Showing papers in "International Journal of Neuroscience in 2018"
TL;DR: PTZkindling model may improve understanding of the seizures development provided that the differences existing between the phases of kindling model are taken into account.
Abstract: Introduction: There are three phases of seizure developing in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling animal model: (i) pre-kindling phase; (ii) kindling phase or after animals are fully kindled; (iii) post-kindling phase with non-provoked spontaneous recurrent seizures. The aims of this review were to summarize the progress over time of the electroencephalographic features and neuropathological alterations in kindled PTZ treated animals. Materials and methods: Keywords relevant to PTZ kindling were used to a guide a literature search on Pubmed, Medline and Cochrane Library. Results: Clonic seizures induced PTZ at kindling phase led to a strong c-Fos expression in the hippocampus. Although, decline hippocampal neuron and metabolism disturbances were detected at pre-kindlig phase. Repeated PTZ induced seizures alter the GABA-mediated inhibition and glutamate-mediated excitation, which may contribute to increased seizure susceptibility. Similar to chemical animal models such as the pilocarpine and the kainic acid models, mossy fiber sprouting, hippocampal damage, and glucose hypometabolism had been seen after PTZ induced seizures. Conclusion: PTZ kindling model may improve understanding of the seizures development provided that the differences existing between the phases of kindling model are taken into account.
73 citations
TL;DR: According to these preliminary data, VRT with I-SIP can be considered a useful complementary treatment to potentiate functional recovery, with regard to attention, visual-spatial deficits, and motor function in patients affected by stroke.
Abstract: Aim of the study: Cognitive impairment occurs frequently in post-stroke patients. This study aimed to determine the effects of a virtual reality training (VRT) with BTs-Nirvana (BTsN) on the recove...
65 citations
TL;DR: In the setting of GBS, the NLR and MLR were significantly increased and they may be pathophysiologically and clinically relevant in GBS.
Abstract: Purpose/Aim of the study: Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) is a severe peripheral nervous disease that leads to muscle weakness and areflexia. We now commonly accept a synthesis that inflammation and ...
44 citations
TL;DR: This review provides an update on the recent gene therapies for DMD that aim to compensate for dystrophin deficiency and the related clinical trials.
Abstract: Background and purpose: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal progressive pediatric muscle disorder and genetically inherited as an X-linked disease that caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. DMD leads to progressive muscle weakness, degeneration, and wasting; finally, follows with the premature demise in affected individuals due to respiratory and/or cardiac failure typically by age of 30. For decades, scientists tried massively to find an effective therapy method, but there is no absolute cure currently for patients with DMD, nevertheless, recent advanced progressions on the treatment of DMD will be hopeful in the future. Several promising gene therapies are currently under investigation. These include gene replacement, exon skipping, suppression of stop codons. More recently, a promising gene editing tool referred to as CRISPR/Cas9 offers exciting perspectives for restoring dystrophin expression in patients with DMD. This review intents to briefly describe these methods and commen...
43 citations
TL;DR: Sex, later onset and anti-AChR Ab positivity were significantly associated with clinical worsening of ocular myasthenia gravis and none of the other independent variables significantly affected O-QMGS and HRQoL.
Abstract: Aim of the study: 50%–60% of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) progress to generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) within two years. The aim of our study was to explore factors affecting prognosis of OMG and to test the predictive role of several independent clinical variables.Materials and methods: We reviewed a cohort of 168 Caucasian patients followed from September 2000 to January 2016. Several independent variables were considered as prognostic factors: gender, age of onset, results on electrophysiological tests, presence and level of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR Abs), treatments, thymic abnormalities. The primary outcome was the progression to GMG and/or the presence of bulbar symptoms. Secondary outcomes were either achievement of sustained minimal manifestation status or worsening in ocular quantitative MG subscore (O-QMGS) or worsening in total QMG score (T-QMGS), assessed by Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) quantitative scores. Changes in mental a...
40 citations
TL;DR: The dopaminergic system has great participation in impact on time perception and neurobiological basis of the executive functions and neurological diseases on the time perception is concluded.
Abstract: Dopaminergic system plays a key role in perception, which is an important executive function of the brain. Modulation in dopaminergic system forms an important biochemical underpinning of neural mechanisms of time perception in a very wide range, from milliseconds to seconds to longer daily rhythms. Distinct types of temporal experience are poorly understood, and the relationship between processing of different intervals by the brain has received little attention. A comprehensive understanding of interval timing functions should be sought within a wider context of temporal processing, involving genetic aspects, pharmacological models, cognitive aspects, motor control and the neurological diseases with impaired dopaminergic system. Particularly, an unexplored question is whether the role of dopamine in interval timing can be integrated with the role of dopamine in non-interval timing temporal components. In this review, we explore a wider perspective of dopaminergic system, involving genetic polymorphisms, pharmacological models, executive functions and neurological diseases on the time perception. We conclude that the dopaminergic system has great participation in impact on time perception and neurobiological basis of the executive functions and neurological diseases.
