Neurosciences Commons^™

Sex Differences In Response To Diet Enriched With Glutathione Precursors In The Aging Heart, Aude Angelini, Grecia Garcia Marquez, Anna Malovannaya, Marta L Fiorotto, Alexander Saltzman, Antrix Jain, Joann Trial, George E Taffet, Katarzyna A Cieslik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Common features of the aging heart are dysregulated metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis. Elevated oxidative stress is another hallmark of cardiac aging that can exacerbate each of these conditions. We hypothesize that by increasing natural antioxidant levels (glutathione), we will improve cardiac function. Twenty-one-month-old mice were fed glycine and N-acetyl cysteine (GlyNAC; glutathione precursors)-supplemented or control diets for 12 weeks. Heart function was monitored longitudinally, and the exercise performance was determined at the end of the study. We found that the GlyNAC diet was beneficial for old male but not old female mice, leading to an increase of Ndufb8 expression (a …

Foxr2 Targets Lhx6+/Dlx+ Neural Lineages To Drive Central Nervous System Neuroblastoma, Selin Jessa, Antonella De Cola, Bhavyaa Chandarana, Michael Mcnicholas, Steven Hébert, Adam Ptack, Damien Faury, Jessica W Tsai, Andrey Korshunov, Timothy N Phoenix, Benjamin Ellezam, David T W Jones, Michael D Taylor, Pratiti Bandopadhayay, Manav Pathania, Nada Jabado, Claudia L Kleinman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Central nervous system neuroblastoma with forkhead box R2 (FOXR2) activation (NB-FOXR2) is a high-grade tumor of the brain hemispheres and a newly identified molecular entity. Tumors express dual neuronal and glial markers, leading to frequent misdiagnoses, and limited information exists on the role of FOXR2 in their genesis. To identify their cellular origins, we profiled the transcriptomes of NB-FOXR2 tumors at the bulk and single-cell levels and integrated these profiles with large single-cell references of the normal brain. NB-FOXR2 tumors mapped to LHX6+/DLX+ lineages derived from the medial ganglionic eminence, a progenitor domain in the ventral telencephalon. In vivo prenatal …

Is Modulation Of Immune Checkpoints On Glioblastoma-Infiltrating Myeloid Cells A Viable Therapeutic Strategy?, Ruochen Du, Jianzhong Zhang, Rimas V Lukas, Shashwat Tripathi, Jared T Ahrendsen, Michael A Curran, Crismita Dmello, Peng Zhang, Roger Stupp, Ganesh Rao, Amy B Heimberger

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The field of immunology has traditionally focused on immune checkpoint modulation of adaptive immune cells. However, many malignancies such as glioblastoma are mostly devoid of T cells and rather are enriched with immunosuppressive myeloid cells of the innate immune system. While some immune checkpoint targets are shared between adaptive and innate immunity, myeloid-specific checkpoints could also serve as potential therapeutics. To better understand the impact of immune checkpoint blockade on myeloid cells, we systematically summarize the current literature focusing on the direct immunological effects of PD-L1/PD-1, CD24/Siglec-10, collagen/LAIR-1, CX3CL1/CX3CR1, and CXCL10/CXCR3. By synthesizing the molecular mechanisms and the translational implications, …

Molecular Logic For Cellular Specializations That Initiate The Auditory Parallel Processing Pathways, Junzhan Jing, Ming Hu, Tenzin Ngodup, Qianqian Ma, Shu-Ning Natalie Lau, M Cecilia Ljungberg, Matthew J Mcginley, Laurence O Trussell, Xiaolong Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The cochlear nuclear complex (CN), the starting point for all central auditory processing, encompasses a suite of neuronal cell types highly specialized for neural coding of acoustic signals. However, the molecular logic governing these specializations remains unknown. By combining single-nucleus RNA sequencing and Patch-seq analysis, we reveal a set of transcriptionally distinct cell populations encompassing all previously observed types and discover multiple hitherto unknown subtypes with anatomical and physiological identity. The resulting comprehensive cell-type taxonomy reconciles anatomical position, morphological, physiological, and molecular criteria, enabling the determination of the molecular basis of the specialized cellular phenotypes in the CN. In particular, …

