Article
Cell Biology
Elena Schaberg, Ursula Theocharidis, Marcus May, Katrin Lessmann, Timm Schroeder, Andreas Faissner
Summary: Neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) in the developing spinal cord are influenced by extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules, with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) DSD-1-PG and sulfation playing important roles. Inhibition of sulfation can interfere with the cell cycle progression of spinal cord NSPCs.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Paula Regina Gelinski Kempe, Mateus Vidigal de Castro, Victor Campos Khuriyeh, Benedito Barraviera, Rui Seabra Ferreira Jr, Alexandre Leite Rodrigues de Oliveira
Summary: Spinal cord injury leads to severe loss of motor and sensory function. Our study aimed to test the combined treatment of surgical repair with fibrin biopolymer and pharmacological treatment with dimethyl fumarate. Results showed that this combination can protect neurons and promote motor neuron regeneration.
Article
Developmental Biology
Sarah E. Walker, Keith Z. Sabin, Micah D. Gearhart, Kenta Yamamoto, Karen Echeverri
Summary: Axolotls are important for studying regeneration, including spinal cord regeneration. miR-200a regulates the fate of mesodermal cells after spinal cord injury in axolotls.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pauline Michel-Flutot, Laurie Efthimiadi, Lynda Djerbal, Therese B. Deramaudt, Marcel Bonay, Stephane Vinit
Summary: This study evaluated the antioxidant response in phrenic motoneurons following C2 spinal cord lateral hemi-section in rats, and found that the AMPK-Nrf2 signaling pathway plays a significant role in the oxidative stress response after high SCI. Harnessing this pathway could improve the antioxidant response and help in improving diaphragm activity in patients with high SCI.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jamileh Saremi, Narges Mahmoodi, Mehdi Rasouli, Faezeh Esmaeili Ranjbar, Elham Lak Mazaheri, Marziyeh Akbari, Elham Hasanzadeh, Mahmoud Azami
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that lacks an effective treatment for complete repair. Strategies such as using cells, biomaterials, biomolecules, drugs, and combinatorial treatments have shown promise in promoting SCI recovery and spinal cord regeneration. This article aims to provide an overview of SCI pathophysiology, latest intervention modes, advanced approaches for treatment, and the potential of combinatorial treatments in preclinical and clinical trials to guide further research towards breakthroughs in spinal cord regeneration.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Kristine S. Ojala, Emily J. Reedich, Christine J. DiDonato, Stephen D. Meriney
Summary: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was previously considered a devastating neuromuscular disease with poor prognosis, but recent advancements in genetically targeted therapies have transformed it into a prototype for monogenic disease treatment, significantly improving quality of life and survival rates for affected individuals.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sarah E. Mondello, Lisa Young, Viet Dang, Amanda E. Fischedick, Nicholas M. Tolley, Tian Wang, Madison A. Bravo, Dalton Lee, Belinda Tucker, Megan Knoernschild, Benjamin D. Pedigo, Philip J. Horner, Chet T. Moritz
Summary: This study aims to develop a mechanistic understanding of how to promote functional recovery following spinal cord injury. The use of optogenetic stimulation shows promising results in promoting recovery of skilled limb movements and axonal growth. This finding suggests that optogenetic stimulation could be a potential therapy for spinal cord injury.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Wen-zhao Liu, Zhan-jun Ma, Jie-ru Li, Xue-wen Kang
Summary: SCI often leads to serious motor and sensory dysfunction of the limbs below the injured segment, causing physical, psychological harm and economic burden. MSC therapy for SCI has shown promise but faces challenges like low survival rate and immune rejection, while exosomes derived from MSCs have great potential in the treatment of SCI.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yong Xie, Yi Sun, Yudong Liu, Jinyun Zhao, Quanbo Liu, Jiaqi Xu, Yiming Qin, Rundong He, Feifei Yuan, Tianding Wu, Chunyue Duan, Liyuan Jiang, Hongbin Lu, Jianzhong Hu
Summary: This study explores a specific targeted treatment approach for spinal cord injury by identifying stable subpopulations of exosomes that can improve blood-spinal cord barrier integrity and promote neural function recovery.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rodrigo Montoto-Meijide, Rosa Meijide-Failde, Silvia Maria Diaz-Prado, Antonio Montoto-Marques
Summary: A systematic review shows that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based cell therapy has significant efficacy and safety in the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), leading to improvements in AIS grades, sensory scores, and to a lesser extent, motor scores. However, further research is needed to address the long-term safety and clinical implications due to limited scientific evidence available.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vishnu V. Krishnamurthy, Hyojeong Hwang, Jia Fu, Jing Yang, Kai Zhang
