Cranial nerve development: placodal neurons ride the crest

Neurons of the vertebrate cranial sensory ganglia arise from both neural crest and a series of ectodermal thickenings termed neurogenic placodes. Recent results lend insight into how these two populations of cells coordinate their development, and subsequently innervate their central target, the hindbrain.     

A conditioning lesion promotes in vivo nerve regeneration in the contralateral sciatic nerve of rats

A conditioning lesion in the sciatic nerve increases in vivo axonal regeneration in the nerve after a second transection. We studied whether this increased regeneration also occurs in the contralateral nerve. The left sciatic nerve was transected and sutured in Wistar rats; the nerve was exposed but not transected in controls. After 5 days, the right sciatic nerves of all rats were transected and sutured. Neuronal regeneration was measured at 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days with the pinch test and histological staining. IL-1beta and TGF-beta1 expression was also measured. The initial delay in the experimental group was significantly shorter, but the regeneration rates were the same. The expression of IL-1beta and TGF-beta1 in the right dorsal root ganglia was significantly higher in the experimental group. Nerve injury enhances cytokine expression in the contralateral dorsal root ganglion and promotes contralateral nerve regeneration in vivo by shortening the initial delay.     

Cranial nerve dysfunction in conscious galactosemic rats as measured by the auditory-evoked brainstem response

The purpose of this study was to extend our previous work with the auditory-evoked brainstem response and determine whether galactosemia would produce a functional neuropathy similar to that previously seen in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats implanted with cortical electrodes received either normal chow (n = 17) or a 50% galactose diet (n = 17) for 5 weeks. Peak II latency of the auditory-evoked brainstem response, interpreted as a functional measure of the auditory nerve (VIII cranial) in rats, was significantly prolonged in galactose-fed rats relative to controls (P less than 0.05). These results demonstrate a functional deficit in the auditory nerves of galactosemic rats. The deficit in the auditory-evoked brainstem response of galactosemic rats is similar to our previous finding in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats.     

Amplitude abnormalities in the scalp far-field N18 of SSEPs to median nerve stimulation in patients with midbrain-pontine lesion

Various amplitude ratios were measured in 20 normal controls and 36 patients with midbrain-pontine, thalamic or putaminal lesions in order to evaluate the amplitude abnormalities in scalp far-field N18 following median nerve stimulation. A study of normal controls showed that the distributions of P9/N18, P14/N18 and N18/P14 + N18 resembled a gaussian distribution and could be used as criteria for determining the decrease in N18 amplitude in each patient. There was a decrease in N18 amplitude, or the absence of N18, in patients with midbrain-pontine lesions, but not in those with thalamic or putaminal lesions.Nine amplitude ratios (P11/P9, P14/P9, N18/P9, P9/P11, P9/P14, P9/N18, N18/P14, P14/N18 and N18/P14 + N18) were compared statistically for normal controls and 3 groups of patients based on non-parametric, Wilcoxon's non-pairs and signed-rank tests. A decrease in N18 amplitude in midbrain-pontine lesion was shown by significant changes in N18/P9, P9/N18, N18/P14, P14/N18 and N18/P14 + N18, no amplitude decreases in P11 and P14 being found from the amplitude ratios of P11/P9, P9/P11, P14/P9 and P9/P14. No significant changes were seen in any of the 9 amplitude ratios when the normal controls and patients with thalamic and putaminal lesions were compared.The amplitude ratios of N18 can be used to detect a decrease in N18 amplitude in patients with midbrain-pontine lesions. The data obtained support the hypothesis that N18 originates in the midbrain-pontine region and that neither the thalamus nor thalamocortical radiation make major contributions to the formation of the N18 peak.     

