Objectives: This study aimed to examine the prevalence of pain, motor, and cognitive impairments, as well as the comorbidities associated with them, among older adult patients with stroke at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital in Osogbo City, Nigeria.  Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a survey of older adult patients with stroke receiving care at Osun State University Teaching Hospital. The prevalence of different post-stroke symptoms was assessed using validated instruments.  Results: This study included 261 stroke survivors with a mean age of 69.4 years. The majority of them had pain (70.1%), balance impairment (93.9%), and mild cognitive impairment (80.8%). The prevalence of these symptoms varied by age, sex, and education level. Participants aged ≥75 years had lower odds of having pain than those aged 55-64 years (odds ratio [OR]=0.34, 95% CI, 0.15%, 0.76%, P=0.01), and the Hausas and Igbos had lower odds of having pain compared to their Yoruba counterparts (OR=0.24, 95% CI, 0.07%, 0.78%, P=0.02; OR=0.25, 95% CI, 0.07%, 0.88%, P=0.03). Male participants were significantly less likely to have cognitive impairment than female participants (OR=0.43, 95%, 0.21%, 0.87%, P=0.02). No significant correlation was found between balance impairment and the other variables.  Discussion: This study revealed a high prevalence of pain, balance impairment, and mild cognitive impairment among older adult patients with stroke in Nigeria. These symptoms may affect stroke survivors’ ability to regain function and overall health. The findings also suggest that age, sex, and education level may influence the occurrence and severity of these symptoms. This study reported a high prevalence of pain, balance impairment, and mild cognitive impairment among older adult patients with stroke in a teaching hospital in Nigeria. The findings also indicated that age, sex, and education level may influence the likelihood of these symptoms among stroke survivors. Therefore, this study suggests that more attention should be given to the assessment and management of these symptoms to enhance the quality of life and functional outcomes of stroke survivors.

Objective(s): Neurotoxicity of anticancer drugs complicates treatment of cancer patients. Vinblastine (VBL) is reported to induce motor and cognitive impairments in patients receiving chronic low-dose regimen.Materials and Methods: The effects of VBL treatment on motor, learning and memory functions of male and female Wistar rats were studied by behavioral related tests. Animals were given chronic intraperitoneal injections of VBL (0.2 mg/kg/week for 5 weeks) from postnatal day 23 to 52. Motor function was evaluated using grasping test and balancing was evaluated by the rotarod. Spatial learning and memory and anxiety-like behavior were determined using Morris water maze (MWM) task and open field test, respectively.Results: Administration of VBL caused severe damage to motor and balance function of male rats in comparison to female rats treated with VBL and rats treated with saline. Memory and locomotion were affected in both male and female rats compared with saline treated rats, while a sex difference was also observed in these parameters; male rats showed more impairment compared with female ones. Both male and female rats showed cognitive impairments in MWM task and no sex differences were observed in these functions.Conclusion: Results revealed that VBL is a potent neurotoxic agent and despite the profound effect of VBL on motor and cognitive functions, it seems that male rats are more susceptible to motor deficits induced by VBL.

Objectives: The clinical outcomes of pediatric stroke in patients can vary significantly depending on the affected brain region. Supratentorial and infratentorial strokes may present different clinical features and prognoses. Understanding these differences is crucial for developing targeted treatment strategies and improving patient care. Accordingly, this study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients under 18 years old with supratentorial and infratentorial strokes. Materials & Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 100 children under 18 years old hospitalized due to stroke at Ali Asghar and Rasoul Akram hospitals from 2011 to 2023 and followed for 24 months. The motor and cognitive impairments were assessed 24 months post-stroke using the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS), the Bayley-III Scale (for children under three years), and the Binet scale (for children over three years). Statistical analyses were performed using T-tests and Chi-square tests. The required data include age, gender, stroke type (ischemic or hemorrhagic), stroke location (supratentorial /infratentorial), and underlying conditions. Results: The mean age of the patients was 70. 47 months. About 57% of the patients were older than two years, and 67% were male. Supratentorial stroke was observed in 78% of cases. No significant difference was observed in age or gender distribution between the supratentorial and infratentorial groups (P = 0. 64 and P = 0. 128, respectively). Outcome comparisons between the groups revealed no significant difference in Binet scores,however, children with supratentorial strokes had significantly lower Bayley scores and higher MRS scores compared to the infratentorial group (P = 0. 023 and P = 0. 002, respectively). Conclusion: The present findings indicate that children with supratentorial strokes may experience more severe long-term motor and cognitive impairments. Further research is needed to investigate long-term outcomes in pediatric stroke patients based on stroke location.

Objectives: The current study aimed at investigating the impact of SHOFER computer game on visual-motor coordination in children with hearing impairments. Methods: The current pre-test, post-test experimental study was conducted in Ahvaz, Iran in 2018. Sixteen preschool children with hearing impairment were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental (n=8) and control (n=8). The experimental group subjects played the SHOFER computer game (driving/racing genre) two 45-minute sessions per week for a five consecutive weeks, but the control group did not receive any intervention. Before and after the intervention, visual perception and attention, as visual-motor coordination components, were measured by the advanced Frostig test of visual perception and continuous performance test in both groups. Using SPSS version 21, the performance of the two groups was compared by running the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests. Results: The analysis of findings with the effect size indicator showed that the computer game increased attention and spatial perception in the experimental group. However, no significant difference was found between the groups, except in the sub-test of figure-ground perception. Discussion: The present study showed that commercial computer games can be used to improve visual-motor coordination of children with hearing impairments.