Modulation Of Stemness And Differentiation Regulators By Valproic Acid In Medulloblastoma Neurospheres, Natália Hogetop Freire, Alice Laschuk Herlinger, Julia Vanini, Matheus Dalmolin, Marcelo A C Fernandes, Carolina Nör, Vijay Ramaswamy, Caroline Brunetto De Farias, André Tesainer Brunetto, Algemir Lunardi Brunetto, Lauro José Gregianin, Mariane Da Cunha Jaeger, Michael D Taylor, Rafael Roesler

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Changes in epigenetic processes such as histone acetylation are proposed as key events influencing cancer cell function and the initiation and progression of pediatric brain tumors. Valproic acid (VPA) is an antiepileptic drug that acts partially by inhibiting histone deacetylases (HDACs) and could be repurposed as an epigenetic anticancer therapy. Here, we show that VPA reduced medulloblastoma (MB) cell viability and led to cell cycle arrest. These effects were accompanied by enhanced H3K9 histone acetylation (H3K9ac) and decreased expression of the MYC oncogene. VPA impaired the expansion of MB neurospheres enriched in stemness markers and reduced MYC while increasing TP53 …

Predictive Equation Derived From 6,497 Doubly Labelled Water Measurements Enables The Detection Of Erroneous Self-Reported Energy Intake, Rania Bajunaid, Chaoqun Niu, Catherine Hambly, Zongfang Liu, Yosuke Yamada, Heliodoro Aleman-Mateo, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issad Baddou, Linda Bandini, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Carlijn V C Bouten, Soren Brage, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Regina Casper, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Peter S W Davies, Prasangi Dabare, Lara R Dugas, Simon Eaton, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Melanie Gillingham, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Hinke H Haisma, Daniel Hoffman, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Rebecca Kuriyan, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, Pulani Lanerolle, Christel L Larsson, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Marie Löf, Corby K Martin, Eric Matsiko, Anine C Medin, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Aviva Must, Marian L Neuhouser, Theresa A Nicklas, Christine D Nyström, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Leanne M Redman, John J Reilly, Rebecca Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Dulani Samaranayakem, Luis B Sardinha, Analiza M Silva, Anders M Sjödin, Marina Stamatiou, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar G A H Van Mil, George Wilson, Jack A Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Srishti Sinha, Cornelia U Loechl, Amy H Luke, Herman Pontzer, Jennifer Rood, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Dale A Schoeller, Klaas R Westerterp, William W Wong, John R Speakman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Nutritional epidemiology aims to link dietary exposures to chronic disease, but the instruments for evaluating dietary intake are inaccurate. One way to identify unreliable data and the sources of errors is to compare estimated intakes with the total energy expenditure (TEE). In this study, we used the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water Database to derive a predictive equation for TEE using 6,497 measures of TEE in individuals aged 4 to 96 years. The resultant regression equation predicts expected TEE from easily acquired variables, such as body weight, age and sex, with 95% predictive limits that can be used …

Aerodigestive Sequelae And Triple Endoscopy After Congenital Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair In Children, Whitney Jin, Eric H Chiou, Shailendra Das, Kathleen E Hosek, Elton M Lambert

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Children post-tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) repair may present with chronic respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms that can affect quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with positive findings on triple endoscopy following neonatal TEF repair.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series with retrospective review of patients.

SETTING: Tertiary care center aerodigestive program.

METHODS: Children with neonatally repaired congenital TEF who had a triple endoscopy between 2011 and 2022 were reviewed. The presence of chronic cough, recurrent pulmonary infections, lipid-laden macrophages (LLM), and airway and esophageal anomalies were among the variables analyzed. Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis univariate analysis was performed.

RESULTS: The mean age was …

Analysis Of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Genomic Action In Human Enteroids And Colonoids Reveals Multiple Regulatory Effects Of Vitamin D In Human Intestinal Physiology, Zachary K Criss, Kali Deans-Fielder, James C Fleet, Sylvia Christakos, Noah Shroyer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: The intestine has molecular and functional diversity across the proximal-distal and the crypt-villus axes, so it is imperative to determine the common and compartment-specific molecular actions of vitamin D. However, very little work on vitamin D mediated gene regulation has been done in normal human intestine. Here, we examined the impact of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3) on cultures of human intestinal epithelium derived from duodenum (Dd) and distal colon (Co) biopsies of 6 subjects per tissue.

