Motor Function Research Articles

The effect of moxibustion GV20 and EX-HN1 on cognitive function and lower limb motor function in PSCI: a randomized controlled trial.

The effect of moxibustion GV20 and EX-HN1 on cognitive function and lower limb motor function in PSCI: a randomized controlled trial.

Effect of Mirror Therapy on Upper Limb Function in Children and Adolescents with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review aimed to explore the effect of mirror therapy (MT) on upper limb function in children and adolescents with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP). MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Scopus, PEDro, and Web of Science were systematically searched. PEDro scale was used for the quality assessment of included trials. Risk of Bias assessment was done using Cochrane Risk-of-bias tool version 2. Meta-analysis was performed on four of the seven studies included. The majority of the trials included in this review found MT efficacious in improving motor function in HCP. Quantitative analysis of the included trials using QUEST scores for evaluation of quality of upper extremity function revealed positive but non-significant difference between the groups (MD = -0.12; 95% CI = -2.57,2.33; Z = 0.09, p = .92). Pooled analysis of the included trials using BBT, however, favored control (MD = 4.98; 95% CI = 2.32,7.63; Z = 3.67, p = .0002).

Early functional factors for predicting outcome of independence in daily living after stroke: a decision tree analysis.

This study aimed to investigate the predictive functional factors influencing the acquisition of basic activities of daily living performance abilities during the early stages of stroke rehabilitation using classification and regression analysis trees. The clinical data of 289 stroke patients who underwent rehabilitation during hospitalization (164 males; mean age: 62.2 ± 13.9 years) were retrospectively collected and analysed. The follow-up period between admission and discharge was approximately 6 weeks. Medical records, including demographic characteristics and various functional assessments with item scores, were extracted. The modified Barthel Index on discharge served as the target outcome for analysis. A "good outcome" was defined as a modified Barthel Index score ≥ 75 on discharge, while a modified Barthel Index score < 75 was classified as a "poor outcome." Two classification and regression analysis tree models were developed. The first model, predicting activities of daily living outcomes based on early motor functions, achieved an accuracy of 92.4%. Among patients with a "good outcome", 70.9% exhibited (i) ≥ 4 points in the "sitting-to-standing" category in the motor assessment scale and (ii) 32 points on the Berg Balance Scale score. The second model, predicting activities of daily living outcome based on early cognitive functions, achieved an accuracy of 82.7%. Within the "poor outcome" group, 52.2% had (i) ≤ 21 points in the "visuomotor organization" category of Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment, (ii) ≤ 1 point in the "time orientation" category of the Mini Mental State Examination. The ability to perform "sitting-to-standing" and visuomotor organization functions at the beginning of rehabilitation emerged as the most significant predictors for achieving successful basic activities of daily living on discharge after stroke.

Characterization of an Algorithm for Autonomous, Closed-Loop Neuromodulation During Motor Rehabilitation.

Recent evidence demonstrates that manually triggered vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) combined with rehabilitation leads to increased recovery of upper limb motor function after stroke. This approach is premised on studies demonstrating that the timing of stimulation relative to movements is a key determinant in the effectiveness of this approach. The overall goal of the study was to identify an algorithm that could be used to automatically trigger VNS on the best movements during rehabilitative exercises while maintaining a desired interval between stimulations to reduce the burden of manual stimulation triggering. To develop the algorithm, we analyzed movement data collected from patients with a history of neurological injury. We applied 3 different algorithms to the signal, analyzed their triggering choices, and then validated the best algorithm by comparing triggering choices to those selected by a therapist delivering VNS therapy. The dynamic algorithm triggered above the 95th percentile of maximum movement at a rate of 5.09 (interquartile range [IQR] = 0.74) triggers per minute. The periodic algorithm produces stimulation at set intervals but low movement selectivity (34.05%, IQR = 7.47), while the static threshold algorithm produces long interstimulus intervals (27.16 ± 2.01 seconds) with selectivity of 64.49% (IQR = 25.38). On average, the dynamic algorithm selects movements that are 54 ± 3% larger than therapist-selected movements. This study shows that a dynamic algorithm is an effective strategy to trigger VNS during the best movements at a reliable triggering rate.

Self-perceived upper extremity motor function predicts health-related quality of life in chronic stroke survivors.

