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Gengeç Benli Ş, İçer S, Demirci E, Karaman ZF, Ak Z, Acer İ, Sağır GR, Aker E, Sertkaya B. Data-driven exploratory method investigation on the effect of dyslexia education at brain connectivity in Turkish children: a preliminary study. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02820-5. [PMID: 39003410 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02820-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin and is characterized by reading and/or spelling problems affecting the development of language-related skills. The aim of this study is to reveal functional markers based on dyslexia by examining the functions of brain regions in resting state and reading tasks and to analyze the effects of special education given during the treatment process of dyslexia. A total of 43 children, aged between 7 and 12, whose native language was Turkish, participated in the study in three groups including those diagnosed with dyslexia for the first time, those receiving special education for dyslexia, and healthy children. Independent component analysis method was employed to analyze functional connectivity variations among three groups both at rest and during the continuous reading task. A whole-brain scanning during task fulfillment and resting states revealed that there were significant differences in the regions including lateral visual, default mode, left frontoparietal, ventral attention, orbitofrontal and lateral motor network. Our results revealed the necessity of adding motor coordination exercises to the training of dyslexic participants and showed that training led to functional connectivity in some brain regions similar to the healthy group. Additionally, our findings confirmed that impulsivity is associated with motor coordination and visuality, and that the dyslexic group has weaknesses in brain connectivity related to these conditions. According to our preliminary results, the differences obtained between children with dyslexia, group of dyslexia with special education and healthy children has revealed the effect of education on brain functions as well as enabling a comprehensive examination of dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Şerife Gengeç Benli
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Semra İçer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Esra Demirci
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zehra Filiz Karaman
- Department of Pediatric Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Ak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - İrem Acer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Gizem Rüveyda Sağır
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ebru Aker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Büşra Sertkaya
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
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Bonte M, Brem S. Unraveling individual differences in learning potential: A dynamic framework for the case of reading development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101362. [PMID: 38447471 PMCID: PMC10925938 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Children show an enormous capacity to learn during development, but with large individual differences in the time course and trajectory of learning and the achieved skill level. Recent progress in developmental sciences has shown the contribution of a multitude of factors including genetic variation, brain plasticity, socio-cultural context and learning experiences to individual development. These factors interact in a complex manner, producing children's idiosyncratic and heterogeneous learning paths. Despite an increasing recognition of these intricate dynamics, current research on the development of culturally acquired skills such as reading still has a typical focus on snapshots of children's performance at discrete points in time. Here we argue that this 'static' approach is often insufficient and limits advancements in the prediction and mechanistic understanding of individual differences in learning capacity. We present a dynamic framework which highlights the importance of capturing short-term trajectories during learning across multiple stages and processes as a proxy for long-term development on the example of reading. This framework will help explain relevant variability in children's learning paths and outcomes and fosters new perspectives and approaches to study how children develop and learn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milene Bonte
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Silvia Brem
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland; URPP Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning (AdaBD), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Theodoridou D, Tsiantis CO, Vlaikou AM, Chondrou V, Zakopoulou V, Christodoulides P, Oikonomou ED, Tzimourta KD, Kostoulas C, Tzallas AT, Tsamis KI, Peschos D, Sgourou A, Filiou MD, Syrrou M. Developmental Dyslexia: Insights from EEG-Based Findings and Molecular Signatures-A Pilot Study. Brain Sci 2024; 14:139. [PMID: 38391714 PMCID: PMC10887023 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a learning disorder. Although risk genes have been identified, environmental factors, and particularly stress arising from constant difficulties, have been associated with the occurrence of DD by affecting brain plasticity and function, especially during critical neurodevelopmental stages. In this work, electroencephalogram (EEG) findings were coupled with the genetic and epigenetic molecular signatures of individuals with DD and matched controls. Specifically, we investigated the genetic and epigenetic correlates of key stress-associated genes (NR3C1, NR3C2, FKBP5, GILZ, SLC6A4) with psychological characteristics (depression, anxiety, and stress) often included in DD diagnostic criteria, as well as with brain EEG findings. We paired the observed brain rhythms with the expression levels of stress-related genes, investigated the epigenetic profile of the stress regulator glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and correlated such indices with demographic findings. This study presents a new interdisciplinary approach and findings that support the idea that stress, attributed to the demands of the school environment, may act as a contributing factor in the occurrence of the DD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Theodoridou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Christos-Orestis Tsiantis
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Angeliki-Maria Vlaikou
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Chondrou
