Hernia enlargement and pancreatitis in a patient with short bowel syndrome treated with teduglutide / Crecimiento de hernias y pancreatitis en una paciente con síndrome de intestino corto tratada con teduglutida

Introduction: teduglutide (TED) is indicated for the treatment of patients with short-bowel syndrome (SBS) who are dependent on parenteral support. Case report: we report the case of a 60-year-old woman with SBS treated with TED. She had previously undergone multiple surgical resections due to Crohn's disease. Her remnant bowel included only the duodenum and 50-60 centimeters of jejunum. The patient was dependent on intravenous fluids (2,320 mL/48 h) and had a high stoma output (3,000 mL/day). After four months of TED the jejunostomy output had decreased to 2,200 mL/day with a thicker consistency, and intravenous fluid therapy was reduced to 2,010 mL/48 h. TED was withdrawn due to acute pancreatitis and enlargement of two supraumbilical hernias with high strangulation risk. Discussion: pancreatitis has been reported in clinical studies, and determination of amylase and lipase is recommended in all patients receiving TED. In contrast, there are no recommendations for the surveillance of hernia enlargement in patients on TED therapy, but we suggest the need for surveillance based on this case report (AU)

Introducción: la teduglutida (TED) está indicada para el tratamiento de pacientes con síndrome de intestino corto (SBS) que precisen soporte parenteral. Caso clínico: mujer de 60 años con SBS tratada con TED. Previamente se había sometido a múltiples resecciones quirúrgicas por su enfermedad de Crohn. Su intestino remanente incluía el duodeno y 50-60 centímetros de yeyuno. La paciente era dependiente de líquidos por vía intravenosa (2320 ml/48 h) y tenía una ostomía de alto débito (3000 ml/día). Después de cuatro meses de TED, el débito de la yeyunostomía disminuyó a 2200 ml/día, con una consistencia más espesa, y la fluidoterapia intravenosa se redujo a 2010 ml/48 h. Se retiró la TED por pancreatitis aguda y agrandamiento de dos hernias supraumbilicales con alto riesgo de estrangulamiento. Discusión: se han descrito casos de pancreatitis en estudios previos, por lo que se recomienda la determinación de la amilasa y la lipasa en los pacientes tratados con TED. Sin embargo, no hay recomendaciones específicas sobre la vigilancia del agrandamiento de hernias, pero sugerimos su idoneidad basada en este caso clínico (AU)

Pyrazinamide susceptibility testing in Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the fast resazurin microtiter assay plate.

SETTING: Department of Clinical Analysis and Biomedicine, State University of Maringa, Maringa, PR, Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of the resazurin microtiter assay (REMA) plate at pH 5.5 in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis susceptibility to pyrazinamide (PZA). DESIGN: The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PZA in M. tuberculosis H37Rv and M. bovis AN5 reference strains and in 34 clinical M. tuberculosis isolates (26 PZA-susceptible and eight PZA-resistant) was determined using REMA at pH 5.5 and compared to REMA at pH 6.0. RESULTS: REMA at pH 5.5 was helpful in discriminating PZA-susceptible from resistant M. tuberculosis isolates when â©¿50 µg/ml PZA was considered as the cut-off for PZA susceptibility. Furthermore, it provided results in 8 days. However, two PZA-resistant isolates failed to grow at pH 5.5. CONCLUSION: As the REMA method is rapid, inexpensive, easy to perform and read, it would be of great usefulness in low-income countries for detecting PZA-resistant M. tuberculosis. REMA at pH 5.6-5.9 should be evaluated on an extended panel of clinical M. tuberculosis isolates with a greater range of MIC values in different laboratories for a better understanding of its utility in differentiating PZA-resistant from PZA-susceptible isolates.

A comprehensive clinical and genetic study of a large Mexican population with spinocerebellar ataxia type 7.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia associated with macular degeneration. We recently described one of the largest series of patients with SCA7 that originated from a founder effect in a Mexican population, which allowed us to perform herein the first comprehensive clinical, neurophysiological, and genetic characterization of Mexican patients with SCA7. In this study, 50 patients, categorized into adult or early phenotype, were clinically assessed using standard neurological exams and genotyped using fluorescent PCR and capillary electrophoresis. Patients with SCA7 exhibited the classical phenotype of the disease characterized by cerebellar ataxia and visual loss; however, we reported, for the first time, frontal-executive disorders and altered sensory-motor peripheral neuropathy in these patients. Semiquantitative analysis of ataxia-associated symptoms was performed using Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and the Brief Ataxia Rating Scale (BARS) scores, while extracerebellar features were measured employing the Inventory of Non-ataxia Symptoms (INAS) scale. Ataxia rating scales confirmed the critical role size of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat size on age at onset and disease severity, while analysis of CAG repeat instability showed that paternal rather than maternal transmission led to greater instability.

