Int Rev Neurobiol
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Tissue and organ repair still represents a clinical challenge. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) is an emerging field focused on the development of alternative therapies for tissue/organ repair. ⋯ This chapter aims at introducing the reader to the concepts and techniques of TERM. It begins by explaining how TERM have evolved and merged into TERM, followed by a short overview of some of its key aspects such as the combinations of scaffolds with cells and nanomedicine, scaffold processing, and new paradigms of the use of stem cells for tissue repair/regeneration, which ultimately could represent the future of new therapeutic approaches specifically aimed at clinical applications.
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Tourette syndrome (TS) is the primary tic disorder that reaches most commonly medical attention and monitoring, with an estimated prevalence close to 1% between 5 and 18 years of age. Motor and phonic tics are the core features of TS. In addition to their well-characterized phenomenology, tics display a peculiar variability over time, which is strongly influenced by a variety of contextual factors. ⋯ Probably, the presence of comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the main determinant of cognitive dysfunction in TS patients and influences heavily also the risk of developing disruptive behaviors. Affective disorders, impulse control disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and personality disorders complete the wide psychopathological spectrum of this condition, but have been less investigated than OCD and ADHD. The complexity of the Tourette spectrum has been confirmed by cluster and factor analytical approaches, and is likely to inform the study of the genetic basis of this disorder, as well as future reappraisal of its nosography, with the development of novel clinical subtypes.
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Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a noninvasive method which allows recordings of human brain activity with excellent temporal and good spatial resolution. In this chapter, we review applications of MEG in neuromodulation. ⋯ In particular, we discuss how MEG may be employed to study deep brain stimulation. In this context, we describe the problems arising from stimulation artifacts and present approaches to solve them.
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Only approximately 10% of patients encountering a cardiac arrest (CA) and subsequent cardiopulmonary resuscitation survive to a meaningful life. One of the most important causes for this low survival rate is the ischemia-reperfusion injury that hits the brain. ⋯ In order to shed some light on therapeutic opportunities, our findings relating to the use of induced mild hypothermia and methylene blue as neuroprotective agents are reviewed. Furthermore, we would like to share some interesting data on gender differences and effects of estrogen on the ensuing cerebral injury occurring after hypovolemic CA.
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The use of neuromodulatory techniques in the treatment of neurological disorders is expanding and now includes devices targeting the motor cortex, basal ganglia, spinal cord, peripheral nervous system, and autonomic nervous system. In this chapter, we review and discuss the current and past literature as well as review indications for each of these devices in the ongoing management of many common neurological diseases including chronic pain, Parkinson's disease, tremor, dystonia, and epilepsy. We also discuss and update mechanisms of deep brain stimulation and electrical neuro-network modulation.