RESUMEN
The objective of this study was to identify the decussating dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (d-DRTT) and its afferent and efferent connections in healthy humans using diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) techniques. In the present study, the trajectory and lateralization of the d-DRTT was explored using data from subjects in the Massachusetts General Hospital-Human Connectome Project adult diffusion dataset. The afferent and efferent networks that compose the cerebello-thalamo-cerebral pathways were also reconstructed. Correlation analysis was performed to identify interrelationships between subdivisions of the cerebello-dentato-rubro-thalamic and thalamo-cerebral connections. The d-DRTT was visualized bilaterally in 28 subjects. According to a normalized quantitative anisotropy and lateralization index evaluation, the left and right d-DRTT were relatively symmetric. Afferent regions were found mainly in the posterior cerebellum, especially the entire lobule VII (crus I, II and VIIb). Efferent fibers mainly are projected to the contralateral frontal cortex, including the motor and nonmotor regions. Correlations between cerebello-thalamic connections and thalamo-cerebral connections were positive, including the lobule VIIa (crus I and II) to the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and lobules VI, VIIb, VIII, and IX, to the MPFC and motor and premotor areas. These results provide DSI-based tratographic evidence showing segregated and parallel cerebellar outputs to cerebral regions. The posterior cerebellum may play an important role in supporting and handling cognitive activities through d-DRTT. Future studies will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of cerebello-cerebral connections.
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Corteza Motora , Tálamo , Adulto , Cerebelo/diagnóstico por imagen , Imagen de Difusión por Resonancia Magnética , Humanos , Vías Nerviosas/diagnóstico por imagen , Tálamo/diagnóstico por imagenRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: In this report, we aim to describe the design for the randomised controlled trial of Stereotactic electroencephalogram (EEG)-guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation versus Anterior Temporal Lobectomy for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with Hippocampal Sclerosis (STARTS). Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is a classical subtype of temporal lobe epilepsy that often requires surgical intervention. Although anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) remains the most popular treatment for mTLE, accumulating evidence has indicated that ATL can cause tetartanopia and memory impairments. Stereotactic EEG (SEEG)-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) is a non-invasive alternative associated with lower seizure freedom but greater preservation of neurological function. In the present study, we aim to compare the safety and efficacy of SEEG-guided RF-TC and classical ATL in the treatment of mTLE. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: STARTS is a single-centre, two-arm, randomised controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. The study includes patients with typical mTLE over the age of 14 who have drug-resistant seizures for at least 2 years and have been determined via detailed evaluation to be surgical candidates prior to randomisation. The primary outcome measure is the cognitive function at the 1-year follow-up after treatment. Seizure outcomes, visual field abnormalities after surgery, quality of life, ancillary outcomes, and adverse events will also be evaluated at 1-year follow-up as secondary outcomes. DISCUSSION: SEEG-guided RF-TC for mTLE remains a controversial seizure outcome but has the advantage for cognitive and visual field protection. This is the first RCT studying cognitive outcomes and treatment results between SEEG-guided RF-TC and standard ATL for mTLE with hippocampal sclerosis. This study may provide higher levels of clinical evidence for the treatment of mTLE. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03941613 . Registered on May 8, 2019. The STARTS protocol has been registered on the US National Institutes of Health. The status of the STARTS was recruiting and the estimated study completion date was December 31, 2021.
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Epilepsia del Lóbulo Temporal , Lobectomía Temporal Anterior , Preescolar , Electrocoagulación/efectos adversos , Electroencefalografía , Epilepsia del Lóbulo Temporal/diagnóstico , Epilepsia del Lóbulo Temporal/patología , Epilepsia del Lóbulo Temporal/cirugía , Hipocampo/patología , Hipocampo/cirugía , Humanos , Calidad de Vida , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto , Esclerosis/patología , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
In the natural environment, attended sounds tend to be perceived much better than unattended sounds. However, the physiological mechanism of how our neural systems direct the state of perceptual attention to prepare for the detection of upcoming acoustic stimuli before auditory stream segregation remains elusive. In this study, based on the direct intracerebral recordings from the auditory cortex in eight epileptic patients with refractory focal seizures, we investigated the neural processing of auditory attention by comparing the local field potentials before 'attentional' and 'distracted' conditions. Here we first showed a distinct build-up of slow, negative cortical potential in Heschl's gyrus. The amplitude increased steadily, starting from 600 to 800 ms before presentation of the tone until the onset of the evoked component P/N 60-80 when the patients were in the attentional condition. Because of their specific topographical distribution and modality-specific properties, we named these 'auditory preparatory potentials', which are also associated with increased gamma oscillations (30-150 Hz) and desynchronized low frequency activity (below 30 Hz). Thus, our findings suggest that the auditory cortex is pre-activated to facilitate the perception of forthcoming sound events, and contribute to the understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms of auditory perception from a new perspective.
