From Development to Degeneration and Regeneration of the Nervous System

This book describes current information about the three areas mentioned in the title: neuronal migration and development, degenerative brain diseases, and neural plasticity and regeneration. The chapters in the first section of the book examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons are generated from the ventricular zone in the forebrain and migrate to their destinations in the cerebral cortex. This description of cortical development also includes discussions of the Cajal-Retzius cell. Another chapter provides insight about the development of another forebrain region, the hypothalamus. The remaining chapters of the first section examine the clinical relevance of brain development in certain disease states in humans. The second section begins with details about the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia niger and their loss in Parkinson's disease. Two subsequent chapters describe changes in brain aging, including changes in the numbers of myelinated axons. Other chapters in this section describe important cellular and molecular changes found in Alzheimer's disease and human epilepsy. The last section begins with a chapter on how the brain's own stem cells provide newly generated neurons to the hippocampal dentate gyrus and how these neurons become integrated into neural circuitry. Then two chapters examine some of the neuroplastic changes that take place in motor and sensory cortices of awake behaving primates. The concluding two chapters address the issue of regeneration in the injured spinal cord and the factors that may contribute to its success

Suture Materials, 1980s: Properties, Uses, and Abuses

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66057/1/j.1365-4362.1982.tb03154.x.pd

Focal brain trauma in the cryogenic lesion model in mice

The method to induce unilateral cryogenic lesions was first described in 1958 by Klatzo. We describe here an adaptation of this model that allows reliable measurement of lesion volume and vasogenic edema by 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride-staining and Evans blue extravasation in mice. A copper or aluminium cylinder with a tip diameter of 2.5 mm is cooled with liquid nitrogen and placed on the exposed skull bone over the parietal cortex (coordinates from bregma: 1.5 mm posterior, 1.5 mm lateral). The tip diameter and the contact time between the tip and the parietal skull determine the extent of cryolesion. Due to an early damage of the blood brain barrier, the cryogenic cortical injury is characterized by vasogenic edema, marked brain swelling, and inflammation. The lesion grows during the first 24 hours, a process involving complex interactions between endothelial cells, immune cells, cerebral blood flow, and the intracranial pressure. These contribute substantially to the damage from the initial injury. The major advantage of the cryogenic lesion model is the circumscribed and highly reproducible lesion size and location

Low-frequency cortical activity is a neuromodulatory target that tracks recovery after stroke.

Recent work has highlighted the importance of transient low-frequency oscillatory (LFO; <4 Hz) activity in the healthy primary motor cortex during skilled upper-limb tasks. These brief bouts of oscillatory activity may establish the timing or sequencing of motor actions. Here, we show that LFOs track motor recovery post-stroke and can be a physiological target for neuromodulation. In rodents, we found that reach-related LFOs, as measured in both the local field potential and the related spiking activity, were diminished after stroke and that spontaneous recovery was closely correlated with their restoration in the perilesional cortex. Sensorimotor LFOs were also diminished in a human subject with chronic disability after stroke in contrast to two non-stroke subjects who demonstrated robust LFOs. Therapeutic delivery of electrical stimulation time-locked to the expected onset of LFOs was found to significantly improve skilled reaching in stroke animals. Together, our results suggest that restoration or modulation of cortical oscillatory dynamics is important for the recovery of upper-limb function and that they may serve as a novel target for clinical neuromodulation

Psychologists’ dilemmas in career counselling practice

In this study, we explored main dilemmas psychologists face in career counselling in two main professional settings: employment and education. Participants included 24 experienced Portuguese psychologists, working in employment (n = 14) and educational (n = 10) settings. We used consensual qualitative research to conduct and analyse semi-structured interviews. Results revealed dilemmas’ in five domains: neutrality, assessment, dual loyalty, role boundaries, and confidentiality, with the typical dilemma in the domain of neutrality. Differences between groups were found in the domains of dual loyalty and role boundaries.Dans cette étude, nous avons exploré les principaux dilemmes rencontrés par les psychologues dans le conseil en orientation dans deux milieux professionnels centraux: le placement et l’éducation. Parmi les participants figuraient 24 psychologues portugais expérimentés travaillant dans des contextes de placement (n = 14) et d’éducation (n = 10). Nous avons utilisé la recherche qualitative consensuelle pour mener et analyser les entretiens semi-structurés. Les re´sultats ont révé lé des dilemmes dans cinq domaines: la neutralité, l’évaluation, la double loyauté, les limites du rôle, et la confidentialité, avec le dilemme typique dans le domaine de la neutralité. Les différences entre les groupes ont été identifiees dans les domaines de la double loyauté et les limites du rôle.In dieser Studie untersuchten wir die hauptsä chlichen Dilemmata, mit denen Psychologen in der Berufsberatung in zwei wesentlichen professionellen Einrichtungen konfrontiert sind: Beruf und Bildung. Zu den Teilnehmern geho ¨rten 24 erfahrene portugiesische Psychologen, die in Einrichtungen von Beruf (n = 14) und Bildung (n = 10) arbeiteten. Wir verwendeten einvernehmliche qualitative Forschung um semi-strukturierte Interviews durchzufu¨hren und zu analysieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigten Dilemmata in fünf Bereichen: Neutralität, Beurteilung, doppelte Loyalität, Rollengrenzen und Vertraulichkeit, mit dem typischen Dilemma in der Domäne der Neutralität. Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen wurden in den Bereichen der doppelten Loyalität und Rollengrenzen gefunden

Management of giant pseudomeningoceles after spinal surgery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pseudomeningoceles are a rare complication after spinal surgery, and studies on these complex formations are few.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between October 2000 and March 2008, 11 patients who developed symptomatic pseudomeningoceles after spinal surgery were recruited. In this retrospective study, we reported our experiences in the management of these complex, symptomatic pseudomeningoceles after spinal surgery. A giant pseudomeningocele was defined as a pseudomeningocele >8 cm in length. We also evaluated the risk factors for the formation of giant pseudomeningoceles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All patients were treated successfully with a combined treatment protocol of open revision surgery for extirpation of the pseudomeningoceles, repair of dural tears, and implantation of a subarachnoid catheter for drainage. Surgery-related complications were not observed. Recurrence of pseudomeningocele was not observed for any patient at a mean follow-up of 16.5 months. This result was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that a combined treatment protocol involving open revision surgery for extirpation of pseudomeningoceles, repair of dural tears, and implantation of a subarachnoid catheter for drainage is safe and effective to treat giant pseudomeningoceles.</p