An analysis of stimulation methods used in rehabilitation equipment for children with cerebral palsy.

Objective: This paper summarizes the research progress into stimulation methods used in rehabilitation equipment for pediatric cerebral palsy (CP) for the past 20 years from 2003 to 2023. We also provide ideas for innovative research and development of artificial intelligence-based rehabilitation equipment. Methods: Through a certain search strategy, Keywords are searched in the China National Knowledge Network Database (CNKI), the Wanfang Database knowledge service platform, the Chongqing VIP information service, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, Medline, Embase, and IEEE database. A total of 3,049 relevant articles were retrieved, and 49 articles were included that mentioned research and development of rehabilitation equipment. We excluded articles that were not specific to children with CP, were duplicated or irrelevant literature, were missing data, the full article was not available, the article did not describe the method of stimulation used with the rehabilitation equipment on children with CP, were not Chinese and English, and were the types of reviews and commentaries. Results: Physical stimulation is the main stimulation method of rehabilitation equipment for children with CP. Force stimulation is the main mode of physical stimulation, and there are 17 articles that have verified the clinical efficacy of force stimulation-based equipment. Conclusion: Research on the stimulation mode of pediatric cerebral palsy rehabilitation equipment is likely to focus on simulating the force of the Chinese medicine called "tuina manipulation." When this method is combined with artificial intelligence and personalized direction we believe this will lay the foundation for future development of a novel therapy for children with CP.

Breviscapine ameliorates autophagy by activating the JAK2/STAT5/BCL2 pathway in a transient cerebral ischemia rat model.

Breviscapine (Bre), an extract from Erigeron breviscapus, has been widely used to treat cerebral ischemia but the mechanisms of its neuroprotective effects need to be clarified. The present study investigated whether Bre could alleviate excessive autophagy induced by cerebral ischemia in the rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) ischemia model via activating the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5)/B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) pathway. Rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e. Sham group, MCAO+saline group, MCAO+Bre group, MCAO+DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide) group, and MCAO+Bre+AG490 (Tyrphostin AG490, the inhibitor of STAT5) group. The model was established and neuroprotection was evaluated by determining infarct volumes and conducting neurological behavioral tests. Autophagy levels in the infarct penumbra were detected using transmission electron microscopy and Western blotting. The expression of proteins in the JAK2/STAT5/BCL2 pathway was tested by Western blotting. Compared to the MCAO+saline group, the infarct volumes in the MCAO+Bre group were significantly reduced and neurological behavior improved. Breviscapine administration also significantly increased p-JAK2, p-STAT5, and BCL2 expression but decreased autolysosome numbers; it also downregulated Beclin-1 expression and the LC3II/LCI ratio. The JAK2 inhibitor AG490 reversed these effects. These findings indicate that breviscapine can improve neural recovery following ischemia through alleviating excessive autophagy and activation of the JAK2/STAT5/BCL2 axis.

Effect and Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine Exercise Therapy on Stroke Recovery.

Stroke is currently the second largest contributor to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in developing countries, and it is the third largest contributor to DALYs in developed countries. It requires a large number of resources from the health care system every year, which places a great burden on society, families, and individuals. The treatment of traditional Chinese medicine exercise therapy (TCMET) during stroke recovery has become a hot topic of current research due to its few adverse events and high efficiency. This article sorts out the latest progress of TCMET on the recovery of stroke through the review method and explores its role and mechanism based on existing clinical and experimental studies. TCMET treatment of stroke recovery mainly includes Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Daoyin, Yi Jin Jing, five-fowl play, and six-character tips, which can effectively improve motor function, balance and coordination ability, cognitive dysfunction, nerve function, depression or emotional state, daily living ability, and so on after stroke. The mechanisms of stroke treated by TCMET are discussed, and deficiencies in the literature are discussed and analyzed. It is hoped that some guiding suggestions will be provided for future clinical treatment and experimental studies.