Flash to zap from perception

How to study subconscious processes ? It always has been a challenge. For more than 40 years, Prof. Shevrin has worked at the boundaries between the disciplines of neuroscience and psychoanalysis, looking for evidence that Freudian concepts such as the unconscious and repression could be documented through physical measures of brain activity. Prof Shevrin has done outstanding work in this area presenting images in very small time windows (1-5 millisec) but tachistoscopes are not cheap and not easy to interface with modern digital technology. Using binocular rivalry and backmasking is not quite a satisfactory solution. The discovery of the flash effect was a breakthrough however. Now we have continuous flash suppression that allows us to present images to the brain yet cloaked to consiuous perception. An image is shown continuously yet the person does not "see" it consciously. read it here (Wiki)

A recent meta study on rTMS

AUTHORS: D J L G Schutter AFFILIATION: Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. REFERENCE: Psychol Med 2009 Jan 39(1):65-75 BACKGROUND: For more than a decade high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in search of an alternative treatment for depression. The aim of this study was to provide an update on its clinical efficacy by performing a meta-analysis involving double -blind sham-controlled studies.MethodA literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed and Web of Science in the period between January 1980 and November 2007 with the search terms 'depression' and ' transcranial magnetic stimulation'. Thirty double-blind sham-controlled parallel studies with 1164 patients comparing the percentage change in depression scores from baseline to endpoint of active versus sham treatment were included. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to investigate the clinical efficacy of fast-frequency rTMS over the left DLPFC in depression. RESULTS: The test for heterogeneity was not significant (QT=30.46, p=0.39). A significant overall weighted mean effect size, d=0.39 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25-0.54], for active treatment was observed (z=6.52, p<0.0001).>depression. The effect size is robust and comparable to at least a subset of commercially available antidepressant drug agents. Current limitations and future prospects are discussed.

BRAIN BOX: a rTMS a "shocking" correction

C O R R E C T I O N

As Dr Shock points out very correctly in his blog the article in Neuropsychophamacology is not new at all but uses data of two old previous published studies (one good: RCT and one worse (open label) "lumped" together. The end results tastes a bit "ugly" as it gives the impression of "new" evidence. As nature reviewers let it pass and as editors allow it to be public available there is a risk for the unattentive reader for "picking the low fruit". This article should not be included in meta studies as it only duplicates and falsely weights (or biasses) evidence. We will have to wait for new data from valid studies both on efficacy as on efficiency with more natural clinical plausible patient selection criteria. I look foreward to see results from modern neuronavigated robotguided technology: "augmented rTMS".

C O R R E C T I O N

Best Wishes for 2009-II

Click for the missing stone

rTMS effective in depression ?

Neuropsychopharmacology (2009) 34, 522–534; doi:10.1038/npp.2008.118; published online 13 August 2008

Daily Left Prefrontal Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression: Clinical Predictors of Outcome in a Multisite, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Sarah H Lisanby¹, Mustafa M Husain², Peter B Rosenquist³, Daniel Maixner⁴, Rosben Gutierrez⁵, Andrew Krystal⁶, William Gilmer⁷, Lauren B Marangell⁸, Scott Aaronson⁹, Zafiris J Daskalakis¹⁰, Randolph Canterbury¹¹, Elliott Richelson¹², Harold A Sackeim¹³ and Mark S George¹⁴

Randomized controlled trials support the antidepressant efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); however, there is individual variability in the magnitude of response. Examination of response predictors has been hampered by methodological limitations such as small sample sizes and single-site study designs. Data from a multisite sham-controlled trial of the antidepressant efficacy of TMS provided an opportunity to examine predictors of acute outcome. An open-label extension for patients who failed to improve provided the opportunity for confirmatory analysis. Treatment was administered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 10 pulses per second, 120% of motor threshold, for a total of 3000 pulses per day. Change on the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale after 4 weeks was the primary efficacy outcome. A total of 301 patients with nonpsychotic unipolar major depression at 23 centers were randomized to active or sham TMS. Univariate predictor analyses showed that the degree of prior treatment resistance in the current episode was a predictor of positive treatment outcome in both the controlled study and the open-label extension trial. In the randomized trial, shorter duration of current episode was also associated with a better outcome. In the open-label extension study, absence of anxiety disorder comorbidity was associated with an improved outcome, but duration of current episode was not. The number of prior treatment failures was the strongest predictor for positive response to acute treatment with TMS. Shorter duration of current illness and lack of anxiety comorbidity may also confer an increased likelihood of good antidepressant response to TMS.

