A postural reflex evoked by brief axial accelerations

Gaps in the recruitment of postural muscles to correct body sway may be a limiting factor in the rehabilitation of patients with stroke. The purpose of this study was to determine how the onset of a postural reflex compares to the conscious identification of body sway in patients with hemiplegia and in a comparison group of able-bodied subjects. All subjects stood on a movable force platform that was unexpectedly displaced backwards inducing a forward body sway. The excursion and velocity of the platform displacements were varied systematically and the frequency of activation of postural muscles was recorded. A hand held response key was used to measure the time required to react to the postural disturbance (RT). In addition, the onset time of a long-loop “stretch” reflex was measured in the gastrocnemius muscles bilaterally. Subjects with hemiplegia failed to recruit a reflex response in 53% of the trials, whereas able-bodied subjects had an absent response in only 3% of the trials. The upper extremity RT for subjects with hemiplegia was not significantly delayed compared to able-bodied subjects, and the onset of a stretch reflex response in the gastrocnemius muscles was not different between groups. In addition, there was no correlation between reflex onset and conscious reaction time for control or disabled groups. These results have implications for the practice of occupational therapy because lower extremity recruitment deficits may persist and require treatment even though the recognition of body sway and the onset of reflex muscle discharge (when recruited) was similar to that of able-bodied subjects.

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High Dilution of Dexamethasone in gestation and fetal development of mice

International Journal of High Dilution Research - ISSN 1982-6206 ◽

10.51910/ijhdr.v8i29.366 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (29) ◽

pp. 146-154

Author(s):

Leoni Villano Bonamin ◽

Camila Covolo Esposito ◽

Kátia Silva Martinho

Keyword(s):

Experimental Model ◽

Low Cost ◽

Organic Production ◽

Fetal Mortality ◽

Test Substance ◽

Lactation Period ◽

Postural Reflex ◽

Wide Range ◽

Eye Opening ◽

Veterinary Products

Background: Recently, the use of homeopathy in veterinary medicine has grown significantly, mainly for farm animal practice, because of its usefulness in organic production and low cost. There is a Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â wide range of veterinary products available in the Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â marketoften used in females. However, the effect of these products in the litter and derived products for human consummation is completely unknown. Aims: this Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â study sought to Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â develop an experimental model to study the putative effects of high diluted substances in newborns after chronic exposure of females. Methods: based on previous studies, the chosen test substance was dexamethasone 15cH; adult female Balb/c mice were divided into 4 groups: a) treated with PBS (control); b) treated with dexamethasone 15 cH; c) treated with dexamethasone 15cH + dexamethasone 4 mg/kg and d) treated with dexamethasone 4 mg/kg. All medicines were administered subcutaneously, 3 times a week, in females from the first day of pregnancy up to the 20th day after parturition (end of lactation period). TDevelopment of the offspring was evaluated daily Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â for 15 days after birth. Parameters evaluated were: female and offspring viability, number of newborns, time for eye opening, pinna opening, fur growth and postural reflex. Results: the group treated with dexamethasone 15cH Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â showed 39% increase in mortality rate 39 days after the beginning of treatment and 35% increase in fetal mortality at the end of gestation (p=0.0049). Females treated with dexamethasone 4mg/kg + dexamethasone 15cH showed 100% of fetal mortality. After parturition newborn survival in animals exposed to dexamethasone 4 mg/kg was higher than the control (p=0.0002). All other parameters of neonatal development were unchanged among groups. Conclusions: these data point to adverse effect when using high diluted dexamethasone during gestation detectable by this experimental model in Balb/c mice.

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Rotigotine patches (Neupro) in early Parkinson’s disease

Farmeconomia Health economics and therapeutic pathways ◽

10.7175/fe.v9i2.223 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 115-119

Author(s):

Viola Sacchi

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽

Term Treatment ◽

Symptomatic Therapy ◽

Movement Initiation ◽

Motor Disability ◽

Postural Reflex ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

Long Term Treatment

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder secondary to the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (a portion of the midbrain responsible for movement initiation and coordination) and appearance of bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity and postural reflex impairment. The most common symptomatic therapy is levodopa, a dopamine precursor; however, long-term treatment leads to involuntary movements and response fluctuations which add to the complexities of later disease-management. Monotherapy with dopamine agonists may represent an alternative approach with a reduced likelihood of motor complications; these drugs, initially introduced as adjunctive therapy to levodopa, are less effective in controlling motor disability and tend to cause more sideeffects than levodopa itself.

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Abnormal Postural Reflex Activity and Voice Usage Deviations in Cerebral Palsy

Physical Therapy ◽

10.1093/ptj/56.12.1358 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 56 (12) ◽

pp. 1358-1360 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Patricia D. Keesee

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Reflex Activity ◽

Postural Reflex

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Transneuronal Degeneration of Thalamic Nuclei following Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rats

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2016/3819052 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shu-Jen Chang ◽

Juin-Hong Cherng ◽

Ding-Han Wang ◽

Shu-Ping Yu ◽

Nien-Hsien Liou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle Cerebral Artery ◽

Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion ◽

Cerebral Artery ◽

Rat Model ◽

Artery Occlusion ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Thalamic Nuclei ◽

Transneuronal Degeneration ◽

Postural Reflex ◽

Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Objective.Postinfarction transneuronal degeneration refers to secondary neuronal death that occurs within a few days to weeks following the disruption of input or output to synapsed neurons sustaining ischemic insults. The thalamus receives its blood supply from the posterior circulation; however, infarctions of the middle cerebral arterial may cause secondary transneuronal degeneration in the thalamus. In this study, we presented the areas of ischemia and associated transneuronal degeneration following MCAo in a rat model.Materials and Methods.Eighteen 12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery for 1, 7, and 14 days. Cerebral atrophy was assessed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium hydrochloride staining. Postural reflex and open field tests were performed prior to animal sacrifice to assess the effects of occlusion on behavior.Results.Myelin loss was observed at the lesion site following ischemia. Gliosis was also observed in thalamic regions 14 days following occlusion. Differential degrees of increased vascular endothelial growth factor expression were observed at each stage of infarction. Increases in myelin basic protein levels were also observed in the 14-day group.Conclusion.The present rat model of ischemia provides evidence of transneuronal degeneration within the first 14 days of occlusion. The observed changes in protein expression may be associated with self-repair mechanisms in the damaged brain.

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