Restor Neurol Neuros
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialImprovement of dexterity by single session low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the contralesional motor cortex in acute stroke: a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial.
Increasing evidence suggests that the contralesional motor cortex (M1) inhibits the ipsilesional M1 in stroke patients. This inhibition could impair motor function of the affected hand. We investigated if inhibitory 1~Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the contralesional M1 improved motor performance of the affected hand in acute stroke. ⋯ The study suggests that therapeutic rTMS applications over the contralesional hemisphere are feasible in acute stroke patients and can transiently improve dexterity of the affected hand. RTMS may become an additional tool for early neurorehabilitation.
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2007
The novel antiepileptic agent RWJ-333369-A, but not its analog RWJ-333369, reduces regional cerebral edema without affecting neurobehavioral outcome or cell death following experimental traumatic brain injury.
To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of two antiepileptic compounds, RWJ-333369 and RWJ-333369-A in a well-established experimental model of lateral fluid percussion (FP) traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the rat. ⋯ These results indicate that the novel antiepileptic compound RWJ-333369-A reduces post-traumatic hippocampal edema without affecting neurobehavioral or histological outcome. It remains unclear whether this small effect on hippocampal edema ie related to the ability of this compound to attenuate seizure activity.
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2007
Cerebrolysin enhances functional recovery following focal cerebral infarction in rats.
Cerebrolysin, a preparation derived from porcine brain, contains a mixture of neurotrophic peptides. We tested the effects of Cerebrolysin in a model of stroke recovery in rats. ⋯ These results suggest that Cerebrolysin may be a useful treatment for enhancing neurological recovery after stroke.
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2007
Lentiviral vector-mediated reporter gene expression in avulsed spinal ventral root is short-term, but is prolonged using an immune "stealth" transgene.
Spinal root avulsions result in paralysis of the upper and/or lower extremities. Implanting a peripheral nerve bridge or reinsertion of the avulsed roots in the spinal cord are surgical strategies that lead to some degree of functional recovery. In the current study lentiviral (LV) vector-mediated gene transfer of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene was used to study the feasibility of gene therapy in the reimplanted root to further promote regeneration of motor axons. ⋯ Thus persistent transgene expression can be achieved with non-immunogenic transgene products in reimplanted ventral roots. This demonstrates the feasibility of combining neurosurgical repair with LV vector-mediated gene therapy. The current approach will be used in future experiments with LV vectors encoding neurotrophic factors to enhance the regeneration of spinal motor neurons after traumatic avulsion of spinal nerve roots.