ABSTRACT The presence of another human in our immediate or distant environment is a crucial factor for survival and social behavior. Our actions vary depending on the other person's relative proximity, involving integration of brain functions subserved by neural oscillations, to generate the most appropriate behavior. This study highlights the alpha EEG role and its neural generators in interpersonal space sensitivity (IPSS). To investigate this, participants stood face‐to‐face, gazing into each other's eyes, while wearing a mask preventing them from staring at each other. An auditory order instructed them to alternately close and open their eyes. It was observed that alpha power of the occipito‐parietal region increased as the distance decreased, transitioning from extrapersonal space (4 m) to peripersonal space (< 40 cm) when the eyes were closed. Conversely, alpha power decreased for the same distances when the eyes were open. These significant event‐related synchronization (ERS) and desynchronization (ERD) effects were absent when participants' heads were masked. Beta oscillations were not significantly involved in IPSS. The number of spontaneous blinks was not significantly influenced by IPSS. Source modeling identified alpha ERS and ERD in cortical and subcortical generators significantly involved in IPSS with independent components localized in: the parietal cortex bilaterally (BA7), the left limbic gyrus (BA23), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (right BA31, left and right BA24, right BA32), the right premotor cortex (BA6, including the supplementary motor area [SMA]), and the right frontal eye fields (BA8). These cortical areas were accompanied by the recruitment of the thalamus and cerebellum.

Language assessment using imaging remains an arduous task due to the complexity of the language network. Given the complex neural instantiation of the language function, structural imaging is insufficient in determining the extensive network of relevant cortical and subcortical areas in patients with intrinsic brain tumours. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a non-invasive method for the localisation of language-dominant areas using task-specific brain activation maps. In this study, the authors provide the results of a rapid four-task-based fMRI paradigm that can be used to determine an individual's specific language network. Fifteen participants were recruited prospectively for this study. A 10-min pre-scan preparation was done with each participant prior to the scan on the various tasks they were expected to complete during the fMRI scan. The following four tasks were conducted: covert naming, overt naming, sentence completion and pyramids and palm trees test (PPTT). The average time taken for all four tasks was 25.9 ± 1.8 min (23-31 min). All tasks were successfully completed in less than 30 min for all but one volunteer (31 min). Subject specific task-based fMRI maps were generated for each task, providing overall insights into the bilaterally represented language network. Tasks were completed in a reasonable time duration, providing maximal information that can be translated into intraoperative testing during awake surgeries. Further research is needed to understand any limitations of this type of testing in patients with pre-existing neurological deficits and brain lesions.

ABSTRACT The current treatment regimen for spinal cord injury (SCI), a neurological disorder with a high incidence of disability, is based on early surgical decompression and administration of pharmacological agents. However, the efficacy of such an approach remains limited, and most patients have sensory and functional deficits below the level of injury, which seriously affects their quality of life. This necessitates further exploration into effective treatment modalities. In recent years, considerable advancements have been made in developing and utilizing brain–computer interfaces (BCI), which facilitate neurorehabilitation and enhance motor function by transforming brain signals into diverse forms of output commands. BCI‐assisted systems provide alternative means of rehabilitative exercise or limb movement in patients with SCI, including electrical stimulation and exoskeleton robots. BCI shows great potential in the rehabilitation of patients with SCI. This review summarizes the current research status and limitations of BCI for SCI to provide novel insights into the concept of multimodal rehabilitation and treatment of SCI and facilitate BCI's future development.

Cover Image: Striatal astrocytes express the dopamine transporter (DAT).Primary astrocytic monocultures derived from the rat striatum are immunopositive for DAT (green).The astrocytic marker fibrillary acidic protein is labelled in red and the astrocyte nucleus is labelled by DAPI in blue.This is the first immunohistochemical evidence that astrocytes express DAT at the protein level and compliments a series of experiments that drug-induced down regulation of astrocytic DAT precedes the development of incentive cocaine-and heroin-seeking habits.This 40X photomicrograph was acquired by Drs Dhaval Joshi and Tristan Hynes using a Zeiss LSM 800 confocal microscope.

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