A5105003645- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Motor Control and Adaptation
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- RNA regulation and disease
- Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment Studies
- Ion Transport and Channel Regulation
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Electrolyte and hormonal disorders
- Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Pharmacological Effects and Toxicity Studies
Boston University
2005-2018
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
2013-2018
Memorial Medical Center
2016
Cognitive Neuroimaging Lab
2015
University of Massachusetts Amherst
2014
Axonal degeneration is a critical, early event in many acute and chronic neurological disorders. It has been consistently observed after traumatic brain injury, but whether axon driver of injury remains unclear. Molecular pathways underlying the pathology have not defined, there no efficacious treatment for injury. Here we show that mice lacking mouse Toll receptor adaptor Sarm1 (sterile α/Armadillo/Toll-Interleukin homology domain protein) gene, key mediator Wallerian degeneration,...
Objective: An imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been proposed. We compared glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) 13 males with ASD 14 typically developing (TD) (ages 13–17), correlated these intelligence quotient (IQ) measures social cognition. Methods: Social cognition was evaluated by administration Responsiveness Scale (SRS) Reading Mind Eyes Test (RMET). acquired...
Canavan's disease (CD) is a fatal pediatric leukodystrophy caused by mutations in aspartoacylase (AspA) gene. Currently, there no effective treatment for CD; however, gene therapy an attractive approach to ameliorate the disease. Here, we studied progressive neuropathology and short-lived (≤1 month) AspA−/− mice, bona-fide animal model severest form of CD. Single intravenous (IV) injections several primate-derived recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) as late postnatal day 20 (P20)...
Objective: We aimed to determine the effect of an open-label 8 week Vitamin D3 supplementation on manic symptoms, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in youth exhibiting symptoms mania; that is, patients with bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD). hypothesized would improve mania, decrease ACC increase GABA BSD patients. Single time point metabolite levels were also evaluated typically developing children (TD). Methods: The group included not only diagnosed...
Research exploring Bipolar Disorder (BD) phenotypes and mitochondrial dysfunction, particularly in younger subjects, has been insufficient to date. Previous studies have found abnormal cerebral pH levels adults with BD, which may be directly linked activity. To date no such reported children BD.Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ((31)P MRS) was used determine pH, phopshocreatine (PCr) inorganic phosphate (Pi) 8 subjects BD healthy comparison (HCS) ages 11 20 years old.There...
Aspartoacylase (AspA) gene mutations cause the pediatric lethal neurodegenerative Canavan disease (CD). There is emerging promise of successful therapy for CD using recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs). Here, we report an intracerebroventricularly delivered AspA regime three serotypes rAAVs at a 20-fold reduced dose than previously described in AspA(-/-) mice, bona-fide mouse model CD. Interestingly, central nervous system (CNS)-restricted prolonged survival over systemic mice but...
We used six psychophysical tasks to measure sensitivity different types of global motion in 45 healthy adults and 57 stroke patients who had recovered from the initial results stroke, but a large subset them enduring deficits on selective visual perception tasks. The were divided into four groups basis location their cortical lesion: occipito-temporal, occipito-parietal, rostro-dorsal parietal, or frontal-prefrontal. were: direction discrimination, speed coherence, discontinuity,...
Use of novel approaches in imaging modalities is needed for enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes persons with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study explored the feasibility using functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) conjunction behavioral measures to target dynamic changes specific neural circuitries an animal model TBI. Wistar rats were randomly assigned one two groups (traumatic injury/sham operation). TBI subjected closed head (CHI) model. Any observable motor deficits...
Background: Although clinical evaluations and neurocognitive assessments are commonly used to evaluate the extent of recovery from concussion, brain bioenergetics could provide a more quantitative marker. The neurometabolic response concussion is thought increase neuronal energy consumption thus demand for nucleoside triphosphate (NTP). Objective: We investigated possible disruption in high-energy metabolism within prefrontal cortex college athletes who had either past 6 months (n=14) or...
Abstract Previous studies of heading perception suggest that human observers employ spatiotemporal pooling to accommodate noise in optic flow stimuli. Here, we investigated how spatial and temporal integration mechanisms are used for judgments through a psychophysical experiment involving three different types noise. Furthermore, developed two ideal observer models study the components information by when performing task. In experiment, applied direction stimuli differentiate involvement...
Results: To date, we have completed the data analysis on 18 subjects, 8 with ASD and 10 healthy control (HC) subjects. There was no significant difference between combined glutamate + glutamine concentrations as measured by H-MRS (ASD = 12.0 ± 0.9 IU, HC 11.6 0.8 p 0.37). However, there a higher than average level in group compared to controls 2.4 0.2 1.9 0.3 0.01). This accompanied trend toward lower GABA/Cr levels 0.073 0.010, 0.082 0.06). Glutamine ACC were correlated positively deficits...
Purpose: In a heading perception task, we demonstrated that although error in the perceived direction is modulated by range of directionally constrained noise, humans are proficient integrating noisy flow information to form global percept. (VSS2005) To investigate how much available velocity field useful observers, now propose two ideal observer models (IOM). Experiment: display expanding random-dot-kinematograms (RDK) perturbed with observers required determine straight-line-heading (left...
Watamaniuk et al. (1989) demonstrated in a 2-D direction discrimination task that the difference between mean and perceived directions was modulated by specified range of directionally constrained noise. Here we are interested to learn whether similar effect could be observed heading perception task. The experiment consisted random dot kinematograms (RDK) expanding motion produces illusion straight line shown at 44×44 deg2 aperture for 482 ms.. At end motion, RDK replaced static frame with...