Methods: Human enteroids and colonoids were cultured for 3 days to promote a stem cell phenotype (undifferentiated, Un) or to induce differentiation (Diff) and …

Vascularized Iliac Crest Bone Graft For The Reconstruction Of Anterior Vertebral Corpus Defects: A Literature Review And Cadaveric Feasibility Study, Jonathan L Jeger, Casey J Martinez, Maria Shvedova, Alec Simoni, Alanna Rebecca, Sebastian Winocour, Alexander E Ropper, Michael Bohl, William J Casey, Maziyar Kalani, Edward M Reece

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Vertebral body defects pose a significant challenge in spinal reconstructive surgery. Compression fractures of the vertebral corpus are typically treated with vertebral augmentation procedures. There are significant risks associated with the introduction of foreign material in the spine, including infection and pseudarthrosis. Vascularized bone grafts (VBGs) have become a popular alternative for spinal reconstruction in the last decade thanks to their robust blood supply and autologous nature. VBGs have been described predominantly for the reconstruction of posterior vertebral defects. The objective of this study is to describe a novel procedure for the reconstruction of vertebral corpus defects in the …

Comparative Analysis Of Aav Serotypes For Transduction Of Olfactory Sensory Neurons, Benjamin D W Belfort, Johnathan D Jia, Alexandra R Garza, Anthony M Insalaco, J P Mcginnis, Brandon T Pekarek, Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, Burak Tepe, Hu Chen, Ascent-Pd Investigators, Zhandong Liu, Benjamin R Arenkiel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Olfactory sensory neurons within the nasal epithelium detect volatile odorants and relay odor information to the central nervous system. Unlike other sensory inputs, olfactory sensory neurons interface with the external environment and project their axons directly into the central nervous system. The use of adeno-associated viruses to target these neurons has garnered interest for applications in gene therapy, probing olfactory sensory neuron biology, and modeling disease. To date, there is no consensus on the optimal AAV serotype for efficient and selective transduction of olfactory sensory neurons

Dual Inhibitor Of Mdm2 And Nfat1 For Experimental Therapy Of Breast Cancer: In Vitro And In Vivo Anticancer Activities And Newly Discovered Effects On Cancer Metabolic Pathways, Wei Wang, Marlene Aguilar, Sayantap Datta, Abigail Alley, Meheret Tadesse, Xinshi Wang, Xia Gao, Ruiwen Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: The oncogene MDM2 has garnered attention not only for its role in cancer as a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53 but also for its p53-independent oncogenic activities. MDM2 also involves metabolic reprogramming, such as serine metabolism, respiration, mitochondrial functions, the folate cycle, and redox balance. Traditional MDM2 inhibitors blocking the protein-protein binding between MDM2 and p53 have shown limited clinical success in various stages of clinical trials, most likely due to low efficacy, drug toxicity, and drug resistance, highlighting the need for a novel, p53-independent strategy to inhibit MDM2. The present study investigated the antitumor effects of …

Zic1 Is A Context-Dependent Medulloblastoma Driver In The Rhombic Lip, John J Y Lee, Ran Tao, Zhen You, Parthiv Haldipur, Anders W Erickson, Hamza Farooq, Liam D Hendriske, Namal Abeysundara, Cory M Richman, Evan Y Wang, Neha Das Gupta, Jennifer Hadley, Melissa Batts, Christopher W Mount, Xiaochong Wu, Alex Rasnitsyn, Swneke Bailey, Florence M G Cavalli, Sorana Morrissy, Livia Garzia, Kulandaimanuvel Antony Michealraj, Abhi Visvanathan, Vernon Fong, Jonelle Palotta, Raul Suarez, Bryn G Livingston, Miao Liu, Betty Luu, Craig Daniels, James Loukides, Anne Bendel, Pim J French, Johan M Kros, Andrey Korshunov, Marcel Kool, Fernando Chico Ponce De León, Mario Perezpeña-Diazconti, Boleslaw Lach, Sheila K Singh, Sarah E S Leary, Byung-Kyu Cho, Seung-Ki Kim, Kyu-Chang Wang, Ji-Yeoun Lee, Teiji Tominaga, William A Weiss, Joanna J Phillips, Shizhong Dai, Gelareh Zadeh, Ali G Saad, László Bognár, Almos Klekner, Ian F Pollack, Ronald L Hamilton, Young-Shin Ra, Wieslawa A Grajkowska, Marta Perek-Polnik, Reid C Thompson, Anna M Kenney, Michael K Cooper, Stephen C Mack, Nada Jabado, Mathieu Lupien, Marco Gallo, Vijay Ramaswamy, Mario L Suva, Hiromichi Suzuki, Kathleen J Millen, L Frank Huang, Paul A Northcott, Michael D Taylor