Summary: Optogenetics utilizes light-inducible protein-protein interactions to control signaling activity with precision, offering attractive spatial and temporal resolution for studying embryonic development. In a comparative study, a cytoplasm-to-membrane translocation-based optogenetic system outperformed membrane-anchored dimerization systems in activating receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in live Xenopus embryos. This engineering strategy may have broad applicability to other signaling pathways involving membrane-bound receptors, as demonstrated by triggering Wnt activity through optogenetic activation of LRP6.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xiaokun Chen, Yiyang Wang, Gang Zhou, Xianghui Hu, Shiyuan Han, Jun Gao
Summary: Spinal cord injury is a devastating trauma that leads to long-term disability, but the combination of nanoscaffolds and NSCs offers new hope for SCI regeneration.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinsu Hwang, Sujeong Jang, Choonghyo Kim, Sungjoon Lee, Han-Seong Jeong
Summary: Neurological disorders pose a global health problem, and current pharmacological treatments have side effects. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and immunomodulatory properties, and their secreted paracrine factors play a therapeutic role. Exosomes and MSC-derived miRNAs also regulate genes and alleviate neuropathological changes in neurological diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Wei-wei Deng, Guang-yan Wu, Ling-xia Min, Zhou Feng, Hui Chen, Ming-liang Tan, Jian-feng Sui, Hong-liang Liu, Jing-ming Hou
Summary: Activation of glutamate neurons in the primary motor cortex can significantly improve motor function scores in rats, shorten the incubation period of motor evoked potentials, and increase motor potentials' amplitude. Accurate activation of the primary motor cortex can effectively promote tissue recovery and neurofilament growth, while also increasing the content of some growth-related proteins at the injured site. These findings suggest that selective activation of glutamate neurons in the primary motor cortex may play a significant role in promoting functional recovery after SCI and understanding the neural cell mechanism involved in recovery induced by motor cortex stimulation.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Fitzwilliam Seibertz, Tony Rubio, Robin Springer, Fiona Popp, Melanie Ritter, Aiste Liutkute, Lena Bartelt, Lea Stelzer, Fereshteh Haghighi, Jan Pietras, Hendrik Windel, Nuria Diaz i Pedrosa, Markus Rapedius, Yannic Doering, Richard Solano, Robin Hindmarsh, Runzhu Shi, Malte Tiburcy, Tobias Bruegmann, Ingo Kutschka, Katrin Streckfuss-Boemeke, George Kensah, Lukas Cyganek, Wolfram H. Zimmermann, Niels Voigt
Summary: The study successfully simulated atrial fibrillation-induced electrical remodelling in ventricular or human atrial-like cardiomyocytes, providing a novel platform for the development of antiarrhythmic therapies.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Benjamin P. Whatley, Jeremy W. Chopek, Ron Hill, Robert M. Brownstone
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2018)
Review
Neurosciences
Robert M. Brownstone, Camille Lancelin
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2018)
Review
Neurosciences
Robert M. Brownstone, Jeremy W. Chopek
FRONTIERS IN NEURAL CIRCUITS
(2018)
Review
Anesthesiology
Melanie P. Jensen, Robert M. Brownstone
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2019)
Article
Cell Biology
Jeremy W. Chopek, Filipe Nascimento, Marco Beato, Robert M. Brownstone, Ying Zhang
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy W. Chopek, Hans Hultborn, Robert M. Brownstone
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2019)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Michelle S. Balaratnam, Ann Donnelly, Honey Padilla, Sara Simeoni, Sardar Bahadur, Liz Keenan, Heesook Lee, Rachel Farrell, Carmel Curtis, Robert M. Brownstone, Mary Murphy, Joan Grieve, Colin Shieff, Meenakshi Nayar, Robert D. S. Pitceathly, Gerry Christofi, Valerie L. Stevenson
Article
Neurosciences
Calvin C. Smith, Robert M. Brownstone
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2020)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Roger W. P. Kissane, Arash Ghaffari-Rafi, Peter G. Tickle, Samit Chakrabarty, Stuart Egginton, Robert M. Brownstone, Calvin C. Smith
Summary: The study found that muscle overload leads to a decrease in motoneuron size, but does not affect the C-bouton complexes responsible for amplification of motor output. These changes may promote early recruitment of muscle fibers, but C-bouton plasticity is not necessary in this context.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lina M. Koronfel, Kevin C. Kanning, Angelita Alcos, Christopher E. Henderson, Robert M. Brownstone
Summary: Research suggests that the glutamatergic neurotransmission by Hb9 interneurons is not necessary for locomotor behavior, and the role of these neurons in neural circuits remains unclear.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Jeremy W. Chopek, Ying Zhang, Robert M. Brownstone
Summary: This study investigates the internal organization and microcircuit formation of excitatory neurons in the brainstem reticular nucleus, revealing the impact of local interneurons on descending commands by studying the connectivity of neurons expressing Chx10 transcriptional regulator.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Remi Ronzano, Camille Lancelin, Gardave Singh Bhumbra, Robert M. Brownstone, Marco Beato
Summary: The study reveals that premotor neurons in the spinal cord have divergent projections to synergist or antagonist muscle MNs, indicating coordination of activity across multiple motor pools. Additionally, spinal neurons mediating co-contraction of antagonist muscles were identified, shedding light on the potential mechanisms behind muscle coordination and potential implications for neurological diseases like dystonia.
