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Pontogeniculooccipital waves: spontaneous visual system activity during rapid eye movement sleep.

1. Pontogeniculooccipital (PGO) waves are recorded during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep from the pontine reticular formation, lateral geniculate bodies, and occipital cortex of many species. 2. PGO waves are associated with increased visual system excitability but arise spontaneously and not via stimulation of the primary visual afferents. Both auditory and somatosensory stimuli influence PGO wave activity. 3. Studies using a variety of techniques suggest that the pontine brain stem is the site of PGO wave generation. Immediately prior to the appearance of PGO waves, neurons located in the region of the brachium conjunctivum exhibit bursts of increased firing, while neurons in the dorsal raphe nuclei show a cessation of firing. 4. The administration of pharmacological agents antagonizing noradrenergic or serotonergic neurotransmission increases the occurrence of PGO waves independent of REM sleep. Cholinomimetic administration increases the occurrence of both PGO waves and other components of REM sleep. 5. Regarding function, the PGO wave-generating network has been postulated to inform the visual system about eye movements, to promote brain development, and to facilitate the response to novel environmental stimuli.

Animals↗

Problems of the analysis of altered states of consciousness.

It is assumed on the basis of data that have been obtained that altered states of consciousness (ASC) arise during the performance of operator activity under conditions of monotony, when modulating influences in the minute range of fluctuations are experienced in the process. This modulation promotes the attenuation or intensification of the degree of ASC; this is reflected in corresponding shifts in attention and in the quality of operator actions relating to recognition of visual images. These results point to the important role of the modulating system of the brain, and of its infraslow wave manifestations in the activity of consciousness whose content is determined by informational processes.

Adult↗

[Participation of the preoptic area in the synchronizing and desynchronizing mechanisms of the brain].

The paper deals with spreading of the positive wave (P-wave), appearing in response to stimulation of the basal preoptic area (BPA) in the structures of meso-diencephalic and bulbar levels, predominantly involved into synchronizing and desynchronizing brain systems. It is shown that P-wave is mostly pronounced in the structures situated along the medial fascicle of the forebrain, its bilateral coagulation leading to changes in wave characteristics in the studied structures. Besides, after section of the medial fascicle of the forebrain pronounced inhibitory effects of the posterior hypothalamus on P-wave appearing in response to stimulation of BPA, are considerably weakened.

Animals↗

Boosting slow oscillations during sleep potentiates memory.

There is compelling evidence that sleep contributes to the long-term consolidation of new memories. This function of sleep has been linked to slow (<1 Hz) potential oscillations, which predominantly arise from the prefrontal neocortex and characterize slow wave sleep. However, oscillations in brain potentials are commonly considered to be mere epiphenomena that reflect synchronized activity arising from neuronal networks, which links the membrane and synaptic processes of these neurons in time. Whether brain potentials and their extracellular equivalent have any physiological meaning per se is unclear, but can easily be investigated by inducing the extracellular oscillating potential fields of interest. Here we show that inducing slow oscillation-like potential fields by transcranial application of oscillating potentials (0.75 Hz) during early nocturnal non-rapid-eye-movement sleep, that is, a period of emerging slow wave sleep, enhances the retention of hippocampus-dependent declarative memories in healthy humans. The slowly oscillating potential stimulation induced an immediate increase in slow wave sleep, endogenous cortical slow oscillations and slow spindle activity in the frontal cortex. Brain stimulation with oscillations at 5 Hz--another frequency band that normally predominates during rapid-eye-movement sleep--decreased slow oscillations and left declarative memory unchanged. Our findings indicate that endogenous slow potential oscillations have a causal role in the sleep-associated consolidation of memory, and that this role is enhanced by field effects in cortical extracellular space.

Adult↗

Intracranial electroencephalographic changes in deep anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: It is well known that electroencephalograms (EEGs) show electrical silence in deep anesthesia as well as brain death. This is the first report on intracranial EEG changes in deep anesthesia. METHODS: We developed a new direct brain monitoring system capable of recording intracranial EEGs. This study included 13 patients with head trauma or cerebrovascular accident under deep anesthesia. RESULTS: The intracranial EEGs showed different patterns of wave activity in depth compared with the cortical surface. In 3 of the cases, the scalp EEG showed a flat tracing at 2.0-2.5% of isoflurane. In two of the cases, the intracranial EEGs showed electrical silence when the scalp EEG was flat. Decreasing the concentration of isoflurane to 1.5%, the intracranial EEG showed single paroxysmal appearance of 'revival' theta waves on the electrocorticogram (ECoG) or electroventriculogram (EVG). The intracranial 'revival' wave was followed by high-voltage burst-waves. In another case, at 2.0-2.5% of isoflurane, the amplitude of the waves was greatest on the EVG. CONCLUSION: There is wave activity difference in the brain depth, which the scalp EEG is unable to show. Intracranial EEGs are able to show the first signs of revival after a nearly flat tracing in deep anesthesia.

