Neurology Commons^™

Olfactory Acuity In Chronic Migraine: A Cross-Sectional Study., Alexander C Whiting, Michael J. Marmura, Sarah E Hegarty, Scott W. Keith

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: This study aims to measure olfactory acuity in chronic migraine subjects, at baseline and on migraine days, and compare to age- and sex-matched controls. Olfactory impairment is common in neurological disorders. While smell hypersensitivity has been established with chronic migraine, olfactory acuity has not been well studied.

METHODS: We recruited 50 subjects with chronic migraine from the Jefferson Headache Center and 50 age- and sex-matched controls. Using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), a validated test of olfaction, olfactory acuity was measured at baseline and during a migraine for subjects, and compared to controls at baseline and …

Management Of Head And Neck Pseudoaneurysms: A Review Of 33 Consecutive Cases., Eliza Anderson, Nohra Chalouhi, Md, Aaron Dumont, Stavropoula Tjoumakaris, Mario Zanaty, Robert H. Rosenwasswer Md, Robert M Starke, Pascal Jabbour Md

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Background. Endosaccular coiling, vessel occlusion, stenting, stent-assisted coiling, and flow diversion are all endovascular treatment options for pseudoaneurysms (PAs) of the head and neck. We explore different clinical situations in which these were selected for PA management at a single institution. Methods. Over a period of ten years, 33 patients presented to our hospital with PAs of the head and neck. Their outcomes and procedural complications are discussed. Results. We observed a complication rate of 18.2% (6 of 33), consisting predominantly of infarcts following vessel occlusion. As measured by the modified Rankin Scale, 25 (75.8%) patients had achieved favorable outcomes …

Olfactory Function In Migraine Both During And Between Attacks., Michael J. Marmura, Teshamae S Monteith, Waseem Anjum, Richard L Doty, Sarah E Hegarty, Scott W Keith

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: People with migraine often report being osmophobic, both during and between acute migraine attacks. It is not clear, however, whether such reports are associated with changes in olfaction such as hyperosmia, as measured by psychophysical testing. In this case-control study we quantitatively assessed olfactory identification ability, which correlates with threshold tests of olfactory acuity, in patients with migraine at baseline (no headache), during migraine episodes, and after a treated attack and compared the test scores to those of matched control subjects.

METHODS: Fifty episodic migraine subjects and 50 and sex- and age-matched controls without headache were tested. All completed …

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations: Evaluation And Management., Norman Ajiboye, Nohra Chalouhi, Md, Robert M Starke, Mario Zanaty, Rodney Bell, Md

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

There has been increased detection of incidental AVMs as result of the frequent use of advanced imaging techniques. The natural history of AVM is poorly understood and its management is controversial. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, natural history, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of AVMs. The authors discussed the imaging techniques available for detecting AVMs with regard to the advantages and disadvantages of each imaging modality. Furthermore, this review paper discusses the factors that must be considered for the most appropriate management strategy (based on the current evidence in the literature) and the risks and benefits …

Persistent At-Level Thermal Hyperalgesia And Tactile Allodynia Accompany Chronic Neuronal And Astrocyte Activation In Superficial Dorsal Horn Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury., Jaime L Watson, Tamara J Hala, Rajarshi Putatunda, Daniel Sannie, Angelo C Lepore

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

In humans, sensory abnormalities, including neuropathic pain, often result from traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). SCI can induce cellular changes in the CNS, termed central sensitization, that alter excitability of spinal cord neurons, including those in the dorsal horn involved in pain transmission. Persistently elevated levels of neuronal activity, glial activation, and glutamatergic transmission are thought to contribute to the hyperexcitability of these dorsal horn neurons, which can lead to maladaptive circuitry, aberrant pain processing and, ultimately, chronic neuropathic pain. Here we present a mouse model of SCI-induced neuropathic pain that exhibits a persistent pain phenotype accompanied by chronic neuronal …

Theta And High-Frequency Activity Mark Spontaneous Recall Of Episodic Memories., John F Burke, Ashwini D Sharan, Michael R Sperling, Ashwin G Ramayya, James J. Evans, M Karl Healey, Erin N Beck, Kathryn A Davis, Timothy H Lucas, Michael J Kahana

