Motor Reflexes Research Articles

A STUDY TO COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPINAL MOBILIZATION WITH ARM MOVEMENT VERSUS NEURAL TISSUE MOBILIZATION ALONG WITH MUSLE ENERGY TECHNIQUE AMONG CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY PATIENTS

Background: Cervical Radiculopathy is a disease of the cervical spine and a space occupying lesion that occurs because of pathological problems with cervical nerve roots. It usually causes the pain in the neck ,radiating to one arm with reduced motor function and reflex changes in the affected nerve root and commonly affect the middle aged to elderly person. Objective: A study to compare the effectiveness of spinal mobilization with arm movement versus neural tissue mobilization along with muscle energy technique among cervical radiculopathy patients. Method: Comparative study, 30 patients were selected from Sri Venkateshwara group of institution. They were allocated into two groups, group A(n=15) spinal mobilization with arm movement along with MET, group B (n= 15) neural tissue mobilization with MET given for 3 days per week for 6 weeks, the outcome measures NPRS and goniometric measurement were used. Result: Data analysis was done by paired ‘t’ test for within the group and unpaired ‘t’ test for between the group analysis respectively. The statistical analysis shows that the group A had significant improvement than group B. It has been concluded that group A showed reduction in the pain and improvement in ROM than group B. Conclusion: This study concludes that spinal mobilization with arm movement along with MET for group A shows more significant in reducing the pain and improve ROM among cervical radiculopathy patients than neural tissue mobilization with MET in group B.

Defects in exosome biogenesis are associated with sensorimotor defects in zebrafish vps4a mutants.

Mutations in human VPS4A are associated with neurodevelopmental defects, including motor delays and defective muscle tone. VPS4A encodes a AAA-ATPase required for membrane scission, but how mutations in VPS4A lead to impaired control of motor function is not known. Here we identified a mutation in zebrafish vps4a, T248I, that affects sensorimotor transformation. Biochemical analyses indicate that the T248I mutation reduces the ATPase activity of Vps4a and disassembly of ESCRT filaments, which mediate membrane scission. Consistent with the role for Vps4a in exosome biogenesis, vps4aT248I larvae have enlarged endosomal compartments in the CNS and decreased numbers of circulating exosomes in brain ventricles. Resembling the central form of hypotonia in VPS4A patients, motor neurons and muscle cells are functional in mutant zebrafish. Both somatosensory and vestibular inputs robustly evoke tail and eye movements, respectively. In contrast, optomotor responses, vestibulospinal, and acoustic startle reflexes are absent or strongly impaired in vps4aT248I larvae, indicating a greater sensitivity of these circuits to the T248I mutation. ERG recordings revealed intensity-dependent deficits in the retina, and in vivo calcium imaging of the auditory pathway identified a moderate reduction in afferent neuron activity, partially accounting for the severe motor impairments in mutant larvae. Further investigation of central pathways in vps4aT248I mutants showed that activation of descending vestibulospinal and midbrain motor command neurons by sensory cues is strongly reduced. Our results suggest that defects in sensorimotor transformation underly the profound yet selective effects on motor reflexes resulting from the loss of membrane scission mediated by Vps4a.Significance Statement Here we present a T248I mutation in vps4a, which causes sensorimotor defects in zebrafish larvae. Vps4a plays a key role in membrane scission. Spanning biochemical to systems level analyses, our study indicates that a reduction in Vps4a enzymatic activity leads to abnormalities in membrane-scission dependent processes such as endosomal protein trafficking and exosome biogenesis, resulting in pronounced deficits in sensorimotor transformation of visual, auditory, and vestibular cues. We suggest that the mechanisms underlying this type of dysfunction in zebrafish may also contribute to the condition seen in human patients with de novo mutations in the human VPS4A orthologue.

Threatening an Illusory Limb: An Event-related Potential Study of the Rubber Hand Illusion.

