The metabolic controlling of tissue hydration is the fundamental parameter determining cell functional activity and its dysfunction is the common consequence of any cell pathology, including aging. The aim of the pres...The metabolic controlling of tissue hydration is the fundamental parameter determining cell functional activity and its dysfunction is the common consequence of any cell pathology, including aging. The aim of the present study is to reveal the differences of age-dependent metabolic controlling of cell hydration of excitable tissue such as brain cortex and non-excitable tissues such as liver and spleen. For this purpose, the age-dependent sensitivity of cell hydration in excitable and non-excitablet issues is studied through depressing metabolic activity by cooling and its activation by supplying animals with distilled water, by inactivation of Na+/K+ pump and activation of Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the reverse mode. The obtained data bring us to the conclusion that the metabolic regulation of cell hydration in excitable tissue is realized by the activation of electrogenic Na+/K+ pump and Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the cell membrane and the formation of endogen water by mitochondrial activity, while the regulation of cell hydration in non-excitable tissue is carried out only by the activity of mitochondrial function. Aging leads to an over-expression of Na+/K+ pump units in liver and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in brain cortex of rats.展开更多
BACKGROUND： Mechanical injury can cause the changes of polygene expression spectrum in rat cerebral cortical nerve cells, and then result in the changes of intracellular protein expression. At present, dielectrophore...BACKGROUND： Mechanical injury can cause the changes of polygene expression spectrum in rat cerebral cortical nerve cells, and then result in the changes of intracellular protein expression. At present, dielectrophoresis is combined with mass spectrum technique to detect the expression of different proteins in rat cortex after brain injury, but the protein chip technique requires further investigation. OBJECTIVE： To analyze the differences of protein expression spectrum in rat cerebral cortex before and after closed traumatic brain injury using WCX-2 protein chip technique. DESIGN： A randomized controlled animal experiment. SETTING： Training Division of the Medical College of Chinese People＇s Armed Police Force. MATERIALS： Seventy-two male SD rats of clean degree, 350 - 450 g, were provided by the Experimental Animal Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences of Chinese PLA. Urea, trifluoroacetic acid, CHAPS and Tris （Sigma, USA）; WCX-2 （Ciphergen, USA）. Ultra-high speed hypothermia centrifuger （Bechman, USA）; Rotary tissue microtome （Keuca, Germany）; Biochip processor and PBS II-C protein chip reader （Ciphergen, USA）. METHODS： The experiments were carried out in the Institute of Molecular Pathology, Central Laboratory, and Department of Pathology, Medical College of Chinese People＇s Armed Police Force from June 2005 to March 2006. ① Grouping and treatment： The experiments were completed in molecular pathological institute, central laboratory and pathological department. ② The rats were randomly divided into control group （n =12） and brain injury group （n =60）. Marmarou＇s weight-dropping models were duplicated at different time points in the brain injury group. In the control group, the rats were only treated by incising the skin of head top, without fixing the stainless steel hitting backup plate at the vault of skull, and obtain brain cortex for pathological and protein chip research, and they were killed after 24 hours. The rats in the brain injury group were killed at 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hours after model establishment. ③ Pathological observation： Longitudinal section was made on cerebral cortex, and sections of 5 μm were prepared, then stained with hematoxylin and eosin （HE）. ④Protein chip analysis： 100 mg cerebral cortex was collected from each rat, and the protein content in sample was detected with Bradford method, meanwhile, WCX-2 protein chip was used to analyze the protein spectrum. The data were automatically collected with Ciphergen proteinchip 3.0 software, and the results were analyzed using Biomarker Wizard software to compare the differences of protein spectrum in rat cortex between the groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Results of the pathological observation of cerebral cortex and the protein spectrum analysis. RESULTS：①Pathological changes of cerebral cortex： In the control group, no necrosis and edema was observed. In the brain injury group, injures of different severity occurred at different time points; After 4 hours, focal or scattered red nerve cells could be observed, the size of some cells was increased, cytoplasm was lightly stained, and only nuclear fragments were seen; After 8 hours, the necrotic nerve cells were increased, and the number of nerve cells was reduced, astrocytes （neuronophagia） could be seen in partial cytoplasm; there was small vascular dilatation, and endothelial cell proliferation; interstitial edema, regional rarefaction lightly stained. After 12- 48 hours, the necrotic nerve cells were reduced, and astrocytes proliferated. ② Results of protein spectrum analysis： The WCX-2 experiment found that the expressions of 5 639, 3 212 and 7 536 u proteins in cerebral cortex changed after injury in the brain injury group. The peak intensity of 5 639 u protein in the brain injury group at 8 hours after injury was higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05）; The peak intensity of 3 212 u protein in the brain injury group at 48 hours after injury was higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05）; The peak intensity of 7 536 u protein at 24 hours after injury was higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Brain injury can cause the changes of protein expression spectrum in cerebral cortex, it is suggested that brain injury can induce the expression of protein.展开更多
Hegu (LI 4) is one of the most frequently used and most important analgesic points in Chinese acupuncture. It is particularly effective for treating disorders of the head and face. According to the meridian theory in ...Hegu (LI 4) is one of the most frequently used and most important analgesic points in Chinese acupuncture. It is particularly effective for treating disorders of the head and face. According to the meridian theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Large Intestine Meridian to which it belongs originates in the hand and terminates in the face. This theory is based, however, more on thousands of years of clinical experience rather than on scientific evidence. In our study of acupuncture effects on normal human volunteers with the non-invasive BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependant)technique for FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), we demonstrated widespread effects in the brain during acupuncture at Hegu and Zusanli (ST 36). A finding of special interest was observed in the primary somatosensory cortes (SI) during Hegu acupuncture. In additlon to activation of the area representing the hand in response to the sensory impulses arising from the site of stimulation, activation also occurred in the face representation in all 3 subjects brains studied by coronal brain sections. In one of these subjects activation in the face representation was even stronger than that in the hand representation. Areas representing the neck, trunk and other parts of the upper extremity also exhibited increase in signal intensity, subject to individual variability. As compared with Hegu, such effects were either absent or much weaker with acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) or with other forms of sensory stimulation to the hand. Functional mapping of the brain with MRI has provided the first direct evidence in support of the important role of Hegu acupuncture in TCM.展开更多