38 citations
TL;DR: This review focuses on summarizing biomarkers of HT and elucidating possible mechanisms so as to identify potential biomarkers for predicting HT.
Abstract: Reperfusion therapy contributes to better clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke but carries a more significant risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) compared to supportive care. Once HT occurs, the outcome is usually poor and this causes a dilemma in the treatment of ischemic stroke. Consequently, early prediction of HT would be extremely helpful for guiding precise treatment of ischemic stroke. In this review, we focus on summarizing biomarkers of HT and elucidating possible mechanisms so as to identify potential biomarkers for predicting HT.
37 citations
TL;DR: There is evidence of oxidative stress in migraine pathophysiology following treatment, and oxidative stress declined following both pharmacological and rTMS.
Abstract: Objective: The role of oxidative stress markers in migraine and effect of treatment on these has been reported.Subjects and methods: One hundred and fifty patients having > four attacks of migraine...
36 citations
TL;DR: The development and progress of common large animal TBI models in past 30 years are summarized, including discussion on the available research methodologies in previous studies, several potential therapies in large animal trials of TBI as well as advantages and disadvantages of these models.
Abstract: Purpose/Aim: Animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) provide powerful tools to study TBI in a controlled, rigorous and cost-efficient manner. The mostly used animals in TBI studies so far are...
35 citations
TL;DR: The coherence responses to the present tDCS protocol may be a tool for diagnosing MCS versus UWS, as they may be the crucial cause of the different clinical effects in the two states.
Abstract: Aim of the study: A transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) protocol (20 min, 2 mA, anodal electrode at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cathodal electrode at the right supraorbit...
35 citations
TL;DR: Anti-GABAB receptor encephalitis is an uncommon autoimmune disease, which has been known to be often associated with cancer, and generally, patients associated with GABABR GABA-B receptor antibodyEncephalitis respond well to immunotherapy, especially if started early.
Abstract: Purpose: We report 11 patients diagnosed with GABAB receptor (GABABR) antibodies encephalitis in China and aim to analyze the clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging findings, therapeutic ...
TL;DR: Harnessing neuroplasticity may not only offer an arm in the vast arsenal of approaches being taken to tackle neurological disorders, such as neurodegenerative diseases, but from ample evidence, it also has major implications in neuropsychological disorders.
Abstract: Background and purpose: Neurological diseases and injuries to the nervous system may cause inadvertent damage to neuronal and synaptic structures. Such phenomenon would lead to the development of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders which might affect memory, cognition and motoric functions. The body has various negative feedback systems which can induce beneficial neuroplastic changes in mediating some neuronal damage; however, such efforts are often not enough to ameliorate the derogatory changes. Materials and methods: Articles discussing studies to induce beneficial neuroplastic changes were retrieved from the databases, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and MEDLINE, and reviewed. Results: This review highlights the significance of neuroplasticity in restoring neuronal functions and current advances in research to employ this positive cellular event by inducing synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, clearance of toxic amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau protein aggregates, or by providing neuroprotection. Compounds ranging from natural products (e.g. bilobalides, curcumin) to novel vaccines (e.g. AADvac1, RG7345) have been reported to induce long-lasting neuroplasticity in vitro and in vitro. Activity-dependent neuroplasticity is also inducible by regimens of exercises and therapies with instances in human studies proving major successes. Lastly, mechanical stimulation of brain regions through therapeutic hypothermia or deep brain stimulation has given insight on the larger scale of neuroplasticity within the nervous system. Conclusion: Harnessing neuroplasticity may not only offer an arm in the vast arsenal of approaches being taken to tackle neurological disorders, such as neurodegenerative diseases, but from ample evidence, it also has major implications in neuropsychological disorders.
TL;DR: High-frequency rTMS can be used as an adjuvant therapeutic modality to enhance the therapeutic outcome of HSP, and could be usedAs a safe, beneficial therapeutic tool to manage HSP.
Abstract: Objective: To examine whether high-frequency (10 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), applied over the primary motor cortex of the affected hemisphere, could be used to manage h...
