Intermittent hypoxia or hypoxia therapy is exposing an individual to oxygenation conditions that are below atmospheric levels in a planned or acute timeframe. Hypoxia therapy is a potentially novel therapeutic strateg...Intermittent hypoxia or hypoxia therapy is exposing an individual to oxygenation conditions that are below atmospheric levels in a planned or acute timeframe. Hypoxia therapy is a potentially novel therapeutic strategy for a variety of pathologies including: mitochondrial disorders, exercise training, and mild cognitive impairments. Mitochondrial dysfunction, hyperkinetic movements, and cognitive impairments are hallmarks of seizures and status epilepticus (SE). A seizure can be considered uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain and SE is a seizure lasting more than 30 minutes, or multiple seizures without regaining consciousness in between. We examined the possibility of using the Pilocarpine model for seizure like activity on brown planaria (Dugesia tigrine). Pilocarpine is a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist capable of creating seizure related brain damage. We utilized 5 mM dosages of pilocarpine and then measured open field behaviour for 3 minutes. Mobility and aversive hyperkinetic movements were observed throughout the measurement phase. After exposure to 5 mM pilocarpine, the planaria displayed behaviours consistent with seizures (e.g. aversive hyperkinetic movements and decreased mobility). Additionally, we measured the effects of an acute hypoxic event on Planaria behaviour. We used 25% carbonated water to create a hypoxic environment for the planaria and then measured mobility and hyperkinetic movements for 3 minutes. We noted that exposure to the hypoxic en-vironment produced no changes in behaviour. However, the aversive hyperkinetic move-ments produced with pilocarpine administration were completely absent when a brief (3 minutes) hypoxic episode followed the pilocarpine exposure (p < 0.05). Aversive behav-iours remained present when the ordering of pilocarpine and hypoxia were counterbal-anced. This ordering effect was consistent across 40 trials. Further evaluation of the pilo-carpine seizure model and intermittent hypoxia on planarian behaviour is warranted.展开更多
NGLY1 Deficiency is an autosomal recessive congenital disorder that has been identified in less than 100 individuals. Most individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency display hyperkinetic movement disorders, including choreifor...NGLY1 Deficiency is an autosomal recessive congenital disorder that has been identified in less than 100 individuals. Most individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency display hyperkinetic movement disorders, including choreiform, athetoid, dystonic myoclonic, dyskinetic, and dysmetric movements. Developing a consistent and concise consensus on the classification and evaluation of tremors is essential to forward the research and treatment of tremors. It has also been reported that some individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency demonstrate tremor, but such tremor has never been formally investigated. The primary objective of this study is to determine if an individual with NGLY1 Deficiency demonstrates an identifiable tremor during a series of arm movements and, if so, describe the frequency and power characteristics of that tremor. Arm movement kinematics were obtained using a 16-camera Vicon system, and time series trajectory waveforms for three planes of a marker placed on the hand were developed. Custom MATLAB scripts were utilized to compute Fast Fourier Transformations of the data within the identified waveform segments. A mean frequency of 2.30 Hz (SD = 1.05) with a mean power of 5.02 |P1(f)| (SD = 4.63) suggests that our participant’s kinematic data did display a persistent tremor in both hands across all tasks and movement planes. Analyses of the reaching hand and the non-reaching hand suggest the participant displayed an action tremor in both postural and intention (kinetic) tremors. Future directions should include assessing additional individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency to determine if the tremor is a distinguishable disorder behavior. Additionally, evaluating other anatomical sites, such as the elbow, head, and lower limbs, would provide further insights into the characteristics of this tremor.展开更多
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is a complex, heterogeneous and multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Although th...Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is a complex, heterogeneous and multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Although the first clinical description of a constellation of symptoms highly resembling to what currently could be diagnosed as ADHD is generally attributed to George F Still in 1902, there are scattered but significant published historical medical, scientific and non-scientific reports, much prior to Still's lectures, of what is currently conceptualized as ADHD. The present report aimed at exploring the early history of ADHD, prior to the 20^(th) century in the medical literature and in other historical sources, to provide clinicians, researchers and other professionals with a better understanding of the roots and current conceptualization of this disorder. It is possible to find clues and highly suggestive descriptions of individuals presenting symptoms resembling what is currently defined as ADHD in the literature, in paintings or in the Bible. However, the earliest medical reports of individuals with abnormal degrees of inattention, distractibility and overactivity date from the last quarter of the 18^(th) century, included in two of the first textbooks specifically on the subject of mental diseases, published by the German Melchior Adam Weikard and the Scottish Sir Alexander Crichton. During the 19^(th) century some eminent physicians from Germany, France or Great Britain, such as Charles West, Thomas C Albutt, Thomas S Clouston, William W, Ireland, John Haslam, Heinrich Neumann, or Désiré-Magloire Bourneville, among others provided clinical depictions of patients that most likely presently would be diagnosed as having ADHD. Whilst some of the children described by Still and his predecessors may have suffered from a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, many of these patients showed clear symptoms of ADHD and may present with comorbid disorders, as it is commonly the case in clinical practice.展开更多