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Humans possess the remarkable ability to search their memory, allowing specific past episodes to be re-experienced spontaneously. Here, we administered a free recall test to 114 neurosurgical patients and used intracranial theta and high-frequency activity (HFA) to identify the spatiotemporal pattern of neural activity underlying spontaneous episodic retrieval. We found that retrieval evolved in three electrophysiological stages composed of: (1) early theta oscillations in the right temporal cortex, (2) increased HFA in the left hemisphere including the medial temporal lobe (MTL), left inferior frontal gyrus, as well as the ventrolateral temporal cortex, and (3) motor/language activation during vocalization of the …

Regulation Of L1 Expression And Retrotransposition By Melatonin And Its Receptor: Implications For Cancer Risk Associated With Light Exposure At Night., Dawn Deharo, Kristine J Kines, Mark Sokolowski, Robert T Dauchy, Vincent A Streva, Steven M Hill, John P Hanifin, George Brainard, David E Blask, Victoria P Belancio

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Expression of long interspersed element-1 (L1) is upregulated in many human malignancies. L1 can introduce genomic instability via insertional mutagenesis and DNA double-strand breaks, both of which may promote cancer. Light exposure at night, a recently recognized carcinogen, is associated with an increased risk of cancer in shift workers. We report that melatonin receptor 1 inhibits mobilization of L1 in cultured cells through downregulation of L1 mRNA and ORF1 protein. The addition of melatonin receptor antagonists abolishes the MT1 effect on retrotransposition in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, melatonin-rich, but not melatonin-poor, human blood collected at different times during the circadian …

Advances In Neurovascular Treatments., Robert M Starke, Stephen J Monteith, Nohra Chalouhi, Dale Ding, Ricky Medel, David Hasan, Aaron S Dumont

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Letter To Alliance For Headache Disorders Advocacy, William B. Young, Md

Department of Jefferson Headache Center Papers and Presentations

Several years ago the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) decided it would not pay for oxygen for the treatment of cluster headache. This is a serious hardship for many people with cluster headache. The American Headache Society and the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy appealed to CMS to reverse this decision but they refused.

In February, we went to Congress, asking them to encourage CMS to reconsider this appeal. As a result of these efforts, Nebraska Senator Johanns and Delaware Senator Coons are circulating a letter for all Senators to sign urging CMS to re-evaluate this situation. To …

Use Of Antiepileptic Drugs And Lipid-Lowering Agents In The United States., Scott Mintzer, Vittorio Maio, Kathleen Foley

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: The extent to which enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs) are used as first-line treatment in the United States remains unknown. Studies suggest that EIAEDs produce elevation of serum lipids, which could require additional treatment. We assessed the current use of EIAED in monotherapy for epilepsy in the U.S., as well as the correlation between the use of EIAEDs and subsequent new prescriptions for HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors ("statins") for hyperlipidemia.

METHODS: We queried the MarketScan® databases between July 2009 and January 2013, covering 66million patients with commercial or supplemental Medicare insurance. We identified individuals who had a diagnosis of seizures, continuous …

Critical Role Of Tnf-Α In Cerebral Aneurysm Formation And Progression To Rupture., Robert M Starke, Nohra Chalouhi, Md, Pascal Jabbour Md, Stavropoula Tjoumakaris, L. Fernando Gonzalez, Robert H. Rosenwasswer Md, Kosuke Wada, Kenji Shimada, David M Hasan, Nigel H Greig, Gary K Owens, Aaron Dumont

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Alterations in TNF-α expression have been associated with cerebral aneurysms, but a direct role in formation, progression, and rupture has not been established.

