Search

Abstract The ability of serum biomarkers to predict the prognosis and response to deep-brain stimulation (DBS) therapy in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients is promising. Here, we showed that NfL differed between healthy individuals and PD patients and that changes in NfL, GFAP, and BDNF occurred only transiently after DBS surgery. Therefore, subthalamic stimulation does not promote neurodegeneration, and these biomarkers do not serve as clinical improvement endpoints in PD DBS patients.

Abstract Eye tracking technology is a high-potential tool for different mathematic cognition research areas. Moreover, there is a dire need for more studies that provide detailed information on the quality of registered eye data. This study aimed to illustrate the applicability of eye tracking in the examination of mathematical cognition, focusing specifically on primary school students completing a computerized mental arithmetic task. Results suggested that the eye tracking device effectively captured high-quality eye movement data when primary school children engaged in this specific task. Furthermore, significant negative correlations have been found between task performance and number of eye fixations. Finally, eye movements distinctions between “Areas of Interest” have been found, indicating different visual tracking associated with different components of arithmetic calculations. This study underscores the extensive possibilities for future research employing eye tracking devices during computerized calculation tasks as assessment tools to explore the complex visual and cognitive processes.

Goal-directed movement is known to promote release of noradrenaline in the brain, and noradrenaline is known to enhance memory encoding. Here, the authors provide evidence that active movement, compared to action inhibition, boosts episodic memory encoding in humans via a noradrenergic mechanism.