Activity-dependent competition shapes corticospinal (CS) axon outgrowth in the spinal cord during development. An important question neural repair is whether activity can be used to promote of CS axons maturity. After injury, spared sprout and make new connections, but often not enough restore function. We propose that electrically stimulating after injury will enhance sprouting strengthen connections with motor circuits. To study effects activity, we stimulated tract medullary pyramid. one...

Lesioning the peripheral branch of a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuron before injury central same enables spontaneous regeneration these spinal axons. This effect is cAMP and transcription dependent. Here, we show that cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) upregulated in DRG neurons after either conditioning lesion or treatment with dibutyryl-cAMP. In culture, IL-6 allows to grow presence inhibitors present myelin. Importantly, intrathecal delivery blocks inhibition by myelin both vitro vivo ,...

Injury to the brain or spinal cord usually preserves some corticospinal (CS) connections. These residual circuits sprout spontaneously and in response activity-based treatments. We hypothesized that augmenting activity spared CS would restore skilled motor control lost after injury augment outgrowth of terminations cord. After selective one half tract (CST) rat, we applied 10 d electrical stimulation forelimb area cortex tested performance for 30 d. Rats with CST showed substantial...

Little is known about the influence of genetic diversity on stroke recovery. One exception polymorphism in brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a critical neurotrophin for repair and plasticity. Humans have high-frequency single nucleotide (SNP) prodomain BDNF gene. Previous studies show that Val66Met variant negatively affects motor learning severity acute stroke. To investigate impact this common SNP recovery, we used mouse model contains human both alleles (BDNF(M/M)). Male BDNF(+/+)...

Abstract Accurate senses depend on high-fidelity encoding by sensory receptors and error-free processing in the brain. Progress has been made towards restoring damaged receptors. However, methods for on-demand treatment of impaired central are scarce. Prior invasive studies demonstrated that continuous vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) rodents can activate locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system to rapidly improve processing. Here, we investigated whether transcutaneous VNS improves performance...

We have completed the first large-scale gene expression study of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in rat. Oligonucleotide microarrays containing 1,200 gene-specific probes were used to quantify mRNA levels, relative uninjured controls, cords injured using a standard contusion model. Our results revealed marked loss neuron-specific mRNAs at site. The surviving cells showed characteristic inflammatory response that started site and spread distal cord. Changes several levels associated with...

The corticospinal tract is a predominantly crossed pathway. Nevertheless, the primary motor cortex (M1) activated bilaterally during unilateral movements and several animal studies showed that M1 has bilateral representation. A better understanding of uncrossed system especially important for elucidating its role in recovery limb control after injury. We used intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) to determine representation contralateral ipsilateral forelimb joints at single sites rat. Most...

Partial injury to the corticospinal tract (CST) causes sprouting of intact axons at their targets, and this correlates with functional improvement. Electrical stimulation motor cortex augments CST promotes recovery when applied soon after injury. We hypothesized that electrical in hemisphere chronic lesion other would restore function through ipsilateral control. To test skill, rats were trained tested walk on a horizontal ladder irregularly spaced rungs. Eight weeks injury, produced by...

Background. Intensive bimanual therapy can improve hand function in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP). We compared the effects of structured skill training versus unstructured practice on motor outcomes and map plasticity USCP. Objective. hypothesized that would produce greater than practice. Methods. Twenty USCP (average age 9.5; 12 males) received a day camp setting, 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 3 weeks. In (n = 10), performed progressively more difficult movements...

We previously showed that electrical stimulation of motor cortex (M1) after unilateral pyramidotomy in the rat increased corticospinal tract (CST) axon length, strengthened spinal connections, and restored forelimb function. Here, we tested: (i) if M1 only increases length or it also promotes connections to brain stem control centers, especially magnocellular red nucleus; (ii) stimulation-induced increase depends on whether denervated structure. After pyramidotomy, electrically stimulated...

Background- Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been investigated mainly in adults and doses may not be appropriate pediatric applications. In perinatal stroke where potential applications are promising, rational adaptation of dosage for children remains under investigation. Objective - Construct child-specific tDCS dosing parameters through case study within a safety feasibility trial. Methods- 10-year-old subject with diagnosis presumed ischemic hemiparesis was identified....

AIM To determine which patients with cerebral palsy (CP) should undergo genetic testing, we compared the rate of likely causative variants from whole-exome sequencing in individuals and without environmental risk factors. METHOD Patients were part a convenience physician-referred cohort recruited single medical center, research was completed. Participants evaluated for following factors: extreme preterm birth, brain bleed or stroke, birth asphyxia, malformations, intrauterine infection....

Key points Pairing motor cortex stimulation and spinal cord epidural produced large augmentation in evoked potentials if they were timed to converge the cord. The modulation of cortical by was largest when electrodes placed over dorsal root entry zone. Repeated pairing caused lasting increases from both sites, but only time between stimuli optimal. Both immediate effects paired are likely mediated convergence descending circuits diameter afferents onto common interneurons cervical Abstract...

Objective We tested the hypothesis that somatosensory system injury would more strongly affect movement than motor in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (USCP). This was based on how and corticospinal circuits adapt to during development; whereas can maintain connections impaired hand from uninjured hemisphere, this does not occur system. As a corollary, cortical impairs sensory function, so we hypothesized lesions impair function subcortical lesions. Methods Twenty‐four had...

Reorganization of the corticospinal tract (CST) can occur in unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP). The affected hand be controlled via (1) typical contralateral projections from lesioned hemisphere, (2) ipsilateral nonlesioned and (3) a combination (ie, bilateral). Intensive bimanual therapy constraint-induced movement (CIMT) improve function children with USCP. Earlier it was suggested that CST connectivity pattern may influence efficacy CIMT.To examine whether projection influences...

We sought to develop a cervical spinal cord stimulator for the rat that is durable, stable, and does not perturb underlying cord.We created softening stimulation (SCS) array made from shape memory polymer (SMP)-based flexible electronics. developed new photolithographic process pattern high surface area titanium nitride (TiN) electrodes onto gold (Au) interconnects. The thiol-ene acrylate polymers are stiff at room temperature soften following implantation into body. Durability was measured...

We aim to non-invasively facilitate activation of spared neural circuits after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). developed tested a novel configuration for transcutaneous stimulation (cTSS).cTSS was delivered via electrodes placed over the midline at ~T2-T4 levels posteriorly ~C4-C5 anteriorly. Electromyographic responses were measured in arm hand muscles across range stimulus intensities. Double-pulse experiments performed assess homosynaptic...

Introduction: Unilateral brain injury in neonates results largely contralateral hand function impairment children. Most research investigating neurorehabilitation targets for movement recovery has focused on the effects of descending motor systems, especially corticospinal tract. However, a recent human study demonstrated that sensory tract may have larger dexterity than injury. In this study, we first developed model neonatal rats by targeting thalamocortical tract, and then used to assess...

Precise movement requires integrating descending motor control with sensory feedback. Sensory networks interact strongly circuits within the spinal cord. We targeted this interaction by pairing stimulation of cortex coordinated cervical used separate non-invasive and epidural experiments to test hypothesis that strongest muscle response would occur when paired brain cord stimuli simultaneously converge For experiments, we measured arm hand evoked potentials (MEPs) in transcranial magnetic...