向融合,增强特征表征能力。采用RFBLite实现特征增强,在增大特征感受野的同时合并上下文信息。使用滤波器剪枝算法对训练后的模型进行剪枝处理,再次训练微调网络参数后部署到嵌入式端Nvidia Jetson Nano进行模型推理。实验结果表明,该轻量级模型能够以较少的参数量和较低的计算复杂度实现较高的人脸检测性能,且能在嵌入式平台上进行实时推理。

Plasticity of callosal neurons in the contralesional cortex following traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury(TBI) represents a significant cause of disability worldwide.It creates a vast array of damaging macro-and microscopic changes in the affected brain area(s),ranging from neuronal cell death,changes in structural spine integrity and dynamics to axonal injury and ove rall neuronal circuit disruption,ultimately leading to functional and cognitive deficits in both humans and animal models(N udo,2013).

Single-nucleus transcriptome profiling of prefrontal cortex induced by chronic methamphetamine treatment

Background Methamphetamine(METH)addiction causes a huge burden on society.The prefrontal cortex(PFC),associated with emotion and cognitive behaviours,is also involved in addiction neurocircuitry.Although bulk RNA sequencing has shown METH-induced gene alterations in the mouse PFC,the impact on different cell types remains unknown.Aims To clarify the effects of METH treatment on different cell types of the PFC and the potential pathways involved in METH-related disorders.Methods We performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing(snRNA-seq)to examine the transcriptomes of 20465 nuclei isolated from the PFC of chronic METH-treated and control mice.Main cell types and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified and confirmed by RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH).Results Six main cell types were identified depending on the single-cell nucleus sequencing;of particular interest were the mature oligodendrocytes in the PFC.The DEGs of mature oligodendrocytes were enriched in the myelin sheath,adenosine triphosphate(ATP)metabolic process,mitochondrial function and components,and so on.The messenger RNA levels of Aldoc and Atp5l(FISH)and the protein level of the mitochondrial membrane pore subunit TOM40(immunofluorescence)decreased in the mature oligodendrocytes.Fast blue staining and transmission electron microscopy image indicated myelin damage,and the myelin thickness decreased in METH brains.Conclusions snRNA-seq reveals altered transcriptomes of different cell types in mouse PFC induced by chronic METH treatment,underscoring potential relationships with psychiatric disorders.

Simultaneous Determination of Six Components in Cortex Phellodendri by HPLC

[Objectives]This study was conducted to establish the method for simultaneous determination of six active components.[Methods]Simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acid,phellodendrine,magnoflorine,jatrorrhizine,palmatine and berberine in Cortex Phellodendri was carried out by HPLC with a Diamonsil C18(4.6 mm×250 mm,5μm)column was used.The mobile phase was acetonitrile-water(1‰acetic acid,2 mmol ammonium acetate)solution in gradient elution.The detection wavelength was set at 280 nm,and the column temperature was kept at 25℃and the flow rate was 1 ml/min.[Results]The linear ranges of chlorogenic acid,phellodendrine,magnoflorine,jatrorrhizine,palmatine and berberine were 20.00-320.00,18.75-130.00,25.00-200.00,5.00-100.00,20.00-200.00,and 0.09-1.80 mg/L,respectively.The average recovery was 98.1%,99.4%,97.5%,97.3%,104.0%,and 98.5%,respectively;and the RSDs were 0.5%,0.6%,0.8%,1.0%,1.4%,and 0.9%,respectively.[Conclusions]The method is convenient,stable,reliable and suitable for quality control of Cortex Phellodendri.

Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of Motor Cortex versus Insula Cortex on Chronic Post-Mastectomy Pain: Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) across cortical brain areas appears to improve various forms of pain, yet evidence of tDCS efficiency and ideal stimulation target is lacking. This study aimed to compare the add-on analgesic efficacy of concentric electrode transcranial direct current stimulation (CE-tDCS) stimulation over the primary motor cortex versus the insular cortex on the management of chronic postmastectomy pain. Method: Prospective randomized double-blind sham-controlled study enrolled eighty patients with chronic postmastectomy pain that were randomly assigned to four groups: active motor (AM), sham motor (SM), active insula (AI) and sham insula (SI) group, each received 5 sessions for 20-minute duration with 2 mA tDCS over the targeted area of the contralateral side of pain. Our primary outcome was VAS score, the secondary outcomes were VDS score, LANSS score and depression symptoms by HAM-D scores, assessment was done at 4 time points (prestimulation, after 5th session, 15th day and one month after the last session). Results: Both active tDCS groups (motor and insula) showed reduction of VAS (P Conclusion: Active tDCS stimulation either targeting the primary motor cortex or the insula cortex has add-on analgesic effect for controlling neuropathic chronic post mastectomy pain and the maximum effect was at 15 days after the last session.

Exploring the therapeutic effects of Cortex Lycii on essential hypertension

Background:Essential hypertension affects over a billion people worldwide.Despite the absence of a definitive cure,current treatments primarily aim to manage blood pressure levels.There is a compelling need for antihypertensive medications that offer high effectiveness,low toxicity,and minimal side effects.Objective:This study seeks to investigate the antihypertensive properties of Cortex Lycii by employing network pharmacology and validating the findings through molecular docking.Methods:We utilized various platforms and databases related to traditional Chinese medicine to identify the active compounds within Cortex Lycii.Targets associated with hypertension were gathered from well-established disease-related resources.Shared targets were delineated using the EVenn.Subsequently,we conducted GO and KEGG analyses through the DAVID platform and visualized the resultant network with Cytoscape.Molecular docking was carried out using Autodock Vina and PyMOL.Results:Our investigation revealed ten active compounds in Cortex Lycii that demonstrated correlation with 82 essential hypertension-associated targets.These shared targets were categorized into four distinct clusters,each with unique functions.Fourteen hub targets were singled out based on predefined selection criteria.GO analysis unveiled the participation of shared targets in various biological processes linked to hypertension.KEGG analysis identified ten significant signaling pathways associated with hypertension development.Molecular docking analysis provided confirmation of the interaction between the selected hub targets and the active compounds.Conclusion:Cortex Lycii,a traditional Chinese herb with a long history of use,exerts its antihypertensive effects through a combination of active compounds,involvement of multiple targets,regulation of various biological processes,and modulation of key signaling pathways.

Scientists Map Single-Cell Spatial Distribution Atlas of Macaque Cortex

A recent study published in Cell successfully mapped the cell-type taxonomy in the macaque cortex and revealed the relationship between cell-type composition and various primate brain regions,by using the self-developed spatial transcriptome sequencing technology Stereo-seq and snRNA-seq technology.These findings provide a molecular and cellular basis for further investigation into neural circuits.

ARMv7的Cortex系列微处理器技术特点

ARMv7是目前ARM处理器体系结构的最高版本。本文介绍了基于ARMv7的最新ARM微处理器Cortex系列,描述了该系列处理器的技术细节,同时重点论述了Cortex-R、Cortex-A、Cortex-M系列处理器的技术特点。最后,对不同系列处理器的应用领域作了进一步的阐述。

Cortex-A8和ZigBee构成的智能餐厅系统

本文提出一种基于Cortex-A8和ZigBee的智能餐厅系统设计方案,构建了无人餐厅模型,系统通过ZigBee无线网络连接自助点菜终端、PC主机端、网关端、厨房端、送餐车、清洁车等模块,最终实现了通过Web服务器、CGI接口、云计算平台等方式提供远程订餐服务。经测试,本方案可实现包括自助点菜、送餐、清洁、结算、网页微信订餐等功能。