ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of the combination of collagen scaffold and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the repair of transected spinal cord injury in rats.MethodsThirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: group A (sham operation group), T9, T10 segments of the spinal cord was only exposed; group B, 4-mm T9, T10 segments of the spinal cord were resected; group C, 4-mm T9, T10 segments of the spinal cord were resected and linear ordered collagen scaffolds (LOCS) with corresponding length was transplanted into lesion site; group D, 4-mm T9, T10 segments of the spinal cord were resected and LOCS with collagen binding domain (CBD)-BDNF was transplanted into lesion site. During 3 months after operation, Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor score assessment was performed for each rat once a week. At 3 months after operation, electrophysiological test of motor evoked potential (MEP) was performed for rats in each group. Subsequently, retrograde tracing was performed for each rat by injection of fluorogold (FG) at the L2 spinal cord below the injury level. One week later, brains and spinal cord tissues of rats were collected. Morphological observation was performed to spinal cord tissues after dehydration. The thoracic spinal cords including lesion area were collected and sliced horizontally. Thoracic spinal cords 1 cm above lesion area and lumbar spinal cords 1 cm below lesion area were collected and sliced coronally. Coronal spinal cord tissue sections were observed by the laser confocal scanning microscope and calculated the integral absorbance (IA) value of FG-positive cells. Horizontal tissue sections of thoracic spinal cord underwent immunofluorescence staining to observe the building of transected spinal cord injury model, axonal regeneration in damaged area, and synapse formation of regenerated axons.ResultsDuring 3 months after operation, the BBB scores of groups B, C, and D were significantly lower than those of group A (P<0.05). The BBB scores of group D at 2-12 weeks after operation were significantly higher than those of groups B and C (P<0.05). Electrophysiological tests revealed that there was no MEP in group B; the latencies of MEP in groups C and D were significantly longer than that in group A (P<0.05), and in group C than in group D (P<0.05). Morphological observation of spinal cord tissues showed that the injured area of the spinal cord in group B extended to both two ends, and the lesion site was severely damaged. The morphologies of spinal cord tissues in groups C and D recovered well, and the morphology in group D was closer to normal tissue. Results of retrograde tracing showed that the gray matters of lumbar spinal cords below the lesion area in each group were filled with FG-positive cells; in thoracic spinal cords above lesion sites, theIA value of FG-positive cells in coronal section of spinal cord in group A was significantly larger than those in groups B, C, and D (P<0.05), and in groups C and D than in group B (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found between groups C and D (P>0.05). Immunofluorescence staining results of spinal cord tissue sections selected from dorsal to ventral spinal cord showed transected injured areas of spinal cords which were significantly different from normal tissues. The numbers of NF-positive axons in lesion center of group A were significantly larger than those of groups B, C, and D (P<0.05), and in groups C and D than in group B (P<0.05), and in group D than in group C (P<0.05).ConclusionThe combined therapeutic approach containing LOCS and CBD-BDNF can promote axonal regeneration and recovery of hind limb motor function after transected spinal cord injury in rats.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the differences of visual evoked potentials (amplitudes and latency) between cerebral palsy (CP) children and normal children. MethodsThis study involved fourteen children aged from 4 to 7 years with CP (monoplegia) between 2009 and 2013. Another 14 normal children aged from 5 to 9 years treated in the Department of Ophthalmology in West China Hospital during the same period were regarded as the control group. Both eyes of all the participants were examined by multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP). The mfVEP examination results were recorded, and amplitude and latency were analyzed. First, we analyzed the differences of amplitudes and latency time between monoplegia children and children in the control group. Second, gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) was used to classify the fourteen monoplegia children among whom there were five GMFCS Ⅰ patients and nine GMFCS Ⅱ patients. The differences of mfVEP were analyzed between the two GMFCS groups. ResultsThe amplitude and latency of mfVEP in children with CP showed gradual changes similar to those in the normal children. The amplitudes were decreasing and the latencies were delaying from the first eccentricity to the sixth eccentricity. The amplitudes in children with CP were lower than those in the control group in the first to the third eccentricities for both eyes (P＜0.05), and latency of left eye was delayed in the first eccentricity in children with CP (P=0.045). No difference was found between the two GMFCS groups (P>0.05) except the amplitude of the first eccentricity (P=0.043). ConclusionsThe results of mfVEP show significant differences of amplitude and latency between CP and normal children, suggesting the existence of visual pathway impairments in cerebral palsy children. The results of mfVEP can provide an objective basis of visual impairments for cerebral palsy children.
