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This article presents a case study of a 74-year-old male who presented with symptoms of headache, hand tremors, and cognitive disturbances. MRI scans revealed leptomeningeal contrast enhancement, and the patient's medical history included prostate cancer and a neuroendocrine tumor. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed increased leukocyte numbers and protein levels, consistent with leptomeningeal metastatic disease. Next-generation sequencing of cell-free DNA from the CSF revealed a telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation, suggesting a leptomeningeal malignancy. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, primarily growing in the leptomeninges. The study highlights the potential of DNA methylation profiling using nanopore sequencing of CSF as a minimally invasive diagnostic tool for glioblastoma. [Extracted from the article]

Despite extensive studies published on the canine brain, inconsistencies and disagreements in the nomenclature and representation of various cerebral structures continue to exist. This study aimed to create a comprehensive mapping of the external architecture of the mesocephalic canine brain with a focus on the major gyri and sulci. Standardized dissection techniques were used on 20 ethically sourced brains obtained from 6 to 10-year-old dogs that were free of neurological disorders. Distinct gyri and sulci with unique locations and bordering structures were observed. Thus, it was possible to identify the often-ignored subprorean gyrus. In addition, this study was able to illustrate the unique locations and bordering structures of gyri and sulci. The findings can contribute to a consensus among researchers on the canine brain anatomy and assist in clarifying the inconsistencies in cerebral structure representation. Furthermore, the results of this study may hold significant implications for veterinary medicine and neuroscience and serve as a foundation for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for various neurological diseases in dogs. Our findings offer valuable insights into the unique evolutionary adaptations and specialized behaviors of the canine brain, thereby increasing awareness about the neural structures that enable dogs to demonstrate their unique traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Individual differences in social learning impact many important decisions, from voting behavior to polarization. Prior research has found that there are consistent and stable individual differences in social information use. However, the underlying mechanisms of these individual differences are still poorly understood. Methods: We used two complementary exploratory machine learning approaches to identify brain volumes related to individual differences in social information use. Results and discussion: Using lasso regression and random forest regression we were able to capture linear and non-linear brain-behavior relationships. Consistent with previous studies, our results suggest there is a robust positive relationship between the volume of the left pars triangularis and social information use. Moreover, our results largely overlap with common social brain network regions, such as the medial prefrontal cortex, superior temporal sulcus, temporal parietal junction, and anterior cingulate cortex. Besides, our analyses also revealed several novel regions related to individual differences in social information use, such as the postcentral gyrus, the left caudal middle frontal gyrus, the left pallidum, and the entorhinal cortex. Together, these results provide novel insights into the neural mechanisms that underly individual differences in social learning and provide important new leads for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this systematic review is to report the normal cortical development of different fetal cerebral fissures on ultrasound, describe associated anomalies in fetuses with cortical malformations, and evaluate the quality of published charts of cortical fissures. The inclusion criteria were studies reporting development, anomalies, and reference charts of fetal cortical structures on ultrasound. The outcomes observed were the timing of the appearance of different cortical fissures according to different gestational age windows, associated central nervous system (CNS) and extra-CNS anomalies detected at ultrasound in fetuses with cortical malformation, and rate of fetuses with isolated anomaly. Furthermore, we performed a critical evaluation of the published reference charts for cortical development on ultrasound. Random-effect meta-analyses of proportions were used to combine the data. Twenty-seven studies (6875 fetuses) were included. Sylvian fissure was visualized on ultrasound in 97.69% (95% CI 92.0–100) of cases at 18–19, 98.17% (95% CI 94.8–99.8) at 20–21, 98.94% (95% CI 97.0–99.9) at 22–23, and in all cases from 24 weeks of gestation. Parieto-occipital fissure was visualized in 81.56% (95% CI 48.4–99.3) of cases at 18–19, 96.59% (95% CI 83.2–99.8) at 20–21, 96.85% (95% CI 88.8–100) at 22–23, and in all cases from 24 weeks of gestation, while the corresponding figures for calcarine fissure were 37.27% (95% CI 0.5–89.6), 80.42% (95% CI 50.2–98.2), 89.18% (95% CI 74.0–98.2), and 96.02% (95% CI 96.9–100). Malformations of cortical development were diagnosed as an isolated finding at ultrasound in 6.21% (95% CI 2.9–10.9) of cases, while they were associated with additional CNS anomalies in 93.79% (95% CI 89.1–97.2) of cases. These findings highlight the need for large studies specifically looking at the timing of the appearance of the different brain sulci. Standardized algorithms for prenatal assessment of fetuses at high risk of malformations of cortical development are also warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulco-gyral pattern is a qualitative feature of the cortical anatomy that is determined in utero, stable throughout lifespan and linked to brain function. The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a nodal associative brain area, but the relation between its morphology and cognition is largely unknown. By labelling the left and right IPS of 390 healthy participants into two patterns, according to the presence or absence of a sulcus interruption, here we demonstrate a strong association between the morphology of the right IPS and performance on memory and language tasks. We interpret the results as a morphological advantage of a sulcus interruption, probably due to the underlying white matter organization. The right-hemisphere specificity of this effect emphasizes the neurodevelopmental and plastic role of sulcus morphology in cognition prior to lateralisation processes. The results highlight a promising area of investigation on the relationship between cognitive performance, sulco-gyral pattern and white matter bundles. Brain shape and function are intricately related, and the morphological pattern of the right IntraParietal Sulcus appears significantly related to human memory and language performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based gestational age prediction has been widely used to characterize normal fetal brain development and diagnose congenital brain malformations. Purpose: The uncertainty of fetal position and external interference leads to variable localization and direction of the fetal brain. In addition, pregnant women typically concentrate on receiving MRI scans during the fetal anomaly scanning week, leading to an imbalanced distribution of fetal brain MRI data. The above‐mentioned problems pose great challenges for deep learning‐based fetal brain MRI gestational age prediction. Methods: In this study, a pyramid squeeze attention (PSA)‐guided dynamic feature fusion CNN (PDFF‐CNN) is proposed to robustly predict gestational ages from fetal brain MRI images on an imbalanced dataset. PDFF‐CNN contains four components: transformation module, feature extraction module, dynamic feature fusion module, and balanced mean square error (MSE) loss. The transformation and feature extraction modules are employed by using the PSA to learn multiscale and multi‐orientation feature representations in a parallel weight‐sharing Siamese network. The dynamic feature fusion module automatically learns the weights of feature vectors generated in the feature extraction module to dynamically fuse multiscale and multi‐orientation brain sulci and gyri features. Considering the fact of the imbalanced dataset, the balanced MSE loss is used to mitigate the negative impact of imbalanced data distribution on gestational age prediction performance. Results: Evaluated on an imbalanced fetal brain MRI dataset of 1327 routine clinical T2‐weighted MRI images from 157 subjects, PDFF‐CNN achieved promising gestational age prediction performance with an overall mean absolute error of 0.848 weeks and an R2$R^2$ of 0.904. Furthermore, the attention activation maps of PDFF‐CNN were derived, which revealed regional features that contributed to gestational age prediction at each gestational stage. Conclusions: These results suggest that the proposed PDFF‐CNN might have broad clinical applicability in guiding treatment interventions and delivery planning, which has the potential to be helpful with prenatal diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 7‐month‐old male French bulldog was referred for abnormal mentation and gait. Physical examination revealed a dome shaped calvarium and persistent bregmatic fontanelle. Neurological examination revealed proprioceptive ataxia, pelvic limb paraparesis and strabismus with moderate ventriculomegaly, thinning of the cerebral parenchyma, and widened cerebral sulci on magnetic resonance imaging. Masses were identified in the region of the thyroid, which appeared heterogeneous and hyperintense in T1‐weighted and T2‐weighted compared with