PS: ES: 0.83. Not bad at all !!!!

Troubled by bad memories ? ZIP them !

From the deep labs of neuroscience where rats learn to swim and navigate watermazes comes a new PKZ enzyme called PKMzeta. It has a very impressive role in associative memory and could play a key role in future memory research and pharmacotherapy both by blocking unpleasant memories (fi PTSD) (ZIP: Zeta Inhibitor proteine) as enhancing them (Alzheimer). How long-term memories are stored as physical traces in the brain is a fundamental question in neuroscience. Recently, we discovered the first molecular mechanism of long-term memory storage. We showed that unpleasant memories are stored by the persistent action of an enzyme, a form of protein kinase C, termed PKMζ, because these memories can be rapidly erased by injecting a PKMζ inhibitor into the brain. But are all forms of memory and information in the brain stored by PKMζ? Here, we first confirmed with a second inhibitor of PKMζ that unpleasant long-term memories in the hippocampus, a region of the brain critical for storing spatial information, are rapidly erased. We then examined other memories stored in the hippocampus and the basolateral amygdala, another region critical for emotional memories. We tested memories for specific places, both unpleasant and rewarding, memories for general background information, associations between a sound and a fearful event, like that studied by Pavlov, and memories for performing a specific action. We found that PKMζ stores specific associations, both unpleasant and rewarding, for places, events, and actions, and is thus a general mechanism for memory storage in the brain.

RU a Where ?

No clue (edo) ? never "mind".. just take the test here. Now did You do it ?

The face of Academics ?

That is, according to neurosky. Fact or hype ? According to this guy , the future looks mavelous...Take a NAP : the sky's ... the limit.

A most stimulating Robot

In his Blog Dr Shock was critical about the effects of rTMS on depression. The published results of RCT studies at 4 and 6 weeks are indeed not very robust and do not withstand a harsh analysis. Being critical in the face of hyped reporting is much needed as these devices are not low cost. On the other hand "classical" rTMS is not to be compared to its neuronavigated robot guided offspring (cfr ANT's VISOR). In classical rTMS the DLPFC zone (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex BA 46) is reached by moving the coil (often hand held) 5 cm anterior in a parasagittal plane from the starting motor "hot spot". A recent study in 22 subjects showed that this procedure only targets the DLPFC zone in 7 out of 22 patients (30%). So 70% of the stimulations are totally off target !! That will no doubt negatively impress on clinical outcome studies with classical rTMS or explain large part of the variance in meta studies. So we urgently need new evidence using the latest devices in rTMS. Especially the results on therapy resistant depression should allow us a faster judgement on the validity of non invasive neurostimulation treatment. It is said that new results will be shown at the Neuromeeting (jan 2009) in Beane. We will keep You posted. To be continued....

Best Wishes for 2009

A new visual illusion ?

Turn up your (ultra)sound systems

is it sound to influence the brain ?

CNS newsletter

Eye tracking Academy

A lot of Thesis work on eye tracking.

Learn Processing: When Eye meets (h)art

Christiane Paul, Adjunct Curator of New Media Arts, Whitney Museum of American Art "Processing, the handbook and tutorial, is an indispensable companion to Processing, the integrated programming language and environment that has developed from phenomenon to revolution. Bridging the gap between programming and visual arts, the Processing handbook, in a concise way, connects software elements to principles of visual form, motion, and interaction. The book's modular structure allows for different combinations of its units and self-directed reading. Interviews with artists who create software-based works and extension chapters that expand software practice into computer vision, sound, and electronics successfully connect the realms of art and technology. Now used by artists, visual designers, and in educational institutions around the world, Processing has been groundbreaking not only as an alternative language for expanding programming space, but as an attempt to nurture programming literacy in the broader context of art and cultural production." -William J. Mitchell, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT "This is an elegant and practical introduction to programming for artists and designers. It is rigorously grounded, informed by a vast amount of practical experience, and visually compelling. The worked examples are terrific. There's no better starting point for visual artists who want to learn how to think computationally, or for programmers who want to give visual and spatial expression to their ideas."

Breakfast at Rudy's

Meet Rudy and enjoy reading a good friends thoughts about music, technology, art and multimedia. The non DNA stuff that life is made off.. When Chivalry switches sword .

Finding Mr Good... gamma

Can You really "see" gamma on surface EEG ? Or are we fooled by microsaccades ? Read here...

Bioelectromagnetism

Good things sometimes come in large packages and for free (especially in X mas period) Check out this very fundamental book !

Fast .. Faster... F ICA

Download it here

Don't look now !!

eyebox2^TM makes eye tracking affordable for anyone, with greater ease of use than ever before. Simply plug eyebox2^TM into a USB2 port, install the software and you're ready to go. eyebox2^TM uses a unique design that allows the camera to automatically detect when you are looking at it from up to 10 meters, without requiring calibration.

That's right, 10 meters, completely plug and play! Use it to track who's looking at your screen ads in the mall. Obtain detailed statistics on viewing behavior over time on any number of persons within view of a plasma or lcd display. Detect when a customer is looking at your product display. See what movie poster your audience is interested in

The quantum of EEG solace

Book Description An introduction to signal analysis ranging from data acquisition to data processing; and from the mathematical background of the analysis to the practical application of processing algorithms. Product Description Signal Processing for Neuroscientists introduces analysis techniques primarily aimed at neuroscientists and biomedical engineering students with a reasonable but modest background in mathematics, physics, and computer programming. The focus of this text is on what can be considered the 'golden trio' in the signal processing field: averaging, Fourier analysis, and filtering. Techniques such as convolution, correlation, coherence, and wavelet analysis are considered in the context of time and frequency domain analysis. The whole spectrum of signal analysis is covered, ranging from data acquisition to data processing; and from the mathematical background of the analysis to the practical application of processing algorithms. Overall, the approach to the mathematics is informal with a focus on basic understanding of the methods and their interrelationships rather than detailed proofs or derivations. One of the principle goals is to provide the reader with the background required to understand the principles of commercially available analyses software, and to allow him/her to construct his/her own analysis tools in an environment such as MATLAB®. · Multiple color illustrations are integrated in the text · Includes an introduction to biomedical signals, noise characteristics, and recording techniques · Basics and background for more advanced topics can be found in extensive notes and appendices

A most beautiful Mind

When Art meets Neuroscience.....

BCI competition

Kudo's to Dieter, Willem, Bruno, Bart, Luk, Patrick, and ...blogmasters dog.

The 1 0 1

A fantastic collection of Blogs on al aspects of neurosciences. Whether you are a specialist in the field of neuropsychology or just love reading about how the human brain works, there are plenty of interesting blogs on the Internet to help you find out more. In order to make it easier to for you to discover great blogs, the following list is categorized for easy browsing. With blogs by psychiatrists, scientists, psychologist, and even those dealing with mental disorders, you will find many thoughtful and thought-provoking blogs to keep your brain stimulated.

Applied Psychophysiology

A new journal

Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is the official publication of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).

The AAPB, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1969 as the Biofeedback Research Society. AAPB's mission is to advance the development, dissemination and utilization of knowledge about applied psychophysiology and biofeedback to improve health and the quality of life through research, education and practice.