糖尿病及糖尿病心血管并发症患者肠道菌群的特征

【目的】比较2型糖尿病患者、糖尿病心血管并发症患者与健康人肠道菌群差异,分析肠道菌群与血糖、血脂等临床指标的关联,探讨肠道细菌在2型糖尿病、糖尿病心血管并发症发生、发展中的作用。【方法】招募健康人251例、糖尿病心血管并发症患者160例及糖尿病患者295例,三组各随机选取30例、30例和40例,进行血液生化指标分析和肠道菌群的宏基因组检测。【结果】与健康对照组比较,糖尿病心血管并发症组和2型糖尿病组血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶、碱性磷酸酶、甘油三酯、空腹血糖、胰岛素、糖化血红蛋白指标显著升高(P0.05);糖尿病患者组、糖尿病心血管并发症患者组的肠道菌群α-多样性明显降低,菌群发生改变。健康对照组中大部分优势菌属来自拟杆菌门和厚壁菌门,而糖尿病心血管并发症患者组和糖尿病患者组中大部分优势菌属则来自拟杆菌门、变形菌门和放线菌门。与健康对照组相比,糖尿病心血管并发症患者组和糖尿病患者组中,厚壁菌门比例明显下降,放线菌门和变形菌门比例明显上升。种水平上,空腹血糖与黏膜乳杆菌(Lactobacillus mucosae)、大肠埃希氏菌(Escherichia coli)、脆弱拟杆菌(Bacteroides fragilis)呈正相关,与细枝真杆菌(Eubacterium ramulus)、Roseburia inulinivorans、Roseburia hominis、挑剔真杆菌(Eubacterium eligens)、伶俐瘤胃球菌(Ruminococcus callidus)呈负相关;低密度脂蛋白胆固醇与嵴链球菌(Streptococcus cristatus)呈正相关,与Lachnospiraceae bacterium_6_1_63FAA和淀粉乳杆菌(Lactobacillus amylovorus)呈负相关;总胆固醇与血链球菌(Streptococcus sanguinis)呈正相关。【结论】2型糖尿病和糖尿病心血管并发症患者存在明显的糖脂代谢异常和肠道菌群失调,肠道菌群紊乱可能在糖尿病发病、进展过程中发挥重要作用。     

Meningitis in diabetic patients

Community acquired bacterial (CBM) meningitis in diabetic patients was analyzed for risk factors and outcome in a cohort of 201 cases of meningitis within last 17 years: 15 patients with diabetes mellitus and meningitis were identified and compared for etiology and mortality as well as for neurologic sequellae with all CBM cases.     

Permanent alterations of spinal cord reflexes following nerve lesion in newborn rats

Sciatic nerve lesion in newborn rats is known to cause degeneration of a large number of axotomized motoneurones and spinal ganglion cells. Some of the surviving motoneurones exhibit abnormal firing properties and the projection pattern of central terminals of sensory neurones is altered. We report here on long-term changes in spinal cord reflexes in adult rats following neonatal nerve crush. In acutely spinalized and anaesthetized adult rats 4-6 months old in which the sciatic nerve had been crushed on one side at birth, the tibial nerve, common peroneal nerve or sural nerve were stimulated on the reinnervated and control side and reflex responses were recorded from the L5 ventral spinal roots. Ventral root responses (VRRs) to tibial and peroneal nerve stimulation on the side of the nerve lesion were significantly smaller in amplitude representing only about 15% of the mean amplitude of VRRs on the control side. The calculated central delay of the first, presumably monosynaptic component of the VRR potential was 1.6 ms on the control side while the earliest VRR wave on the side of the nerve lesion appeared after a mean central latency of 4.0 ms that seems too long to be of monosynaptic origin. These results suggest that neonatal sciatic nerve injury markedly alters the physiological properties and synaptic connectivity in spinal cord neurones and causes a marked depression of spinal cord responses to peripheral nerve stimulation.     

Cranial nerve fasciculation and Schwann cell migration are impaired after loss of Npn-1

Interaction of the axon guidance receptor Neuropilin-1 (Npn-1) with its repulsive ligand Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) is crucial for guidance decisions, fasciculation, timing of growth and axon–axon interactions of sensory and motor projections in the embryonic limb. At cranial levels, Npn-1 is expressed in motor neurons and sensory ganglia and loss of Sema3A–Npn-1 signaling leads to defasciculation of the superficial projections to the head and neck. The molecular mechanisms that govern the initial fasciculation and growth of the purely motor projections of the hypoglossal and abducens nerves in general, and the role of Npn-1 during these events in particular are, however, not well understood. We show here that selective removal of Npn-1 from somatic motor neurons impairs initial fasciculation and assembly of hypoglossal rootlets and leads to reduced numbers of abducens and hypoglossal fibers. Ablation of Npn-1 specifically from cranial neural crest and placodally derived sensory tissues recapitulates the distal defasciculation of mixed sensory-motor nerves of trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagal projections, which was observed in Npn-1^−/− and Npn-1^Sema− mutants. Surprisingly, the assembly and fasciculation of the purely motor hypoglossal nerve are also impaired and the number of Schwann cells migrating along the defasciculated axonal projections is reduced. These findings are corroborated by partial genetic elimination of cranial neural crest and embryonic placodes, where loss of Schwann cell precursors leads to aberrant growth patterns of the hypoglossal nerve. Interestingly, rostral turning of hypoglossal axons is not perturbed in any of the investigated genotypes. Thus, initial hypoglossal nerve assembly and fasciculation, but not later guidance decisions depend on Npn-1 expression and axon–Schwann cell interactions.     