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a well-established method for studying body ownership: Given adequate concordance of visual, sensory, and proprioceptive stimuli, the individual experiences a rubber hand as his or her own. To study the effects of a threat to the rubber hand. We created a typical RHI paradigm but added threatening pain: Both the real hand of an individual and the rubber hand were stroked with a brush, either synchronously (RHI-inducing condition) or asynchronously (control condition), but only the rubber hand was then pricked with a needle to create a threatening pain condition. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in a group of 23 typically-developed individuals. ERP effects were source-localized using low-resolution electromagnetic tomography. The individuals consistently reported experience of the RHI during the experiment when the brush strokes were applied synchronously to both the real hand and the rubber hand. ERP analysis revealed that synchronous brush stroking gave rise to higher amplitude of frontal ERPs in the 100-200 ms range than asynchronous brush stroking, which was interpreted as reflecting the RHI. In the threatening pain condition, ERPs showed a greater positivity at frontocentral electrodes, source localized in the supplementary motor area (SMA). SMA activation could reflect a control mechanism over reflexive motor activity, facilitating a possible threat-related response. Further studies should address ERP effects and the extent of the RHI to standard and threat stimuli in a correlative fashion to further elucidate the functional significance of the neurophysiological findings.

Three cases of occupational chronic chloropropene poisoning

Chronic chloropropene poisoning is a disease mainly caused by peripheral nerve damage due to close contact with chloropropene in industrial production, its clinical manifestations include varying degrees of sensory, motor, or tendon reflex disorders in the distal limbs, and neuromyography can show neurogenic damage. This article analyzed and summarized the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment methods of three patients with occupational chronic chloropropene poisoning, in order to enhance the clinical understanding of occupational chronic chloropropene poisoning and provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Spinal maps of motoneuron activity during human locomotion: neuromechanical considerations.

The spatial segmental location of motoneurons in the human spinal cord is influenced by both evolutionary and functional principles tending to optimize motor control, reflex integration, and adaptation to the demands of movement. Bearing in mind the biomechanics of limb muscles, it is logical to examine how motoneuron activity clusters functionally during typical daily activities like walking. This article provides a summary of advancements in the study of spinal maps of motoneuron activation during human locomotion by reviewing data gathered over ∼20years. The effects of child development, aging, and neurological disorders show the salient characteristics of spinal segmental activity during different human locomotor tasks and conditions. By exploiting the neuromechanics of the spinal motor circuits, that is, the link between motoneuron activity and gait mechanics, neuroprosthetics and other focused treatments may better help individuals with locomotor impairments.

Bedside electromyography for clinical assessment of sacral motor and reflex activity adapted for patients hospitalized with acute neurological conditions: a pilot study.

Pilot cohort study. To develop and implement a sacral electromyographic (sEMG) technique at bedside to ascertain sparing of sacral motor activity and reflexes in patients hospitalized for acute neurological conditions. Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal a Canadian Level-1 university trauma center specialized in SCI care. Nine patients underwent digital rectal examination (DRE) and sEMG, assessing voluntary anal contraction and sacral spinal reflexes (bulbocavernosus reflex and the anal wink). Our sEMG technique utilized surface recording electrodes and tactile elicitation of reflexes. EMG signal was acquired at bedside through the Noraxon MR3 system. It was quick, well accepted and did no harm. We found that contrary to the DRE, sEMG detected subclinical sacral motor activity and reflexes in 20% of cases for voluntary anal contraction and 40% of cases for the anal wink. We believe our sEMG technique is a powerful tool able to enhance management of patients suffering from acute neurological impairments and requiring sacral function assessment.

Continuous neural control of a bionic limb restores biomimetic gait after amputation

For centuries scientists and technologists have sought artificial leg replacements that fully capture the versatility of their intact biological counterparts. However, biological gait requires coordinated volitional and reflexive motor control by complex afferent and efferent neural interplay, making its neuroprosthetic emulation challenging after limb amputation. Here we hypothesize that continuous neural control of a bionic limb can restore biomimetic gait after below-knee amputation when residual muscle afferents are augmented. To test this hypothesis, we present a neuroprosthetic interface consisting of surgically connected, agonist–antagonist muscles including muscle-sensing electrodes. In a cohort of seven leg amputees, the interface is shown to augment residual muscle afferents by 18% of biologically intact values. Compared with a matched amputee cohort without the afferent augmentation, the maximum neuroprosthetic walking speed is increased by 41%, enabling equivalent peak speeds to persons without leg amputation. Further, this level of afferent augmentation enables biomimetic adaptation to various walking speeds and real-world environments, including slopes, stairs and obstructed pathways. Our results suggest that even a small augmentation of residual muscle afferents restores biomimetic gait under continuous neuromodulation in individuals with leg amputation.

