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10 January 2014, Volume 9 Issue 2 Previous Issue    Next Issue

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Spinal root avulsion: an excellent model for studying motoneuron degeneration and regeneration after severe axonal injury Carolin Ruven, Tak-Kwong Chan, Wutian Wu 2014, 9 (2):  117-118.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125338 Abstract ( 377 )   PDF (115KB) ( 1533 )   Save Spinal root avulsion is an excellent model for studying the response of motoneurons to severe injury to their axons. In this model (‘Avulsion Model’), spinal roots are torn off from spinal cord without removing the vertebra at different levels of spinal segments, usually at cervical and lumbar segments. Step-by-step procedures are described in detail elsewhere. The Avulsion Model resembles very well brachial plexus injuries in human beings. Around 70% of severe brachial plexus injuries in human involved avulsion of one or more roots and the main causes of traumatic brachial plexus injuries were motor vehicle accidents, sport injuries and difficult deliveries. The Avulsion Model involves injury to both central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) while nerve axotomy, transection and crush injuries only involve PNS. Related Articles | Metrics

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Effect of type-2 astrocytes on the viability of dorsal root ganglion neurons and length of neuronal processes Chunling Fan, Hui Wang, Dan Chen, Xiaoxin Cheng, Kun Xiong, Xuegang Luo, Qilin Cao2 2014, 9 (2):  119-128.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125339 Abstract ( 203 )   PDF (3621KB) ( 1024 )   Save The role of type-2 astrocytes in the repair of central nervous system injury remains poorly understood. In this study, using a relatively simple culture condition in vitro, type-2 astrocytes, differentiated from oligodendrocyte precursor cells by induction with bone morphogenetic protein-4, were co-cultured with dorsal root ganglion neurons. We examined the effects of type-2 astrocytes differentiated from oligodendrocyte precursor cells on the survival and growth of dorsal root ganglion neurons. Results demonstrated that the number of dorsal root ganglion neurons was higher following co-culture of oligodendrocyte precursor cells and type-2 astrocytes than when cultured alone, but lower than that of neurons co-cultured with type-1 astrocytes. The length of the longest process and the length of all processes of a single neuron were shortest in neurons cultured alone, followed by neurons co-cultured with type-2 astrocytes, then neurons co-cultured with oligodendrocyte precursor cells, and longest in neurons co-cultured with type-1 astrocytes. These results indicate that co-culture with type-2 astrocytes can increase neuronal survival rate and process length. However, compared with type-1 astrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, the promotion effects of type-2 astrocytes on the growth of dorsal root ganglion neurons were weaker. Related Articles | Metrics

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Early rehabilitation improves neurofunctional outcome after surgery in children with spinal tumors Nezire Kose, Ozge Muezzinoglu, Sevil Bilgin, Sevilay Karahan, Ilkay Isıkay, Burcak Bilginer 2014, 9 (2):  129-134.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125340 Abstract ( 188 )   PDF (224KB) ( 1027 )   Save To investigate the effect of early rehabilitation on neurofunctional outcome after surgery in children with spinal tumors, this study reviewed the medical charts and radiographic records of 70 pediatric patients (1–17 years old) who received spinal tumor surgical removal. The peddiatric patients received rahabilitation treatment at 4 (range, 2–7) days after surgery for 10 (range, 7–23) days. Results from the Modified McCormick Scale, Functional Independence Measure for Children, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale and Karnofsky Performance Status Scale demonstrated that the sensory function, motor function and activity of daily living of pediatric children who received early rehabilitation were significantly improved. Results also showed that tumor setting and level localization as well as patients’s clinical symptoms have no influences on neurofunctional outcomes. Related Articles | Metrics