Analysis of CAG repeats in five SCA loci in Mexican population: epidemiological evidence of a SCA7 founder effect.

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders. CAG (cytosine-adenine-guanine) trinucleotide repeat expansions in the causative genes have been identified as the cause of different SCA. In this study, we simultaneously genotyped SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, and SCA7 applying a fluorescent multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay. We analyzed 10 families with SCA (64 patients) from five different communities of Veracruz, a Mexican southeastern state, and identified 55 patients for SCA7 and 9 for SCA2, but none for SCA1, SCA3, or SCA6. To our knowledge, this sample represents one of the largest series of SCA7 cases reported worldwide. Genotyping of 300 healthy individuals from Mexican population and compiled data from different ethnicities showed discordant results concerning the hypothesis that SCA disease alleles arise by expansion of large normal alleles.

Piracetam-induced changes on the brainstem auditory response in anesthetized juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Report of two clinical cases.

BACKGROUND: We describe two clinical cases and examine the effects of piracetam on the brainstem auditory response in infantile female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). RESULTS: We found that the interwave intervals show a greater reduction in a 3-year-old rhesus monkey compared to a 1-year-old rhesus monkey. DISCUSSION: In this report, we discuss the significance of these observations.

The selective inhibition of the D1 dopamine receptor results in an increase of metabolized dopamine in the rat striatum.

Our aim was to study the specific role of the postsynaptic D(1) receptors on dopaminergic response and analyze the metabolized dopamine (DA) in the rat striatum. We used male Wistar rats to evaluate the effects of different doses of a D(1) agonist (SKF-38393) and a D(1) antagonist (SCH-23390), and their co-administration. The levels of DA and L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. The systemic injection of SKF-38393 alone at 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg did not alter the DA and DOPAC levels or the DOPAC/DA ratio. In contrast, injection of SCH-23390 alone at 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg significantly increased the DA and DOPAC levels, as well as the DOPAC/DA ratio, compared with the respective control groups. The co-administration of SCH-23390+SKF-38393 did not alter the DA or DOPAC levels, but it did significantly inhibit the SCH-23390-induced increase of the DA and DOPAC levels. The SCH-23390+SKF-38393 and the SCH-23390-only groups showed an increase in the DOPAC/DA ratio. The co-administration of SCH-23390+PARGYLINE significantly decreased the DOPAC levels and the DOPAC/DA ratio compared with the control and SCH-23390 groups. Taken together, our results showed that selective inhibition with SCH-23390 produced an increase in metabolized DA via striatal monoamine oxidase. These findings also contribute to the understanding of the role of postsynaptic D(1) receptors in the long-loop negative feedback system in the rat striatum.

Burden of disease related to hepatitis C and hepatitis B in Spain: a methodological challenge of an unfolding health problem.

Most previous studies of burden of disease (BoD) in the area of transmissible diseases have assessed the burden of hepatitis C and B without including the end stages of the disease and using an incident approach. We aimed to assess the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) related to hepatitis C and B in Spain in 2006 taking into account related cirrhosis and liver cancer. A prevalence approach was used to estimate current years lived with disability (YLD) because of viral hepatitis contracted years/decades before. We added years of life lost (YLL) to obtain DALYs. Around 76,000 DALYs were attributed to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 15,323 to hepatitis B virus (HBV) when calculated without applying social values. Applying the discount rate and age-weighting used in the Global Burden Disease study, the BoD nearly halved. In any case, the burden related to hepatitis C including long-term outputs becomes the leading cause of DALYs among transmissible diseases in Spain. The mortality component (YLL) represents more than 90% of the BoD in both HCV and HBV. The findings emphasize the need to provide good surveillance systems not only concerning acute viral hepatitis, but also chronic and end-stage consequences to allow a reliable assessment of the prevention and public health control policies.

A dot-ELISA using a partially purified cathepsin-L-like protein fraction from Taenia solium cysticerci, for the diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis.

