The changes of neuroactivity of Tui Na (Chinese massage) at Hegu acupoint on sensorimotor cortex in stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction: a fNIRS study.

BACKGROUND: Tui Na (Chinese massage) is a relatively simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive intervention, and has been used to treat stroke patients for many years in China. Tui Na acts on specific parts of the body which are called meridians and acupoints to achieve the role of treating diseases. Yet the underlying neural mechanism associated with Tui Na is not clear due to the lack of detection methods. OBJECTIVE: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to explore the changes of sensorimotor cortical neural activity in patients with upper limb motor dysfunction of stroke and healthy control groups during Tui Na Hegu Point. METHODS: Ten patients with unilateral upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke and eight healthy subjects received Tui Na. fNIRS was used to record the hemodynamic data in the sensorimotor cortex and the changes in blood flow were calculated based on oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb), the task session involved repetitive Tui Na on Hegu acupoint, using a block design [six cycles: rest (20 seconds); Tui Na (20 seconds); rest (30 seconds)]. The changes in neural activity in sensorimotor cortex could be inferred according to the principle of neurovascular coupling, and the number of activated channels in the bilateral hemisphere was used to calculate the lateralization index. RESULT: 1. For hemodynamic response induced by Hegu acupoint Tui Na, a dominant increase in the contralesional primary sensorimotor cortex during Hegu point Tui Na of the less affected arm in stroke patients was observed, as well as that in healthy controls, while this contralateral pattern was absent during Hegu point Tui Na of the affected arm in stroke patients. 2. Concerning the lateralization index in stroke patients, a significant difference was observed between lateralization index values for the affected arm and the less affected arm (P < 0.05). Wilcoxon tests showed a significant difference between lateralization index values for the affected arm in stroke patients and lateralization index values for the dominant upper limb in healthy controls (P < 0.05), and no significant difference between lateralization index values for the less affected arm in stroke patients and that in healthy controls (P = 0.36). CONCLUSION: The combination of Tui Na and fNIRS has the potential to reflect the functional status of sensorimotor neural circuits. The changes of neuroactivity in the sensorimotor cortex when Tui Na Hegu acupoint indicate that there is a certain correlation between acupoints in traditional Chinese medicine and neural circuits.

Virtual reality and motor imagery for early post-stroke rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Motor impairment is a common consequence of stroke causing difficulty in independent movement. The first month of post-stroke rehabilitation is the most effective period for recovery. Movement imagination, known as motor imagery, in combination with virtual reality may provide a way for stroke patients with severe motor disabilities to begin rehabilitation. METHODS: The aim of this study is to verify whether motor imagery and virtual reality help to activate stroke patients' motor cortex. 16 acute/subacute (< 6 months) stroke patients participated in this study. All participants performed motor imagery of basketball shooting which involved the following tasks: listening to audio instruction only, watching a basketball shooting animation in 3D with audio, and also performing motor imagery afterwards. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded for analysis of motor-related features of the brain such as power spectral analysis in the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] frequency bands and spectral entropy. 18 EEG channels over the motor cortex were used for all stroke patients. RESULTS: All results are normalised relative to all tasks for each participant. The power spectral densities peak near the [Formula: see text] band for all participants and also the [Formula: see text] band for some participants. Tasks with instructions during motor imagery generally show greater power spectral peaks. The p-values of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for band power comparison from the 18 EEG channels between different pairs of tasks show a 0.01 significance of rejecting the band powers being the same for most tasks done by stroke subjects. The motor cortex of most stroke patients is more active when virtual reality is involved during motor imagery as indicated by their respective scalp maps of band power and spectral entropy. CONCLUSION: The resulting activation of stroke patient's motor cortices in this study reveals evidence that it is induced by imagination of movement and virtual reality supports motor imagery. The framework of the current study also provides an efficient way to investigate motor imagery and virtual reality during post-stroke rehabilitation.

Development of coordination and muscular fitness in children and adolescents with parent-reported ADHD in the German longitudinal MoMo Study.