Article
Neurosciences
Louise Thiry, Chloe Lemaire, Ali Rastqar, Maxime Lemieux, Jimmy Peng, Julien Ferent, Marie Roussel, Eric Beaumont, James P. Fawcett, Robert M. Brownstone, Frederic Charron, Frederic Bretzner
Summary: Studies have shown that heterozygous Dcc mutant mice exhibit subtle motor deficits in specific movements, but do not have obvious bilateral impairments like those in humans.
Article
Biology
Remi Ronzano, Sophie Skarlatou, Bianca K. Barriga, B. Anne Bannatyne, Gardave Singh Bhumbra, Joshua D. Foster, Jeffrey D. Moore, Camille Lancelin, Amanda M. Pocratsky, Mustafa Goerkem Ozyurt, Calvin Chad Smith, Andrew J. Todd, David J. Maxwell, Andrew J. Murray, Samuel L. Pfaff, Robert M. Brownstone, Niccolo Zampieri, Marco Beato
Summary: In this study, multiple viral-tracing methods were used to investigate the organization of premotor interneurons contacting motor pools controlling flexion and extension of the ankle. Contrary to expectations, it was found that these premotor interneurons are highly intermingled with motor neurons, suggesting the absence of clear spatial patterns in the processing of motor instructions.
Article
Cell Biology
Amanda M. Pocratsky, Filipe Nascimento, M. Goerkem Ozyurt, Ian J. White, Roisin Sullivan, Benjamin J. O'Callaghan, Calvin C. Smith, Sunaina Surana, Marco Beato, Robert M. Brownstone
Summary: The knockout of the Tor1a gene in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of mice leads to a mouse model of dystonia that exhibits abnormal muscle contractions, including spontaneous contractions at rest and excessive and disorganized contractions during voluntary movements. This study reveals the significant role of spinal neural circuits in dystonia.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaomei Lin, Tianyuyi Feng, Erheng Cui, Yunfei Li, Zhang Qin, Xiaohu Zhao
Summary: This study successfully established a rat model based on the genetic-environmental interaction, which exhibited phenotype characteristics similar to human AD in terms of cognitive function, brain microstructure, and immunohistochemistry. The genetic factor (APP mutation) and the environmental factor (acrolein exposure) accounted for 39.74% and 33.3% of the AD-like phenotypes in the model, respectively.
Article
Neurosciences
Gustavo Guimara Guerrero, Giovanna Bignoto Minhoto, Camilla dos Santos Tiburcio-Machado, Itza Amarisis Ribeiro Pinto, Claudio Antonio Federico, Marcia Carneiro Valera
Summary: The present study evaluated the influence of head and neck radiotherapy on the behavior and body weight gain in Wistar rats. The results demonstrated that different doses of radiation induced depressive behavior in the animals, and that the weight gain tended to be lower in the irradiated groups.
Article
Neurosciences
Ziwei Gao, Chao Lu, Yaping Zhu, Yuxin Liu, Yuesong Lin, Wenming Gao, Liyuan Tian, Lei Wu
Summary: This study reveals the underlying mechanisms of the rapid antidepressant effects of merazin hydrate (MH), which activates CaMKII to promote neuronal activities and proliferation in the hippocampus.
Article
Neurosciences
Kathleen E. Murray, Whitney A. Ratliff, Vedad Delic, Bruce A. Citron
Summary: Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic disorder that affects approximately 30% of Veterans deployed to the Persian Gulf. This study found that exposure to toxicants during the Gulf War resulted in long-term changes in the morphology of dentate granule cells and that treatment with Nrf2 activator could improve neuronal health in the hippocampus.
Article
Neurosciences
Jing Li, Yan Zou, Xiangchuang Kong, Yangming Leng, Fan Yang, Guofeng Zhou, Bo Liu, Wenliang Fan
Summary: This study examines the functional connectivity changes in individuals with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) at the integrity, network, and edge levels. The findings reveal reduced intranetwork connectivity strength and increased internetwork connectivity in SSNHL patients. These alterations are associated with the duration of SSNHL and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scores. The study provides crucial insights into the neural mechanisms of SSNHL and the brain's network-level responses to sensory loss.
Review
Neurosciences
Didier Majou, Anne-Lise Dermenghem
Summary: In the early stages of SAD, memory impairment is strongly correlated with cortical levels of soluble amyloid-beta peptide oligomers. A beta disrupts glutamatergic synaptic function and leads to cognitive deficits. This article describes the pathogenic mechanisms underlying cerebral amyloidosis, involving amyloid precursor protein synthesis, A beta residue clearance processes, and the role of specific molecules.
Article
Neurosciences
Jing Li, Yi Shan, Xiaojing Zhao, Guixiang Shan, Peng-Hu Wei, Lin Liu, Changming Wang, Hang Wu, Weiqun Song, Yi Tang, Guo-Guang Zhao, Jie Lu
Summary: This study investigates changes in brain anatomical structures and functional network connectivity after chronic complete thoracic spinal cord injury (cctSCI) and their impact on clinical outcomes. The findings reveal alterations in gray matter volume and functional connectivity in specific brain regions, indicating potential therapeutic targets and methods for tracking treatment outcomes.
Article
Neurosciences
Anllely Fernandez, Katherine Corvalan, Octavia Santis, Maxs Mendez-Ruette, Ariel Caviedes, Matias Pizarro, Maria -Teresa Gomez, Luis Federico Batiz, Peter Landgraf, Thilo Kahne, Alejandro Rojas-Fernandez, Ursula Wyneken
Summary: This study reveals the importance of SUMOylation in modulating the protein cargo of astrocyte-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) and its potential impact on neurons.
Article
Neurosciences
Anika Luettig, Stefanie Perl, Maria Zetsche, Franziska Richter, Denise Franz, Marco Heerdegen, Ruediger Koehling, Angelika Richter
Summary: This study found that changes in c-Fos activity during short-term stimulation of the entopeduncular nucleus (EPN) are associated with improvement in dystonia, and also discovered that the cerebellum may be involved in the antidystonic effects.
Article
Neurosciences
Yanlin Tao, Wei Shen, Houyuan Zhou, Zikang Li, Ting Pi, Hui Wu, Hailian Shi, Fei Huang, Xiaojun Wu
Summary: Depression has a higher incidence in women compared to men, and this study investigated the impact of sex on depressive behaviors and underlying mechanisms using a corticosterone-induced depression model in mice. The results showed sex-specific anxiety and depression behaviors in the model group, as well as differences in protein expression and neurotransmitter levels between male and female mice. These findings enhance our understanding of sex-specific differences in depression and support tailored interventions.
Review
Neurosciences
Dnyandev G. Gadhave, Vrashabh V. Sugandhi, Chandrakant R. Kokare
Summary: This article discusses the characteristics and importance of the tight junctions of endothelial cells in the CNS, which act as a biological barrier known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). It focuses on overcoming the challenges of delivering therapeutic agents to the brain in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly multiple sclerosis, through the use of biomaterials. The article also highlights the current limitations of animal models for studying multiple sclerosis and suggests a potential future research direction.
Article
Neurosciences
Li-Min Mao, Khyathi Thallapureddy, John Q. Wang
Summary: Propofol can enhance synapsin phosphorylation and modulate synaptic transmission in the mouse brain. The study reveals the potential role of synapsin as a substrate of propofol and its effects on neurotransmitter release machinery.
Article
Neurosciences
Syed Maaz Ahmed Rizvi, Abdul Baseer Buriro, Irfan Ahmed, Abdul Aziz Memon
Summary: This study explores the effects of prolonged mask usage on the human brain by analyzing EEG and physiological parameters. The results show that the mean EEG spectral power in alpha, beta, and gamma sub-bands of individuals wearing masks is smaller than those without masks. The performances on cognitive tasks and oxygen saturation level differ between the two groups, while blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate are similar. The analysis also reveals that the occipital and frontal lobes exhibit the greatest variability in channel measurements.
Article
Neurosciences
Rui-Fang Ma, Lu-Lu Xue, Jin-Xiang Liu, Li Chen, Liu-Lin Xiong, Ting-Hua Wang, Fei Liu
Summary: This study observed changes in brain infarction and blood vessels in rats during neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (NHIE) modeling using Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography (TCD). Longer duration of hypoxia was associated with more severe nerve damage. TCD can dynamically monitor cerebral infarction after NHIE modeling, which may serve as a useful auxiliary method for evaluating animal experimental models.
Article
Neurosciences
Yuxiang Dai, Chen Yu, Lu Zhou, Longyang Cheng, Hongbin Ni, Weibang Liang
Summary: Overexpression of CXCR4 in glioma is correlated with patient survival, and its inhibition can reduce invasion and migration of glioma cells. Inhibiting Nur77 also decreases cancer progression associated with CXCR4.
