Local muscle metabolic demand induced by neuromuscular electrical stimulation and voluntary contractions at different force levels: a NIRS study

Functional Muscle metabolic demand during contractions evoked by neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been consistently documented to be greater than voluntary contractions (VOL) at the same force level (10-50% maximal voluntary contraction-MVC). However, we have shown using a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique that local muscle metabolic demand is similar between NMES and VOL performed at MVC levels, thus controversy exists. This study therefore compared biceps brachii muscle metabolic demand (tissue oxygenation index-TOI and total hemoglobin volume-tHb) during a 10s isometric contraction of the elbow flexors between NMES (stimulation frequency of 30Hz and current level to evoke 30% MVC) and VOL at 30% MVC (VOL-30%MVC) and MVC (VOL-MVC) level in 8 healthy men (23-33-y). Greater changes in TOI and tHb induced by NMES than VOL-30%MVC confirm previous studies of a greater local metabolic demand for NMES than VOL at the same force level. The same TOI and tHb changes for NMES and VOL-MVC suggest that local muscle metabolic demand and intramuscular pressure were similar between conditions. In conclusion, these findings indicate that NMES induce a similar local muscle metabolic demand as that of maximal VOL

Methods of pattern classification for the design of a NIRS-based brain computer interface.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a communication system that offers the possibility to act upon the surrounding environment without using our nervous systems efferent pathways. One of the most important parts of a BCI is the pattern classification system which allows to translate mental activities into commands for an external device. This work aims at providing new pattern classification methods for the development of a Brain Computer Interface based on Near Infrared Spectroscopy. To do so, a thorough study of machine learning techniques used for developing BCIs has been conducted

Methods of pattern classification for the design of a NIRS-based brain computer interface.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a communication system that offers the possibility to act upon the surrounding environment without using our nervous systems efferent pathways. One of the most important parts of a BCI is the pattern classification system which allows to translate mental activities into commands for an external device. This work aims at providing new pattern classification methods for the development of a Brain Computer Interface based on Near Infrared Spectroscopy. To do so, a thorough study of machine learning techniques used for developing BCIs has been conducted

Effects of ON and OFF subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation on cortical activation during finger movements tasks: a simultaneous fNIRS and EEG study [Abstract]

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) therapy is an effective treatment for the motor symptoms of advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms for the motor improvement are uncertain. We utilised a simultaneous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG) neuroimaging approach to map cortical activation changes to motor performance in a PD patient “ON” and “OFF” STN-DBS. Methods The subject was a male (76y) with bilateral STN-DBS (unipolar stimulation at 160Hz and 3.3V). The experimental design consisted of an “OFF” followed by an “ON” stimulation condition. In both conditions, the subject performed a self-paced finger tapping (FT) task followed by a finger sequence (FS) task with his right hand in blocked design (30-s task, 30-s rest, repeated 5 times). During performance of the FT/FS task with the right hand, changes from rest in oxygenated (O2Hb) and deoxygenated haemoglobin concentrations were measured by an fNIRS system (Oxymon MkIII, AMS) from 15 channels covering the contralateral cortical sensorimotor network. EEG signals from 256 channels (GES-300MR, EGI) were collected synchronously with fNIRS signals. Results/Discussion Concomitant with the improved FT/FS task performance, fNIRS results showed a reduction in contralateral cortical sensorimotor network activation (i.e. smaller and less variable increase in O2Hb over the 5 FT/FS task blocks) in the “ON” than “OFF” condition. The EEG results indicated that the mean power in the Beta and Gamma bands were lower in the “ON” than “OFF” condition. However, the mean power in the Delta band, which was approximately at the FT/FS movement frequency (1-3 Hz), was higher in the “ON” than “OFF” condition. Conclusion This case study showed that STN-DBS facilitates voluntary finger movement performance by a more efficient cortical activation pattern to perform the finger movement tasks, possibly by facilitating the voluntary frequency band (Delta) and suppressing the involuntary frequency bands (Beta/Gamma)

Less effort, better results: how does music act on prefrontal cortex in older adults during verbal encoding? An fNIRS study

