Nerve Connections Research Articles

The Value of the Rehabilitation for Cases with Facial Palsy after Removal of Brain Tumor Schwannoma (Case Study)

This study aim to identify the value of the rehabilitation for cases of the connection of the seventh nerve after the removal of a tumor in the brain, the most important results were confirm the value of the rehabilitation in maintaining the muscles of the face from fibrosis until the arrival of nerve signals from the brain to the muscles through the connection of the nerve and the value of rehabilitation in restoring muscle functions after removal of the tumor.

SSBP1 faux pas in mitonuclear tango causes optic neuropathy.

Mitochondrial dysfunction or loss is evident in neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations associated with NADH dehydrogenase subunits and nuclear gene mutations that affect mitochondrial function result in optic neuropathies. In this issue of the JCI, Del Dotto et al. and Piro-Mégy et al. identify heterozygous mutations in nuclear-encoded mitochondrial single-strand binding protein 1 (SSBP1) in patients with apparently dominant optic neuropathy with or without extraocular phenotypes. Both research groups reported similar mitochondrial findings in response to SSBP1 mutations. However, the specific SSBP1 mitochondria-associated function in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the resulting optic nerve remains unclear. We suggest that high expression of SSBP1 during RGC differentiation is critical for mtDNA maintenance to produce appropriate optic nerve connectivity and that SSBP1 mutations in dominant optic atrophy patients do not permit stable binding to N6-methyldeoxyadenosine on the heavy strand involved with replication, leading to disruptions of mtDNA and, eventually, optic nerve dysfunction.

Chronic pancreatitis is an acid dependent disease. Which mark to put at the end of the sentence: interrogative, exclamation, dot or ellipsis?

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is one of the most widespread gastroenterological diseases, the pathogenic mechanisms of which are still under investigation. The authors gave a short overview of the main stages in the research of the relationships between gastric and pancreatic secretion, and the results of physiological studies, performed by I. P. Pavlov and his students. Being а strict follower of «nervousness» theory, the great physiologist and his associates made the incorrect conclusions about the presence of local nerve connections (peripheral reflex arc) between the duodenum and pancreas, not suggesting the presence of humoral interactions. The modern data have been presented that give the evidence that duodenal acidification results in the secondary deficiency of endogenous pancreatic enzymes, increased stimulation of pancreatic secretion, exacerbated symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, increased secretory tension in pancreatic tissue, duct and tissue pressure, and increased risk of CP attack.However, a dot at the end of a statement «CP is an acid-dependent disease» is tentative. The proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used throughout for the treatment of acid-dependent diseases. However, neither European, nor Russian recommendations do include PPIs as a basic treatment for CP. The results of a prospective randomized controlled trial, which proved the effectiveness of CP treatment with the use of combination of analgesics and PPIs have been considered. However, the results of the only study are not enough to recommend the inclusion of PPI in the basic CP therapy. The analysis has been performed for the provisions of the European Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatitis. These guidelines describe situations when PPIs should be included in the complex CP treatment. The data of evidence-based medicine have been presented, illustrating that suppression of gastric secretion can increase the effectiveness of enzyme preparations in comparison with the administration of pancreatin monotherapy. The advantages of pantoprazole among other of the PPIs’ representatives have been analyzed. A clinical case of CP treatment with a reasonable pantoprazole (Nolpaza) administration have been considered.

Dense Wireless Network Inspired by the Nervous System

This work presents concepts of the use of algorithms inspired by the functions and properties of the nervous system in dense wireless networks. In particular, selected features of the brain consisting of a large number of nerve connections were analyzed, which is why they are a good model for a dense network. In addition, the action of a selected cells from the nervous system (such as neuron, microglia or astrocyte) as well as phenomena observed in it (e.g. neuroplasticity) are presented.