The Development and Content Validation of Brief ICF Category Sets for 6 - 12-Year-Old Children with Cerebral Palsy, from the Perspective of Iranian Occupational Therapists

Background: There is uncertainty in identifying which aspects of functioning should be prioritized in the clinical brief assessment of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Brief ICF category sets specify the essential aspects of functioning that should be addressed in such assessments. Objectives: This study aimed to develop five brief ICF category sets based on the functional limitations of children with CP, as viewed by Iranian occupational therapists (OTs). Methods: This cross-sectional, multi-method study was conducted from January to May 2022 in Iran. Nineteen OTs were recruited through purposive sampling for a Delphi process, and ten OTs through snowball sampling for an expert panel, all experienced in CP and ICF. The Delphi involved two rounds of electronic surveys, where participants identified categories that should be minimally addressed in brief assessments of children aged 6 - 12 with CP based on their functional limitations. The content validity of these sets was then quantitatively evaluated by the expert panel. Results: Most confirmed categories in the gross and fine motor brief sets pertained to body structure and function, while those in the eating-and-drinking and communication-function brief sets related to cognition and motor reflexes. Categories in the visual function brief set mostly pertained to activity, participation, and environmental factors. Content validity ratio (CVR) and item-content validity indexes (I-CVI) ranged from 0.80 to 1 across all categories/brief sets, with scale-content validity index/Average (S-CVI/Ave) ranging from 0.95 to 0.98. Conclusions: These functional-based ICF brief sets are the first developed for children with CP in this age group and provide occupational therapists with tools to address crucial aspects of functioning, tailored to specific functional limitations. However, cultural biases and the generalizability of these brief sets remain limitations.

NaV1.1 and NaV1.6 Play Unique and Essential Roles in Muscle Spindle Afferent Function in Adult Mice

Voltage gated sodium channels (NaVs) are crucial for the generation and propagation of action potentials. There are 9 different isoforms found in mammals (NaV1.1-1.9), and NaV1.1, NaV1.6, and NaV1.7 are found in the muscle proprioceptors that sense muscle stretch, the muscle spindle afferents. This sensory information is critical for motor reflexes and the sense of body and limb position in space. We previously found that mice lacking one or both copies of NaV1.1 in peripheral sensory neurons displayed motor deficits, including intention tremors. Muscle spindle afferents in these mice also had unstable static stretch sensitivity but normal dynamic sensitivity, suggesting a specific deficit in the maintenance of proprioceptor excitability when the Piezo2 channel was likely to be closed (Espino, et al., 2022). We hypothesized that NaV1.6 would also be necessary for normal motor behavior and muscle spindle afferent function. We generated sensory neuron specific deletions of NaV1.6 by crossing NaV1.6fl/fl mice with mice expressing PirtCre (NaV1.6cko) and observed severe motor deficits on the open field and rotarod test only in NaV1.6cko (n=15) and not NaV1.6Het (n=12) mice compared to NaV1.6fl/fl controls (n=8). In contrast to mice lacking NaV1.1, we did not observe intention tremors. We used an ex vivo muscle nerve preparation consisting of the extensor digitorum longus muscle and peroneal branch of the sciatic nerve. The muscle was maintained at the length of maximal twitch contraction (Lo) and given a battery of 9 ramp-and-hold stretches (2.5, 5, and 7.5% Lo repeated 3 times each) and 16 sinusoidal vibrations (5-100 μm amplitude; 10-100 Hz frequency). Preliminary results include recordings from 18 adult mice of both sexes (NaV1.6fl/fl n=8; NaV1.6cko n=10). We were only able to find stretch sensitive responses in 3 of 10 NaV1.6cko mice, and those were severely impaired with firing rates less than 5 Hz. In contrast, we found robust slowly adapting responses to stretch in all 8 NaV1.6fl/fl mice. Only 1 of 10 NaV1.6cko mice had any firing in response to vibration, in contrast to the normal dynamic sensitivity observed in NaV1.6fl/fl and NaV1.1cko afferents. This suggests that NaV1.6 plays a critical role in initiating muscle spindle afferent transmission, whereas NaV1.1 is essential for maintaining proprioceptor excitability during static stretch. Future studies will determine whether loss of NaV1.7, which does not result in motor deficits, alters muscle spindle afferent function. This work was supported by NIH Grant 5SC3GM127195 (KAW) a RISE Fellowship 5R25GM71381 (SO), NIH 5T32GM099608-10 and 1T32GM1144303-01A1 (CE). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Predictive value of Blink reflex and facial corticobulbar motor evoked potential in cerebellopontine angle tumor surgery