the adjacent muscle signal masses were identified. Radiological diagnosis was hydrocephalus "ex vacuo" and goiter. Blood test revealed abnormally low total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4), and normal thyrotropin concentration. A diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism was confirmed by positive genetic test for thyroid peroxidase mutation. Thyroxine supplementation treatment rapidly improved clinical signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capybara is considered the largest living rodent and is widespread distributed in the South America and in the Brazilian territory. The purpose of this study was to provide the anatomical description of the brain in the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Brains of ten normal capybaras were imaged and sectioned in the anatomical studies. MRI was acquired on 0.25 Tesla equipment, promoting good‐quality images capable to identify and classify the main anatomical structures of clinical interest. MRI reference images were validated by comparing them with gross anatomical sections. The capybara sulci and gyri were named for its similar location and orientation to those described in the previous descriptions in the capybara and in the domestic dog. Capybaras presented prominent cerebral sulcus and gyrus in relation to other caviomorph rodents, but in reduced number when compared to domestic animals and other wild mammals such as elephants and giraffes. The findings of this study indicate that the shape of the capybara brain is remarkably similar to that of the caviomorph rodents with a higher neocortilization. The capybara rhinencephalon was well‐developed implying a good sense of smell. Due to this development of the rhinencephalon, we can suggest that capybara brain is a macrosmatic brain. The MRI and gross anatomical sections of capybara brain may help veterinary researchers and clinicians increase the accuracy of brain MRI scans interpretation in these animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: The article aims to provide genetic counseling to a family with two children who were experiencing growth and developmental delays. Methods: Clinical information of the proband was collected. Peripheral blood was collected from core family members to identify the initial reason for growth and developmental delays by whole exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing. To ascertain the consequences of the newly discovered variants, details of the variants detected were analyzed by bioinformatic tools. Furthermore, we performed in vitro experimentation targeting SNX14 gene expression to confirm whether the variants could alter the expression of SNX14. Results: The proband had prenatal ultrasound findings that included flattened frontal bones, increased interocular distance, widened bilateral cerebral sulci, and shortened long bones, which resulted in subsequent postnatal developmental delays. The older sister also displayed growth developmental delays and poor muscle tone. WES identified compound heterozygous variants of c.712A>T (p.Arg238Ter) and .2744A>T (p.Gln915Leu) in the SNX14 gene in these two children. Both are novel missense variant that originates from the father and mother, respectively. Sanger sequencing confirmed this result. Following the guideline of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the SNX14 c.712A>T (p.Arg238Ter) variant was predicted to be pathogenic (P), while the SNX14 c.2744A>T (p.Gln915Leu) variant was predicted to be a variant of uncertain significance (VUS). The structural analysis revealed that the c.2744A>T (p.Gln915Leu) variant may impact the stability of the SNX14 protein. In vitro experiments demonstrated that both variants reduced SNX14 expression. Conclusion: The SNX14 gene c.712A>T (p.Arg238Ter) and c.2744A>T (p.Gln915Leu) were identified as the genetic causes of growth and developmental delay in two affected children. This conclusion was based on the clinical presentations of the children, structural analysis of the mutant protein, and in vitro experimental validation. This discovery expands the range of SNX14 gene variants and provides a foundation for genetic counseling and guidance for future pregnancies in the affected children's families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cortical neurogenesis follows a simple lineage: apical radial glia cells (RGCs) generate basal progenitors, and these produce neurons. How this occurs in species with expanded germinal zones and a folded cortex, such as human, remains unclear. We used single-cell RNA sequencing from individual cortical germinal zones in ferret and barcoded lineage tracking to determine the molecular diversity of progenitor cells and their lineages. We identified multiple RGC classes that initiate parallel lineages, converging onto a common class of newborn neuron. Parallel RGC classes and transcriptomic trajectories were repeated across germinal zones and conserved in ferret and human, but not in mouse. Neurons followed parallel differentiation trajectories in the gyrus and sulcus, with different expressions of human cortical malformation genes. Progenitor cell lineage multiplicity is conserved in the folded mammalian cerebral cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current models of scene processing in the human brain include three scene-selective areas: the parahippocampal place area (or the temporal place areas), the restrosplenial cortex (or the medial place area), and the transverse occipital sulcus (or the occipital place area). Here, we challenged this model by showing that at least one other scene-selective site can also be detected within the human posterior intraparietal gyrus. Despite the smaller size of this site compared to the other scene-selective areas, the posterior intraparietal gyrus scene-selective (PIGS) site was detected consistently in a large pool of subjects (n = 59; 33 females). The reproducibility of this finding was tested based on multiple criteria, including comparing the results across sessions, utilizing different scanners (3T and 7T) and stimulus sets. Furthermore, we found that this site (but not the other three scene-selective areas) is significantly sensitive to ego-motion in scenes, thus distinguishing the role of PIGS in scene perception relative to other scene-selective areas. These results highlight the importance of including finer scale scene-selective sites in models of scene processing - a crucial step toward a more comprehensive understanding of how scenes are encoded under dynamic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparison to other stroke types, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is characterized by an early age of onset and often results in poor prognosis. The inadequate blood flow at the site of the lesion leads to localized oxygen deprivation, increased level of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and triggers inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, ultimately causing hypoxic brain damage. Despite the potential benefits of oxygen (O 2) administration, there is currently a lack of efficient focal site O 2 delivery following SAH. Conventional clinical O 2 supply methods, such as transnasal oxygenation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, do not show the ideal therapeutic effect in severe SAH patients. The perfluorocarbon oxygen carrier (PFOC) demonstrates efficacy in transporting O 2 and responding to elevated levels of CO 2 at the lesion site. Through cellular experiments, we determined that PFOC oxygenation serves as an effective therapeutic approach in inhibiting hypoxia. Furthermore, our animal experiments showed that PFOC oxygenation outperforms O 2 breathing, leading to microglia phenotypic switching and the suppression of inflammatory response via the inhibition of HIF-1α. Therefore, as a new type of O 2 therapy after SAH, PFOC oxygenation can effectively reduce hypoxic brain injury and improve neurological function. Subarachnoid hemorrhage primarily arises from the rupture of intracranial aneurysms. The rupture of an aneurysm results in a substantial influx of blood into the subarachnoid space, exerting arterial pressure and accumulating within the cerebral sulcus cerebral pool, thereby forming a hematoma that compresses the brain tissue. Consequently, this compression leads to localized tissue hypoxia, which subsequently triggers excitatory neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Considering these circumstances, we propose a novel approach utilizing perfluorocarbons following subarachnoid hemorrhage, enhancing oxygenation at the site of the lesion in comparison to conventional O 2 breathing. Perfluorocarbon oxygen carrier oxygenation has been found to have a downregulating effect on HIF-1α, leading to a decrease in the population of M1-type microglia and an increase in the population of M2-type microglia. Additionally, this oxygenation process inhibits inflammatory responses and oxidative stress following subarachnoid hemorrhage, ultimately resulting in an improvement in neurological function. [Display omitted] • HIF-1α mediates hypoxic brain injury after SAH. • We developed a method of supplying oxygen that can be administered intravenously. • Perfluorocarbon oxygen carrier ameliorates hypoxic brain injury by inhibiting HIF-1α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying structure–function correspondences is a major goal among biologists, cognitive neuroscientists, and brain mappers. Recent studies have identified relationships between performance on cognitive tasks and the presence or absence of small, shallow indentations, or sulci, of the human brain. Building on the previous finding that the presence of the ventral para-intermediate frontal sulcus (pimfs-v) in the left anterior lateral prefrontal cortex (aLPFC) was related to reasoning task performance in