To examine whether the Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) score independently contributes to the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) score and quantified its relative contribution to SIS scores in chronic stroke survivors. A cross-sectional study in a university-based rehabilitation centre with people with chronic stroke (N = 95) aged ≥ 50 years. The outcome measures included paretic hand grip strength, Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Assessment (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), UEFI, and SIS. Correlation analysis revealed that paretic hand grip strength, FMA-UE, UEFI, and WMFT scores exhibited a significant moderate positive correlation with SIS scores (r = 0.544-0.687, p < 0.001). The results of a regression model indicated that after adjustment for demographic factors and stroke-related impairments, the UEFI scores remained independently associated with SIS scores, accounting for 18.8% of the variance. The entire model explained 60.3% of the variance in SIS scores. Self-perceived UE motor function is a crucial component to be included in rehabilitation programmes aimed at enhancing quality of life and participation among chronic stroke survivors.

Motor function in multiple sclerosis assessed by navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation mapping.

Impaired motor function is a major cause of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), involving various neuroplasticity processes typically assessed by neuroimaging. This study aimed to determine whether navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) could also provide biomarkers of motor cortex plasticity in patients with MS (pwMS). nTMS motor mapping was performed for hand and leg muscles bilaterally. nTMS variables included the amplitude and latency of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), corticospinal excitability measures, and the size of cortical motor maps (CMMs). Clinical assessment included disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS), strength (MRC scale, pinch and grip), and dexterity (9-hole Pegboard Test). nTMS motor mapping was performed in 68 pwMS. PwMS with high disability (EDSS ≥ 3) had enlarged CMMs with less dense distribution of MEPs and various MEP parameter changes compared to pwMS with low disability (EDSS < 3). Patients with progressive MS had also various MEP parameter changes compared to pwMS with relapsing remitting form. MRC score correlated positively with MEP amplitude and negatively with MEP latency, pinch strength correlated negatively with CMM volume and dexterity with MEP latency. This is the first study to perform 4-limb cortical motor mapping in pwMS using a dedicated nTMS procedure. By quantifying the cortical surface representation of a given muscle and the variability of MEP within this representation, nTMS can provide new biomarkers of motor function impairment in pwMS. Our study opens perspectives for the use of nTMS as an objective method for assessing pwMS disability in clinical practice.

Knee and ankle range of motion and spasticity from childhood into adulthood: a longitudinal cohort study of 3,223 individuals with cerebral palsy.

Reduced range of motion (ROM) and spasticity are common secondary findings in cerebral palsy (CP) affecting gait, positioning, and everyday functioning. These impairments can change over time and lead to various needs for intervention. The aim of this study was to analyze the development path of the changes in hamstring length, knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion, and spasticity in hamstrings and gastrosoleus from childhood into adulthood in individuals with CP at the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-V. A longitudinal cohort study was undertaken of 61,800 measurements in 3,223 individuals with CP, born 1990-2017 and followed for an average of 8.7 years (range 0-26). The age at examination varied between 0 and 30 years. The GMFCS levels I-V, goniometric measurements, and the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) were used for repeated assessments of motor function, ROM, and spasticity. Throughout the follow-up period, knee extension and hamstring length exhibited a consistent decline across all individuals, with more pronounced decreases evident in those classified at GMFCS levels III-V. Ankle dorsiflexion demonstrated a gradual reduction from 15° to 5° (GMFCS I-IV) or 10° (GMFCS V). Spasticity levels in the hamstrings and gastrosoleus peaked between ages 5 and 7, showing a propensity to increase with higher GMFCS levels. Passive ROM continues to decrease to 30 years of age, most pronouncedly for knee extension. Conversely, spasticity reached its peak at a younger age, with a more notable occurrence observed in the gastrosoleus compared with the hamstrings. Less than 50% of individuals had spasticity corresponding to MAS 2-4 at any age.