Human neurocysticercosis (NCC), caused by the cestode Taenia solium, is responsible for a significant amount of neurological morbidity and epilepsy in developing countries. The disease remains highly endemic in many areas, despite several efforts and interventions to control it. A simple, cheap and fast diagnostic assay that is suitable for use in field conditions is highly desired. In immunodiagnostics based on western immunoblots or standard ELISA, a cathepsin-L-like protein purified from the cysticercus fluid has previously performed well as an antigen. In a recent study in Peru, the same 53/25-kDa antigen was therefore used in the development of a dot-ELISA that could be employed for mass screenings under field conditions. The assay was standardized and tested not only against sera from a large group of NCC cases but also against sera from patients with other common parasitic infections, so that sensitivity and specificity could be assessed. For NCC, the assay gave better sensitivity in the detection of individuals with extraparenchymal cysts (94·4%-100%) or multiple parenchymal cysts (74·6%-80·0%) than in the detection of individuals with single parenchymal cysts (29·4%-45·1%). The assay also showed a high specificity for NCC (99·0%-100%), with a very low level of cross-reactivity with other parasitic infections. The dot-ELISA developed in this study is a highly specific, simple, cheap and rapid test for NCC that could be used under field conditions, even in the low-resource settings that are common in developing countries.

[Paradigm of negative feedback via long-loop in the striatal dopamine release modulation in the rat]. / Paradigma de retroalimentacion negativa via circuito largo en la modulacion de la liberacion de dopamina en el estriado dorsal de la rata.

INTRODUCTION: The basal ganglia include the striatum, globus pallidus, the substantia nigra pars compacta and pars reticulata. The striatum receives afferent input from the substantia nigra pars compacta. The principal neurons of the striatum are medium spiny neurons, that express high levels of D1 and D2 receptors. AIMS: This review deals about the aspects underlying to the negative feedback via long-loop in the striatal dopamine release modulation in the rat. Also, the motor function in dopamine receptor knock-out mice is discussed. DEVELOPMENT AND CONCLUSIONS: The intrastriatal infusion and systemic injection of dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists may regulate the striatal dopamine release and induce changes in motor function. Disruption of the D1 and D2 gene shown that the motor function is controlled by D1 and D2 receptors. The study of the long-loop negative feedback may contribute to our understanding in the physiology and dysfunction of basal ganglia.

Paradigma de retroalimentación negativa vía circuito largo en la modulación de la liberación de dopamina en el estriado dorsal de la rata / Paradigm of negative feedback via long-loop in the striatal dopamine release modulation in the rat

Introducción. El estriado, el globo pálido, la sustancia negra pars compacta y la sustancia negra pars reticulata integran los ganglios basales. El estriado recibe aferencias provenientes de la sustancia negra pars compacta. Las neuronas principales del estriado son las neuronas espinosas de tamaño mediano, que expresan altos niveles de receptores pertenecientes a la familia D1 (RD1) y D2 (RD2). Objetivos. Revisar el paradigma de retroalimentación negativa vía circuito largo en la modulación de la liberación de dopamina en el estriado dorsal de la rata. Además, se discute el efecto de la función motora en ratones deficientes (knockout) de receptores dopaminérgicos. Desarrollo y conclusiones. La infusión local y la inyección sistémica de fármacos agonistas y antagonistas dopaminérgicos modulan la liberación de dopamina estriatal e inducen cambios en la función motora. En ratones deficientes de RD1 o RD2 se ha demostrado que la función motora es dependiente de la integridad del sistema dopaminérgico. El estudio del paradigma de retroalimentación negativa vía circuito largo en la modulación de la liberación de dopamina permitirá comprender el funcionamiento del circuito de los ganglios basales en condiciones fisiológicas y patológicas (AU)

Introduction. The basal ganglia include the striatum, globus pallidus, the substantia nigra pars compacta and pars reticulata. The striatum receives afferent input from the substantia nigra pars compacta. The principal neurons of the striatum are medium spiny neurons, that express high levels of D1 and D2 receptors. Aims. This review deals about the aspects underlying to the negative feedback via long-loop in the striatal dopamine release modulation in the rat. Also, the motor function in dopamine receptor knock-out mice is discussed. Development and conclusions. The intrastriatal infusion and systemic injection of dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists may regulate the striatal dopamine release and induce changes in motor function. Disruption of the D1 and D2 gene shown that the motor function is controled by D1 and D2 receptors. The study of the long-loop negative feedback may contribute to our understanding in the physiology and dysfunction of basal ganglia (AU)

Sensitivity analysis of surface runoff generation in urban flood forecasting.

