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This study used topographic near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to characterize frontal lobe activation while individuals actively or passively listened to exciting or calm music. Participants were 22 healthy female volunteers (mean age, 21± 4.1 years). Initial analysis showed that oxy-Hb significantly decreased in many channels when subjects listened to calm music. In contrast, oxy-Hb significantly increased when subjects listened to lively music. In addition, after listening to calm music, cortisol, α-amylase, and immunoglobulin A significantly decreased. A subsequent analysis showed that oxy-Hb signif-icantly increased when subjects listened to music while clapping to its rhythm compared with when subjects listened to music only. Our study suggests that calm music reduces levels of human stress and enables effective relaxation. In addition, our data suggests that clapping to the rhythm of music increases brain activation. Therefore, active music therapy may be more effective than passive music therapy with respect to brain activation. Such active therapy (i.e., playing rather than listening to music) may improve functional and psychological status, and cooperative abilities.
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Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was applied in rehabilitation of aphasia effectively. Based on the three hy-potheses on aphasic rehabilitation, it is needed to consider the stage, location and the extent of brain damage in the left hemisphere of aphasia patients. If the core language functional areas are not damaged, tDCS can be used to either acti-vate the left hemisphere to enhance the activity of perilesional areas, or to inhibit the right hemisphere to weaken the in-hibitory effect from the right one. In contrast, if the core language functional areas are damaged, tDCS should be used to activate the right hemisphere to compensate the left core language functional areas impaired. The integrity of white mat-ter fiber tracts also affects the efficacy of tDCS. By exciting or inhibiting the cortex, tDCS can enhance the cerebral con-nectivity, and mediate its neural processing, to improve word- retrieval deficit, articulatory disturbance and discourse skill in daily living. The benefit from tDCS may be long-term and generalizated, which needs more researches.
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Objective To observate theZhulian acupuncture exciting method in different time of hypoxia ischemia brain injury in rat brain tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), monoamine oxidase (MAO), nitric oxide (NO) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) content.Methods 7 days old rats were randomly divided into a excitation method acupuncture group I, a excitation method acupuncture group II, a model group, a sham operation group, a normal control group, 10 rats in each group. Excitation method acupuncture group I and normal control group were given stimulation ofZhulian acupuncture exciting method one type technique from 24 h model manipulation, excitation method acupuncture II group from the beginning of the eighth day given Stimulation ofZhulian acupuncture exciting method one type technique. The sham operation group and the model group were not treated by acupuncture. The animals were sacrificed at the twenty-first day after making the model, determined brain tissue MDA、MAO、NO and GSH-PX Content.Results Compared with the model group, MDA (3.4 ± 0.87 nmol/mgvs. 5.50 ± 1.58 nmol/mg) content decreased in the excitation method acupuncture group I (P<0.05). The NO (12.43 ± 3.47μmol/mgvs. 17.10 ± 5.82μmol/mg) content decreased in the excitation method acupuncture group II (P<0.05). MAO (32.12 ± 11.15 U/mg, 31.01 ± 9.92 U/mgvs. 40.90 ± 11.02 U/mg) content were decreased in both excitation method acupuncture group I and group II (P<0.05), while the GSH-PX (2.61 ± 1.20 U/mg, 2.61 ± 1.37 U/mgvs. 1.43 ± 0.49 U/mg) content were increased (P<0.01). ConclusionZhulian acupuncture exciting method one type technique can decrease the content of MDA, MAO and NO reduce the content of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rat brain tissue, increase the content of GSH-PX, promote the removal of immature rats with hypoxic ischemic brain damage brain tissue metabolism, and protect brain function.
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Objective To investigate the effect of different time intervention of Zhu Lian acupuncture exciting method on nerve cell apoptosis and tissue expressions of PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase), AKt (serine/threonine kinase) and Caspase-3 (cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3) proteins in young rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.Methods Fifty 7-day-old rats were randomized into groups A (acupuncture exciting methodⅠ), B (acupuncture exciting methodⅡ), C (model), D (sham operation) and E (normal control), 10 rats each. Groups A and E began to receive acupuncture in 24 hours after model making and group B, at 8 days after model making. Groups C and D were not given acupuncture. Every group of animals was sacrificed at 21 days after model making. Nerve cell apoptosis was examined using In situ end labeling (TUNEL) technique. Cerebral expressions of PI3K, AKt and Caspase-3 proteins were determined by immunohistochemical method.Results The number of apoptotic cells was significantly smaller in groups A and B than in group C (P<0.01,P<0.05) and decreased significantly in group A compared with group B (P<0.05). The expressions of PI3K and AKt proteins increased significantly and the expression of Caspase-3 protein decreased significantly in groups A and B compared with group C; there were statistically significant differences (P<0.01,P<0.05). PI3K expression increased significantly and Caspase-3 protein expression decreased significantly in group A compared with group B (P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences (P<0.05).Conclusions Zhu Lian acupuncture exciting method can inhibit nerve cell apoptosis, stimulate the expression of PI3K/AKt signaling pathway, increase PI3K and AKt activities and reduce the expression of Caspase-3 protein in young rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Early intervention of Zhu Lian acupuncture exciting method is of important significance in producing a protective effect on brain nerves in young rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.
