Fourth Brainstorming Research Assembly for Young Neuroscientists (BraYn)

A special issue of Neurology International (ISSN 2035-8377).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2022) | Viewed by 24115

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
Interests: neurodegeneration; neural plasticity; electrophysiology; immunohistochemistr;y neuropharmacology; synaptic plasticity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The BraYn Association organizes the BraYn conference specifically intended for young researchers under the age of 40 working in the field of neuroscience. Every day, young neuroscientists face difficulties in carrying out their research at several levels; the conference is intended to be a useful meeting point to maximize our scientific investigation to its full potential. The philosophy of the conference is simple: to meet, connect, collaborate, and share. Indeed, by the means of the conference, the BraYn association aims to encourage cooperation among different research groups in order to broaden their horizons and improve the quality of neuroscience. The BraYn conference is open to PhD students, post-docs (junior and senior), junior PIs, residents in neurology, and young neurologists and clinicians from all around the world, and the 4th edition will take place in Pisa (Italy) on 20th–22nd October. In this Conference Special Issue, original articles or reviews reporting how new experimental or clinical data promote the understanding of biological processes from different disciplines of neuroscience, including neuroimmunology, neuronal plasticity-neurophysiology, neurodegeneration, neuro-oncology, paediatric neuroscience, and neuroimaging, are welcome. We aim at providing a collection of high-impact manuscripts dissecting the unknown or lesser studied aspects of neuroscience. The final goal of this Conference Special Issue is to help young neuroscientists to reconsider their basic knowledge. We invite young colleagues from all neuroscience disciplines to systematically exchange knowledge about their clinical or basic research.

Dr. Giovanni Ferrara
Dr. Pellegrino Lippiello
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • neuroimmunology
  • neuronal plasticity
  • neurophysiology
  • neurodegeneration
  • neuro-oncology
  • paediatric neuroscience
  • neuroimaging
  • basic research
  • clinical research

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2553 KiB  
Article
Hesperetin, a Citrus Flavonoid, Ameliorates Inflammatory Cytokine-Mediated Inhibition of Oligodendroglial Cell Morphological Differentiation
by Satoshi Nishino, Yoko Fujiki, Takanari Sato, Yukino Kato, Remina Shirai, Hiroaki Oizumi, Masahiro Yamamoto, Katsuya Ohbuchi, Yuki Miyamoto, Kazushige Mizoguchi and Junji Yamauchi
Neurol. Int. 2022, 14(2), 471-487; https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint14020039 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3800
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes (oligodendroglial cells) are glial cells that wrap neuronal axons with their differentiated plasma membranes called myelin membranes. In the pathogenesis of inflammatory cytokine-related oligodendroglial cell and myelin diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), typical inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and [...] Read more.
Oligodendrocytes (oligodendroglial cells) are glial cells that wrap neuronal axons with their differentiated plasma membranes called myelin membranes. In the pathogenesis of inflammatory cytokine-related oligodendroglial cell and myelin diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), typical inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are thought to contribute to the degeneration and/or progression of the degeneration of oligodendroglial cells and, in turn, the degeneration of naked neuronal cells in the central nervous system (CNS) tissues. Despite the known involvement of these inflammatory cytokines in disease progression, it has remained unclear whether and how TNFα or IL-6 affects the oligodendroglial cells themselves or indirectly. Here we show that TNFα or IL-6 directly inhibits morphological differentiation in FBD-102b cells, which are differentiation models of oligodendroglial cells. Their phenotype changes were supported by the decreased expression levels of oligodendroglial cell differentiation and myelin marker proteins. In addition, TNFα or IL-6 decreased phosphorylation levels of Akt kinase, whose upregulation has been associated with promoting oligodendroglial cell differentiation. Hesperetin, a flavonoid mainly contained in citrus fruit, is known to have neuroprotective effects. Hesperetin might also be able to resolve pre-illness conditions, including the irregulated secretion of cytokines, through diet. Notably, the addition of hesperetin into cells recovered TNFα- or IL-6-induced inhibition of differentiation, as supported by increased levels of marker protein expression and phosphorylation of Akt kinase. These results suggest that TNFα or IL-6 itself contributes to the inhibitory effects on the morphological differentiation of oligodendroglial cells, possibly providing information not only on their underlying pathological effects but also on flavonoids with potential therapeutic effects at the molecular and cellular levels. Full article
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14 pages, 2632 KiB  
Article
Cortical Oxygenation during a Motor Task to Evaluate Recovery in Subacute Stroke Patients: A Study with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
by Nicola Lamberti, Fabio Manfredini, Francesca Nardi, Andrea Baroni, Giovanni Piva, Anna Crepaldi, Nino Basaglia, Ilaria Casetta and Sofia Straudi
Neurol. Int. 2022, 14(2), 322-335; https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint14020026 - 23 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2489
Abstract
In subacute stroke patients we studied cortical oxygenation changes by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during a motor task performed with the hemiparetic arm (15 s of reaching and grasping, 45 s of rest, repeated 6 times). Twenty-three subjects were included at baseline, compared with [...] Read more.
In subacute stroke patients we studied cortical oxygenation changes by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during a motor task performed with the hemiparetic arm (15 s of reaching and grasping, 45 s of rest, repeated 6 times). Twenty-three subjects were included at baseline, compared with six healthy subjects, and restudied after 6 weeks of rehabilitation. Motor/premotor cortical changes in oxyhemoglobin detected by NIRS were quantified as the area under the curve (AUC) for the total cortex (TOT-AUC) and for both affected (AFF-AUC) and unaffected hemispheres (UN-AUC). The ratio between AUC and the number of task repetitions performed identified the cortical metabolic cost (CMC) or the oxygenation increase for a single movement. Fugl–Meyer assessment of the upper extremity (FMA-UE) was also performed. At baseline, both total and hemispheric CMC were significantly higher in stroke patients than in healthy subjects and inversely correlated with FMA-UE. After rehabilitation, changes in total-CMC and unaffected-CMC, but not Affected-CMC, were inversely correlated with variations in the FMA-UE score. A value > 5000 a.u. for the ratio baseline TOT-CMC/days since stroke was associated with not reaching the clinically important difference for FMA-UE after rehabilitation. In subacute stroke the CMC, a biomarker assessed by NIRS during a motor task with the hemiparetic arm, may describe cortical time/treatment reorganization and favor patient selection for rehabilitation. Full article
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11 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
Neurological Screening in Elderly Liver Transplantation Candidates: A Single Center Experience
by Federica Avorio, Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Giovanna Russelli, Aurelio Seidita, Giuseppe Mamone, Rossella Alduino, Fabio Tuzzolino, Salvatore Gruttadauria, Roberto Miraglia, Matteo Bulati and Vincenzina Lo Re
Neurol. Int. 2022, 14(1), 245-255; https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint14010019 - 25 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2575
Abstract
Background: Cerebral small vessels disease (cSVD) is an age-related disorder and risk factor for stroke and cognitive/motor impairments. Neurological complications (NCs) are among the causes of adverse outcomes in older liver transplant recipients. This study sought to determine whether cSVD predicts acute NCs [...] Read more.
Background: Cerebral small vessels disease (cSVD) is an age-related disorder and risk factor for stroke and cognitive/motor impairments. Neurological complications (NCs) are among the causes of adverse outcomes in older liver transplant recipients. This study sought to determine whether cSVD predicts acute NCs in over 65-year-old liver transplant patients. Methods: Data were collected, from a retrospective medical chart review, of 22 deceased donor liver transplant recipients aged 65 years or older with a pre-operative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We used the Fazekas score (0–3) as a quantitative measurement of the vascular lesion load seen in the MRI. We analyzed all post-operative acute NCs occurring during the hospital stay and any other non-NC. Results: cSVD was recognized in all patients. Neurological complications (NCs) occurred in 18.1% of patients with toxic-metabolic encephalopathy the most frequent diagnosis (13.64%). More severe cSVD was associated with seizures (p = 0.0362), longer hospital stay (p 0.0299), and disability (p 0.0134). In our elderly cohort, hepatic encephalopathy (HE) (p 0.0287) and ascites (p 0.0270) were predictors of NCs after liver transplantation. Ascites and/or variceal bleeding and severity of liver disease were associated with adverse post-operative outcomes. The small sample size limited the statistical analysis power. Conclusions: We present the preliminary data of a single-center retrospective study aimed at understanding the cSVD role on NCs and non-NCs after a liver transplantation in elderly patients. This would encourage a more appropriate multicenter prospective study that will definitely confirm if a neurological screening in old age liver transplant candidates is appropriate. Full article

