Planet Neuroscience

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Causal Lesion Evidence for Two Motor Speech Coordination Networks in the Brain

Speech production is supported by sensory-to-motor transformations to coordinate activity of the larynx and orofacial muscles. Here, we show that lesions to left temporal lobe areas involved in pitch processing cause reduced neural responses when repeating sentences and when humming piano melodies in a dorsal portion of the left precentral gyrus linked to laryngeal motor control. In contrast, lesions to left inferior parietal areas involved in somatosensory processing of speech cause reduced neural responses when repeating sentences but not when humming piano melodies in a ventral portion of the left precentral gyrus linked to orofacial motor control. Analyses in neurotypical participants converge in showing that the dorsal and ventral portions of the left precentral gyrus exhibit strong functional connectivity to left temporal and inferior parietal regions, respectively. These results provide causal lesion evidence that dissociable networks underlie distinct sensory-to-motor transformations supporting laryngeal and orofacial motor control for speech production.

in bioRxiv: Neuroscience on 2025-06-07 00:00:00 UTC.

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Convergent and divergent brain-cognition relationships during development revealed by cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in the ABCD Study

How brain networks and cognition co-evolve during development remains poorly understood. Using longitudinal data collected at baseline and Year 2 from 2,949 individuals (ages 8.9-13.5) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, we show that baseline resting-state functional connectivity (FC) more strongly predicts future cognitive ability than concurrent cognitive ability. Models trained on baseline FC to predict baseline cognition generalize better to Year 2 data, suggesting that brain-cognition relationships strengthen over time. Intriguingly, baseline FC outperforms longitudinal FC change in predicting future cognitive ability. Differences in measurement reliability do not fully explain this discrepancy: although FC change is less reliable (intraclass correlation, ICC = 0.24) than baseline FC (ICC = 0.56), matching baseline FC reliability by shortening scan time only partially narrows the predictive gap. Furthermore, neither baseline FC nor FC change meaningfully predicts longitudinal change in cognitive ability. We also identify converging and diverging predictive network features across cross-sectional and longitudinal models of brain-cognition relationships, revealing a multivariate twist on Simpsons paradox. Together, these findings suggest that during early adolescence, stable individual differences in brain functional network organization exert a stronger influence on future cognitive outcomes than short-term changes.

in bioRxiv: Neuroscience on 2025-06-07 00:00:00 UTC.

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An Automatic Domain-General Error Signal Is Shared across Tasks and Predicts Confidence in Different Sensory Modalities

Understanding the ability to self-evaluate decisions is an active area of research. This research has primarily focused on the neural correlates of self-evaluation during visual tasks and whether neural correlates before or after the primary decision contribute to self-reported confidence. This focus has been useful, yet the reliance on subjective confidence reports may confound our understanding of key everyday features of metacognitive self-evaluation: that decisions must be rapidly evaluated without explicit feedback and unfold in a multisensory world. These considerations led us to hypothesize that an automatic domain-general metacognitive signal may be shared between sensory modalities, which we tested in the present study with multivariate decoding of electroencephalographic (EEG) data. Participants (N = 21, 12 female) first performed a visual task with no request for self-evaluations of performance, prior to an auditory task that included rating decision confidence on each trial. A multivariate classifier trained to predict errors in the speeded visual task generalized to distinguish correct and error trials in the subsequent nonspeeded auditory discrimination. This generalization did not occur for classifiers trained on the visual stimulus-locked data and further predicted subjective confidence on the subsequent auditory task. This evidence of overlapping post-response neural activity provides evidence for automatic encoding of confidence independent of any explicit request for metacognitive reports and a shared basis for metacognitive evaluations across sensory modalities.

in eNeuro on 2025-06-06 16:30:16 UTC.

