Brain stimulation,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
17(2), P. 460 - 468
Published: March 1, 2024
BackgroundWorking
memory
is
essential
to
a
wide
range
of
cognitive
functions
and
activities.
Transcutaneous
auricular
VNS
(taVNS)
promising
method
improve
working
performance.
However,
the
feasibility
scalability
electrical
stimulation
are
constrained
by
several
limitations,
such
as
discomfort
inconsistent
contact.ObjectiveWe
aimed
develop
novel
practical
method,
vibrotactile
taVNS,
memory.
Further,
we
investigated
its
effects
on
arousal,
measured
skin
conductance
pupil
diameter.MethodThis
study
included
20
healthy
participants.
Behavioral
response,
conductance,
eye
tracking
data
were
concurrently
recorded
while
participants
performed
N-back
tasks
under
three
conditions:
taVNS
delivered
cymba
concha,
earlobe
(sham
control),
no
(baseline
control).ResultsIn
4-back
tasks,
which
demand
maximal
capacity,
active
significantly
improved
performance
metric
compared
baseline
but
not
sham.
Moreover,
found
that
reduction
rate
with
increasing
task
difficulty
was
smaller
during
sessions
than
in
both
sham
conditions.
Arousal,
diameter,
declined
over
course
tasks.
Vibrotactile
rescued
this
arousal
decline,
leading
levels
corresponding
optimal
levels.
diameter
level
higher
high-cognitive-load
when
concha
sham.ConclusionOur
findings
suggest
modulates
pathway
could
be
potential
intervention
for
enhancing
Journal of Biomedical Science,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
32(1)
Published: March 11, 2025
Abstract
Background
Animal
studies
established
that
the
locus
coeruleus
(LC)
plays
important
roles
in
sleep
and
wakefulness
regulation.
Whether
it
contributes
to
variability
humans
is
not
yet
established.
Here,
we
investigated
if
vivo
activity
of
LC
related
quality
Rapid
Eye
Movement
(REM)
sleep.
Methods
We
assessed
34
healthy
younger
(~
22y)
18
older
61y)
individuals
engaged
bottom-up
top-down
cognitive
tasks
using
7-Tesla
functional
Magnetic
Resonance
Imaging
(fMRI).
further
recorded
their
electroencephalogram
(EEG)
evaluate
associations
between
fMRI
measures
REM
EEG
metrics.
Results
Theta
oscillation
energy
during
was
positively
associated
with
response
task.
In
contrast,
theta
negatively
Importantly,
sigma
oscillations
power
immediately
preceding
a
episode
Conclusions
intensity
transient
change
sleep,
feature
causally
animal
studies.
The
depend
on
task,
suggesting
balanced
level
tonic
required
for
optimal
expression
findings
may
have
implications
high
prevalence
complaints
reported
aging
disorders
such
as
insomnia,
Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s
disease,
which
play
pivotal
through
Journal of Neurology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
270(10), P. 4647 - 4660
Published: June 25, 2023
Abstract
Background
Knowledge
on
the
nature
of
post-COVID
neurological
sequelae
often
manifesting
as
cognitive
dysfunction
and
fatigue
is
still
unsatisfactory.
Objectives
We
assumed
that
in
syndrome
are
critically
linked
via
hypoarousal
brain.
Thus,
we
assessed
whether
tonic
alertness
a
neurocognitive
index
arousal
reduced
these
patients
how
this
relates
to
level
central
nervous
activation
subjective
mental
further
indices
arousal.
Methods
40
with
matched
healthy
controls
underwent
whole-report
paradigm
briefly
presented
letter
arrays.
Based
report
performance
computational
modelling
according
theory
visual
attention,
parameter
processing
speed
(VPS)
was
quantified
proxy
alertness.
Pupillary
unrest
measure
activation.
The
Fatigue
Assessment
Scale
applied
assess
using
corresponding
subscale
.
Results
VPS
compared
(
p
=
0.005).
In
patients,
pupillary
0.029)
0.001)
predicted
VPS,
explaining
34%
variance
yielding
large
effect
f
2
0.51.
