Cerebrolysin improves sciatic nerve dysfunction in a mouse model of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

To examine the effects of Cerebrolysin on the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, we first established a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus by administering a high-glucose, high-fat diet and a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Mice defined as diabetic in this model were then treated with 1.80, 5.39 or 8.98 m L/kg of Cerebrolysin via intraperitoneal injections for 10 consecutive days. Our results demonstrated that the number, diameter and area of myelinated nerve fibers increased in the sciatic nerves of these mice after administration of Cerebrolysin. The results of several behavioral tests showed that Cerebrolysin dose-dependently increased the slope angle in the inclined plane test（indicating an improved ability to maintain body position）, prolonged tail-flick latency and foot-licking time（indicating enhanced sensitivity to thermal and chemical pain, respectively, and reduced pain thresholds）, and increased an index of sciatic nerve function in diabetic mice compared with those behavioral results in untreated diabetic mice. Taken together, the anatomical and functional results suggest that Cerebrolysin ameliorated peripheral neuropathy in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Clinical observation on Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain-refreshing scalp acupuncture for cerebral palsy complicated with intellectual disabilities

Objective：To observe the clinical efficacy of Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain-refreshing scalp acupuncture for cerebral palsy （CP） complicated with intellectual disabilities. Methods：A total of 300 CP cases aged between 1 and 5 years were randomly allocated into a treatment group （n=150） and a control group （n=150）. Patients in the treatment group were treated with Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain- refreshing scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training, whereas patients in the control group received rehabilitation training alone. The Beijing Gesell developmental （Gesell） scale and gross motor function measure （GMFM） scale were used to assess the motor and intellectual development before and 3 months after the treatment. In addition, the head CT/MRI examination was applied to assess the brain nerve repair before and after the treatment. Results：After the treatment, the total effective rate in the treatment group was 78.0%, versus 42.7% in the control group, showing a statistical significance （P〈0.05）. As for scores of five subscales in the Gesell scale, there were significant intra-group differences in the treatment group （allP〈0.05）; and the scores in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group （allP〈0.05）. As for scores of five dimensions in GMFM scale, there were significant intra-group differences in the treatment group （allP〈0.05）; and the scores in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group （allP〈0.05）. According to the head CT/MRI findings, the total effective rate was 73.3% in the treatment group, versus 62.0% in the control group, showing a statistical significance （P〈0.05）. Conclusion：When used in combination with rehabilitative training, Governor Vessel-unblocking and brain-refreshing scalp acupuncture can significantly improve the clinical efficacy for cerebral palsy complicated with intellectual disabilities. It can also improve the patients＆#39; motor function, intelligence and language ability.

Biallelic mutations in UGDH cause congenital microcephaly

Hengel et al recently reported that bi-allelic loss-of-function mutations in UDP-Glucose 6-Dehydrogenase(UGDH)caused a severe epileptic encephalopathy syndrome-Jamuar syndrome(OMIM#618792).1 The functional studies partially recapitulated the clinical phenotypes in the patient-derived cerebral organoid.A reduced number of proliferating neuronal progenitors in cerebral organoids was shown,which is a critical mechanism in congenital microcephaly(CM)whose patients were born with an occipitofrontal circumference(OCF)more than 2 standard deviations below average for age and sex.However,none of the reported patients in the article presented the phenotype as CM.