Neurological research
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Neurological research · Mar 2016
Acute hypercarbia increases the lower limit of cerebral blood flow autoregulation in a porcine model.
In the present study, our objective was to determine if hypercarbia would alter cerebral blood flow (CBF) autoregulation and reduce the ability of cerebrovascular reactivity monitoring to identify the lower limit of cerebrovascular autoregulation (LLA). ⋯ Hypercarbia without acidosis increases the observed LLA independent of alterations in ICP. Elevations in CO2 can impair cerebrovascular autoregulation, but if there is a sufficient increase in blood pressure above the CO2 altered LLA, then autoregulation persists.
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Neurological research · Mar 2016
Traumatic brain injury accelerates kindling epileptogenesis in rats.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a well-known cause of symptomatic epilepsy. In animal models of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), progression of trauma to epilepsy takes several weeks to months. Although this long process is similar to clinical PTE, it is costly and laborious. We used a combination of TBI and kindling as an accelerated animal model to develop epilepsy in much shorter period compared to that occurring in PTE. ⋯ Traumatic brain injury facilitates acquisition of epilepsy in both chemical and electrical kindling models. Combination of trauma and kindling can be considered as an inexpensive and time-saving animal model in PTE studies.
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Neurological research · Mar 2016
Telmisartan ameliorates oxidative stress and subarachnoid haemorrhage-induced cerebral vasospasm.
Growing evidence suggests that oxidative stress is one of the factors contributing to subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH)-induced cerebral vasospasm. SAH-induced cerebral vasospam alters thioredoxin (Trx) cycle enzymes and thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) as an important endogenous antioxidant system. In this study, we have explored the effects of telmisartan on the vascular morphological changes, endothelial apoptosis, tissue oxidative stress status and the level of Trx cycle enzymes/ TXNIP in a rabbit SAH model. ⋯ Treatment with telmisartan ameliorates oxidative stress and SAH-induced cerebral vasospasm in rabbits. These effects of telmisartan may be associated with downregulation of TXNIP and upregulation of Trx/TrxR.
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Neurological research · Mar 2016
Sciatic nerve regeneration in KLF7-transfected acellular nerve allografts.
Krüppel-like Factor 7 (KLF7) is a transcription factor that promotes axon regeneration in the central nervous system. Here, we assessed whether KLF7 stimulates regeneration after peripheral nerve injury. ⋯ Our findings suggest that KLF7 promoted peripheral nerve axonal regeneration, further supporting a role for KLF7 as a growth-promoting transcription factor in the injured nervous system.