Reliable flood forecasting requires hydraulic models capable to estimate pluvial flooding fast enough in order to enable successful operational responses. Increased computational speed can be achieved by using a 1D/1D model, since 2D models are too computationally demanding. Further changes can be made by simplifying 1D network models, removing and by changing some secondary elements. The Urban Water Research Group (UWRG) of Imperial College London developed a tool that automatically analyses, quantifies and generates 1D overland flow network. The overland flow network features (ponds and flow pathways) generated by this methodology are dependent on the number of sewer network manholes and sewer inlets, as some of the overland flow pathways start at manholes (or sewer inlets) locations. Thus, if a simplified version of the sewer network has less manholes (or sewer inlets) than the original one, the overland flow network will be consequently different. This paper compares different overland flow networks generated with different levels of sewer network skeletonisation. Sensitivity analysis is carried out in one catchment area in Coimbra, Portugal, in order to evaluate overland flow network characteristics.

[Is cochlear processing involved in language disorders?]. / El procesamiento coclear está involucrado en los problemas de lenguaje?

INTRODUCTION: Otoacoustic emissions are evidence of the existence of an active process in the cochlea, and the motility of the outer hair cells means that they can change the cochlear mechanical response. We believe that incorrect processing of the sounds of language in the cochlea can result in impaired language processes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were collected from the patient record; neurological, visual and auditory examination; Weschler intelligence scale; initial language test (ILT); brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and transient otoacoustic emissions. The results of the ILT were used to form three groups: controls, pathological and pathological with normal ILT. RESULTS: All the children presented a response at 20 dB by means of the BAEPs. In the transient otoacoustic emissions, Student's t test was conducted between the right and the left ear for total reproducibility and reproducibility at different band frequencies within each group. No significant differences were observed. The same test was carried out between groups (controls versus pathological, controls versus pathological with normal ILT, and pathological versus pathological with normal ILT) in the right and left ears; no significant differences were found in the total reproducibility for the two ears. No significant differences were found in the reproducibility at different frequency bands for the left ear, but some were found in the case of the right ear. CONCLUSIONS: Laterality from the periphery exists for language processing and if this process fails to perform correctly, due to malfunctioning of the outer hair cells, language may be affected.

¿El procesamiento coclear está involucrado en los problemas de lenguaje? / Is cochlear processing involved in language disorders?

Introducción. Las emisiones otoacústicas evidencian la existencia de un proceso activo en la cóclea y la motilidad de las células ciliadas externas implica que éstas pueden cambiar la respuesta mecánica coclear. Creemos que un procesamiento inapropiado de los sonidos del lenguaje en la cóclea puede dar como resultado una alteración de los procesos del lenguaje. Sujetos y métodos. Se realizó historia clínica, exploración neurológica, visual y auditiva, escala de inteligencia de Wechsler, prueba de lenguaje inicial (PLI), potenciales evocados auditivos de tallo cerebral (PEATC) y emisiones otoacústicas transitorias. Con los resultados de la PLI se formaron tres grupos: controles, patológicos y patológicos con PLI normal. Resultados. Todos los niños presentaron respuesta a 20 dB por medio de los PEATC. En las emisiones otoacústicas transitorias se realizó la t de Student entre el oído derecho y el izquierdo para la reproducibilidad total y la reproducibilidad por banda de frecuencia dentro de cada grupo, sin observarse diferencias significativas Se efectuó la misma prueba entre los grupos (controles frente a patológicos, controles frente a patológicos con PLI normal y patológicos frente a patológicos con PLI normal) en el oído derecho e izquierdo, sin encontrarse diferencias significativas en la reproducibilidad total para ambos oídos. No se hallaron diferencias significativas en la reproducibilidad por bandas de frecuencia para el oído izquierdo, pero sí para el oído derecho. Conclusión. Existe una lateralidad desde la periferia para el procesamiento del lenguaje y si este proceso no es adecuado, por fallos en la función de las células ciliadas externas, el lenguaje puede verse afectado (AU)

