Next Issue
Volume 6, June
Previous Issue
Volume 5, December
 
 
From the start of 2016, the journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers to identify articles. If you are required to add page numbers to a citation, you can do with using a colon in the format [article number]:1–[last page], e.g. 10:1–20.

Brain Sci., Volume 6, Issue 1 (March 2016) – 10 articles

  • Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
  • You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
  • PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.
Order results
Result details
Section
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
1007 KiB  
Article
Multistable Perception in Older Adults: Constructing a Whole from Fragments
by Khushi Patel and Maureen Reed
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010010 - 22 Mar 2016
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5965
Abstract
Visual perception is constructive in nature; that is, a coherent whole is generated from ambiguous fragments that are encountered in dynamic visual scenes. Creating this coherent whole from fragmented sensory inputs requires one to detect, identify, distinguish and organize sensory input. The organization [...] Read more.
Visual perception is constructive in nature; that is, a coherent whole is generated from ambiguous fragments that are encountered in dynamic visual scenes. Creating this coherent whole from fragmented sensory inputs requires one to detect, identify, distinguish and organize sensory input. The organization of fragments into a coherent whole is facilitated by the continuous interactions between lower level sensory inputs and higher order processes. However, age-related declines are found in both neural structures and cognitive processes (e.g., attention and inhibition). The impact of these declines on the constructive nature of visual processing was the focus of this study. Here we asked younger adults, young-old (65–79 years), and old-old adults (80+ years) to view a multistable figure (i.e., Necker cube) under four conditions (free, priming, volition, and adaptation) and report, via a button press, when percepts spontaneously changed. The oldest-olds, unlike young-olds and younger adults, were influenced by priming, had less visual stability during volition and showed less ability to adapt to multistable stimuli. These results suggest that the ability to construct a coherent whole from fragments declines with age. More specifically, vision is constructed differently in the old-olds, which might influence environmental interpretations and navigational abilities in this age group. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

230 KiB  
Article
Thimerosal-Preserved Hepatitis B Vaccine and Hyperkinetic Syndrome of Childhood
by David A. Geier, Janet K. Kern, Brian S. Hooker, Lisa K. Sykes and Mark R. Geier
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010009 - 15 Mar 2016
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7757
Abstract
(1) Background: Hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (HKSoC) is an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) category in which the majority of the children are also diagnosed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (HKSoC) is an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) category in which the majority of the children are also diagnosed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), where the umbrella term is “Attention-Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders”. The diagnostic criteria for HKSoC are developmentally inappropriate inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Some studies have implicated mercury (Hg) exposure as a risk factor. (2) Methods: This hypothesis testing study; using the Vaccine Safety Datalink; assessed the toxicological effects of bolus exposure to organic-Hg from Thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs) by examining the relationship between Thimerosal-preserved hepatitis B vaccines (TM-HepB) given at varying levels and at specific intervals in the first six months after birth and the risk of a child being diagnosed with HKSoC. (3) Results: Children diagnosed with HKSoC were significantly more likely to be exposed to increased organic-Hg from TM-HepB doses given within the first month (odds ratio = 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30–1.62); within the first two months (odds ratio = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.28–1.59); and within the first six months (odds ratio = 4.51; 95% CI = 3.04–6.71) than controls. (4) Conclusion: The results indicate that increasing organic-Hg exposure from TCVs heightens the risk of a HKSoC diagnosis. Full article
1866 KiB  
Article
Exercise Strengthens Central Nervous System Modulation of Pain in Fibromyalgia
by Laura D. Ellingson, Aaron J. Stegner, Isaac J. Schwabacher, Kelli F. Koltyn and Dane B. Cook
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010008 - 26 Feb 2016
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 11522
Abstract
To begin to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the benefits of exercise for chronic pain, we assessed the influence of exercise on brain responses to pain in fibromyalgia (FM). Complete data were collected for nine female FM patients and nine pain-free controls (CO) who [...] Read more.
To begin to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the benefits of exercise for chronic pain, we assessed the influence of exercise on brain responses to pain in fibromyalgia (FM). Complete data were collected for nine female FM patients and nine pain-free controls (CO) who underwent two functional neuroimaging scans, following exercise (EX) and following quiet rest (QR). Brain responses and pain ratings to noxious heat stimuli were compared within and between groups. For pain ratings, there was a significant (p < 0.05) Condition by Run interaction characterized by moderately lower pain ratings post EX compared to QR (d = 0.39–0.41) for FM but similar to ratings in CO (d = 0.10–0.26), thereby demonstrating that exercise decreased pain sensitivity in FM patients to a level that was analogous to pain-free controls. Brain responses demonstrated a significant within-group difference in FM patients, characterized by less brain activity bilaterally in the anterior insula following QR as compared to EX. There was also a significant Group by Condition interaction with FM patients showing less activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex following QR as compared to post-EX and CO following both conditions. These results suggest that exercise appeared to stimulate brain regions involved in descending pain inhibition in FM patients, decreasing their sensitivity to pain. Thus, exercise may benefit patients with FM via improving the functional capacity of the pain modulatory system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Neuroimaging of Pain)
Show Figures

