Advance articles

The cerebellum modulates cognition and emotion, in addition to its role in motor learning. Jacobs et al. report parallels between cerebellar structural and functional changes, the topography of cerebral neurodegeneration and the progression of symptomatology in Alzheimer’s disease. Cerebellar pathology may thus contribute to the cognitive and neuropsychiatric deficits observed.

Monoamine oxidase-B is a drug target in Parkinson’s disease and putative biomarker of astrogliosis. Using quantitative immunoblotting in post-mortem tissue, Tong et al. provide evidence to support the use of monoamine oxidase-B as a biomarker of astroglial activation, and distinguish astrocyte status in Parkinson’s disease from that in Parkinson-plus conditions.

Individuals with schizophrenia are commonly left with cognitive impairments, particularly in domains associated with prefrontal cortex activity. In a randomised, double blind, sham controlled, pilot study, Orlov et al. show that transcranial direct current stimulation during working memory and executive functioning modulates task-relevant networks in this patient group.

Bedside examination does not reliably detect consciousness in patients with acute severe traumatic brain injury. Edlow, Chatelle et al. report that stimulus-based functional MRI and EEG techniques enhance early detection of consciousness and cortical responses to language in these patients, which could alter time-sensitive decisions about withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies.