Neha Bhutani, PhD’s Post

Ultrasound seems to be making more and more headway (no pun intended) in showing utility for both brain imaging and now stimulation 😯 https://lnkd.in/dY7Xgu4D

On the Human Cortex … Shapson-Coe et al. (2024) recently performed an amazing electron microscopy reconstruction of a cubic millimeter of human temporal cortex. The authors produced 1.4 petabytes of electron microscopy data; classified and quantified cell types, vessels and synapses; and developed a freely available tool for analyzing these data. Their findings allowed the authors to identify previously unknown aspects of the human temporal cortex. The sample was obtained during surgery to gain access to an underlying hippocampal lesion from a patient with epilepsy. They imaged this sample by high-throughput serial section electron microscopy, generating a petascale dataset that was analyzed with new tools and computationally intensive methods. They reconstructed thousands of neurons, more than a hundred million synaptic connections, and all of the other tissue elements that comprise human brain matter, including glial cells, the blood vasculature, and myelin. Because the dataset is large and incompletely scrutinized, authors are generously sharing all of the data in an online resource (https://lnkd.in/dKaqUQjt) and also providing tools for analysis and proofreading. They also found a previously unrecognized class of directionally oriented neurons in deep layers and very powerful and rare multisynaptic connections between neurons throughout the sample. SCIENCE 10 May 2024 Vol 384, Issue 6696 DOI: 10.1126/science.adk4858 As a Spanish physician and medical scientist (hence in love with the original drawings of the cortex by Santiago Ramon y Cajal over one hundred years ago), I cannot avoid repeating the ending paragraph written in 1937 of “Time: the refreshing river”- a rare book published in 1943 by Cambridge scientist and intellectual Joseph Needham- “the higher stages of integration and organization towards which we look - I would add ‘when looking at the branching neurons and their billions of synaptic connections’- have all the authority of evolution behind them”. Joseph Needham (much later Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge- and my neighbor on Grange Road 1978-80), concluded: “The Devil , as Hippolytus said long ago, may resist the cosmic Process. But the last victory will not be his”.

🧠 Unraveling the Mysteries of Brain Imaging: A Comprehensive Exploration 🔄💡 Dive into the world of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Functional MRI (fMRI) in our latest article! 🌐🔍 Explore the intricate details of brain structure and function, from superior soft tissue contrast to real-time insights into neural activity. 🌟📊 Discover the strengths and limitations of MRI, fMRI, CT, and PET scans, each playing a unique role in advancing neuroimaging. 🌈🔬 Learn how the integration of PET with MRI, in PET/MRI, revolutionizes our understanding of the brain's complexities. 🤯🤝 Why is MRI a preferred modality, and what challenges does it pose? Uncover the advantages of PET/MRI, offering multi-parametric imaging without ionizing radiation. #BrainImaging #MRI #fMRI #NeuroscienceInsights 🌐🧬 #HealthTech #MedicalInnovation 🚀🔬

📢 Imeka receives FDA 510(k) clearance for Advanced Neuro Diagnostic Imaging (ANDI) quantitative imaging software The ANDI automated radiological image processing software generates white matter bundles that connect specific regions of the brain and executes microstructure analysis simultaneously. The device analyses diffusion-weighted images utilising reconstruction algorithms such as modelling, tractography, and fibre bundling to map the microstructural characteristics of the white matter. Imeka has designed ANDI to create a PDF report with DICOM encapsulation. Read more online: https://bit.ly/3rQhzcD 📰 Follow Medical Device Developments to receive the latest medical device news daily #MedicalDeviceDevelopments #radiology #medicalimaging #neurology

