PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Wearable brain imaging device shines a light on how babies respond in real-world situations

Wearable brain imaging device shines a light on how babies respond in real-world situations
2024-09-10
(Press-News.org) A new technology which uses harmless light waves to measure activity in babies’ brains has provided the most complete picture to date of brain functions like hearing, vision and cognitive processing outside a conventional, restrictive brain scanner, in a new study led by researchers at UCL and Birkbeck.

The wearable brain imaging headgear, which was developed in collaboration with UCL spin-out Gowerlabs, found unexpected activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that processes emotions, in response to social stimuli, appearing to confirm that babies start processing what is happening to them in social situations as early as five months old.

This latest technology can measure neural activity across the whole outer surface of a baby’s brain. An earlier version developed by the same team could only measure activity in one or two parts of a baby’s brain at a time.

The researchers say this technology could help to map the connections between different brain regions and establish what distinguishes typical and atypical neurodevelopment in the crucial early stages of childhood and shed light on conditions of neurodiversity such as autism, dyslexia and ADHD.

The development of the new device and the results of early tests are documented in a new study, published in Imaging Neuroscience, and will be presented at the British Science Festival on Saturday 14 September.

Dr Liam Collins-Jones, first author of the study from UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering and the University of Cambridge, said: “Previously we developed a wearable imaging approach that could map activity in specific areas of the brain.

“But this made it difficult to get a complete picture as we could only focus on one or two areas in isolation, whereas in reality different parts of the brain work together when navigating real-world scenarios.

“The new method allows us to observe what’s happening across the whole outer brain surface underlying the scalp, which is a big step forward. It opens up possibilities to spot interactions between different areas and detect activity in areas that we might not have known to look at previously.

“This more complete picture of brain activity could enhance our understanding of how the baby brain functions as it interacts with the surrounding world, which could help us optimise support for neurodiverse children early in life.”

Professor Emily Jones, an author of the study from Birkbeck, University of London, said: “This is the first time that differences in activity across such a wide area of the brain have been measured in babies using a wearable device, including parts of the brain involved in processing sound, vision and emotions.

“The technology developed and tested in this study is a stepping stone towards a better understanding of the brain processes that underlie social development, which we haven’t been able to observe before, outside of the very restrictive bounds of an MRI scanner.

“With this we should be able to see what’s happening in babies’ brains as they play, learn and interact with other people in a very natural way.”

The new device was tested on sixteen babies aged five-to-seven months. Wearing the device, the babies sat on their parent’s lap and were shown videos of actors singing nursery rhymes to mimic a social scenario, and videos of moving toys, such as a ball rolling down a ramp, to mimic a non-social scenario.

The researchers observed differences in brain activity between the two scenarios. As well as the unexpected findings in the pre-frontal cortex observed in response to social stimuli, the researchers found that activity was more localised in response to social stimuli compared to non-social stimuli, validating previous findings from optical neuroimaging and MRI studies.

Currently the most comprehensive way to see what’s going on in the human brain is with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which involves the subject lying very still within the scanner for potentially 30 minutes or more.

The drawback of this approach is that it is difficult to mimic natural scenarios, such as interacting with another person or performing a task, particularly with infants who would need to be asleep or restrained in order for an MRI to successfully image their brain activity.

To help overcome this, in recent years this team of researchers have used a form of optical neuroimaging, called high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT), to develop wearable devices that are able to study brain activity more naturally. The technology also has the benefit of being cheaper and more portable than MRI.

In the new study, the researchers developed a HD-DOT optical neuroimaging method capable of scanning the whole of the infant’s head.

The device used in the study was adapted from a commercial system developed by Gowerlabs, a UCL spin-out company that was founded in 2013 by researchers from UCL’s Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory.

Dr Rob Cooper, senior author of the study from UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, said: “This device is a great example of academic research and commercial technological development working hand-in-hand.

“The long-standing collaboration between UCL and Gowerlabs, along with our academic partners, has been fundamental to the development of wearable HD-DOT technology.”

Dr Collins-Jones will give a talk about this research at the British Science Festival on Saturday 14 September at 13:00. More information is available here.

Notes to Editors:

For more information, please contact:

 Dr Matt Midgley

+44 (0)20 7679 9064

m.midgley@ucl.ac.uk

Publication:

Liam H. Collins-Jones et al. ‘Whole-head high-density diffuse optical tomography to map infant audio-visual responses to social and non-social stimuli’ is published in Imaging Neuroscience and is strictly embargoed until Wednesday 11 September at 00:01 BST / 10 September at 19:01 ET.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00244

About UCL – London’s Global University

UCL is a diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry links, external partners, and alumni. Our powerful collective of individuals and institutions work together to explore new possibilities.

