The neural correlates of physical exercise-induced general cognitive gains: A systematic review and meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies

The general-domain effect of physical exercise-induced cognitive gains in behavioral outcomes is well-documented, but a consensus on the neural correlates remains elusive. This meta-analysis aims to identify the neural correlates of physical exercise-induced general cognitive gains by examining task-related brain activation consistently modulated by physical exercise and its relationship to those gains. Our analysis of 52 studies with 1503 participants shows that physical exercise enhances cognitive task performance (Hedges' g = 0.271) and consistently increases task-related brain activation primarily in the bilateral precuneus. These increases in task-related brain activation correlate positively with cognitive task performance improvements improvements. Notably, physical exercise intensity, adherence, and social environment significantly modulate task-related brain activation changes induced by physical exercise. This meta-analysis offers an unprecedented comprehensive assessment of how physical exercise modulates task-related brain activation changes, providing neural evidence to support the general-domain effects on cognitive function induced by physical exercise.

Synaptic modulation by coffee compounds: Insights into neural plasticity

The physiological structure and functioning of the brain are determined by activity-dependent processes and affected by "synapse plasticity." Because chemical transmitters target and regulate synapses, exogenous chemical stimulants and transmitters can alter their physiological functions by interacting with synaptic surface receptors or chemical modulators. Caffeine, a commonly used pharmacologic substance, can target and alter synapses. It impact various biological, chemical, and metabolic processes related to synaptic function. This chapter investigates how caffeine affects fluctuations in structure and function in the hippocampus formation and neocortical structure, regions known for their high synaptic plasticity profile. Specifically, caffeine modulates various synaptic receptors and channel activities by mobilizing intracellular calcium, inhibiting phosphodiesterase, and blocking adenosine and GABA cellular receptors. These caffeine-induced pathways and functions allow neurons to generate plastic modulations in synaptic actions such as efficient and morphological transmission. Moreover, at a network level, caffeine can stimulate neural oscillators in the cortex, resulting in repetitive signals that strengthen long-range communication between cortical areas reliant on N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. This suggests that caffeine could facilitate the reorganization of cortical network functions through its effects on synaptic mobilization.

Cajal, the neuronal theory and the idea of brain plasticity

This paper reviews the importance of Cajal's neuronal theory (the Neuron Doctrine) and the origin and importance of the idea of brain plasticity that emerges from this theory. We first comment on the main Cajal's discoveries that gave rise and confirmed his Neuron Doctrine: the improvement of staining techniques, his approach to morphological laws, the concepts of dynamic polarisation, neurogenesis and neurotrophic theory, his first discoveries of the nerve cell as an independent cell, his research on degeneration and regeneration and his fight against reticularism. Second, we review Cajal's ideas on brain plasticity and the years in which they were published, to finally focus on the debate on the origin of the term plasticity and its conceptual meaning, and the originality of Cajal's proposal compared to those of other authors of the time.

The impact of attitude toward peer interaction on middle school students' problem-solving self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has promoted the popularity of online learning, but has also exposed some problems, such as a lack of interaction, resulting in loneliness. Against this background, students' attitudes toward peer interaction may have become even more important. In order to explore the impact of attitude toward peer interaction on students' mindset including online learning motivation and critical thinking practice that could affect their problem-solving self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed and administered a questionnaire, receiving 1,596 valid responses. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were re-tested, and structural equation modeling was applied. It was found that attitude toward peer interaction could positively predict middle school students' online learning motivation and critical thinking. Learning motivation and critical thinking also positively supported problem-solving self-efficacy. It is expected that the results of this study can be a reference for teachers to adopt student-centered online learning in problem solving courses.

Analgesic hypnotic treatment in a post-stroke patient

In recent years, hypnotic suggestions have been used in several clinical conditions. This treatment is often used for anxiety treatment, somatization, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Hypnotic analgesia is one of the most clinically useful phenomena of hypnosis. The article describes the case of a patient who underwent hypnotic treatments for hypersensitivity and chronic pain. Results showed an improvement of pain control and a decrease of pain hypersensibility. In addition, during rehabilitative treatments, the patient reported a high level of compliance with the multidisciplinary team. These findings suggest that hypnosis could be a useful treatment for post-stroke pain management.

Repeated Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation Modified the Neuronal Potential in the Vestibular Nucleus

Vestibular nucleus (VN) and cerebellar flocculus are known as the core candidates for the neuroplasticity of vestibular system. However, it has been still elusive how to induce the artificial neuroplasticity, especially caused by an electrical stimulation, and assess the neuronal information related with the plasticity. To understand the electrically induced neuroplasticity, the neuronal potentials in VN responding to the repeated electrical stimuli were examined. Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) was applied to excite the neurons in VN, and their activities were measured by an extracellular neural recording technique. Thirty-eight neuronal responses (17 for the regular and 21 for irregular neurons) were recorded and examined the potentials before and after stimulation. Two-third of the population (63.2%, 24/38) modified the potentials under the GVS repetition before stimulation (p = 0.037), and more than half of the population (21/38, 55.3%) changed the potentials after stimulation (p = 0.209). On the other hand, the plasticity-related neuronal modulation was hardly observed in the temporal responses of the neurons. The modification of the active glutamate receptors was also investigated to see if the repeated stimulation changed the number of both types of glutamate receptors, and the results showed that AMPA and NMDA receptors decreased after the repeated stimuli by 28.32 and 16.09%, respectively, implying the modification in the neuronal amplitudes.

Effect of early experience on neuronal and behavioral responses to con- and heterospecific odors in closely related Mus taxa: epigenetic contribution in formation of precopulatory isolation

BACKGROUND

The most effective learning occurs during sensitive periods. Olfactory plasticity to main social olfactory cues is limited to a critical period to a large degree. The objective was to evaluate the influence of early olfactory experience on the behavioral and neuronal responses of males to con- and heterospecific odors of receptive females in two species, M. musculus (subspecies musculus, wagneri) and M. spicilegus, and thus to determine the potential role of epigenetic contribution in the formation of precopulatory isolation.

RESULTS

Males were reciprocally cross-fostered shortly after the birth and were tested for response to con- and heterospecific urine odors of estrus females using two-choice tests at 70-85 days of age. Neuronal activity of non- and cross-fostered males was evaluated at 90-110 days of age in the MOB and AOB to con- and heterospecific female odor using fMRI (MEMRI). Non-cross-fostered males of three taxa demonstrated a strong preference for odor of conspecific females compared to odor of heterospecific ones. Spicilegus-nursed musculus preferred odor of heterospecific females. Wagneri-nursed spicilegus and spicilegus-nursed wagneri did not demonstrate significant choice of con - or heterospecific female odor. The level of MRI signal obtained from the evaluation of manganese accumulation in AOB neurons was significantly higher when the odor of conspecific estrus females was exposed, compared to urine exposure of heterospecific females. The response pattern changed to the opposite in males raised by heterospecific females. Response patterns of neuronal activity in the MOB to con- and heterospecific female odors were different in cross-fostered and control males.

CONCLUSION

The maternal environment, including odor, had a greater effect on the level of MRI signal in the AOB than the genetic relationships of the recipient and the donor of the odor stimulus. Behavioral and neuronal responses to con- and heterospecific odors changed in closely related Mus taxa as a result of early experience. We demonstrated the importance of early learning in mate choice in adulthood in mice and the possibility of epigenetic contribution in the formation of precopulatory reproductive isolation.