TL;DR: It is suggested that cognitive training of moderate intensity, supported by a web platform, could lead to significant improvements in cognitive and psychological well-being in older people with subjective memory complaints.
Abstract: Objective: the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of computer-assisted cognitive training in healthy older adults with subjective memory complaints.Methods: Forty older adults, mean ag...
TL;DR: The WM change is associated with apathy in PD patients, and the FA values of specific regions of WM could be a promising marker to predict the severity of apathy.
Abstract: Background: Apathy is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), but little is known about apathy and white matter (WM) change. In this study, we investigated whether fractional anisotropy (FA) of the WM can distinguish apathetic patients from non-apathetic PD patients, and whether the FA value correlates with the severity of apathy in PD.Methods: Thirty-nine PD patients participated in our study, of which 18 participants were with apathy symptom, and 21 without apathy symptom. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed on all the subjects.Results: Compared to non-apathetic PD patients, the apathetic group had reduced FA values in the genu and body of corpus callosum, bilateral anterior corona radiata, left superior corona radiata and left cingulum. Furthermore, in these WM regions, the FA values were negatively correlated with the Lille Apathy Rating Scale scores in apathetic subjects.Conclusion: The WM change is associated with apathy in PD patients. In addition, the FA values of specif...
TL;DR: BNP and NT-proBNP display closely equivalent overall diagnostic accuracies in distinguishing cardioembolic stroke from non-cardioembolic Stroke in adult ischemic stroke patients, with BNP showing a superior sensitivity and N-terminal peptide shows a superior specificity.
Abstract: Background: B-type natriuretic peptides (BNPs) have shown promise in detecting cardioembolic stroke. However, there has been little investigation comparing the diagnostic efficacy of BNP and its cleavage by-product N-terminal peptide (NT-proBNP) in cardioembolic stroke patients. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis will be to comparatively assess the diagnostic efficacy of BNP versus NT-proBNP in distinguishing cardioembolic stroke from non-cardioembolic stroke in adult ischemic stroke patients. Methods: We conducted a literature search of several databases for prospective studies assessing the use of BNP or NT-proBNP to detect cardioembolic stroke in adult acute ischemic stroke patients. Only clinical studies reporting the diagnostic performance of BNP or NT-proBNP in predicting cardioembolic stroke in adult ischemic stroke patients were included. Diagnostic performance outcomes were summarized using forest plots and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves. Results: Ten BNP prospective cohort studies and six NT-proBNP prospective cohort studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. BNP showed a summary sensitivity of 0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63-0.68), a summary specificity of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.83-0.87), and an area under the SROC curve of 0.8718 (standard error (SE): 0.0248). NT-proBNP showed a summary sensitivity of 0.55 (95% CI: 0.52-0.59), a summary specificity of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91-0.94), and an AUC of 0.8746 (SE: 0.0280). Discussion: BNP and NT-proBNP display closely equivalent overall diagnostic accuracies in distinguishing cardioembolic stroke from non-cardioembolic stroke in adult ischemic stroke patients, with BNP showing a superior sensitivity and NT-proBNP showing a superior specificity.
TL;DR: Findings suggested that the damaged white matter and the abnormal hub distribution of the left prefrontal and limbic cortex might contribute to the pathogenesis of psychogenic erectile dysfunction and provided new insights into the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of psychoanalytical dysfunction.
Abstract: Aim Despite increasing understanding of the cerebral functional changes and structural abnormalities in erectile dysfunction, alterations in the topological organization of brain networks underlying psychogenic erectile dysfunction remain unclear. Materials and methods Here, based on the diffusion tensor image data of 25 patients and 26 healthy controls, we investigated the topological organization of brain structural networks and its correlations with the clinical variables using the graph theoretical analysis. Results Patients displayed a preserved overall small-world organization and exhibited a less connectivity strength in the left inferior frontal gyrus, amygdale and the right inferior temporal gyrus. Moreover, an abnormal hub pattern was observed in patients, which might disturb the information interactions of the remaining brain network. Additionally, the clustering coefficient of the left hippocampus was positively correlated with the duration of patients and the normalized betweenness centrality of the right anterior cingulate gyrus and the left calcarine fissure were negatively correlated with the sum scores of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Conclusions These findings suggested that the damaged white matter and the abnormal hub distribution of the left prefrontal and limbic cortex might contribute to the pathogenesis of psychogenic erectile dysfunction and provided new insights into the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of psychogenic erectile dysfunction.
TL;DR: Serum homocysteine may play a role in cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients and was the only significant predictor for cognitive impairment in MS patients.
