Mitochondrion, an organelle with two layers of membrane, is extremely vital to eukaryotic cell. Its major functions are energy center and apoptosis censor inside cell. The intactness of mitochondrial membrane is important to maintain its structure and function. Mitophagy is one kind of autophagy. In recent years, studies of mitochondria have shown that mitophagy is regulated by various factors and is an important regulation mechanism for organisms to maintain their normal state. In addition, abnormal mitophagy is closely related to several neurodegenerative diseases and tumor. However, the related signal pathway and its regulation mechanism still remain unclear. As a result, summarizing the progress of mitophagy and its related pathogenic mechanism not only helps to reveal the complicated molecular mechanism, but also helps to find a new target to treat the related diseases.

Ying Song

Wei Ding

Yan Xiao

Kong-jun Lu

The Progress of Mitophagy and Related Pathogenic Mechanisms of the Neurodegenerative Diseases and Tumor

Fingolimod is a multiple sclerosis treatment licensed in Europe since 2011. Its efficacy has been demonstrated in three large phase III trials, used in the regulatory submissions throughout the world. As usual, in these trials the inclusion and exclusion criteria were designed to obtain a homogeneous population, with interchangeable characteristics in the different treatment arms. Although this is the best strategy to achieve a robust answer to the investigation question, it does not guaranty the treatment efficacy in the clinical practice, since in the real world there are concomitant treatments, comorbidities, adherence, and persistence challenges. But, to make informed treatment decision for a real life patient, we need to have evidence of the treatment efficacy, what has been called treatment effectiveness. This work aims to review fingolimod effectiveness, using, as source of information, abstracts, posters, and manuscripts. This unorthodox strategy was developed because more than half of the published experience with fingolimod is still on abstracts and posters. Only a small part of the studies reviewed are already published in peer reviewed journals. Fingolimod seems to be, at least, as effective and safe as it was on clinical trials, and with its long-term experience no new safety signals were observed.

Joaquim Fonseca

Fingolimod Real World Experience: Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Practice

A stiff-knee gait pattern is frequently associated with several impairments including quadriceps spasticity in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). The relationship of clinical measures of quadriceps spasticity and the stiff-knee gait pattern in children diagnosed with CP has not been well established. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the ability of clinical measures of quadriceps spasticity (modified Ashworth scale [MAS], Ely tests, and pendulum test) to categorize a stiff-knee gait pattern in children with CP. Children were categorized as having a stiff-knee gait pattern based on kinematic and EMG gait data. Results of a logistic regression model revealed that the only significant measure was A1 of the pendulum test. Discriminant analysis functions were used to predict group membership (stiff-knee, not stiff-knee gait pattern) for each measure. The A1 of the pendulum test demonstrated the highest classification accuracy and the highest sensitivity compared to the other measures. Therefore, a negative pendulum test (indicated by an A1 value of 45 degrees or more) is more useful for ruling out a stiff-knee gait pattern compared to the other clinical measures.

Hank White

Tim L. Uhl

Sam Augsburger

Do Three Different Passive Assessments of Quadriceps Spasticity Relate to the Functional Activity of Walking for Children Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy?

<i>Introduction</i>. Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP) scan is a noninvasive promissory technique for neurodegenerative pathologies diagnosis.  In this work new CMAP scan protocols were implemented to study the influence of electrical pulse waveform on peripheral nerve excitability. <i>Methods</i>. A total of 13 healthy subjects were tested. Stimulation was performed with an increasing intensities range from 4 to 30&#x2009;mA. The procedure was repeated 4 times per subject, using a different single pulse stimulation waveform: monophasic square and triangular and quadratic and biphasic square. <i>Results</i>. Different waveforms elicit different intensity-response amplitude curves. The square pulse needs less current to generate the same response amplitude regarding the other waves and this effect is gradually decreasing for the triangular, quadratic, and biphasic pulse, respectively. <i>Conclusion</i>. The stimulation waveform has a direct influence on the stimulus-response slope and consequently on the motoneurons excitability. This can be a new prognostic parameter for neurodegenerative disorders.

Tiago Ara&#xfa;jo

Rui Candeias

Neuza Nunes

Hugo Gamboa

Evaluation of Motor Neuron Excitability by CMAP Scanning with Electric Modulated Current