Porcine experimental model for gracilis free flap transfer to the head and neck area with novel donor site description

Functional free tissue transfer in the form of muscle free flap is a challenging surgical procedure and needs a steep learning curve. A porcine model for free muscle transfer and insetting in a distant area is of great interest in reconstructive microsurgery due to the experience and learning curve necessary to perform these surgeries. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a swine model for gracilis muscle free transfer and to describe the donor site anatomy. Ten gracilis free flap transfer surgery models were performed under general anesthesia in a porcine model, based on a vascular pedicle depending of the external iliac vessels and a branch of the obturator nerve with microsuture mediated connection to head and neck nerves and vessels. The gracilis myocutaneous or muscle-only free flap was successfully transferred in all cases using as receptors the vagus nerve, the common carotid artery, and the external or internal jugular veins. In two cases, nervous connection had to be redone. All vascular anastomoses were correctly functioning. Despite the anatomical and design variations, porcine gracilis free flap transferred to the head and neck area with microvascular anastomosis and nerve connection provides a suitable training model for functional reconstructive microsurgery.

Neural pathways in the pallial nerve and arm nerve cord revealed by neurobiotin backfilling in the cephalopod mollusk Octopus vulgaris.

Here, we report the findings after application of neurobiotin tracing to pallial and stellar nerves in the mantle of the cephalopod mollusk Octopus vulgaris and to the axial nerve cord in its arm. Neurobiotin backfilling is a known technique in other molluscs, but it is applied to octopus for the first time to be best of our knowledge. Different neural tracing techniques have been carried out in cephalopods to study the intricate neural connectivity of their nervous system, but mapping the nervous connections in this taxon is still incomplete, mainly due to the absence of a reliable tracing method allowing whole-mount imaging. In our experiments, neurobiotin backfilling allowed: (1) imaging of large/thick samples (larger than 2mm) through optical clearing; (2) additional application of immunohistochemistry on the backfilled tissues, allowing identification of neural structures by coupling of a specific antibody. This work opens a series of future studies aimed to the identification of the neural diagram and connectome of octopus nervous system.

Ultrastructural evidence of a mechanosensory function of scale organs (sensilla) in sea snakes (Hydrophiinae).

The evolution of epidermal scales was a major innovation in lepidosaurs, providing a barrier to dehydration and physical stress, while functioning as a sensitive interface for detecting mechanical stimuli in the environment. In snakes, mechanoreception involves tiny scale organs (sensilla) that are concentrated on the surface of the head. The fully marine sea snakes (Hydrophiinae) are closely related to terrestrial hydrophiine snakes but have substantially more protruding (dome-shaped) scale organs that often cover a larger portion of the scale surface. Various divergent selection pressures in the marine environment could account for this morphological variation relating to detection of mechanical stimuli from direct contact with stimuli and/or indirect contact via water motion (i.e. ‘hydrodynamic reception’), or co-option for alternate sensory or non-sensory functions. We addressed these hypotheses using immunohistochemistry, and light and electron microscopy, to describe the cells and nerve connections underlying scale organs in two sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis and Hydrophis stokesii. Our results show ultrastructural features in the cephalic scale organs of both marine species that closely resemble the mechanosensitive Meissner-like corpuscles that underlie terrestrial snake scale organs. We conclude that the scale organs of marine hydrophiines have retained a mechanosensory function, but future studies are needed to examine whether they are sensitive to hydrodynamic stimuli.

Vagus nerve stimulation for primary headache disorders: An anatomical review to explain a clinical phenomenon.

