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Topic Review
The Concept of “Quantum-Like”
The birth and spread of the prefix “quantum-” to disciplines other than physics, and the introduction of the term “quantum-like”, reflect the increasing dissatisfaction with the perceived limits and pitfalls of classic Western thought. Of course, the latter remains valuable; what is wrong is its dogmatic use and the claim of its exclusive capacity to comprehend the world. The development of quantum physics has been paralleled by the introduction of paraconsistent logics, such as fuzzy logic and dialetheism, a clear sign of the need for smoothing the inflexibility of Aristotelian logic. There is also a fil rouge (viz. an epistemological symmetry) linking the paradigm of quantum physics to ancient pre-Socratic and Eastern philosophies, suggesting the need for reappraising them in the process of reexamination of the classical thought. The increasing use of the term “quantum-like” calls for the defining and sharing of its meaning in order to properly adopt it and avoid possible misuse. 
  • 1.0K
  • 14 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation
The syndromes of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) encompass a group of invalidating and progressive rare diseases that share the abnormal accumulation of iron in the basal ganglia. The onset of NBIA disorders ranges from infancy to adulthood. Main clinical signs are related to extrapyramidal features (dystonia, parkinsonism and choreoathetosis), and neuropsychiatric abnormalities. Ten NBIA forms are widely accepted to be caused by mutations in the genes PANK2, PLA2G6, WDR45, C19ORF12, FA2H, ATP13A2, COASY, FTL1, CP, and DCAF17. However, many patients remain without a genetic diagnosis, and therefore, there must be additional yet undiscovered NBIA genes. The genetic heterogeneity and the corresponding encoded proteins emphasize that several pathways are involved in NBIA syndromes: iron and lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics, and autophagy. Moreover, for these forms as well as for many neurodegenerative conditions, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are common mechanisms of disease.
  • 1.0K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
The Microbial Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s Disease
The potential contribution of pathogenic microbes to dementia-inducing disease is a subject of considerable importance. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurocognitive disease that slowly destroys brain function, leading to cognitive decline and behavioral and psychiatric disorders. The histopathology of AD is associated with neuronal loss and progressive synaptic dysfunction, accompanied by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the form of parenchymal plaques and abnormal aggregated tau protein in the form of neurofibrillary tangles. The AD pathogen hypothesis states that pathogens and microbes act as triggers, interacting with genetic factors to initiate the accumulation of Aβ, hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau), and inflammation in the brain. Evidence indicates that Borrelia sp., HSV-1, VZV (HHV-2), HHV-6/7, oral pathogens, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Candida albicans can infect the central nervous system (CNS), evade the immune system, and consequently prevail in the AD brain.
  • 1.0K
  • 06 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Molecular Mechanism of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prominent neurodegenerative disorder in the aging population. It is characterized by cognitive decline, gradual neurodegeneration, and the development of amyloid-β (Aβ)-plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which constitute hyperphosphorylated tau. The early stages of neurodegeneration in AD include the loss of neurons, followed by synaptic impairment. Since the discovery of AD, substantial factual research has surfaced that outlines the disease’s causes, molecular mechanisms, and prospective therapeutics, but a successful cure for the disease has not yet been discovered. This may be attributed to the complicated pathogenesis of AD, the absence of a well-defined molecular mechanism, and the constrained diagnostic resources and treatment options. 
  • 1.0K
  • 25 May 2023
Topic Review
Microglia and Macrophages as Emerging Therapies for Stroke
The mechanisms underlying the involvement of microglia and macrophages in both neuroprotection and neurogenesis after stroke are widely acknowledged as having a role in ischemic stroke pathology Since microglia and macrophages are regarded as major players in the pathological progression of ischemic stroke, modulating inflammation and neurological recovery is a hopeful strategy for treating the long-term outcomes after ischemic injury. 
  • 1.0K
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Neuropilin Related Pathological Conditions
Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) represents one of the two homologous neuropilins (NRP, splice variants of neuropilin 2 are the other) found in all vertebrates. It forms a transmembrane glycoprotein distributed in many human body tissues as a (co)receptor for a variety of different ligands.