<i>Background</i>. Parkinson&#x2019;s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive disorder. Rates of change in motor symptoms have been more studied compared to nonmotor symptoms. The objective was to describe these changes in a real-life cohort of subjects with PD.<i> Methods</i>. A cohort study was carried out from 2011 to 2013. Consecutive patients with PD were recruited from a movement disorders clinic. MDS-UPDRS, PDQ-8, and NMSS were applied to all subjects at an initial evaluation and a subsequent visit (<svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-0.3499298pt" id="M1" height="8.69875pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 32.3604 8.69875" width="32.3604pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-51" d="M412 140C382 77 369 73 315 73H129L270 222C362 320 402 379 402 466C402 571 322 635 234 635C177 635 130 609 99 576L42 495L64 475C90 514 133 568 201 568C274 568 318 519 318 435C318 349 255 267 193 193C144 135 87 78 32 23V0H405C417 45 427 89 440 131L412 140Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.24,0)"><path id="g113-50" d="M384 0V27C293 34 287 42 287 114V635C232 613 172 594 109 583V559L157 557C201 555 205 550 205 499V114C205 42 199 34 109 27V0H384Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,15.386,0)"><path id="g117-37" d="M535 290V340H323V533H265V340H52V290H265V84H323V290H535ZM535 -22V28H52V-22H535Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,25.922,0)"><path id="g113-52" d="M285 378C315 398 338 416 353 432C373 451 384 474 384 503C384 579 325 635 236 635H235C182 635 136 610 108 579L65 516L85 496C110 533 150 575 205 575C258 575 300 543 300 481C300 407 232 369 141 339L147 310C163 315 188 321 211 321C268 321 338 284 338 192C338 94 288 40 217 40C160 40 119 68 93 91C85 98 77 97 69 91C60 84 47 71 46 58C44 46 48 35 62 22C75 10 116 -12 162 -12C234 -12 424 62 424 224C424 297 373 359 285 376V378Z"/></g></svg> months). Disease severity was categorized using a recent classification of MDS-UPDRS severity.<i> Results</i>. The MDS-UPDRS Part III showed a significant decrease of <svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-0.3499298pt" id="M2" height="8.69875pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 50.8374 8.69875" width="50.8374pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-56" d="M447 623H65C61 580 56 530 47 475H76C100 541 106 550 172 550H388C308 376 196 170 91 -1L98 -12L172 -2C268 204 360 408 455 611L447 623Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.242,0)"><path id="g113-47" d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,9.206,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-51"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,18.352,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-37"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.888,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-51"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,35.128,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.092,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-52"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,44.332,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g></svg> points (<svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" id="M3" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 50.7895 11.7782" width="50.7895pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-113" d="M570 304C570 398 525 448 414 448C385 448 343 445 312 434L329 511L321 518C297 504 262 482 244 460L233 411C195 397 159 381 128 358L135 332C160 347 189 360 224 373L111 -147C97 -210 84 -218 17 -231L13 -257L254 -247L259 -218L233 -216C183 -212 177 -202 189 -142L218 -1C238 -10 266 -12 283 -12C351 3 429 48 483 105C543 168 570 242 570 304ZM482 289C482 161 380 33 304 33C278 33 248 51 233 69L303 396C326 400 352 403 369 403C428 403 482 380 482 289Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.342,0)"><path id="g117-34" d="M535 323V373H52V323H535ZM535 138V188H52V138H535Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.605,0)"><path id="g113-49" d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.845,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.809,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.049,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,44.289,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g></svg>) between evaluations. A mean increase of <svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-0.3499298pt" id="M4" height="8.69875pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 44.574 8.69875" width="44.574pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.24,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,9.204,0)"><path id="g113-58" d="M244 635C114 635 38 519 38 422C38 317 111 240 217 240C236 240 255 244 277 256L345 292C311 140 203 39 59 15L64 -15C89 -15 150 -5 204 17C339 72 440 202 440 386C440 521 368 635 244 635ZM228 602C326 602 352 479 352 390C352 370 351 347 348 324C327 308 293 296 258 296C174 296 124 369 124 458C124 517 152 602 228 602Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,18.351,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-37"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.887,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,35.127,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.091,0)"><path id="g113-55" d="M137 343C167 482 260 545 321 574C357 591 397 603 429 609L423 641C382 634 335 622 295 608C189 570 37 457 37 238C37 84 125 -12 242 -12C362 -12 447 89 447 209C447 311 374 393 267 393C247 393 226 386 204 376L137 343ZM227 337C318 337 361 256 361 173C361 105 336 22 258 22C176 22 126 120 126 240C126 266 127 291 132 310C155 323 189 337 227 337Z"/></g></svg> points (<svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" id="M5" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 50.7895 11.7782" width="50.7895pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-113"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.342,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-34"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.605,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.845,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.809,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.049,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,44.289,0)"><path id="g113-54" d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"/></g></svg>) in the MDS-UPDRS Part IV was observed. An increase of <svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-0.3499298pt" id="M6" height="8.69875pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 57.1008 8.69875" width="57.1008pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,6.24,0)"><path id="g113-53" d="M456 178V225H360V632H320C217 496 115 347 20 206V178H280V106C280 40 276 34 189 27V0H445V27C364 34 360 39 360 106V178H456ZM280 225H82C149 335 214 431 278 520H280V225Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,12.48,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,15.444,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-52"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,24.59,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-37"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,35.126,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,41.366,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-50"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,47.606,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,50.57,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-53"/></g></svg> points (<svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" id="M7" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 50.7895 11.7782" width="50.7895pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-113"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.342,0)"><use xlink:href="#g117-34"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.605,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.845,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-47"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.809,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.049,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-53"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,44.289,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-52"/></g></svg>) in the NMSS total score was found; when assessed individually, the difference was statistically significant only for the perceptual problems/hallucinations item. Quality of life remained unchanged.<i> Conclusion</i>. Motor improvement was observed accompanied by an increase in motor complications possibly as a result of treatment optimization. Nonmotor symptoms worsened as a whole. The overall effect in the quality of life was negligible.