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece
| | - Victoria Zakopoulou
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Pavlos Christodoulides
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Emmanouil D Oikonomou
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, School of Informatics & Telecommunications, University of Ioannina, 47100 Arta, Greece
| | - Katerina D Tzimourta
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece
| | - Charilaos Kostoulas
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Alexandros T Tzallas
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, School of Informatics & Telecommunications, University of Ioannina, 47100 Arta, Greece
| | - Konstantinos I Tsamis
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Peschos
- Laboratory of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Argyro Sgourou
- Laboratory of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece
| | - Michaela D Filiou
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Maria Syrrou
- Laboratory of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
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Lasnick OHM, Hoeft F. Sensory temporal sampling in time: an integrated model of the TSF and neural noise hypothesis as an etiological pathway for dyslexia. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 17:1294941. [PMID: 38234592 PMCID: PMC10792016 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1294941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Much progress has been made in research on the causal mechanisms of developmental dyslexia. In recent years, the "temporal sampling" account of dyslexia has evolved considerably, with contributions from neurogenetics and novel imaging methods resulting in a much more complex etiological view of the disorder. The original temporal sampling framework implicates disrupted neural entrainment to speech as a causal factor for atypical phonological representations. Yet, empirical findings have not provided clear evidence of a low-level etiology for this endophenotype. In contrast, the neural noise hypothesis presents a theoretical view of the manifestation of dyslexia from the level of genes to behavior. However, its relative novelty (published in 2017) means that empirical research focused on specific predictions is sparse. The current paper reviews dyslexia research using a dual framework from the temporal sampling and neural noise hypotheses and discusses the complementary nature of these two views of dyslexia. We present an argument for an integrated model of sensory temporal sampling as an etiological pathway for dyslexia. Finally, we conclude with a brief discussion of outstanding questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver H. M. Lasnick
- brainLENS Laboratory, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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Zaki ZMM, Ali SA, Ghazali MM, Jam FA. Genetic Modifications of Developmental Dyslexia and Its Representation Using In Vivo, In Vitro Model. Glob Med Genet 2024; 11:76-85. [PMID: 38414980 PMCID: PMC10898997 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1781456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Dyslexia is a genetic and heritable disorder that has yet to discover the treatment of it, especially at the molecular and drug intervention levels. This review provides an overview of the current findings on the environmental and genetic factors involved in developmental dyslexia. The latest techniques used in diagnosing the disease and macromolecular factors findings may contribute to a higher degree of development in detangling the proper management and treatment for dyslexic individuals. Furthermore, this review tried to put together all the models used in the current dyslexia research for references in future studies that include animal models as well as in vitro models and how the previous research has provided consistent data across many years and regions. Thus, we suggest furthering the studies using an organoid model based on the existing gene polymorphism, pathways, and neuronal function input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakiyyah M M Zaki
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Siti A Ali
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
- Centre for Healthcare Science and Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Mazira M Ghazali
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Faidruz A Jam
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College Malaysia, Melaka, Malaysia
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Mather N, Schneider D. The Use of Cognitive Tests in the Assessment of Dyslexia. J Intell 2023; 11:jintelligence11050079. [PMID: 37233328 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11050079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this literature review, we address the use of cognitive tests, including intelligence tests, in the assessment and diagnosis of dyslexia, from both historic and present-day perspectives. We discuss the role of cognitive tests in the operationalization of the concepts of specificity and unexpectedness, two constructs considered essential to the characterization of dyslexia since the publication of early case reports in the late nineteenth century. We review the advantages and disadvantages of several approaches to specific learning disabilities' identification that are used in schools. We also discuss contemporary debates around the use of standardized cognitive testing in dyslexia evaluations, in particular, the arguments of those who favor an approach to diagnosis based on prior history and the results of a comprehensive evaluation and those who favor an approach based on an individual's response to intervention. We attempt to explain both perspectives by examining clinical observations and research findings. We then provide an argument for how cognitive tests can contribute to an accurate and informed diagnosis of dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Mather
- Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA
| | - Deborah Schneider
- Hoeft BrainLENS Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