This study examined the development of muscular fitness and coordination in children and adolescents with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) over a period of 11 years. Data was collected in three measurement waves as part of the longitudinal, representative Motorik-Modul (MoMo) study in Germany (2003-2006, 2009-2012, 2014-2017). The overall sample comprised 2988 participants (253 with ADHD, 65% males; 2735 non-ADHD, 47% males; mean age 9 years). Structural equation modeling was conducted, and the estimated models had a good fit. No differences in muscular fitness were observed between participants with and without ADHD. Participants with ADHD had a lower coordinative performance at first measurement than those without ADHD. The difference in coordinative performance persisted throughout the study period.

Growth in infants, children and adolescents with unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy.

To compare growth patterns during infancy, childhood and adolescence in children with unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy (CP) phenotype and to assess the association with gross motor impairment, dysphagia and gestational age. We retrospectively studied 389 children with CP from a single center population in Munich, Germany. 1536 measurements of height and weight were tabulated and z-scored from 6 to 180 months of age. Generalized linear mixed model were used to examine the association between growth, GMFCS, dysphagia and gestational age by CP phenotype. Children with unilateral CP tend to grow similarly to their typically developed peers. In the main effect model, bilateral CP phenotype was significantly associated with decreased mean z-scores for height (ß [95% CI] - 0.953 [- 1.145, - 0.761], p < 0.001), weight (- 0.999 [- 1.176, - 0.807], p < 0.001) and BMI (ß [95% CI] - 0.437 [- 0.799, - 0.075]), compared with unilateral CP phenotype. This association remained significant in the interaction models. The height-for-age z-scores, weight-for-age decreased z-scores and BMI-for-age z-scores of children with bilateral CP and GMFCS III-V or dysphagia decreased more significantly than those of children with unilateral CP. Preterm birth was not significantly associated with decreased growth in height, weight and BMI. Reduced growth in children with bilateral CP was strongly associated with moderate to severe impairment in gross motor function (GMFCS III-V) and dysphagia.

A feasibility randomized controlled trial of a NICU rehabilitation program for very low birth weight infants.

Motor disability is common in children born preterm. Interventions focusing on environmental enrichment and emotional connection can positively impact outcomes. The NICU-based rehabilitation (NeoRehab) program consists of evidence-based interventions provided by a parent in addition to usual care. The program combines positive sensory experiences (vocal soothing, scent exchange, comforting touch, skin-to-skin care) as well as motor training (massage and physical therapy) in a gestational age (GA) appropriate fashion. To investigate the acceptability, feasibility and fidelity of the NeoRehab program in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. All interventions were provided by parents in addition to usual care. Infants (≤ 32 weeks' GA and/or ≤ 1500 g birthweight) were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial comparing NeoRehab to usual care (03/2019-10/2020). The a priori dosing goal was for interventions to be performed 5 days/week. The primary outcomes were the acceptability, feasibility and fidelity of the NeoRehab program. 36 participants were randomized to the intervention group and 34 allocated to usual care. The recruitment rate was 71% and retention rate 98%. None of the interventions met the 5 days per week pre-established goal. 97% of participants documented performing a combination of interventions at least 3 times per week. The NeoRehab program was well received and acceptable to parents of VLBW infants. Programs that place a high demand on parents (5 days per week) are not feasible and goals of intervention at least 3 times per week appear to be feasible in the context of the United States. Parent-provided motor interventions were most challenging to parents and alternative strategies should be considered in future studies. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between intervention dosing on long term motor outcomes.

Serotonin 1A receptor agonist modulation of motor deficits and cortical oscillations by NMDA receptor interaction in parkinsonian rats.