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Transcription factors are frequent cancer driver genes, exhibiting noted specificity based on the precise cell of origin. We demonstrate that ZIC1 exhibits loss-of-function (LOF) somatic events in group 4 (G4) medulloblastoma through recurrent point mutations, subchromosomal deletions and mono-allelic epigenetic repression (60% of G4 medulloblastoma). In contrast, highly similar SHH medulloblastoma exhibits distinct and diametrically opposed gain-of-function mutations and copy number gains (20% of SHH medulloblastoma). Overexpression of ZIC1 suppresses the growth of group 3 medulloblastoma models, whereas it promotes the proliferation of SHH medulloblastoma precursor cells. SHH medulloblastoma ZIC1 mutants show increased activity versus wild-type ZIC1, whereas G4 medulloblastoma …

Real-World Experiences With Vmat2 Inhibitors In Pediatric Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders, Sujal Manohar, Jennifer Jacobe, Rebecca Berger, Joseph Jankovic, Mariam Hull

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors are often prescribed for the treatment of hyperkinetic movement disorders such as tics, stereotypy, tardive dyskinesia and chorea. These dopamine depleters have been FDA approved in adults for the treatment of chorea in Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia. Use of VMAT2 inhibitors in pediatric hyperkinetic movement disorders, however, is limited due to lack of pediatric FDA approval. We review the real-world prescribing practices and patient experiences with VMAT2 inhibitors in children.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients treated with VMAT2 inhibitors at a pediatric movement disorders clinic from 2011 to …

Isolated Calvarial Lesion As The Initial Presentation Of Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Jeffrey Wu Chen, Nisha Giridharan, Arman A Kavoussi, Dawn Van Arsdale, Shervin Hosseingholi Nouri, Vijay Nitturi, Trevor Trudeau, Jacob J Mandel, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Akash J Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) contributes significantly to global cancer-related mortality, often because patients present at advanced stages of the disease. HCC commonly metastasizes to the lung, abdominal lymph nodes, and bone. However, even among bony metastases, calvarial lesions are exceptionally rare, especially in the initial presentation.

Case description: We describe a unique case of a 65-year-old African American woman who presented with a rapidly growing skull lesion as her first clinical sign of metastatic HCC. Imaging revealed an extensive soft-tissue mass involving the left calvaria and partially obstructing the superior sagittal sinus. We suspected that the lesion was a meningioma …

Improving Interprofessional Neurology Training Using Tele-Education, Fariha Jamal, Amtul Farheen, Christine Rizk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Neurological disorders are a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Their burden on the health care system has substantially increased in the past 25 years, due to more effective treatments and longer life expectancies. The Veterans Health Administration has seen increases in neurology referrals and patients with neurologic disorders.

Observations: Collaborative efforts among primary care, geriatrics, neurology, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, social work, and other disciplines are needed to properly care for veterans with neurologic disorders. Neurology education is an important tool for clinicians to better care for veterans with neurologic disorders. The use of technology and …

