Autonomic dysreflexia （AD） is a serious cardiovascular disorder in patients with spinal cord injury （SCI）. The primary underlying cause of AD is loss of supraspinal control over sympathetic preganglionic neurons ...Autonomic dysreflexia （AD） is a serious cardiovascular disorder in patients with spinal cord injury （SCI）. The primary underlying cause of AD is loss of supraspinal control over sympathetic preganglionic neurons （SPNs） caudal to the injury, which renders the SPNs hyper-responsive to stimulation. Central maladaptive plasticity, including C-fiber sprouting and propriospinal fiber proliferation exaggerates noxious afferent transmission to the SPNs, causing them to release massive sympathetic discharges that result in severe hypertensive episodes. In parallel, upregulated peripheral vascular sensitivity following SCI exacerbates the hypertensive response by augmenting gastric and pelvic vasoconstriction. Currently, the majority of clinically employed treatments for AD involve anti-hypertensive medications and Botox injections to the bladder. Although these approaches mitigate the severity of AD, they only yield transient effects and target the effector organs, rather than addressing the primary issue of central sympathetic dysregulation. As such, strategies that aim to restore supraspinal reinnervation of SPNs to improve cardiovascular sympathetic regulation are likely more effective for AD. Recent pre-clinical investigations show that cell transplantation therapy is efficacious in reestablishing spinal sympathetic connections and improving hemodynamic per- formance, which holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach.展开更多
We aimed to assess the impact of consuming two Zespri Hayward green kiwifruit a day on 11 healthy women subjects over a period of 4 consecutive weeks. We analyzed the effects of kiwifruit consumption on intestinal, ab...We aimed to assess the impact of consuming two Zespri Hayward green kiwifruit a day on 11 healthy women subjects over a period of 4 consecutive weeks. We analyzed the effects of kiwifruit consumption on intestinal, abdominal, and bowel movement related discomfort, bowel movement frequency, peripheral blood flow, skin health, and autonomic nervous system activity. This study was a randomized control trial, consisting of a four-week intervention period. Participants were divided to ensure equal age distributions and then randomly placed into two intervention groups: a kiwifruit consumption group (n = 11) and a control group (no kiwifruit consumption) (n = 5). The kiwifruit consumption group was instructed to consume two kiwifruit a day during the 4-week intervention period, while subjects in the control group were instructed not to consume kiwifruit for the duration of the study. Besides a restriction from eating yogurt and other fruits, subjects were requested to eat their meals as per usual. The results of this study showed a significant decrease in intestinal, abdominal, and bowel movement discomfort, and a significant increase in bowel movement frequency, at 4 weeks of kiwifruit consumption compared to before consumption. In addition, subjects in the kiwifruit consumption group experienced a significant increase in blood flow, particularly in the index and middle finger at 2 and 4 weeks of kiwifruit consumption. Furthermore, subjects in the kiwifruit consumption group experienced a significant increase in skin brightness at 4 weeks of kiwifruit consumption compared to before consumption. The results of this study suggest that kiwifruit appears to be a delicious and safe option for intestinal, abdominal, and bowel movement discomfort interventions for healthy women. In addition, kiwifruit may aid in increasing bowel movement frequency, peripheral blood flow, and brightness of skin among healthy women as well.展开更多
Acupuncture has been used in China for thousands of years and has become more widely accepted by doctors and patients around the world. A large number of clinical studies and animal experiments have confirmed that acu...Acupuncture has been used in China for thousands of years and has become more widely accepted by doctors and patients around the world. A large number of clinical studies and animal experiments have confirmed that acupuncture has a benign adjustment effect on gastrointestinal(GI) movement;however, the mechanism of this effect is unclear, especially in terms of neural mechanisms, and there are still many areas that require further exploration. This article reviews the recent data on the neural mechanism of acupuncture on GI movements. We summarize the neural mechanism of acupuncture on GI movement from four aspects: acupuncture signal transmission, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system.展开更多
Quantitative assessment of the recovery of nerve function, especially sensory and autonomic nerve function, remains a challenge in the field of nerve regeneration research. We previously found that neural control of v...Quantitative assessment of the recovery of nerve function, especially sensory and autonomic nerve function, remains a challenge in the field of nerve regeneration research. We previously found that neural control of vasomotor activity could be potentially harnessed to evaluate nerve function. In the present study, five different models of left sciatic nerve injury in rats were established: nerve crush injury, nerve transection/ suturing, nerve defect/autografting, nerve defect/conduit repair, and nerve defect/non-regeneration. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging was used to analyze blood perfusion of the hind feet. The toe pinch test and walking track analysis were used to assess sensory and motor functions of the rat hind limb, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the density of unmyelinated axons in the injured sciatic nerve. Our results showed that axonotmesis-evoked vasodilatation in the foot 6 months after nerve injury/repair recovered to normal levels in the nerve crush injury group and partially in the other three repair groups;whereas the nerve defect/non-regeneration group exhibited no recovery in vasodilatation. Furthermore, the recovery index of axonotmesis-evoked vasodilatation was positively correlated with toe pinch reflex scores and the density of unmyelinated nerve fibers in the regenerated nerve. As C-fiber afferents are predominantly responsible for dilatation of the superficial vasculature in the glabrous skin in rats, the present findings indicate that axonotmesis-evoked vasodilatation can be used as a novel way to assess C-afferent function recovery after peripheral nerve injury. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Laboratory Animals of Nantong University of China (approval No. 20130410-006) on April 10, 2013.展开更多
基金supported by NIH NINDS R01NS099076,Morton Cure Paralysis Funds(MCPF)
文摘Autonomic dysreflexia （AD） is a serious cardiovascular disorder in patients with spinal cord injury （SCI）. The primary underlying cause of AD is loss of supraspinal control over sympathetic preganglionic neurons （SPNs） caudal to the injury, which renders the SPNs hyper-responsive to stimulation. Central maladaptive plasticity, including C-fiber sprouting and propriospinal fiber proliferation exaggerates noxious afferent transmission to the SPNs, causing them to release massive sympathetic discharges that result in severe hypertensive episodes. In parallel, upregulated peripheral vascular sensitivity following SCI exacerbates the hypertensive response by augmenting gastric and pelvic vasoconstriction. Currently, the majority of clinically employed treatments for AD involve anti-hypertensive medications and Botox injections to the bladder. Although these approaches mitigate the severity of AD, they only yield transient effects and target the effector organs, rather than addressing the primary issue of central sympathetic dysregulation. As such, strategies that aim to restore supraspinal reinnervation of SPNs to improve cardiovascular sympathetic regulation are likely more effective for AD. Recent pre-clinical investigations show that cell transplantation therapy is efficacious in reestablishing spinal sympathetic connections and improving hemodynamic per- formance, which holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach.
