Experimental neurology
-
Experimental neurology · May 2008
Comparative StudyUnilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation has a measurable ipsilateral effect on rigidity and bradykinesia in Parkinson disease.
Bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) improves motor function in Parkinson disease (PD). However, little is known about the quantitative effects on motor behavior of unilateral STN DBS. ⋯ Unilateral STN DBS decreased rigidity and bradykinesia contralaterally as well ipsilaterally. As expected, bilateral DBS improved gait more than unilateral DBS.
-
Experimental neurology · May 2008
Modest spontaneous recovery of ventilation following chronic high cervical hemisection in rats.
Following C2 spinal hemisection (C2HS) in adult rats, ipsilateral phrenic motoneuron (PhMN) recovery occurs through a time-dependent activation of latent, crossed-spinal collaterals (i.e., spontaneous crossed phrenic phenomenon; sCPP) from contralateral bulbospinal axons. Ventilation is maintained during quiet breathing after C2HS, but the ability to increase ventilation during a respiratory stimulation (e.g. hypercapnia) is impaired. We hypothesized that long-term expression of the sCPP would correspond to a progressive normalization in ventilatory patterns during respiratory challenge. ⋯ We also noted that phrenic neurograms demonstrated a consistent delay in onset of the ipsilateral vs. contralateral inspiratory phrenic burst at 2-12-week post-injury. Finally, the ipsilateral phrenic response to respiratory challenge (hypoxia) was greater, though not normalized, at 4-12- vs. 2-week post-injury. We conclude that recovery of ventilation deficits occurs over 2-12-week post-C2HS; however, intrinsic neuroplasticity remains insufficient to concurrently restore a normal level of ipsilateral phrenic output.
-
Experimental neurology · May 2008
Intraspinal microinjection of chondroitinase ABC following injury promotes axonal regeneration out of a peripheral nerve graft bridge.
Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG) within the glial scar formed after central nervous system (CNS) injury are thought to play a crucial role in regenerative failure. We previously showed that delivery of the CSPG-digesting enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) via an osmotic minipump allowed axonal regeneration and functional recovery in a peripheral nerve graft (PNG)-bridging model. In this study, we sought to overcome the technical limitations associated with minipumps by microinjecting ChABC directly into the distal lesion site in the PN bridging model. ⋯ We also demonstrate that this delivery technique is relatively atraumatic and does not result in a noticeable inflammatory response. Importantly, microinjections of ChABC into the lesion site permitted more regenerating axons to exit a PNG and reenter spinal cord tissue than saline injections. These results are similar to our previous findings when ChABC was delivered via a minipump and suggest that microinjecting ChABC is an effective method of delivering the potentially therapeutic enzyme directly to an injury site.
-
Experimental neurology · May 2008
Manually-stimulated recovery of motor function after facial nerve injury requires intact sensory input.
We have recently shown in rat that daily manual stimulation (MS) of vibrissal muscles promotes recovery of whisking and reduces polyinnervation of muscle fibers following repair of the facial nerve (facial-facial anastomosis, FFA). Here, we examined whether these positive effects were: (1) correlated with alterations of the afferent connections of regenerated facial motoneurons, and (2) whether they were achieved by enhanced sensory input through the intact trigeminal nerve. First, we quantified the extent of total synaptic input to motoneurons in the facial nucleus using synaptophysin immunocytochemistry following FFA with and without subsequent MS. ⋯ Thus, when the sensory system is intact, MS restores normal vibrissal function and reduces the degree of polyinnervation. When afferent inputs are abolished, these effects are eliminated or even reversed. We conclude that rehabilitation strategies must be carefully designed to take into account the extent of motor and/or sensory damage.
-
Experimental neurology · May 2008
Systemic inflammation exacerbates behavioral and histopathological consequences of isolated traumatic brain injury in rats.
The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is induced rapidly after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and contributes to the inflammatory events that lead to neuronal loss. Although an important source of IL-1beta is from the injured brain itself, in patients with multiple organ trauma (polytrauma) IL-1beta is also released into the bloodstream which may potentially influence brain vulnerability. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of systemic inflammation induced by peripheral administration of IL-1beta on histopathological and behavioral outcome after moderate fluid percussion (FP) brain injury in rats. ⋯ These data show that the posttraumatic administration of IL-1beta significantly aggravates behavioral outcome and increases overall contusion volume after TBI. Increased systemic inflammatory processes, including extravasation of activated leukocytes and proinflammatory cytokines could participate in this detrimental outcome. Because peripherally circulating cytokines and other neurotoxic factors may be increased following multi-organ trauma, these findings may be important in targeting therapeutic interventions in this patient population.