Meso-cortical pathway damage in cognition, apathy and gait in cerebral small vessel disease.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is known to contribute to cognitive impairment, apathy, and gait dysfunction. Although associations between cognitive impairment and either apathy or gait dysfunction have been shown in SVD, the inter-relations among these three clinical features and their potential common neural basis remains unexplored. The dopaminergic meso-cortical and meso-limbic pathways have been known as the important brain circuits for both cognitive control, emotion regulation and motor function. Here, we investigated the potential inter-relations between cognitive impairment, apathy, and gait dysfunction, with a specific focus on determining whether these clinical features are associated with damage to the meso-cortical and meso-limbic pathways in SVD. In this cross-sectional study, we included 213 participants with SVD in whom MRI scans and comprehensive neurobehavioral assessments were administered. These assessments comprised of six clinical measures: processing speed, executive function, memory, apathy (based on the Apathy Evaluation Scale), and gait function (based on the time and steps in Timed Up and Go test). We reconstructed five tracts connecting ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), ventral lateral PFC (vlPFC), medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) within meso-cortical and meso-limbic pathways using diffusion weighted imaging. The damage along the five tracts was quantified using the free water (FW) and FW-corrected mean diffusivity (MD-t) indices. Furthermore, we explored the inter-correlations among the six clinical measures and identified their common components using principal component analysis (PCA). Linear regression analyses showed that higher FW values of tracts within meso-cortical pathways were related to these clinical measures in cognition, apathy, and gait (all P-corrected values < 0.05). PCA showed strong inter-associations among these clinical measures and identified a common component wherein all six clinical measures loaded on. Higher FW values of tracts within meso-cortical pathways were related to the PCA-derived common component (all P-corrected values < 0.05). Moreover, FW values of VTA-ACC tract showed the strongest contribution to the PCA-derived common component over all other neuroimaging features. In conclusion, our study showed that the three clinical features (cognitive impairment, apathy, and gait dysfunction) of SVD are strongly inter-related and that the damage in meso-cortical pathway could be the common neural basis underlying the three features in SVD. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms behind these clinical features of SVD and have the potential to inform novel management and intervention strategies for SVD.

Ultra high-frequency ultrasound of fascicles in the ulnar and radial nerves.

Ultra high-frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) has been demonstrated to allow easy visualization and quantification of median and digital nerve fascicles; however, there is a lack of normative data for other upper limb nerves. The purpose of this study was to use UHFUS to establish normative reference values and ranges for fascicle count and density within selected upper extremity nerves. Twenty-one healthy volunteers underwent sonographic examination of the ulnar, superficial branch of the radial, and radial nerves on one upper limb using UHFUS with a 48 MHz linear transducer. The number of fascicles in each peripheral nerve and fascicle density were assessed. The mean fascicle number and fascicle density for each of the measured nerves was ulnar nerve at the wrist 11.7 and 2.0, ulnar nerve at the elbow 9.2 and 1.1, superficial branch of the radial nerve 7.3 and 2.5, and radial nerve at the spiral groove 4.2 and 0.8. A single significant association was observed between CSA and fascicle number in the ulnar nerve at the wrist (p = .023, r = 0.66). Neither fascicle number nor density could be predicted by age, sex, height, weight, or body mass index. UHFUS may help to establish a baseline of normative data on upper limb nerves that are not frequently biopsied due to their mixed motor and sensory functions and has the potential for increased understanding of nerve fascicular anatomy to improve diagnostic accuracy of focal nerve lesions, particularly those with selective fascicular involvement.

The association of interlimb coordination and temporal symmetry with walking function and motor impairment after stroke.

Interlimb coordination during walking is impaired after stroke, with unknown effects on walking function. This cross-sectional study determined associations of interlimb coordination and temporal symmetry with walking function and motor impairment. During walking, participants wore wireless sensors to detect heel strikes. We calculated interlimb coordination as the phase coordination index and temporal symmetry as the ratio of contralesional (i.e., paretic) to ipsilesional (i.e., non-paretic) stance times. Associations with walking speed (10-meter walk test), walking endurance (6-minute walk test), dynamic balance (Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test), and motor impairment (Fugl Meyer Lower Extremity assessment) were assessed. 56 individuals with chronic stroke were tested. Worse interlimb coordination was correlated with slower comfortable (R = -0.38, p = 0.004) and maximal (R = -0.36, p = 0.006) walking speed and worse motor function (R = -0.45, p = 0.001). Worse temporal symmetry was correlated with worse motor function (R = 0.39, p = 0.004). Interlimb coordination had stronger associations than temporal symmetry with comfortable (R: -0.38 vs. 0.08) and maximal walking speeds (R: -0.36 vs. 0.12). Poor interlimb coordination was associated with slow walking and motor impairment and had stronger associations with walking speeds than temporal symmetry did. Interlimb coordination may provide unique insights into walking function and a target for walking rehabilitation after stroke.