Visit the AAPB Website

Member Benefits

The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is the source for networking, quality research, legislative efforts, insurance information, and continuing education in the field of mind/body medicine, rehabilitation, education, and peak performance training applications of psychophysiology and biofeedback. Join the AAPB today! As you can see on the AAPB website, the member benefits are abundant and very practical.

AAPB Member Benefits

2009 AAPB Annual Meeting

April 1, 2009through April 4, 2009 Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM, USA

Emoto frozen in his tracks

Snow flakes photography has nothing to do with homeopathy as Emoto afficionado's like to believe. See the pictures here and read a clear scientific explanation and categorisation of the different forms and shapes.

Screwdriver ?

Measuring the electrical activity of neurons within the body is tricky, not least because it can be hard to attach electrodes to the skin and particularly a hairy scalp. But doing so is vital for neurosurgery, for example when installing brain implants that can allow disabled people to control machines using their mind.

Getting electrodes to stay in place for long periods is a particular problem, says Mingui Sun, who with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh has an answer in the form of an electrode that screws into the skin.

The device is button-shaped, with a set of microscopic teeth horizontally aligned around the edge of its lower face (see image, right). When the button is pressed against the skin and twisted, the teeth dig into the upper layer of skin and become fixed in place, maintaining good electrical contact.

Because the teeth penetrate only the top layer of skin, the buttons should be pain-free, the patent claims.

Read the full skin screw patent application

Look me in the eye

Eye tracking changed their lives !

HM Remember

In a way it is ironic, how many researchers, psychology students, and cognitive neuroscientists worldwide will remember Mr. Henry G. Molaison and he did not remember a single person he met after his brain surgery, circa 1953. Henry G. Molaison, formerly known to all as simply HM was one of the most widely studied patients in the field of cognitive neuropsychology for over fifty years. His participation in several studies provided significant contributions to the understanding of brain function and memory. HM passed away on December 3, 2008 read on...

Brain2Robot

a FIRST....from IDA

Neuro Shopping Time

Brand new at ANT: a Neuroshopping side

A new cap on the Blog

ANT has done it again: This new Wavecap is really worth checking out !! Much better and evenly spacial covering with special focus on frontal fields/sources. In cooperation with Duke. Through a very productive cooperation with the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University, notably the group of Prof. Marty Woldorff, we have been able to add a small family of caps that are designed according to an "equidistant hexagonal" layout, i.e.: The WaveGuard Duke cap "equidistant hexagonal" layout. This electrode configuration also covers the head more completely, including many electrodes up to about 30 degrees below the FpZ-T7-Oz-T8 equator, as recommended in the Picton et al. ERP Guidelines (2000) and by Steve Luck in his ERP Handbook (2005). All "Duke" caps include EEG electrodes at the outer canthi of the eyes, which can also be used to compute a bipolar HEOG derivation. The family of caps includes a 32 channel, 64 channel and a 128 channel version. Because of the unique labeling scheme (for each cap different electrode names), your data can be properly plotted automatically in ASA. This new "Duke" naming convention is available as part of the technical documentation of each cap type (available on our web-site). Major benefits of the equidistant layout and the lower coverage of these caps include potential source localization improvements (e.g. improved capturing of lower fronto-temporal and occipital-temporal source activity), improved accuracy of EEG/ERP scalp distribution plots (less interpolation inaccuracies), and an increased likelihood to capture clinically relevant information even with lower electrode density (even the 32 and 64 channel caps have an extended spatial coverage). An additional effort will be made by the Duke group to further publish on the rationale for using this cap layout in ERP research.

