大脑皮层电刺激仪检测脑梗死后拇指大脑皮层运动代表区变化12例

目的随机筛选脑梗死后的患者,通过康复治疗,借助神经电生理的方法研究大脑运动功能的可塑性。方法采用大脑皮层电刺激仪检测12例脑梗死后拇指大脑皮层运动代表区,分别于患病后、康复治疗前3d、康复治疗后3d、10d、21d检测大脑皮层运动诱发电位(MEP)。结果治疗前患侧拇指皮层运动代表区明显小于健侧。通过康复治疗后患侧拇指皮层运动代表区明显增大,与对照组有显著差异。结论康复治疗是脑梗死后大脑运动功能的可塑性达到最佳程度的有效手段,MEP是评价脑可塑性的可靠方法。

MOTOR CORTEX NETWORKS IN STROKE PATIENTS DURING RECOVERY WITH fMRI

To investigate changes of functional activation areas of the cerebral cortex and the connectivity of motor cortex networks （MCNs） in stroke patients during the recovery, five patients with the infarct in their left hemispheres are recruited. Functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） is performed in the second, fourth, eighth, and sixteenth weeks after the stroke. Images are analyzed using the professional software SPM5 to obtain the bilateral activation of the motor cortex in left and right handgrip tests. MCN data are extracted from the active areas, and the structural and functional characteristic parameters are computed to indicate the connectivity of the network. Results show that the ipsilesional hemisphere recruits more areas with less active extent during the handgrip test, compared with the contralesional hemisphere. MCN shows a higher overall degree of statistical independence and more statistical dependence among motor areas with the gradual recovery. It can help physicians understand the recovery mechanism.

Effects of different frequencies of electro-acupuncture at Shuigou(GV 26) on recovery of motor function in rats with focal cerebra ischemic injury

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of different frequencies of electro-acupuncture at Shuigou(GV 26) on the latent period and wave amplitude of motor evoked potentials(MEPs) in rats with focal cerebral infarction.METHODS:Fifty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups:controls,model,2 Hz Shuigou,50 Hz Shuigou and 100 Hz Shuigou.There were 10 rats in each group.Using a modification of a technique for middle cerebral artery occlusion,focal cerebral ischemic injury was induced in all rats except those in the control group.The rats in the control group received no treatment.After behavioral deficit had been evaluated using the Zausinger 6-point neurological function score,therats in the Shuigou groups underwent acupuncture and continuous wave stimulation at a frequency of 2 Hz,50 Hz or 100 Hz(intensity 1 mA) for 10 min twice daily for 3 days.The control and model groups underwent no intervention.Zausinger 6-point neurological function score and MEPs were measured 72 h after the start of treatment.RESULTS:The neurological function scores of the three Shuigou groups were significantly higher than those of the model group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between sides in the latency and amplitude of MEPs in the model group(P> 0.05).The latency on the affected side in the model group was significantly longer than that in the control group(P<0.05) and the amplitude on affected side was significantly reduced(P<0.01).After 3 days of electro-acupuncture,the latency on the affected side in the 2 Hz Shuigou group was significantly shortened(P<0.05) and the amplitude was significantly increased(P<0.05) compared with the model group.CONCLUSION:Low frequency electro-acupuncture at Shuigou(GV 26) can promote recovery of motor function after focal cerebral ischemic injury in rats.

Central monoaminergic systems are a site of convergence of signals conveying the experience of exercise to brain circuits involved in cognition and emotional behavior

Physical activity can enhance cognitive function and increase resistance against deleterious effects of stress on mental health. Enhanced cognitive function and stress resistance produced by exercise are conserved among vertebrates, suggesting that ubiquitous mechanisms may underlie beneficial ef- fects of exercise. In the current review, we summarize the beneficial effects of exercise on cognitive function and stress resistance and discuss central and peripheral signaling factors that may be critical for conferring the effects of physical activity to brain circuits involved in cognitive function and stress. Additionally, it is suggested that norepinephrine and serotonin, highly conserved monoamines that are sensitive to exercise and able to modulate behavior in multiple species, could represent a conver- gence between peripheral and central exercise signals that mediate the beneficial effects of exercise. Finally, we offer the novel hypothesis that thermoregulation during exercise could contribute to the emotional effects of exercise by activating a subset of temperature-sensitive serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus that convey anxiolytic and stress-protective signals to forebrain regions. Throughout the review, we discuss limitations to current approaches and offer strategies for future re- search in exercise neuroscience.

Influence of acupuncture on neural movement function in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion-A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES:To observe recovery in movement function in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) after acupuncture treatment.METHODS:According to the randomized and controlled principle 1384 rats were divided into the ba-sic control group(including the normal,sham,model control,model without intervention,Nimodipine,and para-Renzhong groups) and the acupuncture group(including the Neiguan(PC 6),Weizhong(BL 40),Sanyinjiao(SP 6),Chize(LU 5),Renzhong(GV 6) and non-acupoint groups).MCAO was modeled by Zea-longa's thread ligation and rats with scores of 1-3,as assessed by Zausinger's six-point method,were used in this study.Moreover,in the acupuncture group each acupoint was set with 12 different parameters by the orthogonal intersection method,resulting in 78 groups with 18 rats per group.The rats were treated by acupuncture once every 12 h for a total of six sessions and neurobehavioral scores were measured after each session.The neurobehavioral scores were compared by one-way ANOVA using the statistical software SPSS 17.0.RESULTS:After acupuncture therapy the mean neurobehavioral scores in MCAO rats increased gradually at each time point with a significant difference among the six scores,but with no significant differences between the fourth(48 h) and the fifth score(60 h),and between the fifth(60 h) and the sixth(72 h) score(P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONS:MCAO rats gradually recovered movement function over multiple acupuncture sessions.After the fouth acupuncture session(48 h),the neurobehavioral scores of rats with cerebral infarction remained stable.Acupuncture treatment had a reliable curative effect on movement function in cerebral infarction rats.