Although serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor agonists are widely used as the additive compound to reduce l-dopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease (PD), few studies focused on the effect and mechanism of 5-HT1A receptor agonist on the motor symptoms of PD. Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats were used and implantation of electrodes was performed in the motor cortex of these rats. So the effect of 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT on motor behaviors and oscillatory activities were evaluated. In addition, 8-OH-DPAT combined with D2 receptor antagonist raclopride, NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801, or its agonist d-cycloserine (DCS) were co-administrated. 8-OH-DPAT administration significantly improved spontaneous locomotor activity and asymmetric forepaw function in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Meanwhile, 8-OH-DPAT identified selective modulation of the abnormal high beta oscillations (25-40 Hz) in the motor cortex of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, without inducing pathological finely tuned gamma around 80 Hz. Different from 8-OH-DPAT, l-dopa treatment produced a prolonged improvement on motor performances and differential regulation of high beta and gamma oscillations. However, dopamine D2 receptor antagonist had no influence on the 8-OH-DPAT-mediated-motor behaviors and beta oscillations in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. In contrast, subthreshold NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 obviously elevated the 8-OH-DPAT-mediated-motor behaviors, while NMDA receptor agonist DCS partially impaired the 8-OH-DPAT-mediated symptoms in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. This study suggests that 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT improves motor activity and modulates the oscillations in the motor cortex of parkinsonian rats. Different from l-dopa, 8-OH-DPAT administration ameliorates motor symptoms of PD through glutamatergic rather than the dopaminergic pathway.

MRI of Transcallosal White Matter Helps to Predict Motor Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background Altered callosal integrity has been associated with motor deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but its contribution to disability has, to the knowledge of the authors, not been investigated by using multiparametric MRI approaches. Purpose To investigate structural and functional interhemispheric MRI substrates of global disability at different milestones and upper limb motor impairment in MS. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study, healthy control patients and patients with MS (between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2016) were retrospectively selected from our hospital database. Clinical assessment included Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), nine-hole peg test, and digital finger tapping test. By using structural and resting-state functional MRI sequences, probabilistic tractography of hand corticospinal tract fibers, and transcallosal fibers between hand-motor cortices (hereafter, referred to as hand-M1), supplementary motor areas (SMAs), premotor cortices (PMCs), and voxel-mirror homotopic connectivity (VMHC) were analyzed. Random forest analyses identified the MRI predictors of clinical disability at different milestones (EDSS scores of 3.0, 4.0, 6.0) and upper limb motor impairment (nine-hole peg test and finger tapping test z scores < healthy control patients 5th percentile). Results One-hundred thirty healthy control patients (median age, 39 years; interquartile range, 31-50 years; 70 women) and 340 patients with MS (median age, 43 years; interquartile range, 33-51 years; 213 women) were studied. EDSS 3.0 predictors (n = 159) were global measures of atrophy and lesions together with damage measures of corticospinal tracts and transcallosal fibers between PMCs and SMAs (accuracy, 86%; P = .001-.01). For EDSS 4.0 (n = 131), similar predictors were found in addition to damage in transcallosal fibers between hand-M1 (accuracy, 89%; P = .001-.049). No MRI predictors were found for EDSS 6.0 (n = 70). Nine-hole peg test (right, n = 161; left, n = 166) and finger tapping test (right, n = 117; left, n = 111) impairments were predicted by damage in transcallosal fibers between SMAs and PMCs (accuracy range, 69%-77%; P = .001-.049). VMHC abnormalities did not explain clinical outcomes. Conclusion Structural, not functional, abnormalities at MRI in transcallosal premotor and motor white matter fibers predicted severity of global disability and upper limb motor impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis. The informative role of such predictors appeared less evident at higher disability levels. © RSNA, 2021 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Barkhof and Pontillo in this issue.

Disrupted cortico-peripheral interactions in motor disorders.

Motor disorders may arise from neurological damage or diseases at different levels of the hierarchical motor control system and side-loops. Altered cortico-peripheral interactions might be essential characteristics indicating motor dysfunctions. By integrating cortical and peripheral responses, top-down and bottom-up cortico-peripheral coupling measures could provide new insights into the motor control and recovery process. This review first discusses the neural bases of cortico-peripheral interactions, and corticomuscular coupling and corticokinematic coupling measures are addressed. Subsequently, methodological efforts are summarized to enhance the modeling reliability of neural coupling measures, both linear and nonlinear approaches are introduced. The latest progress, limitations, and future directions are discussed. Finally, we emphasize clinical applications of cortico-peripheral interactions in different motor disorders, including stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, tremor, and other motor-related disorders. The modified interaction patterns and potential changes following rehabilitation interventions are illustrated. Altered coupling strength, modified coupling directionality, and reorganized cortico-peripheral activation patterns are pivotal attributes after motor dysfunction. More robust coupling estimation methodologies and combination with other neurophysiological modalities might more efficiently shed light on motor control and recovery mechanisms. Future studies with large sample sizes might be necessary to determine the reliabilities of cortico-peripheral interaction measures in clinical practice.

Deficiency in Androgen Receptor Aggravates Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Pathophysiology and Motor Deficits in Mice.

Androgens have been shown to have a beneficial effect on brain injury and lower reactive astrocyte expression after TBI. Androgen receptors (ARs) are known to mediate the neuroprotective effects of androgens. However, whether ARs play a crucial role in TBI remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of ARs in TBI pathophysiology, using AR knockout (ARKO) mice. We used the controlled cortical impact model to produce primary and mechanical brain injuries and assessed motor function and brain-lesion volume. In addition, the AR knockout effects on necrosis and autophagy were evaluated after TBI. AR knockout significantly increased TBI-induced expression of the necrosis marker alpha-II-spectrin breakdown product 150 and astrogliosis marker glial fibrillary acidic protein. In addition, the TBI-induced astrogliosis increase in ARKO mice lasted for three weeks after a TBI. The autophagy marker Beclin-1 was also enhanced in ARKO mice compared with wild-type mice after TBI. Our results also indicated that ARKO mice showed a more unsatisfactory performance than wild-type mice in a motor function test following TBI. Further, they were observed to have more severe lesions than wild-type mice after injury. These findings strongly suggest that ARs play a role in TBI.

Functional gait disorders: Demographic and clinical correlations.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the prevalence and clinical-demographical features of patients with functional gait disorders (FGDs) and to compare them to patients with functional motor disorders (FMDs) without FGDs (No-FGDs). METHODS: In this multicenter observational study, we enrolled patients with a clinically definite diagnosis of FMDs in 25 tertiary movement disorders centers in Italy. Each subject with FMDs underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment, including screening for different subtypes of functional gait disorders. Multivariate regression models were implemented in order to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (OR; 95% confidence interval) of having FGDs in relation to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Out of 410 FMDs, 26.6% (n = 109) of patients exhibited FGDs. The most frequent FGDs were slow gait (n = 43, 39.4%), astasia-abasia (n = 26, 23.8%), and knee buckling (n = 24, 22%). They exhibited single FGDs in 51.4% (n = 56) or complex FGDs (more than one type of FGDs) in 48.6% (n = 53) of cases. On multivariate regression analysis, the presence of FGDs was more likely associated with older age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04), functional visual symptoms (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.08-4.45), and the diagnosis of somatic symptoms disorder (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.08-8.17). FGDs were also more likely to undergo physiotherapy (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.08-3.03). CONCLUSIONS: People with FMDs may present with different and overlapping types of FGDs, which may occur in older age. The association of FGDs with functional visual symptoms and somatic symptoms disorder opens up to new avenues to the understanding of the neural mechanisms of these disorders.

Subthalamic dynamic neural states correlate with motor symptoms in Parkinson's Disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to discriminate the dynamic synchronization states from the subthalamic local field potentials and investigate their correlations with the motor symptoms in Parkinson's Disease (PD). METHODS: The resting-state local field potentials of 10 patients with PD were recorded from the subthalamic nucleus. The dynamic neural states of multiple oscillations were discriminated and analyzed. The Spearman correlation was used to investigate the correlations between occurrence rate or duration of dynamic neural states and the severity of motor symptoms. RESULTS: The proportion of long low-beta and theta synchronized state was significantly correlated with the general motor symptom and tremor, respectively. The duration of combined low/high-beta state was significantly correlated with rigidity, and the duration of combined alpha/high-beta state was significantly correlated with bradykinesia. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that motor symptoms are associated with the neural states coded with multiple oscillations in PD. SIGNIFICANCE: This study may advance the understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms of the motor symptoms and provide potential biomarkers for closed-loop deep brain stimulation in PD.

Glutamate, Glutamine, GABA and Oxidative Products in the Pons Following Cortical Injury and Their Role in Motor Functional Recovery.

Brain injury leads to an excitatory phase followed by an inhibitory phase in the brain. The clinical sequelae caused by cerebral injury seem to be a response to remote functional inhibition of cerebral nuclei located far from the motor cortex but anatomically related to the injury site. It appears that such functional inhibition is mediated by an increase in lipid peroxidation (LP). To test this hypothesis, we report data from 80 rats that were allocated to the following groups: the sham group (n = 40), in which rats received an intracortical infusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); the injury group (n = 20), in which rats received CSF containing ferrous chloride (FeCl2, 50 mM); and the recovery group (n = 20), in which rats were injured and allowed to recover. Beam-walking, sensorimotor and spontaneous motor activity tests were performed to evaluate motor performance after injury. Lipid fluorescent products (LFPs) were measured in the pons. The total pontine contents of glutamate (GLU), glutamine (GLN) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were also measured. In injured rats, the motor deficits, LFPs and total GABA and GLN contents in the pons were increased, while the GLU level was decreased. In contrast, in recovering rats, none of the studied variables were significantly different from those in sham rats. Thus, motor impairment after cortical injury seems to be mediated by an inhibitory pontine response, and functional recovery may result from a pontine restoration of the GLN-GLU-GABA cycle, while LP may be a primary mechanism leading to remote pontine inhibition after cortical injury.

Impaired auditory discrimination and auditory-motor integration in hyperfunctional voice disorders.

Hyperfunctional voice disorders (HVDs) are the most common class of voice disorders, consisting of diagnoses such as vocal fold nodules and muscle tension dysphonia. These speech production disorders result in effort, fatigue, pain, and even complete loss of voice. The mechanisms underlying HVDs are largely unknown. Here, the auditory-motor control of voice fundamental frequency (fo) was examined in 62 speakers with and 62 speakers without HVDs. Due to the high prevalence of HVDs in singers, and the known impacts of singing experience on auditory-motor function, groups were matched for singing experience. Speakers completed three tasks, yielding: (1) auditory discrimination of voice fo; (2) reflexive responses to sudden fo shifts; and (3) adaptive responses to sustained fo shifts. Compared to controls, and regardless of singing experience, individuals with HVDs showed: (1) worse auditory discrimination; (2) comparable reflexive responses; and (3) a greater frequency of atypical adaptive responses. Atypical adaptive responses were associated with poorer auditory discrimination, directly implicating auditory function in this motor disorder. These findings motivate a paradigm shift for understanding development and treatment of HVDs.

Tau mis-splicing correlates with motor impairments and striatal dysfunction in a model of tauopathy.

Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases caused by the abnormal metabolism of the microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), which is highly expressed in neurons and critically involved in microtubule dynamics. In the adult human brain, the alternative splicing of exon 10 in MAPT pre-mRNA produces equal amounts of protein isoforms with either three (3R) or four (4R) microtubule binding domains. Imbalance in the 3R:4R tau ratio is associated with primary tauopathies that develop atypical parkinsonism, such as progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration. Yet, the development of effective therapies for those pathologies is an unmet goal. Here we report motor coordination impairments in the htau mouse model of tauopathy which harbour abnormal 3R:4R tau isoforms content, and in contrast to TauKO mice, are unresponsive to l-DOPA. Preclinical-PET imaging, array tomography and electrophysiological analyses indicated the dorsal striatum as the candidate structure mediating such phenotypes. Indeed, local modulation of tau isoforms by RNA trans-splicing in the striata of adult htau mice, prevented motor coordination deficits and restored basal neuronal firing. Together, these results suggest that abnormal striatal tau isoform content might lead to parkinsonian-like phenotypes and demonstrate a proof of concept that modulation of tau mis-splicing is a plausible disease-modifying therapy for some primary tauopathies.

Early decreases in cortical mid-gamma peaks coincide with the onset of motor deficits and precede exaggerated beta build-up in rat models for Parkinson's disease.

