Inhomogeneous cortical synchronization and partial epileptic seizures

Objective: Interictal synchronization clusters have recently been described in several publications using diverse techniques, including neurophysiological recordings and fMRI, in patients suffering from epilepsy. However, little is known about the role of these hypersynchronous areas during seizures. In this work, we report an analysis of synchronization clusters jointly with several network measures during seizure activity; we then discuss our findings in the context of prior literature.Methods: Subdural activity was recorded by electrocorticography (with 60 electrodesplaced at temporal and parietal lobe locations) in a patient with temporal lobe epilepsywith partial seizures with and without secondary generalization (SG). Both interictal andictal activities (during four seizures) were investigated and characterized using local synchronization and complex network methodology. The modularity, density of links, average clustering coefficient, and average path lengthswere calculated to obtain information about the dynamics of the global network. Functional connectivity changes during the seizures were compared with the time evolution of highly synchronized areas.Results: Our findings reveal temporal changes in local synchronization areas during seizuresand a tight relationship between the cortical locations of these areas and the patterns oftheir evolution over time. Seizure evolution and SG appear to be driven by two differentunderlying mechanisms.Fil: Vega Zelaya, Lorena. Hospital Universitario la Princesa; EspañaFil: Pastor, Jesús Eduardo. Hospital Universitario la Princesa; EspañaFil: García de Sola, Rafael. Hospital Universitario la Princesa; EspañaFil: Ortega, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; Argentin

Network Theoretical Approach to Describe Epileptic Processes

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Recent studies suggest that seizure generation may be caused by the abnormal activity of the entire network. This new paradigm requires new tools and methods for its study. In this sense, synchronization by linear as well as nonlinear measures are used to determine network structure and functional connectivity of neurophysiological data. Electroencephalography (EEG) data can be analyzed using each electrode’s activity as a node of the underlying cortical network. The information provided by the synchronization matrix is the basic brick upon which several lines of analysis can be performed thereafter. Detection of community structures, identification of centrality nodes, transformation of the underlying network into a simpler one, and the identification of the basic network architecture are only some of the many lines of basic works that can be done in order to characterize the epilepsy as a network disease. This chapter describes new approaches in network epilepsy, provides mathematical concepts in order to understand the complex network analyses, and reviews the advances in network analyses and its application to epilepsy research

The Influence of Genetic and Environmental Factors among MDMA Users in Cognitive Performance

This study is aimed to clarify the association between MDMA cumulative use and cognitive dysfunction, and the potential role of candidate genetic polymorphisms in explaining individual differences in the cognitive effects of MDMA. Gene polymorphisms related to reduced serotonin function, poor competency of executive control and memory consolidation systems, and high enzymatic activity linked to bioactivation of MDMA to neurotoxic metabolites may contribute to explain variations in the cognitive impact of MDMA across regular users of this drug. Sixty ecstasy polydrug users, 110 cannabis users and 93 non-drug users were assessed using cognitive measures of Verbal Memory (California Verbal Learning Test, CVLT), Visual Memory (Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, ROCFT), Semantic Fluency, and Perceptual Attention (Symbol Digit Modalities Test, SDMT). Participants were also genotyped for polymorphisms within the 5HTT, 5HTR2A, COMT, CYP2D6, BDNF, and GRIN2B genes using polymerase chain reaction and TaqMan polymerase assays. Lifetime cumulative MDMA use was significantly associated with poorer performance on visuospatial memory and perceptual attention. Heavy MDMA users (>100 tablets lifetime use) interacted with candidate gene polymorphisms in explaining individual differences in cognitive performance between MDMA users and controls. MDMA users carrying COMT val/val and SERT s/s had poorer performance than paired controls on visuospatial attention and memory, and MDMA users with CYP2D6 ultra-rapid metabolizers performed worse than controls on semantic fluency. Both MDMA lifetime use and gene-related individual differences influence cognitive dysfunction in ecstasy users

Recensiones [Revista de Historia Económica Año XVI Primavera-Verano 1998 n. 2 pp. 573-606]

