Brain research bulletin
-
Brain research bulletin · Aug 2013
ReviewResponsive neurostimulation for the treatment of medically intractable epilepsy.
With an annual incidence of 50/100,000 people, nearly 1% of the population suffers from epilepsy. Treatment with antiepileptic medication fails to achieve seizure remission in 20-30% of patients. One treatment option for refractory epilepsy patients who would not otherwise be surgical candidates is electrical stimulation of the brain, which is a rapidly evolving and reversible adjunctive therapy. ⋯ RNS, as an investigational treatment for medically refractory epilepsy, is currently under review by the FDA. Eventually systems may be developed to enable activation by neurochemical triggers or to wirelessly transmit any information gathered. We review the mechanisms, the current status, the target options, and the prospects of RNS for the treatment of medically intractable epilepsy.
-
Brain research bulletin · Apr 2013
ReviewExtrasynaptic AMPA receptors in the dorsal horn: evidence and functional significance.
Extrasynaptic AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are widely expressed in the brain, spinal cord and periphery. These receptors are critically involved in activity-dependent synaptic transmission and changes in their functioning are causally linked to multiple neuropathologies in the central nervous system (CNS). ⋯ In addition, we summarize current knowledge about the role of extrasynaptic AMPARs in the development and maintenance of pain states during inflammation. This knowledge potentially suggests the development of alternative therapies to prevent and/or treat inflammatory pain.
-
Nogo, also known as Reticulon-4, is a protein that is specific to the central nervous system (CNS), and has been identified as an inhibitor of neurite outgrowth. Nogo-A is the largest member of the Nogo family and is responsible for inhibition of CNS regeneration. The structural information and biological functions of Nogo family members are reviewed in this study. ⋯ Understanding the biological functions of Nogo family members may open up a new avenue for the development of therapeutic agents. The anatomical and biological plastic changes are reviewed in animal models of injuries in the adult CNS. The role of Nogo A in neuroregeneration, and the mechanisms underlying functional recovery after CNS injury, are also detailed in this review.
-
Brain research bulletin · May 2011
ReviewDeep brain stimulation for epilepsy in clinical practice and in animal models.
Given the tremendous success of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of movement and neuropsychiatric disorders, clinicians have begun to open up to the possible use of electrical stimulation for the treatment of patients with uncontrolled seizures. DBS of various neural targets has been investigated in clinical studies and animal studies, including the anterior nucleus of thalamus (ANT), cerebellum, hippocampus, subthalamic nucleus (STN), centromedian nucleus of the thalamus (CMT), caudate nucleus (CN). Recently, a large and multicenter trial (SANTE: Stimulation of the Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus for Epilepsy) was conducted and subsequently with encouraging results, making ANT the most well-established target for DBS in the treatment of epilepsy to date. Here, we endeavor to review mainly the animal studies and clinical studies of ANT DBS to further explore the more reliable target.
-
Brain research bulletin · Mar 2011
ReviewManipulating the glial scar: chondroitinase ABC as a therapy for spinal cord injury.
Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are potent inhibitors of growth in the adult CNS. Use of the enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) as a strategy to reduce CSPG inhibition in experimental models of spinal cord injury has led to observations of a remarkable capacity for repair. Here we review the evidence that treatment with ChABC, either as an individual therapy or in combination with other strategies, can have multiple beneficial effects on promoting repair following spinal cord injury. ⋯ Thus, there is robust pre-clinical evidence demonstrating beneficial effects of ChABC treatment following spinal cord injury. Furthermore, these effects have been replicated in a number of different injury models, with independent confirmation by different laboratories, providing an important validation of ChABC as a promising therapeutic strategy. We discuss putative mechanisms underlying ChABC-mediated repair as well as potential issues and considerations in translating ChABC treatment into a clinical therapy for spinal cord injury.