Abstract: Background Hyperhomocysteinemia, vitamin B12 and folate deficiency have been linked to cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relation of serum homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B12 and folate to cognitive functions in MS patients. Subjects and methods Forty-five MS patients and twenty matched healthy controls were included. Subjects were submitted to cognitive assessment using a selected psychometric battery and measurement of serum levels of homocysteine, B12 and folic acid. Results MS patients showed significant worse performance in cognitive scales compared to controls (P ≤ 0.05). Serum homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate showed no significant difference between patients and controls (P > 0.05). Serum homocysteine was negatively correlated with total score of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE), paced auditory serial addition test and controlled oral word association test scores. Serum vitamin B12 was positively correlated with ACE language, visuospatial and total scores and negatively correlated with trail making B score. Serum folate was significantly positively correlated with ACE language and total scores. Homocysteine was the only significant predictor for cognitive impairment in MS patients. Conclusion Serum homocysteine may play a role in cognitive dysfunction in MS patients.
TL;DR: In conclusion, some beneficial results of tDCS protocols have been shown in patients with DOC, especially targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in minimally conscious state, and an encouraging perspective for the future is the combination of neurophysiological or functional neuroimaging techniques with non-invasive brain stimulation to evaluate neuro-modulatory effects of stimulation in Patients with DOC.
Abstract: It is a challenge to evaluate and treat the patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) in the clinic. Due to the huge costs of prolonged intensive care, the management of these patients raises great financial strain on families and important ethical questions. To date, several studies have attempted to specifically detect pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic effectiveness, and until now, there are no evidence-based guidelines about the treatment of patients with DOC. Recently, because of ethical and procedural limitations on the use of invasive stimulation techniques, non-invasive brain stimulation, such as the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has been investigated for improving the level of consciousness in patients with DOC. This paper briefly reviewed the key clinical investigations using tDCS with the aim of better understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of DOC or improving the level of consciousness in patients with DOC. In conclusion, some beneficial results of tDCS protocols have been shown in patients with DOC, especially targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in minimally conscious state. However, these investigations must be continued in larger controlled, randomized, blinded and prospective studies in order to transpose these preliminary data to clinical effects. Furthermore, an encouraging perspective for the future is the combination of neurophysiological or functional neuroimaging techniques with non-invasive brain stimulation to evaluate neuro-modulatory effects of stimulation in patients with DOC.
TL;DR: A comparative summary of the main characteristics of cognitive and social cognition deficit in SCA subtypes has been proposed together with a research agenda for future investigation in this field principally aimed at using measures of cognition and/or social cognition as potential predictors of the extent and progression of disease.
Abstract: Purpose: The primary aim of this contribution is to provide a critical discussion on cognitive and sociocognitive implications of spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) subtypes. The term SCA refers to a group of neurodegenerative disorders that have been increasingly investigated in the last years, sharing the characteristic of progressive ataxia resulting from degeneration of cerebellum and its connections. In past decades only involvement of cerebellum in behaviour and timing has been investigated, bringing to the belief about its central role in timing of movement and sensation, particularly for short intervals of time. Only very recently the cerebellum has been considered as a potentially important centre for cognitive processing and related spheres of social cognition, so that several studies with SCA patients have been carried out on these topics: as a consequence a section of this review will be dedicated to this important aspect.Results: After a brief discussion on most commonly used methods to a...
TL;DR: The important risk factors for developing POMC in thymomatous myasthenia gravis patients include the preoperative bulbar symptoms and incomplete resection of thymoma.
Abstract: Purpose: Thymectomy is the first-line therapy for thymomatous myasthenia gravis patients. The aim of this study is to explore the clinical outcome and predictors of postoperative myasthenic crisis ...
TL;DR: The results indicate the higher level of oxidative stress (oxidant–antioxidant imbalance) and possible relation of several markers with gender and disease stage in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Abstract: Background: Biomarkers of oxidative stress are relevant in the evaluation of the disease status and prooxidant–antioxidant balance, advanced oxidation protein products and lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal) are being extensively evaluated regarding their relationship with clinical presentation and disease severity.Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the above-mentioned parameters in plasma of 39 men and 17 women with Parkinson's disease, originated from the Republic of Serbia and their relation to clinicopathological characteristics (gender, age at examination, duration of the disease, and Hoehn and Yahr score) and oxidative status.Results: The incidence of disease was 2:1 towards males. The investigated oxidative parameters were gender and Hoehn and Yahr related. Significant association of higher Hoehn and Yahr scores was observed for malondialdehyde (p = 0.01) and prooxidant–antioxidant balance (p = 0.02). Relation between oxidant...