METHODS: Cerebral aneurysms were induced through hypertension and a single stereotactic injection of elastase into the basal cistern in mice. To test the role of TNF-α in aneurysm formation, aneurysms were induced in TNF-α knockout mice and mice pretreated with the synthesized TNF-α inhibitor 3,6'dithiothalidomide (DTH). To assess the role of TNF-α in aneurysm progression and rupture, DTH was started 6 days after aneurysm induction. TNF-α expression was assessed through real-time PCR and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS: …

Current Pathophysiological Concepts In Cerebral Small Vessel Disease., Fred Rincon, Clinton B Wright

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

The association between cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) - in the form of white matter lesions, infarctions, and hemorrhages - with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), has mostly been deduced from observational studies. Pathological conditions affecting the small vessels of the brain and leading to SVD have suggested plausible molecular mechanisms involved in vascular damage and their impact on brain function. However, much still needs to be clarified in understanding the pathophysiology of VCI, the role of neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimer's disease, and the impact of aging itself. In addition, both genetic predispositions and environmental exposures may potentiate the development …

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy And Surgery Selectively Alter The Dorsal, Not The Ventral, Default-Mode Network., Gaelle Eve Doucet, Christopher T Skidmore, James J. Evans, Ashwini Sharan Md, Michael R Sperling, Dorian Pustina, Joseph I Tracy

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

The default-mode network (DMN) is a major resting-state network. It can be divided in two distinct networks: one is composed of dorsal and anterior regions [referred to as the dorsal DMN (dDMN)], while the other involves the more posterior regions [referred to as the ventral DMN (vDMN)]. To date, no studies have investigated the potentially distinct impact of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) on these networks. In this context, we explored the effect of TLE and anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) on the dDMN and vDMN. We utilized two resting-state fMRI sessions from left, right TLE patients (pre-/post-surgery) and normal controls (sessions …

A Prospective, Multicenter, Phase I Matched-Comparison Group Trial Of Safety, Pharmacokinetics, And Preliminary Efficacy Of Riluzole In Patients With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury., Robert G Grossman, Michael G Fehlings, Ralph F Frankowski, Keith D Burau, Diana S L Chow, Charles Tator, Angela Teng, Elizabeth G Toups, James Harrop, Bizhan Aarabi, Christopher I Shaffrey, Michele M Johnson, Susan J Harkema, Maxwell Boakye, James D Guest, Jefferson R Wilson

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

A prospective, multicenter phase I trial was undertaken by the North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) to investigate the pharmacokinetics and safety of, as well as obtain pilot data on, the effects of riluzole on neurological outcome in acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Thirty-six patients, with ASIA impairment grades A-C (28 cervical and 8 thoracic) were enrolled at 6 NACTN sites between April 2010 and June 2011. Patients received 50 mg of riluzole PO/NG twice-daily, within 12 h of SCI, for 14 days. Peak and trough plasma concentrations were quantified on days 3 and 14. Peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and …

Update On Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy For Retinoblastoma., Mario Zanaty, Guilherme Barros, Nohra Chalouhi, Md, Robert M Starke, Philip Manasseh, Stavropoula I. Tjoumakaris, Carol L Shields, David Hasan, Ketan Bulsara, Robert H. Rosenwasswer Md, Pascal Jabbour Md

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

The tools for managing retinoblastoma have been increasing in the past decade. While globe-salvage still relies heavily on intravenous chemotherapy, tumors in advanced stage that failed chemotherapy are now referred for intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) to avoid enucleation. However, IAC still has many obstacles to overcome. We present an update on the indications, complications, limitations, success, and technical aspects of IAC. Given its safety and high efficacy, it is expected that IAC will replace conventional strategies and will become a first-line option even for tumors that are amenable for other strategies.

Novel Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection Associated With Brain Abscess., Anish Koka, Md, Amit Sachdev, Md, Moussa F Yazbeck, Md, Rodney Bell, Md, Christopher Farrellc, Md

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Right-to-left vascular shunts are associated with brain abscess.

CASE REPORT: We present a 47-year-old female with a cryptogenic left thalamic abscess on which Streptococcus mitis grew upon aspiration. Computed tomography of the chest with contrast agent revealed an anomalous connection between the left superior pulmonary and brachiocephalic veins. A right-to-left shunt was confirmed in a transthoracic echocardiogram study in which bubbles were injected into the left arm; this shunt had not previously been noted upon right-arm injection.