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Resting-state connectivity in the default mode network and insula during experimental low back pain Shanshan Zhang, Wen Wu, Guozhi Huang, Ziping Liu, Shigui Guo, Jianming Yang, Kangling Wang 2014, 9 (2):  135-142.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125341 Abstract ( 233 )   PDF (1268KB) ( 2756 )   Save Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that the insular cortex has a significant role in pain identification and information integration, while the default mode network is associated with cognitive and memory-related aspects of pain perception. However, changes in the functional connectivity between the default mode network and insula during pain remain unclear. This study used 3.0 T functional magnetic resonance imaging scans in 12 healthy subjects aged 24.8 ± 3.3 years to compare the differences in the functional activity and connectivity of the insula and default mode network between the baseline and pain condition induced by intramuscular injection of hypertonic saline. Compared with the baseline, the insula was more functionally connected with the medial prefrontal and lateral temporal cortices, whereas there was lower connectivity with the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus and inferior parietal lobule in the pain condition. In addition, compared with baseline, the anterior cingulate cortex exhibited greater connectivity with the posterior insula, but lower connectivity with the anterior insula, during the pain condition. These data indicate that experimental low back pain led to dysfunction in the connectivity between the insula and default mode network resulting from an impairment of the regions of the brain related to cognition and emotion, suggesting the importance of the interaction between these regions in pain processing. Related Articles | Metrics

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Aspartic acid in the hippocampus: a biomarker for postoperative cognitive dysfunction Rong Hu, Dong Huang, Jianbin Tong, Qin Liao, Zhonghua Hu, Wen Ouyang 2014, 9 (2):  143-152.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125343 Abstract ( 184 )   PDF (1950KB) ( 1448 )   Save This study established an aged rat model of cognitive dysfunction using anesthesia with 2% isoflurane and 80% oxygen for 2 hours. Twenty-four hours later, Y-maze test results showed that isoflurane significantly impaired cognitive function in aged rats. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results showed that isoflurane also significantly increased the levels of N,N-diethylacetamide, n-ethylacetamide, aspartic acid, malic acid and arabinonic acid in the hippocampus of isoflurane-treated rats. Moreover, aspartic acid, N,N-diethylacetamide, n-ethylacetamide and malic acid concentration was positively correlated with the degree of cognitive dysfunction in the isoflurane-treated rats. It is evident that hippocampal metabolite changes are involved in the formation of cognitive dysfunction after isoflurane anesthesia. To further verify these results, this study cultured hippocampal neurons in vitro, which were then treated with aspartic acid            (100 µmol/L). Results suggested that aspartic acid concentration in the hippocampus may be a biomarker for predicting the occurrence and disease progress of cognitive dysfunction. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Resting-state functional connectivity abnormalities in first-onset unmedicated depression Hao Guo, Chen Cheng, Xiaohua Cao, Jie Xiang, Junjie Chen, Kerang Zhang 2014, 9 (2):  153-163.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125344 Abstract ( 201 )   PDF (1941KB) ( 2361 )   Save Depression is closely linked to the morphology and functional abnormalities of multiple brain regions; however, its topological structure throughout the whole brain remains unclear. We collected resting-state functional MRI data from 36 first-onset unmedicated depression patients and 27 healthy controls. The resting-state functional connectivity was constructed using the Automated Anatomical Labeling template with a partial correlation method. The metrics calculation and statistical analysis were performed using complex network theory. The results showed that both depressive patients and healthy controls presented typical small-world attributes. Compared with healthy controls, characteristic path length was significantly shorter in depressive patients, suggesting development toward randomization. Patients with depression showed apparently abnormal node attributes at key areas in cortical-striatal-pallidal-thalamic circuits. In addition, right hippocampus and right thalamus were closely linked with the severity of depression. We selected 270 local attributes as the classification features and their P values were regarded as criteria for statistically significant differences. An artificial neural network algorithm was applied for classification research. The results showed that brain network metrics could be used as an effective feature in machine learning research, which brings about a reasonable application prospect for brain network metrics. The present study also highlighted a significant positive correlation between the importance of the attributes and the intergroup differences; that is, the more significant the differences in node attributes, the stronger their contribution to the classification. Experimental findings indicate that statistical significance is an effective quantitative indicator of the selection of brain network metrics and can assist the clinical diagnosis of depression. Related Articles | Metrics