children and adolescents, we tested whether this relationship extended to a different sample, age group, and reasoning task. As predicted, the presence of this aLPFC sulcus was also associated with higher reasoning scores in young adults (ages 22–36). These findings have not only direct developmental, but also evolutionary relevance—as recent work shows that the pimfs-v is exceedingly rare in chimpanzees. Thus, the pimfs-v is a key developmental, cognitive, and evolutionarily relevant feature that should be considered in future studies examining how the complex relationships among multiscale anatomical and functional features of the brain give rise to abstract thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypovitaminosis A negatively impacts the health of ruminants feeding on low‐fresh forage diets for long periods of time. Although this disease is characterised by different clinical presentations, its congenital form is underreported. Here, we describe an outbreak of vitamin A deficiency that affected 30% of calves born in a dairy heifer herd. At birth, the affected animals showed weakness, ataxia, mydriasis, bluish coloration of the tapetum lacidum and blindness as the main clinical signs. The gross pathological findings at postmortem examination revealed cerebellar herniation, flattened gyri and narrowed sulci of the cerebral cortex in an affected calf. Histopathology showed squamous metaplasia of the efferent ducts in the parotid gland and hyperkeratosis of the ruminal mucosa. In addition, the plasma levels of vitamin A in the heifers and calves were below the reference values. These results confirmed the first reported case of congenital hypovitaminosis A in cattle in Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Buffalo farming has become economically important in Brazil given the highly rustic nature of the species and the better nutritional characteristics of buffalo meat and milk. However, the sector has been impacted by the occurrence of different diseases in buffaloes that have been poorly described in the international literature to date. This study reports and describes the clinically observed neurological signs and the macroscopic and microscopic lesions of bacterial meningitis in adult buffaloes raised in the Amazon biome. These lesions are associated with fractures of the base of the horn and exposure of the frontal sinus. Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the central nervous system and is poorly described in water buffaloes. Five cases of meningitis in adults buffaloes of the Murrah and Mediterranean breads were studied. All buffaloes came from a farm located in the municipality of Castanhal, Pará, Brazil at different times. Clinical examination showed neurological clinical signs, such as apathy, reluctance to move, spastic paresis especially of the pelvic limbs, hypermetria, difficulty getting up, pressing of the head into obstacles and convulsion. In three buffaloes, a large part of the horn had been lost, exposing the corresponding frontal sinus, through which a bloody to purulent exudate flowed. The hemogram revealed neutrophilic leukocytosis. At necropsy, adherence of the dura mater to the periosteum and a purulent to fibrinopurulent exudate were observed in the sulci of the cerebral cortex and on the pia mater over almost the entire surface of the brain and throughout the spinal cord. The cerebrospinal fluid had a cloudy aspect with fibrin filaments. The histopathology of buffaloes confirmed the diagnosis of bacterial fibrinopurulent meningitis. Buffaloes are susceptible to bacterial inflammation of the meninges due to fractures of the base of the horn and mostly present with neurological manifestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaeoneurology is a complex field as the object of study, the brain, does not fossilize. Studies rely therefore on the (brain) endocranial cast (often named endocast), the only available and reliable proxy for brain shape, size and details of surface. However, researchers debate whether or not specific marks found on endocasts correspond reliably to particular sulci and/or gyri of the brain that were imprinted in the braincase. The aim of this study is to measure the accuracy of sulcal identification through an experiment that reproduces the conditions that palaeoneurologists face when working with hominin endocasts. We asked 14 experts to manually identify well‐known foldings in a proxy endocast that was obtained from an MRI of an actual in vivo Homo sapiens head. We observe clear differences in the results when comparing the non‐corrected labels (the original labels proposed by each expert) with the corrected labels. This result illustrates that trying to reconstruct a sulcus following the very general known shape/position in the literature or from a mean specimen may induce a bias when looking at an endocast and trying to follow the marks observed there. We also observe that the identification of sulci appears to be better in the lower part of the endocast compared to the upper part. The results concerning specific anatomical traits have implications for highly debated topics in palaeoanthropology. Endocranial description of fossil specimens should in the future consider the variation in position and shape of sulci in addition to using models of mean brain shape. Moreover, it is clear from this study that researchers can perceive sulcal imprints with reasonably high accuracy, but their correct identification and labelling remains a challenge, particularly when dealing with extinct species for which we lack direct knowledge of the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutis verticis gyrata (CVG) is a cutaneous benign condition that usually presents symmetric or asymmetric convoluted folds and deep furrows in the scalp, which mimic the disposition of the cerebral sulci and gyri. This scalp deformation may be a worrying situation for the patients and their families. Clinically, its diagnosis may be challenging because it can mimic other cutaneous conditions. So far, the ultrasonographic pattern of CVG has not been reported. Thus, we aim to review the ultrasound findings of this entity. All patients (n = 14) presented zones with dermal and hypodermal thickening that corresponded with the elevated clinical zones, followed by folds with normal cutaneous thicknesses. There was undulation of the cutaneous layers in all cases. The scalp areas involved the frontal, parietal, and occipital regions bilaterally. The mean maximum dermal and hypodermal thicknesses and echogenicities and the color Doppler characteristics are provided. No significant dilation of the hair follicles was detected. In conclusion, CVG presents an ultrasonographic pattern that can support its diagnosis and follow‐up. This can help its differential diagnosis with other scalp dermatologic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are sometimes associated with immune-related adverse events during or after treatment. Among these, aseptic meningitis is a rare and serious complication. We report the first case of atezolizumab-induced aseptic meningitis, which occurred during treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Case Presentation: A 74-year-old woman diagnosed with advanced HCC and treated with first-line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab developed anorexia, fatigue, and fever, after three treatment cycles. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed slightly increased cell count and protein level but no infection or malignancy. Contrast enhancement along the cerebral sulcus was evident in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and the patient was diagnosed with aseptic meningitis associated with atezolizumab. Steroid therapy soon improved her clinical symptoms, and the contrast enhancement along the cerebral sulcus disappeared. Conclusion: Clinicians should monitor to avoid serious immune-related adverse events, such as aseptic meningitis, in patients during treatment of HCC with immune checkpoint inhibitors and make the diagnosis as soon as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few scientific reports on the histology of the phallus of ratite birds. The aim of this study was to conduct a histochemical analysis to determine the distribution of smooth muscle cells and the volumetric density (Vv) of the fibres of the elastic system in the ostrich phallus. Adult ostriches, 14 months old, were used. The phalluses were fixed in Bouin's solution and then transferred to a buffered formalin solution. They were then processed using standard histological stains for paraffin and slices were obtained. The following techniques were performed: HE, Picrosirius red, Alcian Blue at pH 1.0 and 2.5. The Periodic acid‐Schiff reagent and Weigert's Resorcin‐Fuchsin with previous oxidation were performed. The M42 test system was used to quantify the elastic system fibres. For immunohistochemical analysis, an anti alpha smooth muscle actin monoclonal antibody was used. The surface of the phallus is covered by a non‐keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, which becomes stratified cylindrical in the region of the spermatic sulcus. No glands associated with the connective tissue were observed. The Vv of the elastic system fibres was 4.75%. Smooth muscle cells were visualized only in the walls of blood vessels through immunostaining, with an absence in the lymphatic sinuses. Despite similarities with other birds, such as the presence of a fibrous external axis, a lymphatic core, and a spermatic groove, the ostrich phallus shows marked differences, including the absence of an elastic core, a non‐keratinized lining epithelium, and the absence of glands throughout its extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossils referable to the gorgonopsian Gorgonops sp. and to the dicynodont Endothiodon sp. are described from the Permian Madumabisa