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Albert Einstein's Brain: Unusual in Life and Anatomy

Was Albert Einstein's unique cognitive ability reflected in anatomical variations in his brain? In this study of his brain's external morphology, these authors demonstrate an unusual variation: One of the posterior ascending branches of the sylvian fissure is confluent with the postcentral gyrus, and therefore there is no parietal operculum. This variant of gyral patterns is extremely rare in humans and was not found in their sample of 35 male and 56 female control brains. Einstein's parietal lobe is wider than those of the controls, and his brain is more spherical. Despite the "missing" parietal operculum, the authors did not do cytological studies of these areas. They postulated that Einstein's posterior parietal lobes developed early, "restraining" posterior expansion of the sylvan fissure and parietal operculum.
http://neurology.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/1999/1001/19

Brain Structure in Obstructive Sleep Apnea


Improved neuroimaging techniques reveal extensive white-matter changes in patients with untreated obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome is associated with cognitive and mood changes that include fatigue, sleepiness, memory difficulties, impaired executive function, irritability, and mood lability. In addition, autonomic disturbances include cardiovascular and ventilation changes. These authors evaluated whether these signs and symptoms are accompanied by structural brain changes. They used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a relatively new technique that allows calculation of fractional anisotropy (FA). FA reflects the number, coherence, and degree of myelination of nerve fibers. Study participants were 41 patients with moderate-tosevere OSA and 69 controls without sleep apnea. Compared with controls, OSA patients had lower FA values in multiple brain areas, including areas within the caudal pons, left middle cerebellar peduncle, left corticospinal tract, deep cerebellar nuclei, ventral lateral thalamus, fornix, anterior cingulated gyrus, internal capsule, and parietal and frontal cortices. The authors speculate that the lower FA in these regions reflects demyelination, shrinkage of axons, axonal loss, and, possibly, small-vessel damage.
http://neurology.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2008/1007/4

Facelift without the Scalpel


Traditional facelifts are effective but cause considerable morbidity. Noninvasive laser and radiofrequency skin tightening cause minimal morbidity but have limited efficacy. Lying between these extremes is "antiptosis subdermal suspension thread" skin lifting (Aptos). At its heart is a polypropylene suture having numerous barbs in both directions; the suture is inserted in a zigzag pattern in the subdermal plane along the direction of skin laxity to hold lax skin in the desired position against the pull of gravity. Any bunching of the overlying skin is smoothed out before leaving the suture in place. Several sutures may be placed to achieve the desired effect. One physician described his experience using this technique in 350 women over 4 years. Results were analyzed subjectively by the surgeon and empirically by blinded evaluation of pre- and postsurgical photographs. Fifty-seven percent of patients experienced reductions in ptosis of 80% to 100%, 28% had reductions of 60% to 80%, and 13% had reductions of 40% to 60%. Only two patients had threads removed due to dissatisfaction with the results. Touch-up adjustment was required in 15% of patients, but the need for touch-ups declined rapidly as the surgeon gained experience. Mild bruising, swelling, erythema, and visibility of the thread through the skin resolved with little to no intervention. Longevity of the original correction declined gradually: 85% to 100% of the correction persisted after 1 year, 70% after 2 years, and 60% after 3 years. Additional insertions reestablished the original degree of correction.
http://dermatology.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2004/316/4

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