Orexins, produced in the lateral hypothalamus, are important neuropeptides that participate in the sleep/wake cycle, and their expres- sion coincides with the projection area of the vagus nerve in the brain. Vagus ner...Orexins, produced in the lateral hypothalamus, are important neuropeptides that participate in the sleep/wake cycle, and their expres- sion coincides with the projection area of the vagus nerve in the brain. Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to decrease the amounts of daytime sleep and rapid eye movement in epilepsy patients with traumatic brain injury. In the present study, we investigated whether vagus nerve stimulation promotes wakefulness and affects orexin expression. A rat model of traumatic brain injury was established using the free fall drop method. In the stimulated group, rats with traumatic brain injury received vagus nerve stimulation （frequency, 30 Hz, current, 1.0 mA; pulse width, 0.5 ms; total stimulation time, 15 minutes）. In the antagonist group, rats with traumatic brain injury were intracerebroventricularly injected with the orexin receptor type 1 （OXIR） antagonist SB334867 and received vagus nerve stimulation. Changes in consciousness were observed after stimulation in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot assay and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the levels of orexin-A and OX1R expression in the prefrontal cortex. In the stimulated group, consciousness was substantially improved, orexin-A protein expression gradually increased within 24 hours after injury and OX1R expres- sion reached a peak at 12 hours, compared with rats subjected to traumatic brain injury only. In the antagonist group, the wake-promoting effect of vagus nerve stimulation was diminished, and orexin-A and OX1R expression were decreased, compared with that of the stim- ulated group. Taken together, our findings suggest that vagus nerve stimulation promotes the recovery of consciousness in comatose rats after traumatic brain injury. The upregulation of orexin-A and OXIR expression in the prefrontal cortex might be involved in the wake-promoting effects of vagus nerve stimulation.展开更多
Stroke is a physiological alteration associated with changes in blood flow that can result in sudden-onset cognitive impairment. It has a heterogenous clinical presentation with varying degrees of severity correlated ...Stroke is a physiological alteration associated with changes in blood flow that can result in sudden-onset cognitive impairment. It has a heterogenous clinical presentation with varying degrees of severity correlated with specific central nervous system zones or areas, and its prognosis is uncertain. This case study describes a 62-year-old male patient with acquired brain damage of the anterior cingulate cortex as a result of an ischemic event in the territory of the left anterior cerebral artery. Cognitive function was assessed using the neuropsychological executive function and frontal lobe test battery (BANFE-2) as well as other neuropsychological tests. The results show a profile of higher mental functions characterized by the presence of dysexecutive syndrome with marked behavioral alteration and diencephalic amnesia. .展开更多
A rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion was established by suture occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. In situ hybridization results showed that the number of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA-posit...A rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion was established by suture occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. In situ hybridization results showed that the number of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA-positive cells in the ischemic rat cerebral cortex increased after cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion injury. Low frequency continuous wave electroacupuncture （frequency 2-6 Hz, current intensity 2 mA） stimulation of the brachial plexus trunk on the healthy （right） side increased the number of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA-positive cells in the ischemic cerebral cortex 14 days after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. At the same time, electroacupuncture stimulation of the healthy brachial plexus truck significantly decreased neurological function scores and alleviated neurological function deficits. These findings suggest that electroacupuncture stimulation of the brachial plexus trunk on the healthy （right） side can greatly increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression and improve neurological function.展开更多
The dorsal area of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) constructs the salience network associated with the anterior insular cortex. Conventional brain imaging studies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fM...The dorsal area of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) constructs the salience network associated with the anterior insular cortex. Conventional brain imaging studies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have demonstrated that relational memory formation occurs in the ACC. However, how such memory is encoded and retrieved remains unknown due to limited time resolution of conventional fMRI. This study aimed to investigate temporal dynamics of the dorsal ACC (dACC) during word-pair tasks based on a newly developed event-related deep brain activity (ER-DBA) method using occipital electroencephalogram (EEG) signal powers. The method assesses dACC activity at a temporal resolution of approximately 0.3 s beyond the conventional resolution limit. We found that transient deactivation of dACC during the presentation of the second word of each pair was essential for encoding success regardless of whether the words were related or unrelated. We also found that memory accuracy was not affected by the intervention of inter-trials until the recall trial. Taken together, these findings suggest that dACC deactivation for encoding success is accompanied with short-term potentiation essential for durability of memory. We further found that false memory formation associated with the presentation of word pairs was occasionally committed. In such cases, dACC exhibited a similar transient deactivation although false memory commission was independent of related or unrelated conditions. Our findings suggest that encoding and retrieval of associates are paralleled and that simultaneous production of associates seems to be an essential strategy for successful relational memory formation. The study was limited to the assessment of dACC activity and did not account for other regional brain activities or receptor regulation related to short-term potentiation. We detected fast behavior of dACC during relational memory formation using the novel ER-DBA method. Such temporal dynamics will be important for eliciting underlying mechanisms of memory dysfunctions.展开更多
