Posteroanterior cervical transcutaneous spinal stimulation targets ventral and dorsal nerve roots

ObjectiveWe aim to non-invasively facilitate activation of spared neural circuits after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We developed and tested a novel configuration for cervical transcutaneous spinal stimulation (cTSS).MethodscTSS was delivered via electrodes placed over the midline at ~T2-T4 levels posteriorly and ~C4-C5 levels anteriorly. Electromyographic responses were measured in arm and hand muscles across a range of stimulus intensities. Double-pulse experiments were performed to assess homosynaptic post-activation depression (PAD). Safety was closely monitored.ResultsMore than 170 cTSS sessions were conducted without major safety or tolerability issues. A cathode-posterior, 2 ms biphasic waveform provided optimal stimulation characteristics. Bilateral upper extremity muscle responses were easily obtained in subjects with SCI and ALS. Resting motor threshold at the abductor pollicis brevis muscle ranged from 5.5 to 51.0 mA. As stimulus intensity increased, response latencies to all muscles decreased. PAD was incomplete at lower stimulus intensities, and decreased at higher stimulus intensities.ConclusionsPosteroanterior cTSS has the capability to target motor neurons both trans-synaptically via large-diameter afferents and non-synaptically via efferent motor axons.SignificancePosteroanterior cTSS is well tolerated and easily activates upper extremity muscles in individuals with SCI and ALS.     

New insights into Wnt signaling alterations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a potential therapeutic target?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by upper and lower motor neuron degeneration, which leads to progressive paralysis of skeletal muscles and, ultimately, respiratory failure between 2–5 years after symptom onset. Unfortunately, currently accepted treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are extremely scarce and only provide modest benefit. As a consequence, a great effort is being done by the scientific community in order to achieve a better understanding of the different molecular and cellular processes that influence the progression and/or outcome of this neuropathological condition and, therefore, unravel new potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Interestingly, a growing number of experimental evidences have recently shown that, besides its well-known physiological roles in the developing and adult central nervous system, the Wnt family of proteins is involved in different neuropathologica conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These proteins are able to modulate, at least, three different signaling pathways, usually known as canonical(β-catenin dependent) and non-canonical(β-catenin independent) signaling pathways. In the present review, we aim to provide a general overview of the current knowledge that supports the relationship between the Wnt family of proteins and its associated signaling pathways and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathology, as well as their possible mechanisms of action. Altogether, the currently available knowledge suggests that Wnt signaling modulation might be a promising therapeutic approach to ameliorate the histopathological and functional deficits associated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and thus improve the progression and outcome of this neuropathology.     

Modulation of autophagy for neuroprotection and functional recovery in traumatic spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury(SCI) is a serious central nervous system trauma that leads to loss of motor and sensory functions in the SCI patients. One of the cell death mechanisms is autophagy, which is ‘self-eating' of the damaged and misfolded proteins and nucleic acids, damaged mitochondria, and other impaired organelles for recycling of cellular building blocks. Autophagy is different from all other cell death mechanisms in one important aspect that it gives the cells an opportunity to survive or demise depending on the circumstances. Autophagy is a therapeutic target for alleviation of pathogenesis in traumatic SCI. However, functions of autophagy in traumatic SCI remain controversial. Spatial and temporal patterns of activation of autophagy after traumatic SCI have been reported to be contradictory. Formation of autophagosomes following therapeutic activation or inhibition of autophagy flux is ambiguous in traumatic SCI studies. Both beneficial and harmful outcomes due to enhancement autophagy have been reported in traumatic SCI studies in preclinical models. Only further studies will make it clear whether therapeutic activation or inhibition of autophagy is beneficial in overall outcomes in preclinical models of traumatic SCI. Therapeutic enhancement of autophagy flux may digest the damaged components of the central nervous system cells for recycling and thereby facilitating functional recovery. Many studies demonstrated activation of autophagy flux and inhibition of apoptosis for neuroprotective effects in traumatic SCI. Therapeutic induction of autophagy in traumatic SCI promotes axonal regeneration, supporting another beneficial role of autophagy in traumatic SCI. In contrast, some other studies demonstrated that disruption of autophagy flux in traumatic SCI strongly correlated with neuronal death at remote location and impaired functional recovery. This article describes our current understanding of roles of autophagy in acute and chronic traumatic SCI, crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis, therapeutic activation or inhibition of autophagy for promoting functional recovery, and future of autophagy in traumatic SCI.     