文摘We aimed to assess the impact of consuming two Zespri Hayward green kiwifruit a day on 11 healthy women subjects over a period of 4 consecutive weeks. We analyzed the effects of kiwifruit consumption on intestinal, abdominal, and bowel movement related discomfort, bowel movement frequency, peripheral blood flow, skin health, and autonomic nervous system activity. This study was a randomized control trial, consisting of a four-week intervention period. Participants were divided to ensure equal age distributions and then randomly placed into two intervention groups: a kiwifruit consumption group (n = 11) and a control group (no kiwifruit consumption) (n = 5). The kiwifruit consumption group was instructed to consume two kiwifruit a day during the 4-week intervention period, while subjects in the control group were instructed not to consume kiwifruit for the duration of the study. Besides a restriction from eating yogurt and other fruits, subjects were requested to eat their meals as per usual. The results of this study showed a significant decrease in intestinal, abdominal, and bowel movement discomfort, and a significant increase in bowel movement frequency, at 4 weeks of kiwifruit consumption compared to before consumption. In addition, subjects in the kiwifruit consumption group experienced a significant increase in blood flow, particularly in the index and middle finger at 2 and 4 weeks of kiwifruit consumption. Furthermore, subjects in the kiwifruit consumption group experienced a significant increase in skin brightness at 4 weeks of kiwifruit consumption compared to before consumption. The results of this study suggest that kiwifruit appears to be a delicious and safe option for intestinal, abdominal, and bowel movement discomfort interventions for healthy women. In addition, kiwifruit may aid in increasing bowel movement frequency, peripheral blood flow, and brightness of skin among healthy women as well.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81574071,No.81673883,and No.81873238Leading Talents of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Jiangsu Province(Second Batch),No.SLJ0225。
文摘Acupuncture has been used in China for thousands of years and has become more widely accepted by doctors and patients around the world. A large number of clinical studies and animal experiments have confirmed that acupuncture has a benign adjustment effect on gastrointestinal(GI) movement;however, the mechanism of this effect is unclear, especially in terms of neural mechanisms, and there are still many areas that require further exploration. This article reviews the recent data on the neural mechanism of acupuncture on GI movements. We summarize the neural mechanism of acupuncture on GI movement from four aspects: acupuncture signal transmission, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81100939 and 81773713(to WH),No.81501610(to XC)the Research Project funded by Jiangsu Provincial Government of China,No.BRA2018223(to DGM)+2 种基金the Public Health Center at Jiangnan University of China,No.JUPH201808(to XSW)the Wuxi Commission of Public Health and Family Planning of China,No.MS201717(to XSW)the Project of Academic Development Program by Governments of Jiangsu Province and Nantong City of China(to DGM)
文摘Quantitative assessment of the recovery of nerve function, especially sensory and autonomic nerve function, remains a challenge in the field of nerve regeneration research. We previously found that neural control of vasomotor activity could be potentially harnessed to evaluate nerve function. In the present study, five different models of left sciatic nerve injury in rats were established: nerve crush injury, nerve transection/ suturing, nerve defect/autografting, nerve defect/conduit repair, and nerve defect/non-regeneration. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging was used to analyze blood perfusion of the hind feet. The toe pinch test and walking track analysis were used to assess sensory and motor functions of the rat hind limb, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the density of unmyelinated axons in the injured sciatic nerve. Our results showed that axonotmesis-evoked vasodilatation in the foot 6 months after nerve injury/repair recovered to normal levels in the nerve crush injury group and partially in the other three repair groups;whereas the nerve defect/non-regeneration group exhibited no recovery in vasodilatation. Furthermore, the recovery index of axonotmesis-evoked vasodilatation was positively correlated with toe pinch reflex scores and the density of unmyelinated nerve fibers in the regenerated nerve. As C-fiber afferents are predominantly responsible for dilatation of the superficial vasculature in the glabrous skin in rats, the present findings indicate that axonotmesis-evoked vasodilatation can be used as a novel way to assess C-afferent function recovery after peripheral nerve injury. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Laboratory Animals of Nantong University of China (approval No. 20130410-006) on April 10, 2013.