Adult↗

Origins of the scalp recorded frequency-following response in the cat.

The frequency-following response (FFR) is a short-latency scalp-recorded evoked potential elicited by the presentation of low-frequency acoustic stimuli. It is thought to be the result of the synchronous electrical activity in brain stemauditory nuclei to each wave in the acoustic signal. The present investigation constitutes an attempt to determine the generators of the FFR in the cat by analysis of the response and by section of brain stem auditory nuclei and tracts. Among the results were the following: (1) the cochlear nuclei contribute approximately 50% of the amplitude of the scalp-recordedFFR in the cat. (2) The cochlea also makes a significant contribution, accounting for an average of nearly 25% of the response amplitude. (3) The superior olivary nuclei (and/or the nuclei of the lateral lemnisci) account for about 20% of the response amplitude. (4) The contributions from the inferior colliculi (contrary to earlier studies) were found to be relatively insignificant. (5) As a consequence of the existence of multiple generators, the FFR ample area of hair cell excitation for each stimulus frequency involved in the mediation of the FFR, suggestion that scalp-recorded FFRs could be used to ascertain low-frequency hearingsensitivity in uncooperative human subjects.

Animals↗

Parkinson's disease. Clinical and electrophysiological evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: Identification of the clinical spectrum and the electrophysiological responses of a Saudi population with Parkinson's disease as opposed to a matched normal population. METHODS: Fifty four subjects (41 males and 13 females) were selected for the study. The patients were clinically evaluated for the occurrence of Parkinson's disease symptoms, as well as other associated medical conditions. All patients had brain computerized tomography scans. Electrophysiological tests were performed on all patients using the Medelec ST 10 Sensor 59394 Model. These tests included somatosensory evoked response of median nerves, brain stem auditory evoked responses and visual evoked responses. The significant differences in these evoked responses between the patients with Parkinson's disease and normal patients were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty six out of the 40 computerized tomography brain scans which had been carried out showed normal brain morphology and 5 had a clear evidence of cerebrovascular disease while only 9 showed distinctive brain atrophy. The mean values for the brain stem auditory evoked response, the somatosensory evoked response and the visual evoked responses were higher in patients with Parkinson's disease as compared to those who did not have the disease. Significant differences were only seen as prolonged latencies in median nerve somatosensory evoked response, as well as delayed waves I and V on the brain stem auditory evoked response. Inter-wave latencies, however, were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Parkinson's disease in a Saudi population showed significant differences to somatosensory evoked response and brain stem auditory evoked response electrophysiological data as compared to age-matched controls, however, the clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease in Saudi patients are not significantly different from those reported for patients elsewhere.

Aged↗

Mechanical transient-based magnetic resonance elastography.

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a technique for quantifying material properties by measuring cyclic displacements of propagating shear waves. As an alternative to dynamic harmonic wave MRE or quasi-steady-state methods, the idea of using a transient impulse for mechanical excitation is introduced. Two processing methods to calculate shear stiffness from transient data were developed. The techniques were tested in phantom studies, and the transient results were found to be comparable to the harmonic wave results. Transient wave based analysis was applied to the brains of six healthy volunteers in order to assess the method in areas of complex wave patterns and geometry. The results demonstrated the feasibility of measuring brain stiffness in vivo using a transient mechanical excitation. Transient and harmonic methods both measure white matter (approximately 12 kPa) to be stiffer than gray matter ( approximately 8 kPa). There were some anatomic differences between harmonic and transient MRE, specifically where the transient results better depicted the deeper structures of the brain.

Algorithms↗

Monitoring of the oxidation-reduction state of brain structures in freely moving rats during sleep-waking cycles by potentiometric recording.

Freely mobile mongrel male rats weighing 300-350 g were used for studies of changes in the oxidative-reductive (redox) state of brain tissue during cycles of waking, slow-wave sleep, and paradoxical sleep, by recording the potential of the oxidative-reductive state of brain tissue with platinum electrodes implanted into the cerebral cortex ad hippocampus. Electromyograms were also recorded from the cervical muscles, and overall movement activity was also recorded. A common platinum reference electrode was implanted into the nasal bones. These experiments showed that in rats, episodes of waking and paradoxical sleep occurred on the background of increases in the oxidation-reduction potential state of brain tissue at a series of brain points, which we termed "metabolically active." Transitions from waking and paradoxical sleep to slow-wave sleep were accompanied by decreases in the potential of the redox state. The magnitude of changes in the tissue redox state varied up to 100 mV. It is suggested that transitions from waking and paradoxical sleep to slow-wave sleep are accompanied by dynamic changes in the balance of brain tissue energy metabolism between the main energy sources. Oxidative phosphorylation dominates in waking and paradoxical sleep, while aerobic glycolysis dominates slow-wave sleep. We suggest that this latter should be interpreted as a decrease in the potential of the tissue redox state and the formation within the tissue of oscillations during slow-wave sleep. Formation of oscillations is typical for acceleration of glycolytic processes. Recently published data suggest that the major compartment or aerobic glycolysis is the astroglia.

Animals↗

Auditory brain stem response generation by parallel pathways: differential maturation of axonal conduction time and synaptic transmission.

In attempting to correlate developmental anatomical data with electrophysiological data on maturation of the auditory brain stem response (ABR), a model of ABR generation was necessary to match neuroanatomical structures to ABR components. This model has been developed by reviewing quantitative studies of human brain stem nuclei, results of intrasurgical recordings, studies of correlation of pathology with ABR waveform alterations, and findings from direct stimulation of the human cochlear nuclei through a brain stem implant device. Based on this material, it was assumed that waves I and II are generated peripherally in the auditory nerve and that waves III, IV, and V are generated centrally, i.e., by brain stem structures. It was further assumed that wave III is generated by axons emerging from the cochlear nuclei in the ventral acoustic stria and that waves IV and V reflect activity in parallel subpopulations of these ascending axons at a higher brain stem level. Beyond the cochlear nucleus, the largest component of the brain stem auditory pathway consists of axons projecting without interruption from the cochlear nuclei to the contralateral lateral lemniscus and inferior colliculus. In the proposed model of ABR generation, the III-IV interwave interval is assumed to reflect only axonal conduction in this asynaptic pathway. Electrophysiological data from infants indicate that the III-IV interwave interval becomes adult-like by the time of term birth. The second largest component of the brain stem auditory pathway is the bilateral projection through the medial olivary nucleus. The model assumes that activity in this monosynaptic pathway, consisting of axonal conduction time plus one synaptic delay, is reflected in the III-V interwave interval. If both of the preceding assumptions are true, the IV-V interwave interval represents the difference between the two pathways, i.e., the time of transmission across one synapse. The electrophysiological ABR data indicates that the IV-V interval does not mature until one year of age. It is also possible to apply this model to the peripherally generated portion of the ABR. The I-II interwave interval, assumed to solely represent conduction in VIIIth nerve axons, is adult-like before the time of term birth. The II-III interval, presumed to contain a synapse in the cochlear nuclear complex, does not reach an adult level until between 1 and 2 yr postnatal age.

Axons↗

Use of intraoperative auditory evoked potentials to preserve hearing in unilateral acoustic neuroma removal.

Twenty-two patients with unilateral acoustic neuromas and preoperative speech discrimination scores of 35% or more had intraoperative monitoring of the electrocochleogram (ECoG) using a transtympanic electrode, and of the brain-stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP's) using scalp electrodes. Rapid feedback was provided about the status of the cochlear microphonics from the hair cells of the inner ear (CM of the ECoG), the compound action potential of the auditory nerve (N-1 of the ECoG or Wave I of the BAEP's) and the potentials from the lower brain stem (Wave V of the BAEP's). All patients had total removal of the tumor. In 21, the cochlear nerve was anatomically preserved, and 20 had good postoperative facial nerve function. Correlation of tumor size with postoperative hearing was as follows: discrimination scores of more than 35% in three of four patients with 1-cm tumors, two of eight with 1.5-cm tumors, two of six with 2- to 2.5-cm tumors, and one of four with tumors of 3 cm or more. Two other patients with 1.5-cm tumors had discrimination scores of less than 35%, and one patient with a 2-cm tumor had only sound perception. In two patients, the discrimination scores improved. At the end of the operation, all patients with hearing had a detectable N-1, and, when recorded, CM. All but one patient with no hearing had lost N-1, and CM was absent or reduced. Unless Wave V was unchanged, it was a poor predictor of postoperative hearing, and its absence did not preclude preservation of good hearing. The electrophysiological changes during each stage of the operation were analyzed and correlated with events during surgery. Areas in which there was an increased risk of loss of the potentials were determined. In some patients monitoring was unnecessary, because either there were no significant changes or the changes were abrupt and no recovery occurred. However, in other patients, monitoring alerted the surgeon to a possible problem and the method of dissection was altered. Possible mechanisms of hearing loss were suggested from the changes in the recordings.

Adult↗

Electrophysiological alterations in hepatic encephalopathy detected by brain mapping.

