Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience - Volume 38, issue 5

Authors: Du, Yimeng Lina | Sergeeva, Elena G. | Stein, Donald G.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: There is growing evidence that the TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (TRIF) pathway is implicated in the modulation of neuroinflammation following injuries to the brain and retina. After exposure to injury or to excitotoxic pathogens, toll-like receptors (TLR) activate the innate immune system signaling cascade and stimulate the release of inflammatory cytokines. Inhibition of the TLR4 receptor has been shown to enhance retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival in optic nerve crush (ONC) and in ischemic injury to other parts of the brain. Objective: Based on this evidence, we tested the hypothesis that mice with the TRIF gene knocked out …(TKO) will demonstrate decreased inflammatory responses and greater functional recovery after ONC. Methods: Four experimental groups –TKO ONC (12 males and 8 females), WT ONC (10 males and 8 females), TKO sham (9 males and 5 females), and WT sham (7 males and 5 females) –were used as subjects. Visual evoked potentials (VEP) were recorded in the left and right primary visual cortices and optomotor response were assessed in all mice at 14, 30, and 80 days after ONC. GFAP and Iba-1 were used as markers for astrocytes and microglial cells respectively at 7 days after ONC, along with NF-kB to measure inflammatory effects downstream of TRIF activation; RMPBS marker was used to visualize RGC survival and GAP-43 was used as a marker of regenerating optic nerve axons at 30 days after ONC. Results: We found reduced inflammatory response in the retina at 7 days post-ONC, less RGC loss and greater axonal regeneration 30 days post-ONC, and better recovery of visual function 80 days post-ONC in TKO mice compared to WT mice. Conclusions: Our study showed that the TRIF pathway is involved in post-ONC inflammatory response and gliosis and that deletion of TRIF induces better RGC survival and regeneration and better functional recovery in mice. Our results suggest the TRIF pathway as a potential therapeutic target for reducing the inflammatory damage caused by nervous system injury. Show more

Keywords: Optic nerve crush, neuroinflammation, nerve regeneration, TRIF, TLR-3, visual recovery of function, male and female mice

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-201019

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 355-368, 2020

Authors: Abuthawabeh, Rasha | Abuirmeileh, Amjad N. | Alzoubi, Karem H.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is related to neuroinflammation. Vanillin, which possesses both antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, can be a candidate for neuroprotection in PD. Objective: This study was aimed to investigate the effects of vanillin on the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rodent model of PD. Methods: Male Wistar rats were administrated intraperitoneal (i.p) or oral vanillin at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 7 days that was started at three days before or seven days after intracerebral injection of 6-OHDA. The 6-OHDA-induced lesions were assessed behaviorally using the apomorphine rotation test, neurochemically via …measuring striatal dopamine concentrations, and through immunohistochemistry. Results: Both oral and IP vanillin at three days before or seven days after 6-OHDA lesioning exhbited significantly lower tight contralateral rotations upon apomorphine challenge, and higher striatal dopamine concentrations. Conclusions: Vanillin seems to offer protective properties against 6-OHDA lesion via preserving striatal dopamine levels. Show more

Keywords: Vanillin, 6-OHDA, Parkinson’s disease, dopamine, immunostaining, striatum

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-201028

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 369-373, 2020

Authors: An, Bora | Woo, Youngkeun | Park, Kyuenam | Kim, Sujin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: People who have had hemiplegic stoke generally move more weight to the unaffected side than the affected side, resulting in asymmetrical posture and decreased ability in walking. Objectives: This study sought to investigate the effect of inducing a weight shift to the affected side by raising the shoe height of the less affected side using an insole during the execution of treadmill training on gait ability in people with chronic stroke. Methods: The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: insole on less affected side for execution of treadmill walking training (ILTW) group and normal …treadmill training (NTW) group. The treadmill training was conducted for 30 minutes per session, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks. A gait analyzer based on body center, Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Figure-of-Eight Walk Test (F8WT), and 6 min Walk Test (6 MWT), was measured before first intervention and after twentieth treadmill training intervention (Trial registration number is KCT0003830). Results: The results revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups in the Speed, Cadence, Stride Length/Height, Stride Length, Double Support Duration, Single Support Duration, FGA, F8WT, and 6 MWT of the gait test. In the ILTW group, statistically significant improvements were observed in the Speed, Stride Length/Height, Stride Length, Stance Phase Duration, Swing Phase Duration, Double Support Duration, Single Support Duration, FGA, F8WT, and 6 MWT after execution of training, while in the NTW group, statistically significant improvements were observed only in Speed, Cadence, FGA, F8WT, and 6 MWT. Conclusions: ILTW, more than NTW, may improve walking ability in people with chronic stroke as it increases the weight-support ratio by adjusting the shoe height of the unaffected side using an insole. Show more

Keywords: Gait, insole, less affected side, stroke, treadmill

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-201040

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 375-384, 2020

Authors: Cao, Jin-Xia | Liu, Li | Sun, Yun-Tao | Zeng, Qing-Hong | Yang, Zhen-Dong | Chen, Jie-Chun

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This article has been retracted, and the online PDF has been watermarked “RETRACTED”. A retraction notice is available at DOI: 10.3233/RNN-239001 .

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-201041

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 385-393, 2020

Authors: Battaglini, Luca | Mena, Federica | Casco, Clara

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: To study motion perception, a stimulus consisting of a field of small, moving dots is often used. Generally, some of the dots coherently move in the same direction (signal) while the rest move randomly (noise). A percept of global coherent motion (CM) results when many different local motion signals are combined. CM computation is a complex process that requires the integrity of the middle-temporal area (MT/V5) and there is evidence that increasing the number of dots presented in the stimulus makes such computation more efficient. Objective: In this study, we explored whether anodal direct current stimulation (tDCS) …over MT/V5 would increase individual performance in a CM task at a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, i.e. low percentage of coherent dots) and with a target consisting of a large number of moving dots (high dot numerosity, e.g. >250 dots) with respect to low dot numerosity (<60 dots), indicating that tDCS favour the integration of local motion signal into a single global percept (global motion). Method: Participants were asked to perform a CM detection task (two-interval forced-choice, 2IFC) while they received anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation on three different days. Results: Our findings showed no effect of cathodal tDCS with respect to the sham condition. Instead, anodal tDCS improves performance, but mostly when dot numerosity is high (>400 dots) to promote efficient global motion processing. Conclusions: The present study suggests that tDCS may be used under appropriate stimulus conditions (low SNR and high dot numerosity) to boost the global motion processing efficiency, and may be useful to empower clinical protocols to treat visual deficits. Show more

Keywords: Coherent motion, global motion, tDCS, MT, dot numerosity

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-201050

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 395-405, 2020