Exendin-4 attenuates pain-induced cognitive impairment by alleviating hippocampal neuroinflammation in a rat model of spinal nerve ligation

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor has anti-apoptotic,anti-inflammatory,and neuroprotective effects.It is now recognized that the occurrence and development of chronic pain are strongly associated with anti-inflammatory responses;however,it is not clear whether glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor regulates chronic pain via anti-inflammatory mechanisms.We explored the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor on nociception,cognition,and neuroinflammation in chronic pain.A rat model of chronic pain was established using left L5 spinal nerve ligation.The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 was intrathecally injected into rats from 10 to 21 days after spinal nerve ligation.Electrophysiological examinations showed that,after treatment with exendin-4,paw withdrawal frequency of the left limb was significantly reduced,and pain was relieved.In addition,in the Morris water maze test,escape latency increased and the time to reach the platform decreased following exendin-4 treatment.Immunohistochemical staining and western blot assays revealed an increase in the numbers of activated microglia and astrocytes in the dentate gyrus of rat hippocampus,as well as an increase in the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha,interleukin 1 beta,and interleukin 6.All of these effects could be reversed by exendin-4 treatment.These findings suggest that exendin-4 can alleviate pain-induced neuroinflammatory responses and promote the recovery of cognitive function via the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor pathway.All experimental procedures and protocols were approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University of China(approval No.WDRM 20171214)on September 22,2017.     

Therapeutic effect of regulating autophagy in spinal cord injury: a network meta-analysis of direct and indirect comparisons

Objective:An increasing number of studies indicate that autophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of spinal cord injury,and that regulating autophagy can enhance recovery from spinal cord injury.However,the effect of regulating autophagy and whether autophagy is detrimental or beneficial after spinal cord injury remain unclear.Therefore,in this study we evaluated the effects of autophagy regulation on spinal cord injury in rats by direct and indirect comparison,in an effort to provide a basis for further research.Data source:Relevant literature published from inception to February 1,2018 were included by searching Wanfang,CNKI,Web of Science,MEDLINE(OvidSP),PubMed and Google Scholar in English and Chinese.The keywords included"autophagy","spinal cord injury",and"rat".Data selection:The literature included in vivo experimental studies on autophagy regulation in the treatment of spinal cord injury(including intervention pre-and post-spinal cord injury).Meta-analyses were conducted at different time points to compare the therapeutic effects of promoting or inhibiting autophagy,and subgroup analyses were also conducted.Outcome measure:Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan scores.Results:Of the 622 studies,33 studies of median quality were included in the analyses.Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan scores were higher at 1 day(MD=1.80,95%CI:0.81-2.79,P=0.0004),3 days(MD=0.92,95%CI:0.72-1.13,P<0.00001),1 week(MD=2.39,95%CI:1.85-2.92,P<0.00001),2 weeks(MD=3.26,95%CI:2.40-4.13,P<0.00001),3 weeks(MD=3.13,95%CI:2.51-3.75,P<0.00001)and 4 weeks(MD=3.18,95%CI:2.43-3.92,P<0.00001)after spinal cord injury with upregulation of autophagy compared with the control group(drug solvent control,such as saline group).Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan scores were higher at 1 day(MD=6.48,95%CI:5.83-7.13,P<0.00001),2 weeks(MD=2.43,95%CI:0.79-4.07,P=0.004),3 weeks(MD=2.96,95%CI:0.09-5.84,P=0.04)and 4 weeks(MD=4.41,95%CI:1.08-7.75,P=0.01)after spinal cord injury with downregulation of autophagy compared with the control group.Indirect comparison of upregulation and downregulation of autophagy showed no differences in Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan scores at 1 day(MD=-4.68,95%CI:-5.840 to-3.496,P=0.94644),3 days(MD=-0.28,95%CI:-2.231-1.671,P=0.99448),1 week(MD=1.83,95%CI:0.0076-3.584,P=0.94588),2 weeks(MD=0.81,95%CI:-0.850-2.470,P=0.93055),3 weeks(MD=0.17,95%Cl:-2.771-3.111,P=0.99546)or 4 weeks(MD=-1.23,95%Cl:-4.647-2.187,P=0.98264)compared with the control group.Conclusion:Regulation of autophagy improves neurological function,whether it is upregulated or downregulated.There was no difference between upregulation and downregulation of autophagy in the treatment of spinal cord injury.The variability in results among the studies may be associated with differences in research methods,the lack of clearly defined autophagy characteristics after spinal cord injury,and the limited autophagy monitoring techniques.Thus,methods should be standardized,and the dynamic regulation of autophagy should be examined in future studies.     