The development and plasticity of central auditory system can be influenced by the change of peripheral neuronal activity. However, the molecular mechanism participating in the process remains elusive. Brain-derived n...The development and plasticity of central auditory system can be influenced by the change of peripheral neuronal activity. However, the molecular mechanism participating in the process remains elusive. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) binding with its functional receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B(TrkB) has multiple effects on neurons. Here we used a rat model of auditory deprivation by bilateral cochlear ablation, to investigate the changes in expression of BDNF and Trk B in the auditory cortex after auditory deprivation that occurred during the critical period for the development of central auditory system. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RTqPCR) and immunohistochemistry methods were adopted to detect the m RNA and protein expression levels of BDNF and TrkB in the auditory cortex at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after surgery, respectively. The change in the expression of BDNF and TrkB mRNAs and proteins followed similar trend. In the bilateral cochlear ablation groups, the BDNF-TrkB expression level initially decreased at 2 weeks but increased at 4 weeks followed by the reduction at 6 and 8 weeks after cochlear removal, as compared to the age-matched sham control groups. In conclusion, the BDNF-TrkB signaling is involved in the plasticity of auditory cortex in an activity-dependent manner.展开更多
Optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)has emerged as an advanced in vivo im-aging modality,which is widely used for the clinic ophthalmology and neuroscience research in the rodent brain cortex among others.Ba...Optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)has emerged as an advanced in vivo im-aging modality,which is widely used for the clinic ophthalmology and neuroscience research in the rodent brain cortex among others.Based on the high numerical aperture(NA)probing lens and the motion-corrected algorithms,a high-resolution imaging technique called OCT micro-angiography is applied to resolve the small blood capillary vessels ranging from 5μm to 10μm in diameter.As OCT-based techniques are recently evolving further from the structural imaging of capillaries toward spatio-temporal dynamic imaging of blood flow in capillaries,here we present a review on the latest techniques for the dynamic flow imaging.Studies on capillary blood flow using these techniques will help us better understand the roles of capillary blood flow for normal functioning of the brain as well as how it malfunctions in diseases.展开更多
BACKGROUND： Previous studies of cerebral ischemia have used young animals, with an ischemic time greater than 5 minutes （safe time limit）. Despite an increased understanding of neuronal apoptosis, it remains uncert...BACKGROUND： Previous studies of cerebral ischemia have used young animals, with an ischemic time greater than 5 minutes （safe time limit）. Despite an increased understanding of neuronal apoptosis, it remains uncertain whether brief cerebral ischemic events of 5 minutes or less damage brain tissue in elderly rodents. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of transient cerebral ischemia （5 minutes）/reperfusion injury on brain cortical and hippocampal edema, aquaporin-4 （AQP-4） expression, and neuronal apoptosis in aged rats, and to compare ischemic sensitivity between cortex and hippocampus. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at the Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease, Qingdao University Medical School from April 2008 to March 2009. MATERIALS： Rabbit anti-AQP-4 polyclonal antibody, TUNEL kit, and SABC immunohistochemistry kit were purchased from Wuhan Boster Bioengineering, China. METHODS： A total of 160 healthy, male, aged 19-21 months, Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups： sham-surgery, and ischemia 1-, 3-, and 5-minute groups, with 40 rats in each group. The global cerebral ischemia model was established using the Pusinelli four-vessel occlusion, and the three cerebral ischemia groups were subdivided into reperfusion 12-hour, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 7-day subgroups, with 8 rats in each subgroup. The sham-surgery group was subjected to exposure of the first cervical bilateral alar foramina and bilateral common carotid arteries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The dry-wet weight assay was used to measure brain water content and histopathology of the cortex and hippocampus was observed following hematoxylin-eosin staining. In addition, cortical and hippocampal AQP-4 expression was detected by streptavidin-biotin complex immunohistochemistry, and neuronal apoptosis was detected by the TUNEL method. RESULTS： There was no significant difference in brain water content or AQP-4 expression in the cortex and hippocampus between ischemia 1- and 3-minute groups and the sham-surgery group or brain water content or AQP-4 expression in the cortex between ischemia 5-minute group and sham-surgery group （P 〉 0.05）. However, brain water content and AQP-4 expression in the hippocampus after 5 minutes of cerebral ischemia were significantly increased compared with the sham-surgery group （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01）. Several TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the cortex and hippocampus of the sham-surgery group and ischemia 1-minute group, as well as in the cortex of the ischemia 3-minute group. In addition, the number of apoptotic neurons in the hippocampus of ischemia 3-minute group and in the cortex and hippocampus of ischemia 5-minute group was significantly increased （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01 ）. Neuronal apoptosis was increased after 12 hours of ischemia/reperfusion, and it reached a peak by 2 days （P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Transient cerebral ischemia （5 minutes） resulted in increased hippocampal edema, AQP-4 expression, and neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, cerebral ischemia had a greater effect on neuronal apoptosis than brain edema or AQP-4 expression, and the hippocampus was more sensitive than the cortex.展开更多
Objective To explore the effect of locally using dexamethasone on the blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery(FVmca) and cerebral edema after brain injury. Methods 20 rabbits were classified to 2 groups, gro...Objective To explore the effect of locally using dexamethasone on the blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery(FVmca) and cerebral edema after brain injury. Methods 20 rabbits were classified to 2 groups, group A( the control group) and B (the treated group). An experimental rabbit model was conducted to contusion by bone window plasty with extradural hitting. Group B was treated by locally infiltrating of dexamethasone at equidistance to lesions. Group A was given normal saline the same way as Group B. The changes of FVmca using trans－cranial Doppler and moisture in brain tissues were observed. Results The normal value of FVmca was (31.8± 4.5)cm/s, while the value of FVmca in group A and B were (15.4± 3.9)cm/s and (22.1± 3.5)cm/s separately.Water content in damaged hemisphere in Group A and B were (81.54± 0.55)％ and (79.35± 0.50)％ respectively. There was a significant difference between the 2 groups (P<0.05). The levels of FVmca in group A and B were lower than that of control and there was also a significant difference between group A and B (P<0.05).Conclusions FVmca decreased and the brain moisture increased after brain injury while FVmca increased and the brain moisture reduced after treatment with dexamethasone. It demonstreated that local treatment of dexamethasone had an obvious therapeutical effect on brain injury.展开更多
In this study, we used a rat model of severe closed traumatic brain injury to explore the relationship between neuroglobin, brain injury and neuronal apoptosis. Real-time PCR showed that neuroglobin mRNA expression ra...In this study, we used a rat model of severe closed traumatic brain injury to explore the relationship between neuroglobin, brain injury and neuronal apoptosis. Real-time PCR showed that neuroglobin mRNA expression rapidly increased in the rat cerebral cortex, and peaked at 30 minutes and 48 hours following traumatic brain injury. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that neuroglobin expression increased and remained high 2 hours to 5 days following injury. The rate of increase in the apoptosis-related Bax/Bcl-2 ratio greatly decreased between 30 minutes and 1 hour as well as between 48 and 72 hours post injury. Expression of neuroglobin and the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 greatly increased, while that of the proapoptotic factor decreased, in the cerebral cortex post severe closed traumatic brain injury. It suggests that neuroglobin might protect neurons from apoptosis after traumatic injury by regulating Bax/Bcl-2 pathway.展开更多