CONCLUSIONS: We recommend aggressive evaluation for right-to-left shunts in patients who present with cryptogenic brain abscesses. In addition to imaging, this should …

Perception And Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Among Children And Adults With Epilepsy: The Importance Of The Decision Makers., Ali A Asadi-Pooya, Mehrdad Emami

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

The aim of the current study was to assess the extent to which complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used in children and adults to treat seizures and to compare the perceptions and usage of CAM between adult patients who decides for themselves and adults who decide for their sick children.In this cross-sectional study, patients who have been treated for epilepsy for at least one year at the outpatient epilepsy clinic at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were interviewed from January 2012 through March 2012. The questionnaire collected specific information of CAM perceptions and usage among patients. Pearson …

Sociocultural Influences On Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors In Older African Americans, Barry W. Rovner, Robin J. Casten, Lynn Fields Harris

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

Objective. The purpose of this observational study was to describe the associations between cultural beliefs that are prevalent in older African Americans and adherence to diabetes self-management (DSM) behaviors.

Methods. In a community population of 110 older African Americans with type 2 diabetes, the investigators administered surveys that assess present time orientation (PTO), future time orientation (FTO), and religiosity, as well as exercising habits, reading food labels, and checking blood glucose.

Results. Participants who reported regularly exercising had significantly lower PTO scores and higher FTO and religiosity scores than participants who did not regularly exercise. Similarly, participants who reported reading …

Epilepsy, Hippocampal Sclerosis And Febrile Seizures Linked By Common Genetic Variation Around Scn1a., Dalia Kasperaviciute, Claudia B Catarino, Mar Matarin, Costin Leu, Jan Novy, Anna Tostevin, Bárbara Leal, Ellen V S Hessel, Kerstin Hallmann, Michael S Hildebrand, Hans-Henrik M Dahl, Mina Ryten, Daniah Trabzuni, Adaikalavan Ramasamy, Saud Alhusaini, Colin P Doherty, Thomas Dorn, Jörg Hansen, Günter Krämer, Bernhard J Steinhoff, Dominik Zumsteg, Susan Duncan, Reetta K Kälviäinen, Kai J Eriksson, Anne-Mari Kantanen, Massimo Pandolfo, Ursula Gruber-Sedlmayr, Kurt Schlachter, Eva M Reinthaler, Elisabeth Stogmann, Fritz Zimprich, Emilie Théâtre, Colin Smith, Terence J O'Brien, K Meng Tan, Slave Petrovski, Angela Robbiano, Roberta Paravidino, Federico Zara, Pasquale Striano, Michael R Sperling, Russell J Buono, Hakon Hakonarson, João Chaves, Paulo P Costa, Berta M Silva, António M Da Silva, Pierre N E De Graan, Bobby P C Koeleman, Albert Becker, Susanne Schoch, Marec Von Lehe, Philipp S Reif, Felix Rosenow, Felicitas Becker, Yvonne Weber, Holger Lerche, Karl Rössler, Michael Buchfelder, Hajo M Hamer, Katja Kobow, Roland Coras, Ingmar Blumcke, Ingrid E Scheffer, Samuel F Berkovic, Michael E. Weale, Uk Brain Expression Consortium, Norman Delanty, Chantal Depondt, Gianpiero L Cavalleri, Wolfram S Kunz, Sanjay M Sisodiya

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Epilepsy comprises several syndromes, amongst the most common being mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. Seizures in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis are typically drug-resistant, and mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis is frequently associated with important co-morbidities, mandating the search for better understanding and treatment. The cause of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis is unknown, but there is an association with childhood febrile seizures. Several rarer epilepsies featuring febrile seizures are caused by mutations in SCN1A, which encodes a brain-expressed sodium channel subunit targeted by many anti-epileptic drugs. We undertook a genome-wide association …

Neuroprotective Effect Of Arctigenin Via Upregulation Of P-Creb In Mouse Primary Neurons And Human Sh-Sy5y Neuroblastoma Cells., Nan Zhang, Qingping Wen, Lu Ren, Wenbo Liang, Yang Xia, Xiaodan Zhang, Dan Zhao, Dong Sun, Yv Hu, Haiguang Hao, Yaping Yan, Guangxian Zhang, Jingxian Yang, Tingguo Kang

