801,206 research outputs found
Gray matter network differences between behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease
We set out to study whether single-subject gray matter (GM) networks show disturbances that are specific for Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 90) or behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD; n = 59), and whether such disturbances would be related to cognitive deficits measured with mini-mental state examination and a neuropsychological battery, using subjective cognitive decline subjects as reference. AD and bvFTD patients had a lower degree, connectivity density, clustering, path length, betweenness centrality, and small world values compared with subjective cognitive decline. AD patients had a lower connectivity density than bvFTD patients (F = 5.79, p = 0.02; mean ± standard deviation bvFTD 16.10 ± 1.19%; mean ± standard deviation AD 15.64 ± 1.02%). Lasso logistic regression showed that connectivity differences between bvFTD and AD were specific to 23 anatomical areas, in terms of local GM volume, degree, and clustering. Lower clustering values and lower degree values were specifically associated with worse mini-mental state examination scores and lower performance on the neuropsychological tests. GM showed disease-specific alterations, when comparing bvFTD with AD patients, and these alterations were associated with cognitive deficits
Topographic hub maps of the human structural neocortical network
Hubs within the neocortical structural network determined by graph theoretical analysis play a crucial role in brain function. We mapped neocortical hubs topographically, using a sample population of 63 young adults. Subjects were imaged with high resolution structural and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Multiple network configurations were then constructed per subject, using random parcellations to define the nodes and using fibre tractography to determine the connectivity between the nodes. The networks were analysed with graph theoretical measures. Our results give reference maps of hub distribution measured with betweenness centrality and node degree. The loci of the hubs correspond with key areas from known overlapping cognitive networks. Several hubs were asymmetrically organized across hemispheres. Furthermore, females have hubs with higher betweenness centrality and males have hubs with higher node degree. Female networks have higher small-world indices
Paradoxical signaling regulates structural plasticity in dendritic spines
Transient spine enlargement (3-5 min timescale) is an important event
associated with the structural plasticity of dendritic spines. Many of the
molecular mechanisms associated with transient spine enlargement have been
identified experimentally. Here, we use a systems biology approach to construct
a mathematical model of biochemical signaling and actin-mediated transient
spine expansion in response to calcium-influx due to NMDA receptor activation.
We have identified that a key feature of this signaling network is the
paradoxical signaling loop. Paradoxical components act bifunctionally in
signaling networks and their role is to control both the activation and
inhibition of a desired response function (protein activity or spine volume).
Using ordinary differential equation (ODE)-based modeling, we show that the
dynamics of different regulators of transient spine expansion including CaMKII,
RhoA, and Cdc42 and the spine volume can be described using paradoxical
signaling loops. Our model is able to capture the experimentally observed
dynamics of transient spine volume. Furthermore, we show that actin remodeling
events provide a robustness to spine volume dynamics. We also generate
experimentally testable predictions about the role of different components and
parameters of the network on spine dynamics
Evolving Plasticity for Autonomous Learning under Changing Environmental Conditions
A fundamental aspect of learning in biological neural networks is the
plasticity property which allows them to modify their configurations during
their lifetime. Hebbian learning is a biologically plausible mechanism for
modeling the plasticity property in artificial neural networks (ANNs), based on
the local interactions of neurons. However, the emergence of a coherent global
learning behavior from local Hebbian plasticity rules is not very well
understood. The goal of this work is to discover interpretable local Hebbian
learning rules that can provide autonomous global learning. To achieve this, we
use a discrete representation to encode the learning rules in a finite search
space. These rules are then used to perform synaptic changes, based on the
local interactions of the neurons. We employ genetic algorithms to optimize
these rules to allow learning on two separate tasks (a foraging and a
prey-predator scenario) in online lifetime learning settings. The resulting
evolved rules converged into a set of well-defined interpretable types, that
are thoroughly discussed. Notably, the performance of these rules, while
adapting the ANNs during the learning tasks, is comparable to that of offline
learning methods such as hill climbing.Comment: Evolutionary Computation Journa
Structure and rheological properties of model microemulsion networks filled with nanoparticles
Model microemulsion networks of oil droplets stabilized by non ionic
surfactant and telechelic polymer C18-PEO(10k)-C18 have been studied for two
droplet-to-polymer size ratios. The rheological properties of the networks have
been measured as a function of network connectivity and can be described in
terms of simple percolation laws. The network structure has been characterised
by Small Angle Neutron Scattering. A Reverse Monte Carlo approach is used to
demonstrate the interplay of attraction and repulsion induced by the copolymer.
These model networks are then used as matrix for the incorporation of silica
nanoparticles (R=10nm), individual dispersion being checked by scattering. A
strong impact on the rheological properties is found for silica volume
fractions up to 9%
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