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Rod Inputs Arrive at Horizontal Cell Somas in Mouse Retina Solely via Rod-Cone Coupling

Rod and cone photoreceptor cells selectively contact different compartments of axon-bearing retinal horizontal cells in the mammalian retina. Cones synapse exclusively on the soma whereas rods synapse exclusively on a large axon terminal compartment. The possibility that rod signals can travel down the axon from terminal to soma has been proposed as a means of producing spectrally opponent interactions between rods and cones, but there is conflicting data about whether this actually occurs. The spectral overlap between rods and cones in mouse makes it difficult to stimulate rod and cone pigments separately. We therefore used optogenetic techniques to analyze photoreceptor inputs into horizontal somas by selectively expressing channelrhodopsin in rods and/or cones. Optogenetic stimulation of rods and cones both evoked large fast inward currents in horizontal cell somas. Cone-driven responses were abolished by eliminating synaptic release in a cone-specific knock-out of the exocytotic calcium sensor, synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1). However, rod-driven responses in horizontal somas were unchanged after eliminating synaptic release from rods but abolished by eliminating release from both rods and cones. This suggests that release from cones is required for transmission of rod signals to horizontal cell somas. Rods and cones are coupled by Cx36 gap junctions, and we found that selective elimination of Cx36 from rods also abolished rod-driven optogenetic responses in horizontal cell somas. Together, these results show that rod signals reach the somas of B-type horizontal cells exclusively via gap junctions with cones and not by transmission down the axon from the axon terminal.

in eNeuro on 2025-06-06 16:30:16 UTC.

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Two-Dimensional Perisaccadic Visual Mislocalization in Rhesus Macaque Monkeys

Perceptual localization of brief, high-contrast perisaccadic visual probes is grossly erroneous. While this phenomenon has been extensively studied in humans, more needs to be learned about its underlying neural mechanisms. This ideally requires running similar behavioral paradigms in animals. However, during neurophysiology, neurons encountered in the relevant sensory and sensory–motor brain areas for visual mislocalization can have arbitrary, noncardinal response field locations. This necessitates using mislocalization paradigms that can work with any saccade direction. Here, we first established such a paradigm in three male rhesus macaque monkeys. In every trial, the monkeys generated a saccade toward an eccentric target. Once a saccade onset was detected, we presented a brief flash at one of three possible locations ahead of the saccade target location. After an experimentally imposed delay, we removed the saccade target, and the monkeys were then required to generate a memory-guided saccade toward the remembered flash location. All three monkeys readily learned the task, and, like humans, they all showed strong backward mislocalization toward the saccade target, which recovered for later flashes from the saccade time. Importantly, we then replicated a known property of human perisaccadic mislocalization, as revealed by two-dimensional mislocalization paradigms: that mislocalization is the strongest for upward saccades. For horizontal saccades, we additionally found stronger mislocalization for upper visual field flashes, again consistent with humans. Our results establish a robust two-dimensional mislocalization paradigm in monkeys, and they pave the way for exploring the neural mechanisms underlying the dependence of perisaccadic mislocalization strength on saccade direction.

in eNeuro on 2025-06-06 16:30:16 UTC.

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Nonequilibrium brain dynamics elicited as the origin of perturbative complexity

by Wiep Stikvoort, Eider Pérez-Ordoyo, Iván Mindlin, Anira Escrichs, Jacobo D. Sitt, Morten L. Kringelbach, Gustavo Deco, Yonatan Sanz Perl

Assessing someone’s level of consciousness is a complex matter, and attempts have been made to aid clinicians in these assessments through metrics based on neuroimaging data. Many studies have empirically investigated measures related to the complexity elicited after the brain is stimulated to quantify the level of consciousness across different states. Here we hypothesized that the level of non-equilibrium dynamics of the unperturbed brain already contains the information needed to know how the system will react to an external stimulus. We created personalized whole-brain models fitted to resting state fMRI data recorded in participants in altered states of consciousness (e.g., deep sleep, disorders of consciousness) to infer the effective connections underlying their brain dynamics. We then measured the out-of-equilibrium nature of the unperturbed brain by evaluating the level of asymmetry of the inferred connectivity, the time irreversibility in each model and compared this with the elicited complexity generated after in silico perturbations, using a simulated fMRI-based version of the Perturbational Complexity Index, a measure that has been shown to distinguish different levels of consciousness in in vivo settings. Crucially, we found that states of consciousness involving lower arousal and/or lower awareness had a lower level of asymmetry in their effective connectivities, a lower level of irreversibility in their simulated dynamics, and a lower complexity compared to control subjects. We show that the asymmetry in the underlying connections drives the nonequilibrium state of the system and in turn the differences in complexity as a response to the external stimuli.

in PLoS Computational Biology on 2025-06-06 14:00:00 UTC.