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Richter CG, Siegelman N, Mahaffy K, Van Den Bunt M, Kearns DM, Landi N, Sabatini J, Pugh K, Hoeft F. The impact of computer–assisted technology on literacy acquisition during COVID-19-related school closures: Group–level effects and predictors of individual–level outcomes. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1001555. [PMID: 36533015 PMCID: PMC9755674 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1001555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic led to school closure and loss of in-person instruction during the 2019–2020 academic year across the United States, which had a profound impact on the reading development of beginning readers. In this study we tested if a research-informed educational technology (EdTech) program–GraphoLearn–could help alleviate the COVID-19 slide. We also sought to understand the profiles of children who benefitted most from this EdTech program.MethodsWe tested participants’ (N = 172 K-2 children) early literacy skills using a standardized measure (STAR) before and after playing GraphoLearn, and used the pre to post difference as the dependent variable. We first compared children’s STAR actual and expected growth. Then we conducted a multiple regression analysis with data about engagement with GraphoLearn included as predictors. Additional predictors were extracted from GraphoLearn performance at study onset to assess children’s letter-sound knowledge, rime awareness, and word recognition.ResultsThe difference between actual average reading growth and expected growth in a regular school year was not statistically significant. This suggests that children in our sample seem to be gaining reading skills as expected in a regular school year. Our multiple linear regression model (which accounted for R2 = 48% of reading growth) showed that older children, with higher baseline GraphoLearn word recognition, who played more units in a fixed number of days, made significantly more early literacy progress.DiscussionWhile lacking a control group, our preliminary results suggest that an EdTech program such as GraphoLearn may be a useful reading instructional tool during school shutdowns. In addition, our results suggest that practice with GraphoLearn was more effective and efficient when foundational instruction was already in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline G. Richter
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Noam Siegelman
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
- Departments of Psychology and Cognitive and Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Kelly Mahaffy
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | - Devin M. Kearns
- Department of Educational Psychology, Neag School of Education, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Nicole Landi
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - John Sabatini
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Kenneth Pugh
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
- Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC), University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Fumiko Hoeft,
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Wu Y, Cheng Y, Yang X, Yu W, Wan Y. Dyslexia: A Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis. Front Public Health 2022; 10:915053. [PMID: 35812514 PMCID: PMC9260156 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.915053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Dyslexia is a disorder characterized by an impaired ability to understand written and printed words or phrases. Epidemiological longitudinal data show that dyslexia is highly prevalent, affecting 10-20% of the population regardless of gender. This study aims to provide a detailed overview of research status and development characteristics of dyslexia from types of articles, years, countries, institutions, journals, authors, author keywords, and highly cited papers. A total of 9,166 publications have been retrieved from the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) from 2000 to 2021. The United States of America, United Kingdom, and Germany were the top three most productive countries in terms of the number of publications. China, Israel, and Japan led the Asia research on dyslexia. University of Oxford had the most publications and won first place in terms of h-index. Dyslexia was the most productive journal in this field and Psychology was the most used subject category. Keywords analysis indicated that "developmental dyslexia," "phonological awareness," children and fMRI were still the main research topics. "Literacy," "rapid automatized naming (RAN)," "assessment," "intervention," "meta-analysis," "Chinese," "executive function," "morphological awareness," "decoding," "dyscalculia," "EEG," "Eye tracking," "rhythm," "bilingualism," and "functional connectivity" might become the new research hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Wu
- Institute of Information Resource, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Library, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanxia Cheng
- Institute of Information Resource, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Library, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xianlin Yang
- Institute of Information Resource, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Library, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenyan Yu
- Library, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuehua Wan
- Institute of Information Resource, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Library, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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Early Life Stress and Metabolic Plasticity of Brain Cells: Impact on Neurogenesis and Angiogenesis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091092. [PMID: 34572278 PMCID: PMC8470044 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) causes long-lasting changes in brain plasticity induced by the exposure to stress factors acting prenatally or in the early postnatal ontogenesis due to hyperactivation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system, development of neuroinflammation, aberrant neurogenesis and angiogenesis, and significant alterations in brain metabolism that lead to neurological deficits and higher susceptibility to development of brain disorders later in the life. As a key component of complex pathogenesis, ELS-mediated changes in brain metabolism associate with development of mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of appropriate mitochondria quality control and mitochondrial dynamics, deregulation of metabolic reprogramming. These mechanisms are particularly critical for maintaining the pool and development of brain cells within neurogenic and angiogenic niches. In this review, we focus on brain mitochondria and energy metabolism related to tightly coupled neurogenic and angiogenic events in healthy and ELS-affected brain, and new opportunities to develop efficient therapeutic strategies aimed to restore brain metabolism and reduce ELS-induced impairments of brain plasticity.
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