Introduction. Otoacoustic emissions are evidence of the existence of an active process in the cochlea, and the motility of the outer hair cells means that they can change the cochlear mechanical response. We believe that incorrect processing of the sounds of language in the cochlea can result in impaired language processes. Subjects and methods. Data were collected from the patient record; neurological, visual and auditory examination; Weschler intelligence scale; initial language test (ILT); brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and transient otoacoustic emissions. The results of the ILT were used to form three groups: controls, pathological and pathological with normal ILT. Results. All the children presented a response at 20 dB by means of the BAEPs. In the transient otoacoustic emissions, Student’s t test was conducted between the right and the left ear for total reproducibility and reproducibility at different band frequencies within each group. No significant differences were observed. The same test was carried out between groups (controls versus pathological, controls versus pathological with normal ILT, and pathological versus pathological with normal ILT) in the right and left ears; no significant differences were found in the total reproducibility for the two ears. No significant differences were found in the reproducibility at different frequency bands for the left ear, but some were found in the case of the right ear. Conclusions. Laterality from the periphery exists for language processing and if this process fails to perform correctly, due to malfunctioning of the outer hair cells, language may be affected (AU)

Indications for and results of liver retransplantation.

Liver retransplantation (LReTx) is the therapeutic option for the irreversible failure of a hepatic graft. Our aim was to evaluate the rate of and indications for LReTx and actuarial patient survivals. Among 1260 LTx were 79 LReTx (6.3%). During the first LTx, there were no apparent differences between patients who did or did not required LReTx. The most frequent reasons were hepatic artery thrombosis (31.6%), recurrence of the VHC cirrhosis (30.4%), and primary graft failure (21.5%). The actuarial survivals at 1 and 5 years were 83% and 69% among those without LReTx versus 71% and 61% among early LReTx, and 64% and 34% among late LReTx (P < .001). Although there exists high morbidity and mortality with LReTx, it seems that this therapeutic alternative continues to be valid for patients with early hepatic loss, but not when the graft loss was late. It becomes necessary to define the minimal acceptable results that patient can benefit from LReTx.

[Anatomic and topographic models of the cerebral areas that activates during the linguistic functions]. / Modelos anatomotopográficos de las áreas cerebrales que se activan durante la función lingüística.

AIM: A brief revision was performed in order to develop a topographic model of cerebral activation during silent reading, syllable's repetition and emotional prosody, based in recent neuroimaging studies. DEVELOPMENT: It has been reported that the words are analyzed in both occipital hemispheres during silent reading, after they are 'written' in the right temporal cortex while the integration of the semantic and phonologic processes are integrated on different left temporal areas and also in the left frontal lower part. The understanding is achieved in the left-middle temporal cortex. In the other hand, activation during articulatory movements is carried out in the left supratemporal gyrus and the left motor and premotor cortex, the left putamen and part of both hemispheres of the cerebellum. Finally, recognition of the emotional prosody occurs in three stages: obtaining of the acoustic information in some areas of the right temporal lobe, representation of acoustic sequences in the right posterio-superior temporal area, and an evaluation of the emotional prosody in the lower frontal bilateral cortex, with the involvement of the basal ganglia in the emotional expression. CONCLUSIONS: The location and synchrony of the areas that activate during the language processing is lateralized toward the left hemisphere and it involves cortical and subcortical areas, except for the emotional prosody. The understanding of the language processes will open the field for to take advantage of the plastic mechanisms for the speech therapy and rehabilitation.

Modelos anatomotopográficos de las áreas cerebrales que se activan durante la función lingüística / Anatomic and topographic models of the cerebral areas that activates duringthe linguistic functions

Objetivo. Con el fin de elaborar modelos topográficos de activación cerebral asociados a los procesos de lecturasilenciosa, repetición de sílabas y prosodia emocional, se realiza una breve revisión bibliográfica de los avances recientes en estudios de neuroimagen. Desarrollo. Se ha comunicado que durante la lectura silenciosa, las palabras se analizan en amboshemisferios occipitales, después la palabra se ‘redacta’ en la corteza temporal derecha, mientras que la integración del proceso semántico y el fonológico se realiza en distintas áreas temporales izquierdas y en la parte inferior frontal izquierda. La comprensión se logra en la corteza temporal media izquierda. Por otro lado, la activación durante los movimientos articulatorios se lleva a cabo en el giro supratemporal izquierdo y las cortezas motora y premotora izquierdas, el putamen izquierdo y parte del cerebelo en forma bilateral. Finalmente, el reconocimiento de la prosodia emocional sucede en tres etapas: obtención de la información acústica en áreas del lóbulo temporal derecho, representación de secuencias acústicas en el surco temporal posterosuperior derecho y evaluación de la prosodia emocional en la corteza bilateral frontal inferior, junto con la participación de los ganglios basales en lo que respecta a la expresión emocional. Conclusiones. La localización y sincronizaciónde las áreas que se activan durante los procesos del lenguaje, con excepción de la prosodia emocional, está lateralizada preferentemente hacia el hemisferio izquierdo e implica áreas corticales y subcorticales. El entendimiento de los procesos del lenguaje abrirá el campo para el aprovechamiento de los mecanismos plásticos en la rehabilitación logopédica