ObjectiveThe current study examined the efficacy of the facial corticobulbar motor evoked potentials (FCoMEPs) and blink reflex (BR) on predicting postoperative facial nerve function during cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumor surgery. MethodsData from 110 patients who underwent CPA tumor resection with intraoperative FCoMEPs and BR monitoring were retrospectively reviewed. The association between the amplitude reduction ratios of FCoMEPs and BR at the end of surgery and postoperative facial nerve function was determined. Subsequently, the optimal threshold of FCoMEPs and BR for predicting postoperative facial nerve dysfunction were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. ResultsValid BR was record in 103 of 110 patients, whereas only 43 patients successfully recorded FCoMEP in orbicularis oculi muscle. A reduction over 50.3% in FCoMEP (O. oris) amplitude was identified as a predictor of postoperative facial nerve dysfunction (sensitivity, 77.1%; specificity, 83.6%). BR was another independent predictor of postoperative facial nerve deficit with excellent predictive performance, especially eyelid closure function. Its optimal cut-off value for predicting long-term postoperative eyelid closure dysfunction was was 51.0% (sensitivity, 94.4%; specificity, 94.4%). ConclusionsBR can compensate for the deficiencies of the FCoMEPs. The combination of BR and FCoMEPs can be used in CPA tumor surgery. SignificanceThe study first proposed an optimal cut-off value of BR amplitude deterioration (50.0%) for predicting postoperative eyelid closure deficits in patients undergoing CPA tumor surgery.

Protective role of the ginsenoside Rg1 against methimazole-induced gestational hypothyroidism on reflexive behaviors, conditioned fear and cortical antioxidant levels in mice offspring

Ginsenoside Rg1(Rg1), a monomer of a tetracyclic triterpenoid derivative, possesses diverse medicinal properties attributed to its unique chemical structure and may have beneficial effects on fetal development. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of prenatal exposure to Rg1 against Methimazole-induced gestational hypothyroidism on reflexive behaviors, conditioned fear, and cortical antioxidant levels in mouse offspring.40 female virgin mice and 12 male NMRI mice were assigned to four groups: group 1 served as the control, group 2 received Methimazole(MMI) at a concentration of 0.02% in their drinking water, group 3 received Rg1(150 mg/kg), and group 4 received both MMI and Rg1.Groups of 2–4 were administered the substances from days 1–9 of gestation. After delivery, pups were selected, and reflexive motor behaviors and conditioned fear were assessed. Additionally, levels of brain tissue catalase(CAT), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione peroxidase(GPx) levels were measured. Furthermore, postpartum immobility time in the forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and the number of squares crossed in the open field test (OFT)were determined. The results demonstrated that maternal exposure to Rg1 improved ambulation score, hind-limb suspension score, grip strength, front-limb suspension, hind-limb foot angle, negative geotaxis, surface righting, and conditioned fear in hypothyroidism-induced offspring(P<0.05). Rg1 decreased immobility time in the FST, and TST, and increased the number of squares crossed in the OFT in postpartum hypothyroidism-induced mice(P<0.05). Moreover, Rg1 reduced brain tissue MDA levels and increased brain tissue CAT, SOD, and GPx levels in mice and their offspring(P<0.05). These findings indicate that Rg1 mitigated postpartum depression in mice and improved reflexive motor behaviors in their pups.

Revision of the brief international classification of functioning, disability and health core set for multiple sclerosis: a study of the comprehensive icf core set for multiple sclerosis with participants referred for work ability assessment.