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Arctigenin (Arc) has been shown to act on scopolamine-induced memory deficit mice and to provide a neuroprotective effect on cultured cortical neurons from glutamate-induced neurodegeneration through mechanisms not completely defined. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of Arc on H89-induced cell damage and its potential mechanisms in mouse cortical neurons and human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We found that Arc prevented cell viability loss induced by H89 in human SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, Arc reduced intracellular beta amyloid (Aβ) production induced by H89 in neurons and human SH-SY5Y cells, and Arc also inhibited the presenilin 1(PS1) protein level in neurons. In addition, …

Hippocampal Functional Connectivity Patterns During Spatial Working Memory Differ In Right Versus Left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy., Gaelle Eve Doucet, Karol Osipowicz, Ashwini Sharan Md, Michael R Sperling, Joseph I Tracy

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), affecting the medial temporal lobe, is a disorder that affects not just episodic memory but also working memory (WM). However, the exact nature of hippocampal-related network activity in visuospatial WM remains unclear. To clarify this, we utilized a functional connectivity (FC) methodology to investigate hippocampal network involvement during the encoding phase of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) visuospatial WM task in right and left TLE patients. Specifically, we assessed the relation between FC within right and left hippocampus-seeded networks, and patient performance (rate of correct responses) during the encoding phase of a block span WM …

Converging Evidence For The Processing Costs Associated With Ambiguous Quantifier Comprehension., Corey T Mcmillan, Danielle Coleman, Robin Clark, Tsao-Wei Liang, Rachel G Gross, Murray Grossman

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Traditional neuroanatomic models of language comprehension have emphasized a core language network situated in peri-Sylvian cortex. More recent evidence appears to extend the neuroanatomic network beyond peri-Sylvian cortex to encompass other aspects of sentence processing. In this study, we evaluate the neuroanatomic basis for processing the ambiguity in doubly-quantified sentences. For example, a sentence like "All the dogs jumped in a lake" can be interpreted with a collective interpretation (e.g., several dogs jumping into a single lake) or a distributive interpretation (e.g., several dogs each jumping into a different lake). In Experiment 1, we used BOLD fMRI to investigate neuroanatomic …

Meeting The Challenge: Technological Advances In Stroke Rehabilitation, Peggy Seminara Rn, Ne-Bc, Mha, Bernadette R. Anderson Bsn, Rn, Alberto Esquenazi Md

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

The Stigma Of Migraine, William B. Young, Jung E. Park, Iris X. Tian, Joanna Kempner

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Background

People who have a disease often experience stigma, a socially and culturally embedded process through which individuals experience stereotyping, devaluation, and discrimination. Stigma has great impact on quality of life, behavior, and life chances. We do not know whether or not migraine is stigmatizing.

Methods

We studied 123 episodic migraine patients, 123 chronic migraine patients, and 62 epilepsy patients in a clinical setting to investigate the extent to which stigma attaches to migraine, using epilepsy as a comparison. We used the stigma scale for chronic illness, a 24-item questionnaire suitable for studying chronic neurologic diseases, and various disease impact …

Synchronous And Asynchronous Theta And Gamma Activity During Episodic Memory Formation., John F Burke, Kareem A Zaghloul, Joshua Jacobs, Ryan B Williams, Michael R Sperling, Ashwini D Sharan, Michael J Kahana

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

To test the hypothesis that neural oscillations synchronize to mediate memory encoding, we analyzed electrocorticographic recordings taken as 68 human neurosurgical patients studied and subsequently recalled lists of common words. To the extent that changes in spectral power reflect synchronous oscillations, we would expect those power changes to be accompanied by increases in phase synchrony between the region of interest and neighboring brain areas. Contrary to the hypothesized role of synchronous gamma oscillations in memory formation, we found that many key regions that showed power increases during successful memory encoding also exhibited decreases in global synchrony. Similarly, cortical theta activity …