ABA: ANT's BCI Active X

The ANT NeuroBCI Development Kit allows users to develop their own neurofeedback application, as created in Html/JavaScript, C++, or Matlab. The acquisition can be performed through the ASA or Cognitrace recording modules, or using a direct connection to the EEG amplifier via a dedicated ActiveX control that handles the communication with the amplifier's driver. Included in the NeuroBCI is a simulation control (virtual device) that allows testing of applications without amplifier. Recently we have added support for the FieldTrip buffer, to allow another type of real-time access to the EEG data. In order to have full control of the timing in MATLAB and to implement the processing pipeline in MATLAB, data can be accessed through the FieldTrip buffer program. To read more on this approach or on the FieldTrip toolbox in general, visit the following links: Neuroimaging - Fieldtrip Fieldtrip Buffer

Spinal Cord bypass

How to bypass the spinal cord in case of injury ? use BCI !

ECNS

What do you gain by joining the EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society (ECNS)?

The society membership includes experts in neurology, psychiatry, psychology and rehabilitation involved in translational research and clinical developments in the field of behavioural neuropsychiatry.

Members gain both formal and informal access to cutting edge information on the understanding, treatment, and prevention of neurobehavioral disorders including, but not limited to, head injury, epilepsy, pain syndromes, movement disorders, cerebrovascular disorders, metabolic and degenerative disorders, thought disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality and substance dependence disorders.

Both MD and PhD experts in clinical electrophysiology and imaging techniques are at the helm and are actively teaching courses of ECNS. In addition to classic electroencephalography (EEG), quantitative EEG (QEEG), evoked potentials, magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), polysomnography (sleep EEG), and EEG neurofeedback are taught. Instructions are professional and new developments are taught from scientific and economic standpoints.

In recent years more and more of our courses have been devoted to the integration between established eletrophysiologic techniques and clinical use of newer methods of assessing brain function, e.g., SPECT, PET and most notably functional MRI.

Our congresses are informal to allow comfortable, easy access to the experts. If you are in an academic or teaching setting, experts are able to provide particular recommendations for experimental design for research and references for course material. The Society supports a number of young investigators to attend the annual congress at which their poster presentations were accepted.

Our society is keenly aware of the newly created subspecialty board in behavioural neurology. We are planning to provide educational courses which will include a faculty of experts in behavioural neurology, biological psychiatry and cognitive neuroscience.

Members have a free subscription to the journal of the Society: “Clinical EEG and Neuroscience”.

It should be noted that ECNS membership fees are reasonably low. The Society is open to MD-s and non-MD clinical neuroscientists as well as corporations that have contributed significantly to the use and application of instrumental techniques in behavioral neurology. Such members gain intellectual benefits through the society's open exchange of ideas.

Acupuncture ???

40.000 accidents each year with nail guns.

This is what happens if such a device toggles to full auto:

Neuromath

Program

The workshop will be partially organised as a symposium with invited talks from leading experts in the field of neuroscience:

• Guy Orban (UZ Leuven, campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium): Mathematical operations in the visual brain
• Christian Hesse (FC Donders, Nijmegen, The Netherlands): Blind Source Separation Approaches in Neuroscience: Applications and Challenges
• Geertjan Huiskamp (University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands): EEG-correlated fMRI in epilepsy
• Bart Nuttin (UZ Leuven, campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium): Deep brain stimulation and a neuroprobe
• Stefan Sunaert (UZ Leuven, campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium): The study of brain connectivity through fMRI and DTI
• Hans Hallez (Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium): Influence of anisotropic conductivities in EEG source estimation in patients with epilepsy
• Christian Benar (INSERM-Université Aix-Marseille, France) : Integration of EEG and fMRI: methods and pitfalls
• Febo Cincotti (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy): Brain Computer Interfaces: methods and applications

Besides the invited talks there is the opportunity to submit contributions under the form of an abstract for the oral and poster sessions. Afterwards these abstracts can be extended to full papers. A selection of the best papers will be published in a special issue of the journal Biomedizinische Technik / Biomedical Engineering.

Abstracts must be submitted by the 15th of December 2008 and can be maximally 300 words long. All abstracts should be written according to the following template (.doc). The abstracts must be sent by e-mail to . Please also indicate in your e-mail whether you prefer to be included in the poster or in the oral session.