Since 1826, we have championed independent thought by attracting and nurturing the world's best minds. Our community of more than 50,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries and makes a positive impact on real world problems.

The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024, we are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation and the broadest research impact.

We have a progressive and integrated approach to our teaching and research – championing innovation, creativity and cross-disciplinary working. We teach our students how to think, not what to think, and see them as partners, collaborators and contributors.  

For almost 200 years, we are proud to have opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge.

We were the first in England to welcome women to university education and that courageous attitude and disruptive spirit is still alive today. We are UCL.

www.ucl.ac.uk | Follow @uclnews on Twitter | Read news at www.ucl.ac.uk/news/ | Listen to UCL podcasts on SoundCloud | View images on Flickr | Find out what’s on at UCL Minds

About Birkbeck  
Founded in 1823, Birkbeck, University of London is known for world-class research and for learning opportunities that are designed to fit arounds its students’ busy lives, allowing them to work and build a career or pursue other interests whilst they study. Located in central London, its in-person on-campus teaching is complemented with excellent online learning opportunities and resources.      

www.bbk.ac.uk | @BirkbeckUoL | youtube.com/BirkbeckVideo 

About the British Science Festival
The British Science Festival is one of Europe’s largest science festivals and regularly attracts hundreds of the UK’s top scientists and speakers to discuss the latest developments in science with the public. Working in partnership with University of East London and other organisations in East London and the surrounding areas, the Festival will entertain an audience of non-specialist adults with a broad interest in science, delivering five-days’ worth of specially curated events. Over 15,000 visitors are expected to attend the talks, workshops, performances and activities.   

The Festival has been the stage for many iconic moments in history – such as the famous debate on Darwin’s controversial theory of evolution between Thomas Huxley and the Bishop of Oxford in 1860. It also saw the first use of the word ‘scientist,’ in 1834. The origins of the Festival, previously known as the annual meeting, can be traced back to York, in 1831. Since then it has travelled the globe, including visits to Montreal and Australia.   

Registration is free for journalists and gets you access to all the events. The Festival takes place at a different location each year. The 2024 Festival will take place 11-15 September, hosted by the University of East London. 

For further information, visit www.britishsciencefestival.org or #BSF24 on social media.

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Wearable brain imaging device shines a light on how babies respond in real-world situations

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

"Cuddle hormone" oxytocin may provide pain relief and help curb harmful opioid use

2024-09-10
In the midst of America’s growing opioid crisis, a much healthier alternative to long-term pain management is emerging — one affectionately known as “the cuddle hormone,” or oxytocin. University of Florida researchers are currently investigating whether a synthetic version of this naturally-occurring human hormone can be used in conjunction with prescription drugs to help curb opioid addictions, especially in susceptible older adults. An interdisciplinary research team is conducting the two-year study, with $414,375 in funding from the National ...

Study reveals mechanism that activates glucose production in the liver in response to stress

2024-09-10
A study led by Brazilian researchers has produced a detailed description of the morphology of the nerves in the liver and how they control production of glucose when the organism is under stress. This process is known as hepatic gluconeogenesis. It is a key metabolic function of the liver that helps maintain a normal blood sugar level, especially when fasting and at times of high energy needs.  An article on the study, which entailed experiments with mice, is published in the journal Metabolism. According to the authors, the sympathetic nerves that stimulate the release of noradrenaline in the liver helped ...

Aumolertinib maintenance after chemoradiotherapy in stage III non-small cell lung cancer improves PFS compared to placebo

Aumolertinib maintenance after chemoradiotherapy in stage III non-small cell lung cancer improves PFS compared to placebo
2024-09-10
(San Diego, Calif.--September 9, 2024, 10:05 a.m.) -- The epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor aumolertinib demonstrated improved progression-free survival compared to placebo without any significant new adverse reactions, according to data from the POLESTAR study presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer. Consolidation therapy with durvalumab is established as the standard of care for patients who do not experience disease progression following concurrent chemoradiotherapy. However, it is unknown what the specific benefit ...

Weight loss of up to 13% achieved in three months with once-a-day tablet, phase 1 trial finds

2024-09-10
Individuals who received a once-a-day oral weight loss drug lost up to 13% of their body weight over three months, the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September) will hear. Amycretin, which is being developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk A/S, mimics the action of two peptide hormones in one single molecule. Amycretin is both an amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Both of these play a key role in appetite regulation ...

Time-restricted eating improves blood sugar control in adults at risk of type 2 diabetes regardless of time of day

2024-09-10
Restricting the eating window to 8 hours a day significantly improves blood glucose control in adults at risk of type 2 diabetes irrespective of whether it is earlier or later in the day, according to a randomised crossover trial to be presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Madrid (9-13 Sept). “Our study found that restricting eating to a window of 8 hours per day significantly improved the daily time spent in the normal blood glucose range and reduced fluctuations in blood glucose levels. However, altering the 8-hour restricted eating period ...