Analogical electroencephalogram has been used to study electric alterations in the brain during liver encephalopathy. We adopted digital technique brain mapping to study the electric background activity in the brain and to evaluate the diagnostic and prognosis usefulness of this technique compared with the methods routinely used in this disease. We studied 18 patients with liver cirrhosis and varying degrees of liver encephalopathy and 7 healthy control subjects to assess correlation between the severity of encephalopathy and abnormal electric activity in the brain, and to detect the main differences between the brain mapping findings obtained in the two groups. The findings revealed an overall reduction in the rhythm, increased amplitude and anomalous distribution of the waveforms in the cirrhotic patients. Although similar results have already been reported, brain mapping furnished prompt and more easily visualised findings. Moreover, brain mapping facilitated detailed analysis of wave amplitude, frequency and topographic location indicating that this technique is a valid tool in diagnosing brain disorders.

Brain Mapping↗

Repeatability of non-invasive measurement of intracerebral pulse wave velocity using transcranial Doppler.

In the present study, the repeatability of three techniques for measuring peripheral PWV (pulse wave velocity) has been studied. A transcranial Doppler provided a wave reading from the middle cerebral artery. Using the transit time between the R-wave of an ECG and the 'foot' of this wave we were able to calculate a PWV (PWV-brain). An ear clip transducer provided a pressure wave reading (PWV-ear). A third pressure reading came from a Finapres transducer on the left middle finger (PWV-finger). The PWV was calculated as distance between two points/transit time of the pulse wave. Eleven volunteers had three sets of readings averaged for each technique taken in two separate sessions. There was good agreement between observers for the mean PWV values, and good agreement for mean results in different sessions. The RC%s (repeatability coefficient percentages) for between-observer repeatability in each session were good and approximately equivalent for PWV-finger (5-7%) and PWV-brain (5-7%). The repeatability of the PWV-ear measurement was less satisfactory (8-18%). The RC% for the same observer between sessions was less good, being 11% for the PWV-finger, 16-17% for PWV-brain and 11-19% for PWV-ear. The RC%s for the inter-session inter-observer measurements were between 10.7-12.1% for the PWV-finger, 14.7-19.5% for PWV-brain and 8.3-15% for PWV-ear. The transit time RC%s were lower in most measurements. The between-observer repeatability of all measures was satisfactory. Owing to the less good repeatability on different occasions, the use of PWV-brain and PWV-ear will depend on the magnitude of differences to be expected.

Adult↗

Effects of nocturnal intraperitoneal administration of cholecystokinin in rats: simultaneous increase in sleep, increase in EEG slow-wave activity, reduction of motor activity, suppression of eating, and decrease in brain temperature.

Rats received an i.p. injection of cholecystokinin-octapeptide sulfate ester (CCK; 4, 10 or 50 micrograms/kg) or physiological saline at dark onset, and the 24-h sleep-wake cycle (12-h-dark and 12-h-light phases), spontaneous motor activity and brain temperature (Tbr) were recorded. EEG activity was studied through spectral analysis for 2.5 h, and food intake was measured at the end of postinjection hour 1. In response to CCK, non-REM sleep increased at the expense of wakefulness, and the sleep-promoting effect was substantiated by an increase in EEG slow-wave activity. Motor activity, Tbr and food intake decreased. The effects vanished in postinjection hour 2; the diurnal rhythms were not modified. The changes varied as a function of the dose: the effects were significant following 10 micrograms/kg, and even higher in response to 50 micrograms/kg CCK. The results indicate that i.p. CCK definitely promotes non-REM sleep. This effect may belong to the behavioral sequence elicited by the peptide, which is often attributed to satiety. As evidenced by the reduction of Tbr, CCK also exerts strong autonomic actions, which might interfere with the behavioral responses.

Animals↗

Spreading waves of decreased diffusion coefficient after cortical stimulation in the rat brain.

A method is demonstrated for the noninvasive detection and study of spreading cortical depression. Spreading depression (SD) was elicited in rats by topical application of potassium chloride to the exposed cortex. The apparent diffusion coefficient (Dapp) of water in a region of the cortex, measured using a PFG-NMR spin echo sequence with an observation time of 40 ms, declines 35% within 30 s and recovers to the normal value within the next 30 s. The region of decreased Dapp was shown to be 2 mm in size and to move in the cortex, away from the point of application, with a uniform velocity of 3.3 +/- 0.5 mm/min. The behavior of the affected region is consistent with other reports of the behavior of SD as monitored by electrophysiological means. The technique can be implemented on currently available MRI equipment and makes possible the noninvasive study of SD in animal models of neurological disorders, their therapeutic intervention, and possibly the study of SD in humans.

Animals↗