Neurovascular coupling and functional neuroimaging in epilepsy

Studying brain activity in sports performance: Contributions and issues

Understanding the interactions between brain activity and behavior comprehensively in achieving optimal exercise performance in sports is still lacking. The existent research in this area has been limited by the constraints of sports environments and the robustness of the most suitable non-invasive functional neuroimaging methods (electroencephalography, EEG and functional near-infrared spectroscopy, fNIRS) to motion artifacts and noise. However, recent advances in brain mapping technology should improve the capabilities of the future brain imaging devices to assess and monitor the level of adaptive cognitive-motor performance during exercise in sports environments. The purpose of this position manuscript is to discuss the contributions and issues in behavioral neuroscience related to brain activity measured during exercise and in various sports. A first part aims to give an overview of EEG and fNIRS neuroimaging methods assessing electrophysiological activity and hemodynamic responses of the acute and chronic relation of physical exercise on the human brain. Then, methodological issues, such as the reliability of brain data during physical exertion, key limitations and possible prospects of fNIRS and EEG methods are provided. While the use of such methods in sports environments remains scarce and limited to controlled cycling task, new generation of wearable, whole-scalp EEG and fNIRS technologies could open up a range of new applications in sports sciences for providing neuroimaging-based biomarkers (hemodynamic and/or neural electrical signals) to various types of exercise and innovative training.

Arterial spin labeling hyperperfusion in Rasmussen's encephalitis: Is it due to focal brain inflammation or a postictal phenomenon?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The study evaluated the utility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging in Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The hospital electronic database was searched using the search words "encephalitis," "autoimmune encephalitis" and "Rasmussen's encephalitis" for the period of 1 Jan 2015 to 31 Jan 2017. Clinically diagnosed cases of RE for which epilepsy protocol magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with perfusion imaging (ASL) performed on a 3T scanner were retrieved. The diagnosis of RE was based on Bien's criteria (Bien et al., 2005). We obtained patient's demographic details, clinical features, electrophysiological studies, and follow-up data from electronic hospital records.

RESULTS

We included nine patients with RE of whom seven patients showed increased perfusion, and two patients decreased perfusion. Among these patients, MRI changes of gyral hyperintensity without volume loss corresponded to regional ASL hyperperfusion in six patients and ASL hypoperfusion in one patient. Two patients who showed ASL hypoperfusion had corresponding atrophy on MRI. Eight patients of RE had epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) or daily seizures, and one patient was seizure-free post-surgery. Five patients showed a concordance of ASL hyperperfusion with clinical ictal onset zone. Among the seven patients with ASL hyperperfusion, the finding was concordant (complete or partial) with the electroencephalogram (EEG) ictal onset zone in six patients and with interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) in seven patients.

CONCLUSION

Increased perfusion in ASL of the involved brain parenchyma in RE is a common MRI finding and may be due to either active inflammation of the brain involved or a seizure-related finding.