Conclusion
dysfunction,
brain
reflected
decreased
which
explained
by
higher
fatigue.
turn,
objectifies
core
clinical
complaint
patients.
The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
26(1)
Published: Feb. 2, 2024
The
Psychiatric
Consultation
Service
at
Massachusetts
General
Hospital
sees
medical
and
surgical
inpatients
with
comorbid
psychiatric
symptoms
conditions.
During
their
twice-weekly
rounds,
Dr
Stern
other
members
of
the
discuss
diagnosis
management
hospitalized
patients
complex
or
problems
who
also
demonstrate
These
discussions
have
given
rise
to
rounds
reports
that
will
prove
useful
for
clinicians
practicing
interface
medicine
psychiatry.
GeroScience,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: March 4, 2025
Attentional
states
reflect
the
changing
behavioral
relevance
of
stimuli
in
one's
environment,
having
important
consequences
for
learning
and
memory.
Supporting
well-established
cortical
contributions,
attentional
are
hypothesized
to
originate
from
subcortical
neuromodulatory
nuclei,
such
as
basal
forebrain
(BF)
locus
coeruleus
(LC),
which
among
first
change
with
aging.
Here,
we
characterized
interplay
between
BF
LC
nuclei
their
relation
two
common
afferent
targets
attention
memory,
posterior
cingulate
cortex
hippocampus,
across
adult
lifespan.
Using
an
auditory
target
discrimination
task
during
functional
MRI,
examined
influence
salience
on
task-dependent
connectivity
younger
(19-45
years)
older
adults
(66-86
years).
In
adults,
was
largely
driven
by
processing,
while
associated
distractor
processing.
These
patterns
reversed
adults.
This
age-dependent
pattern
generalized
nucleus
basalis
Meynert
medial
septal
subnuclei.
Preliminary
data
middle-aged
indicates
a
transitional
stage
connectivity.
Overall,
these
results
reveal
distinct
roles
systems
related
potential
aging,
consistent
managing
increased
behaviorally
irrelevant
distraction
Such
prominent
differences
coupling
lifespan
suggests
they
may
be
drivers
widespread
changes
neurocognitive
middle
age
opportune
time
intervention.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
16(1)
Published: March 10, 2025
Fear
can
be
induced
either
directly
through
self-experience
of
aversive
events
or
vicariously
by
observing
conspecifics
experiencing
such
events.
The
locus
coeruleus-norepinephrine
(LC-NA)
system
is
crucial
in
fear
responses
and
cognitive
processes.
We
investigated
whether
the
LC-NA
differentially
processes
these
two
types
fear,
direct
vicarious
male
mice.
results
highlighted
that
right
hemisphere
LC→anterior
cingulate
cortex
pathway
uniquely
for
while
inputs
to
LC—from
bed
nucleus
stria
terminalis
(BNST)
central
amygdala
(CeA)—differentially
contribute
processing.
BNST
plays
a
more
targeted
role
CeA
has
broader
influence
on
general.
This
underscores
complexity
specialization
within
fear-processing.
arises
vicariously,
with
involved
both.
Here,
authors
show
LC
→
ACC
key
provide
distinct
LC,
highlighting
its
complex
fear.
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
173, P. 106165 - 106165
Published: April 15, 2025
Attention
networks
are
loosely
defined
as
the
regions
of
brain
which
interact
to
control
behaviour
during
attentional
tasks,
but
specific
definition
attention
varies
between
research
programs
based
on
task
demands
and
modalities.
The
Network
Task
was
designed
exemplify
three
aspects
attention,
alerting,
orienting,
executive
control,
using
a
visual
cueing
paradigm.
Its
proponents
propose
system
underlies
these
aspects.
It
is
debated
whether
there
exists
unified
independently
other
cognitive
sensory
processing
systems.
We
review
evidence
for
an
within
domain
attention.
Neuroimaging
fMRI,
EEG,
MEG,
others
across
variety
tasks
attributed
cueing,
search,
divided
compared.
This
concludes
with
discussion
limitations
independent
"attention
system"
describing
how
flexibly
controls
many
abilities