保守方法治疗脊柱结核的适应证和疗效分析

目的 评估保守方法治疗脊柱结核的疗效,初步探讨保守方法治疗脊柱结核的适应证.方法 总结解放军第三○九医院骨科2007年1月至2012年1月资料完整的经临床病史、体格检查、影像学和实验室检查、试验性抗结核治疗或影像引导下穿刺活检及细菌学检查确诊为脊柱结核,开始治疗时选择保守方法治疗的54例患者的临床特点、治疗方法及结果.54例患者采用口服抗结核药物治疗的方式,需要在标准化疗方案的基础上,根据症状缓解情况、实验室及影像学检查结果进行调整.抗结核治疗时间9～18个月,服药期间观察患者临床症状缓解情况,影像学检查判断病灶愈合、脊椎生理曲度改变情况,定期复查肝肾功能、血红细胞沉降率（ESR）、C反应蛋白（CRP）,根据疗效情况调整治疗疗程.随访时间1.5～5.5年,平均（3.0±0.8）年.结果 54例患者中49例患者通过保守治疗病灶愈合,其中45例局部疼痛消失,4例轻微背痛,不需服用止痛药物;49例患者中的32例X线或CT片显示椎间骨性融合,17例显示纤维愈合;49例脊柱局部后凸角度平均增加（5.5±0.8）°;47例ESR、CRP下降至正常范围（正常标准：男性ESR＜15 mm/1 h,女性＜20 mm/1 h;CRP＜5 μg/L）;18例治疗期间出现药物不良反应,通过减量或停用抗结核药物等治疗恢复正常.54例患者中5例分别因为治疗期间疼痛加重、出现神经损害症状或后凸畸形明显加重而选择手术治疗.结论 对于局部疼痛不严重、不伴畸形或神经损害、对抗结核药物敏感的脊柱结核患者,可通过保守治疗达到良好效果.     

ISO-3D辅助计算机导航下齿突骨折的前路螺钉内固定治疗

目的探讨ISO-3D辅助计算机导航下前路螺钉内固定治疗齿突骨折的可行性和效果。方法外伤致齿突Ⅱ型骨折和浅Ⅲ型骨折齿突骨折患者27例,在全麻下行ISO-3D辅助计算机导航下前路螺钉内固定。考察围手术期情况及1 a复查状况。结果所有患者均顺利完成手术,无并发症发生。手术时间70～180 min、平均110 min,出血量30～100 ml、平均56 ml。切口均一期愈合,无感染或延迟愈合发生。术后1 a复查,24例骨折愈合,3例骨折线仍存在,上颈椎无不稳定发生。螺钉固定稳定,无折断、松动、脱出或骨质内豁出等内固定失败发生。颈椎左右旋转40°～70°、平均51°。无相应神经症状出现或加重。结论 ISO-3D辅助计算机导航下齿突骨折的前路螺钉内固定提高了手术的精确度和安全性,减少了放射暴露剂量,手术时间并未显著延长,应用优势明显。     

神经营养因子(NGF、NT-3、BDNF及CNTF)和受体trkA、trkB、trkC在正常大鼠脊髓和胳鼠脊髓移植体的免疫组织化学研究

本研究采用免疫组织化学方法观察了NGF家族（NGF、NT－3、BDNF）和非NGF家族的CNTF以及NGF家族因子受体trkA、trkB、trkC在正常大鼠脊髓腰段的分布和胎鼠脊髓移植体在移植后4周的表达。在正常大鼠脊髓腰段,各神经营养因子及受体反应物主要存在于脊髓灰质,特别是前角的运动神经元。但在脊髓后角的分布稍有不同,BDNF阳性细胞的胞浆染色较深,胞核不染色;而NT－3的胞核染色较胞浆为深,核仁不染色。在胎鼠脊髓移植体,NGF、BDNF、CNTF和NT－3及受体trkA、trkB、trkC均有不同程度的染色。本实验结果揭示了在正常大鼠脊髓神经元内各神经营养因子及受体的表达,提示神经营养因子除具有靶源性来源以外,还有神经元自分泌的产物。而在胎鼠移植体内和其周围组织神经营养因子及其受体的表达,可能是在移植体内的移植细胞自分泌和成鼠脊髓损伤的刺激所引起的,这在移植体的存活和发育中有重要作用。