🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
@alexsmithants.bsky.social
7.9K followers
5.6K following
600 posts
Assoc. Prof of #Biology at UofG, Guelph, ON, Canada. Inspired by the #Biodiversity in ACG, Costa Rica. #Ecology, #Evolution, #Entomology
Opinions my own & oh so rarely overlap with my employer.
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www.malexsmith.com
www.youtube.com/@Alex_Smith_Ants
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Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
Reposted by 🍁 Alex Smith 🍁
![graphical abstract for paper reading, "Abstract
Long COVID primarily presents with persistent cognitive impairment (Cog-LC), imposing a substantial and lasting global burden. Even after the pandemic, there remains a critical global need for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting Cog-LC. Nevertheless, the underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. Given the central role of synapses in brain function, investigation of synaptic molecular changes may provide vital insights into Cog-LC pathophysiology. In this study, we used [11C]K-2 PET to characterize the density of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) on the post-synaptic cell surface, which are crucial synaptic components in brain signalling. Statistical parametrical mapping was used to spatially normalize and apply independent t-test for a voxel-based comparison. We selected patients with Cog-LC (n = 30) based on Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status assessed persistent cognitive impairment and healthy controls (n = 80) with no diagnosed neuropsychiatric disorders. The primary objective was to compare [11C]K-2 standardized uptake value ratio with white matter (SUVRWM) as a reference region between patients with Cog-LC and healthy controls, and to define the regional extent of differences. The secondary objective was to examine associations between [11C]K-2 SUVRWM and plasma concentrations of cytokines or chemokines. As an exploratory objective, we tested whether [11C]K-2 PET data could distinguish Cog-LC from healthy controls using a partial least squares based classification algorithm. A voxel-based comparison (P < 0.05, T > 1.66, one-tailed, false discovery rate control) and a volume of interests analysis (P < 0.05, Bonferroni multiple comparison) demonstrated that increased index of AMPAR density in large parts of the brains of patients with Cog-LC compared with that in healthy controls. A voxel-based correlation analysis also showed the brain regions where [11C]K-2 SUVRWM cor…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:65akt7cpte3w53rawcjkzrwm/bafkreiaej4lv3zmj6gelxelcjdkr5weyt7h2gc3tidwyosvecubvndo6aa@jpeg)