  • 1.0K
  • 08 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Targeting the Neural Circuits for Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease accompanied by cognitive and behavioral symptoms. These AD-related manifestations result from the alteration of neural circuitry by aggregated forms of amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau, which are neurotoxic. From a neuroscience perspective, identifying neural circuits that integrate various inputs and outputs to determine behaviors can provide insight into the principles of behavior. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the alterations in the neural circuits associated with AD-related behavioral and psychological symptoms. Interestingly, it is well known that the alteration of neural circuitry is prominent in the brains of patients with AD. 
  • 1.0K
  • 28 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Reactive Gliosis in Occupational Brain Injuries
An occupational injury describes any injury or illness to a worker as related to their specific work/occupational demands or requirement. It is often a life-altering event that is also considered a form of disability, which is covered under the provisions of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Occupational injuries and toxicant exposures, particularly to the brain, can lead to the development of neuroinflammation by activating distinct mechanistic signaling cascades that ultimately culminate in the disruption of neuronal function leading to neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. The entry of toxicants into the brain causes the subsequent activation of glial cells, a response known as ‘reactive gliosis.’ Gliosis, a “reactive” state of glia, is a pathological hallmark of all types of central nervous system (CNS) injuries. Advancements in the field of neuroscience, including techniques for high throughput gene expression analysis, morphometric analysis, cytokine and chemokine analysis, advances in neuroimaging and cellular microscopy, have helped identify the possible molecular and neural targets associated with occupational injury or toxicant exposure, bringing the neuroinflammation perspective into place for the implication of gliosis and subsequent progression of neural injury in conditions like TBI and neurodegenerative diseases like AD, PD, CJD, ALS, and MS.
  • 999
  • 09 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Myotonia Congenita
Myotonia congenita (MC) is a rare disorder characterized by stiffness and weakness of the limb and trunk muscles. Mutations in the SCN4A gene encoding the alpha-subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.4 have been reported to be responsible for sodium channel myotonia (SCM). The Nav1.4 channel is expressed in skeletal muscles, and its related channelopathies affect skeletal muscle excitability, which can manifest as SCM, paramyotonia, and periodic paralysis. In this study, the missense mutation p.V445M was identified in two individual families with MC. To determine the functional consequences of having a mutated Nav1.4 channel, whole-cell patch-clamp recording of transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was performed. Evaluation of the transient Na+ current found that a hyperpolarizing shift occurs at both the activation and inactivation curves with an increase of the window currents in the mutant channels. The Nav1.4 channel’s co-expression with the Navβ4 peptide can generate resurgent Na+ currents at repolarization following a depolarization. The magnitude of the resurgent currents is higher in the mutant than in the wild-type (WT) channel. Although the decay kinetics are comparable between the mutant and WT channels, the time to the peak of resurgent Na+ currents in the mutant channel is significantly protracted compared with that in the WT channel. These findings suggest that the p.V445M mutation in the Nav1.4 channel results in an increase of both sustained and resurgent Na+ currents, which may contribute to hyperexcitability with repetitive firing and is likely to facilitate recurrent myotonia in SCM patients.
  • 995
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Brain Trauma, Glucocorticoids and Neuroinflammation
Brain injury is a common cause of death and disability for people of all ages worldwide. Depending on the biomechanics, brain lesions may occur both in areas of the brain directly adjacent to the place of force application and in remote areas. The mechanisms of hippocampal damage are of particular importance, since they underlie late complications of traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as epilepsy, depression and cognitive impairment. The mechanisms of reorganization of neuronal networks in the hippocampus include long-lasting chronic neuroinflammation and secondary damage to the nervous tissue. Responses and disturbances of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis may play a critical role in late post-traumatic pathology, in particular by modulation of synaptic activity and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus.
  • 992
  • 25 May 2022
Topic Review
Body Weight and Metabolic Rate Changes in Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a known auto-immune disease that presents mainly in the teenage years with irresistible sleep attacks. Patients with narcolepsy, especially NT1, have been found to have a high prevalence of obesity and other metabolic derangements. Compared to controls, patients with narcolepsy are more likely to be obese and have higher BMIs and waist circumferences. According to recent research, weight gain in narcolepsy patients may be higher during the disease's outset. Furthermore, the available data did not show any appreciable alterations in the levels of CSF melanin-concentrating hormone, plasma and CSF leptin, or serum growth hormone in relation to weight gain. Other mechanisms have been proposed, including a reduction in sympathetic tone, hormonal changes, changes in eating behavior and physical activity, and genetic predisposition. The association between increased body mass index and narcolepsy is well-recognized; the relationship between narcolepsy and other metabolic measures, such as body fat/muscle distribution and metabolic rate independent of BMI, is not well documented, and the available evidence is inconsistent. Future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to assess BMR in patients with narcolepsy under a standard protocol at the outset of narcolepsy, with regular follow-up.