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Corteza Auditiva/fisiología , Percepción Auditiva , Potenciales Evocados Auditivos , Neuronas/fisiología , Estimulación Acústica , Adolescente , Adulto , Atención , Audiometría de Tonos Puros , Vías Auditivas , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Factores de Tiempo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Cornel iridoid glycoside (CIG) is the active ingredient extracted from Cornus officinalis. Our previous studies showed that CIG had protective effects on several brain injury models. In the present study, we aimed to examine the effects and elucidate the mechanisms of CIG against traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI was induced in the right cerebral cortex of male adult rats. The neurological and cognitive functions were evaluated by modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and object recognition test (ORT), respectively. The level of serum S100ß was measured by an ELISA method. Nissl staining was used to estimate the neuron survival in the brain. The expression of proteins was determined by western blot and/or immunohistochemical staining. We found that intragastric administration of CIG in TBI rats ameliorated the neurological defects and cognitive impairment, and alleviated the neuronal loss in the injured brain. In the acute stage of TBI (24-72 h), CIG decreased the level of S100ß in the serum and brain, increased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and decreased the expression of caspase-3 in the injured cortex. Moreover, the treatment with CIG for 30 days increased the levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), enhanced the expression of synapsin I, synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), and inhibited the apoptosis-regulating factors in the chronic stage of TBI. The present study demonstrated that CIG had neuroprotective effects against TBI through inhibiting apoptosis in the acute stage and promoting neurorestoration in the chronic stage. The results suggest that CIG may be beneficial to TBI therapy.
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Lesiones Traumáticas del Encéfalo/tratamiento farmacológico , Disfunción Cognitiva/prevención & control , Cornus , Glicósidos Iridoides/uso terapéutico , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/uso terapéutico , Extractos Vegetales/uso terapéutico , Animales , Lesiones Traumáticas del Encéfalo/metabolismo , Lesiones Traumáticas del Encéfalo/patología , Disfunción Cognitiva/metabolismo , Disfunción Cognitiva/patología , Glicósidos Iridoides/aislamiento & purificación , Masculino , Fármacos Neuroprotectores/aislamiento & purificación , Extractos Vegetales/aislamiento & purificación , Ratas , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
An anion transporter with a selenoxide group was able to form nanoparticles in water, whose activity was fully turned off due to the aggregation effect. The formed nanoparticles have a uniform size and can be readily dispersed in water at high concentrations. Turn-on of the nanoparticles by reducing molecules is proposed to be a combined process, including the reduction of selenoxide to selenide, disassembly of the nanoparticles and location of the transporter to the lipid membrane. Accordingly, a special acceleration phase can be observed in the turn-on kinetic curves. Since turn-on of the nanoparticles is quantitatively related to the amount of reductant, the nanoparticles can be activated in a step-by-step manner. Due to the sensibility of this system to thiols, cysteine can be detected at low nanomolar concentrations. This ultra-sensitive thiol-responsive transmembrane anion transport system is quite promising in biological applications.
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Nanopartículas/química , Selenio/química , Compuestos de Sulfhidrilo/química , Aniones/química , Aniones/metabolismo , Espectroscopía de Resonancia Magnética , Microscopía Electrónica de Rastreo , Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión , Nanopartículas/ultraestructura , Liposomas Unilamelares/química , Liposomas Unilamelares/metabolismoRESUMEN
Although acupuncture has been widely and routinely used in healthcare in the USA, its use has been based more on empirical observation than on scientific knowledge. Therefore, there is a great need for better understanding the underlying mechanism(s) of action. A great body of evidence supports that nonhuman primates are a candidate for studying human diseases. However, the use of nonhuman primates in neurophysiological, neuroimaging and neurochemical studies is extremely challenging, especially under fully conscious, alert conditions. In the present study, we developed a protocol for safely performing acupuncture, electroacupuncture (EA) and electromyography (EMG) in both normal nonhuman primates and animals with parkinsonian-like symptoms. Four normal and four hemiparkinsonian middle-aged rhesus monkeys were extensively trained, behaviorally monitored, and received both EA and EMG for several months. The results demonstrated that (1) all rhesus monkeys used in the study could be trained for procedures including EA and EMG; (2) all animals tolerated the procedures involving needle/electrode insertion; (3) EA procedures used in the study did not adversely alter the animal's locomotor activities; rather, MPTP-treated animals showed a significant improvement in movement speed; and (4) EMG detected significant differences in muscle activity between the arms with and without MPTP-induced rigidity. Our results support that rhesus monkeys can be used as an experimental animal model to study EA and that EMG has the potential to be used to objectively assess the effects of antiparkinsonian therapies. The results also indicate that animals, especially those with parkinsonian-like symptoms, could benefit from long-term EA stimulations.