White matter

White matter (WM) tracts shape the brain’s dynamical activity, and their damage (e.g., disconnections) results in functional alterations and cognitive symptoms [1]. Here, we use neural mass modeling to test the in-vivo effects of WM disconnections [2]. We create models of local versus global, and edge versus nodal effects of WM disconnections in a large fMRI dataset comprising individuals affected by varying degrees of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), in order to estimate the impact of WMH on brain dynamics in a data-driven manner. We use a virtual-lesioning (disconnectome [3]) approach in

The corpus callosum (CC) is a wide and thick nerve tract in the brain. It is the largest white matter structure in the human brain, measuring approximately 250mm in length, and consisting of 200-300 million myelinated axons. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world's population is getting older. Aging is one of the main risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases. Brain aging involves mitochondrial dysfunction, dysregulated energy metabolism, altered neuronal activity, and inflammation. Changes in white matter metabolism during aging are poorly understood. In this study, we

…that predominantly affect the white matter. We aimed to study the clinical, radiological and genetic features of childhood-onset Leukodystrophies by in-house genetic testing using a targeted genetic panel. All children with a clinico-radiological suspicion of leukodystrophy were evaluated by an in-house Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing technology. A custom gene panel was designed with the most common causes of leukodystrophies in the given setting. In the first phase, fourteen children with suspected leuko

…in fetuses or around birth, affecting white matter and leading to sensorimotor deficits. While motor functions have been extensively studied, motor planning deficits in children with CP remains largely unexplored. This study aims to compare anticipatory force control between children with CP and typically developing children (TD) and to investigate the relationship between motor planning tracts (i.e., corticocerebellar tracts) and motor planning deficits. Ten children with CP (7 girls, 3 boys) aged 8-14 years w

White matter is pivotal for efficient brain communication. Fractional Anisotropy (FA) from diffusion tensor imaging has been widely used to estimate the microstructural integrity of white matter. However, the extensive fibrous structure of the white matter, varying widely across individuals, necessitates an analytic approach capable of capturing both its macroscopic and microscopic structures effectively. We hypothesized that a deep neural network approach could learn multi-scale features of white matter in an end-to-end manner. We analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development

The spinal cord is integral to various functions within the central nervous system, including sensory, motor, visceral, and reflex mechanisms. While previous research has identified several neurochemical markers in the spinal cords of rodents, cats, mice, and humans, there is limited information regarding the distribution of the cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide in the human spinal cord. Additionally, the precise functions of CART in relation to sensory, motor, and limbic system processes remain incompletely understood. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the lo

…The search for differences in white matter regions often focuses on measuring myelin layer thicknesses or parameters of diffusion tensor imaging. Lipids are vital components of cell membranes and are involved in important physiological functions such as signal transmission, maintaining membrane structure, and supporting the development of neurons. This research involved analyzing the distribution of lipids in different areas of the human brain, specificall

…used systemic inflammatory marker, and white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in infant and 5-year-old offspring, using voxel-wise statisti

…fMRI and which roleis unclear for the white matter. Here, we used two-photon imaging in extremedepth, functional ultrasound imaging and high-resolution BOLD fMRI (17.2T)to investigate neurovascular coupling along the whole optic nerve, from theretina up to the first relays of vision, in sedated and awake rodents. We findthat visual stimulation increases blood flow in the optic nerve head and atthe level of the synaptic terminals, i.e. the lateral geniculate nucleus

…Adequate organization of cerebral white matter is utterly important for cognitive development. The failure of integration of neurologic function with cognition is reflected in neuro-psychiatric disease, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, in epilepsy we know

White matter microstructure underpins cognition and function in the human brain through the facilitation of neuronal communication, and the non-invasive characterization of this structure remains an elusive goal in the neuroscience community. Efforts to assess white matter microstructure are hampered by the sheer amount of information needed for characterization. Current techniques address this problem by representing white matter features with single scalars that are often not easy to interpret. Here, we address these issues by introducing tools from soft matter for the characterization of wh

Brain microstructure plays a key role in driving the transport of drug molecules directly administered to the brain tissue as in Convection-Enhanced Delivery procedures. This study reports the first systematic attempt to characterize the cytoarchitecture of commissural, long association and projection fiber, namely: the corpus callosum, the fornix and the corona radiata. Ovine samples from three different subjects have been imaged using scanning electron microscope combined with focused ion beam milling. Particular focus has been given to the axons. For each tract, a 3D reconstruction of relat

…brain structural covariance (grey and white matter) to simultaneously model brain-behavior r