Experimental neurology
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Experimental neurology · Aug 2012
Effect of subthalamic deep brain stimulation on turning kinematics and related saccadic eye movements in Parkinson disease.
Persons with Parkinson disease (PD) experience turning difficulty, often leading to freezing of gait and falls. Visual information plays a significant role in locomotion and turning, and while the effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on oculomotor function have been well documented, the effects of DBS on oculomotor function during turning and on turning itself have yet to be fully elucidated. ⋯ DBS significantly improves turn performance and related oculomotor performance. These findings add to the growing list of therapeutic benefits offered by DBS.
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Experimental neurology · Aug 2012
Inhibition of ROS-induced p38MAPK and ERK activation in microglia by acupuncture relieves neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury in rats.
Acupuncture (AP) is currently used worldwide to relieve pain. However, little is known about its mechanisms of action. We found that after spinal cord injury (SCI), AP inhibited the production of superoxide anion (O(2)·), which acted as a modulator for microglial activation, and the analgesic effect of AP was attributed to its anti-microglial activating action. ⋯ Furthermore, ROS produced after injury-induced p38MAPK and ERK activation in microglia, and mediated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, which were inhibited by AP or a ROS scavenger. AP also inhibited the expression of inflammatory mediators. Therefore, our results suggest that the analgesic effect of AP may be partly mediated by inhibiting ROS-induced microglial activation and inflammatory responses after SCI and provide the possibility that AP can be used effectively as a non-pharmacological intervention for SCI-induced chronic NP in patients.