Several neuroimaging studies of cognitive aging revealed deficits in episodic memory abilities as a result of prefrontal cortex (PFC) limitations. Improving episodic memory performance despite PFC deficits is thus a critical issue in aging research. Listening to music stimulates cognitive performance in several non-purely musical activities (e.g., language and memory). Thus, music could represent a rich and helpful source during verbal encoding and therefore help subsequent retrieval. Furthermore, such benefit could be reflected in less demand of PFC, which is known to be crucial for encoding processes. This study aimed to investigate whether music may improve episodic memory in older adults while decreasing the PFC activity. Sixteen healthy older adults (μ = 64.5 years) encoded lists of words presented with or without a musical background while their dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity was monitored using a eight-channel continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system (Oxymon Mk III, Artinis, The Netherlands). Behavioral results indicated a better source-memory performance for words encoded with music compared to words encoded with silence (p < 0.05). Functional NIRS data revealed bilateral decrease of oxyhemoglobin values in the music encoding condition compared to the silence condition (p < 0.05), suggesting that music modulates the activity of the DLPFC during encoding in a less-demanding direction. Taken together, our results indicate that music can help older adults in memory performances by decreasing their PFC activity. These findings open new perspectives about music as tool for episodic memory rehabilitation on special populations with memory deficits due to frontal lobe damage such as Alzheimer\u27s patients

Complex network analysis of resting-state fMRI of the brain

Due to the fact that the brain activity hardly ever diminishes in healthy individuals, analysis of resting state functionality of the brain seems pertinent. Various resting state networks are active inside the idle brain at any time. Based on various neuro-imaging studies, it is understood that various structurally distant regions of the brain could be functionally connected. Regions of the brain, that are functionally connected, during rest constitutes to the resting state network. In the present study, we employed the complex network measures to estimate the presence of community structures within a network. Such estimate is named as modularity. Instead of using a traditional correlation matrix, we used a coherence matrix taken from the causality measure between different nodes. Our results show that in prolonged resting state the modularity starts to decrease. This decrease was observed in all the resting state networks and on both sides of the brain. Our study highlights the usage of coherence matrix instead of correlation matrix for complex network analysis

Impacts of the Tropical Pacific/Indian Oceans on the Seasonal Cycle of the West African Monsoon

The current consensus is that drought has developed in the Sahel during the second half of the twentieth century as a result of remote effects of oceanic anomalies amplified by local land–atmosphere interactions. This paper focuses on the impacts of oceanic anomalies upon West African climate and specifically aims to identify those from SST anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Oceans during spring and summer seasons, when they were significant. Idealized sensitivity experiments are performed with four atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs). The prescribed SST patterns used in the AGCMs are based on the leading mode of covariability between SST anomalies over the Pacific/Indian Oceans and summer rainfall over West Africa. The results show that such oceanic anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Ocean lead to a northward shift of an anomalous dry belt from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel as the season advances. In the Sahel, the magnitude of rainfall anomalies is comparable to that obtained by other authors using SST anomalies confined to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The mechanism connecting the Pacific/Indian SST anomalies with West African rainfall has a strong seasonal cycle. In spring (May and June), anomalous subsidence develops over both the Maritime Continent and the equatorial Atlantic in response to the enhanced equatorial heating. Precipitation increases over continental West Africa in association with stronger zonal convergence of moisture. In addition, precipitation decreases over the Gulf of Guinea. During the monsoon peak (July and August), the SST anomalies move westward over the equatorial Pacific and the two regions where subsidence occurred earlier in the seasons merge over West Africa. The monsoon weakens and rainfall decreases over the Sahel, especially in August.Peer reviewe

Severe early onset preeclampsia: short and long term clinical, psychosocial and biochemical aspects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder commonly defined as de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestational age. It occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies and it is still a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide1. As extensive research has not yet elucidated the aetiology of preeclampsia, there are no rational preventive or therapeutic interventions available. The only rational treatment is delivery, which benefits the mother but is not in the interest of the foetus, if remote from term. Early onset preeclampsia (<32 weeks’ gestational age) occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. It is, however often associated with maternal morbidity as the risk of progression to severe maternal disease is inversely related with gestational age at onset2. Resulting prematurity is therefore the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in patients with severe preeclampsia3. Although the discussion is ongoing, perinatal survival is suggested to be increased in patients with preterm preeclampsia by expectant, non-interventional management. This temporising treatment option to lengthen pregnancy includes the use of antihypertensive medication to control hypertension, magnesium sulphate to prevent eclampsia and corticosteroids to enhance foetal lung maturity4. With optimal maternal haemodynamic status and reassuring foetal condition this results on average in an extension of 2 weeks. Prolongation of these pregnancies is a great challenge for clinicians to balance between potential maternal risks on one the eve hand and possible foetal benefits on the other. Clinical controversies regarding prolongation of preterm preeclamptic pregnancies still exist – also taking into account that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands5 - a debate which is even more pronounced in very preterm pregnancies with questionable foetal viability6-9. Do maternal risks of prolongation of these very early pregnancies outweigh the chances of neonatal survival? Counselling of women with very early onset preeclampsia not only comprises of knowledge of the outcome of those particular pregnancies, but also knowledge of outcomes of future pregnancies of these women is of major clinical importance. This thesis opens with a review of the literature on identifiable risk factors of preeclampsia