Saccharomyces boulardii improves the behaviour and emotions of spastic cerebral palsy rats through the gut-brain axis pathway

Abstract Background Cerebral palsy (CP) is a kind of disability that influences motion, and children with CP also exhibit depression-like behaviour. Inflammation has been recognized as a contributor to CP and depression, and some studies suggest that the gut-brain axis may be a contributing factor. Our team observed that Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) could reduce the inflammatory level of rats with hyperbilirubinemia and improve abnormal behaviour. Both CP and depression are related to inflammation, and probiotics can improve depression by reducing inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesize that S. boulardii may improve the behaviour and emotions of spastic CP rats through the gut-brain axis pathway. Methods Our new rat model was produced by resecting the cortex and subcortical white matter. Seventeen-day-old CP rats were exposed to S. boulardii or vehicle control by gastric gavage for 9 days, and different behavioural domains and general conditions were tested. Inflammation was assessed by measuring the inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-α. Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity was assessed by measuring adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone in the serum. Changes in the gut microbiome were detected by 16S rRNA. Results The hemiplegic spastic CP rats we made with typical spastic paralysis exhibited depression-like behaviour. S. boulardii treatment of hemiplegic spastic CP rats improves behaviour and general conditions and significantly reduces the level of inflammation, decreases HPA axis activity, and increases gut microbiota diversity. Conclusions The model developed in this study mimics a hemiplegic spastic cerebral palsy. Damage to the cortex and subcortical white matter of 17-day-old Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats led to spastic CP-like behaviour, and the rats exhibited symptoms of depression-like behaviour. Our results indicate that S. boulardii might have potential in treating hemiplegic spastic CP rat models or as an add-on therapy via the gut-brain axis pathway.

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Effects of prolonged exendin-4 administration on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and water balance

AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1152/ajpendo.00529.2012 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 304 (10) ◽

pp. E1105-E1117 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Manuel Gil-Lozano ◽

Marina Romaní-Pérez ◽

Verónica Outeiriño-Iglesias ◽

Eva Vigo ◽

Patricia L. Brubaker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adrenal Gland ◽

Hpa Axis ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Acute Administration ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal ◽

Sprague Dawley Rats ◽

Glucagon Like Peptide 1 ◽

Hpa Axis Activity

Exendin-4 (Ex-4) is a natural agonist of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor, currently being used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus due to its insulinotropic properties. Previous studies have revealed that acute administration of both GLP-1 and, in particular, Ex-4 potently stimulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. In this work, the effects of prolonged Ex-4 exposure on HPA function were explored. To this end, Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a daily regimen of two Ex-4 injections (5 μg/kg sc) for a minimum of 7 days. We found that subchronic Ex-4 administration produced a number of effects that resemble chronic stress situations, including hyperactivation of the HPA axis during the trough hours, disruption of glucocorticoid circadian secretion, hypertrophy of the adrenal gland, decreased adrenal gland sensitivity, impaired pituitary-adrenal stress responses, and reductions in both food intake and body weight. In addition, a threefold increase in diuresis was observed followed by a 1.5-fold increase in water intake; these latter effects were abolished by adrenalectomy. Together, these findings indicate that Ex-4 induces a profound dysregulation of HPA axis activity that may also affect renal function.

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Neurovisualization features of brain anatomy in children with spastic cerebral palsy revealed by magnetic resonance tractography

Bulletin of Siberian Medicine ◽

10.20538/1682-0363-2021-3-54-61 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 54-61

Author(s):

E. A. Klyuev ◽

G. E. Sheiko ◽

M. G. Dunaev ◽

E. V. Lobanova ◽

M. V. Rasteryaeva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

White Matter ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Corpus Callosum ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Absolute Number ◽

Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽

White Matter Tract ◽

Motor Disturbance ◽

Apparent Diffusion

Aim. To perform quantitative evaluation of the degree of white matter tract abnormalities in children with spastic cerebral palsy by magnetic resonance tractography to determine severity of the disease, as well as to carry out a dynamic assessment of treatment effectiveness.Materials and methods. The study included 46 children (32 males, 14 females; average age 5.4 ± 1.1 years). The participants were divided into two groups. The experimental group consisted of 23 children with spastic cerebral palsy. The control group included 23 children without any neurological disorder. Examination of the brain was performed on the Siemens Essenza 1,5 Т system (Siemens, Germany) and included magnetic resonance tractography to reconstruct the major white matter tracts. The number of fibers, average fractional anisotropy value, apparent diffusion coefficient, and coefficient of myelination of major white matter tracts in the brain were calculated and analyzed.Results. We found a significant difference in the above-stated parameters between the groups. The experimental group showed a decrease in the absolute number of fibers at the central and posterior segments of the corpus callosum, corticospinal tracts, and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus. Besides, we detected a decrease in fractional anisotropy at 2–5 segments of the corpus callosum and right lateral corticospinal tract, an increase in the apparent diffusion coefficient at 2, 4, and 5 segments of the corpus callosum and left lateral corticospinal tract, and a decrease in the myelination coefficient in all the examined tracts, except for superior longitudinal fasciculus. We revealed a positive correlation between the intensity of the motor disturbance and the coefficient of myelination at the anterior corpus callosum and inferior longitudinal fasciculus.Conclusion. Magnetic resonance tractography is an informative technique for unbiased evaluation of white matter tract anatomy, as well the level and degree of motor tract damage. The most useful characteristics of white matter tract anatomy are the absolute number of fibers in the tract, fractional anisotropy, and coefficient of myelination. Some of them correlated with the intensity of motor disturbance, so they can be regarded as potential predictors of rehabilitation potential.

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MRI-Based White Matter Volumes and Motor Impairment in Preterm Infants with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1203/00006450-199904020-01271 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 45 (4, Part 2 of 2) ◽

pp. 214A-214A

Author(s):

Makoto Nabetani ◽

Keiko Koterazawa ◽

Hiroyoshi Miyata ◽

Satoshi Takada ◽

Yoshiyuki Uetani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

White Matter ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

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Orthopedic treatment of the lower limbs in spastic paralysis

Brain Science Advances ◽

10.26599/bsa.2020.9050001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 2-19

Author(s):

Xiaohong Mu ◽

Bowen Deng ◽

Jie Zeng ◽

Houjun Zhang ◽

Yi Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Orthopedic Surgery ◽

Muscle Tone ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽

Limb Deformity ◽

Spastic Paralysis ◽

Motor Disability ◽

Orthopedic Procedure ◽

Surgical Methods

Spastic paralysis of the limb mainly results from the central lesion, in which spastic cerebral palsy is the common cause. Due to durative muscle spasm in spastic cerebral palsy, it is often accompanied by the formation of secondary musculoskeletal deformities, resulting in limb motor disability. Based on its pathogenesis, surgical treatment is currently applied: selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR) or orthopedic surgery. The primary purpose of early orthopedic surgery was simply to correct limb deformities, which usually led to the recurrence of deformity as a result of the presence of spasticity. With the application of SPR, high muscle tone was successfully relieved, but limb deformity was still present postoperatively. Therefore, this study aimed to elaborate on the management of orthopedic surgery, common deformities of the lower limb, and orthopedic operative methods; discuss the relationship between SPR and orthopedic procedure for limb deformity; and focus on the indications, timing of intervention, and postoperative outcome of different surgical methods.

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