Distributed control circuits across a brain-and-cord connectome.

Just as genomes revolutionized molecular genetics, connectomes (maps of neurons and synapses) are transforming neuroscience. To date, the only species with complete connectomes are worms and sea squirts (10-10 synapses). By contrast, the fruit fly is more complex (10 synaptic connections), with a brain that supports learning and spatial memory and an intricate ventral nerve cord analogous to the vertebrate spinal cord.

Spinal cord stimulation restores locomotion in a Parkinson's disease patient and rodents.

Introduction: Dorsal column stimulation (DCS) of the spinal cord is emerging as a promising new technology to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). However, optimal stimulation settings that maximize its therapeutic effect on PD symptoms are yet to be determined. To optimize DCS therapy, it is necessary to understand its impact on pathological brain oscillations and to deliver stimulation triggered by neurophysiological biomarkers of PD.

Comparative connectomics of Drosophila descending and ascending neurons.

In most complex nervous systems there is a clear anatomical separation between the nerve cord, which contains most of the final motor outputs necessary for behaviour, and the brain. In insects, the neck connective is both a physical and an information bottleneck connecting the brain and the ventral nerve cord (an analogue of the spinal cord) and comprises diverse populations of descending neurons (DNs), ascending neurons (ANs) and sensory ascending neurons, which are crucial for sensorimotor signalling and control. Here, by integrating three separate electron microscopy (EM) datasets, we provide a complete connectomic description of the ANs and DNs of the Drosophila female nervous system and compare them with neurons of the male nerve cord.

Integrating ultrastructural diffraction imaging and multiscale modelling to unveil the nanoscale mechanics of arthropod cuticle in bending.

Determining the mechano-structural relations in biological materials with hierarchical structure is crucial to understanding natural optimization strategies and designing functional bioinspired composites. However, measuring the nanoscale mechanics and dynamic response is challenging when the specimen geometry and loading environment are physiologically complex. To overcome this challenge, we develop a combination of synchrotron X-ray diffraction testing and analytical modelling to explore the mechano-structural changes during bending loads on stomatopod cuticle.

Characterization of Machine Learning-Based Surrogate Models of Neural Activation Under Electrical Stimulation.

Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves via implanted electrodes has been shown to be a promising approach to restore sensation, movement, and autonomic functions across a wide range of illnesses and injuries. While in principle computational models of neuromodulation can allow the exploration of large parameter spaces and the automatic optimization of stimulation devices and strategies, their high time complexity hinders their use on a large scale. We recently proposed the use of machine learning-based surrogate models to estimate the activation of nerve fibers under electrical stimulation, producing a considerable speed-up with respect to biophysically accurate models of fiber excitation while retaining good predictivity.

A computational model to design wide field-of-view optic nerve neuroprostheses.

Retinal stimulation (RS) allows restoring vision in blind patients, but it covers only a narrow region of the visual field. Optic nerve stimulation (ONS) has the potential to produce visual perceptions spanning the whole visual field, but it produces very irregular phosphenes. We introduced a geometrical model converting retinal and optic nerve firing rates into visual perceptions and vice versa and a method to estimate the best perceptions elicitable through an electrode configuration.

Combining external physical stimuli and nanostructured materials for upregulating pro-regenerative cellular pathways in peripheral nerve repair.

Peripheral nerve repair remains a major clinical challenge, particularly in the pursuit of therapeutic approaches that ensure adequate recovery of patient's activity of daily living. Autografts are the gold standard in clinical practice for restoring lost sensorimotor functions nowadays. However, autografts have notable drawbacks, including dimensional mismatches and the need to sacrifice one function to restore another.

Wide-angle simulated artificial vision enhances spatial navigation and object interaction in a naturalistic environment.

. Vision restoration approaches, such as prosthetics and optogenetics, provide visual perception to blind individuals in clinical settings. Yet their effectiveness in daily life remains a challenge.

Assessment of wearable robotics performance in patients with neurological conditions.

Purpose Of Review: While wearable robotics is expanding within clinical settings, particularly for neurological rehabilitation, there is still a lack of consensus on how to effectively assess the performance of these devices. This review focuses on the most common metrics, whose selection and design are crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes and potentially improve the standard care.

Recent Findings: The literature reveals that while wearable robots are equipped with various embedded sensors, most studies still rely on traditional, nontechnological methods for assessment.

Characterization of a conductive hydrogel@Carbon fibers electrode as a novel intraneural interface.

Peripheral neural interfaces facilitate bidirectional communication between the nervous system and external devices, enabling precise control for prosthetic limbs, sensory feedback systems, and therapeutic interventions in the field of Bioelectronic Medicine. Intraneural interfaces hold great promise since they ensure high selectivity in communicating only with the desired nerve fascicles. Despite significant advancements, challenges such as chronic immune response, signal degradation over time, and lack of long-term biocompatibility remain critical considerations in the development of such devices.