To evaluate the Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for multiple sclerosis with regard to the Brief ICF Core Set for multiple sclerosis. Descriptive cross-sectional single-centre study. A total of 151 participants (99 females/52 males, mean age 49 years) referred for work ability assessment. Data were collected from clinical recordings and by telephone interview. Among 33 Body Functions, 14 were impaired in over 60% of the participants, and 6 in over 75%. These 6 most impaired functions were related to exercise tolerance (b455), urination (b620), muscle power (b730), motor reflex (b750), control of voluntary movement (b760) and gait pattern (b770). Among 54 Activities and Participation categories, 8 were impaired in over 60% of the participants, and 3 were impaired in over 75%. The latter activities were related to walking (d450), moving around (d455) and moving around using equipment (d465). Among the 36 Environmental categories, most were facilitators, except for temperature (e2250) and employment (e590). The latter category was both a facilitator and a barrier. These results suggest additional categories that should be included into the Brief ICF Core Set, to improve its representation of the complex disability of multiple sclerosis.

Medical Management of Acute Spinal Cord Injury with Aspiration pneumonia in a Kid

A two-month-old, non-descript female goat kid was brought to the Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, with a history of continuous high-pitched bleating, respiratory distress, and forelimb paresis over the past two days. The animal has appeared lethargic with an abnormal gait. Neurological examination revealed sluggish sensory and motor reflexes in the forelimbs and palpation elicited pain in the thoracic and dorsal spinal areas (C7-T2). Auscultation revealed exaggerated heart sounds and prolonged expiration. Radiographic examination ruled out spinal involvement but revealed left lung consolidation with pulmonary infiltration. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed an increase in neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The condition was tentatively diagnosed as acute spinal cord injury with aspiration pneumonia. Inj. Progesterone and intranasal Budesonide were administered along with a Progesterone patch applied to the lateral neck region. Successful medical management led to gradual clinical improvement observed from the seventh day and completely recovered after 15 days of treatment.

NHE3 inhibitor tenapanor maintains intestinal barrier function, decreases visceral hypersensitivity, and attenuates TRPV1 signaling in colonic sensory neurons.

The pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifactorial, characterized in part by increased intestinal permeability, and visceral hypersensitivity. Increased permeability is associated with IBS severity and abdominal pain. Tenapanor is FDA-approved for the treatment of IBS with constipation (IBS-C) and has demonstrated improvements in bowel motility and a reduction in IBS-related pain; however, the mechanism by which tenapanor mediates these functions remains unclear. Here, the effects of tenapanor on colonic pain signaling and intestinal permeability were assessed through behavioral, electrophysiological, and cell culture experiments. Intestinal motility studies in rats and humans demonstrated that tenapanor increased luminal sodium and water retention and gastrointestinal transit versus placebo. A significantly reduced visceral motor reflex (VMR) to colonic distension was observed with tenapanor treatment versus vehicle in two rat models of visceral hypersensitivity (neonatal acetic acid sensitization and partial restraint stress; both P < 0.05), returning VMR responses to that of nonsensitized controls. Whole cell voltage patch-clamp recordings of retrogradely labeled colonic dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons from sensitized rats found that tenapanor significantly reduced DRG neuron hyperexcitability to capsaicin versus vehicle (P < 0.05), an effect not mediated by epithelial cell secretions. Tenapanor also attenuated increases in intestinal permeability in human colon monolayer cultures caused by incubation with proinflammatory cytokines (P < 0.001) or fecal supernatants from patients with IBS-C (P < 0.005). These results support a model in which tenapanor reduces IBS-related pain by strengthening the intestinal barrier, thereby decreasing permeability to macromolecules and antigens and reducing DRG-mediated pain signaling.NEW & NOTEWORTHY A series of nonclinical experiments support the theory that tenapanor inhibits IBS-C-related pain by strengthening the intestinal barrier. Tenapanor treatment reduced visceral motor responses to nonsensitized levels in two rat models of hypersensitivity and reduced responses to capsaicin in sensitized colonic nociceptive dorsal root ganglia neurons. Intestinal permeability experiments in human colon monolayer cultures found that tenapanor attenuates increases in permeability induced by either inflammatory cytokines or fecal supernatants from patients with IBS-C.

Aging, Neurodegenerative Disorders, and Cerebellum.

