Restor Neurol Neuros
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2009
Manual stimulation, but not acute electrical stimulation prior to reconstructive surgery, improves functional recovery after facial nerve injury in rats.
The outcome of peripheral nerve injuries requiring surgical repair is poor. Recent work suggested that electrical stimulation (ES) of the proximal nerve stump to produce repeated discharges of the parent motoneurons for one hour could be a beneficial therapy if delivered immediately prior to reconstructive surgery of mixed peripheral nerves. ⋯ Whereas acute ES is not beneficial for facial nerve repair, MS provides long-term benefits.
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2008
ReviewMechanisms of CNS myelin inhibition: evidence for distinct and neuronal cell type specific receptor systems.
Following injury to the adult mammalian central nervous system, regenerative growth of severed axons is very limited. The lack of neuronal repair is often associated with significant functional deficits, and depending on the severity of injury, may result in permanent paralysis distal to the site of injury. A detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms that limit neuronal growth in the injured spinal cord is an important step toward the development of specific strategies aimed at restoring functional connectivity lost as a consequence of injury. ⋯ We speculate that differences in regenerative axonal growth among different fiber systems are a reflection of their intrinsic ability to elongate axons and their distinct cell surface receptor profiles to respond to the growth inhibitory extracellular milieu. The existence of cell type specific mechanisms to impair regenerative axonal growth in the CNS may have important implications for the development of treatment strategies. Depending on the fiber tract injured, different ligand-receptor systems may need to be targeted in order to elicit robust and long-distance regenerative axonal growth.
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2008
TrkB gene transfer does not alter hippocampal neuronal loss and cognitive deficits following traumatic brain injury in mice.
The ability of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to attenuate secondary damage and influence behavioral outcome after experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains controversial. Because TBI can result in decreased expression of the trkB receptor, thereby preventing BDNF from exerting potential neuroprotective effects, the contribution of both BDNF and its receptor trkB to hippocampal neuronal loss and cognitive dysfunction were evaluated. ⋯ These data suggest that neither overexpression of trkB, BNDF infusion or their combination affects neuronal survival or behavioral outcome following experimental TBI in mice.
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Restor Neurol Neuros · Jan 2008
ReviewProteoglycans in the central nervous system: plasticity, regeneration and their stimulation with chondroitinase ABC.
After injury to the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), neurons are not able to regenerate their axons and recovery is limited by restricted plasticity. Axon regeneration is inhibited by the presence of the various inhibitory molecules, including chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) which are upregulated around the injury site. ⋯ Enzymatic removal of chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains with chondroitinase ABC promotes axon regeneration and reactivates plasticity. This review details the structures and properties of the different CSPGs in the normal and damaged CNS, the use of the enzyme chondroitinase ABC to promote neural regeneration and plasticity, and discusses mechanisms of action and possible therapeutic uses of this enzyme.
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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.