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The optimal distance between two electrode tips during recording of compound nerve action potentials in the rat median nerve Xiaorong Hou, Rongjun Zhang, Hang Lv, Xinghui Cai, Guangchuan Xie, Xiaoge Song 2014, 9 (2):  164-170.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125345 Abstract ( 185 )   PDF (3061KB) ( 2777 )   Save Acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) reduces neuronal loss and attenuates ultrastructural damage in cerebral ischemic rats. However, whether acupuncture can treat addiction and prevent readdiction through changes to brain cell ultrastructure remains unknown. In this study, cell apoptosis was observed in the hippocampus and frontal lobe of heroin readdicted rats by electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining displayed a reduction in Bcl-2 expression and an increase in Bax expression in the hippocampus and frontal lobe. After rats were given acupuncture at Baihui and Dazhui, the pathological damage in the hippocampus and frontal lobe was significantly reduced, Bcl-2 expression was upregulated and Bax expression was downregulated. Acupuncture exerted a similar effect with methadone, a commonly used drug for clinical treatment of drug addiction. Experimental findings suggest that acupuncture at Dazhui and Baihui can prevent brain cell apoptosis in heroin readdicted rats. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The optimal distance between two electrode tips during recording of compound nerve action potentials in the rat median nerve Yongping Li, Jie Lao, Xin Zhao, Dong Tian, Yi Zhu, Xiaochun Wei 2014, 9 (2):  171-178.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125346 Abstract ( 247 )   PDF (1395KB) ( 1477 )   Save The distance between the two electrode tips can greatly influence the parameters used for recording compound nerve action potentials. To investigate the optimal parameters for these recordings in the rat median nerve, we dissociated the nerve using different methods and compound nerve action potentials were orthodromically or antidromically recorded with different electrode spacings. Compound nerve action potentials could be consistently recorded using a method in which the middle part of the median nerve was intact, with both ends dissociated from the surrounding fascia and a ground wire inserted into the muscle close to the intact part. When the distance between two stimulating electrode tips was increased, the threshold and supramaximal stimulating intensity of compound nerve action potentials were gradually decreased, but the amplitude was not changed significantly. When the distance between two recording electrode tips was increased, the amplitude was gradually increased, but the threshold and supramaximal stimulating intensity exhibited no significant change. Different distances between recording and stimulating sites did not produce significant effects on the aforementioned parameters. A distance of 5 mm between  recording and stimulating electrodes and a distance of 10 mm between recording and stimulating sites were found to be optimal for compound nerve action potential recording in the rat median nerve. In addition, the orthodromic compound action potential, with a biphasic waveform that was more stable and displayed less interference (however also required a higher threshold and higher supramaximal stimulus), was found to be superior to the antidromic compound action potential. Related Articles | Metrics

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The optimal distance between two electrode tips during recording of compound nerve action  potentials in the rat median nerve Yongping Li, Jie Lao, Xin Zhao, Dong Tian, Yi Zhu, Xiaochun Wei 2014, 9 (2):  179-189.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125346 Abstract ( 234 )   PDF (4226KB) ( 1015 )   Save The distance between the two electrode tips can greatly influence the parameters used for recording compound nerve action potentials. To investigate the optimal parameters for these recordings in the rat median nerve, we dissociated the nerve using different methods and compound nerve action potentials were orthodromically or antidromically recorded with different electrode spacings. Compound nerve action potentials could be consistently recorded using a method in which the middle part of the median nerve was intact, with both ends dissociated from the surrounding fascia and a ground wire inserted into the muscle close to the intact part. When the distance between two stimulating electrode tips was increased, the threshold and supramaximal stimulating intensity of compound nerve action potentials were gradually decreased, but the amplitude was not changed significantly. When the distance between two recording electrode tips was increased, the amplitude was gradually increased, but the threshold and supramaximal stimulating intensity exhibited no significant change. Different distances between recording and stimulating sites did not produce significant effects on the aforementioned parameters. A distance of 5 mm between  recording and stimulating electrodes and a distance of 10 mm between recording and stimulating sites were found to be optimal for compound nerve action potential recording in the rat median nerve. In addition, the orthodromic compound action potential, with a biphasic waveform that was more stable and displayed less interference (however also required a higher threshold and higher supramaximal stimulus), was found to be superior to the antidromic compound action potential. Related Articles | Metrics