An important part of the central nervous system (CNS), the cerebellum is involved in motor control, learning, reflex adaptation, and cognition. Diminished cerebellar function results in the motor and cognitive impairment observed in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), and multiple sclerosis (MS), and even during the normal aging process. In most neurodegenerative disorders, impairment mainly occurs as a result of morphological changes over time, although during the early stages of some disorders such as AD, the cerebellum also serves a compensatory function. Biological aging is accompanied by changes in cerebellar circuits, which are predominantly involved in motor control. Despite decades of research, the functional contributions of the cerebellum and the underlying molecular mechanisms in aging and neurodegenerative disorders remain largely unknown. Therefore, this review will highlight the molecular and cellular events in the cerebellum that are disrupted during the process of aging and the development of neurodegenerative disorders. We believe that deeper insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of the cerebellum during aging and the development of neurodegenerative disorders will be essential for the design of new effective strategies for neuroprotection and the alleviation of some neurodegenerative disorders.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FINDINGS IN SEIZURE PATIENTS WITH NORMAL NEUROLOGICAL EXAMINATION

Background: Imaging plays a critical role in the treatment and diagnosis of individuals experiencing seizures, particularly those whose seizures cannot be explained. In various circumstances, CT scans and MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) are utilized in tandem. Objective: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the MRI findings of patients referred to Alavi Hospital with seizures and a normal neurological examination. Methods: This case-series study examined one hundred patients with epilepsy who underwent normal neurological examinations. All patients' imaging reports were meticulously examined, and any changes were documented in pre-established checklists that comprised of the following: age, gender, family history, EEG (electroencephalogram) results, neurological assessments (including motor, plantar, and tendon reflexes), and MRI findings derived from the patients' files and clinical histories. Result: In the range of 11 to 58 years, the mean age of patients was 7.46 + 32.62 years. Males comprised forty-six (46%) of the patients. In45% of the cases, a familial history of seizures was documented (n=45). Normal EEG results were obtained in 62 cases (62%). Twenty cases (20%) of abnormalities were detected on MRI, seven of which were tumor lesions, as reported by the radiologist. The imaging of the patient's brain revealed no significant correlation between the pathological findings and variables such as age, gender, or family history. No significant correlation was observed between electroencephalogram results and pathological findings on brain imaging in patients with epilepsy. Conclusion: brain imaging partially compensates for the false negatives that occur during electroencephalograms, and concurrently employing both modalities enhances the ability to diagnose underlying issues in patients experiencing seizures.

ESTRATÉGIAS SOBRE OS TIPOS DE ALONGAMENTOS QUE PRECEDEM O SALTO VERTICAL

ABSTRACT Study design: identify a better strategy for static stretching (SS), dynamic stretching (DS), and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) concerning the performance of their applications in countermovement vertical jump (CVJ). A systematic literature review was conducted in May and June 2021 in the Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, LILACS, SPORTDiscus, and Embase databases. The PRISMA-2020 checklist was used. The Cochrane handbook scale and the Downs and Black scale were used for risk of bias analysis. Seventeen studies were included for qualitative analysis. Motor Unit recruitment and its stimulation frequency favor neural factors and muscle strength performance during contraction. Detailed investigations are necessary on the neural factors that modify the reflex responses and motor control, considering the biological characteristics and plastic deformations. The SS is a negative predictor of vertical jump (VJ) performance. The improvements are reduced when the stretching time is longer than 60 seconds, and when associated with PNF, did not reveal significant results. Using the SS before the DS in short periods of 20 seconds and no more than 60 seconds in the pre-activity to the VJ is suggested. In short stretches, the ROM increased both in the knee and the hip, and the hamstring muscles, when in tension, are unfavorable in sports that frequently use the VJ. Therefore, PNF using the technique that involves a process of contracting and relaxing must be investigated in an isolated and specific way, advocating the antagonist group. Thus, decreasing antagonist strength may be favorable for height gain, although contemporary studies are needed to minimize lower stability and muscle control predictors. Level of Evidence II; Systematic Review Study.