  • 989
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Basis of the Placebo Effect
The placebo effect can be defined as the improvement of symptoms in a patient after the administration of an innocuous substance in a context that induces expectations regarding its effects. During recent years, it has been discovered that the placebo response not only has neurobiological functions on analgesia, but that it is also capable of generating effects on the immune and endocrine systems. Beyond studies about its mechanism of action, the placebo effect has proved to be useful in the clinical setting with promising results in the management of neurological, psychiatric, and immunologic disorders. However, more research is needed to better characterize its potential use. 
  • 969
  • 31 May 2022
Topic Review
People with Aphasia
People with Aphasia (PWA) are individuals who experience difficulties in one or more aspects of communication, such as the ability to speak, understand, read and write, due to acquired brain damage (e.g.stroke, dementia, brain tumour, traumatic brain injury).  
  • 964
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are an essential pharmacological treatment for patients with unmanageable premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (PMDD). SSRIs can be taken either continuously or in the luteal phase to reduce the symptoms of PMS and PMDD. Most SSRIs exhibit equal efficacy for the treatment of PMS and PMDD, so a provider’s choice of SSRI should be based on anticipated side effects and the patient’s response to the drug.
  • 954
  • 23 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Psychophysiological perspectives on emotion regulation
Several studies have suggested a correlation between heart rate variability (HRV), emotion regulation (ER), and consequent psychopathological conditions. Specifically, recent data seem to support the hypothesis that low-frequency heart rate variability (LF-HRV), an index of sympathetic cardiac control, correlates with worse ER and specific psychopathological dimensions. The present work aims to review the previous findings on these topics and integrate them from two main cornerstones of this perspective: Porges’ Polyvagal Theory and Thayer and Lane’s Neurovisceral Integration Model, which are necessary to understand these associations better. For this reason, based on these two approaches, we point out that low HRV is associated with emotional dysregulation and transversal psychopathological conditions. This understanding is beneficial as a theoretical ground from which to start for further research studies and as a starting point for new theoretical perspectives useful in clinical practice. 
  • 951
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Epilepsy in Down Syndrome
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased risk for epilepsy during the whole lifespan, but especially after age 40 years. The increase in the number of individuals with DS living into late middle age due to improved health care is resulting in an increase in epilepsy prevalence in this population. However, these epileptic seizures are probably underdiagnosed and inadequately treated. This late onset epilepsy is linked to the development of symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is the main comorbidity in adults with DS.
  • 949
  • 02 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep
NREM is important part of the human sleep, and non-pharmacological interventions (acoustic, visual and other stimulations during sleep) are elaborated to modulate it. 
  • 948
  • 20 May 2020
Topic Review
Tryptophan Dysmetabolism and Quinolinic Acid in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is involved in both depression and neurodegenerative diseases. The kynurenine pathway, generating metabolites which may play a role in pathogenesis, is one of several competing pathways of tryptophan metabolism. A disturbed tryptophan metabolism with increased activity of the kynurenine pathway and production of quinolinic acid may result in deficiencies in tryptophan and derived neurotransmitters. Quinolinic acid is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor agonist, and raised levels in CSF, together with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, have been reported in mood disorders. Increased quinolinic acid has also been observed in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and HIV-related cognitive decline. 
  • 944
  • 29 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Microbiota in Neurodegenerative Disease
Hundreds of billions of commensal microorganisms live in and on human bodies, most of which colonize the gut shortly after birth and stay there for the rest of human lives. In animal models, bidirectional communications between the central nervous system and gut microbiota (Gut–Brain Axis) have been extensively studied, and it is clear that changes in microbiota composition play a vital role in the pathogenesis of various neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, anxiety, stress, and so on.
  • 942
  • 09 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate and Its Signaling Pathway Modulators
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and S1P receptors (S1PR) are bioactive lipid molecules that are ubiquitously expressed in the human body and play an important role in the immune system. 
  • 939
  • 20 Jul 2022
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