Sensorimotor and Pain Modulation Brain Abnormalities in Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Paroxysmal, Sensory-Triggered Neuropathic Pain

Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is characterized by paroxysms of severe facial pain but without the major sensory loss that commonly accompanies neuropathic pain. Since neurovascular compression of the trigeminal nerve root entry zone does not fully explain the pathogenesis of TN, we determined whether there were brain gray matter abnormalities in a cohort of idiopathic TN patients. We used structural MRI to test the hypothesis that TN is associated with altered gray matter (GM) in brain areas involved in the sensory and affective aspects of pain, pain modulation, and motor function. We further determined the contribution of long-term TN on GM plasticity

An fMRI Investigation of Preparatory Set in the Human Cerebral Cortex and Superior Colliculus for Pro- and Anti-Saccades

Previous studies have identified several cortical regions that show larger BOLD responses during preparation and execution of anti-saccades than pro-saccades. We confirmed this finding with a greater BOLD response for anti-saccades than pro-saccades during the preparation phase in the FEF, IPS and DLPFC and in the FEF and IPS in the execution phase. We then applied multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to establish whether different neural populations are involved in the two types of saccade. Pro-saccades and anti-saccades were reliably decoded during saccade execution in all three cortical regions (FEF, DLPFC and IPS) and in IPS during saccade preparation. This indicates neural specialization, for programming the desired response depending on the task rule, in these regions. In a further study tailored for imaging the superior colliculus in the midbrain a similar magnitude BOLD response was observed for pro-saccades and anti-saccades and the two saccade types could not be decoded with MVPA. This was the case both for activity related to the preparation phase and also for that elicited during the execution phase. We conclude that separate cortical neural populations are involved in the task-specific programming of a saccade while in contrast, the SC has a role in response preparation but may be less involved in high-level, task-specific aspects of the control of saccades

Comparative 3D QSAR study on β1-, β2-, and β3-adrenoceptor agonists

A quantitative structure–activity relationship study of tryptamine-based derivatives of β1-, β2-, and β3-adrenoceptor agonists was conducted using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). Correlation coefficients (cross-validated r2) of 0.578, 0.595, and 0.558 were obtained for the three subtypes, respectively, in three different CoMFA models. All three CoMFA models have different steric and electrostatic contributions, implying different requirements inside the binding cavity. The CoMFA coefficient contour plots of the three models and comparisons among these plots provide clues regarding the main chemical features responsible for the biological activity variations and also result in predictions which correlate very well with the observed biological activity. Based on the analysis, a summary regeospecific description of the requirements for improving β-adrenoceptor subtype selectivity is given

PROBING STIMULUS-CONTROL IN FREE-OPERANT AVOIDANCE

The degree of stimulus control of free-operant avoidance was investigated through two probe procedures that assessed stimulus control within a single session. Twenty-five rats responded under a signaled free-operant avoidance contingency. Each response postponed the 10-s preshock (warning) stimulus for 15 s (if it occurred in its absence) or terminated that stimulus (if it occurred in its presence). For seven rats the discrimination procedure used visual stimuli (houselight-darkness); 18 rats were trained with auditory stimuli (tone - no tone). After 30 consecutive baseline sessions a probe procedure was imposed on the baseline conditions in every second or third session. The probes consisted of varying the response-preshock stimulus (RS1) interval during sample periods of the session. Both on baseline and on probe sessions stimulus control depended on the modality of the discriminative stimuli. The auditory group was more resistant to changes in the RS1 interval during the probe sessions. Results clearly show that the two probe procedures used were successful in detecting underlying temporal discrimination helping in exteroceptive stimulus control of avoidance responding.421415

SHOCK-INTENSITY AND SIGNALED AVOIDANCE RESPONDING

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Urban Blight and Redevelopment: An Urban Participation Path

This paper pays particular attention to one of the many participatory models present in the landscape of urban and territorial planning. Specifically, the ACTION PLANNING model was chosen; a model used in Anglo-Saxon countries to identify the problems and needs of the inhabitants of a given territory, through the involvement of interested parties or stakeholders. The model is applied in Sicily, to Villaseta, a small rural settlement, located southwest of the city of Agrigento, which consists primarily of affordable and social housing. It is a suburb without identity, left to itself, where – despite the valuable cultural, historic, scenic, and most importantly human resources – one notes the presence of degradation, hardship, and social exclusion. The quality of life is poor, the housing requires serious restoration work, and a large number of public spaces are unused due to decades of failure in the management policies of the local government