Journal of neuroscience methods
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J. Neurosci. Methods · Aug 2010
Detecting changes in human cerebral blood flow after acute exercise using arterial spin labeling: implications for fMRI.
The use of arterial spin labeling to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) after acute exercise has not been reported. The aims of this study were to examine: (1) the optimal inversion time to detect changes in CBF after acute exercise and (2) if acute exercise alters CBF in the motor cortex at rest or during finger-tapping. Subjects (n=5) performed 30 min of moderate intensity exercise on an electronically braked cycle ergometer (perceived exertion 'somewhat hard'). ⋯ Finger-tapping induced CBF in the motor cortex significantly increased from before to after exercise at TI=1,575 ms (p<.01). These findings suggest changes in human cerebral blood flow that result from acute moderate intensity exercise can be detected afterwards using PASL at 3T with an inversion time of 1,575 ms. The effect of prior acute exercise to increase motor cortex CBF during the performance of a motor task suggests future use of indices of functional activation should account for exercise-induced changes in cardio-pulmonary physiology and CBF.
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J. Neurosci. Methods · Aug 2010
A surgical technique of spinal cord cell transplantation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
We report an original method for implanting bone marrow stem cells within the spinal cord parenchyma. This method was used for the experimental treatment of patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The methodology is reproducible and devoid of major complications even in patients showing significant spinal atrophy. Therefore, this report describes a surgical procedure that could be used in other experimental treatments involving the intraspinal delivery of stem cells.
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J. Neurosci. Methods · Aug 2010
Feasibility of prefronto-caudate pathway tractography using high resolution diffusion tensor tractography data at 3T.
Mapping the human brain frontostriatal pathways using noninvasive diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been hampered by the inadequate imaging sensitivity, poor spatial resolution, lower tensor anisotropy within gray matter, increased partial volume averaging effects and poor signal-to-noise ratio. We investigated for the first time the utility of high spatial resolution DTI-based fiber-tractography using the fiber assignment by continuous tracking (FACT) to reconstruct and quantify bilaterally the prefronto-caudo-thalamic connections within the human brain at 3T. Five healthy right-handed men (age range 24-37 years) were studied. ⋯ The anterior thalamic radiation tract volume and corresponding fractional anisotropy (FA) were significantly larger bilaterally than prefronto-caudate pathway, whereas the mean diffusivity (D(av)) values were similar (p>0.7). For both anterior thalamic radiation and prefronto-caudate pathway the tract volume and corresponding DTI metrics (FA, D(av)) were not significantly different between the two hemispheres (p>0.2). Our DTI acquisition protocol and analysis permitted the reconstruction of the connectivity of the caudate with the thalamus as well as with the prefrontal cortex and allowed tracking of the whole trajectory of the prefronto-caudo-thalamic pathway.
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J. Neurosci. Methods · Aug 2010
Extra-intracranial blood shunt mimicking aneurysm rupture: intracranial-pressure-controlled rabbit subarachnoid hemorrhage model.
The achieved degree of delayed cerebral vasospasm (DCVS) in the rabbits most frequently applied cistern magna blood injection model is often mild. The aim of this study was to characterize and evaluate the feasibility of an experimental SAH technique that mimics pathophysiological mechanisms and triggers higher degrees of DCVS. ⋯ This novel technique of SAH induction closely mimics the pathophysiological sequelae of aneurysm rupture and triggers constant higher degrees of delayed cerebral vasospasm than previously described rabbit models. The severity of vasospasm attained offers a unique opportunity to evaluate future therapeutic treatment options.