Immersive VR for upper-extremity rehabilitation in patients with neurological disorders: a scoping review.

Background: Neurological disorders, such as stroke and chronic pain syndromes, profoundly impact independence and quality of life, especially when affecting upper extremity (UE) function. While conventional physical therapy has shown effectiveness in providing some neural recovery in affected individuals, there remains a need for improved interventions. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising technology-based approach for neurorehabilitation to make the patient's experience more enjoyable.

Stroke Recovery-Related Changes in Cortical Reactivity Based on Modulation of Intracortical Inhibition.

Background: Cortical excitation/inhibition dynamics have been suggested as a key mechanism occurring after stroke. Their supportive or maladaptive role in the course of recovery is still not completely understood. Here, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-electroencephalography coupling to study cortical reactivity and intracortical GABAergic inhibition, as well as their relationship to residual motor function and recovery longitudinally in patients with stroke.

Surface passivation and functionalisation for mass photometry.

Interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy enables the label-free observation of biomolecules. Consequently, single-particle imaging and tracking with the iSCAT-based method known as mass photometry (MP) is a growing area of study. However, establishing reliable cover glass passivation and functionalisation methods is crucial to reduce nonspecific binding and prepare surfaces for in vitro single-molecule binding experiments.

Targeted worker removal reveals a lack of flexibility in brood transport specialisation with no compensatory gain in efficiency.

Division of labour is widely thought to increase the task efficiency of eusocial insects. Workers can switch their task to compensate for sudden changes in demand, providing flexible task allocation. In combination with automated tracking technology, we developed a robotic system to precisely control and spatiotemporally manipulate floor temperature over days, which allowed us to predictably drive brood transport behaviour in colonies of the ant Camponotus floridanus.

Label-Free Imaging of DNA Interactions with 2D Materials.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer potential as substrates for biosensing devices, as their properties can be engineered to tune interactions between the surface and biomolecules. Yet, not many methods can measure these interactions in a liquid environment without introducing labeling agents such as fluorophores. In this work, we harness interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy, a label-free imaging technique, to investigate the interactions of single molecules of long dsDNA with 2D materials.

Beyond the limiting gap length: peripheral nerve regeneration through implantable nerve guidance conduits.

Peripheral nerve damage results in the loss of sensorimotor and autonomic functions, which is a significant burden to patients. Furthermore, nerve injuries greater than the limiting gap length require surgical repair. Although autografts are the preferred clinical choice, their usage is impeded by their limited availability, dimensional mismatch, and the sacrifice of another functional donor nerve.

An actor-model framework for visual sensory encoding.

A fundamental challenge in neuroengineering is determining a proper artificial input to a sensory system that yields the desired perception. In neuroprosthetics, this process is known as artificial sensory encoding, and it holds a crucial role in prosthetic devices restoring sensory perception in individuals with disabilities. For example, in visual prostheses, one key aspect of artificial image encoding is to downsample images captured by a camera to a size matching the number of inputs and resolution of the prosthesis.

Swine Pudendal Nerve as a Model for Neuromodulation Studies to Restore Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

Lower urinary tract dysfunction, such as incontinence or urinary retention, is one of the leading consequences of neurological diseases. This significantly impacts the quality of life for those affected, with implications extending not only to humans but also to clinical veterinary care. Having motor and sensory fibers, the pudendal nerve is an optimal candidate for neuromodulation therapies using bidirectional intraneural prostheses, paving the way towards the restoration of a more physiological urination cycle: bladder state can be detected from recorded neural signals, then an electrical current can be injected to the nerve based on the real-time need of the bladder.

Improved Physiochemical Properties of Chitosan@PCL Nerve Conduits by Natural Molecule Crosslinking.

Nerve conduits may represent a valuable alternative to autograft for the regeneration of long-gap damages. However, no NCs have currently reached market approval for the regeneration of limiting gap lesions, which still represents the very bottleneck of this technology. In recent years, a strong effort has been made to envision an engineered graft to tackle this issue.

Neurophysiological underpinnings of an intensive protocol for upper limb motor recovery in subacute and chronic stroke patients.

Background: Upper limb (UL) motor impairment following stroke is a leading cause of functional limitations in activities of daily living. Robot-assisted therapy supports rehabilitation, but how its efficacy and the underlying neural mechanisms depend on the time after stroke is yet to be assessed.

Aim: We investigated the response to an intensive protocol of robot-assisted rehabilitation in sub-acute and chronic stroke patients, by analyzing the underlying changes in clinical scores, electroencephalography (EEG) and end-effector kinematics.

Results of phase 2 randomized multi-center study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of infusion of memory T cells as adoptive therapy in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia and/or lymphopenia (RELEASE NCT04578210).

Background Aims: There are currently no effective anti-viral treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-hospitalized patients with hypoxemia. Lymphopenia is a biomarker of disease severity usually present in patients who are hospitalized. Approaches to increasing lymphocytes exerting an anti-viral effect must be considered to treat these patients.