BackgroundNon-invasive stimulation of the vagus nerve has been proposed as a new neuromodulation therapy to treat primary headache disorders, as the vagus nerve is hypothesized to modulate the headache pain pathways in the brain. Vagus nerve stimulation can be performed by placing an electrode on the ear to stimulate the tragus nerve, which contains about 1% of the vagus fibers. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) conventionally refers to stimulation of the cervical branch of the vagus nerve, which is made up entirely of vagal nerve fibers. While used interchangeably, most of the research to date has been performed with nVNS or an implanted vagus nerve stimulation device. However, the exact mechanism of action of nVNS remains hypothetical and no clear overview of the effectiveness of nVNS in primary headache disorders is available.MethodsIn the present study, the clinical trials that investigated the effectiveness, tolerability and safety of nVNS in primary headache disorders were systematically reviewed. The second part of this study reviewed the central connections of the vagus nerve. Papers on the clinical use of nVNS and the anatomical investigations were included based on predefined criteria, evaluated, and results were reported in a narrative way.ResultsThe first part of this review shows that nVNS in primary headache disorders is moderately effective, safe and well-tolerated. Regarding the anatomical review, it was reported that fibers from the vagus nerve intertwine with fibers from the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and hypoglossal nerves, mostly in the trigeminal spinal tract. Second, the four nuclei of the vagus nerve (nuclei of the solitary tract, nucleus ambiguus, spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve and dorsal motor nucleus (DMX)) show extensive interconnections. Third, the efferents from the vagal nuclei that receive sensory and visceral input (i.e. nuclei of the solitary tract and spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve) mainly course towards the main parts of the neural pain matrix directly or indirectly via other vagal nuclei.ConclusionThe moderate effectiveness of nVNS in treating primary headache disorders can possibly be linked to the connections between the trigeminal and vagal systems as described in animals.

Which is the function of a martin-gruber connection?

Clinical and diagnostic variations may occur due to the variable presence of a connection between the median and ulnar nerves in the forearm (Martin-Gruber anastomosis). This incidence has a wide range at 7%-40%. Most commonly, the connection between the nerves is considered to be composed of motor fibers; although, a sensory role has also been described. It is important to note that the number of axons, or the nature of the fibers in this connection, have not yet been elucidated. Fifty upper limbs were examined evaluating morphometric characteristics of the Martin Gruber connection, dissected out, sectioned, and immunohistochemically stained for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and analyzed with ImageJ© . The connection was observed in 32% of all cases (16/50). The nerve connections were identified as those in Pattern 1 group (12%-type 1b, 19%-type 1a, and 69%-type 1c) and contained motor (ChAT positive) fibers (40.42 ± 10.5% per connection) with three to four fascicles in each. No statistically significant differences were found according to sex, side, or laterality. There were statistically significant differences in the percentages of ChAT positive fibers; however, this was dependent on the distribution being greater in those not distributed zonally. The presence of this connection is prevalent in almost a third of the cadavers dissected; the understanding of this complex composition in sensory and motor fibers allows for the optimization of diagnosis and treatment of certain median-ulnar nerve injuries. Clin. Anat. 32:501-508, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The heart-brain pathway in depression: Optimizing TMS treatment for depression using cardiac response (Neuro-Cardiac-Guided-TMS)

The efficacy of rTMS, targeted at the Dorsolateral-Prefrontal-Cortex (DLPFC), to treat depression, has been well established. Currently, the clinical benefit of rTMS in depression is hypothesized to be mediated through the DLPFC-sgACC network, however to date there is no validated method that allows individualization of rTMS stimulation sites through target engagement. Previous studies demonstrated that stimulation of the DLPFC results in heart rate decelerations, indicating DLPFC-sgACC-vagus nerve connectivity. This suggests heart rate might serve as functional outcome measure of target engagement, which we validated in a recent pilot-study (Iseger et al., 2017). F3 and F4 stimulation resulted in the largest heart rate deceleration, in line with studies suggesting these are optimal 10-20 sites to target the DLPFC, however substantial individual variation was observed as well, suggesting possibilities for individualization.

Immunoexpression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, β-cell Lymphoma 2 and Cluster of Differentiation 68 in Cerebellar Tissue of Rats Treated with Ganoderma lucidum

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can potentially lead to hemorrhages in all areas of the skull, which can damage cells and nerve connections. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPS) as a antioxidant on cerebellar cell tissues after traumatic brain injury in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to TBI with a weight-drop device using 300 g1m weight-height impact. The groups are consisted of control, trauma, and trauma+Ganoderma lucidum groups. At seven days post-brain injury, experimental rats were decapitated after intraperitoneal administration of ketamine HCL (0.15 ml/100 g body weight). Cereballar samples were taken for histological examination or determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Significant improvement was observed in cells and vascular structures of Ganoderma lucidum treated groups when compared to untreated groups. It is believed that Ganoderma lucidum may have an effect on the progression of traumatic brain injury. Ganoderma lucidum application may affect angiogenetic development in blood vessel endothelial cells, decrease inflammatory cell accumulation by affecting cytokine mechanism and may create apoptotic nerve cells and neuroprotective mechanism in glial cells.

