J of Neurophysiological Monitoring

Applications of Fiber Photometry in Social Behavior, Addiction, and Mood Affect Research: A Literature Review

2025-04-22T00:10:27+03:00

Fiber photometry is an exciting technique developed in the early 2000s to record neural activity in awake, behaving subjects. This technology utilizes components similar to optogenetics, such as fiber optic implants and fluorescent biosensors. Still, it offers an alternative approach to understanding neural populations and circuitry- to record rather than manipulate. Additionally, fiber photometry resembles two-photon microscopy and miniscopes as all three were originally developed to use calcium imaging. However, fiber photometry has the added benefit of recording in freely moving animals and images at deeper brain regions, respectively. With these unique characteristics, fiber photometry has caught the interest of several fields of study, including social behavior, addiction, and mood affect, each of which has adapted this technique to fit their needs. Some key adaptations include the creation of new biosensors (i.e., dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine), transgenic animal lines (i.e., cre-lox), and complex recording paradigms (i.e., fiber photometry in tandem with optogenetics and/or chemogenetics). Fiber photometry builds upon existing electrophysiological techniques and offers a powerful method to validate previously reported results or yield novel results. To this end, this technique has transformed how researchers study the brain and its activity preceding, during, or following behavioral events.

Assessing The Role of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM) in Preserving Pelvic Floor Integrity During High-Risk Surgeries

2025-04-25T12:43:50+03:00

Introduction: Neural injuries during gynecological, urological, colorectal, and spinal surgeries affecting pelvic structures can result in life-altering dysfunction affecting bladder, bowel, and sexual health. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is a promising approach to mitigate surgical risks. We hypothesized that IONM could reduce postoperative deficits, maintain pelvic functions, and enhance improvement rates for high-risk procedures.

Methods: A systematic review of databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus (1965-2024), was conducted per PRISMA guidelines. The IONM search included terms like "external urinary sphincter monitoring," "bladder EMG," "bladder motor evoked potential," "BCR," and "pudendal nerve SSEP." The non-IONM search encompassed keywords such as "hysterectomy," "colorectal surgery," "cauda equina surgeries," and "tethered cord release."

Results: Statistical analysis focused on spinal-related procedures due to insufficient comparative data in urological, colorectal, and gynecological subsections. Analysis included 771 patients, 482 receiving IONM, and 289 without IONM. Chi-square testing showed statistically significant variations in outcome distributions (p < 0.0001 for improvement, baseline maintenance, and deterioration). The odds ratio of 0.32 shows that IONM patients were 68% less likely to improve postoperatively, an unexpected finding requiring interpretation. Odds ratio for baseline function was 4.42, indicating that IONM patients were over four times more likely to maintain baseline function. IONM correlated with a 67% reduction in neurological deterioration risk.

Discussion: Our findings confirm that multimodality IONM is reliable for preserving neural function during high-risk surgeries. Lower improvement rates likely reflect its application in complex cases. Significant literature gaps persist regarding standardized pelvic-specific IONM protocols; future research is necessary.

Motor Evoked Potential Monitoring in Pregnancy

2025-03-25T17:47:10+03:00

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is employed to assess the integrity of the nervous system during surgical procedures. One modality of IONM, Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs), specifically monitors the corticospinal tract and motor pathways. The primary objective of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy of MEPs monitoring in pregnant patients undergoing surgical procedures. We identified four relevant articles published between 2010 and 2022 on PubMed to inform this analysis. The selected literature focused on MEPs monitoring in pregnant adult patients who underwent various surgical procedures, including craniotomies, excision of cervical intraspinal tumors, and laminectomies. Patient and fetal monitoring were essential during these procedures to minimize the risk of neurological injury and improve surgical outcomes. MEPs are recorded by measuring the amplitude and time delay between stimulus and response. The absence of MEPs may indicate a decrease in amplitude, suggesting potential damage to motor pathways, while the presence of MEPs with clear motor contractions indicates functional motor pathways to some extent. Overall, the findings suggest that MEPs are a valuable form of IONM for pregnant patients, with no reported complications for either the mothers or the fetuses.