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Resource acquisition in diel cycles and the cost of growing quickly

by Kevin J. Flynn, Andrew Yu. Morozov

Many organisms, notably phototrophs, routinely acquire resources over only a fraction of the day. They have to balance their main period of initial biosynthesis against cell cycle events. Because of their short generation times, this challenge is especially acute for the planktonic microalgae that perform 50% of global C-fixation. Empirical evidence indicates that microalgal day-average growth is a function of the ability to acquire resources rapidly when available, retaining initial products of assimilation to support growth. A fundamental question arises over the optimal physiological configuration to support such activity. Here, we applied computer simulations implementing a development of the quota concept, in which the internal limiting resource is itself C, ratioed against total organism C-biomass. The model comprises metabolite and core pools of carbon C (^MC and ^CC, respectively), with growth modulated by ^MC/(^MC+ ^CC); ^MC supports growth of ^CC in the absence of concurrent resource acquisition. Dynamic feedback interactions from the relative size of ^MC controls resource acquisition. The model reproduces the general pattern of growth at different light:day fraction (LD), and of afternoon-depression of C-fixation. We explored the efficiency of the physiological cell configuration to locate optimal configurations at different combinations of maximum growth rates (U_max) and LD values across plausible parameter values for microalgae. While the optimum maximum resource acquisition rate deployed during the L phase scales with U_max/LD, the maximum size of the metabolite pool scales to LD/DV, where DV is division time (i.e. U_max/Ln(2)). Accordingly, we conclude that faster growing organisms carry a penalty limiting their geographic spread to latitudes and seasons where LD is high. Larger, vacuolated organisms (such as diatoms), having a bigger metabolite compartment, may be at an advantage in such situations.

in PLoS Computational Biology on 2025-06-06 14:00:00 UTC.

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Fusing multisensory signals across channels and time

by Swathi Anil, Dan F. M. Goodman, Marcus Ghosh

Animals continuously combine information across sensory modalities and time, and use these combined signals to guide their behaviour. Picture a predator watching their prey sprint and screech through a field. To date, a range of multisensory algorithms have been proposed to model this process including linear and nonlinear fusion, which combine the inputs from multiple sensory channels via either a sum or nonlinear function. However, many multisensory algorithms treat successive observations independently, and so cannot leverage the temporal structure inherent to naturalistic stimuli. To investigate this, we introduce a novel multisensory task in which we provide the same number of task-relevant signals per trial but vary how this information is presented: from many short bursts to a few long sequences. We demonstrate that multisensory algorithms that treat different time steps as independent, perform sub-optimally on this task. However, simply augmenting these algorithms to integrate across sensory channels and short temporal windows allows them to perform surprisingly well, and comparably to fully recurrent neural networks. Overall, our work: highlights the benefits of fusing multisensory information across channels and time, shows that small increases in circuit/model complexity can lead to significant gains in performance, and provides a novel multisensory task for testing the relevance of this in biological systems.

in PLoS Computational Biology on 2025-06-06 14:00:00 UTC.