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 （mGluR5） is expressed by neurons in zones of active neurogenesis and is involved in the development of neural stem cells in vivo and in vitro. We examined the expression of mGluR5 i...Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 （mGluR5） is expressed by neurons in zones of active neurogenesis and is involved in the development of neural stem cells in vivo and in vitro. We examined the expression of mGluR5 in the cortex and hippocampus of rats during various prenatal and postnatal periods using immunohistochemistry. During prenatal development, mGluR5 was pdmadly localized to neuronal somas in the forebrain. During early postnatal periods, the receptor was mainly present on somas in the cortex, mGluR5 immunostaining was visible in apical dendrites and in the neuropil of neurons and persisted throughout postnatal development. During this period, pyramidal neurons were strongly labeled for the receptor. In the hippocampal CA1 region, mGluR5 immunoreactivity was more intense in the stratum oriens, stratum radiatum, and lacunosum moleculare at P0, P5 and P10 relative to P60. mGluR5 expression increased significantly in the molecular layer and decreased significantly in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus at P5, P10 and P60 in comparison with P0. Furthermore, some mGluR5-positive cells were also bromodeoxyuridine- or NeuroD-positive in the dentate gyrus at P14. These results demonstrate that mGluR5 has a differential expression pattern in the cortex and hippocampus during early growth, suggesting a role for this receptor in the control of domain specific brain developmental events.展开更多
Objective High resolution structural MR imaging can reveal structural characteristics of cerebral cortex and provide an insight into normal brain development and neuropsychological diseases. The aim of this study was ...Objective High resolution structural MR imaging can reveal structural characteristics of cerebral cortex and provide an insight into normal brain development and neuropsychological diseases. The aim of this study was to compare cortical structural characteristics of normal human brain between 3T and 7T MRI systems using surface-based morphometry based on high resolution structural MR imaging.Methods Twelve healthy volunteers were scanned by both 3T with 3D T1-weighted fast spoiled gradient recalled echo (3D T1-FSPGR) sequence and 7T with 3D T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (3D T1-MPRAGE) sequence. MRI data were processed with FreeSurfer. The cortical thickness,white and gray matter surface area, convexity, and curvature from data of 3T and 7T were measured and compared by paired t-test.Results Measurements of mean cortical thickness, total white matter surface area and gray matter surface area of 3T were larger than those of 7T (left hemisphere: P=0.000, 0.006, 0.020 respectively; right hemisphere: P=0.000, 0.000, 0.000 respectively). Surface-based morphometry over the whole brain demonstrated both reduced and increased measurements of cortical thickness, white and gray surface area,convexity, and curvature at 7T compared to 3T.Conclusions Inconsistency of brain structural attribute between 3T and 7T was confirmed, and researchers should be cautious about data when using ultrahigh field MR system to investigate brain structural changes.展开更多
Mental practice is a new rehabilitation method that reters to the mental rehearsal ot motor imagery content with the goal of improving motor performance. However, the relationship between activated regions and motor r...Mental practice is a new rehabilitation method that reters to the mental rehearsal ot motor imagery content with the goal of improving motor performance. However, the relationship between activated regions and motor recovery after mental practice training is not well understood. In this study, 15 patients who suffered a firstever subcortical stroke with neurological deficits affecting the right hand, but no significant cognitive impairment were recruited. 10 patients underwent mental practice combined with physical practice training, and 5 patients only underwent physical practice training. We observed brain activation regions after 4 weeks of training, and explored the correlation of activation changes with functional recovery of the affected hands. The results showed that, after 4 weeks of mental practice combined with physical training, the Fugl-Meyer assessment score for the affected right hand was significantly increased than that after 4 weeks of practice training alone. Functional MRI showed enhanced activation in the left primary somatosensory cortex, attenuated activation intensity in the right primary motor cortex, and enhanced right cerebellar activation observed during the motor imagery task using the affected right hand after mental practice training. The changes in brain cortical activity were related to functional recovery of the hand. Experimental findings indicate that cortical and cerebellar functional reorganization following mental practice contributed to the improvement of hand function.展开更多
Extracts from Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii （Grassleaf Sweetflag Rhizome, Shichangpu） have been shown to improve learning and memory, reduce anxiety, allay excitement, and suppress seizures. Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii ex...Extracts from Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii （Grassleaf Sweetflag Rhizome, Shichangpu） have been shown to improve learning and memory, reduce anxiety, allay excitement, and suppress seizures. Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii extracts interact with y-aminobutyric acid and activate the y-aminobutyric acid type A receptor, although few studies have addressed the precise effects of v-aminobutyric acid type A receptor al subunit. In the present study, y-aminobutyric acid type A receptor al subunit protein expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and pathological scores of brain injury, were significantly greater following recurrent seizures, but significantly decreased following treatment with Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii extracts. These results indicated that Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii extracts down-regulated y-aminobutyric acid type A receptor al subunit protein expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and protected seizure-induced brain injury during development.展开更多
Motor function impairment is a common outcome of stroke.Constraint-induced movement therapy（CIMT）involving intensive use of the impaired limb while restraining the unaffected limb is widely used to overcome the effe...Motor function impairment is a common outcome of stroke.Constraint-induced movement therapy（CIMT）involving intensive use of the impaired limb while restraining the unaffected limb is widely used to overcome the effects of＇learned non-use＇and improve limb function after stroke.However,the underlying mechanism of CIMT remains unclear.In the present study,rats were randomly divided into a middle cerebral artery occlusion（model）group,a CIMT＋model（CIMT）group,or a sham group.Restriction of the affected limb by plaster cast was performed in the CIMT and sham groups.Compared with the model group,CIMT significantly improved the forelimb functional performance in rats.By western blot assay,the expression of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase in the bilateral cortex and hippocampi of cerebral ischemic rats in the CIMT group was significantly lower than that in the model group,and was similar to sham group levels.These data suggest that functional recovery after CIMT may be related to decreased expression of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase in the bilateral cortex and hippocampi.展开更多
