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A brain-computer interface (BCI) serves as a direct communication channel between brain activity and external devices, typically a computer or robotic limb. Advances in technology have led to the increasing use of intracranial electrical recording or stimulation in the treatment of conditions such as epilepsy, depression, and movement disorders. This indicates that BCIs can offer clinical neurological rehabilitation for patients with disabilities and functional impairments. They also provide a means to restore consciousness and functionality for patients with sequelae from major brain diseases. Whether invasive or non-invasive, the collected cortical or deep signals can be decoded and translated for communication. This review aims to provide an overview of the advantages of endovascular BCIs compared with conventional BCIs, along with insights into the specific anatomical regions under study. Given the rapid progress, we also provide updates on ongoing clinical trials and the prospects for current research involving endovascular electrodes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background and Objectives: Initial shunt failure following ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery has a significant impact on the working time of the shunt. However, there are few studies regarding factors affecting VP shunt longevity. Hence, in this study, we aimed to build a nomogram to predict the longevity of the replacement VP shunt in patients with initial shunt failure., Methods: From 2011 to 2021, 142 patients with initial VP failure who underwent VP shunt revision were enrolled and relevant clinical and demographic factors were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to choose predictors, and a nomogram was constructed using nine independent prognostic variables: sex, age, hydrocephalus type, intensive care unit admission, tracheostomy, decompressive craniectomy, craniotomy, lumbar cisterna drainage, and ventricular drainage. The prediction models' discrimination, accuracy, calibration, and clinical value were evaluated using Harrell's C-index, a calibration plot, and decision curve analysis., Results: At 1 month, 3 months, and 5 years, the nomogram's C-index was 0.680, 0.708, and 0.694, respectively. The nomogram's calibration plot provided a good fit for the overall prediction over the course of 1 year. Decision curve analysis predicted that 1-3 months after surgery will yield good net benefits between 30 and 50% probability thresholds., Conclusion: A preoperative nomogram may be an effective tool for assessing VP shunt longevity after initial VP shunt placement., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, He, Niu, Li, Geng, Cao, Wang, Lv, He, Zhao, Chen and Yang.)

Objective: Extra-axial cavernous hemangiomas (ECHs) are sporadic and rare intracranial occupational lesions that usually occur within the cavernous sinus. The aetiology of ECHs remains unknown., Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was performed on ECH lesions from 12 patients (discovery cohort) and droplet digital polymerase-chain-reaction (ddPCR) was used to confirm the identified mutation in 46 additional cases (validation cohort). Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was carried out to capture and characterise subgroups of tissue cells. Mechanistic and functional investigations were carried out in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and a newly established mouse model., Results: We detected somatic GJA4 mutation (c.121G>T, p.G41C) in 5/12 patients with ECH in the discovery cohort and confirmed the finding in the validation cohort (16/46). LCM followed by ddPCR revealed that the mutation was enriched in lesional endothelium. In vitro experiments in endothelial cells demonstrated that the GJA4 mutation activated SGK-1 signalling that in turn upregulated key genes involved in cell hyperproliferation and the loss of arterial specification. Compared with wild-type littermates, mice overexpressing the GJA4 mutation developed ECH-like pathological morphological characteristics (dilated venous lumen and elevated vascular density) in the retinal superficial vascular plexus at the postnatal 3 weeks, which were reversed by an SGK1 inhibitor, EMD638683., Conclusions: We identified a somatic GJA4 mutation that presents in over one-third of ECH lesions and proposed that ECHs are vascular malformations due to GJA4 -induced activation of the SGK1 signalling pathway in brain endothelial cells., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: Somatic KRAS mutations have been identified in the majority of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs), and subsequent in vivo experiments have confirmed that KRAS mutation in endothelial cells (ECs) causes AVMs in mouse and zebrafish models. Our previous study demonstrated that the KRAS G12D mutant independently induced the endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), which was reversed by treatment with the lipid-lowering drug lovastatin. However, the underlying mechanisms of action were unclear., Methods: We used human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) overexpressing the KRAS G12D mutant for Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunofluorescence and wound healing assays to evaluate the EndMT and determine the activation of downstream pathways. Knockdown of SMAD4 by RNA interference was performed to explore the role of SMAD4 in regulating the EndMT. BAVM ECs expressing the KRAS G12D mutant were obtained to verify the SMAD4 function. Finally, we performed a coimmunoprecipitation assay to probe the mechanism by which lovastatin affects SMAD4., Results: HUVECs infected with KRAS G12D adenovirus underwent the EndMT. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling pathways were activated in the KRAS G12D -mutant HUVECs and ECs in bAVM tissue. Knocking down SMAD4 expression in both KRAS G12D -mutant HUVECs and ECs in bAVM tissues inhibited the EndMT. Lovastatin attenuated the EndMT by downregulating p-SMAD2/3, p-SMAD1/5 and acetylated SMAD4 expression in KRAS G12D -mutant HUVECs., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the KRAS G12D mutant induces the EndMT by activating the ERK-TGF-β/BMP-SMAD4 signalling pathway and that lovastatin inhibits the EndMT by suppressing TGF-β/BMP pathway activation and SMAD4 acetylation., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: To compare the clinical outcomes of hybrid microsurgery and embolization with multi-staged procedure for patients harboring brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed bAVM patients from a multicenter, prospectively collected database (NCT03774017) between June 2016 and June 2020. Patients were divided into single-staged hybrid operation (HO) group and multi-staged operation (MO) group according to the received treatment, in which microsurgeries were performed with embolization in a single setting or with multi-stage procedure, respectively. Cases were 1:1 matched between the two groups. Outcomes were compared between groups, which included neurological deficits (NDs), perioperative rupture, and proportion of complete resection. Variables associated with NDs were analyzed., Results: In total, 198 out of 544 cases were identified, including 120 in the HO group and 78 in the MO group. Sixty-six cases were matched in each group resulting in a total of 132 patients in this case-controlled study. Mean age was 29.2 years old, with 82 (62.1%) being male. No significant difference was observed in baseline demographics and clinical characteristics between the two groups. There were 7 ruptures occurred in the interval between embolization and microsurgery for MO group while none in the HO group (P=0.023). This yielded a rupture risk of 4.1% per year for the MO group. Duration of surgical resection was significantly reduced in HO group (P=0.001). Compared to MO, HO was more favorable to avoid short-term NDs (3.0% vs. 15.2%, P=0.021), but long-term outcomes were similar. The HO modality (OR, 0.110; 95% CI: 0.017-0.737; P=0.023) was confirmed as the protective factor for short-term NDs., Conclusions: HO is an effective setup to treat complex bAVMs with avoiding interval hemorrhage risk and reducing surgical risk. We also observed overall similar obliteration rate and resulting clinical outcomes between HO and MO., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://atm.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/atm-22-811/coif). All authors report that this study was supported by National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC1301800), Beijing Science and Technology Supporting Plan (D161100003816005), Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals’ Mission Plan (SML20150501), Project of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2019M660921), and Science Foundation for Postdoctorate Research of Beijing (2017-ZZ-123). The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare., (2022 Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved.)