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The Notions of Fuzzy Set on Pseudo Quasi Ordered Residuated Systems [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

This paper introduces the concept of fuzzy filters and 2-fuzzy filters of a quasi-ordered residuated system K . This research explores comparative, normal, implicative and associative fuzzy filters within a quasi-ordered residuated system. It establishes the sufficient conditions under which a comparative fuzzy filter in K qualifies as a normal fuzzy filter and vice-versa. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the collection of all comparative fuzzy filters in K constitutes a complete lattice. The notion of fuzzy filters of a pseudo quasi-ordered residuated system is introduced and the analysis extends to fantastic, comparative, associative and implicative fuzzy filters within a pseudo quasi-ordered residuated framework. Finally, it is proven that an associative fuzzy filter in K inherently satisfies the criteria for both implicative and comparative fuzzy filters.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:48:17 UTC.

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Promising effect of cisplatin and melatonin combination on the inhibition of cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer [version 4; peer review: 1 approved, 2 not approved]

Background Ovarian cancer management has not yet given a satisfactory result, and the recurrence rate is still high. One of the reasons for this is resistance to chemotherapy. Melatonin and cisplatin may be involved in the chemotherapy resistance of ovarian cancer. Methods A laboratory experiment was performed using melatonin and cisplatin in the SKOV3 cell, from September 2020 to November 2021 at the SCTE and Integrated Laboratory & Research Center Universitas Indonesia. Several variables were used, such as doxorubicin, melatonin, cisplatin, and combination of cisplatin and melatonin at several concentrations (1×, 3/4×, 1/2×, and 1/4×). A total of 24 samples were included and divided into 8 groups. The IC50 values of melatonin, doxorubicin, and cisplatin as well as cell viability was calculated via MTS assay. Subsequently, flow cytometry was performed to assess the effect of cisplatin and melatonin on the mechanisms of CTR1, p-glycoprotein, GSH, ERCC1, e-cadherin, and apoptosis. Analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were employed for the study. Results The IC50 values of melatonin, cisplatin, and doxorubicin were 1.841 mM, 117.5 mM, and 14.72 mM, respectively. The combination groups of cisplatin and melatonin reduced cell viability; decreased the CTR1 mean (19.73), Pgp (6.7), GSH (11.73), and ERCC1 (4.27) in the combination 1 (C1) group; and increased e-cadherin (32.2) and annexin V (53.57) also in the combination 1 (C1) group. Conclusions The combination of melatonin and cisplatin might have an impact on drug resistance via several mechanisms in ovarian cancer.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:43:00 UTC.

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Engaging Sustainable Reforestation and Forest Protection in the Wallacea Line, Indonesia [version 2; peer review: 1 approved with reservations]

The Wallacea region of Indonesia has high biodiversity and highly unique and endangered species. Its terrestrial ecosystems have unique flora and fauna found nowhere else. Nevertheless, the strategy for protecting and conserving the Wallacea ecosystem is like that in other parts of Indonesia, since it refers to the national forest and environmental regulations. The uniqueness of the Wallacea ecosystem does not reflect the extraordinary efforts of protecting and conserving the region’s pristine ecosystem. The continuing decline of the forestland and expansions of agricultural lands have indicated the need for a more fundamental and integrative approach to conserving and protecting the Wallacea ecosystem, particularly forestlands. We use the actor-centered power (ACP) approach or ideas and use the Wallacea Line to highlight how this idea is contested and confronted with the dynamics of complex societies and ecosystems. The ACP approach is the most widely used one in the implementation of the community forest (CF) program in Indonesia. The CF program is one of Indonesia’s community-based forest management schemes that empowers local communities to manage state forests sustainably. We chose two national parks established in the Wallacea region, Mutis on Timor Island and Matalawa on Sumba Island, to elaborate further on the development, conservation, and changes that occurred within that landscape. The ACP approach, in line with the spirit of the decentralization era, has mixed consequences for forest management and the biodiversity of the Wallacea region. Regarding the specific characteristics of the Wallacea region and lessons learned from the ACP approach implementation in the CF program, we then propose a sustainable model of reforestation and forest protection that applies the principle of “unity in diversity,” where all actors involved have space for the growth of creativity and positive contributions to sustainable forest protection.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:41:07 UTC.

