Biomedical subjects

E N Tsicalov

Publications and source records attributed to E N Tsicalov.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Fast thermal waves spreading over the cerebral cortex.

Fast thermal waves spreading over the cerebral cortex were found in the white rat by infrared neuroimaging (thermoencephaloscopy) in the range of 3-5 microm. Thermal waves appeared under visual stimulation (the probability of their appearance = 0.92), and under background conditions (probability of appearance = 0.42). Typically, they moved during the period from 15 s before to 25 s after each light flash that was presented rhythmically (1.5-3 per min). The waves spread over the cerebral cortex along the limited number of typical trajectories, which are specific for the hemisphere of their origin (ipsilateral or contralateral with the side of stimulation). The waves were never recorded in a dead animal or in a thermal standard. The amplitude of the thermal waves was in the range of 0.005-0.1 degrees C, with the extent of the pathway of 2-56 mm, length of 10-15 mm, duration of 1.2-11.4 s, and velocity of 1-33 mm/s. In about half of the cases the waves appeared in the contralateral visual cortex (areas 17 and 18a), spread to the midline and crossed to the ipsilateral hemisphere (areas 17, 18a and 7). Local waves moving along a circular trajectory and rotating around the central part of the contralateral area 17 were also revealed, as well as wave rotation around the dorsal (mainly parietal) cortical fields. Possible biophysical and neurophysiological mechanisms and the functional significance of the revealed effects are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Thermoimaging of the brain.

A new method of neuroimaging is proposed that is based on the recording of weak changes in infra-red radiation from the brain. Thermoencephaloscopy (TES) uses a combination of thermovision and digital image processing techniques and allows one to make a dynamic investigation of the thermal fields of the cerebral cortex through an unopened skull. Today the method is characterized by: (i) differential thermosensitivity of up to 0.002 degrees C; (ii) instrumental temporal resolution 40 ms (25 thermomaps/s); (iii) time of the temperature measurement in the part of an object that correspondes to one pixel on digital thermomap is equal to 2.4 microseconds; (iv) instrumental spatial resolution of up to 70 microns/pixel; and (v) the thermomap size is 10880 pixels (128 x 85). TES allows detection of an appearance and study of topography and dynamics of the small (from 140 to 300 microns) and precisely localized zones of activation or deactivation of the cerebral cortex that are modally and regionally specific with respect to stimuli modality and parameters and to the state of an animal. Up to now such studies were performed with white rats, rabbits, cats, monkeys and humans under different kinds of sensory stimulation, motor tasks, conditioning (associative learning). Fast thermowaves spreading over the brain cortex along specific trajectories were revealed under sensory stimulation. The mechanisms of the recorded phenomena are discussed: (i) joule heating produced by ion currents through membranes of activated neurones; (ii) metabolic thermoproduction; (iii) thermal convection by the local cerebral blood flow; and (iv) thermodipole formation in the cortical foci with changed lCBF.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Dynamic infrared functional mapping of the cerebral cortex.

Although many neuroimaging methods (computer tomography, H+ and isotope clearance, [14C]deoxyglucose utilization, potential-sensitive dyes, electroencephalogram and magnetoencephalogram-mapping, nuclear magnetic resonance tomography, single photon emission computer tomography, and positron emission tomography) are now being used to map brain structure and function, there still exists a need for a new approach that is functional, dynamic, remote, and noninvasive, and that also has reasonable sensitivity and spatial and temporal resolution. Such a method is described here. Thermoencephaloscopy (TES), based on thermovision and digital image processing techniques, is a method of neuroimaging consisting of recording through the intact skull the very weak changes in infrared radiation that are connected with brain activity. The parameters of the method are: temperature sensitivity of 0.002 degrees C, instrumental spatial resolution of 70 microns pixel-1, and instrumental temporal resolution of 40 ms (enabling up to twenty-five maps to be produced per second). The distribution over the rat cerebral cortex of local, multiple, and modally and regionally specific thermoresponses to various sensory stimuli, direct cortical stimulation, and associative learning (conditioning), have been studied, as well as the spreading of thermowaves over the brain cortex. The underlying mechanisms which form the basis of the technique of TES, such as joule heating, local changes in brain metabolism and local cerebral blood flow, as well as the formation of thermodipoles, are discussed.

Animals↗