Figure 1

1591 KiB  
Article
Rumination and Rebound from Failure as a Function of Gender and Time on Task
by Ronald C. Whiteman and Jennifer A. Mangels
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010007 - 17 Feb 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6246
Abstract
Rumination is a trait response to blocked goals that can have positive or negative outcomes for goal resolution depending on where attention is focused. Whereas “moody brooding” on affective states may be maladaptive, especially for females, “reflective pondering” on concrete strategies for problem [...] Read more.
Rumination is a trait response to blocked goals that can have positive or negative outcomes for goal resolution depending on where attention is focused. Whereas “moody brooding” on affective states may be maladaptive, especially for females, “reflective pondering” on concrete strategies for problem solving may be more adaptive. In the context of a challenging general knowledge test, we examined how Brooding and Reflection rumination styles predicted students’ subjective and event-related responses (ERPs) to negative feedback, as well as use of this feedback to rebound from failure on a later surprise retest. For females only, Brooding predicted unpleasant feelings after failure as the task progressed. It also predicted enhanced attention to errors through both bottom-up and top-down processes, as indexed by increased early (400–600 ms) and later (600–1000 ms) late positive potentials (LPP), respectively. Reflection, despite increasing females’ initial attention to negative feedback (i.e., early LPP), as well as both genders’ recurring negative thoughts, did not result in sustained top-down attention (i.e., late LPP) or enhanced negative feelings toward errors. Reflection also facilitated rebound from failure in both genders, although Brooding did not hinder it. Implications of these gender and time-related rumination effects for learning in challenging academic situations are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotion, Cognition and Behavior)
Show Figures

Figure 1

2264 KiB  
Review
The Effects of Hypoxia and Inflammation on Synaptic Signaling in the CNS
by Gatambwa Mukandala, Ronan Tynan, Sinead Lanigan and John J. O’Connor
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010006 - 17 Feb 2016
Cited by 96 | Viewed by 16594
Abstract
Normal brain function is highly dependent on oxygen and nutrient supply and when the demand for oxygen exceeds its supply, hypoxia is induced. Acute episodes of hypoxia may cause a depression in synaptic activity in many brain regions, whilst prolonged exposure to hypoxia [...] Read more.
Normal brain function is highly dependent on oxygen and nutrient supply and when the demand for oxygen exceeds its supply, hypoxia is induced. Acute episodes of hypoxia may cause a depression in synaptic activity in many brain regions, whilst prolonged exposure to hypoxia leads to neuronal cell loss and death. Acute inadequate oxygen supply may cause anaerobic metabolism and increased respiration in an attempt to increase oxygen intake whilst chronic hypoxia may give rise to angiogenesis and erythropoiesis in order to promote oxygen delivery to peripheral tissues. The effects of hypoxia on neuronal tissue are exacerbated by the release of many inflammatory agents from glia and neuronal cells. Cytokines, such as TNF-α, and IL-1β are known to be released during the early stages of hypoxia, causing either local or systemic inflammation, which can result in cell death. Another growing body of evidence suggests that inflammation can result in neuroprotection, such as preconditioning to cerebral ischemia, causing ischemic tolerance. In the following review we discuss the effects of acute and chronic hypoxia and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines on synaptic transmission and plasticity in the central nervous system. Specifically we discuss the effects of the pro-inflammatory agent TNF-α during a hypoxic event. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Neuroimmunology)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

2204 KiB  
Review
Neural Basis of Brain Dysfunction Produced by Early Sleep Problems
by Jun Kohyama
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010005 - 29 Jan 2016
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6599
Abstract
There is a wealth of evidence that disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms, which are common in modern society even during the early stages of life, have unfavorable effects on brain function. Altered brain function can cause problem behaviors later in life, such as [...] Read more.
There is a wealth of evidence that disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms, which are common in modern society even during the early stages of life, have unfavorable effects on brain function. Altered brain function can cause problem behaviors later in life, such as truancy from or dropping out of school, quitting employment, and committing suicide. In this review, we discuss findings from several large cohort studies together with recent results of a cohort study using the marshmallow test, which was first introduced in the 1960s. This test assessed the ability of four-year-olds to delay gratification and showed how this ability correlated with success later in life. The role of the serotonergic system in sleep and how this role changes with age are also discussed. The serotonergic system is involved in reward processing and interactions with the dorsal striatum, ventral striatum, and the prefrontal cortex are thought to comprise the neural basis for behavioral patterns that are affected by the quantity, quality, and timing of sleep early in life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sleep and Brain Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