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Quantification of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in dried blood spots as compared to plasma among Indian adults [version 2; peer review: 2 approved with reservations]

Background Vitamin D may play an important role in later-life physical and cognitive health. Vitamin D status is standardly assessed in serum and plasma; however, collection, transport, and storage costs make large epidemiologic studies challenging. We assessed the agreement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) quantification from dried blood spots (DBS) as compared to standard plasma assessment among older Indian adults. Methods A total of 58 adults over 45 years of age who resided in Pune, India were enrolled in the study from July 2020 to June 2021. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to assess 25(OH)D3 concentrations in paired plasma and DBS samples. Results Plasma and DBS 25(OH)D3 concentrations were highly correlated (Pearson’s correlation = 0.976). The median 25(OH)D3 concentration of the study population assessed by plasma was 14.6 ng/mL (Q1=12.0, Q3= 18.1) while the median concentration assessed in DBS was 12.8 ng/mL (Q1=11.0, Q3= 16.6). 25(OH)D3 concentrations measured from DBS were on average 6% (95% CI: 2-13%) lower than concentrations assessed by plasma across the observed 25(OH)D3 distribution. Conclusions We found good agreement between 25(OH)D3 quantification between DBS and plasma and our findings indicate that DBS can be used in epidemiologic studies of vitamin D among Indian adults.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:36:44 UTC.

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Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infections after Paediatric Appendectomies in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Coastal Karnataka [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Introduction Surgical site infections (SSIs) occur in 1.3% to 4% of paediatric appendectomies. It is the most common complication after an appendectomy. Surgical complications in paediatric patients increase patient susceptibility to opportunistic infections, falls and drug-related side effects The aim of this study was to identify the modifiable risk factors for SSIs after paediatric appendectomies. Methodology Paediatric patients who underwent appendectomies from April 2018 to April 2023 in a tertiary care teaching hospital in coastal Karnataka were included. Clinical characteristics of patients were collected from the medical records of the patients. Results A total of 459 paediatric patients underwent appendectomies between 2018 and 2023. 45 (9.8%) developed surgical site infections (SSIs). Chi-squared tests (or Fisher’s exact tests, where appropriate) revealed significant associations (p < 0.05) between SSIs and the following categorical variables: faecal incontinence, surgical technique, wound type, type of appendicitis, postoperative stay and use of invasive devices. Multivariate logistic regression analysis further identified laparotomy (OR = 4.39, 95% CI: 1.31–14.74), presence of invasive devices (OR = 104.4, 95% CI: 5.45–2002.93), longer consultation-to-surgery time (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.17–1.88), and increased surgery duration (OR = 1.02 per minute, 95% CI: 1.01–1.04) as independent risk factors significantly associated with the development of SSIs. Discussion The study identified laparotomy, use of drains, delayed surgery, and longer operation time as key risk factors for SSIs after paediatric appendectomies. Despite standard precautions, high SSI rates were observed, likely due to modifiable surgical factors and antimicrobial resistance. The findings highlight the need for optimized surgical practices, timely intervention, and multidisciplinary strategies to reduce SSI rates and improve patient outcomes.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:34:39 UTC.

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OnabotulinumtoxinA blockade of the sphenopalatine ganglion in treatment-resistant chronic migraine (MiBlock): rationale, design and study protocol for a multi-centre, investigator initiated, randomised, quadruple-blinded placebo-controlled trial. [version

