Measuring Human Auditory Evoked Fields with a Flexible Multi-Channel OPM-Based MEG System.

BACKGROUND: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a non-invasive imaging technique for directly measuring the external magnetic field generated from synchronously activated pyramidal neurons in the brain. The optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) is known for its less expensive, non-cryogenic, movable and user-friendly custom-design provides the potential for a change in functional neuroimaging based on MEG. METHODS: An array of OPMs covering the opposite sides of a subject's head is placed inside a magnetically shielded room (MSR) and responses evoked from the auditory cortices are measured. RESULTS: High signal-to-noise ratio auditory evoked response fields (AEFs) were detected by a wearable OPM-MEG system in a MSR, for which a flexible helmet was specially designed to minimize the sensor-to-head distance, along with a set of bi-planar coils developed for background field and gradient nulling. Neuronal current sources activated in AEF experiments were localized and the auditory cortices showed the highest activities. Performance of the hybrid optically pumped magnetometer-magnetoencephalography/electroencephalography (OPM-MEG/EEG) system was also assessed. CONCLUSIONS: The multi-channel OPM-MEG system performs well in a custom built MSR equipped with bi-planar coils and detects human AEFs with a flexible helmet. Moreover, the similarities and differences of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) and AEFs are discussed, while the operation of OPM-MEG sensors in conjunction with EEG electrodes provides an encouraging combination for the exploration of hybrid OPM-MEG/EEG systems.

Adherence to Life's Essential 8 is associated with delayed biological aging: a population-based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the potential of adhering to the American Heart Association's updated Life's Essential 8 (LE8) scores in delaying biological aging amid growing concerns about aging populations and related diseases. METHODS: A total of 18 261 adults (≥ 20 years old) were examined using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005-2010 and 2015-2018. The LE8 includes 8 components, covering health behaviors and factors. Acceleration of biological aging was defined as an excess of biological/phenotypic age over chronological age, assessed by using clinical biomarkers. The association between LE8 score and biological aging was explored through regression analyses. RESULTS: Each 10-point increase in LE8 scores was associated with a 1.19-year decrease in biological age and a 1.63-year decrease in phenotypic age. Individuals with high cardiovascular health (CVH) had a 90% reduction in their risk of accelerated aging based on biological age and an 81% reduction based on phenotypic age compared with individuals with low CVH. Bootstrap-based model estimates and weighted quantile sum regression suggested that health factors, particularly blood glucose, had strong impact on delaying aging. The association between smoking and biological aging seemed to differ depending on the definition of aging used. Among all subgroups, LE8 consistently correlated negatively with biological aging, despite observed interactions. Three sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of our conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: A higher CVH is associated with a lower risk of biological aging. Maintaining elevated LE8 levels across demographics, regardless of cardiovascular history, is recommended to delay aging and promote healthy aging, with significant implications for primary health care.