Sporadic pediatric vestibular schwannoma: a case report in a 4-year-old boy.

Sporadic vestibular schwannomas (VSs) are rare in children. When occurred in the pediatric population, they usually appear bilaterally and are related to neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). The current study reports a 4-year-old boy without family history of VS or NF2 who presented with a large (5.7-cm) VS involving the right cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal. Through seven-staged surgical interventions and two stereotactic γ‑knife radiosurgery, the disease was stabilized. At 2-year follow-up, the child had right ear hearing loss, grade IV facial palsy, and normal motor function and gait. No definite evidence of gene mutation regarding NF2 can be identified after sequence analysis and deletion/duplication testing. This case highlights the significance of considering the possibility of sporadic VSs, even in very young children. It emphasizes the importance of not overlooking initial symptoms, as they may indicate the presence of a large tumor and could potentially result in delayed diagnosis.

Recovery of Motor and Cognitive Functions on Forced Waking from Stage 3 Daytime Sleep

Recovery of Motor and Cognitive Functions on Forced Waking from Stage 3 Daytime Sleep

Akinetic mutism following bilateral parasagittal meningioma occupied supplementary motor area removal and the spontaneous recovery of symptoms

Background: Resection of bilateral parasagittal meningiomas of the dominant cortex is challenging. Some postoperative consequences are difficult to predict due to their low incidence. However, it is essential to recognize reversible symptoms. Akinetic mutism is a devastating but reversible symptom that occurs after supplementary motor area (SMA) injury. This report aims to provide more information to support the clinical progression of this syndrome. Case Description: A 47-year-old woman presented with psychomotor retardation and subtle weakness, particularly on the left side. A palpable mass was identified at the head vertex. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral parasagittal meningiomas with bone and sinus invasion of the SMA. A craniotomy was performed to remove the intracapsular tumor. Two days after the operation, the patient developed gradual deterioration in her motor function until it became a lock-in-like syndrome. Then, 1.5 months after treatment in the hospital and rehabilitation unit, she gradually improved her motor, cognitive, and psychomotor skills. Total recovery was achieved after 1 year. Conclusion: Surgery for lesions involving bilateral SMA can cause akinetic mutism. The typical manifestation of this syndrome may be devastating. However, it is reversible, and patients can regain full motor and cognitive functions over time without specific treatments. It is crucial to persevere and continue to provide the best care to the patient until recovery.

Sex-dependent effects of the uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist REL-1017 in G93A-SOD1 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice

IntroductionThe pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by the demise of motor neurons has been linked to excitotoxicity caused by excessive calcium influx via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), suggesting that uncompetitive NMDAR antagonism could be a strategy to attenuate motor neuron degeneration. REL-1017, the dextro-isomer of racemic methadone, is a low-affinity uncompetitive NMDAR antagonist. Importantly, in humans REL-1017 has shown excellent tolerability in clinical trials for major depression.MethodsHere, we tested if REL-1017 improves the disease phenotypes in the G93A SOD1 mouse, a well-established model of familial ALS, by examining survival and motor functions, as well as the expression of genes and proteins involved in neuroplasticity.ResultsWe found a sex-dependent effect of REL-1017 in G93A SOD1 mice. A delay of ALS symptom onset, assessed as 10%-decrease of body weight (p &amp;lt; 0.01 vs. control untreated mice) and an extension of lifespan (p &amp;lt; 0.001 vs. control untreated mice) was observed in male G93A SOD1 mice. Female G93A SOD1 mice treated with REL-1017 showed an improvement of muscle strength (p &amp;lt; 0.01 vs. control untreated mice). Both males and females treated with REL-1017 showed a decrease in hind limb clasping. Sex-dependent effects of REL-1017 were also detected in molecular markers of neuronal plasticity (PSD95 and SYN1) in the spinal cord and in the GluN1 NMDAR subunit in quadricep muscles.ConclusionIn conclusion, this study provides preclinical in vivo evidence supporting the clinical evaluation of REL-1017 in ALS.

