Persistent neuropathic pain is associated with anxiety. The phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays an important role in pain-induced anxiety. Acupuncture is widely used for pain and anxiety. However, little is known about which acupuncture technique is optimal on pain-induced anxiety and the relationship between acupuncture ...

Novel methods that stimulate neuroplasticity are increasingly being studied to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions. We sought to determine whether real-time fMRI neurofeedback training is feasible in Huntington's disease (HD), and assess any factors that contribute to its effectiveness. In this proof-of-concept study, we used this technique to train 10 patients with HD to volitionally...

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we will review different approaches that one can use with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to study both its effects on motor behavior and on neural connections in the human brain. Second, we will present evidence obtained in TMS-based studies showing that the dorsal premotor area (PMd), the ventral premotor area (PMv), the supplementary motor...

Self-assembled polymeric micelles can be used as efficient particulate emulsifiers. To explore the relationship between the structure and the oil-water interfacial behavior of the micelle emulsifiers, a new type of amphiphilic random copolymer, poly{(styrene-alt-maleic acid)-co-[styrene-alt-(N-3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl-maleamic acid)]} (SMA-Dopa), was synthesized, self-assembled into micelles, a...

Free, i.e. non-externally cued generation of movement sequences is fundamental to human behavior. We have earlier hypothesized that the dorsal premotor cortex (PMD), which has been consistently implicated in cognitive aspects of planning and selection of spatial motor sequences may be particularly important for the free generation of spatial movement sequences, whereas the pre-supplementary mot...

Background: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis - PGD is currently an established procedure allowing genetic research of oocyte or embryo before implantation to the uterus. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder, being the second most common lethal autosomal recessive disease in Caucasians, after cystic fibrosis. There are three clinically different types of which type I (W...