TL;DR: Melatonin possesses potent protective effect against the depression and anxiety induced by LPS, probably due to the reduction of nitric oxide toxic effect and lipid peroxidation in addition to its anti-inflammatory effect.
Abstract: Background: Systemic inflammation induced by neonatal infection may result as long-term hyper-activation of microglial cells followed by an overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tum...
TL;DR: The incidence and prevalence of stroke in Egypt are high and more population-based studies are urgently needed in northern Egypt and in Cairo – the capital of Egypt.
Abstract: Purpose: Accurate data on the epidemiology of stroke in Egypt is scarce. The aim of this review is to address this issue based on available community-based studies and compare the resulting finding...
TL;DR: The results showed that application of ELF-MF not only has improving effect on different cognitive disorder signs of AD animals, but also disrupts the processes of AD rat model formation.
Abstract: Introduction: Although studies have shown a potential association between extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) exposure and Alzheimer's disease (AD), few studies have been cond...
TL;DR: Treatment with silibinin significantly attenuates LPS-oxidative-nitrosative stress in C6 astrocytoma cells and exhibits neuroprotective activity by attenuating oxidative damage andAstrogliosis.
Abstract: Aim of the study: Astrogliosis is a key contributor for many neurological disorders involving apoptosis, neuroinflammation and subsequent neuronal death. Silibinin, a polyphenol isolated from milk ...
TL;DR: Since the local voxel arrangement characterization provided by SIFT features, proposed method produced more competitive PCNSL and GBM differentiation performance by using conventional MRI than methods based on advanced MRI.
Abstract: Purpose of the study: Due to the totally different therapeutic regimens needed for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and glioblastoma (GBM), accurate differentiation of the two diseas...
TL;DR: Temporal and superior RNFL sectors in HD showed a significant RNFL thinning compared with a control group, however, no differences were identified in mean total RNFL thickness between HD patients and controls.
Abstract: Background: Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic, rare and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes motor and cognitive impairment in midlife patients. Although retinal damage was obser...
TL;DR: PHB/chitosan–hMSC-bm nerve conduits may be a useful artificial guide for nerve regeneration in rats model of sciatic nerve injury.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES A number of chemical and biological factors, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have been developed to enhance nerve regeneration by introduction through a variety of nerve conduits. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of using chitosan-coated poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) nerve conduits seeded with human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hMSC-bm) to augment repair in an experimental rat model of sciatic nerve injury. METHODS A total of 30 rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 10). In each rat, a 10 mm segment of the sciatic nerve was removed and was replaced by a chitosan-coated PHB conduit seeded with hMSC-bm (PHB/chitosan-hMSC-bm group), a chitosan-coated PHB conduit (PHB/chitosan group), or an autograft (autograft group) as the control. The results were evaluated 8 weeks postoperatively by observation, electromyography and histologic examination with light microscopy and immunostaining. RESULTS Histologic examination showed that both PHB/chitosan-hMSC-bm conduits and PHB/chitosan conduits led the damaged axons through the injured area. When the effects were compared, the results with the PHB/chitosan-hMSC-bm conduits were superior to those with the PHB/chitosan conduits (p < 0.05) but not as successful as with the autologous nerve grafts (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION PHB/chitosan-hMSC-bm nerve conduits may be a useful artificial guide for nerve regeneration.
TL;DR: Electroencephalography analyzes can be used as an alternative method when ADHD subgroups are identified and increases in delta/beta ratio and statistical significance were found only between ADHD-I and control group, and in Delta/beta, theta/delta ratio statistical significance values were found to exist between ADHDs and control groups.
Abstract: This study aims to investigate the frequency domain effects and changes in Electroencephalographic (EEG) signals in children aged 7-12 years old who were diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and which labelled subtypes of ADHD.The study's sample consisted of 20 healthy children and 20 ADHD children as control group. Of the 20 participants who were diagnosed with ADHD, 10 were classified as ADHD-I (inattentive subtype ADHD) and the other 10 were classified as ADHD-C (combined subtype ADHD).Participants were classified into 3 groups all of ADHD, ADHD-I,ADHD-C and Control group on the basis of the results of a standardized clinical interview, behavioral rating scales, and a continuous performance test. In this study, the frequency domain of EEG signals for ADHD, subtypes, and control groups were analyzed and compared using Matlab program. The mean age of the ADHD children's group was 8.7 years and the control group 9.1 years Spectral analysis of mean power (μV2) and rela...