A lateralized motor network in order to understand adaptation to visuomotor rotation

Objective. The functional asymmetry between the two brain hemispheres in language and spatial processing is well documented. However, a description of difference in control between the two hemispheres in motor function is not well established. Our primary objective in this study was to examine the distribution of control in the motor hierarchy and its variation across hemispheres. Approach. We developed a computation model termed the bilateral control network and implemented the same in a neural network framework to be used to replicate certain experimental results. The network consists of a simple arm model capable of making movements in 2D space and a motor hierarchy with separate elements coding target location, estimated position of arm, direction, and distance to be moved by the arm, and the motor command sent to the arm. The main assumption made here is the division of direction and distance coding between the two hemispheres with distance coded in the non-dominant and direction coded in the dominant hemisphere. Main results. With this assumption, the network was able to show main results observed in visuomotor adaptation studies. Importantly it showed decrease in error exhibited by the untrained arm while the other arm underwent training compared to the corresponding naïve arm’s performance—transfer of motor learning from trained to the untrained arm. It also showed how this varied depending on the performance variable used—with distance as the measure, the non-dominant arm showed transfer and with direction, dominant arm showed transfer. Significance. Our results indicate the possibility of shared control between the two hemispheres. If indeed found true, this result could have major significance in motor rehabilitation as treatment strategies will need to be designed in order to account for this and can no longer be confined to the arm contralateral to the affected hemisphere.

FOXP1 regulates the development of excitatory synaptic inputs onto striatal neurons and induces phenotypic reversal with reinstatement.

Long-range glutamatergic inputs originating from the cortex and thalamus are indispensable for striatal development, providing the foundation for motor and cognitive functions. Despite their significance, transcriptional regulation governing these inputs remains largely unknown. We investigated the role of a transcription factor encoded by a high-risk autism-associated gene, FOXP1, in sculpting glutamatergic inputs onto spiny projection neurons (SPNs) within the striatum. We find a neuron subtype-specific role of FOXP1 in strengthening and maturing glutamatergic inputs onto dopamine receptor 2-expressing SPNs (D2 SPNs). We also find that FOXP1 promotes synaptically driven excitability in these neurons. Using single-nuclei RNA sequencing, we identify candidate genes that mediate these cell-autonomous processes through postnatal FOXP1 function at the post-synapse. Last, we demonstrate that postnatal FOXP1 reinstatement rescues electrophysiological deficits, cell type-specific gene expression changes, and behavioral phenotypes. Together, this study enhances our understanding of striatal circuit development and provides proof of concept for a therapeutic approach for FOXP1 syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Detecting the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease with non-standard video

BackgroundNeurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), necessitate frequent clinical visits and monitoring to identify changes in motor symptoms and provide appropriate care. By applying machine learning techniques to video data, automated video analysis has emerged as a promising approach to track and analyze motor symptoms, which could facilitate more timely intervention. However, existing solutions often rely on specialized equipment and recording procedures, which limits their usability in unstructured settings like the home. In this study, we developed a method to detect PD symptoms from unstructured videos of clinical assessments, without the need for specialized equipment or recording procedures.MethodsTwenty-eight individuals with Parkinson’s disease completed a video-recorded motor examination that included the finger-to-nose and hand pronation-supination tasks. Clinical staff provided ground truth scores for the level of Parkinsonian symptoms present. For each video, we used a pre-existing model called PIXIE to measure the location of several joints on the person’s body and quantify how they were moving. Features derived from the joint angles and trajectories, designed to be robust to recording angle, were then used to train two types of machine-learning classifiers (random forests and support vector machines) to detect the presence of PD symptoms.ResultsThe support vector machine trained on the finger-to-nose task had an F1 score of 0.93 while the random forest trained on the same task yielded an F1 score of 0.85. The support vector machine and random forest trained on the hand pronation-supination task had F1 scores of 0.20 and 0.33, respectively.ConclusionThese results demonstrate the feasibility of developing video analysis tools to track motor symptoms across variable perspectives. These tools do not work equally well for all tasks, however. This technology has the potential to overcome barriers to access for many individuals with degenerative neurological diseases like PD, providing them with a more convenient and timely method to monitor symptom progression, without requiring a structured video recording procedure. Ultimately, more frequent and objective home assessments of motor function could enable more precise telehealth optimization of interventions to improve clinical outcomes inside and outside of the clinic.

Acellular spinal cord scaffold containing quercetin-encapsulated nanoparticles plays an anti-inflammatory role in functional recovery from spinal cord injury in rats.

