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At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

The development and evaluation of a low-cost microdensitometer for use with the 2-deoxy-D-glucose method of functional brain mapping.

The conversion of a standard laboratory compound microscope into a microdensitometer for use in the 2-deoxy-D-glucose autoradiographic method of functional mapping in the brain is described. A solid-state detector was attached to the camera port of a Zeiss Universal Microscope and minor modifications to the microscope optics were made to produce a microdensitometer with a field of view 0.15 mm in diameter. Details are presented showing the modifications to the microscope which do not permanently destroy its functional ability to perform as a viewing microscope. A simple electronic circuit is presented to digitally display the output of the photo detector. Calibration of the instrument in terms of optical density or 2-deoxy-D-glucose activity is also described. The primary design goal was the construction of a simple, reliable, inexpensive microdensitometer that could be assembled by laboratory personnel. This densitometer should allow laboratories on modest budgets to have access to quantitative methods for the study of brain functional activity at a cost considerably less than the price of a commercial microdensitometer.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Correlation of brain function with emotional behavior.

Identification of brain sites where physiologic activity was correlated with subjective emotional experiences in patients undergoing treatment was the starting point for our investigations of the neural basis for emotion and related clinically documented behavioral phenomena. By use of anatomic and physiologic techniques, the neural substrate has been shown to be notably different from that which continues to be described in textbooks, that is, the limbic system. Establishing the neurophysiologic basis for emotion has led to effective treatment for some neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Further, it has provided a basis for defining the origin of certain clinical disorders that are still obscure, the first step toward development of their specific treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

HBNF and MK, members of a novel gene family of heparin-binding proteins with potential roles in embryogenesis and brain function.

HBNF (heparin-binding neurite-promoting factor) is a heparin-binding protein which is found primarily in the brain and stimulates neurite outgrowth in cultured perinatal neurons. It was also reported to be mitogenic for fibroblasts and endothelial cells but this activity is still controversial. The sequence of HBNF is highly conserved in diverse species suggesting important function. Expression of the HBNF gene in brain tissue appears to be developmentally regulated, increasing during gestation to highest levels around the time of birth. The HBNF gene shows high sequence homology to another gene, MK (midkine). Like HBNF, the MK gene is developmentally regulated, however, high expression occurs in most fetal tissues during mid-gestation. The biological properties of the MK protein are remarkably similar to those of HBNF. The available evidence suggests that HBNF and MK are members of a new family of genes with potential roles in fetal development and in brain function or maintenance.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1975

[The effect of Piracetam on adolescent brain function].

A report on investigations with Piracetam, recently introduced into therapy, is given. Piracetam is mainly characterized by cerebral metabolic effects, leading to an activation of cerebral functions as well as to brain protection. Experimental studies showed the highly selective activity of Piracetam on cerebral cortex, which is responsible for higher mental functions as consciousness, vigilance and memory. Therapeutic results in 48 adolescents with poor school results are reported. These patients were treated with Piracetam for a continuous period up to 14 months. The therapy lead to convincing improvements in terms of school results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Surgical treatment of epilepsy: opportunities for research into basic mechanisms of human brain function.

Numerous technological developments in neurology have increased the ability to localize structural and functional abnormalities within the human brain. Such techniques have contributed to a renewed interest in resective surgical treatment for medically refractory partial seizures. Enhanced capacity to carry out detailed in vivo and in vitro measurements of neuronal activity in patients, during the course of presurgical evaluation and following surgical resection, now offers unprecedented opportunities for invasive research into normal and abnormal human cerebral function. Electrophysiological, microanatomical, biochemical and behavioral studies can be carried out without presenting undue risk or discomfort to the patient. Such research in a clinical setting presents difficulties in experimental design for the basic neuroscientist. Problems are reduced in clinical programs where diagnostic and surgical procedures are carried out in a standardized fashion according to specific protocols. The UCLA clinical protocol for anterior temporal lobectomy, based on presurgical evaluation with stereotactically implanted depth electrodes, is particularly amenable to the integration of basic research projects. This protocol and related ongoing research projects are described.

Brain Mapping↗
PubMed1990

Nutrition status and brain function in aging.

Biochemical indices of nutrition status assessed in 28 healthy persons aged greater than 60 y were related to cognitive performance and electroencephalographic (EEG) indices of neuropsychological function. Performance data were most frequently related to indices of nutrition status when tasks were demanding. Numerous correlations were also found between EEG indices and indices of thiamin, riboflavin, and iron nutriture. Certain observations, such as a decrement in alpha-wave activity in the EEG of subjects with low thiamin status, suggest that subtle neuropsychological impairment can occur in association with mild deficits in nutrition status. Other findings indicate that EEG frequency responses of older subjects with high iron status are similar to those of younger persons; however, these data are more difficult to interpret. The results suggest that further research on nutrition and neuropsychological function will lead to a better understanding of the role of nutrition in maintaining the functional integrity of the aging brain.

Aged↗