Predictive Equation Derived From 6,497 Doubly Labelled Water Measurements Enables The Detection Of Erroneous Self-Reported Energy Intake, Rania Bajunaid, Chaoqun Niu, Catherine Hambly, Zongfang Liu, Yosuke Yamada, Heliodoro Aleman-Mateo, Liam J Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issad Baddou, Linda Bandini, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E Blaak, Carlijn V C Bouten, Soren Brage, Maciej S Buchowski, Nancy F Butte, Stefan G J A Camps, Regina Casper, Graeme L Close, Jamie A Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Peter S W Davies, Prasangi Dabare, Lara R Dugas, Simon Eaton, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W Fudge, Melanie Gillingham, Annelies H Goris, Michael Gurven, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Hinke H Haisma, Daniel Hoffman, Marije B Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk, Misaka Kimura, William E Kraus, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Rebecca Kuriyan, Robert F Kushner, Estelle V Lambert, Pulani Lanerolle, Christel L Larsson, William R Leonard, Nader Lessan, Marie Löf, Corby K Martin, Eric Matsiko, Anine C Medin, James C Morehen, James P Morton, Aviva Must, Marian L Neuhouser, Theresa A Nicklas, Christine D Nyström, Robert M Ojiambo, Kirsi H Pietiläinen, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Guy Plasqui, Ross L Prentice, Susan B Racette, David A Raichlen, Eric Ravussin, Leanne M Redman, John J Reilly, Rebecca Reynolds, Susan B Roberts, Dulani Samaranayakem, Luis B Sardinha, Analiza M Silva, Anders M Sjödin, Marina Stamatiou, Eric Stice, Samuel S Urlacher, Ludo M Van Etten, Edgar G A H Van Mil, George Wilson, Jack A Yanovski, Tsukasa Yoshida, Xueying Zhang, Alexia J Murphy-Alford, Srishti Sinha, Cornelia U Loechl, Amy H Luke, Herman Pontzer, Jennifer Rood, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Dale A Schoeller, Klaas R Westerterp, William W Wong, John R Speakman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Nutritional epidemiology aims to link dietary exposures to chronic disease, but the instruments for evaluating dietary intake are inaccurate. One way to identify unreliable data and the sources of errors is to compare estimated intakes with the total energy expenditure (TEE). In this study, we used the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labeled Water Database to derive a predictive equation for TEE using 6,497 measures of TEE in individuals aged 4 to 96 years. The resultant regression equation predicts expected TEE from easily acquired variables, such as body weight, age and sex, with 95% predictive limits that can be used …

Comparing Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outcomes Between Rural And Urban Hospitals In The United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Anudeep Surendranath, Rahul Damani, Anushareddy Muddasani, Anupam Kumar Gupta

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: Rural-urban disparities in neurological care have been well documented, but limited data exist regarding Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). This study examines differences in patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and outcomes among GBS admissions to rural versus urban hospitals in the United States.

Methods: Using the 2021 National Inpatient Sample, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of GBS. Hospitals were classified as rural or urban based on U.S. census designations. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used to assess associations between hospital location and outcomes, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and hospital-level factors. …

A Model To Address Healthcare Gaps And Poor Research Participation In Hispanic Patients With Parkinson’S Disease, M Felice Ghilardi, Alessandro Di Rocco, Jennifer Fearday, Donna Sperlakis, Maria Lima, Nora Vanegas-Arroyave, Elisa Tatti, Marcelo Arroyave, Evelyn Stevens, Denise Hernandez, Paulina Latapi-Gonzalez, Meri-Margaret Deoudes, Christiana Evers

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Parkinson's disease (PD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, manifests with motor and non-motor symptoms. Despite similar incidence, in the US, disease management of Hispanic patients with PD is poorer than that of White non-Hispanics, and their participation in clinical trials does not reflect expected values (well below 5% vs. expected values around 20%). Together with other evidence, these observations are expressions of poor healthcare in Hispanic patients with PD, suggesting underutilization of proper healthcare, social and economic disadvantage, and other factors. The scant participation of Hispanic patients in clinical trials further exacerbates care inadequacy. In this paper, after reviewing evidence of …

Validation Of The Polish Version Of The Movement Disorder Society Non-Motor Rating Scale (Mds-Nms), Joanna Siuda, Mateusz Toś, Tomasz Chmiela, Andrzej Bogucki, Barbara Borodziuk, Sławomir Budrewicz, Marek Dąbrowski, Marceli Gacan, Agata Gajos, Justyna Gawryluk, Piotr Janik, Justyna Kaczyńska, Ewa Koziorowska-Gawron, Jakub Malkiewicz, Ewa Papuć, Paulina Kaczmarska, Monika Rudzińska-Bar, Jarosław Sławek, Magdalena Wójcik-Pędziwiatr, Luowen Yu, Sheng Luo, Christopher Goetz, Glenn Stebbins, Pablo Martinez-Martin, Tiago Mestre, Alvaro Sanchez-Ferro, Monika Kurtis, Michelle Hyczy De Siqueira Tosin, Roberta Balestrino, Chi-Ying Roy Lin, Carmen Gasca-Salas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aim of the study: We aimed to translate and validate the Polish version of the MDS-NMS and compare it with the original English version.

