Role of caloric vestibular stimulation in improvement of motor symptoms and inhibition of neuronal degeneration in rotenone model of Parkinson's disease - An experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In order to explore a noninvasive treatment of PD, in the current study the authors evaluated the neuroprotective efficacy of caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS) using the rotenone-induced rat model of PD. The rotenone models of PD are gaining attention due to high reproducibility. It is also considered to be an improved model to exhibit the pathogenesis of PD and test the neuroprotective effect of various therapeutic interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rotenone was i.p. injected (3 mg/kg body weight) to male Wistar albino rats for 21 days to induce PD. As PD is chronic and progressive in nature, the efficacy of chronic CVS intervention was evaluated for 30 days after inducing PD in rats. Motor symptoms were evaluated by assessing locomotor activity in actophotometer, whereas movement analysis was done using Ludolph test and motor coordination was evaluated using rotarod apparatus. The neurochemical and neuropathological changes were also observed in the corpus striatum of rats. RESULTS: Rotenone administration showed decreased locomotor activity, motor coordination and general movement associated with significant (P < 0.05) reduction in dopamine content in the corpus striatum. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed a marked decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in striatal neurons indicating the significant loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra (SN) following rotenone injection. However, chronic treatment with CVS restored the nerve terminals in the striatum from rotenone damage. CVS treatment improved the dopaminergic system function by restoring dopamine content in the striatum. CVS also improved the motor deformities clearly suggesting the neuroprotective function. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggested CVS to be a safe and simple neuroprotective measure against neurodegenerative changes in PD and a promising noninvasive technique to overcome the motor symptoms associated with it. The findings could be useful for further investigations and clinical applications of CVS in the treatment of PD.

Effect of Sheetali pranayama on cardiac autonomic function among patients with primary hypertension - A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Sheetali pranayama is a cooling pranayama practiced for hypertension (HTN). The effects of Sheetali pranayama, as a solitary intervention on cardiovascular and autonomic changes in hypertension is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current study was conducted on 100 patients with HTN, randomly allocated to HTN with pranayama (Intervention group,n = 50) and HTN without pranayama (control group,n = 50) group. The intervention group practiced Sheetali pranayama for a period of 3 months. Blood pressure and HRV was assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Intervention group showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in blood pressure variables when compared to the control group. In short term HRV, time and frequency domain parameters showed parasympathetic dominance (P < 0.05) in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: Sheetali pranayama significantly reduces blood pressure in patients with HTN and improved heart rate variability. Sheetali pranayama could thus be practiced in addition to regular medications for the efficacious management of HTN.