Neuroscience Journal of Shefaye Khatam
Year:2013 | Volume:1 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Introduction: Investigations have shown that ovarian steroids are involved in reduction of movement disorders during neurodegenerative diseases especially Parkinson's disease. These steroids have many side effects, thus, other estrogenic agents with fewer side effects are needed to develop alternative treatment strategies. The main objection of this study was to evaluate the effects of soy meal on movement disorders in ovariectomized animal model of Parkinson's disease.Materials & Methods: Animals were divided into 3 groups: intact, treated by normal diet and treated by soy meal diet. Female Wistar rats with the exception of intact group were ovariectomized at the first line of study. Then Stride length test was done and animals received special diet for 4 weeks post substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) electrical lesion. At the end, Stride length and Morpurgo's test was performed.Results: Soy meal diet in ovariectomized rats with SNc Lesion improved muscle stiffness without any effect on stride length.Conclusion: Our results suggest that soy meal is a potential alternative to estrogen in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Introduction: Systemic inflammatory response occurs after ischemic events in stroke and is responsible for thrombosis progression. In this study, we are intended to evaluate association of C- Reactive Protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker with acute cerebral ischemic attack variables, risk factors and mortality.Materials & Methods: 162 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled in the study. Medical history was asked and physical examination was performed. Then venous blood samples were drawn from all of the patients at end of the first day.Results: Our results showed that association between high sensitive CRP (hsCRP) and early mortality in the patients with acute CVA was significant. 10% of patients were died within a week after the stroke onset. mean of CRP in died patients was 8.9±7 mg/dl and in survived patients was 2.2±5 mg/dl (p=0.0001). After multivariate analysis and adjusting variables for sex, age, history of heart disease, NIHSS Score and TOAST, we found hsCRP as an independent factor in predicting early onset mortality.Conclusion: This study shows that hsCRP has a direct association with mortality within the first week after stroke and measuring hsCRP within the first hours after stroke may play an important role in determining of patients´ mortality risk.

Introduction: Gene expression regulation is essential for correct functioning of the cell. Complex processes such as development, apoptosis, cell differentiation, and cell cycling require a fine tuning of gene expression. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that have been recognized as key components of the gene expression regulatory machinery. microRNAs are a class of small RNA regulators that are involved in numerous cellular processes, including development, proliferation, differentiation, neurogenesis, and plasticity. miRNAs are critical contributors to the regulation of gene expression in the nervous system.Conclusion: Emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs regulate both the development and function of the nervous system. Deficiency in microRNA function has also been implicated in a number of neurological disorders. Understanding the roles of microRNAs will provide new insights into the complexity and operation of the nervous system.

Introduction: Spreading depression (SD) is an intrinsic bioelectrical activity in central nervous system which play important role in pathophysiology of some disorders such as migraine with aura, epilepsy, transient global amnesia, and spinal cord diseases.Materials and Methods: The juvenile rats were anesthetized and recording electrodes and cannula were implanted over the brain. Repetitive cortical SD events were induced by KCl injection through the cannula. Four weeks after the KCl or Ringer injection, all rats, including control, sham and SD groups, were decapitated and the brains removed. The distribution of NR2B subunit of NMDA receptors and the GluR1 subunit of AMPA receptors were assessed by immunohistochemical staining.Results: Expression of NR2B receptors in the CA1 region significantly increased in the SD group compared with the sham and control group (P<0.05). Also expression of GluR1 receptors in the CA1 and CA3 regions significantly increased in the SD group (P<0.01).Conclusion: Our result showed that SD enhanced expression of the NR2B subunit of NMDA receptors and the GluR1 subunit of AMPA receptors in various regions of the juvenile rat brain.

Introduction: Spreading depression (SD) play a role in some neurological disorders. SD is a depolarization wave, which pass through the brain and linked with large changes in cellular and molecular elements. Many of these changes play role in SD injuries pathophysiology. ECoG recording showed a transient hyperactivity, followed by depression of cellular activity. Cellular death and electrical changes are postulated to play central role in SD outcome as well as memory impairment.Materials & Methods: In the present study 24 Wistar rat were used to investigate repetitive SD effect on different aspect of memory. First the roles of SD on spatial memory retrieval have been discussed and then memory consolidation has been investigated by T-Maze test.Results: T-maze test result during four weeks analysis for spatial memory and also eight weeks for memory consolidation showed that both spatial memory and memory consolidation was significantly disrupt by SD induction.Conclusion: We conclude that SD induced brain electrical wave distribution could play important role in memory consolidation and memory retrieval during spatial memory test.

Introduction: Spreading depression (SD) is a bioelectrical event in the central nervous system and involves in the pathophysiology of some neurological disorders. In this present study, we indicate enhancement of long-term potentiation of hippocampus tissue in juvenile rats faced to cortical spreading depression repetitively.Materials and Methods: Silver recording electrodes as well as a cannula were implanted over the brain of juvenile rats. Repetitive cortical SD events were induced by KCl 3 M weekly injection through the cannula. The brains were removed after 4 weeks. Transverse sections were prepared and incubated in artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Single electrical stimulations were applied through a bipolar electrode placed on to the hippocampal Schaffer collaterals. The field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) were elicited by adjusting the intensity of stimulation to 50% of that at which population spikes began to appear.Results: Repetitive SD enhanced the long-term potentiation in CA1 hippocampal area. The data indicate that repetitive cortical SD in juvenile rats significantly increases the amplitude of the fEPSP form the baseline.Conclusion: This may clarify the pathophysiology of memory deficit were seen in some neurological disorders in children.

Introduction: Spreading depression (SD) is a pathophysiological phenomenon, which induced as consequence of ischemia, cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral injury. SD roles in some clinical disorders, including migraine aura, epilepsy, head injury and transient global amnesia, have been documented. SD is a neural hyperactivity, which slowly spread in the brain, passed through neurons or astrocyte, change blood volume, cell metabolism and distribute cell ionic balance. SD is accompanied by a transient hyperactivity, which continues by neuronal depression and hyper excitability.Conclusion: Various investigation on animal and human brains showed enhancement in NMDA, AMPA, GABA as well as serotonin after SD. This review focuses on wide range of investigation on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters after SD.

Introduction: Using cochlear implant has indicated a significant positive effects on the hearing improvement of many impaired children. Although cochlear implantation has provided marked benefits in a wide range of linguistic, psychological and social abilities in these children, numerous researches indicated that the effects can be reduced without support from home, education and rehabilitation. Thus, many researchers have tried to introduce the most efficient methods of rehabilitation of these children. Music is one of these methods, having many advocates. The purpose of this review was to show how and why music can be useful for cochlear implant children according to some neurological evidences.Conclusion: In this study, the effects of music on various aspects of growth and brain development in different people are reviewed. Then, based on the results of these studies and development of linguistic and musical areas in the hearing impaired children brains, various therapeutic aspects of music for these children are analyzed. Hearing impaired children have delay in development of linguistic abilities compared to their peers. Music could compensate this delay via stimulating different areas of the brain. It increases neuronal growth factors, neurogenesis and plasticity. Thus, it may improve many auditory, linguistic and even cognitive and motor skills in hearing impaired children and thereby compensate their developmental delays.