Background Treatment-resistant chronic migraine patients constitute a heavily burdened patient population with need for novel treatment options. The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG), located deep within the facial structures, is a synaptic junction in the trigemino-autonomic reflex that is hypothesised to play a part in migraine pathophysiology. A 2017 open-label pilot study explored the SPG as a target for onabotulinumtoxinA injections in chronic migraine using a navigation-guided injection device, demonstrating a favourable safety profile and promising response on migraine related efficacy outcomes. Methods MiBlock is a multi-centre, investigator-initiated, publicly funded, randomised, quadruple-blinded and placebo-controlled trial. Participation is voluntary and all participants must sign a written consent prior to inclusion. The study is approved by the Norwegian ethics committee and the Norwegian Medical Product Agency. Patients with treatment-resistant chronic migraine will be recruited from four Norwegian university hospitals until 170 have received study treatment. The study will investigate the efficacy of a single-session, bilateral, navigation-guided, percutaneous injection of either onabotulinumtoxinA (verum) or 0.9% NaCl (placebo) towards the SPG under local anaesthesia. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in the frequency of moderate and severe headache days at weeks 5-8 post-injection. The primary efficacy outcome variable is collected prospectively through daily headache eDiary entries during the entire study participation. The treatment effect will be assessed by comparing the placebo and the treatment arm according to a prespecified statistical analysis plan. Discussion This trial addresses a novel treatment strategy in headache prevention. The study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of onabotulinumtoxinA injection towards the SPG in chronic migraine, but results may shed light on the feasibility of navigation-guided SPG injections in several headache disorders. Results will be published in international open-access peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number EudraCT number: 2018-004053-24. ClinicalTrial ref: NCT04069897. Protocol version 4.2, Date 21.11.2019

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:33:19 UTC.

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Incidence And Predictors Of Phlebites In Neonates Admitted To Nicus In Northwest Amhara Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023:Multi Center Study [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Introduction phlebitis is one of the complications associated with the placement of peripheral intravascular lines in neonates and serves as an indicator of the quality of care provided by health professionals. Determining its incidence and predictors provides valuable evidence for stakeholders to address this issue and the potential factors contributing to phlebitis. Objective This study aims to determine the incidence and predictors of phlebitis among neonates with perinatal asphyxia admitted at the neonatal intensive care unit of West Amhara Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023. Method A multicentered, institution-based prospective follow-up study was conducted from May 1 to August 30, 2024, at the Northwest Amhara Region Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. A systematic random sampling technique was employed, and data were collected using a data extraction checklist from the medical registry of neonates. The collected data were entered into EPI-DATA V.4.6.0.0 and analyzed using STATA V.14. The Kaplan-Meier failure curve and log-rank test were utilized, and both bivariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of phlebitis. Statistical significance was defined as p ≤ 0.05. Result The overall incidence of phlebitis was 20.9 per 1,000 neonate-day observations (95% CI: 17.12-25.54) during the entire follow-up period. Of the 423 neonates admitted to the NICU, 96 (22.69%) (95% CI: 18.93-26.94) developed phlebitis. Significant predictors included birth asphyxia (AHR= 2.1; 95% CI: 1.38-3.19), trials of cannulation (AHR=2.5; 95% CI: 1.01-6.36), macrosomic neonates (AHR=3.05; 95% CI: 1.17-7.96), flushed cannulas (AHR=0.54; 95% CI: 0.31-0.97), and short dwelling time (AHR=0.47; 95% CI: 0.29-0.765). Conculsion The incidence rate of phlebitis was higher than that reported in other studies. Predictors of phlebitis included birth asphyxia, the number of cannulation trials, macrosomic neonates, flushed cannulas, and shorter dwelling times.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:31:37 UTC.

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The prevalence of intraventricular hemorrhage and its related risk factors among preterm neonates [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Introduction Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a serious concern for preterm infants and can predispose such infants to brain injury and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Aim The present study aimed to determine the frequency of IVH and its risk factors in the premature newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at King Fahd University Hospital. Methodology This cross-sectional study involved 201 preterm neonates admitted at King Fahd University Hospital, Khobar, Saudi Arabia over a period of 7 years (from 2016 to 2023). These neonates were diagnosed by cranial ultrasound. IVH was classified into four grades based on Papile classification. The frequency of IVH was compared across various attributing factors i.e., gestational age at delivery, gender, birth weight, mode of delivery, and maternal antenatal steroids. Results Two hundred and one patients were analyzed (male 50.7% vs. female 49.3%). 51.2% had a gestational age of 29 weeks or less. More than half (54.2%) had a birth weight of ≤1200g. The incidence of IVH in a 7-year duration was 41.8%, with stage 1 (41.7%) and stage 2 (34.5%) being the most common IVH stages. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that CHD, seizure, and ROP were identified as the significant independent predictors of IVH among preterm infants. Conclusion IVH in premature infants remains a complex and delicate issue in neonatology. An integrated approach covering both prevention and treatment is essential to minimize the negative impact of this complication on the neurological development of premature infants.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:28:49 UTC.