Aim. A brief revision was performed in order to develop a topographic model of cerebral activation during silentreading, syllable’s repetition and emotional prosody, based in recent neuroimaging studies. Development. It has been reported that the words are analyzed in both occipital hemispheres during silent reading, after they are ‘written’ in the right temporal cortex while the integration of the semantic and phonologic processes are integrated on different left temporal areas and alsoin the left frontal lower part. The understanding is achieved in the left-middle temporal cortex. In the other hand, activation during articulatory movements is carried out in the left supratemporal gyrus and the left motor and premotor cortex, the left putamen and part of both hemispheres of the cerebellum. Finally, recognition of the emotional prosody occurs in three stages:obtaining of the acoustic information in some areas of the right temporal lobe, representation of acoustic sequences in the right posterio-superior temporal area, and an evaluation of the emotional prosody in the lower frontal bilateral cortex, with the involvement of the basal ganglia in the emotional expression. Conclusions. The location and synchrony of the areas thatactivate during the language processing is lateralized toward the left hemisphere and it involves cortical and subcortical areas, except for the emotional prosody. The understanding of the language processes will open the field for to take advantage of the plastic mechanisms for the speech therapy and rehabilitation

[Evaluation of the motor behavior in rats with cortical ablation]. / Caracterizacion de la conducta motora en ratas con ablacion cortical.

INTRODUCTION: The cortical ablation has been used as an experimental model in order to study the basic mechanisms of functional recovery. However, there is not data concerning to the injury effects on the motor and somatosensorial behavioral manifestations that allow us to categorize such sequels as a hemiplegic model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 35 male Wistar rats (280-300 g) allocated in two groups: control (n = 17) and brain injured by cortical ablation (n = 18). Previously trained, basal recordings of the footprint and motor and somatosensorial assessment were performed in the rats before surgery. The behavioral tests were performed again 6 hours after surgery and the spontaneous ambulatory activity was also evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: It was observed a decrease in the stride's length and an increase in the stride's angle and in the motor deficit, while the somatosensorial assessment and spontaneous ambulatory activity were not affected. These findings are discussed in function of the motor features of the hemiparetic sequels in humans.

Caracterización de la conducta motora en ratas con ablación cortical / Evaluation of the motor behavior in rats with cortical ablation

Introducción. El modelo de ablación cortical en ratas se ha utilizado para estudiar los mecanismos básicos de recuperación funcional, pero no hay datos respecto a los efectos de la lesión sobre las manifestaciones conductuales motoras y somatosensoriales que permitan categorizar estas secuelas como un modelo de hemiplejía. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron 35 ratas machos Wistar (280-300 g), distribuidas en dos grupos: control (n = 17) y con lesión cerebral por ablación cortical(n = 18). Previo entrenamiento, se tomaron registros de la impresión de la huella y de las evaluaciones motora y somatosensorial antes de la cirugía de lesión. Seis horas después de la lesión se realizaron nuevamente las pruebas conductuales y se registró la actividad ambulatoria espontánea. Resultados y conclusiones. Se encontró que la lesión disminuye la longitud e incrementa el ángulo de la zancada y el déficit motor, sin afectar los aspectos somatosensoriales ni la actividad ambulatoriaespontánea. Estos hallazgos se discuten en función de las características motoras de las secuelas hemiparéticas comunicadas en humanos

Introduction. The cortical ablation has been used as an experimental model in order to study the basic mechanismsof functional recovery. However, there is not data concerning to the injury effects on the motor and somatosensorial behavioral manifestations that allow us to categorize such sequels as a hemiplegic model. Materials and methods. We used 35 male Wistarrats (280-300 g) allocated in two groups: control (n = 17) and brain injured by cortical ablation (n = 18). Previously trained, basal recordings of the footprint and motor and somatosensorial assessment were performed in the rats before surgery. The behavioral tests were performed again 6 hours after surgery and the spontaneous ambulatory activity was also evaluated.Results and conclusions. It was observed a decrease in the stride’s length and an increase in the stride’s angle and in the motor deficit, while the somatosensorial assessment and spontaneous ambulatory activity were not affected. These findings arediscussed in function of the motor features of the hemiparetic sequels in humans