Evidence suggests that exaggerated beta range local field potentials (LFP) in basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits constitute an important biomarker for feedback for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease patients, although the role of this phenomenon in triggering parkinsonian motor symptoms remains unclear. A useful model for probing the causal role of motor circuit LFP synchronization in motor dysfunction is the unilateral dopamine cell-lesioned rat, which shows dramatic motor deficits walking contralaterally to the lesion but can walk steadily ipsilaterally on a circular treadmill. Within hours after 6-OHDA injection, rats show marked deficits in ipsilateral walking with early loss of significant motor cortex (MCx) LFP peaks in the mid-gamma 41-45 Hz range in the lesioned hemisphere; both effects were reversed by dopamine agonist administration. Increases in MCx and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) coherence and LFP power in the 29-40 Hz range emerged more gradually over 7 days, although without further progression of walking deficits. Twice-daily chronic dopamine antagonist treatment induced rapid onset of catalepsy and also reduced MCx 41-45 Hz LFP activity at 1 h, with increases in MCx and SNpr 29-40 Hz power/coherence emerging over 7 days, as assessed during periods of walking before the morning treatments. Thus, increases in high beta power in these parkinsonian models emerge gradually and are not linearly correlated with motor deficits. Earlier changes in cortical circuits, reflected in the rapid decreases in MCx LFP mid-gamma LFP activity, may contribute to evolving plasticity supporting increased beta range synchronized activity in basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits after loss of dopamine receptor stimulation.

Motor unit number index (MUNIX) in children and adults with 5q-spinal muscular atrophy: Variability and clinical correlations.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a motor neuron disease associated with progressive muscle weakness and motor disability. The motor unit number index (MUNIX) is a biomarker used to assess loss of motor units in later-onset SMA patients. Twenty SMA patients (SMA types 3 and 4), aged between 7 and 41 years, were clinically evaluated through the Hammersmith Motor Functional Scale Expanded and the Spinal Muscular Atrophy-Functional Rating Scale. The patients underwent compound motor action potential (CMAP) and MUNIX studies of the right abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Age-matched healthy controls (n = 20) were enrolled to obtain normative CMAP and MUNIX values from the same muscles. Compared to healthy controls, SMA patients showed significant reductions in MUNIX values among all muscles studied, whereas CMAP showed reductions only in the weaker muscles (abductor digiti minimi and TA). MUNIX variability was significantly higher in the SMA group than in the control group. MUNIX variability in TA correlated with CMAP variability. Motor functional scores correlated with TA MUNIX. The MUNIX study is feasible in later-onset SMA patients, and TA MUNIX values correlate with disease severity in patients with mild motor impairment.

More than motor impairment: A spatiotemporal analysis of cognitive impairment and associated neuropathological changes following cortical photothrombotic stroke.

There is emerging evidence suggesting that a cortical stroke can cause delayed and remote hippocampal dysregulation, leading to cognitive impairment. In this study, we aimed to investigate motor and cognitive outcomes after experimental stroke, and their association with secondary neurodegenerative processes. Specifically, we used a photothrombotic stroke model targeting the motor and somatosensory cortices of mice. Motor function was assessed using the cylinder and grid walk tasks. Changes in cognition were assessed using a mouse touchscreen platform. Neuronal loss, gliosis and amyloid-ß accumulation were investigated in the peri-infarct and ipsilateral hippocampal regions at 7, 28 and 84 days post-stroke. Our findings showed persistent impairment in cognitive function post-stroke, whilst there was a modest spontaneous motor recovery over the investigated period of 84 days. In the peri-infarct region, we detected a reduction in neuronal loss and decreased neuroinflammation over time post-stroke, which potentially explains the spontaneous motor recovery. Conversely, we observed persistent neuronal loss together with concomitant increased neuroinflammation and amyloid-ß accumulation in the hippocampus, which likely accounts for the persistent cognitive dysfunction. Our findings indicate that cortical stroke induces secondary neurodegenerative processes in the hippocampus, a region remote from the primary infarct, potentially contributing to the progression of post-stroke cognitive impairment.

Espinogénesis en motoneuronas de la médula espinal tras la lesión farmacológica de la corteza motora de ratas / Spinogenesis in spinal cord motor neurons following pharmacological lesions to the rat motor cortex