Clinical rationale for the study: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) affect a significant portion of the Parkinson's disease (PD) patient population and may negatively impact their quality of life. Non-motor symptoms may contribute to an increased sense of illness among patients and to a greater burden upon their caregivers. It is therefore advisable to develop a Polish validation of a reference scale for diagnosing and assessing the severity of NMS.

Material and methods: The MDS-NMS was translated into …

Technical Considerations In The Tcd Evaluation Of Cerebral Circulatory Arrest In Death By Neurological Criteria, Alexandra S Reynolds, Jimmy Suh, Ahmedyar Hasan, Parth Upadhyaya, Venkatakrishna Rajajee, Mohammad I Hirzallah, David M Greer, Aarti Sarwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: Ancillary testing is essential for diagnosing brain death/death by neurologic criteria (BD/DNC) when clinical determination (neurologic exam and apnea testing) cannot be fully or safely performed. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) has been recommended as an ancillary test; however, the technical descriptions have been heterogeneous. We aimed to consolidate the technical considerations related to the use of TCD as an ancillary test in the evaluation of BD/DNC.

Methods: We performed a scoping review of the available literature from inception to December 2024. Articles describing TCD as an ancillary test for BD/DNC were included using appropriate Medical Subject Headings …

Pregnancy In Dystonia Or Tourette's Patients With Dbs Fourteen News Cases And A Review Of The Literature, Raja Mehanna, Arjun Tarakad, Lisa Yutong Taneff, Erin Furr Stimming

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has been demonstrated to improve quality of life in patients with refractory dystonia and Tourette's syndrome (TS). Because of the young age at onset of these disorders, and the marked benefit from DBS, pregnancy in patients who have received DBS is becoming a more frequent clinical occurrence, although clear management guidelines are lacking.

Cases: We report 14 new pregnancies in patients with dystonia or TS and DBS.

Literature review: Upon review of the literature, 23 pregnancies in patients with dystonia or TS were previously reported in seven articles.

Conclusion: Based on the available data from …

Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter: Which Axis Should Be Measured?, Jakob Pansell, Tina Thomsson, Emelie Eng, Andreas Wallin, Mohammad Hirzallah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and purpose: Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured by point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a commonly used non-invasive estimate of intracranial pressure (ICP). However, methodological variations limit standardization of this promising technique. Different imaging axes are identified as one such source of ONSD POCUS methodological variation. This study aimed to evaluate the agreement and diagnostic accuracy for elevated ICP between transverse and sagittal ONSD measurements.

Methods: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of 213 intensive care patients from three prior studies. ONSD was measured in both transverse and sagittal planes, externally (ONSDext) and internally (ONSDint) of the dura mater. Agreement was …

Fractalkine Inhibition Improves Survival And Reduces Tumor Immune Cell Infiltration In Orthotopic Murine Glioma Models, Eric A Goethe, Malcolm Mcdonald, Ashley Puentes, Karina Moreno, Yuhui Yang, Khatri Latha, Ganesh Rao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Purely Cystic Intraosseous Meningioma Of The Skull: A Radiologic Conundrum And Histologic Challenge, Diego Rojas, Arman Kavoussi, Ashley Rose Ricciardelli, Alex Flores, Sricharan Gopakumar, Luis Carrete, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Alex W Brenner, Akash J Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Intraosseous meningiomas and cystic meningiomas are two rare subtypes of meningiomas. Meningiomas can develop with characteristics encompassing both cystic and intraosseous, termed intraosseous cystic meningiomas, that pose a diagnostic challenge.

Case description: We report the case of a 41-year-old woman with a history of hearing loss presented with a left frontal mass that had been present for 12 years. Her history of hearing loss was in the setting of ear infections bilaterally since she was a teenager and was being evaluated by ear, nose, and throat specialists at the time. Initial cranial computed tomography (CT) identified a skull lesion …

Affective Bias Predicts Changes In Depression During Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy, Brian Cui, Madaline M Mocchi, Brian A Metzger, Prathik Kalva, John F Magnotti, Jess G Fiedorowicz, Allison Waters, Christopher K Kovach, Yvonne Y Reed, Raissa K Mathura, Camille Steger, Bailey Pascuzzi, Kourtney Kanja, Ashan Veerakumar, Vineet Tiruvadi, Andrea Crowell, Lydia Denison, Christopher J Rozell, Nader Pouratian, Wayne Goodman, Patricio Riva Posse, Helen S Mayberg, Kelly Rowe Bijanki