文摘Intermittent hypoxia or hypoxia therapy is exposing an individual to oxygenation conditions that are below atmospheric levels in a planned or acute timeframe. Hypoxia therapy is a potentially novel therapeutic strategy for a variety of pathologies including: mitochondrial disorders, exercise training, and mild cognitive impairments. Mitochondrial dysfunction, hyperkinetic movements, and cognitive impairments are hallmarks of seizures and status epilepticus (SE). A seizure can be considered uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain and SE is a seizure lasting more than 30 minutes, or multiple seizures without regaining consciousness in between. We examined the possibility of using the Pilocarpine model for seizure like activity on brown planaria (Dugesia tigrine). Pilocarpine is a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist capable of creating seizure related brain damage. We utilized 5 mM dosages of pilocarpine and then measured open field behaviour for 3 minutes. Mobility and aversive hyperkinetic movements were observed throughout the measurement phase. After exposure to 5 mM pilocarpine, the planaria displayed behaviours consistent with seizures (e.g. aversive hyperkinetic movements and decreased mobility). Additionally, we measured the effects of an acute hypoxic event on Planaria behaviour. We used 25% carbonated water to create a hypoxic environment for the planaria and then measured mobility and hyperkinetic movements for 3 minutes. We noted that exposure to the hypoxic en-vironment produced no changes in behaviour. However, the aversive hyperkinetic move-ments produced with pilocarpine administration were completely absent when a brief (3 minutes) hypoxic episode followed the pilocarpine exposure (p < 0.05). Aversive behav-iours remained present when the ordering of pilocarpine and hypoxia were counterbal-anced. This ordering effect was consistent across 40 trials. Further evaluation of the pilo-carpine seizure model and intermittent hypoxia on planarian behaviour is warranted.
文摘NGLY1 Deficiency is an autosomal recessive congenital disorder that has been identified in less than 100 individuals. Most individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency display hyperkinetic movement disorders, including choreiform, athetoid, dystonic myoclonic, dyskinetic, and dysmetric movements. Developing a consistent and concise consensus on the classification and evaluation of tremors is essential to forward the research and treatment of tremors. It has also been reported that some individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency demonstrate tremor, but such tremor has never been formally investigated. The primary objective of this study is to determine if an individual with NGLY1 Deficiency demonstrates an identifiable tremor during a series of arm movements and, if so, describe the frequency and power characteristics of that tremor. Arm movement kinematics were obtained using a 16-camera Vicon system, and time series trajectory waveforms for three planes of a marker placed on the hand were developed. Custom MATLAB scripts were utilized to compute Fast Fourier Transformations of the data within the identified waveform segments. A mean frequency of 2.30 Hz (SD = 1.05) with a mean power of 5.02 |P1(f)| (SD = 4.63) suggests that our participant’s kinematic data did display a persistent tremor in both hands across all tasks and movement planes. Analyses of the reaching hand and the non-reaching hand suggest the participant displayed an action tremor in both postural and intention (kinetic) tremors. Future directions should include assessing additional individuals with NGLY1 Deficiency to determine if the tremor is a distinguishable disorder behavior. Additionally, evaluating other anatomical sites, such as the elbow, head, and lower limbs, would provide further insights into the characteristics of this tremor.
文摘Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is a complex, heterogeneous and multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Although the first clinical description of a constellation of symptoms highly resembling to what currently could be diagnosed as ADHD is generally attributed to George F Still in 1902, there are scattered but significant published historical medical, scientific and non-scientific reports, much prior to Still's lectures, of what is currently conceptualized as ADHD. The present report aimed at exploring the early history of ADHD, prior to the 20^(th) century in the medical literature and in other historical sources, to provide clinicians, researchers and other professionals with a better understanding of the roots and current conceptualization of this disorder. It is possible to find clues and highly suggestive descriptions of individuals presenting symptoms resembling what is currently defined as ADHD in the literature, in paintings or in the Bible. However, the earliest medical reports of individuals with abnormal degrees of inattention, distractibility and overactivity date from the last quarter of the 18^(th) century, included in two of the first textbooks specifically on the subject of mental diseases, published by the German Melchior Adam Weikard and the Scottish Sir Alexander Crichton. During the 19^(th) century some eminent physicians from Germany, France or Great Britain, such as Charles West, Thomas C Albutt, Thomas S Clouston, William W, Ireland, John Haslam, Heinrich Neumann, or Désiré-Magloire Bourneville, among others provided clinical depictions of patients that most likely presently would be diagnosed as having ADHD. Whilst some of the children described by Still and his predecessors may have suffered from a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, many of these patients showed clear symptoms of ADHD and may present with comorbid disorders, as it is commonly the case in clinical practice.