The prefrontal neocortex is involved in many high cognitive functions in humans.Deficits in neuronal and neurocircuitry development in this part of the cerebrum have been associated with various neuropsychiatric disor...The prefrontal neocortex is involved in many high cognitive functions in humans.Deficits in neuronal and neurocircuitry development in this part of the cerebrum have been associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders in adolescents and adults.There are currently little available data regarding prenatal dendrite and spine formation on projecting neurons in the human prefrontal neocortex.Previous studies have demonstrated that Golgi silver staining can identify neurons in the frontal lobe and visual cortex in human embryos.In the present study,five fetal brains,at 19,20,26,35,and 38 gestational weeks,were obtained via the body donation program at Xiangya School of Medicine,Central South University,China.Golgi-stained pyramidal neurons in layer V of Brodmann area 46 in fetuses were quantitatively analyzed using the Neurolucida morphometry system.Results revealed that somal size,total dendritic length,and branching points of these neurons increased from 26 to 38 gestational weeks.There was also a large increase in dendritic spines from 35 to 38 gestational weeks.These findings indicate that,in the human prefrontal neocortex,dendritic growth in layer V pyramidal neurons occurs rapidly during the third trimester of gestation.The use of human fetal brain tissue was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Xiangya School of Medicine,Central South University,China(approval No.2011-045)on April 5,2011.展开更多
文摘The metabolic controlling of tissue hydration is the fundamental parameter determining cell functional activity and its dysfunction is the common consequence of any cell pathology, including aging. The aim of the present study is to reveal the differences of age-dependent metabolic controlling of cell hydration of excitable tissue such as brain cortex and non-excitable tissues such as liver and spleen. For this purpose, the age-dependent sensitivity of cell hydration in excitable and non-excitablet issues is studied through depressing metabolic activity by cooling and its activation by supplying animals with distilled water, by inactivation of Na+/K+ pump and activation of Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the reverse mode. The obtained data bring us to the conclusion that the metabolic regulation of cell hydration in excitable tissue is realized by the activation of electrogenic Na+/K+ pump and Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the cell membrane and the formation of endogen water by mitochondrial activity, while the regulation of cell hydration in non-excitable tissue is carried out only by the activity of mitochondrial function. Aging leads to an over-expression of Na+/K+ pump units in liver and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in brain cortex of rats.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30471934
文摘BACKGROUND： Mechanical injury can cause the changes of polygene expression spectrum in rat cerebral cortical nerve cells, and then result in the changes of intracellular protein expression. At present, dielectrophoresis is combined with mass spectrum technique to detect the expression of different proteins in rat cortex after brain injury, but the protein chip technique requires further investigation. OBJECTIVE： To analyze the differences of protein expression spectrum in rat cerebral cortex before and after closed traumatic brain injury using WCX-2 protein chip technique. DESIGN： A randomized controlled animal experiment. SETTING： Training Division of the Medical College of Chinese People＇s Armed Police Force. MATERIALS： Seventy-two male SD rats of clean degree, 350 - 450 g, were provided by the Experimental Animal Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences of Chinese PLA. Urea, trifluoroacetic acid, CHAPS and Tris （Sigma, USA）; WCX-2 （Ciphergen, USA）. Ultra-high speed hypothermia centrifuger （Bechman, USA）; Rotary tissue microtome （Keuca, Germany）; Biochip processor and PBS II-C protein chip reader （Ciphergen, USA）. METHODS： The experiments were carried out in the Institute of Molecular Pathology, Central Laboratory, and Department of Pathology, Medical College of Chinese People＇s Armed Police Force from June 2005 to March 2006. ① Grouping and treatment： The experiments were completed in molecular pathological institute, central laboratory and pathological department. ② The rats were randomly divided into control group （n =12） and brain injury group （n =60）. Marmarou＇s weight-dropping models were duplicated at different time points in the brain injury group. In the control group, the rats were only treated by incising the skin of head top, without fixing the stainless steel hitting backup plate at the vault of skull, and obtain brain cortex for pathological and protein chip research, and they were killed after 24 hours. The rats in the brain injury group were killed at 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 hours after model establishment. ③ Pathological observation： Longitudinal section was made on cerebral cortex, and sections of 5 μm were prepared, then stained with hematoxylin and eosin （HE）. ④Protein chip analysis： 100 mg cerebral cortex was collected from each rat, and the protein content in sample was detected with Bradford method, meanwhile, WCX-2 protein chip was used to analyze the protein spectrum. The data were automatically collected with Ciphergen proteinchip 3.0 software, and the results were analyzed using Biomarker Wizard software to compare the differences of protein spectrum in rat cortex between the groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Results of the pathological observation of cerebral cortex and the protein spectrum analysis. RESULTS：①Pathological changes of cerebral cortex： In the control group, no necrosis and edema was observed. In the brain injury group, injures of different severity occurred at different time points; After 4 hours, focal or scattered red nerve cells could be observed, the size of some cells was increased, cytoplasm was lightly stained, and only nuclear fragments were seen; After 8 hours, the necrotic nerve cells were increased, and the number of nerve cells was reduced, astrocytes （neuronophagia） could be seen in partial cytoplasm; there was small vascular dilatation, and endothelial cell proliferation; interstitial edema, regional rarefaction lightly stained. After 12- 48 hours, the necrotic nerve cells were reduced, and astrocytes proliferated. ② Results of protein spectrum analysis： The WCX-2 experiment found that the expressions of 5 639, 3 212 and 7 536 u proteins in cerebral cortex changed after injury in the brain injury group. The peak intensity of 5 639 u protein in the brain injury group at 8 hours after injury was higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05）; The peak intensity of 3 212 u protein in the brain injury group at 48 hours after injury was higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05）; The peak intensity of 7 536 u protein at 24 hours after injury was higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Brain injury can cause the changes of protein expression spectrum in cerebral cortex, it is suggested that brain injury can induce the expression of protein.