Mudstone Formation of the Mid-Zambezi Basin of southern Zambia. Specimens of the former taxon conform to recent diagnoses of the genus (e.g., five postcanine teeth, transverse flange of the pterygoid backswept, postorbital bar rugose and moderately expanded), but differ slightly from South African material in some respects (e.g., reduced dentition on the transverse flange of the pterygoid). Fossils of the latter are less complete, but show diagnostic features such as a dentary with numerous teeth, a ventral boss, and a shallow posterior dentary sulcus, oval palatine pads, and a narrow intertemporal region of the skull, although a species-level identification is not currently possible. Although the relevant fossils were never described, a vertebrate fossil assemblage including Endothiodon was previously reported from the Madumabisa Mudstone Formation in northern Zimbabwe (i.e., K5d), suggesting that this biozone was relatively broadly distributed across the Mid-Zambezi Basin. The Mid-Zambezi Basin of southern Zambia was previously demonstrated to host Guadalupian Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone-equivalent strata, with rhinesuchids, burnetiamorphs, tapinocephalids, and dicynodonts recognized. The recognition of Lopingian Endothiodon Assemblage Zone-age rocks expands the stratigraphic range of vertebrate-bearing horizons in southern Zambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are currently five different kinds of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) motor mapping algorithms available, from ordinary point-based algorithms to advanced field-based algorithms. However, there have been only a limited number of comparison studies conducted, and they have not yet examined all of the currently available algorithms. This deficiency impedes the judicious selection of algorithms for application in both clinical and basic neuroscience, and hinders the potential promotion of a potential superior algorithm. Considering the influence of algorithm complexity, further investigation is needed to examine the differences between fMRI peaks and TMS cortical hotspots that were identified previously. Methods: Twelve healthy participants underwent TMS motor mapping and a finger-tapping task during fMRI. The motor cortex TMS mapping results were estimated by five algorithms, and fMRI activation results were obtained. For each algorithm, the prediction error was defined as the distance between the measured scalp hotspot and optimized coil position, which was determined by the maximum electric field strength in the estimated motor cortex. Additionally, the study identified the minimum number of stimuli required for stable mapping. Finally, the location difference between the TMS mapping cortical hotspot and the fMRI activation peak was analyzed. Results: The projection yielded the lowest prediction error (5.27 ± 4.24 mm) among the point-based algorithms and the association algorithm yielded the lowest (6.66 ± 3.48 mm) among field-based estimation algorithms. The projection algorithm required fewer stimuli, possibly resulting from its suitability for the grid-based mapping data collection method. The TMS cortical hotspots from all algorithms consistently deviated from the fMRI activation peak (20.52 ± 8.46 mm for five algorithms). Conclusion: The association algorithm might be a superior choice for clinical applications and basic neuroscience research, due to its lower prediction error and higher estimation sensitivity in the deep cortical structure, especially for the sulcus. It also has potential applicability in various other TMS domains, including language area mapping and more. Otherwise, our results provide further evidence that TMS motor mapping intrinsically differs from fMRI motor mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes has an effect on brain structure, including cortical gyrification. The significance of these changes is better understood if assessed over time. However, there is a lack of studies assessing longitudinally the effect of this disease with complex aethology in gyrification. While changes in this feature have been associated mainly with genetic legacy, our study allowed to shed light on the effect of the variation of glycaemic profile over time in gyrification in this metabolic disease. In this longitudinal study, we analysed brain anatomical magnetic resonance images of 15 participants with type 2 diabetes and 13 healthy control participants to investigate the impact of this metabolic disease on the gyrification index over a 7‐year period. We observed a significant interaction between time and group in six regions, four of which (left precentral gyrus, left gyrus rectus, left subcentral gyrus and sulci and right inferior temporal gyrus) showed an increase in gyrification in type 2 diabetes and a decrease in the control group and the two others (left pericallosal sulcus and right inferior frontal sulcus) the opposite pattern. The variation of the gyrification was correlated with the variation of the glycaemic profile. Following the interaction, the simple main effect of time in each group separately has shown that in the group with diabetes, there were more regions susceptible to alterations of gyrification. In sum, our results raise credit for the possibility that glycaemic control also might influence gyrification in type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative autosomal dominant disorder of the central nervous system. It is characterised by involuntary choreiform movements with behavioural, psychiatric and cognitive disturbances progressing to dementia. This case study describes a 49-year-old female patient with acute psychosis, choreiform movements and a history of depression and anxiety symptoms lasting two years, who was hospitalised at the psychiatry clinic. The treatment included oral risperidone and intramuscular diazepam, resulting in the quick disappearance of choreiform movements. The absence of neurological changes during examination complicated the diagnosis. Laboratory tests showed no abnormalities, but a brain computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a small hypodense lesion in the right nucleus lentiform area. Further investigation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated a frontal horn to cranial caudate ratio (FH)/CC) of approximately 1,95, suggestive of Huntington’s disease. Additionally, dilatation of ventricles, brain sulci, and basal cisterns was observed. Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of HD with 45 CAG repeats in the HTT gene. This case underscores the challenges in diagnosing a rare neurodegenerative disease that initially presented with psychiatric symptoms and was complicated by antipsychotic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative condition, in which the only known cause is exposure to repeated episodes of blunt head trauma. It most often occurs in professional and amateur athletes who have had frequent and repetitive cranial impacts during contact sports, but may also be found in victims of domestic violence, military personnel exposed to explosive devices and in individuals with severe epilepsy. The pathognomonic pathological findings are of neurofibrillary tangles and pretangles in the depths of the cerebral sulci caused by perivascular accumulation of phosphorylated Tau (pTau). Cases may be high profile requiring an evaluation of whether the neuropathological findings of CTE can be related to injuries previously sustained on the sporting field. Failure to examine the brain or to adequately sample appropriate areas at autopsy may lead to cases being overlooked and to an underestimation of the incidence of this condition in the community. Performing immunohistochemical staining for pTau in three areas from the neocortex has been found to be a useful screening tool for CTE. Ascertaining whether there is a history of head trauma, including exposure to contact sports, as a standard part of forensic clinical history protocols will help identify at-risk individuals so that Coronial consideration of the need for brain examination can be appropriately informed. Repetitive head trauma, particularly from contact sport, is being increasingly recognized as a cause of significant preventable neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propalaehoplophorus is an Early Miocene genus of glyptodonts, a group of extinct armored mammals closely related to armadillos and endemic to South America. Here, we present the first digital reconstruction of the endocranial cavity of the glyptodont Propalaehoplophorus australis and compare it to endocasts of Late Miocene and Pleistocene glyptodonts, pampatheres, and extant armadillos. Propalaehoplophorus australis shares exclusively with other glyptodonts the neocortical sulcation pattern and cranial nerve (CN) V3 pathway. It also shares with both other glyptodonts and pampatheres the rhinal fissure trajectory, small piriform lobe, marked dorsal expansion of neocortical fronto-parietal region, conspicuous thickness of superior longitudinal sinus, and presence of a well-marked lateral sulcus and medial shape of petrosal bone; this last trait is also observable in Chlamyphorus. The olfactory bulbs of Pr. australis, Holmesina, and Pampatherium are anteriorly elongated and partially laterally divergent as in the glyptodont Pseudoplohophorus absolutus. Other features, like the globular proximal shape of olfactory peduncles, topological arrangement of CNs IX-XII, differentiated petrosal lobule of paraflocculus, and orientation of spinal cord are shared among Pr. australis, Ps. absolutus, pampatheres, and extant armadillos. The similarities between Pr. australis, remaining glyptodonts, and pampatheres could be synapomorphies of pampatheres + glyptodonts. By contrast, Pr. australis, pampatheres, and all the analyzed armadillos share the same configuration of the pathway of CNs