The asymmetry of neural symptoms in Wilson's disease patients detecting by diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state functional MRI, and susceptibility-weighted imaging.

Objective: To investigate the cause of the motor asymmetry in Wilson's disease (WD) patients using functional MRI. Methods: Fifty patients with WD and 20 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Neurological symptoms were scored using the modified Young Scale. All study subjects underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) of the brain. Six regions of interest (ROI) were chosen. Fiber volumes between ROIs on DTI, corrected phase (CP) values on SWI, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), and regional homogeneity (REHO) values on rs-fMRI were determined. Asymmetry index (right or left value/left or right value) was evaluated. Results: Asymmetry of rigidity, tremor, choreic movement, and gait abnormality (asymmetry index = 1.33, 1.39, 1.36, 1.40), fiber tracts between the GP and substantia nigra (SN), GP and PU, SN and thalamus (TH), SN and cerebellum, head of the caudate nucleus (CA) and SN, PU and CA, CA and TH, TH and cerebellum (asymmetry index = 1.233, 1.260, 1.269, 1.437, 1.503, 1.138, 1.145, 1.279), CP values in the TH, SN (asymmetry index = 1.327, 1.166), ALFF values, and REHO values of the TH (asymmetry index = 1.192, 1.233) were found. Positive correlation between asymmetry index of rigidity and fiber volumes between the GP and SN, SN and TH (r = .221, .133, p = .043, .036), and tremor and fiber volumes between the CA and TH (r = .045, p = .040) was found. Conclusions: The neurological symptoms of patients with WD were asymmetry. The asymmetry of fiber projections may be the main cause of motor asymmetry in patients with WD.

[Study on effect of electrical stimulus on repairing of astrocytes and neurons in rehabilitation after middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of rehabilitation after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). METHODS: MCAO model was reproduced with two-kidney, two clip renovascular hypertensive rats stroke-prone (RHRSP), which were divided into two groups, the treated group (treated with electric stimulus) and the control group (untreated model) randomly. The rehabilitation of rats was evaluated by balance beam walking test. The ultrastructural changes of neurons and astrocytes, expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells, neurofilament (NF) protein, and cerebral capillary dilatation M-associated protein-2 (MAP2), as well as the neurons apoptosis and the number of dilatation of cerebral capillary in the margin of infarcted area were observed by the end of 1st, 3rd, 6th and 9th week after modeling. RESULTS: The motor function of paralysed limbs recovered better in the treated group than that in the control group by the end of 3-9th week after MCAO, the expression of GFAP-positive cells in astrocytes and NF, MAP2 in neurons as well as the number of cerebral capillary dilatation at the margin of infarcted area were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electric stimulation treatment could improve the recovery of motor function of paralyzed limbs. It might be due to the effect of electric stimulus in increasing astrocytes proliferation, reinforcing activity of neurons and evoking the dilatation of cerebral capillary.