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Epilepsy is a kind of neurogenic diseases with high prevalence and characterized by seizure, brain paradoxical discharge and convulsion in spontaneous, transient, recurrent and uncontrolled manner. Development of new anti-epilepsy drugs requires a new reliable and high-performance animal models in screening of leading compounds. In this study, an epilepsy model in larval zebrafish was established using pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) compound. The results show that PTZ induced epilepsy-like seizure behavior such as irregular circular swimming, exciting locomotion, high swim velocity and convulsion in zebrafish. Expression patterns of two epilepsy-related gene c-fos and lgi1 were analyzed using RT-PCR and in situ hybridization; c-fos was enhanced and extended and lgi1 expression was reduced in PTZ concentration-dependent in the larval brain. When the model larvae exposed to anticonvulsant valproate (VPA), the epilepsy-like symptom decreased or disappeared, the marker genes c-fos and lgi1, as well as NeuN protein recovered to the normal levels. These responses to PTZ and to antiepileptic drug VPA are consistent with the observations in clinical studies and mouse models. Using this model, we evaluated anti-epilepsy activity of compounds Y53 and BMT, two homolog of berberine. The results show that the model larvae seizure triggered by lighting was partly remedied by Y53; and the larval exciting locomotion under the condition of no stimulation was suppressed by BMT. The findings indicate that the zebrafish larval epilepsy model is able to distinguish compounds with different activities in eleptiform seizure. We conclude that the zebrafish epilepsy model may be as a reliable and useful platform in screening of new anti-epilepsy candidates, which is suitable for basic research in epilepsy pathogenesis.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the material basis of conduction along meridian.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty SD rats(30 males,30 females) were randomly assigned into a normal group,an acupuncture group,a verapamil blocking group and a 0.9%NaCl blocking group(control group),15 rats in each one. Fluo 3-AM(calcium fluorescence probe) was injected at the observation part in femoral stomach meridian of foot-(meridian part) and the approaching femoral meridian part(non-meridian part) in the normal group and the acupuncture group,and then incubation was applied. In the verapamil blocking group,verapamil was injected at local meridian part and non-meridian part,and in the control group 0.9%NaCl was injected. Then Fluo 3-AM was injected at the meridian part and non-meridian part in the two groups,and incubation was implemented. Caimaging changes in cells were recorded for more than 20 min after injection of every part in each group respectively. After the above operations in the last three groups,acupuncture was used at "Zusanli"(ST 36) immediately,with electroacupuncture for one min,then Caimaging changes in cells at the meridian and non-meridian parts were recorded for more than 20 min.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the normal group, Cafluorescence intensity at the meridian part was higher than that at the non-meridian part. In the acupuncture group,after acupuncture Cafluorescence intensity at the meridian part was obviously higher than before,but the change before and after acupuncture was not apparent at the non-meridian part. After verapamil blocking local calcium channel and acupuncture,the Cafluorescence of the meridian part did not strengthen,and the change of that before and after acupuncture at the non-meridian part was not obvious. In the control group,after injecting 0.9%NaCl at local part,Cafluorescence intensities of the meridian and non-meridian parts showed no obvious change,so was that before and after acupuncture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The voltage-gated calcium channel at the meridian part is highly correlated with its tissue cells exciting conduction.</p>
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AIM: To study the exciting effects of ethanol extract of capitate phrynium (Phrynium Capitatum Willd) stem and leaf on the uterine smooth muscle of rat,mice,guinea pig and rabbit pretreated by diethylstilbestrol. METHODS: Conventional method was adopted to prepare animal uterine specimens both in vivo and in vitro. Different doses of the extract were given to the specimens and recorded their tensility, frequency and activity of contraction with the help of BL-420 biological experimental system. IC_(50) of the extract was calculated, with oxytocin as standard comparison. RESULTS: 95% ethanol extract and 50% ethanol extract of capitate phrynium and leaf had obviously stimulating action on the uterine smooth muscle of rat, mice, guinea pig and rabbit in a dose-dependent manner in vitro, whichinclude accelerating contraction frequency, raising tension (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, 50% ethanol extract also had a significant stimulating action on uterine smooth muscle of rabbit in vivo(P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: Ethanol extracts of capitate phrynium have an effect on rodent uterine. Smooth muscle indicates that clinical application of Chinese practitioner used to treat the dysfunctional uterine bleeding proves to be effective.
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AIM: To study the exciting effects of ethanol extract of capitate phrynium(Phrynium Capitatum Willd) stem and leaf on the uterine smooth muscle of rat、mice、guinea pig and rabbit pretreated by diethylstilbestrol. METHODS: Conventional method was adopted to prepare animal uterine specimens both in vivo and in vitro.Different doses of the extract were given to the specimens and recorded their tensility,frequency and activity of contraction with the help of BL-420 biological experimental system.IC_50 of the extract was calculated,with oxytocin as standard comparison. RESULTS: 95% ethanol extract and 50% ethanol extract of capitate phrynium and leaf had obviously stimulating action on the uterine smooth muscle of rat,mice,guinea pig and rabbit in a dose-dependent manner in vitro,which include accelerating contraction frequency,raising tension(P
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Objective To analyse the clinical significance of LHRH exciting test in the differential diagnosis of constitutional delayed puberty (CDP) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). Methods Eighty-one cases from 1982 to 1998 were investigated and followed up. They were all at genital stage Ⅰ. After injection of 100 ?g LHRH, the blood samples (3 ml) were taken at -15, 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min. The serum LH and FSH levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. Then they were followed up every 3-24 months. After they received LHRH exciting test, they were followed up until over 18 years old. According to their puberty development status, they were divided into 3 groups, normal group (n=34),CDP group (n=16) and HH group (n=31),andthemeanage,whenthey received LHRH exciting test, was (10.2?0.9, range 9-14) years, (16.0?1.0, range 14-18) years and (17.1?1.4, range 16-22) years respectively. Results There were no significant differences in serum LH baseline level and peak time in normal, CDP and HH groups, but the serum LH peak level, LH increment (peak LH level minus baseline LH level), LH increment ratio (peak level/baseline level of LH) and the area under LH curve (AUC LH ) of normal group were significantly higher than those of CDP group and HH group (all P