Study on the Effective Dose of Remimazolam Tosilate Combined with Nalbuphine for Inhibiting Somatic Motor Reflexes in Induced Abortion

Study on the Effective Dose of Remimazolam Tosilate Combined with Nalbuphine for Inhibiting Somatic Motor Reflexes in Induced Abortion

Functional organization of vestibulospinal inputs responsible for tail postural control in larval Xenopus.

In all vertebrates, maintaining trunk posture primarily depends on descending commands originating from brainstem vestibulospinal nuclei. Despite being broadly outlined across species, the detailed anatomical and operational structure of these vestibulospinal networks remains poorly understood. Xenopus frogs have previously served as an excellent model for exploring such anatomical and functional aspects in relation to the animal's behavioral requirements. In this study, we examined the reflex motor reactions induced by vestibular stimulation in pre-metamorphic tadpoles. Our findings indicate that natural vestibular stimulation in the horizontal plane yields greater efficacy compared to stimulation in other planes, a phenomenon replicated in a frequency-dependent manner through specific galvanic stimulation (GVS) of the horizontal semicircular canals. With the exception of a very rostral cluster of neurons that receive vestibular inputs and project to the spinal cord, the overall anatomical segregation of vestibulospinal nuclei in the brainstem mirrors that observed in juvenile frogs. However, our results suggest closer similarities to mammalian organization than previously acknowledged. Moreover, we demonstrated that vestibulospinal cells project not only to spinal motoneurons in rostral segments but also to more distal segments that undergo regression during metamorphosis. Lastly, we illustrated how vestibular-induced spinal reflexes change during larval development, transitioning from tail swim-based activity to rostral trunk bursting responses, likely anticipating postural control in post-metamorphic frogs.

EFFECTIVENESS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION IN IMPROVING MOTOR SKILLS AND MENTAL FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

Cerebral palsy was first described by William John Little in 1846. There are many definitions of cerebral palsy that vary from author to author. However, we can say that cerebral palsy (CP) is a chronic non-progressive brain damage, postural and body motility disorder. Apart from sensorimotor abnormalities, some cases are accompanied by mental disorders as well as disorders of cognitive functions. It can occur during pregnancy, at birth or during the postnatal period, ie. prenatal, perinatal and postnatal - equally in both sexes. There are different classifications of cerebral palsy: according to changes in muscle tone, according to topographic features and according to the severity of the clinical picture.According to changes in muscle tone, they are divided into: Spastic form, Athetoid form, Ataxic form, Hypotonic form and Mixed form. According to the topography they are classified as: Diplegia, Quadriplegia, Hemiplegia, Triplegia and Monoplegia Physical therapy program is determined based on the clinical form of the disease. When determining a rehabilitation program, the principle of an individual approach is followed. Rehabilitation includes: physical medicine, kinesitherapy, reflex exercises according to Vojta, manual massage, thermotherapy, education of parents for rehabilitation at home; orthopedic aids; special education techniques. The aim of this study is to determine the role and impact of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy in early childhood. The research was conducted at the University of Southeast Europe - (Stul University) at the Faculty of Health Sciences in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, over a period of 6 months, from the beginning of April to the end of September 2023. 61 patients with cerebral palsy are included in the research, of which 28 are male, and the remaining 33 patients are female. The patients included in the research are classified into groups according to: gender, age and clinical form of cerebral palsy. The treatment of Cerebral Palsy (CP) has a complex character and includes medical, pedagogical and social rehabilitation. The individual tasks of the rehabilitation are determined after a functional examination of the motor abilities, where the main role is played by muscle tone, normal and pathological reflex motor activity, in the period up to 1 year of age. The goal of treatment with Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation is to achieve correct and timely development of movements and correction of pathological movement stereotypes (models), which occurred as a result of brain tissue damage. As for the motor deficit, kinesitherapy plays a major role. Established modern methods for kinesitherapy are the specialized methods for neuromuscular re-education of Vojta and Bobath. The Rood and Rabat methods werw also be used to facilitate the required movements and train coordination. Physical therapy and rehabilitation combined with kinesitherapy have an exceptional positive effect in: prevention of pathological primitive reflexes;creation and automation of normal active movements;saving irregular positions of the limbs and the whole body;establishment of balance and correct pattern of movement; fight against spasticity, secondary contractures and deformities; improvement of coordination and awareness of the body in relation to the environment.