文摘Hegu (LI 4) is one of the most frequently used and most important analgesic points in Chinese acupuncture. It is particularly effective for treating disorders of the head and face. According to the meridian theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Large Intestine Meridian to which it belongs originates in the hand and terminates in the face. This theory is based, however, more on thousands of years of clinical experience rather than on scientific evidence. In our study of acupuncture effects on normal human volunteers with the non-invasive BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependant)technique for FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), we demonstrated widespread effects in the brain during acupuncture at Hegu and Zusanli (ST 36). A finding of special interest was observed in the primary somatosensory cortes (SI) during Hegu acupuncture. In additlon to activation of the area representing the hand in response to the sensory impulses arising from the site of stimulation, activation also occurred in the face representation in all 3 subjects brains studied by coronal brain sections. In one of these subjects activation in the face representation was even stronger than that in the hand representation. Areas representing the neck, trunk and other parts of the upper extremity also exhibited increase in signal intensity, subject to individual variability. As compared with Hegu, such effects were either absent or much weaker with acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) or with other forms of sensory stimulation to the hand. Functional mapping of the brain with MRI has provided the first direct evidence in support of the important role of Hegu acupuncture in TCM.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81260295the Graduate Student Innovation Fund of Jiangxi Province of China,No.YC2015-S090
文摘Orexins, produced in the lateral hypothalamus, are important neuropeptides that participate in the sleep/wake cycle, and their expres- sion coincides with the projection area of the vagus nerve in the brain. Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to decrease the amounts of daytime sleep and rapid eye movement in epilepsy patients with traumatic brain injury. In the present study, we investigated whether vagus nerve stimulation promotes wakefulness and affects orexin expression. A rat model of traumatic brain injury was established using the free fall drop method. In the stimulated group, rats with traumatic brain injury received vagus nerve stimulation （frequency, 30 Hz, current, 1.0 mA; pulse width, 0.5 ms; total stimulation time, 15 minutes）. In the antagonist group, rats with traumatic brain injury were intracerebroventricularly injected with the orexin receptor type 1 （OXIR） antagonist SB334867 and received vagus nerve stimulation. Changes in consciousness were observed after stimulation in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot assay and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the levels of orexin-A and OX1R expression in the prefrontal cortex. In the stimulated group, consciousness was substantially improved, orexin-A protein expression gradually increased within 24 hours after injury and OX1R expres- sion reached a peak at 12 hours, compared with rats subjected to traumatic brain injury only. In the antagonist group, the wake-promoting effect of vagus nerve stimulation was diminished, and orexin-A and OX1R expression were decreased, compared with that of the stim- ulated group. Taken together, our findings suggest that vagus nerve stimulation promotes the recovery of consciousness in comatose rats after traumatic brain injury. The upregulation of orexin-A and OXIR expression in the prefrontal cortex might be involved in the wake-promoting effects of vagus nerve stimulation.
文摘Stroke is a physiological alteration associated with changes in blood flow that can result in sudden-onset cognitive impairment. It has a heterogenous clinical presentation with varying degrees of severity correlated with specific central nervous system zones or areas, and its prognosis is uncertain. This case study describes a 62-year-old male patient with acquired brain damage of the anterior cingulate cortex as a result of an ischemic event in the territory of the left anterior cerebral artery. Cognitive function was assessed using the neuropsychological executive function and frontal lobe test battery (BANFE-2) as well as other neuropsychological tests. The results show a profile of higher mental functions characterized by the presence of dysexecutive syndrome with marked behavioral alteration and diencephalic amnesia. .
基金supported by the National Science &Technology Pillar Program in the Eleventh Five-year Plan Period, No. 2006BAl01A00a grant from Science and Technology Department of Shandong Province, No. 22130109a grant from Science and Technology Bureau of Qingdao City, No. Kzd-03,09-1-1-33-nsh
文摘A rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion was established by suture occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. In situ hybridization results showed that the number of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA-positive cells in the ischemic rat cerebral cortex increased after cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion injury. Low frequency continuous wave electroacupuncture （frequency 2-6 Hz, current intensity 2 mA） stimulation of the brachial plexus trunk on the healthy （right） side increased the number of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA-positive cells in the ischemic cerebral cortex 14 days after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. At the same time, electroacupuncture stimulation of the healthy brachial plexus truck significantly decreased neurological function scores and alleviated neurological function deficits. These findings suggest that electroacupuncture stimulation of the brachial plexus trunk on the healthy （right） side can greatly increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression and improve neurological function.
文摘The dorsal area of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) constructs the salience network associated with the anterior insular cortex. Conventional brain imaging studies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have demonstrated that relational memory formation occurs in the ACC. However, how such memory is encoded and retrieved remains unknown due to limited time resolution of conventional fMRI. This study aimed to investigate temporal dynamics of the dorsal ACC (dACC) during word-pair tasks based on a newly developed event-related deep brain activity (ER-DBA) method using occipital electroencephalogram (EEG) signal powers. The method assesses dACC activity at a temporal resolution of approximately 0.3 s beyond the conventional resolution limit. We found that transient deactivation of dACC during the presentation of the second word of each pair was essential for encoding success regardless of whether the words were related or unrelated. We also found that memory accuracy was not affected by the intervention of inter-trials until the recall trial. Taken together, these findings suggest that dACC deactivation for encoding success is accompanied with short-term potentiation essential for durability of memory. We further found that false memory formation associated with the presentation of word pairs was occasionally committed. In such cases, dACC exhibited a similar transient deactivation although false memory commission was independent of related or unrelated conditions. Our findings suggest that encoding and retrieval of associates are paralleled and that simultaneous production of associates seems to be an essential strategy for successful relational memory formation. The study was limited to the assessment of dACC activity and did not account for other regional brain activities or receptor regulation related to short-term potentiation. We detected fast behavior of dACC during relational memory formation using the novel ER-DBA method. Such temporal dynamics will be important for eliciting underlying mechanisms of memory dysfunctions.
基金supported by National Science Foundation of China (Grant 30600125)National Science Foundation Hebei Province (Grant C2011206036)
文摘The development and plasticity of central auditory system can be influenced by the change of peripheral neuronal activity. However, the molecular mechanism participating in the process remains elusive. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) binding with its functional receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B(TrkB) has multiple effects on neurons. Here we used a rat model of auditory deprivation by bilateral cochlear ablation, to investigate the changes in expression of BDNF and Trk B in the auditory cortex after auditory deprivation that occurred during the critical period for the development of central auditory system. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RTqPCR) and immunohistochemistry methods were adopted to detect the m RNA and protein expression levels of BDNF and TrkB in the auditory cortex at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after surgery, respectively. The change in the expression of BDNF and TrkB mRNAs and proteins followed similar trend. In the bilateral cochlear ablation groups, the BDNF-TrkB expression level initially decreased at 2 weeks but increased at 4 weeks followed by the reduction at 6 and 8 weeks after cochlear removal, as compared to the age-matched sham control groups. In conclusion, the BDNF-TrkB signaling is involved in the plasticity of auditory cortex in an activity-dependent manner.
基金National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering(R00EB014879)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant no.BK20190697)and Natural Science Foundation of China(61901222).