Everyone is familiar with the topographical maps of the body used to generate movement. Kai and his team investigated the extension in three dimensions. They discovered that these maps are intersected by motor association areas located in the depths of the central sulcus. Interestingly, this area is active for both sides of body movements, suggesting it may be responsible for handling complex behaviors. The homunculus was originally generated by stimulating different brain regions in awake patients and recording the resulting movement types and sensations. This procedure is still in use in clinical practice to map essential cortical regions. Similar maps can be generated using MRI, MEG, and ECoG recordings. The latter can efficiently be achieved with high-gamma mapping, which g.tec’s cortiQ system manages for neurosurgeons. Neurons from the homunculus communicate with the brainstem and the spinal cord to produce body movements. These areas are considered primary because they produce straightforward outputs. In contrast, association areas do not have a primary function but often coordinate complex tasks. Kai's team aimed to precisely locate these primary motor areas in 3D space. To do so, they implanted ECoG grids on the cortex's surface and inserted stereo-EEG electrodes into deeper structures. This was accomplished using g.HIamp and passive connector boxes that allow various types of electrodes to be connected. The device samples ECoG data with 24 bits on each of the 256 ADCs and features an impressively high sampling frequency of 616 kHz per channel. Four processors perform oversampling and an ultra-steep anti-aliasing filter, significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio. This allows the observation of ultra-high gamma activation up to 1 kHz, a frequency that is typically obscured by the noise floor of biosignal amplifiers. The research team initially expected to find only primary motor areas based on their previous MRI experiments. Surprisingly, these primary motor areas were interrupted by the newly discovered association area, which they named the "Rolandic Motor Association Area - RMA." The RMA was found to be activated even before muscle movement was detected with EMG and responded to both ipsilateral and contralateral movements. It represents a valuable extension of the well-known homunculus. https://lnkd.in/gcpy8ccw Kai Miller Dora Hermes Michael Jensen Peter Brunner Gerwin Schalk, Ph.D. #ECoG #motorcortex #motorcontrol #cortiQ #neurosurgery #neuroscience #gtecmedical

🌟 I'm delighted to share that our review paper, titled "Atrial Ablation Lesion Evaluation by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance: Review of Imaging Strategies and Histological Correlations" has been published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology!⚡️ 🎯 Cardiac MRI is a unique and promising tool for assessing atrial ablation lesions, with increasing use in clinical practice. 🎯Advanced MRI techniques have the potential to differentiate between acute and chronic atrial ablation lesions. 🎯The validation of these MRI techniques against histological assessment remains modest and requires further study. 🔗 You can read our paper here: https://lnkd.in/egZ4-TWT 💪🏼 Nikki van Pouderoijen, Mark Mulder, Anja van der Laan, Pranav Bhagirath, Saman Nazarian, Hans Niessen, Victor Ferrari, Cornelis Allaart, Marco Götte #Research #Cardiology #JACC #ClinicalElectrophysiology

"What Can a MRI of the Brain Show: Unveiling the Secrets of the Mind. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful diagnostic tool that can provide detailed images of the brain’s structure and function. By utilizing a strong magnetic field and radio waves, an MRI scan can reveal vital information about various brain conditions, allowing healthcare professionals to make accurate diagnoses and develop appropriate treatment plans. Let’s delve into what an MRI of the brain can show and explore five unique facts about this fascinating medical imaging technique." Continue reading "What Can a MRI of the Brain Show" #MRI #brain #brainsanatomy #structures #radiologist #imaging #openmri #pictures #callus #vistsus #shoplocal #buylocal #UprightMRIOfDeerfield

Visualising multiple sclerosis with a new MRI procedure . ETH Zurich researchers have developed a new method of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the early detection and better monitoring of multiple sclerosis (MS). The method maps the myelin sheaths in the brain more precisely than was previously possible. The loss of myelin sheaths is a hallmark of MS. The new MRI method with its special head scanner could also be used by researchers to better visualise other solid tissue types such as connective tissue, tendons and ligaments. #ScienceDailynews #InnovativeResearch #NextGenScience #ExploringFrontiers

I am delighted to announce that our article 'Generation of Induced Wavefront Focalization in the Human Temporal Bone Using a Standard Focused Ultrasound Single-Element Transducer' has been published online in Research on Biomedical Engineering. You can access the article through the following link: https://rdcu.be/dmyCO #research #biomedicalengineering #publication #ultrasound #focusedultrasound #humanbrain #brain

Precision and flexible technology to modulate brain Researchers have developed a noninvasive technology combining a holographic acoustic device with genetic engineering that allows them to precisely target affected neurons in the brain, creating the potential to precisely modulate selected cell types in multiple diseased brain regions. The team created AhSonogenetics, or Airy-beam holographic sonogenetics, a technique that uses a noninvasive wearable ultrasound device to alter genetically selected neurons in the brains of mice. The team designed each Airy-beam metasurface individually as the foundation for wearable ultrasound devices that were tailored for different applications and for precise locations in the brain. The team tested the technique on a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. With AhSonogenetics, they were able to stimulate two brain regions simultaneously in a single mouse, eliminating the need for multiple implants or interventions. This stimulation alleviated Parkinson’s-related motor deficits in the mouse model, including slow movements, difficulty walking and freezing behaviors. The team’s Airy-beam device overcomes some of the limits of sonogenetics, including tailoring the design of the device to target specific brain locations, as well as incorporating the flexibility to adjust target locations in a single brain. #ScienceMission #sciencenewshighlights https://lnkd.in/gbyRHHtQ