IX-XII, a feature that could support the basal position of Pr. australis among glyptodonts for which cranial remains are known. In this context, the brain cavity seems to be a promising source of information for revealing the evolutionary history of this mammalian clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) is an evolutionarily expanded region in humans that is critical for numerous complex functions, many of which are largely hominoid specific. Although recent work shows that the presence or absence of specific sulci in anterior LPFC is associated with cognitive performance across age groups, it is unknown whether the presence of these structures relates to individual differences in the functional organization of LPFC. To fill this gap in knowledge, we leveraged multimodal neuroimaging data from two samples encompassing 82 young adult humans (aged 22–36 years) and show that the dorsal and ventral components of the paraintermediate frontal sulcus, or pimfs, present distinct morphological (surface area), architectural (thickness and myelination), and functional (resting-state connectivity networks) properties. We further contextualize the pimfs components within classic and modern cortical parcellations. Taken together, the dorsal and ventral pimfs components mark transitions in LPFC anatomy and function, across metrics and parcellations. These results emphasize that the pimfs is a critical structure to consider when examining individual differences in the anatomical and functional organization of LPFC and suggest that future individual-level parcellations could benefit from incorporating sulcal anatomy when delineating LPFC cortical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an established and effective neurosurgical treatment for relieving motor symptoms in Parkinson disease. The localization of key brain structures is critical to the success of DBS surgery. However, in clinical practice, this process is heavily dependent on the radiologist's experience. In this study, we propose an automatic localization method of key structures for STN-DBS surgery via prior-enhanced multi-object magnetic resonance imaging segmentation. We use the U-Net architecture for the multi-object segmentation, including STN, red nucleus, brain sulci, gyri, and ventricles. To address the challenge that only half of the brain sulci and gyri locate in the upper area, potentially causing interference in the lower area, we perform region of interest detection and ensemble joint processing to enhance the segmentation performance of brain sulci and gyri. We evaluate the segmentation accuracy by comparing our method with other state-of-the-art machine learning segmentation methods. The experimental results show that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of segmentation performance. Moreover, our method provides effective visualization of key brain structures from a clinical application perspective and can reduce the segmentation time compared with manual delineation. Our proposed method uses deep learning to achieve accurate segmentation of the key structures more quickly than and with comparable accuracy to human manual segmentation. Our method has the potential to improve the efficiency of surgical planning for STN-DBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urocordylids represent a group of the late Carboniferous–early Permian basal tetrapods, with short limbs, extremely elongated bodies and a deep and distinctive tail and vertebral architecture, which is indicative of an aquatic habitat. However, the important morphological structures that would indicate their ecological preferences unambiguously (e.g. hyobranchial apparatus, lateral line sulci) remain unknown. Moreover, the high degree of skeletal ossification present in urocordylids contrasts with the common pattern seen in most other basal tetrapods known to inhabit aquatic environments. Here, we describe an exceptionally well-preserved skull, with an associated mandible and a partial postcranial skeleton, of Sauropleura scalaris from the locality of Nýřany, Czech Republic, based on high-resolution micro-computed tomography. The labial surface of the mandible shows the first evidence of the lateral line system in Urocordylidae, which consists of both small pits and elongated grooves, and unambiguously supports the aquatic ecology of the group. The juvenile stage of the specimen provides new information on ontogeny of sauropleurines. The partly ossified opisthotic bone indicates that, unlike development in most other early tetrapods, the otic capsules were among the first neurocranial elements to ossify in nectrideans. Finally, an almost complete caudal region suggests that tails were much longer in sauropleurines than previously assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we studied individual features of the macroscopic structure of Broca's area of the brains in 9 women (18 hemispheres) aged from 20 to 30 years, without any mental or neurological disorders. By using MRI, the structures of the sulci and gyri of the pars triangularis and pars opercularis of Broca's area were studied: the anterior and ascending rami of the lateral sulcus, the radial, diagonal, precentral, inferior frontal, and lateral sulci. We also studied the relationship between the pars triangularis and pars opercularis as well as their relationships with neighboring cortical structures. We measured the volume of the pars triangularis and pars opercularis and the thickness of their cortex. Significant individual variability in the location and relationships between the anterior ramus of the lateral sulcus and the ascending ramus of the lateral sulcus, as well as structural features of the pars triangularis and pars opercularis of Broca's area were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human cerebral cortex is highly convoluted forming patterns of gyri separated by sulci. The cerebral sulci and gyri are fundamental in cortical anatomy as well as neuroimage processing and analysis. Narrow and deep cerebral sulci are not fully discernible either on the cortical or white matter surface. To cope with this limitation, I propose a new sulci presentation method that employs the inner cortical surface for sulci examination from the inside of the cerebrum. The method has four steps, construct the cortical surface, segment and label the sulci, dissect (open) the cortical surface, and explore the fully exposed sulci from the inside. The inside sulcal maps are created for the left and right lateral, left and right medial, and basal hemispheric surfaces with the sulci parcellated by color and labeled. These three‐dimensional sulcal maps presented here are probably the first of this kind created. The proposed method demonstrates the full course and depths of sulci, including narrow, deep, and/or convoluted sulci, which has an educational value and facilitates their quantification. In particular, it provides a straightforward identification of sulcal pits which are valuable markers in studying neurologic disorders. It enhances the visibility of sulci variations by exposing branches, segments, and inter‐sulcal continuity. The inside view also clearly demonstrates the sulcal wall skewness along with its variability and enables its assessment. Lastly, this method exposes the sulcal 3‐hinges introduced here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aims: Early diagnosis of Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis with non-invasive imaging modalities benefiting is crucial to guarantee prompt treatments decision-making and good prognosis for patients. The present study aimed to explore the correlation of MRI features with brain metabolism characteristics of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) and to describe the metabolic patterns in Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis at acute and subacute phases. Twenty-four patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis confirmed by serum and/or CSF tests at acute and subacute phases, 9 females and 15 males, with an age range of 6–80 years, were enrolled in this retrospective study as encephalitis group. 18F-FDG PET and MRI findings of all patients were investigated and interpreted with visual analysis. Chi-square test was performed to compare the diagnostic sensitivity between MRI and PET. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) of each ROI between the encephalitis group and control group, which consisted of 24 healthy volunteers of the same age and gender. Results: There was no statistical difference in the diagnostic sensitivity between FDG PET (23/24, 95.83%) and MRI (18/24, 75.00%) in anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients (P > 0.05). Three categories of abnormalities shown on T2 FLAIR, including shallow of sulci and swelling of brain tissue, increased signal in the sulci, increased signal on brain gray matter or adjacent white matter presented hypermetabolism on PET, excepting increased signal in brain linear structure with hypometabolism of the basal ganglia on PET. We identified 19 brain regions with hypermetabolism and 16 brain regions with hypometabolism that exhibited statistically significant changes in SUVRs between anti-NMDAR encephalitis group and control group (FDR P < 0.05). Conclusion: Anteroposterior glucose metabolism gradient (frontal-temporal/parietal-occipital) is proved to be a typical pattern of anti-NMDAR encephalitis at the acute and subacute phases in both visual and statistical testing. Interestingly, the pattern is also commonly found in the anterior and posterior portions of the parietal lobe and cingular cortex, which may be a potential indicator for the diagnosis of this disorder. In addition, MRI is an important and reliable neuroimaging modality to assist in the correct evaluation of activity changes on individual 18F-FDG PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The