Restorative neurology and neuroscience
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2013
Changes in thresholds for intracortical excitability in chronic stroke: more than just altered intracortical inhibition.
The purpose of the present study was to assess changes in thresholds for the onset of short intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF) in individuals with chronic stroke compared to age-matched healthy adults and evaluate the relationship between these thresholds and motor function in the chronic stroke group. ⋯ Reduced thresholds for the onset of SICI and ICF observed in the present study indicate that both inhibitory and facilitatory systems mediate changes in cortical excitability in chronic stroke patients. The association between higher onset thresholds and motor function in the stroke group also suggests that these thresholds have potential utility for tracking functional motor improvements in patients with chronic stroke. This study provides new insights to further characterize changes in intracortical neurotransmission that play an important role in modulating neuroplasticity and the potential relationship between inhibitory and facilitatory networks and motor function post-stroke.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2013
The impact of enriched environment and transplantation of murine cortical embryonic stem cells on recovery from controlled cortical contusion injury.
The effectiveness of embryonic stem cell (eSC) therapy has been explored in many models of neurological disease and several research groups have shown that eSC treatment leads to improved outcomes in pre-clinical models of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Though functional recovery occurs, few surviving eSCs appear to develop neuronal characteristics; instead the majority of the surviving eSC express glial phenotypes. Additionally, researchers have shown that enriching the post-surgical environment of the subject promotes functional recovery following TBI. The purpose of the current project was to determine if post-surgical environmental enrichment (EE) impacts the survival, migration, and integration of eSCs in a rodent model of TBI and if the presence of these cells lead to improved outcomes. ⋯ Combing therapeutic strategies with enriching the post-injury environment is likely to be an important addition to determining the efficacy of pre-clinical therapies.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialAnodal transcranial direct current stimulation in early rehabilitation of patients with post-stroke non-fluent aphasia: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study.
Recent research in patients with chronic aphasia shows an association between excitatory anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (A-tDCS) of the stroke-affected left hemisphere coupled with speech and language therapy (SLT) and better language performance. The present study aimed to investigate this association during the early post-stroke rehabilitation period, when adaptive changes are most possible on neurophysiological and behavioral levels. ⋯ The findings provide only weak evidence for A-tDCS-related language gains during early neurorehabilitation of post-stroke aphasia. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of this kind of neuromodulation.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2013
Combined bilateral anterior cingulotomy and ventral capsule/ventral striatum deep brain stimulation for refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder with major depression: do combined procedures have a long-term benefit?
The ventral capsule (VC), ventral striatum (VS), and the anterior cingulate gyrus are parts of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression circuits. We assessed whether a combination of bilateral anterior cingulotomy and VC/VS deep brain stimulation (DBS) had an additive effect in patients with OCD and major depression. ⋯ The combination of the two therapies did not yield superior outcomes, as the clinical outcomes were comparable to those of previous reports for VC/VS DBS alone. Wide-area VC/VS DBS may be sufficient to control refractory OCD.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2013
Perceptual effects of the mirror box training in normal subjects.
The mirror box (MB) was developed in the early 1990 s to relieve phantom limb sensations and chronic pain. Although its efficacy has been shown in several clinical populations, the mechanisms underpinning effects still have to be fully understood. ⋯ The present results suggest that the MB induce a somatotopically and contextually specific overriding of kinesthetic control by vision, compatible with a process of embodiment of the mirror-reflected hand image and provide novel clues to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying MB effects.