INTRODUCCIÓN: Diversas enfermedades neuropatologías asociadas a la degeneración del tracto corticoespinal muestran deterioro de las funciones motoras. Tales alteraciones neurológicas se asocian a diversos fenómenos plásticos subsecuentes, a nivel tanto presináptico como postsináptico. Sin embargo, no existe evidencia que indique la existencia de modificaciones en la transmisión de información del tracto corticoespinal a las motoneuronas espinales. MÉTODOS: Se indujo una lesión por vía estereotáxica en la corteza motora primaria de ratas hembra adultas con ácido kaínico y, 15 días después, se evaluó el desempeño motor mediante la escala BBB y en un dispositivo Rota-Rod. Paralelamente, se cuantificó la densidad numérica y proporcional de las espinas delgadas, en hongo y gordas, en motoneuronas de un segmento torácico-lumbar de la médula espinal. Así mismo, se registró la expresión de las proteínas espinofilina, sinaptofisina β III-tubulina. RESULTADOS: La lesión farmacológica provocó un desempeño motor deficiente. Así mismo, tanto la densidad de espinas como la proporción de espinas delgadas y gordas fue mayor, al igual que la expresión de las 3 proteínas estudiadas. CONCLUSIÓN: La aparición de los síntomas clínicos de daño neurológico provocado por la degeneración walleriana del tracto corticoespinal se acompaña de respuestas plásticas espontáneas de tipo compensador, a nivel sináptico. Lo anterior indica que durante la rehabilitación temprana de este tipo de pacientes, la plasticidad espontánea constituye un factor que se debe considerar para el diseño de estrategias de intervención más eficientes

INTRODUCTION: Motor function is impaired in multiple neurological diseases associated with corticospinal tract degeneration. Motor impairment has been linked to plastic changes at both the presynaptic and postsynaptic levels. However, there is no evidence of changes in information transmission from the cortex to spinal motor neurons. METHODS: We used kainic acid to induce stereotactic lesions to the primary motor cortex of female adult rats. Fifteen days later, we evaluated motor function with the BBB scale and the rotarod and determined the density of thin, stubby, and mushroom spines of motor neurons from a thoracolumbar segment of the spinal cord. Spinophilin, synaptophysin, and β III-tubulin expression was also measured. RESULTS: Pharmacological lesions resulted in poor motor performance. Spine density and the proportion of thin and stubby spines were greater. We also observed increased expression of the 3 proteins analysed. CONCLUSION: The clinical symptoms of neurological damage secondary to Wallerian degeneration of the corticospinal tract are associated with spontaneous, compensatory plastic changes at the synaptic level. Based on these findings, spontaneous plasticity is a factor to consider when designing more efficient strategies in the early phase of rehabilitation

Relationships Between Stepping-Reaction Movement Patterns and Clinical Measures of Balance, Motor Impairment, and Step Characteristics After Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Successful stepping reactions, led by either the paretic or nonparetic leg, in response to a loss of balance are critical to safe mobility poststroke. The purpose of this study was to measure sagittal plane hip, knee, ankle, and trunk kinematics during 2-step stepping reactions initiated by paretic and nonparetic legs of people who had stroke and members of a control group. METHODS: Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the data into movement patterns explaining interlimb coordination of the stepping and stance legs. Correlations among principal components loading scores and clinical measures of balance ability (as measured on the Community Balance and Mobility scale), motor impairment (as measured on the foot and leg sections of the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment), and step characteristics (length and velocity) were used to examine the effect of stroke on stepping reaction movement patterns. RESULTS: The first 5 principal components explained 95.9% of the movement pattern of stepping reactions and differentiated between stepping reactions initiated by paretic legs, nonparetic legs, or the legs of controls. Moderate-strong associations (ρ/r > 0.50) between specific principal component loading scores and clinical measures and step characteristics were dependent on the initiating leg. Lower levels of motor impairment, higher levels of balance ability, and faster and longer steps were associated with stepping reactions initiated by the paretic leg that comprised paretic leg flexion and nonparetic leg extension. Step initiation with the nonparetic leg showed associations between higher scores on clinical measures and movement patterns of flexion in both paretic and nonparetic legs. CONCLUSIONS: Movement patterns of stepping reactions poststroke were influenced by the initiating leg. After stroke, specific movement patterns showed associations with clinical measures depending on the initiating leg, suggesting that these movement patterns are important to retraining of stepping reactions. Specifically, use of flexion patterning and assessment of between-leg pattern differentiation may be important aspects to consider during retraining of stepping reactions poststroke. IMPACT: Evidence-based interventions targeting balance reactions are still in their infancy. This investigation of stepping reactions poststroke addresses a major gap in research.