important mechanical parameters and their hierarchy in the growth and folding of the human brain have not been thoroughly understood. In this study, we developed a multiscale mechanical model to investigate how the interplay between initial geometrical undulations, differential tangential growth in the cortical plate, and axonal connectivity form and regulate the folding patterns of the human brain in a hierarchical order. To do so, different growth scenarios with bilayer spherical models that features initial undulations on the cortex and uniform or heterogeneous distribution of axonal fibers in the white matter were developed, statistically analyzed, and validated by the imaging observations. The results showed that the differential tangential growth is the inducer of cortical folding, and in a hierarchal order, high-amplitude initial undulations on the surface and axonal fibers in the substrate regulate the folding patterns and determine the location of gyri and sulci. The locations with dense axonal fibers after folding settle in gyri rather than sulci. The statistical results also indicated that there is a strong correlation between the location of positive (outward) and negative (inward) initial undulations and the locations of gyri and sulci after folding, respectively. In addition, the locations of 3-hinge gyral folds are strongly correlated with the initial positive undulations and locations of dense axonal fibers. As another finding, it was revealed that there is a correlation between the density of axonal fibers and local gyrification index, which has been observed in imaging studies but not yet fundamentally explained. This study is the first step in understanding the linkage between abnormal gyrification (surface morphology) and disruption in connectivity that has been observed in some brain disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Moreover, the findings of the study directly contribute to the concept of the regularity and variability of folding patterns in individual human brains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We regularly infer other people's thoughts and feelings from observing their actions, but how this ability contributes to successful social behavior and interactions remains unknown. We show that neural activation patterns during social inferences obtained in the laboratory predict the number of social contacts in the real world, as measured by the social network index, in three neurotypical samples (total n = 126) and one sample of autistic adults (n = 23). We also show that brain patterns during social inference generalize across individuals in these groups. Cross-validated associations between brain activations and social inference localize selectively to the right posterior superior temporal sulcus and were specific for social, but not nonsocial, inference. Activation within this same brain region also predicts autism-like trait scores from questionnaires and autism symptom severity. Thus, neural activations produced while thinking about other people's mental states predict variance in multiple indices of social functioning in the real world. How our ability to infer the cognitive and emotional states of other people manifests in both neural activity and real-world social behavior is not fully understood. Here, the authors show neural activation patterns in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus during a social inference task predict the number of social contacts in both neurotypical and autism groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a response to a comment made by Willbrand et al. on the author's work on human cerebral sulci. The author's work consists of a novel method for presenting sulci from inside the cerebrum and an illustration of this method using a 3D brain atlas. The author acknowledges the limitations of using a single brain specimen for the cortical model but argues that it still has value and has been validated and recognized by medical and innovation societies. The cortical model has been incorporated into commercial brain atlas products and has received positive reviews from top clinicians and educators. The author concludes by expressing openness to the development of a better cerebral model. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the limitations of current brain atlases and neuroimaging tools in accurately representing the individual differences and missing sulci (folds) in the human cerebral cortex. The author highlights a methodology proposed by Nowinski that utilizes the inner cortical surface to visualize sulci in three dimensions, allowing for improved visualization of sulcal relationships. However, the article points out that this method overlooks individual differences in cortical folds, is missing certain sulci, and only includes one sulcal nomenclature. The article emphasizes the importance of addressing these limitations for accurate research and education in neuroanatomy and neurosurgery. [Extracted from the article]

Thyroid hormone deficiency can lead to abnormal auditory development of varying severity. Retardation of morphological development, including delays in degeneration of Kölliker's organ and subsequent delayed formation of the inner sulcus, along with delayed opening of the tunnel of Corti and malformation of the tectorial membrane, was consistently observed in an antithyroid drug-induced congenital hypothyroidism rodent model. Abnormal morphological development could partly explain impaired adult auditory function. However, whether the development of inner hair cell ribbon synapses is influenced by hypothyroidism remains unclear. In the present study, we characterize the normal degeneration pattern of Kölliker's organ along the basal-to-apical axis. Then, we verified the retardation of morphological development in congenital hypothyroid mice. Using this model, we found that twisted collagen is present in the major tectorial membrane and delayed separation from supporting cells affects the minor tectorial membrane. Finally, we found that the number of synaptic ribbons was not significantly altered but the ribbon synapse maturation process was significantly impaired in congenital hypothyroid mice. We conclude that thyroid hormone is involved in structural development of the tectorial membrane and the ribbon synapse maturation process. • Kölliker's organ began to degenerate between P4 and P5 at the basal turn and between P6 and P7 at the apical turn. • Despite delays, Kölliker's organ followed the typical basal-to-apical axis of degeneration in hypothyroid mice. • Impaired maturation of the tectorial membrane and ribbon synapse was observed in congenital hypothyroid mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 17 years, there has been a remarkable increase in scientific research concerning chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Since the publication of NINDS–NIBIB criteria for the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE in 2016, and diagnostic refinements in 2021, hundreds of contact sport athletes and others have been diagnosed at postmortem examination with CTE. CTE has been reported in amateur and professional athletes, including a bull rider, boxers, wrestlers, and American, Canadian, and Australian rules football, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, and ice hockey players. The pathology of CTE is unique, characterized by a pathognomonic lesion consisting of a perivascular accumulation of neuronal phosphorylated tau (p-tau) variably alongside astrocytic aggregates at the depths of the cortical sulci, and a distinctive molecular structural configuration of p-tau fibrils that is unlike the changes observed with aging, Alzheimer's disease, or any other tauopathy. Computational 3-D and finite element models predict the perivascular and sulcal location of p-tau pathology as these brain regions undergo the greatest mechanical deformation during head impact injury. Presently, CTE can be definitively diagnosed only by postmortem neuropathological examination; the corresponding clinical condition is known as traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). Over 97% of CTE cases published have been reported in individuals with known exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI), including concussions and nonconcussive impacts, most often experienced through participation in contact sports. While some suggest there is uncertainty whether a causal relationship exists between RHI and CTE, the preponderance of the evidence suggests a high likelihood of a causal relationship, a conclusion that is strengthened by the absence of any evidence for plausible alternative hypotheses. There is a robust dose–response relationship between CTE and years of American football play, a relationship that remains consistent even when rigorously accounting for selection bias. Furthermore, a recent study suggests that selection bias underestimates the observed risk. Here, we present the advances in the neuropathological diagnosis of CTE culminating with the development of the NINDS–NIBIB criteria, the multiple international studies that have used these criteria to report CTE in hundreds of contact sports players and others, and the evidence for a robust dose–response relationship between RHI and CTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cerebellum is ontogenetically one of the first structures to develop in the central nervous system; nevertheless, it has been only recently reconsidered for its significant neurobiological, functional, and clinical relevance in humans. Thus, it has been a relatively under-studied compared to the cerebrum. Currently, non-invasive imaging modalities can barely reach the necessary resolution to unfold its entire, convoluted surface, while only histological analyses can reveal local information at the micrometer scale. Herein, we used the BigBrain dataset to generate area and point-wise thickness measurements for all layers of the cerebellar cortex and for each lobule in particular. We found that the overall surface area of the cerebellar granular layer (including Purkinje cells) was 1,732 cm2 and the molecular layer was 1,945 cm2. The average thickness of the granular layer is 0.88 mm (± 0.83) and that of the molecular layer is 0.32 mm (± 0.08). The cerebellum (both granular and molecular layers) is thicker at the depth of the sulci and thinner at the crowns of the gyri. Globally, the granular layer is thicker in the lateral-posterior-inferior region than the medial-superior regions. The characterization of individual layers in the cerebellum achieved herein represents a stepping-stone for investigations interrelating structural and functional connectivity with cerebellar architectonics using neuroimaging, which is a matter of considerable relevance in basic and clinical neuroscience. Furthermore, these data provide templates for the construction of cerebellar topographic maps and the precise localization of structural and functional alterations in diseases affecting the cerebellum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Assess developmental pattern of Sylvian fissures (SF) with Three-Dimensional Crystal Vue Imaging (3D-CVI) at 20–32+6 weeks of gestation. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Assess 20–32+6 weeks' gestation normal development of fetal brain SF with 3D-CVI imaging. Measure the uncovered area and perimeter of the insula on the Three-Dimensional (3D) image and establish reference ranges for the uncovered area and perimeters of the insula during normal pregnancy 20–32+6 weeks' gestation. Examine intra- and interobserver repeatability of measurements of the uncovered area and perimeter of the insula. Results: A total of 286 normal fetuses from 20 to 32+6 weeks of gestation were studied. The SF first was trapezoidal in the 25 weeks of gestation, gradually becoming triangular as gestational age (GA) increased, and then closing from posterior up to anterior down. The uncovered area and dimension of the insula showed a parabolic curve that first increased and then decreased as GA and head circumference (HC) increased. Reference ranges for measurements of the uncovered area and perimeters of the insula during normal pregnancy 20–32+6 weeks' gestation were established. The intra- and interobserver agreements were reproducible (all ICC > 0.850); there were more than 95% dots in the Bland-Altman plots (95 limits of agreement (LOA)) scale in every figure. Conclusions: 3D-CVI can be used to observe the morphological changes of SF during middle and late pregnancy, which is an intuitive supplementary means for prenatal evaluation of cerebral cortex development, guiding subsequent follow-up and referral for assessment by expert neurosonologists. Key Points: • A new imaging technique was found to visualize the SF of fetal brain surface. • This technique has the advantages of good consistency and repeatability, simple operation, short time-consuming, and low cost. • Its 3D visualization images can be used to the development and changes of the sulci on the brain surface, it provides a new method to evaluate the development of cerebral cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Mapping the topology of the visual system is critical for understanding how complex cognitive processes like reading can occur. We aim to describe the connectivity of the visual system to understand how the cerebrum accesses visual information in the lateral occipital lobe. Methods: Using meta‐analytic software focused on task‐based functional MRI studies, an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) of the visual network was created. Regions of interest corresponding to the cortical parcellation scheme previously published under the Human Connectome Project were co‐registered onto the ALE to identify the hub‐like regions of the visual network. Diffusion Spectrum Imaging‐based fiber tractography was performed to determine the structural connectivity of these regions with extraoccipital cortices. Results: The fundus of the superior temporal sulcus (FST) and parietal area H (PH) were identified as hub‐like regions for the visual network. FST and PH demonstrated several areas of coactivation beyond the occipital lobe and visual network. Furthermore, these parcellations were highly interconnected with other cortical regions throughout extraoccipital cortices related to their nonvisual functional roles. A cortical model demonstrating connections to these hub‐like areas was created. Conclusions: FST and PH are two hub‐like areas that demonstrate extensive functional coactivation and structural connections to nonvisual cerebrum. Their structural interconnectedness with language cortices along with the abnormal activation of areas commonly located in the temporo‐occipital region in dyslexic individuals suggests possible important roles of FST and PH in the integration of information related to language and reading. Future studies should refine our model by examining the functional roles of these hub areas and their clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to observe the diagnostic value of cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with vascular dementia induced by ischemic stroke. Methods: The experiment was designed according to the randomized control principle. Two hundred and eighty patients with ischemic stroke who were admitted to Gucheng County Hospital between June 2019 and June 2021 were selected as research subjects. Patients without vascular dementia after stroke were included in the control group, and patients with vascular dementia after stroke were included in the observation group. The cranial MRI was performed in both groups. Results: Proportions of patients with large and moderate infarct lesions in brain tissues were significantly higher in the observation group than the control group. The data variation of relevant MRI detection indicators of the observation group was more obvious than that of the control group (P<0.05). The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05), but the HIS score was higher (P>0.05). Patients with changes in brain morphology were more in the observation group than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with vascular dementia induced by ischemic stroke are characterized by cortical atrophy, widening of the cerebral sulcus, large infarct lesion area and sparse cerebral white matter. Cranial MRI can effectively identify these features. The application of cranial MRI has some clinical values for early treatment and prognostic assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major increase in cetacean brain size happened in the middle Miocene, about 15 million years ago, and involved the modern oceanic dolphin lineage Delphinoidea. In this paper, we describe a new specimen of an archaic dolphin, aff. Prosqualodon davidis, from the Gee Greensand, near Oamaru, New Zealand. The specimen is from the early Miocene, approximately 23–19–18 Ma, and includes an incomplete cranium, endocast, teeth, and some postcranial elements. Comparison of the median sulcus among previously reported endocasts and brains of the Cetacea suggests that the cerebrum was expanded incipiently in the Odontoceti from the early Miocene in the Eurhinodelphinidae + Delphinoidea lineage. Conversely, the olfactory fossa has been reduced in Odontoceti, and completely lost in at least two clades (Delphinoidea and Platanista gangetica), because olfaction was most likely no longer an essential sense for animals spending their life in water. Reduction and loss of the olfactory fossa saved energy, which may be related to the expansion of the cerebrum and cortex in an Odontoceti lineage that led to modern oceanic dolphins. The early Miocene appears to have been a transitional period for archaic and modern-type odontocetes, which were possibly and partly separated by these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neocortex is the evolutionarily newest region in the brain, and is a structure with diversified size and morphology among mammalian species. Humans have the biggest neocortex compared to the body size, and their neocortex has many foldings, that is, gyri and sulci. Despite the recent methodological advances in in vitro models such as cerebral organoids, mice have been continuously used as a model system for studying human neocortical development because of the accessibility and practicality of in vivo gene manipulation. The commonly studied neocortical region, the lateral neocortex, generally recapitulates the developmental process of the human neocortex, however, there are several important factors missing in the lateral neocortex. First, basal (outer) radial glia (bRG), which are the main cell type providing the radial scaffold to the migrating neurons in the fetal human neocortex, are very few in the mouse lateral neocortex, thus the radial glial scaffold is different from the fetal human neocortex. Second, as a consequence of the difference in the radial glial scaffold, migrating neurons might exhibit different migratory behavior and thus distribution. To overcome those problems, we propose the mouse medial neocortex, where we have earlier revealed an abundance of bRG similar to the fetal human neocortex, as an alternative model system. We found that similar to the fetal human neocortex, the radial glial scaffold, neuronal migration and neuronal distribution are tangentially scattered in the mouse medial neocortex. Taken together, the embryonic mouse medial neocortex could be a suitable and accessible in vivo model system to study human neocortical development and its pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several theories have tried to elucidate the mechanisms behind the pathophysiology of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). However, this process is complex and remains mostly unknown. In this study we performed a retrospective randomised analysis comparing the cortical atrophy of 190 patients with unilateral CSDH, with 190 healthy controls. To evaluate the extent of cortical atrophy, CT scan images were utilised to develop an index that is the ratio of the maximum diameter sum of 3 cisterns divided by the maximum diameter of the skull at the temporal lobe level. Also, we reported, for the first time, the ultrastructural analyses of the CSDH using a combination of immunohistochemistry methods and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Internal validation was performed to confirm the assessment of the different degrees of cortical atrophy. Relative Cortical Atrophy Index (RCA index) refers to the sum of the maximum diameter of three cisterns (insular cistern, longitudinal cerebral fissure and cerebral sulci greatest) with the temporal bones' greatest internal distance. This index, strongly related to age in healthy controls, is positively correlated to the preoperative and post-operative maximum diameter of hematoma and the midline shift in CSDH patients. On the contrary, it negatively correlates to the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC) showed that RCA index effectively differentiated cases from controls. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the newly formed CD-31 positive microvessels are higher in number than the CD34-positive microvessels in the CSDH inner membrane than in the outer membrane. Ultrastructural observations highlight the presence of a chronic inflammatory state mainly in the CSDH inner membrane. Integrating these results, we have obtained an etiopathogenetic model of CSDH. Cortical atrophy appears to be the triggering factor activating the cascade of transendothelial cellular filtration, inflammation, membrane formation and neovascularisation leading to the CSDH formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesions in the ventral striatum region (above the anterior perforated substance) are a challenge for neurosurgeons due to their direct relationship with the lenticulostriate arteries, which difficult the surgical access. The standard approaches for this region include the following: 1) transfrontal approach, 2) transanterior perforating substance approach, 3) transcallosal transventricular approach, and 4) pterional transsylvian-transinsular route. In this study, we aimed to describe a novel anatomical approach through the anterior limiting sulcus of the insula in order to access the ventral striatum. We reviewed the literature and performed a detailed dissection of this region by using Klingler's technique with brain specimens injected with silicone, paying special attention to the white fibers and lenticulostriate arteries, and provided a description of an illustrative case of a cavernous malformation. Neuroanatomical dissections showed that the lenticulostriate arteries had an inverted C-shaped anterior concavity, leaving less significant vascular relationships in the depth of the anterior limiting sulcus of the insula. In the case we described, the cavernous malformation was completely resected and the patient was discharged without any neurological deficits. The transanterior limiting sulcus of the insula approach to the ventral striatum offers a safe access route for selected cases and can be performed on the basis of anatomical references. Three-dimensional understanding of the intrinsic brain architecture and its relationships with vascular structures in this specific area is important and can be acquired mainly through laboratory training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cortical folding of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), particularly the cingulate (CS) and the paracingulate (PCS) sulci, represents a neurodevelopmental marker. Deviations in in utero development in schizophrenia can be traced using CS and PCS morphometry. In the present study, we measured the length of CS, PCS, and their segments on T1 MRI scans in 93 patients with first- episode schizophrenia and 42 healthy controls. Besides the length, the frequency and the left-right asymmetry of CS/PCS were compared in patients and controls. Distribution of the CS and PCS morphotypes in patients was different from controls. Parcellated sulcal pattern CS3a in the left hemisphere was longer in patients (53.8 ± 25.7 mm vs. 32.7 ± 19.4 mm in controls, p < 0.05), while in CS3c it was reversed—longer in controls (52.5 ± 22.5 mm as opposed to 36.2 ± 12.9 mm, n.s. in patients). Non parcellated PCS in the right hemisphere were longer in patients compared to controls (19.4 ± 10.2 mm vs. 12.1 ± 12.4 mm, p < 0.001). Therefore, concurrent presence of PCS1 and CS1 in the left hemisphere and to some extent in the right hemisphere may be suggestive of a higher probability of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Surgical resection of lesions occupying the incisural space is challenging. In a comparative fashion, we aimed to describe the anatomy and surgical approaches to the tentorial incisura and to the rostral brainstem via the intradural subtemporal approach and its infratentorial extensions. Methods Six fresh human head specimens (12 sides) were prepared for the microscopic dissection of the tentorial incisura using the intradural subtemporal approach and its infratentorial extensions. Endoscope was used to examine the anatomy of the region inadequately exposed with the microscope. Image-guided navigation was used to confirm bony structures visualized around the petrous apex. Results Standard subtemporal approach provides surgical access to the supratentorial brainstem above the pontomesencephalic sulcus and to the lateral surface of the cerebral peduncle. The linear or triangular tentorial divisions can provide access to the infratentorial space below the pontomesencephalic sulcus. The triangular tentorial flap in comparison with the linear incision obstructs the exposure of anterior incisural space and of the prepontine cistern. Visualization of the brainstem below the trigeminal nerve can be achieved by the anterior petrosectomy. Conclusion Infratentorial extension of the intradural subtemporal approach is technically demanding due to critical neurovascular structures and a relatively narrow corridor. In-depth anatomical knowledge is essential for the selection of the appropriate operative approach and safe surgical resections of lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossils referable to the gorgonopsian Gorgonops sp. and to the dicynodont Endothiodon sp. are described from the Permian Madumabisa Mudstone Formation of the Mid-Zambezi Basin of southern Zambia. Specimens of the former taxon conform to recent diagnoses of the genus (e.g., five postcanine teeth, transverse flange of the pterygoid backswept, postorbital bar rugose and moderately expanded), but differ slightly from South African material in some respects (e.g., reduced dentition on the transverse flange of the pterygoid). Fossils of the latter are less complete, but show diagnostic features such as a dentary with numerous teeth, a ventral boss, and a shallow posterior dentary sulcus, oval palatine pads, and a narrow intertemporal region of the skull, although a species-level identification is not currently possible. Although the relevant fossils were never described, a vertebrate fossil assemblage including Endothiodon was previously reported from the Madumabisa Mudstone Formation in northern Zimbabwe (i.e., K5d), suggesting that this biozone was relatively broadly distributed across the Mid-Zambezi Basin. The Mid-Zambezi Basin of southern Zambia was previously demonstrated to host Guadalupian Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone-equivalent strata, with rhinesuchids, burnetiamorphs, tapinocephalids, and dicynodonts recognized. The recognition of Lopingian Endothiodon Assemblage Zone-age rocks expands the stratigraphic range of vertebrate-bearing horizons in southern Zambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirror writing (MW) is the production of individual letters, words, or word strings in the reverse direction. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, and high MW rates have been reported in patients with PD. Thus, the present study sought to identify the factors that cause MW in patients with PD. We examined the frequency of MW in patients with PD and investigated the area of the brain where such frequency inversely correlates with reduced regional cerebral metabolic rates of glucose (rCMRglc). We also examined whether this area satisfied the motor and visual monitoring hypotheses of MW that have been presented in previous studies. Thirty-six subjects with idiopathic PD and 23 healthy controls were included in the study. We asked the participants to write down words, numerals, and sentences from left to right using their dominant and non-dominant hands. Patients with PD underwent an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan to measure the rCMRglc. Neither the patients with PD nor the healthy subjects exhibited MW in the use of the right hand. In the use of the left hand, MW occurred in 15 of the 36 patients with PD, but in none of the healthy controls. The right intraparietal sulcus was identified as the area where rCMRglc was inversely correlated with the number of left–right reversed characters. Previous functional imaging studies have suggested that the right superior parietal cortex and intraparietal sulcus play an important role in recognizing left–right reversed letters. Therefore, dysfunction in the intraparietal sulcus may hinder the recognition of left–right reversed characters, resulting in MW. Consequently, our findings in patients with PD are consistent with the visual-monitoring hypothesis of MW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]