文摘Optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)has emerged as an advanced in vivo im-aging modality,which is widely used for the clinic ophthalmology and neuroscience research in the rodent brain cortex among others.Based on the high numerical aperture(NA)probing lens and the motion-corrected algorithms,a high-resolution imaging technique called OCT micro-angiography is applied to resolve the small blood capillary vessels ranging from 5μm to 10μm in diameter.As OCT-based techniques are recently evolving further from the structural imaging of capillaries toward spatio-temporal dynamic imaging of blood flow in capillaries,here we present a review on the latest techniques for the dynamic flow imaging.Studies on capillary blood flow using these techniques will help us better understand the roles of capillary blood flow for normal functioning of the brain as well as how it malfunctions in diseases.
基金Supported by: the Foundation Program of Shandong Heatth Department, No. 2001CAICKAF
文摘BACKGROUND： Previous studies of cerebral ischemia have used young animals, with an ischemic time greater than 5 minutes （safe time limit）. Despite an increased understanding of neuronal apoptosis, it remains uncertain whether brief cerebral ischemic events of 5 minutes or less damage brain tissue in elderly rodents. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of transient cerebral ischemia （5 minutes）/reperfusion injury on brain cortical and hippocampal edema, aquaporin-4 （AQP-4） expression, and neuronal apoptosis in aged rats, and to compare ischemic sensitivity between cortex and hippocampus. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at the Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease, Qingdao University Medical School from April 2008 to March 2009. MATERIALS： Rabbit anti-AQP-4 polyclonal antibody, TUNEL kit, and SABC immunohistochemistry kit were purchased from Wuhan Boster Bioengineering, China. METHODS： A total of 160 healthy, male, aged 19-21 months, Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups： sham-surgery, and ischemia 1-, 3-, and 5-minute groups, with 40 rats in each group. The global cerebral ischemia model was established using the Pusinelli four-vessel occlusion, and the three cerebral ischemia groups were subdivided into reperfusion 12-hour, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 7-day subgroups, with 8 rats in each subgroup. The sham-surgery group was subjected to exposure of the first cervical bilateral alar foramina and bilateral common carotid arteries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The dry-wet weight assay was used to measure brain water content and histopathology of the cortex and hippocampus was observed following hematoxylin-eosin staining. In addition, cortical and hippocampal AQP-4 expression was detected by streptavidin-biotin complex immunohistochemistry, and neuronal apoptosis was detected by the TUNEL method. RESULTS： There was no significant difference in brain water content or AQP-4 expression in the cortex and hippocampus between ischemia 1- and 3-minute groups and the sham-surgery group or brain water content or AQP-4 expression in the cortex between ischemia 5-minute group and sham-surgery group （P 〉 0.05）. However, brain water content and AQP-4 expression in the hippocampus after 5 minutes of cerebral ischemia were significantly increased compared with the sham-surgery group （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01）. Several TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the cortex and hippocampus of the sham-surgery group and ischemia 1-minute group, as well as in the cortex of the ischemia 3-minute group. In addition, the number of apoptotic neurons in the hippocampus of ischemia 3-minute group and in the cortex and hippocampus of ischemia 5-minute group was significantly increased （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01 ）. Neuronal apoptosis was increased after 12 hours of ischemia/reperfusion, and it reached a peak by 2 days （P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Transient cerebral ischemia （5 minutes） resulted in increased hippocampal edema, AQP-4 expression, and neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, cerebral ischemia had a greater effect on neuronal apoptosis than brain edema or AQP-4 expression, and the hippocampus was more sensitive than the cortex.
文摘Objective To explore the effect of locally using dexamethasone on the blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery(FVmca) and cerebral edema after brain injury. Methods 20 rabbits were classified to 2 groups, group A( the control group) and B (the treated group). An experimental rabbit model was conducted to contusion by bone window plasty with extradural hitting. Group B was treated by locally infiltrating of dexamethasone at equidistance to lesions. Group A was given normal saline the same way as Group B. The changes of FVmca using trans－cranial Doppler and moisture in brain tissues were observed. Results The normal value of FVmca was (31.8± 4.5)cm/s, while the value of FVmca in group A and B were (15.4± 3.9)cm/s and (22.1± 3.5)cm/s separately.Water content in damaged hemisphere in Group A and B were (81.54± 0.55)％ and (79.35± 0.50)％ respectively. There was a significant difference between the 2 groups (P<0.05). The levels of FVmca in group A and B were lower than that of control and there was also a significant difference between group A and B (P<0.05).Conclusions FVmca decreased and the brain moisture increased after brain injury while FVmca increased and the brain moisture reduced after treatment with dexamethasone. It demonstreated that local treatment of dexamethasone had an obvious therapeutical effect on brain injury.
基金supported by General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China,No. 30400465,30571903Open Project from Medical Neurobiology of State Key Laboratory (09-08) of Fudan University
文摘In this study, we used a rat model of severe closed traumatic brain injury to explore the relationship between neuroglobin, brain injury and neuronal apoptosis. Real-time PCR showed that neuroglobin mRNA expression rapidly increased in the rat cerebral cortex, and peaked at 30 minutes and 48 hours following traumatic brain injury. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that neuroglobin expression increased and remained high 2 hours to 5 days following injury. The rate of increase in the apoptosis-related Bax/Bcl-2 ratio greatly decreased between 30 minutes and 1 hour as well as between 48 and 72 hours post injury. Expression of neuroglobin and the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 greatly increased, while that of the proapoptotic factor decreased, in the cerebral cortex post severe closed traumatic brain injury. It suggests that neuroglobin might protect neurons from apoptosis after traumatic injury by regulating Bax/Bcl-2 pathway.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30500575,30770673,81070998Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars,State Education MinistryTechnology Plan of Shaanxi Province,No.2009K01-80
文摘Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 （mGluR5） is expressed by neurons in zones of active neurogenesis and is involved in the development of neural stem cells in vivo and in vitro. We examined the expression of mGluR5 in the cortex and hippocampus of rats during various prenatal and postnatal periods using immunohistochemistry. During prenatal development, mGluR5 was pdmadly localized to neuronal somas in the forebrain. During early postnatal periods, the receptor was mainly present on somas in the cortex, mGluR5 immunostaining was visible in apical dendrites and in the neuropil of neurons and persisted throughout postnatal development. During this period, pyramidal neurons were strongly labeled for the receptor. In the hippocampal CA1 region, mGluR5 immunoreactivity was more intense in the stratum oriens, stratum radiatum, and lacunosum moleculare at P0, P5 and P10 relative to P60. mGluR5 expression increased significantly in the molecular layer and decreased significantly in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus at P5, P10 and P60 in comparison with P0. Furthermore, some mGluR5-positive cells were also bromodeoxyuridine- or NeuroD-positive in the dentate gyrus at P14. These results demonstrate that mGluR5 has a differential expression pattern in the cortex and hippocampus during early growth, suggesting a role for this receptor in the control of domain specific brain developmental events.