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Mild hypothermia for treatment of diffuse axonal injury: a quantitative analysis of diffusion tensor imaging Guojie Jing, Xiaoteng Yao, Yiyi Li, Yituan Xie, Wang’an Li, Kejun Liu, Yingchao Jing, Baisheng Li, Yifan Lv, Baoxin Ma 2014, 9 (2):  190-197.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125348 Abstract ( 223 )   PDF (1626KB) ( 2229 )   Save Fractional anisotropy values in diffusion tensor imaging can quantitatively reflect the consistency of nerve fibers after brain damage, where higher values generally indicate less damage to nerve fibers. Therefore, we hypothesized that diffusion tensor imaging could be used to evaluate the effect of mild hypothermia on diffuse axonal injury. A total of 102 patients with diffuse axonal injury were randomly divided into two groups: normothermic and mild hypothermic treatment groups. Patient’s modified Rankin scale scores 2 months after mild hypothermia were significantly lower than those for the normothermia group. The difference in average fractional anisotropy value for each region of interest before and after mild hypothermia was 1.32–1.36 times higher than the value in the normothermia group. Quantitative assessment of diffusion tensor imaging indicates that mild hypothermia therapy may be beneficial for patients with diffuse axonal injury. Related Articles | Metrics

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Role of the nucleus tractus solitarii in the protection of pre-moxibustion on gastric mucosal lesions Liang Peng, Mi Liu, Xiaorong Chang, Zhou Yang, Shouxiang Yi, Jie Yan, Yan Peng 2014, 9 (2):  198-204.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125350 Abstract ( 203 )   PDF (2849KB) ( 1223 )   Save Previous studies have shown that somatic sensation by acupuncture and visceral nociceptive stimulation can converge in the nucleus tractus solitarii where neurons integrate signals impacting on the function of organs. To explore the role of the nucleus tractus solitarii in the protective mechanism of pre-moxibustion on gastric mucosa, nucleus tractus solitarii were damaged in rats and pre-moxibustion treatment at the Zusanli (ST36) point followed. The gastric mucosa was then damaged by the anhydrous ethanol lavage method. Morphological observations, enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, and western immunoblot analyses showed that gastric mucosa surface lesion and the infiltration of inflammatory cells were significantly ameliorated after pre-moxibustion treatment. Furthermore, the gastric mucosal damage index and somatostatin level were reduced, and epidermal growth factor content in the gastric mucosa and heat-shock protein-70 expression were increased. These results were reversed by damage to the nucleus tractus solitarii. These findings suggest that moxibustion pretreatment at the Zusanli point is protective against acute gastric mucosa injury, and nucleus tractus solitarii damage inhibits these responses. Therefore, the nucleus tractus solitarii may be an important area for regulating the signal transduction of the protective effect of pre-moxibustion on gastric mucosa. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Effects of Wen Dan Tang on insomnia-related anxiety and levels of the brain-gut peptide Ghrelin Liye Wang, Yuehan Song, Feng Li, Yan Liu, Jie Ma, Meng Mao, Fengzhi Wu, Ying Wu, Sinai Li, Binghe Guan, Xiaolan Liu 2014, 9 (2):  205-212.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125351 Abstract ( 260 )   PDF (929KB) ( 1952 )   Save null References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Acupuncture/electroacupuncture enhances anti-depressant effect of Seroxat: the Symptom Checklist-90 scores Junqi Chen, Weirong Lin, Shengxu Wang, Chongqi Wang, Ganlong Li, Shanshan Qu, Yong Huang, Zhangjin Zhang, Wei Xiao 2014, 9 (2):  213-222.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.125353 Abstract ( 201 )   PDF (438KB) ( 1049 )   Save One hundred and five patients with primary unipolar depression were randomly divided into three groups: drug group (Seroxat administration), acupuncture group (Seroxat plus acupuncture), and electroacupuncture group (Seroxat plus acupuncture plus electroacupuncture). Patients’ symptoms were evaluated using a psychometric questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist-90, before intervention and after 2, 4, 6 and 10 weeks of treatment. The individual factor scores and the total score from the Symptom Checklist-90 reduced in all three groups as treatment progressed. In the acupuncture and electroacupuncture groups, the total score and the factor scores for obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, and anxiety were significantly lower than those in the drug group. There was no significant difference in the factor scores or total scores between the acupuncture and electroacupuncture groups. Some factor scores in the electroacupuncture group, such as somatization, depression, hostility, and phobic anxiety, were increased at 10 weeks compared with the respective score immediately after the course of electroacupuncture at 6 weeks. Our findings indicate that administration of Seroxat alone or in combination with acupuncture/electroacupuncture can produce a significant effect in patients with primary unipolar depression. Furthermore, acupuncture/electroacupuncture has a rapid onset of therapeutic effect and produces a noticeable improvement in obsessive-compulsive, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Related Articles | Metrics