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Income Inequality, Governance Quality, and Political Engagement: A Cross-country Analysis of Disparities and Democratic Participation [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Background Income gaps threaten democratic vitality, yet the evidence is mixed on whether economic inequality inevitably suppresses citizens’ political voices. We argue that institutional integrity—particularly the capacity to curb corruption—conditions how inequality translates into civic disengagement. By embedding governance quality in the inequality-participation debate, this study addresses a significant omission in comparative political-economy scholarship and offers policy-relevant insights. Methods We compile a balanced panel of ten democracies—Australia, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa—for 2002-2022. Voice and Accountability (Worldwide Governance Indicators) are the outcome variable; predictors include the lagged Gini Index, extreme poverty headcount, GDP-per-capita growth, and five governance metrics. Country- and year-fixed-effects regressions with cluster-robust errors are estimated. Diagnostic tests (Pesaran LM, IPS, Westerlund, VIF) guide specification and interaction terms to assess whether strong corruption control moderates inequality’s impact in developed versus developing subsamples. Results Corruption control is the strongest positive predictor of democratic voice, while inequality and poverty are insignificant in isolation. Interaction models reveal pronounced asymmetries. In developed economies, the deleterious effect of inequality is neutralised—and sometimes reversed—when corruption is tightly controlled (β = +0.028, p < 0.01). In developing economies, inequality remains benign until corruption escalates, at which point higher Gini scores significantly erode Voice and Accountability (β = -0.020, p ≈ 0.07). Corrected models confirm a modest universal adverse effect of inequality once institutional dynamics are constant. Conclusions Inequality is not destiny; its democratic toll depends on whether institutions can control corruption. Policy agendas that redistribute income will underperform if they neglect governance reforms. Combating graft, professionalising public administration, and expanding digital feedback channels can shield civic participation even in unequal societies. Conversely, failing to fortify institutions leaves democracies—especially developing ones—vulnerable to a corrosive feedback loop of widening gaps and falling political voices.

in F1000Research on 2025-06-06 11:18:21 UTC.

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New Horizons for Multiple Sclerosis Therapy: 2025 and Beyond

The advances achieved against multiple sclerosis (MS) represent one of the great success stories of modern molecular medicine. The development of therapies with increasing selectivity and safety, guided by gains in understanding the fundamental immunology, neurobiology, genetics, and triggers of this disease, have broadened the traditional focus on treatment, adding realistic possibilities for prevention and repair. Here, we summarize recent advances that have together transformed the disease from the most common crippler of young adults in the western world to its place today as a condition in which most newly diagnosed patients can anticipate lives free from disability. ANN NEUROL 2025

in Annals of Neurology on 2025-06-06 07:04:12 UTC.

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Light at night negatively affects mood in diurnal primate-like tree shrews via a visual pathway related to the perihabenular nucleus

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 122, Issue 23, June 2025.
SignificanceLong-term light at night (LAN) exposure poses a health threat to nocturnal lab animals. Whether diurnal animals suffer the same deleterious effect imposed by LAN and how it works are still open questions. Our study shows that tree shrew, a ...

in PNAS on 2025-06-06 07:00:00 UTC.

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Projecting neurons from the lateral entorhinal cortex to the basolateral amygdala mediate the encoding of incidental odor–taste associations

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 122, Issue 23, June 2025.
SignificanceDaily choices are determined by past direct or undirect associations between innocuous cues and reinforcers. In this study, we used a mouse odor–taste sensory preconditioning task combined with genetic, intersectional, and chemogenetic ...

in PNAS on 2025-06-06 07:00:00 UTC.

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