Review

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18 pages, 8632 KiB  
Review
Spectrum of Neuroimaging Findings in Post-COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case Series and Review of Literature
by Shitiz Sriwastava, Ashish K. Shrestha, Syed Hassan Khalid, Mark A. Colantonio, Divine Nwafor and Samiksha Srivastava
Neurol. Int. 2021, 13(4), 622-639; https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint13040061 - 19 Nov 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8842
Abstract
Background and Purpose: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Symptoms range from mild flu-like symptoms to more severe presentations, including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even death. In [...] Read more.
Background and Purpose: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Symptoms range from mild flu-like symptoms to more severe presentations, including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even death. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approved the use of several vaccines. Because vaccines have been fast-tracked for emergency use, the short and long-term safety profile has been an area of concern. The aim of this paper is to extensively review published literature regarding post-COVID-19 vaccination neurological complications and characterize neuroimaging findings from three case presentations for early diagnosis and treatment. Methods: The analysis includes data from PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles included were retrieved from database inception beginning December 2020 with no language restrictions. Terms used include “SARS-CoV-2”, “post Covid vaccination”, “neurological complications”, “Guillain-barre Syndrome”, “Transverse-myelitis”, “Cerebral Venous Sinus thrombosis”, and “Cerebral hemorrhage”. Results: The literature review yielded several neurological complications post vaccination, including cerebral sinus venous thrombosis, transverse myelitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome and optic neuritis, to name a few. Patient case presentation findings were consistent with documented results in published literature. Conclusions: We present a case series with a thorough literature review documenting adverse neurological affects following COVID-19 vaccination. Our case presentations and literature review highlight the importance of neuroimaging when diagnosing post-COVID-19 vaccination adverse effects. MRI imaging study is an important tool to be considered in patients presenting with post-COVID-19 vaccination-related unexplained neurological symptoms for accurate diagnosis. Full article
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Other

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49 pages, 454 KiB  
Conference Report
Abstracts of the Fourth Brainstorming Research Assembly for Young Neuroscientists (BraYn), Italy, 20–22 October 2021
by Giovanni Ferrara
Neurol. Int. 2022, 14(1), 109-157; https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint14010010 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4879
Abstract
On behalf of the BraYn Association, we are pleased to present the Abstracts of the Fourth Brainstorming Research Assembly for Young Neuroscientists, which was held from 20–22 October 2021. We congratulate all the presenters on their research work and contribution. Full article
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