Inflammatory responses play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) and developing new approaches to establish an anti-inflammatory environment for the promotion of neuroregeneration holds promise as a potential approach. In this study, our aim was to investigate the potential of combining an acellular spinal cord scaffold (ASCS) with quercetin-loaded bovine serum albumin (Qu/BSA) nanoparticles (NPs) for the treatment of SCI. The ASCS was prepared using physical and chemical methods, while the Qu/BSA NPs were prepared through a desolvation technique. The NPs exhibited favorable characteristics, including a mean size of 203nm, a zeta potential of -38, and an encapsulation efficiency of 96%. Microscopic evaluation confirmed the successful distribution of NPs on the walls of ASCS. Animal studies revealed that Qu/BSA NPs group exhibited a significant decrease in NLRP3, ASC, and Casp1 gene expression compared to the SCI group (p < 0.0001). The findings indicated a significant decrease in the NLRP3, ASC, and Casp1 protein level between the Qu/BSA/ASCS group and the SCI group (p < 0.0001). Moreover, treatment with ASCS containing either blank BSA (B/BSA) NPs or Qu/BSA NPs effectively promoted functional recovery via increasing the amount of nestin- and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells in the site of injury. Notably, Qu/BSA/ASCS exhibited superior outcomes compared to B/BSA/ASCS. Overall, the combination of ASCS with the Qu delivery system presents a promising therapeutic approach for SCI by inhibiting inflammatory responses and promoting neuroregeneration, leading to the restoration of motor function in animals. This study demonstrates the potential of utilizing biomaterials and NPs to enhance the effectiveness of SCI treatment.

Motor Imagery Classification Using Effective Channel Selection of Multichannel EEG

Electroencephalography (EEG) is effectively employed to describe cognitive patterns corresponding to different tasks of motor functions for brain–computer interface (BCI) implementation. Explicit information processing is necessary to reduce the computational complexity of practical BCI systems. This paper presents an entropy-based approach to select effective EEG channels for motor imagery (MI) classification in brain–computer interface (BCI) systems. The method identifies channels with higher entropy scores, which is an indication of greater information content. It discards redundant or noisy channels leading to reduced computational complexity and improved classification accuracy. High entropy means a more disordered pattern, whereas low entropy means a less disordered pattern with less information. The entropy of each channel for individual trials is calculated. The weight of each channel is represented by the mean entropy of the channel over all the trials. A set of channels with higher mean entropy are selected as effective channels for MI classification. A limited number of sub-band signals are created by decomposing the selected channels. To extract the spatial features, the common spatial pattern (CSP) is applied to each sub-band space of EEG signals. The CSP-based features are used to classify the right-hand and right-foot MI tasks using a support vector machine (SVM). The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated using two publicly available EEG datasets, known as BCI competition III–IV(A) and BCI competition IV–I. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach surpasses cutting-edge techniques.

Iridoids rich fraction from Valeriana jatamansi Jones promotes axonal regeneration and motor functional recovery after spinal cord injury through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Valeriana jatamansi Jones (VJJ), renowned for its extensive history in traditional Chinese medicine and ethnomedicine within China, is prevalently utilized to alleviate ailments such as epigastric distension and pain, gastrointestinal disturbances including food accumulation, diarrhea, and dysentery, as well as insomnia and other diseases. Moreover, the Iridoid-rich fraction derived from Valeriana jatamansi Jones (IRFV) has demonstrated efficacy in facilitating the recuperation of motor functions after spinal cord injury (SCI). This study is aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of IRFV on SCI and its underlying mechanism. Initially, a rat model of SCI was developed to assess the impact of IRFV on axonal regeneration. Subsequently, employing the PC12 cell model of oxidative damage, the role and mechanism of IRFV in enhancing axonal regeneration were explored using the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway inhibitor LY294002. Ultimately, the same inhibitor was administered to SCI rats to confirm the molecular mechanism through which IRFV promotes axonal regeneration by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The results showed that IRFV significantly enhanced motor function recovery, reduced pathological injury, and facilitated axonal regeneration in SCI rats. In vitro experiments revealed that IRFV improved PC12 cell viability, augmented axonal regeneration, and activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Notably, the inhibition of this pathway negated the therapeutic benefits of IRFV in SCI rats. In conclusion, IRFV promote promotes axonal regeneration and recovery of motor function after SCI through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.