Tracking Transplanted Bone Marrow Stem Cells And Their Effects In The Rat Mcao Stroke Model., Gregory V Goldmacher, Rena Nasser, Daniel Y Lee, Sargon Yigit, Robert Rosenwasser, Lorraine Iacovitti

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

In this study, rat bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) were tracked after IV administration to rats with experimental stroke caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). In addition, the effects of BMSC treatment on blood cell composition, brain glia and sensorimotor behavior was studied and compared to that which occurred spontaneously during the normal recovery process after stroke. We found that the vast majority of radiolabeled or fluorescently labeled BMSCs traveled to and remained in peripheral organs (lungs, spleen, liver) 3 days after IV injection in the MCAO rat. Once in the circulation, BMSCs also produced rapid alterations in …

Identification Of Phosphorylation Sites In The Cooh-Terminal Tail Of The Μ-Opioid Receptor., Ying-Ju Chen, Sue Oldfield, Adrian J. Butcher, Andrew B. Tobin, Kunal Saxena, Vsevolod V. Gurevich, Jeffrey L. Benovic, Graeme Henderson, Eamonn Kelly

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Phosphorylation is considered a key event in the signalling and regulation of the μ opioid receptor (MOPr). Here, we used mass spectroscopy to determine the phosphorylation status of the C-terminal tail of the rat MOPr expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells. Under basal conditions, MOPr is phosphorylated on Ser(363) and Thr(370), while in the presence of morphine or [D-Ala2, NMe-Phe4, Gly-ol5]-enkephalin (DAMGO), the COOH terminus is phosphorylated at three additional residues, Ser(356) , Thr(357) and Ser(375). Using N-terminal glutathione S transferase (GST) fusion proteins of the cytoplasmic, C-terminal tail of MOPr and point mutations of the same, we …

Key Neurological And Neurochemical Features In A Model Of Repetitive Concussions: Implications For Post-Concussion Headache, C. Macolino, B. Daiutolo, A. Tyburski, Melanie B. Elliott

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Introduction

Incidence rates for concussion will continue to grow along with the increasing awareness and improvements in diagnosis. Headache is a hallmark feature of post-concussion syndrome. Post-concussion headache (PCH) is highly prevalent in the military with as high as 97.8% reporting having headaches¹. occurring in up to 85% of athletes following ^2-4. In the Military and sports, return to duty or play guidelines state that a soldier/player should be asymptomatic before returning to physical activity. However, headache following concussion is commonly dismissed. PCH can be a new headache resulting from head trauma or worsening of pre-existing headache …

Inhibitory Effect Of Il-17 On Neural Stem Cell Proliferation And Neural Cell Differentiation., Zichen Li, Ke Li, Lin Zhu, Quancheng Kan, Yaping Yan, Priyanka Kumar, Hui Xu, Abdolmohamad Rostami, Guang-Xian Zhang

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: IL-17, a Th17 cell-derived proinflammatory molecule, has been found to play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). While IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) is expressed in many immune-related cells, microglia, and astrocytes, it is not known whether IL-17 exerts a direct effect on neural stem cells (NSCs) and oligodendrocytes, thus inducing inflammatory demyelination in the central nervous system.

METHODS: We first detected IL-17 receptor expression in NSCs with immunostaining and real time PCR. We then cultured NSCs with IL-17 and determined NSC proliferation by neurosphere formation …

Inhibitory Effect Of Matrine On Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption For The Treatment Of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis., Su Zhang, Quan-Cheng Kan, Yuming Xu, Guang-Xian Zhang, Lin Zhu

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a primary characteristic of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an experimental model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Matrine (MAT), a quinolizidine alkaloid derived from the herb Radix Sophorae Flave, has been recently found to suppress clinical EAE and CNS inflammation. However, whether this effect of MAT is through protecting the integrity and function of the BBB is not known. In the present study, we show that MAT treatment had a therapeutic effect comparable to dexamethasone (DEX) in EAE rats, with reduced Evans Blue extravasation, increased expression of collagen IV, the major component of the basement …