基金Fund supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81171319), the Foundation for Medical and Health Sci & Tech Innovation Project of Sanya (2016YW37) and the Special Financial Grant from China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2014T70960).
文摘Objective High resolution structural MR imaging can reveal structural characteristics of cerebral cortex and provide an insight into normal brain development and neuropsychological diseases. The aim of this study was to compare cortical structural characteristics of normal human brain between 3T and 7T MRI systems using surface-based morphometry based on high resolution structural MR imaging.Methods Twelve healthy volunteers were scanned by both 3T with 3D T1-weighted fast spoiled gradient recalled echo (3D T1-FSPGR) sequence and 7T with 3D T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (3D T1-MPRAGE) sequence. MRI data were processed with FreeSurfer. The cortical thickness,white and gray matter surface area, convexity, and curvature from data of 3T and 7T were measured and compared by paired t-test.Results Measurements of mean cortical thickness, total white matter surface area and gray matter surface area of 3T were larger than those of 7T (left hemisphere: P=0.000, 0.006, 0.020 respectively; right hemisphere: P=0.000, 0.000, 0.000 respectively). Surface-based morphometry over the whole brain demonstrated both reduced and increased measurements of cortical thickness, white and gray surface area,convexity, and curvature at 7T compared to 3T.Conclusions Inconsistency of brain structural attribute between 3T and 7T was confirmed, and researchers should be cautious about data when using ultrahigh field MR system to investigate brain structural changes.
文摘Mental practice is a new rehabilitation method that reters to the mental rehearsal ot motor imagery content with the goal of improving motor performance. However, the relationship between activated regions and motor recovery after mental practice training is not well understood. In this study, 15 patients who suffered a firstever subcortical stroke with neurological deficits affecting the right hand, but no significant cognitive impairment were recruited. 10 patients underwent mental practice combined with physical practice training, and 5 patients only underwent physical practice training. We observed brain activation regions after 4 weeks of training, and explored the correlation of activation changes with functional recovery of the affected hands. The results showed that, after 4 weeks of mental practice combined with physical training, the Fugl-Meyer assessment score for the affected right hand was significantly increased than that after 4 weeks of practice training alone. Functional MRI showed enhanced activation in the left primary somatosensory cortex, attenuated activation intensity in the right primary motor cortex, and enhanced right cerebellar activation observed during the motor imagery task using the affected right hand after mental practice training. The changes in brain cortical activity were related to functional recovery of the hand. Experimental findings indicate that cortical and cerebellar functional reorganization following mental practice contributed to the improvement of hand function.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (Effects and mechanisms of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor agonist on brain injury in the development stage),No.09JJ6032
文摘Extracts from Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii （Grassleaf Sweetflag Rhizome, Shichangpu） have been shown to improve learning and memory, reduce anxiety, allay excitement, and suppress seizures. Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii extracts interact with y-aminobutyric acid and activate the y-aminobutyric acid type A receptor, although few studies have addressed the precise effects of v-aminobutyric acid type A receptor al subunit. In the present study, y-aminobutyric acid type A receptor al subunit protein expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and pathological scores of brain injury, were significantly greater following recurrent seizures, but significantly decreased following treatment with Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii extracts. These results indicated that Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii extracts down-regulated y-aminobutyric acid type A receptor al subunit protein expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and protected seizure-induced brain injury during development.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81372119a grant from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality,No.12ZR1404000
文摘Motor function impairment is a common outcome of stroke.Constraint-induced movement therapy（CIMT）involving intensive use of the impaired limb while restraining the unaffected limb is widely used to overcome the effects of＇learned non-use＇and improve limb function after stroke.However,the underlying mechanism of CIMT remains unclear.In the present study,rats were randomly divided into a middle cerebral artery occlusion（model）group,a CIMT＋model（CIMT）group,or a sham group.Restriction of the affected limb by plaster cast was performed in the CIMT and sham groups.Compared with the model group,CIMT significantly improved the forelimb functional performance in rats.By western blot assay,the expression of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase in the bilateral cortex and hippocampi of cerebral ischemic rats in the CIMT group was significantly lower than that in the model group,and was similar to sham group levels.These data suggest that functional recovery after CIMT may be related to decreased expression of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase in the bilateral cortex and hippocampi.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81873780(to DHL)grants from the Department of Education of Hunan Province of China,No.16C1577(to LXH)the Xiangtan Medicine and Health Vocational College of China
文摘The prefrontal neocortex is involved in many high cognitive functions in humans.Deficits in neuronal and neurocircuitry development in this part of the cerebrum have been associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders in adolescents and adults.There are currently little available data regarding prenatal dendrite and spine formation on projecting neurons in the human prefrontal neocortex.Previous studies have demonstrated that Golgi silver staining can identify neurons in the frontal lobe and visual cortex in human embryos.In the present study,five fetal brains,at 19,20,26,35,and 38 gestational weeks,were obtained via the body donation program at Xiangya School of Medicine,Central South University,China.Golgi-stained pyramidal neurons in layer V of Brodmann area 46 in fetuses were quantitatively analyzed using the Neurolucida morphometry system.Results revealed that somal size,total dendritic length,and branching points of these neurons increased from 26 to 38 gestational weeks.There was also a large increase in dendritic spines from 35 to 38 gestational weeks.These findings indicate that,in the human prefrontal neocortex,dendritic growth in layer V pyramidal neurons occurs rapidly during the third trimester of gestation.The use of human fetal brain tissue was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Xiangya School of Medicine,Central South University,China(approval No.2011-045)on April 5,2011.