Background: Insulin resistance is an important pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Proinflammatory cytokines during neuroinflammation decrease insulin sensitivity by suppressing insulin signaling elements. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the main receptor involved in neuroinflammation, is also associated with the pathogenesis of PD.Objectives: The present study evaluated the effect of insulin, an insulin receptor antagonist, and a TLR4 inhibitor on behavioral deficits and insulin resistance induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into nine groups: (1) sham (normal saline [NS] in the medial forebrain bundle [MFB]); (2) 6-OHDA (20 µg in the MFB); (3) 6-OHDA + NS; (4) 6-OHDA + dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); (5) 6-OHDA + insulin (2.5 IU/day, intracerebroventricular ([ICV]); (6) 6-OHDA + insulin (5 IU/day, intranasal [IN]); (7) 6-OHDA + insulin receptor antagonist (S961; 6.5 nM/kg, ICV); (8) 6-OHDA + TLR4 inhibitor (TAK242; 0.01 µg/rat, ICV); (9) 6-OHDA + insulin + TLR4 inhibitor. All treatments were administered for seven consecutive days. Motor performance was evaluated using apomorphine-induced rotation and cylinder tests. Gene expression and protein levels of α-synuclein, TLR4, insulin receptor substrate (IRS) 1, IRS2, and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) were measured by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively, in the striatum. Results: Insulin, alone and with TAK242, improved motor deficits induced by 6-OHDA. Administration of the insulin receptor antagonist had no effect on motor deficits. The increased expression of α-synuclein and TLR4 following 6-OHDA was attenuated by insulin and TAK242. GSK3β levels, both mRNA and protein, were significantly increased by 6-OHDA and attenuated with insulin and TAK242. Conclusions: The findings suggest that 6-OHDA induces neurodegeneration via activation of TLR4 and GSK3β, indicating insulin resistance, and that insulin can improve these impairments. Moreover, TLR4 inhibition prevents insulin signaling dysfunction and improves behavioral and molecular impairments, highlighting the critical role of TLR4 in the development of insulin resistance in PD pathology.

Purpose: Long term L-DOPA therapy in Parkinson’s disease is associated with troublesome motor fluctuations such as L -DOPA Induced dyskinesia and wearing off effect. Our recent study showed that activation of 5-HT1A receptors could improve the anti-cataleptic effect of L-DOPA in parkinsonian rats. In this study we investigated the effect of fluoxetine on anti-parkinsonian effect of L-DOPA in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) -lesioned rats.Methods: Catalepsy and motor incoordination were induced by unilateral injection of 6-OHDA (8 mg/2 ml/rat) into the central region of the sabstantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). After 3 weeks as a recovery period, these rats injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) L-DOPA (15 mg/kg) twice daily for 20 consecutive days, and anti-parkinsonian effect of L-DOPA was investigated by bar-test and rotarod on days 5, 10, 15 and 20.Results: The results showed that L-DOPA is able to improve motor coordination in rotarod only until day 15 and these effects of L-DOPA were abolished on the day 20. On day 21, rats were co-injected with fluoxetine (0.1, 0.5 and 1mg/kg, i.p.) and L-DOPA (15 mg/kg, i.p.). Fluoxetine increased anti-cataleptic effect of L-DOPA at the dose of 1 mg/kg, while fluoxetine had not any impact on the effect of L-DOPA in rotarod test. The effect of fluoxetine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) on anti-cataleptic effect of L-DOPA (15 mg/kg, i.p.) was reversed by 1- (2-methoxyphenyl) -4- (4-phthalimidobutyl) piperazine hydrobromide (NAN-190; 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), as a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist.Conclusion: According to the results, it may be concluded that fluoxetine improves 6-OHDA-induced catalepsy and motor imbalance in L-DOPA- treated rats through activation of 5-HT1A. Further studies should be designed to clarify the precise mechanism of interaction between 5-HT1A and dopaminergic neurons.

Context: Despite the roots of stereotypic patterns as motor behavior and pointing out some prevalent motor impairments in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the assessment of motor development impairments as an introduction to the incidence of early symptoms of ASD has still been overlooked. Therefore, the present systematic review aims to assess the relationship between motor impairments and autism symptoms. Evidence Acquisition: The PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases were searched by two individuals separately using the following keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, Motor impairment, Motor delay, Fundamental movements (jumping, hopping, bounding, manipulating, chewing, and reaching objects), Gross and fine movements, Diagnosis, and Behavioral symptoms. The searches were performed within 2000 and April 2022. Results: After completing the search process, a number of 17 articles were entered into the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles were of low to moderate quality. Given the performed assessments, there is a significant relationship between motor impairments and behavioral symptoms in children with ASD. Conclusions: According to the present information, it can be concluded that motor impairment is possibly associated with the behavioral symptoms of ASD. Further research is required to determine the exact relationship between motor subsets and behavioral symptoms.