Widespread N18 in median nerve SEP is preserved in a pontine lesion

Widespread N18 potential to median nerve stimulation was preserved in a patient who had profound unilateral disturbance of deep sensation and a lesion of the pontine medial lemniscus confirmed by MRI. It was concluded from this result that at least a significant part of the N18 potential was generated caudal to the pontine level or at higher levels via extralemniscal pathways. Careful review of studies in man with intraoperative recordings seemed to support that the N18 potential already exists at the medullary level. We suggested that the potential generated at the cuneate nucleus which was described in cats may correspond to part of the N18 potential.     

Tanshinone IIA improves impaired nerve functions in experimental diabetic rats

Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common complications in diabetes mellitus. Thus far, effective therapeutic agents for restoring the impaired motor and sensory nerve functions in diabetic neuropathy are still lacking. The antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of tanshinone IIA make it a promising candidate for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Therefore, the present study investigated the possible beneficial effect of tanshinone IIA on the impaired nerve functions displayed by a rat diabetic model. Insulin-dependent diabetes in rats was developed by a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) at 50 mg/kg. The diabetic rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 in each group), and were intraperitoneally administrated daily for 4 weeks with tanshinone IIA (20 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg), or normal saline from the fourth day after STZ injection, respectively. At the end of tanshinone IIA administration, thermal and mechanical nociceptive threshold were determined by a hot plate test and Von Frey hairs; motor nerve conducting velocity (MNCV) was determined by an electrophysiological method; nerve blood flow (NBF) was detected using a laser Doppler flow meter; Na⁺,K⁺ATPase activity, the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and malondialdehyde (MDA) in sciatic nerves, and the serum total antioxidant capability were also determined. We found that tanshinone IIA was capable of restoring diabetes-induced deficit in nerve functions (MNCV and NBF), and impairment in thermal and mechanical nociceptive capability. In addition, tanshinone IIA significantly increased the serum total antioxidant capability, improved the activities of Na⁺,K⁺ATPase, increased the levels of SOD and catalase, and reduced the MDA level in sciatic nerves in diabetic rats. All the findings indicate the beneficial effect of tanshinone IIA on impaired nerve functions and raise the possibility of developing tanshinone IIA as a therapeutic agent for diabetic neuropathy.     

Pudendal nerve injury reduces urethral outlet resistance in diabetic rats

Diabetics have voiding and continence dysfunction to which elevated levels of advanced glycation end products (AGE) may contribute. In addition, pudendal nerve injury is correlated with voiding dysfunction and stress incontinence in rats. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pudendal nerve crush (PNC) in diabetic rats alters urinary function. Female virgin Sprague-Dawley rats (144) were divided equally into diabetic, diuretic, and control groups. Half of the animals in each group were subjected to PNC, and the other half to sham PNC. Diabetes was induced 8 wk before PNC or sham PNC by streptozotocin injection (35 mg/kg). Animals underwent conscious cystometry and leak point pressure (LPP) testing 4 or 13 days after PNC or sham PNC. Tissues of half the animals were tested for levels of AGEs. Qualitative histological assessment was performed in the remaining animals. Diabetic rats 4 days after PNC voided significantly greater volume in a shorter time and with significantly less pressure than after sham PNC, suggesting that diabetic rats have a functional outlet obstruction that is relieved by PNC. LPP was significantly reduced 4 days after PNC in diabetic and diuretic animals and returned to normal 13 days after PNC. Diabetic rats with PNC demonstrated increased muscle fiber disruption and atrophy of the external urethral sphincter. AGEs were significantly elevated in diabetic rats. PNC relieves a functional outlet obstruction in diabetic rats. AGEs are elevated in diabetic rats and could play a role in urinary dysfunction and recovery from PNC.