Restorative neurology and neuroscience
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2010
EditorialInstitutional profile: integrated center for research and treatment of vertigo, balance and ocular motor disorders.
In 2009 the German BMBF (German Ministry of Education and Research) established an Integrated Center for Research and Treatment (IFB(LMU)) of Vertigo, Balance and Ocular Motor Disorders in Munich. After the 10-year period of funding by the BMBF, it is envisioned that the (IFB(LMU)) will continue over the long term with the joint support of the University Hospital, the Medical Faculty, and the Bavarian State. Vertigo is one of the most common complaints in medicine. ⋯ This should promote the principles of efficiency and self-reliance; to supplement the existing excellence with up to eight groups of young scientists and up to eight professorships (tenure track). This should also be seen as an incentive that will attract the best young scientists; to incorporate (IFB(LMU)) competence into the existing medical and biological graduate schools. The (IFB(LMU)) is a unique center - worldwide.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2010
Effect of slow repetitive TMS of the motor cortex on ipsilateral sequential simple finger movements and motor skill learning.
Disruption of a cortical region can paradoxically improve behavior. After unilateral damage to the primary motor cortex (M1), increased excitability of the unaffected M1 has been shown. The M1 plays a critical role in motor performance and also early aspects of motor skill learning. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of one motor cortex can lead a temporary reduction in cortical excitability. We hypothesize that unilateral suppression of one M1 by rTMS may increase excitability of the unaffected motor cortex and thus improve motor performance and motor skill learning with the ipsilateral hand by releasing the contralateral motor cortex from transcallosal inhibition. ⋯ Our results support the notion of an interhemispheric competition, and demonstrate the utility of rTMS to explore the functional facilitation of the un-stimulated counterpart M1 with effects on motor execution and learning, which may have implications for neurorehabilitation.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2010
Comparative StudyVimentin and GFAP responses in astrocytes after contusion trauma to the murine brain.
Astroglial responses after traumatic brain injury are difficult to detect with routine morphological methods. The aims for this study were to compare the temporal and spatial expression pattern of vimentin- and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in a weight drop model of mild cerebral contusion injury in the rat. We also wanted to study the vimentin response with immunohistochemistry and vimentin mRNA RT-PCR analysis in severe cortical contusion injury produced by the controlled cortical impact in the mouse. ⋯ Vimentin immunoreactivity was more sensitive than the GFAP staining method to demonstrate the distribution and time course of astrocyte reactions after a contusion injury, especially in the white matter distant from the cortical lesion.