In the above article <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1">1 , an earlier version of <xref rid="fig1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 4 was used. Therein, recent state-of-the-art designs are placed according to ...performance metrics NEF and area, but the references in <xref rid="fig1" ref-type="fig">Fig. 4 do not match the reference section.
The integration of innovative neurotechnologies in rehabilitation programs seems promising for enhancing motor recovery in people with stroke. This study presents a comprehensive exploration of brain ...connectivity with symmetry and graph network analyses during motor rehabilitation using extended reality (XR) training and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The evolution of selected electroencephalography (EEG) features was assessed along with changes in clinical scores before and after the rehabilitation program in order to identify directions for future research. Clinical motor performance scales and resting-state EEG assessments showed trends indicating the improvement of connectivity and integration capacity over rehabilitation time, particularly within the theta, beta, and gamma frequency bands. Symmetry indices, particularly at higher frequencies, were significantly correlated with clinical improvements, demonstrating a stronger relationship between brain symmetry and lower extremity function as well as an increasing symmetry trend at the end of the rehabilitation program. Based upon the preliminary findings of this study, rehabilitation sessions that combine XR and tDCS can induce changes in neuroplasticity and improve motor recovery, which may in turn increase the life quality of people with stroke.
•Neuromodulation and extended reality improve neuroplasticity and motor recovery.•Brain connectivity and integration capacity can improve in chronic stroke survivors.•Symmetry indices significantly correlate with lower limb improvements.•Connectivity symmetry index can be helpful to understand recovery after stroke.
Smokers report particular appreciation for coffee with their first cigarettes of the day. We investigated with voltage-clamp experiments, effects of aqueous extracts (coffees) of unroasted and ...roasted coffee beans on the activity of human brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes expressed in Xenopus oocytes, looking at complex brews, low molecular weight (LMW) fractions, and specific compounds present in coffee. When co-applied with PNU-120596, a positive allosteric modulator (PAM), the coffees stimulated currents from cells expressing α7 nAChR that were larger than ACh controls. The PAM-dependent responses to green bean coffee were three-fold greater than those to dark roasted coffee, consistent with α7 receptor activation by choline, a component of coffee that is partially degraded in the roasting process. Coffees were tested on both high sensitivity (HS) and low sensitivity (LS) forms of α4β2 nAChR, which are associated with nicotine addiction. To varying degrees, these receptors were both activated and inhibited by the coffees and LMW extracts. We also examined the activity of nine small molecules present in coffee. Only two compounds, 1-methylpyridinium and 1-1-dimethylpiperidium, produced during the process of roasting coffee beans, showed significant effects on nAChR. The compounds were competitive antagonists of the HS α4β2 receptors, but were PAMs for LS α4β2 receptors. HS receptors in smokers are likely to progressively desensitize through a day of smoking but may be hypersensitive in the mornings when brain nicotine levels are low. A smoker's first cup of coffee may therefore balance the effects of the day's first cigarette in the brain.
•Caffeine and nicotine are two of the three most commonly used addictive substances in the world.•Caffeine (coffee) and nicotine (cigarettes) are often used together after periods of abstinence.•Coffee has direct effects on the two main types of brain nicotine receptors.•The choline in coffee affects α7 receptors, and n-MP most affects α4β2 receptors.•n-MP inhibits one of the two main types of α4β2 receptors and potentiates the other.
•SNM and Falls: Long term Sacral Neuromodulation (SNM) therapy follow up may show and an potential association between therapy and reported falls in patients.•Balance Control Hypothesis: The article ...explores a hypothesis that SNM may alter static nerve transmission, impacting balance control during locomotion and potentially increasing the risk of falls.•Patient Safety Implications:Emphasizing the need for further research, the article underscores the potential impact on patient safety and the optimization of SNM therapy.
As the therapeutic mechanisms of Sacral Neuromodulation (SNM) continue to be investigated, recent long-term outcome study has revealed a intrigue association between SNM therapy and reported falls in patients. This observation has led to the formulation of a hypothesis suggesting that SNM may influence balance control during locomotion by altering sciatic nerve transmission, potentially contributing to an increased risk of falls. This concise article explores the hypothesis, emphasizing the need for further research to elucidate the potential connection between SNM and balance disorders. Understanding this link holds implications for patient safety and may further improve the optimization of SNM therapy.
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