Computational Modeling, Neuroscience, and Visual Algorithm

Computational Modeling and Visual Algorithm allows for the creation of a Visual cognitive diagram that explains areas of the brain they represent to spatial abstraction and mental calculation. For example, the temporal lobe is associated with memory and the occipital lobe is associated with vision. The cerebral cortex is where decision- making, thinking, and information process takes place. Moreover, in the frontal lobe is where decision making, takes place and the parietal lobe influences areas of the brain that correlate to spatial calculation and mind mapping. This is created in a diagram that expresses each area like a visual algorithm. A visual algorithm is created in different scales that are associated with numerical numbers and the frontal lobe sub division [1]. The creation of this visual algorithm explains the nodes and the functioning of the levels of the brain and neuroscience. The connection and the functions of the brain control our learning, motor content, and mayor nerve connections. The visual algorithm present an abstract and perception pattern to look at thinks. It connects with the nodes that affect our cognitive human perception factor. The lobes of the brain resemble this area and provide an in-depth understanding to what a cognitive hierarchy is. The lobes are important factor to the perception of thinking, learning, and memory. Each one with a significant function to learning and neuroscience [2]

Bioelectric neuromodulation for gastrointestinal disorders: effectiveness and mechanisms.

The gastrointestinal tract has extensive, surgically accessible nerve connections with the central nervous system. This provides the opportunity to exploit rapidly advancing methods of nerve stimulation to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Bioelectric neuromodulation technology has considerably advanced in the past decade, but sacral nerve stimulation for faecal incontinence currently remains the only neuromodulation protocol in general use for a gastrointestinal disorder. Treatment of other conditions, such as IBD, obesity, nausea and gastroparesis, has had variable success. That nerves modulate inflammation in the intestine is well established, but the anti-inflammatory effects of vagal nerve stimulation have only recently been discovered, and positive effects of this approach were seen in only some patients with Crohn's disease in a single trial. Pulses of high-frequency current applied to the vagus nerve have been used to block signalling from the stomach to the brain to reduce appetite with variable outcomes. Bioelectric neuromodulation has also been investigated for postoperative ileus, gastroparesis symptoms and constipation in animal models and some clinical trials. The clinical success of this bioelectric neuromodulation therapy might be enhanced through better knowledge of the targeted nerve pathways and their physiological and pathophysiological roles, optimizing stimulation protocols and determining which patients benefit most from this therapy.

The Importance of Primary Prevention Regarding Orientations Given to Babies´ Caregivers

Caregiver orientation is very important to promote neurodevelopment on babies. Considering that relations are the key for this development of superior mental functions, we believe that all caregivers, teachers and parents should be present and paying attention to the children, providing opportunity for an ideal neurodevelopmentand humanization. It is important to orientate caregivers so that they can provide qualitative conditions, which integrate affection, conscience and action to promote development to occur according to the potential of the child. We believe that the individual constitutes himself by means of social contact. This work has the goal toapproach the theory which orientates, with specific guidelines and practical work, caregivers aiming a better child neurodevelopment. Bonds are necessary for a better and trustful relation. When you are present in a relation nervous connections are promoted and these lead to a more effective motor, cognitive and affectivedevelopment of the superior mental functions such as memory, attention, language, psychomotricity and executive functions. It uses didactically the following principles of the Social Historical theory of Luria and Vygotsky: mediation, functional units and zone of proximal development. Interactions between the brain and the formation of mental functions require the maturity of the nervous system as well as an active process that emphasizes relations of two or more human beings.
 Keywords: neurodevelopment, childhood, relation

Fascial connections of peripheral nerve of the horse

Introduction: The hypothesis of this study was that peripheral nerves, which are attached to fascial sheets, are affected by the movement and tension of the fascia. Detailed macro- and microscopical studies were performed to validate the structural and functional connections between peripheral nerves and fascia.