Editada en la Fundación Empresa PúblicaJuan E. Gelabert. La bolsa del Rey. Rey, reino y fisco en Castilla (1598-1648) (Por Francisco Comín).-- Ángel García Sanz y Jesús Sanz Fernández (eds.). Reformas y políticas agrarias en la historia de España (de la Ilustración al primer franquismo) (Por Rafael Serrano García).-- Jean-Yves Grenier. L'économie d'Ancien Regime. Un monde de l'éxchange et de l'incertitude (Por María Teresa Pérez Picazo).-- J. Bottin y N. Pellegrin (eds.). Échanges et cultures textiles dans l'Europe préindustrielle (Por Hilario Casado Alonso).-- Martin Baumeister. Campesinos sin tierra. Supervivencia y resistencia en Extremadura (1880-1923) (Por Juan García Pérez).-- Arantzazu Galarza. Los orígenes del empresario vasco. Creación de sociedades e inversión de capital, Bilbao (1850-1882) (Por Carlos Larrinaga Rodríguez).-- Ignacio Goenage. Estado actual y porvenir de la industria minero-metalúrgica de Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, Navarra y Santander (Por Hilario Rodríguez de Gracia).-- Santiago de Luxán Meléndez y José Luis Quesada González. Atlantis Publicidad, 1945-1995. Historia de una empresa familiar (Por Montserrat Gárate Ojanguren).-- Sandra Kuntz Ficker y Paolo Riguzzi (coords.). Ferrocarriles y vida económica en México (1850-1950) (Por Juan Carlos Sola Corbacho).-- Rory Miller. Britain and Latin America in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries (Por Raúl García Hera)Publicad

Decision making impairment: A shared vulnerability in obesity, gambling disorder and substance use disorders?

Introduction: Addictions are associated with decision making impairments. The present study explores decision making in Substance use disorder (SUD), Gambling disorder (GD) and Obesity (OB) when assessed by Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and compares them with healthy controls (HC). Methods: For the aims of this study, 591 participants (194 HC, 178 GD, 113 OB, 106 SUD) were assessed according to DSM criteria, completed a sociodemographic interview and conducted the IGT. Results: SUD, GD and OB present impaired decision making when compared to the HC in the overall task and task learning, however no differences are found for the overall performance in the IGT among the clinical groups. Results also reveal some specific learning across the task patterns within the clinical groups: OB maintains negative scores until the third set where learning starts but with a less extend to HC, SUD presents an early learning followed by a progressive although slow improvement and GD presents more random choices with no learning. Conclusions: Decision making impairments are present in the studied clinical samples and they display individual differences in the task learning. Results can help understanding the underlying mechanisms of OB and addiction behaviors as well as improve current clinical treatments

Distribution and genotype-phenotype correlation of GDAP1 mutations in Spain

Mutations in the GDAP1 gene can cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. These mutations are quite rare in most Western countries but not so in certain regions of Spain or other Mediterranean countries. This cross-sectional retrospective multicenter study analyzed the clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with GDAP1 mutations across Spain. 99 patients were identified, which were distributed across most of Spain, but especially in the Northwest and Mediterranean regions. The most common genotypes were p.R120W (in 81% of patients with autosomal dominant inheritance) and p.Q163X (in 73% of autosomal recessive patients). Patients with recessively inherited mutations had a more severe phenotype, and certain clinical features, like dysphonia or respiratory dysfunction, were exclusively detected in this group. Dominantly inherited mutations had prominent clinical variability regarding severity, including 29% of patients who were asymptomatic. There were minor clinical differences between patients harboring specific mutations but not when grouped according to localization or type of mutation. This is the largest clinical series to date of patients with GDAP1 mutations, and it contributes to define the genetic distribution and genotype-phenotype correlation in this rare form of CMT

Proper assignation of reactivation in a COVID-19 recurrence initially interpreted as a reinfection

A 77-year-old-male (Case R) who had had a previous diagnosis of mild COVID-19 episode, was hospitalized 35 days later. On Day 23 post-admission, he developed a second COVID-19 episode, now severe, and finally died. Initially, Case R COVID-19 recurrence was interpreted as a reinfection due to the exposure to a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR-positive room-mate. However, whole-genome-sequencing indicated that case R recurrence corresponded to a reactivation of the strain involved in his first episode. Case R reactivation had major consequences, leading to a more severe episode, and causing a subsequent transmission to another two hospitalized patients, one of them with fatal outcome.Peer reviewe

100 años investigando el mar. El IEO en su centenario (1914-2014).

Se trata de un libro que pretende divulgar a la sociedad las principales investigaciones multidisciplinares llevadas a cabo por el Instituto Español de Oceanografía durante su primer siglo de vida, y dar a conocer la historia del organismo, de su Sede Central y de los nueve centros oceanográficos repartidos por los litorales mediterráneo y atlántico, en la península y archipiélagos.Kongsberg 20