Showing papers by "Phil M.E. Waite published in 1999"
TL;DR: New findings on the use of neurotrophic factors, antibodies to inhibitory molecules, electrical stimulation, and transplantation of peripheral nerves and olfactory glial cells, and their success in achieving functional recovery after adult spinal cord lesions are discussed.
Abstract: Spinal cord injury continues to be a major cause of morbidity, particularly among young people involved in vehicle-related trauma, falls, and sports injuries. Although research advances are still a long way from clinical treatments, recent studies on animals have indicated new possibilities for recovery of function. In this review, these new findings on the use of neurotrophic factors, antibodies to inhibitory molecules, electrical stimulation, and transplantation of peripheral nerves and olfactory glial cells, and their success in achieving functional recovery after adult spinal cord lesions are discussed.
47 citations
TL;DR: It is speculated that the GABAergic depolarization of pre- and postsynaptic cells may contribute to the generation of the spontaneous activity and its propagation throughout the trigeminal sensory pathway, even in the absence of activity initiated from peripheral sensory receptors.
Abstract: The role of electrical activity in establishing appropriate connections in the trigeminal pathway remains controversial. We report here a novel observation of spontaneous activity in the perinatal trigeminal sensory nucleus between embryonic day (E) 16 to postnatal day (P) 8. Most of these spontaneous bursts had the same polarity and were of comparable amplitude to the trigeminal nerve-evoked response. This synchronized activity was abolished by bicuculline or kynurenic acid. Recording from the teased trigeminal root during the spontaneous bursts also showed a corresponding afferent depolarization. We speculate that the GABAergic depolarization of pre- and postsynaptic cells may contribute to the generation of the spontaneous activity and its propagation throughout the trigeminal sensory pathway, even in the absence of activity initiated from peripheral sensory receptors.
18 citations
TL;DR: The suggestion that the wallabySerotonergic system is evolutionally well conserved is supported and baseline data for a quantitative study of serotonergic innervation of the developing cortex in the wallabies is provided.
Abstract: The organisation and cytoarchitecture of the serotonergic neurons in a diprotodont marsupial were examined by using serial sections of the brainstem processed for serotonin immunohistochemistry and routine histology. The topographic distribution of serotonergic neurons in the brainstem of the adult wallaby (Macropus eugenii) was similar to that of eutherian mammals. Serotonergic neurons were divided into rostral and caudal groups, separated by an oblique boundary through the pontomedullary junction. Approximately 52% of the serotonergic neurons in the wallaby brainstem were located in the rostral midline nuclei (caudal linear nucleus, dorsal, median, and pontine raphe nuclei and the interpeduncular nucleus), whereas 21% were found in the caudal midline region (nuclei raphe magnus, obscurus, and pallidus). The remaining serotonergic neurons (27%) were located in more lateral regions such as the pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei, the supralemniscal nuclei (B9 group), and the ventrolateral medulla. The largest serotonergic group, the dorsal raphe, contained one-third of the brainstem serotonergic neurons and showed five subdivisions, similar to that described in other species. In contrast, the median raphe did not show clear subdivisions. The internal complexity of the raphe nuclei and the degree of lateralisation of serotonergic neurons suggest that the wallaby serotonergic system is similar in organisation to that described for the cat and rabbit. This study supports the suggestion that the serotonergic system is evolutionally well conserved and provides baseline data for a quantitative study of serotonergic innervation of the developing cortex in the wallaby. J. Comp. Neurol. 411:535–549, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
11 citations
TL;DR: This technique provides both a quantitative and a visual summary of the distribution and extent of brain injury, which can be used to compare the injury distribution and severity with estimated impact points and acceleration data.
Abstract: As part of a multidisciplinary study of brain damage in children fatally injured in motor vehicle accidents, a simple method to quantify and visualise the distribution and extent of injury has been developed. Vascular and axonal injury were assessed using coronal brain sections stained for haematoxylin and eosin, or reacted immunohistochemically for β-amyloid precursor protein. Subsequent analysis was carried out using NIH Image software, and the resulting information is displayed in schematic diagrams. These summary diagrams simply and clearly show the distribution of injury in both the coronal and horizontal planes. This technique offers an advantage over previous scoring methods in that it provides both a quantitative and a visual summary of the distribution and extent of brain injury. This information can then be used to compare the injury distribution and severity with estimated impact points and acceleration data.
5 citations