The Human Laryngeal Innervation Revisited-The Role of the Neural Connections.

In spite that vascular inconvenients or immunological rejections have been solved in relation with larynx transplant, a successful functional reinnervation has not been achieved. Some studies have suggested that laryngeal nerve connection may contain motor fibers, which could explain unexpected evoked responses in electromyographic studies or the different positions adopted of the vocal folds after similar nerve lesions. Ten patients with unexpected evoked responses after laryngeal nerve stimulation were selected. All the patients underwent a total laryngectomy due to oncological causes. In every case, laryngeal nerve connections were observed. All of them were morphologic and histologic processed for choline-acetyltransferase immunohistochemistry. The presence of motor axons in the nerve connections has been demonstrated, which would explain that the motor innervation to the laryngeal muscles could be dual through these variable connections. This also would justify the difficulty of carrying out laryngeal nerve reinnervation procedures. Anat Rec, 302:646-651, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extracranial Course of the Facial Nerve Revisited.

The extrapetrous course of the facial nerve has been a matter of study and debate since XIX century. Two different classifications have been classically proposed and widely accepted by most of the authors. Nevertheless, there are reported cases which do not fit in any of those. The aim of this study is to propose a new and useful classification. We have used 23 embalmed Caucasian adult cadavers (11 male and 12 female) belonging to the Bodies Donation and Dissecting Rooms Centre of the University Complutense of Madrid. The extra-petrous facial nerve was dissected in the possible specimens resulting in 38 facial nerves. The studied parameters were length, diameter of divisions, terminal branches, and nerve connections. In every specimen two main divisions were found, temporofacial and cervicofacial. They divided into five terminal branches from cranial to caudal: temporal, zygomatic, buccal, marginal or mandibular, and cervical. Based on the comparison with previous proposed classifications, we have unified the patterns in 12 types being the most frequent types the type 3 (eight cases, 21.05%), with connections between temporal, zygomatic and buccal branches and the type 8 (eight cases, 21.05%), a complex network between temporal, zygomatic, buccal, and mandibular branches. The number of terminal branches was so variable. We propose a new 12-patterned classification which summarizes the previous ones. However, we consider that a good study of the number of terminal branches, connections between branches or with other cranial nerves are more useful for surgeons to avoid injuries to the facial nerve during surgery than complex classifications. Anat Rec, 302:599-608, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Leonardo da Vinci: Images of the Brain

Leonardo (1452–1519) produced hundreds of anatomical drawings from at least 30 dissections he conducted over a period of several decades. He began this endeavor to more accurately portray the human body; he continued the studies to create a treatise on human anatomy. In addition, numerous animal dissections and drawings were prepared by Leonardo. In 1490–1492 Leonardo drew an image (RL 12603r, K&P 32) in keeping with contemporary concepts that the cerebral ventricles and the psychic pneuma or animal spirits they contained were responsible for function of the brain. The ventricles are illustrated as three linear spaces with the optic nerves projecting to the ventricles. With this traditional view, Leonardo was perhaps the first to indicate the meningeal envelope of the optic nerves, and possibly the first to illustrate the frontal nasal sinus. Leonardo likened the coverings of the scalp and brain to layers of an onion, an analogy represented by the sectioned onion in the upper left image. Leonardo began to question connection of cranial nerves to the ventricles. This led him to prepare a wax cast of bovine cerebral ventricles to ascertain their true configuration. A hole was drilled through the underside of the skull, a syringe inserted into the 3rd ventricle and molten wax injected. For this first known example of casting of a body cavity, Leonardo applied the technique used in casting bronze statues. After the wax hardened, he removed the brain and dissected away the tissue. Leonardo then drew a series of studies on paper to illustrate the results (RL 19127r, K&P 104r). A drawing of the wax cast is at bottom right of this sheet. At top left, he has superimposed the cast onto the brain. At top right, Leonardo has drawn a brain with the ventricles in place, sectioned in the mid‐line from superior to inferior. In this image, the forebrain and midbrain are fully divided. Each half is retracted laterally. Below the level of the cerebral aqueduct, the hindbrain is only partially divided and the lower hindbrain remains intact. The central figure in the lower half of the sheet is an inferior view of the intact brain. The radiating feather‐like structure centered at the pituitary is a rete mirabile—present in cattle, not humans.Even though Leonardo used a bovine specimen, the brain he has represented is human. There is a horizontal forebrain, a midbrain flexure and an inferiorly projecting hindbrain. This is indicative of an upright posture with a sub‐terminal foramen magnum as in man. A comparison of bovine and human brains in the accompanying figures indicates the proportions and configuration of brain components are human. It was not unusual at this period in anatomical history to transfer and transform structures from different species into the corresponding human structures. Human dissection was difficult to accomplish; animal dissection was not. In Rome, 1516, a disgruntled associate delivered a complaint against him to Pope Leo X and to hospital Santo Spirito, where he was performing his studies. Leonardo relocated to Amboise in the Loire valley under patronage of Francis I. He died 2 May 1519 at the chateau of Cloux. It would be several centuries before his studies were published.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