Objective To explore whether the effect of cloud rehabilitation system on motor dysfunction and activities of daily living (ADL) of stroke patients is not inferior to hemiplegia manual treatment. Methods This study adopted a multicenter randomized controlled trial design. A total of 118 stroke patients were enrolled from 5 hospitals in China between April 2018 and April 2019, and they were randomly divided into a trial group and a control group, with 59 patients in each group. The trial group adopted hemiplegia manual treatment (≥30 min per time, once a day) and cloud rehabilitation training (30 min per time, once a day), and the control group adopted hemiplegia manual treatment alone (≥30 min per time, twice a day). All patients received continuous treatment for 2 weeks, and followed up for 2 weeks after that. The Brunnstrom stage (BRS), IK exercise stage, and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) were used to evaluate the motor function and ADL before and 4 weeks after treatment. Results There was no significant difference in gender, age, course, hemiplegia side, source (inpatient/outpatient) or hospital grade between the two groups (P>0.05), which were comparable. Compared with those before treatment, there were significant improvements in the BRS (upper and lower extremities), IK exercise stages (upper and lower extremities), and MBI scores in both groups 4 weeks after treatment (P<0.05). The four-week improvements in motor function indicators (BRS and IK) of the trial group were not inferior to those of the control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in MBI score between the two groups 4 weeks after treatment (F=1.498, P>0.05). Conclusion The cloud rehabilitation system is not inferior to hemiplegia manual treatment in improving the limb motor function or ADL of patients .
Objective To investigate the effects of highly selective vagotomy plus mucosal antrectomy (HSVMA) and highly selective vagotomy (HSV) alone on the functions of the gastric antrum. MethodsEighteen dogs and 48 patients with chronic duodenal ulcer were tested. The time of gastric emptying, antral myoelectric activity, antral pressure were measured 4-6 months after operation in 18 dogs which were randomized into the control, HSV and HSVMA groups. The gastric evacuation, frequency and amplitude of electrogastrography (EGG) were observed 4-6 months after operation in 48 patients who were randomly divided into HSV (20 patients) and HSVMA (28 patients) group, their preoperative values were considered as control group. ResultsIt was found by barium meal examinations that the shape of the stomach and duodenum was normal and gastric peristalsis was clearly visible in all the animals and patients of two postoperative groups. The beginning and ending time of gastric emptying were (5.0±0.06) min and (4.0±0.4) h respectively in the dogs of HSVMA group, which were similar to those of the dogs of control and HSV group (Pgt;0.05). The frequency of the antral myoelectric action potential was (3.11±0.65 ) cycles/min in the dogs of HSVMA group, the frequency of EGG was (3.25±0.75) cycles/min in the patients of HSVMA group, which were significantly lower than that of the dogs or patients of control and HSV group (P＜0.05). Injection of pentagastrin in dogs or taking meal in patients significantly increased the antral pressure or amplitude of EGG. Conclusion The motor function of the reconstructed antrum in the HSVMA group approaches the normal level despite a lower antral myoelectric frequency. It is believed that HSVMA will be a choice for the treatment of duodenal ulcer.
Objective To evaluate whether respiratory training can improve motor function, exercise endurance, and activity of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. Methods The randomized controlled trials of the effects of respiratory training on motor function, exercise endurance, and ADL in stroke patients were searched in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP Database. The search date was from the establishment of each database to December 2018. The control group received routine rehabilitation, medical treatment or other interventions, and the trial group added respiratory training on that basis. Outcome measures included the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and the modified Barthel Index (BI). The literature was independently screened by two investigators according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the quality of the included articles was evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and Cochrane Library systematic review criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 11 articles with 741 stroke patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that in the trial group the exercise endurance [mean difference (MD)=41.50 m, 95% confidence interval (CI) (7.63, 75.37) m, P=0.02], ADL [MD=9.97, 95%CI (3.99, 15.96), P=0.001], and motor function [MD=8.00, 95%CI (1.29, 14.70), P=0.02] were improved compared with those in the control group. Subgroup analysis showed that after 8-10 weeks of intervention, BI of the trial group was higher than that of the control group [MD=25.37, 95%CI (16.49, 34.25), P<0.000 01]; after 8 weeks and 12 weeks to 3 months of intervention, FMA of the trial group was higher than that of the control group [ after 8 weeks: MD=20.40, 95%CI (9.72, 31.08), P=0.000 2; after 12 weeks to 3 months: MD=6.18, 95%CI (3.57, 8.79), P<0.000 01]. Conclusions The results of this study showed that respiratory training can improve exercise tolerance, ADL, and motor function in stroke patients. In consideration of the limited number of included articles as well as the heterogeneity among included articles in the current study, and the lack of long-term follow-up period, further studies could use more optimized respiratory training programs to conduct high-quality researches with bigger sample sizes.
Lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robots are used to improve or restore the walking and movement ability of people with lower limb movement disorders. However, the required functions for patients differ based on various diseases. For example, patients with weak muscle strength require power assistance, patients with spinal cord injuries require motion compensation, patients with gait abnormalities require gait correction, and patients with strokes require neural rehabilitation. To design a more targeted lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot for different diseases, this article summarised and compared existing lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robots according to their main functions and the characteristics and rehabilitation needs of various lower limb movement disorders. The correlations between the functions of existing devices and diseases were summarised to provide certain references for the development of new lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robots.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique that uses constant low-intensity direct current (1 to 2 mA) to regulate neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex. In recent years, tDCS has received more and more attention as a tool to explore human brain function and treat various neurological diseases. However, there is still a lack of systematic and comprehensive reviews in the tDCS treatment of post-stroke dysfunction. This article reviews the treatment of post-stroke dysfunction with tDCS, integrates relevant basic research and clinical research in recent years, summarizes and discusses the theoretical mechanism and application effect of tDCS in the treatment of post-stroke dysfunction, so as to provide a basis for further research.