561 KiB  
Review
Cross-Modal Re-Organization in Clinical Populations with Hearing Loss
by Anu Sharma and Hannah Glick
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010004 - 26 Jan 2016
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 10244
Abstract
We review evidence for cross-modal cortical re-organization in clinical populations with hearing loss. Cross-modal plasticity refers to the ability for an intact sensory modality (e.g., vision or somatosensation) to recruit cortical brain regions from a deprived sensory modality (e.g., audition) to carry out [...] Read more.
We review evidence for cross-modal cortical re-organization in clinical populations with hearing loss. Cross-modal plasticity refers to the ability for an intact sensory modality (e.g., vision or somatosensation) to recruit cortical brain regions from a deprived sensory modality (e.g., audition) to carry out sensory processing. We describe evidence for cross-modal changes in hearing loss across the age-spectrum and across different degrees of hearing impairment, including children with profound, bilateral deafness with cochlear implants, single-sided deafness before and after cochlear implantation, and adults with early-stage, mild-moderate, age-related hearing loss. Understanding cross-modal plasticity in the context of auditory deprivation, and the potential for reversal of these changes following intervention, may be vital in directing intervention and rehabilitation options for clinical populations with hearing loss. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory System)
Show Figures

Figure 1

625 KiB  
Editorial
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Brain Sciences in 2015
by Brain Sciences Editorial Office
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010003 - 22 Jan 2016
Viewed by 3204
Abstract
The editors of Brain Sciences would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2015. [...] Full article
1562 KiB  
Article
Individual Differences in Anticipatory Somatosensory Cortex Activity for Shock is Positively Related with Trait Anxiety and Multisensory Integration
by Steven G. Greening, Tae-Ho Lee and Mara Mather
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010002 - 06 Jan 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5971
Abstract
Anxiety is associated with an exaggerated expectancy of harm, including overestimation of how likely a conditioned stimulus (CS+) predicts a harmful unconditioned stimulus (US). In the current study we tested whether anxiety-associated expectancy of harm increases primary sensory cortex (S1) activity on non-reinforced [...] Read more.
Anxiety is associated with an exaggerated expectancy of harm, including overestimation of how likely a conditioned stimulus (CS+) predicts a harmful unconditioned stimulus (US). In the current study we tested whether anxiety-associated expectancy of harm increases primary sensory cortex (S1) activity on non-reinforced (i.e., no shock) CS+ trials. Twenty healthy volunteers completed a differential-tone trace conditioning task while undergoing fMRI, with shock delivered to the left hand. We found a positive correlation between trait anxiety and activity in right, but not left, S1 during CS+ versus CS− conditions. Right S1 activity also correlated with individual differences in both primary auditory cortices (A1) and amygdala activity. Lastly, a seed-based functional connectivity analysis demonstrated that trial-wise S1 activity was positively correlated with regions of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), suggesting that higher-order cognitive processes contribute to the anticipatory sensory reactivity. Our findings indicate that individual differences in trait anxiety relate to anticipatory reactivity for the US during associative learning. This anticipatory reactivity is also integrated along with emotion-related sensory signals into a brain network implicated in fear-conditioned responding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotion, Cognition and Behavior)
Show Figures

Figure 1

811 KiB  
Article
REM-Enriched Naps Are Associated with Memory Consolidation for Sad Stories and Enhance Mood-Related Reactivity
by Médhi Gilson, Gaétane Deliens, Rachel Leproult, Alice Bodart, Antoine Nonclercq, Rudy Ercek and Philippe Peigneux
Brain Sci. 2016, 6(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6010001 - 29 Dec 2015
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 8283
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that emotion and affect modulate the relation between sleep and cognition. In the present study, we investigated the role of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep in mood regulation and memory consolidation for sad stories. In a counterbalanced design, participants (n = [...] Read more.
Emerging evidence suggests that emotion and affect modulate the relation between sleep and cognition. In the present study, we investigated the role of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep in mood regulation and memory consolidation for sad stories. In a counterbalanced design, participants (n = 24) listened to either a neutral or a sad story during two sessions, spaced one week apart. After listening to the story, half of the participants had a short (45 min) morning nap. The other half had a long (90 min) morning nap, richer in REM and N2 sleep. Story recall, mood evolution and changes in emotional response to the re-exposure to the story were assessed after the nap. Although recall performance was similar for sad and neutral stories irrespective of nap duration, sleep measures were correlated with recall performance in the sad story condition only. After the long nap, REM sleep density positively correlated with retrieval performance, while re-exposure to the sad story led to diminished mood and increased skin conductance levels. Our results suggest that REM sleep may not only be associated with the consolidation of intrinsically sad material, but also enhances mood reactivity, at least on the short term. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotion, Cognition and Behavior)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Previous Issue
Next Issue
Back to TopTop