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment for refractory depression, utilizing surgically implanted electrodes to stimulate specific anatomical targets within the brain. However, limitations of patient-reported and clinician-administered mood assessments pose obstacles in evaluating DBS treatment efficacy. In this study, we investigated whether an affective bias task, which leverages the inherent negative interpretation bias seen in individuals with depression, could serve as a reliable measure of mood changes during DBS therapy in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Methods: Two cohorts of patients (n = 8, n = 2) undergoing DBS for treatment-resistant depression at different academic medical centers …

Learning-Associated Astrocyte Ensembles Regulate Memory Recall, Michael R Williamson, Wookbong Kwon, Junsung Woo, Yeunjung Ko, Ehson Maleki, Kwanha Yu, Sanjana Murali, Debosmita Sardar, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The physical manifestations of memory formation and recall are fundamental questions that remain unresolved1. At the cellular level, ensembles of neurons called engrams are activated by learning events and control memory recall1-5. Astrocytes are in close proximity to neurons and engage in a range of activities that support neurotransmission and circuit plasticity6-10. Moreover, astrocytes exhibit experience-dependent plasticity11-13; however whether specific ensembles of astrocytes participate in memory recall remains obscure. Here we show that learning events induce c-Fos expression in a subset of hippocampal astrocytes, which subsequently …

The Scent Of Stimulation: Anterior Commissure Mediates Olfactory Phenomena Induced By Dbs Of The Ventral Capsule/Ventral Striatum, Zain U Naqvi, Jonathan H Bentley, Sarah R Heilbronner, Kalman A Katlowitz, Danika L Paulo, Sofia E Sehgal, Nisha Giridharan, Raja Jani, Katherine E Kabotyanski, Tommy Liu, Kasra Mansourian, Ajay Gandhi, Corey St Romain, Shragvi Balaji, Mohammed Hasen, Garrett P Banks, Wayne K Goodman, Nicole R Provenza, Sameer A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Opsoclonus In Alternating Hemiplegia Of Childhood Secondary To Atp1a3 Pgly803arg, Alyssa D Runco, Jesse M Levine, Cristina Trandafir, Rod Foroozan, Mered Parnes, Daniel G Calame

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Early Cerebrospinal Fluid Elevations Of Ptau-217 In Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Subjects, Hamad Yadikar, Firas H Kobeissy, Claudia Robertson, Spyridoula Tsetsou, John B Williamson, Damon G Lamb, Amy K Wagner, Todd Kibaugh, Shih-Han Kao, Zhifeng Kou, Robert D Welch, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Luis Leon-Novelo, Richard Rubenstein, Kevin K W Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), feature abnormal accumulations of hyperphosphorylated Tau protein; however, their biomarker potential in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not well-defined. This study investigated whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) phosphorylated Tau at threonine-217 (pTau-217) could serve as an early biomarker for severe TBI (sTBI).

Methods: CSF samples from 26 sTBI patients, collected between 6 and 240 h post-injury, and 19 healthy controls were analyzed using an optimized direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; sensitivity < 4.7 pg/mL) for pTau-217 detection, complemented by Western blot validation. Temporal analysis, ROC curves, and trajectory clustering were used for interpretation.

Results: CSF pTau-217 levels were significantly elevated in sTBI patients at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 h post-injury compared to controls (p …

Inferred Developmental Origins Of Brain Tumors From Single-Cell Rna-Sequencing Data, Su Wang, Rachel Naomi Curry, Malcolm F Mcdonald, Hyun Yong Koh, Anders W Erickson, Claudia L Kleinman, Michael D Taylor, Ganesh Rao, Benjamin Deneen, Arif O Harmanci, Akdes Serin Harmanci

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The reactivation of neurodevelopmental programs in cancer highlights parallel biological processes that occur in both normal development and brain tumors. Achieving a deeper understanding of how dysregulated developmental factors play a role in the progression of brain tumors is therefore crucial for identifying potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) provides an opportunity to understand how developmental programs are dysregulated and reinitiated in brain tumors at single-cell resolution. The aim of this study is to identify the developmental origins of brain tumors using scRNA-Seq data.

Methods: Here, we introduce COORS (Cell Of ORigin like CellS), a computational tool …