Pain Assessment Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Yu Chen, Babak Kateb in Neurophotonics and Brain Mapping, 2017
Functional neuroimaging is a term used for the study of human brain function to understand the physiology, functional architecture, and dynamics of the brain. Neuroimaging uses various techniques to directly or indirectly image the structure or function of the brain or to monitor the activities in certain brain areas. Some methods of neuroimaging record intracellular effects of neural activities, including changes in membrane potential or electrical and magnetic fields that are induced by ion fluxes (mainly Na+, K+, Cl–, and Ca2+) across a neuron’s membrane. Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) directly measure electric current and magnetic field changes secondary to neural activities on the scalp. On the other hand, vascular-based neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI and fNIRS record hemodynamic changes that are indirectly correlated to neural activities.
The Role of Biology in the Courtroom
Gail S. Anderson in Biological Influences on Criminal Behavior, 2019
Almost all criminal justice systems accept that children and adolescents have less control over their actions and emotions than adults and are therefore less culpable, as we recognize that their brains are still developing and so still have immature functioning.43 In the same way, it is argued, other forms of damage or illness that impact brain function should be considered to reduce culpability. The earliest forms of biological evidence used in court are those of brain damage or injuries, and use of this evidence has increased dramatically over the last few years with our increased abilities to image the brain. Neuroimaging can be divided into structural imaging, such as computed tomography (CT), also known as computed axial tomography (CAT); scans and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and functional imaging, such as electroencephalography (EEG), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional MRI (fMRI) (see Chapter 10 for details).
What is the evidence for psychobiological harm from the use of ‘ecstasy’ (MDMA)?
Philip N. Murphy in The Routledge International Handbook of Psychobiology, 2018
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive neuroimaging method that relies on a large cylindrical magnet to create a magnetic field around a subject’s head. Overall, it appears that structural MRI scans have yielded little evidence for MDMA-related changes to white matter areas (Chang et al., 1999; Chang et al., 2000; Cowan et al., 2003), perhaps suggesting that this measure is not sensitive enough to observe a physical alteration to brain composition after MDMA use. However, reductions in neocortical grey matter have been observed in ecstasy users compared to controls in structural scans, typically in areas that are important for semantic retrieval (BA 21 and 45). Perfusion MRI was successful in identifying increases in cerebral blood volume in the globus pallidus in ecstasy users (Reneman, Majoie, Habraken, et al., 2001). This is a substructure of the basal ganglia, which has been highlighted for its role in access to semantic memory (Copeland, 2003). Furthermore, alterations of cerebral blood flow were also observed in this area in ecstasy users from pharmacological MRI (Schouw et al., 2012), as well as CBF reductions in cortical regions and subcortical grey matter areas.
Presence of endolymphatic hydrops on listening difficulties in patients with normal hearing level
Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica, 2023
Tadao Yoshida, Masumi Kobayashi, Satofumi Sugimoto, Yukari Fukunaga, Daisuke Hara, Shinji Naganawa, Michihiko Sone
Recently developed neuroimaging techniques can image the structure and function of the nervous system directly or indirectly. Technological advances and a better understanding of the anatomical and physiological aspects have been used to develop imaging techniques to evaluate and diagnose various disorders. Imaging studies of LiD have focused mainly on auditory processing pathways and brain function. Positron emission tomography, functional MRI, electroencephalography, and magnetoencephalography have been used to evaluate LiD. Currently, speech–language pathologists use only clinical tests to diagnose hearing impairment and determine reverse language dominance, and there is no evidence from imaging or electrophysiological tests. Both electrophysiological testing and imaging testing are more objective measures of evaluation and are needed for an appropriate clinical diagnosis of LiD. Imaging techniques are now recommended for the proper diagnosis of LiD, and these imaging studies target primarily brain function. However, no reports of imaging studies have focused on the inner ear as a peripheral sensory organ. Yoshida et al. [6] have reported the presence of endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in the cochlea and vestibule in patients with Ménière’s disease, tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss, or vertigo, and in healthy ears. Considering that EH may affect listening but that patients with LiD do not complain of the cochlea–vestibular symptoms other than listening difficulties, we investigated the distribution of EH in patients with LiD.
Nummular headache: an update and future prospects
Published in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 2018
María Luz Cuadrado, Pedro López-Ruiz, Ángel L Guerrero
The lesson to be learned from these cases is that careful history taking and thorough physical and neurological examination is paramount. Attention must be paid to all epicranial structures, including muscles, blood vessels, skin and the whole skull. A skin biopsy should be strongly considered when cutaneous abnormalities exist [50]. Neuroimaging, be it magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computed tomography (CT), is mandatory to rule out gross structural abnormalities. Selected patients may benefit from Doppler ultrasound examination of the scalp in the involved area [47]. A basic blood screening is recommended; in a case series, out of 23 patients that were screened for autoimmunity serum markers, 16 had abnormalities and 15 were finally diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or antiphospholipid syndrome [33]. Although these findings have not been consistently reported in other case series, it seems reasonable to at least quantify erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and/or C-reactive protein (CRP) and screen for autoimmune disorders.
Developments in the mechanistic understanding and clinical application of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease
Published in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 2022
Francesco Bove, Danilo Genovese, Elena Moro
The latest pathophysiologic models depicting PD as circuitopathy/oscillopathy have increasingly strengthen the hypothesis that DBS exerts its effects affecting connectivity in large-scale networks, through both functional and structural brain changes [50,90,91]. Functional MRI (fMRI) is a useful neuroimaging technique to investigate the functional organization of cortical and subcortical structures of the brain, and it is the least invasive method to explore human connectivity. In particular, fMRI allows to appraise resting-state functional connectivity by means of the blood-oxygenation-level–dependent (BOLD), an indirect estimate of correlated brain region oxygen usage [92]. PD patients display an increased functional connectivity between M1 cortex and STN [93], in agreement with LFP recording findings. Seminal works have indeed demonstrated the significant correlation of BOLD effect with neural firing and LFP activity [94]. Moreover, fMRI demonstrated a reduced connectivity amongst the striatum and several cortical and subcortical structures, namely supplementary motor area, thalamus, brainstem and cerebellum, compared to normal subjects [95,96], thus localizing impaired connectivity in more than previously known brain regions and expanding PD circuitopathy to a greater extent. Interestingly, the functional connectivity among regions of the motor network has been correlated with the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score, and it has been shown that l-dopa relatively normalized the pattern of functional connectivity in PD patients [97].
Related Knowledge Centers
- Central Nervous System
- Cerebral Angiography
- Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Neuroanatomy
- Ventricular System
- Blood
- Functional Neuroimaging
- X-Ray
- Pneumoencephalography
- CT Scan