Individuals with complications of diabetes are at higher risk of gum disease, Danish study finds

2024-09-10
Gum disease is more common in individuals with microvascular complications of diabetes, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September) and published in The Journal of Dental Research has found. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and the bones supporting the teeth. It is caused by the accumulation of bacterial plaque, and if left untreated, it can lead to the destruction of the tissues that hold the teeth in place, ultimately resulting in tooth loss. “This tooth loss can affect essential functions like chewing and speaking, while ...

Weight loss drug liraglutide is safe and effective in children under 12, study finds

2024-09-10
The obesity medication liraglutide is safe and effective in children aged 6 to <12 years, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September), and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), has found. Childen aged six to <12 years who took liraglutide for just over a year experienced a reduction in BMI of 7.4% compared to placebo and experienced improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar control. The results of ...

Chemotherapy before surgery helps patients with nose and sinus cancer avoid debilitating eye and bone removal

Chemotherapy before surgery helps patients with nose and sinus cancer avoid debilitating eye and bone removal
2024-09-10
Results from a clinical trial by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) show a striking improvement for patients who received chemotherapy before surgery to remove advanced squamous cell-type cancer of the nose or sinus. The European Society of Medical Oncology is highlighting the trial at its ESMO Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Surgery is required for these patients but at a high physical cost. Patients enrolled in this trial had signs that surgery would result in loss of the eye, the base of the skull bone, or both. However, in the randomized prospective trial EA3163, patients receiving chemotherapy ...

The glug of it all

2024-09-10
As Rohit Velankar, now a senior at Fox Chapel Area High School, poured juice into a glass, he could feel that the rhythmic glug, glug, glug was flexing the walls of the carton. Rohit pondered the sound, and wondered if a container’s elasticity influenced the way its fluid drained. He initially sought the answer to his question for his science fair project, but it spiraled into something more when he teamed up with his father, Sachin Velankar, a professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering.  They set up an experiment ...

UTA to build netted drone facility in Fort Worth

UTA to build netted drone facility in Fort Worth
2024-09-10
The University of Texas at Arlington is expanding its research and innovation capabilities by building a $2.3 million, state-of-the-art outdoor netted drone facility. The Maverick Autonomous Vehicle Research Center (MAVRC) will be located at the UT Arlington Research Institute (UTARI) in Fort Worth, with a planned completion date of January 2025. “MAVRC will significantly and positively impact UTA’s presence in the region by supporting the university-industry-government-community ecosystem focused ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

SwRI-developed instruments will study potential habitability of Jupiter’s moon Europa

Proposed scoring system may enhance equity in organ transplantation, increase transplant rates and improve patient survival

Survivors of childhood brain cancer are more likely to be held back in school

Updating offshore turbine designs to reflect storms’ complexity is key

Hospital strain during the COVID-19 pandemic and outcomes in older racial and ethnic minority adults

Scientists unveils key role of “selfish DNA” in early human development

Bonobos may be more vulnerable than previously thought, suggests genetics study

Scripps Research scientists discover chemical probes for previously “undruggable” cancer target

Giant Magellan telescope begins primary mirror support system testing

Experimental cancer drug eliminates bone metastases caused by breast cancer in lab models

Political candidates who fight climate change stand to benefit in election

Stand up to Cancer announces new grants supporting pioneering research in six cancer types

Researchers awarded $1.3M to help military Veterans battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia

New hub for high-energy astrophysics — CTAO Science Data Management Centre opens at DESY in Zeuthen

JMIR publications CEO and Executive Editor Gunther Eysenbach achieves #1 ranking as most cited researcher in Medical Informatics for fifth consecutive year

ERC grant for groundbreaking wearable health tech

NIH announces winners of prize competition to improve postpartum maternal health and health equity through innovative diagnostics

APS and SPR honor Dr. Cynthia F. Bearer with the 2025 Mary Ellen Avery Neonatal Research Award

Election delays and voter trust

US air pollution monitoring network has gaps in coverage, say researchers

Continuous monitoring of fatigue in factory workers

Farmer ants’ wearable bacteria

Political polarization and trust

Study uncovers how silkworm moth's odor detection may improve robotics

New study links obesity to elevated hypertension risk among young middle eastern women

How ‘vaccinating’ plants could reduce pesticide use and secure global food supplies

Seven new frog species discovered in Madagascar: sounds like something from Star Trek

New temperatures in two thirds of key tropical forest

Fearful memories of others seen in mouse brain

Rangers lead ground-breaking effort to monitor Uganda's lion population in critical stronghold

[Press-News.org] Wearable brain imaging device shines a light on how babies respond in real-world situations