Cerebellar-dependent delay eyeblink conditioning in adolescents with Specific Language Impairment

Cerebellar impairments have been hypothesized as part of the pathogenesis of Specific Language Impairment (SLI), although direct evidence of cerebellar involvement is sparse. Eyeblink Conditioning (EBC) is a learning task with well documented cerebellar pathways. This is the first study of EBC in affected adolescents and controls. 16 adolescent controls, 15 adolescents with SLI, and 12 adult controls participated in a delay EBC task. Affected children had low general language performance, grammatical deficits but no speech impairments. The affected group did not differ from the control adolescent or control adult group, showing intact cerebellar functioning on the EBC task. This study did not support cerebellar impairment at the level of basic learning pathways as part of the pathogenesis of SLI. Outcomes do not rule out cerebellar influences on speech impairment, or possible other forms of cerebellar functioning as contributing to SLI

Preparation of a Macroporous Biodegradable Polylactide Implant for Neuronal Transplantation

peer reviewedThis article reports the production of a surgical implant meeting several specific requirements such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, macroporosity, and flexibility. Porosity was controlled by an original method consisting of the aggregation of calibrated poly-D,L-lactide microparticles. The size of the interstices between the aggregated microspheres was in a direct relationship to the microsphere diameter. A first approach was based on coating the microspheres with poly(vinyl alcohol) followed by chemically crosslinking the coating layers that were in mutual contact. This method was disregarded because of the acute cytotoxicity of glutaraldehyde used as the crosslinking agent, the absence of macroporosity, and the complete lack of flexibility. A physical technique of aggregation was then tested, which relied on the plasticization of poly-D,L-lactide microspheres with triethylcitrate to the point where microspheres strongly adhered to each other when they were in contact. This method has proved to be straightforward and definitely superior to the chemical approach, particularly with respect to cytotoxicity, control of macroporosity, and flexibility. A polymer support was thus successfully which was biodegradable, macroporous( interconnected pores of 10-100 microns in diameter), and flexible. This potential medical device is presently being used for neuronal transplantation in the central nervous system