Technology Overview
The Neuro-Metabolic Activity Mapper (NMAM) represents an innovative electrophysiological approach to brain imaging that measures Direct Current (DC) potentials to assess metabolic activity. Developed in the 1980s at the Brain Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, this method offers a unique alternative to traditional neuroimaging techniques like PET and fMRI.
The Neuro-Metabolic Activity Mapper (NMAM) represents an innovative electrophysiological approach to brain imaging that measures Direct Current (DC) potentials to assess metabolic activity. Developed in the 1980s at the Brain Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, this method offers a unique alternative to traditional neuroimaging techniques like PET and fMRI.
Core Principle: NMAM measures slow voltage changes (DC potentials) at the scalp surface using non-polarizable sensors. These potentials reflect metabolic activity across the blood-brain barrier, where hydrogen ion concentrations correlate with glucose utilization and metabolic rate.
Research Significance
NMAM bridges the gap between expensive neuroimaging modalities and routine clinical assessment. Its ability to detect metabolic dysfunction before structural changes become apparent makes it particularly valuable for early intervention strategies and treatment monitoring.
The technology's versatility extends from clinical diagnostics to performance optimization in healthy individuals, positioning it as a valuable tool for both medical and research applications in neuroscience.
Research Significance
NMAM bridges the gap between expensive neuroimaging modalities and routine clinical assessment. Its ability to detect metabolic dysfunction before structural changes become apparent makes it particularly valuable for early intervention strategies and treatment monitoring.
The technology's versatility extends from clinical diagnostics to performance optimization in healthy individuals, positioning it as a valuable tool for both medical and research applications in neuroscience.
NMAM method
Hans Selye identified three stages of stress response: alarm (initial activation), resistance (adaptation to prolonged stress), and exhaustion (system failure). The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis orchestrates this response through hormonal cascades involving cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
Metabolic Changes Under Stress triggers fundamental metabolic shifts including hyperglycemia from adrenaline stimulation and reduced insulin secretion that increases lipolysis. The brain adapts by utilizing both glucose and ketone bodies for energy while cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis through amino acid breakdown. Enhanced blood circulation occurs via sympathetic nervous system activation.
These changes lead to glycolysis becoming the dominant metabolic pathway, causing accumulation of acidic breakdown products (acidosis). Decreased intracellular pH disrupts mitochondrial function, increases free-radical oxidation, and elevates calcium concentrations that trigger apoptosis.
Metabolic Changes Under Stress triggers fundamental metabolic shifts including hyperglycemia from adrenaline stimulation and reduced insulin secretion that increases lipolysis. The brain adapts by utilizing both glucose and ketone bodies for energy while cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis through amino acid breakdown. Enhanced blood circulation occurs via sympathetic nervous system activation.
These changes lead to glycolysis becoming the dominant metabolic pathway, causing accumulation of acidic breakdown products (acidosis). Decreased intracellular pH disrupts mitochondrial function, increases free-radical oxidation, and elevates calcium concentrations that trigger apoptosis.
DC Potentials Changes During Stress.
Research comparing mine-rescue workers to construction workers revealed elevated DC potentials across all brain channels in the rescue team. The continuous "waiting-for-alarm" state creates chronic stress response. Similar patterns appear in pre-surgery patients with anxiety, demonstrating that DC potential elevation reflects increased metabolism and decreased brain pH regardless of stressor type.
A correlation study of 19 healthy elderly subjects (average age 63 years) measured morning DC potentials alongside cortisol blood sampling. Results showed higher cortisol levels (average 451 ± 55.3 nmol/L) correlated with elevated DC potentials in frontal lobes, right temporal lobe, and occipital areas. Patients with higher cortisol had experienced recent stressful life events, and average DC potentials increased proportionally with cortisol levels.
Research Significance.
This study validates DC potential measurement as a non-invasive, real-time method for monitoring stress-induced metabolic changes in the brain. The direct correlation between cortisol levels and DC potential elevation establishes this technique as a reliable biomarker for cerebral stress response, offering clinical applications comparable to more expensive neuroimaging modalities.
Research comparing mine-rescue workers to construction workers revealed elevated DC potentials across all brain channels in the rescue team. The continuous "waiting-for-alarm" state creates chronic stress response. Similar patterns appear in pre-surgery patients with anxiety, demonstrating that DC potential elevation reflects increased metabolism and decreased brain pH regardless of stressor type.
A correlation study of 19 healthy elderly subjects (average age 63 years) measured morning DC potentials alongside cortisol blood sampling. Results showed higher cortisol levels (average 451 ± 55.3 nmol/L) correlated with elevated DC potentials in frontal lobes, right temporal lobe, and occipital areas. Patients with higher cortisol had experienced recent stressful life events, and average DC potentials increased proportionally with cortisol levels.
Research Significance.
This study validates DC potential measurement as a non-invasive, real-time method for monitoring stress-induced metabolic changes in the brain. The direct correlation between cortisol levels and DC potential elevation establishes this technique as a reliable biomarker for cerebral stress response, offering clinical applications comparable to more expensive neuroimaging modalities.
Stress and Cerebral Metabolism
Traditionally, neuropsychology has focused on identifying the brain mechanisms of specific psychological processes, such as attention, motor skills, perception, memory, language, and consciousness, as well as their corresponding disorders. However, there are psychological processes that have received little attention in this field, such as dreaming.
This study examined the clinical and experimental neuropsychological research relevant to dreaming, ranging from sleep disorders in patients with brain damage, to brain functioning during REM sleep, using different methods of brain imaging. These findings were analyzed within the framework of Luria’s Three Functional Unit Model of the Brain....
To present our proposal about the generation and bizarre content of dreaming, we took as a general framework
Luria’s Three Functional Units Model (Luria, 1974), which attempts to explain the neuropsychological functioning of human beings during wakefulness.
This study examined the clinical and experimental neuropsychological research relevant to dreaming, ranging from sleep disorders in patients with brain damage, to brain functioning during REM sleep, using different methods of brain imaging. These findings were analyzed within the framework of Luria’s Three Functional Unit Model of the Brain....
To present our proposal about the generation and bizarre content of dreaming, we took as a general framework
Luria’s Three Functional Units Model (Luria, 1974), which attempts to explain the neuropsychological functioning of human beings during wakefulness.
A) The First Unit is made up by the structures of the brainstem...
B) The Second Unit is formed by the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes, and is responsible for obtaining, processing, integrating, and storing sensory information from the environment.
C) The Third Unit is formed by the frontal lobe, which is in charge of the selection, planning, execution, and direction of a person’s pattern of behavior, as well as its evaluation.
Although Luria does not explicitly mention it, we believe it is convenient to incorporate the limbic system as a Fourth Unit:
D) Unit L, which includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and fornix, comprises the limbic system, as well as para-limbic structures, such as the cingulate gyrus and the para-hippocampal and orbitofrontal regions. This Unit is responsible for emotional responses and the consolidation of the memory (Téllez et al., 2002).
B) The Second Unit is formed by the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes, and is responsible for obtaining, processing, integrating, and storing sensory information from the environment.
C) The Third Unit is formed by the frontal lobe, which is in charge of the selection, planning, execution, and direction of a person’s pattern of behavior, as well as its evaluation.
Although Luria does not explicitly mention it, we believe it is convenient to incorporate the limbic system as a Fourth Unit:
D) Unit L, which includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and fornix, comprises the limbic system, as well as para-limbic structures, such as the cingulate gyrus and the para-hippocampal and orbitofrontal regions. This Unit is responsible for emotional responses and the consolidation of the memory (Téllez et al., 2002).