End-to-side neurorrhaphy: expectations and reality

An increasing number of injuries with damage of peripheral nerves, including a substantial number of injuries with extensive defects of large nerve trunks, requires improvement in approach to surgical treatment of patients. High-energy impact injuries in peacetime and wartime often lead to persistent violations of musculoskeletal apparatus, a significant part of which is due to injuries of peripheral nerves. During peacetime, various types of peripheral nerve injuries occur in 2-6% of trauma patients. In today’s armed conflicts, various types of peripheral nerve injuries occur in nearly 80% of neurosurgical patients and are mostly of combined injury. Improvements in surgical methods of recovery of lost innervation due to an injury are directly associated with the development of fundamental understanding of the nature of occurring degenerative and regenerative processes in damaged nerve fiber. Nerve suture is only the creation of appropriate conditions that contribute to regeneration of nerve fibers and recovery of lost functions. When extensive defects of nerve trunks exist, connection of distal part damaged nerve with side surface of the intact nerve is the alternative to traditional replacement of extensive defects with nerve grafts. Positive outcomes of such interventions that were seen during tests on laboratory animals led to trials of this method on patients and resulted in a number of positive outcomes as well. Despite the fact that the question of morphological substantiation of reinnervation processes of the distal portion of a damaged nerve is the cause of heated disputes among scientists, some surgeons make attempts to define a set of specific conditions needed to justify the use of end-to-side neurorrhaphy.

HYGIENIC REGULATION OF THE USE OF INTERACTIVE EQUIPMENT IN THE CLASSROOM IN KINDERGARTEN

Introduction. The purpose of the study was to assess the hygienic impact of classes with using an interactive whiteboard and an interactive table on the functional state of the body of preschool children aged 6-7 years. Material and methods. The results of studies of the impact of classes using interactive equipment in kindergarten on the functional state of the body of children aged 6-7 years. The interactive whiteboard was used in all classes (two or three) during the day. Continuous duration of its use at each session did not exceed 5 minutes, in total - 15 minutes during play activities used the interactive table which lasted up to 10 min. Results. The comparative analysis of the results of the studies did not reveal any differences in the indices of fatigue and psycho-emotional state of children in the response to developmental activities with and without the use of interactive equipment. The expressed activating influence of occupations with use of the interactive equipment on the activity of the central nervous system is established. This was manifested in a significant increase in the speed of complex sensorimotor responses and a decrease in the probability of an error. Discussion. In our opinion, the approximate response to the novelty, bright and attractive form of information presentation with the interactive equipment lead to the functional mobilization of brain structures involved in the analysis of information, followed by a more pronounced concentration of attention, creates an optimal tone of the central nervous system, providing ease and speed of lockings and functioning of nerve connections underlying learning.