Adib Jorge de Sar&#xe1;chaga

Amin Cervantes-Arriaga

Rodrigo Llorens-Arenas

Humberto Calder&#xf3;n-Fajardo

Mayela Rodr&#xed;guez-Violante

Change in Motor and Nonmotor Symptoms Severity in a &#x201c;Real-Life&#x201d; Cohort of Subjects with Parkinson&#x2019;s Disease

We have previously shown that 21-day chronic restraint stress impacts instrumental learning, but overall few studies have examined sex differences on the impact of stress on learning. We further examined sex differences in response to extended 42-day chronic stress on instrumental learning, as well as recovery from chronic stress. Rats were tested in aversive training tasks with or without prior appetitive experience, and daily body weight data was collected as an index of stress. Relative to control animals, reduced body weight was maintained from day 22 through day 42 across the stress period for males, but not for females. Stressed males had increased response speed and lower learning efficiency during appetitive acquisition and aversive learning. Males overall showed slower escape shaping times and more shock exposure. In contrast, stressed females showed slower appetitive response speeds and higher appetitive and aversive efficiency but overall reduced avoidance rates during acquisition and maintenance for transfer animals and during maintenance for aversive-only animals. These tasks reveal important nuances on the effect of stress on goal-directed behavior and further highlight sexually divergent effects on appetitive versus aversive motivation. Furthermore, these data underscore that systems are temporally impacted by chronic stress in a sexually divergent pattern.

Angela L. McDowell

Kathryn M. H. Fransen

Kevin S. Elliott

Alhasan Elghouche

Polina V. Kostylev

Pamela K. O&#x2019;Dea

Preston E. Garraghty

Sex Differences and the Impact of Chronic Stress and Recovery on Instrumental Learning

<i>Summary</i>. With increasing use of motorcycle as means of transport in developing countries, traumatic brain injuries from motorcycle crashes have been increasing. The only single gadget that protects riders from traumatic brain injury is crash helmet. <i>Objective</i>. The objectives were to determine the treatment outcome among traumatic brain injury patients from motorcycle crashes and the rate of helmet use among them. <i>Methods</i>. It was a prospective, cross-sectional study of motorcycle-related traumatic brain injury patients managed in our center from 2010 to 2014. Patients were managed using our unit protocol for traumatic brain injuries. Data for the study were collected in accident and emergency, intensive care unit, wards, and outpatient clinic. The data were analyzed using Environmental Performance Index (EPI) info 7 software. <i>Results</i>. Ninety-six patients were studied. There were 87 males. Drivers were 65. Only one patient wore helmet. Majority of them were between 20 and 40 years. Fifty-three patients had mild head injuries. Favorable outcome among them was 84.35&#x25; while mortality was 12.5&#x25;. Severity of the injury affected the outcome significantly. <i>Conclusion</i>. Our study showed that the helmet use by motorcycle riders was close to zero despite the existing laws making its use compulsory in Nigeria. The outcome was related to severity of injuries.

Mathias Ogbonna Nnanna Nnadi

Olufemi Babatola Bankole

Beleudanyo Gbalipre Fente

Motorcycle-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries: Helmet Use and Treatment Outcome

During the perinatal period, male mice are exposed to higher levels of testosterone (T) than females, which promotes sexual dimorphism in their brain structures and behaviors. In addition to acting via estrogen receptors after being locally converted into estradiol by aromatase, T also acts directly through androgen receptor (AR) in the brain. Therefore, we hypothesized that AR expression in the developing mouse cortex and hippocampus was sexually dimorphic. To test our hypothesis, we measured and determined AR mRNA and protein levels in mouse cortex/hippocampus collected on the day of birth (PN0) and 7 (PN7), 14 (PN14), and 21 (PN21) days after birth. We demonstrated that, as age advanced, AR mRNA levels increased in the cortex/hippocampus of both sexes but showed no sex difference. Two AR proteins, the full-length (110&#x2009;kDa) and a smaller isoform (70&#x2009;kDa), were detected in the developing mouse cortex/hippocampus with an age-dependent increase in protein levels of both AR isoforms at PN21 and a transient masculine increase in expression of the full-length AR protein on PN7. Thus, we conclude that the postnatal age and sex differences in AR protein expression in combination with the sex differences in circulating T may cause sexual differentiation of the mouse cortex/hippocampus.

Houng-Wei Tsai

Saori Taniguchi

Jason Samoza

Aaron Ridder

Age- and Sex-Dependent Changes in Androgen Receptor Expression in the Developing Mouse Cortex and Hippocampus

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<p><em>Neuroscience Journal</em> publishes original research articles, review articles, and clinical studies in all areas of neuroscience.</p>


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Neuroscience Journal - Table of contents 2015

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Neuroscience Journal ceased publication in 2019 and is no longer accepting submissions.

description

Neuroscience Journal publishes original research articles, review articles, and clinical studies in all areas of neuroscience.

Neuroscience Journal