Short-chain fatty acids promote jejunal barrier function and caecal muscle contractibility in laying hens ex vivo.

1. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) exert beneficial actions in the gut; nevertheless, information about the effect of SCFA on physiological responses in the small intestine of chickens is rare.2. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 1) different molar acetate:butyrate ratios (Ac:But; Experiment 1; 78.5% acetate and 7.3% butyrate versus 71.4% acetate and 14.0% butyrate) and 2) SCFA concentrations (Experiment 2; final concentration in chambers: 70.5 versus 141 µmol SCFA/ml buffer) on the jejunal and caecal contractibility and jejunal barrier function in laying hens. The change in muscle contractibility due to the SCFA was measured in mid-jejunal and caecal segments (n = 4 each per hen) from four laying hens using the organ bath system after precontraction with acetylcholine for 15 min. Changes in short-circuit current (ISC) and transepithelial tissue conductivity (GT) as indicators for net ion flux and barrier function, respectively, were measured in mid-jejunal tissue (n = 3/hen and treatment), mounted into Ussing chambers.3. In Experiment 1, the addition of SCFA, irrespective of the Ac:But ratio, decreased jejunal muscle tension (P < 0.05), jejunal GT as well as caused a less negative ISC (P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, the increasing SCFA concentrations increased the caecal muscle contraction and jejunal ISC by 75.6% while decreasing the GT by up to 19.6% (P < 0.05).4. In conclusion, results demonstrate that increasing butyrate proportions and SCFA concentrations stimulate caecal muscle contraction, thereby increasing caecal mixing and emptying in vivo. Jejunal ISC and GT support a strong SCFA sensing capacity in the jejunum, as both, more butyrate and higher SCFA, increased mucosal ion uptake and barrier function.

Cinnamon bark oil and coconut oil emulsions modified small intestinal motility and barrier function in laying hens in an ex vivo experiment.

1. Plant extracts and oils are supplemented in diets for chickens due to their antimicrobial capacities; however, little information exists whether they influence intestinal motility and barrier function.2. The present study aimed to determine the effect of increasing levels of cinnamon bark oil (CBO; 0%, 0.038%, 0.076% and 0.151%) and coconut oil emulsions prepared with soy and sunflower lecithin on the contractile function of enteric wall muscles in the jejunum and ileum and jejunal barrier function in laying hens.3. For testing muscle contraction, mid-jejunal and ileal segments (n = 4 each per hen) from four laying hens were placed in a longitudinal orientation into isolated organ baths filled with Krebs buffer and fastened to force transducers. Muscle segments were induced to contract with acetylcholine and the effects of the oil emulsions on contraction were measured.4. For barrier function, distal jejunal pieces were stripped of serosa before mounting into Ussing chambers and recording changes in short-circuit current (ISC) and transepithelial tissue conductivity (GT) before and after addition of the respective emulsion.5. The CBO decreased the muscle tone, representing a relaxation of on average 36.2% and 42.6% for the jejunum and ileum, respectively, compared to before the addition (P < 0.001). Moreover, CBO linearly decreased the ISC and GT of the jejunal mucosa, indicating a greater absorption of anions and increased barrier function (P < 0.001). Only the coconut oil-sunflower lecithin emulsion relaxed the muscles, whereas both coconut oil-lecithin emulsions increased the ISC but reduced the GT of the jejunal mucosa, which suggested an increased cation absorption and decreased paracellular permeability, respectively (P < 0.05).6. In conclusion, CBO and coconut oil-lecithin emulsions showed the potential to increase jejunal barrier function, whereas CBO may be more efficacious to slow down digesta passage in the small intestine.

The impact of music therapy on language functioning in dementia.

Dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease, include a progressive deterioration of language functioning. While some researchers have reported an increase in patients' self-expression following music therapy, it is not clear whether these changes specifically reflect improved language skills or whether simple interpersonal interaction with a therapist could account for the improvement. In this study, the effects of music therapy were compared to conversational sessions on language functioning in dementia patients. Participants were selected according to the following criteria: (a) residing in a facility specializing in Alzheimer's and related disorders; (b) possessing sufficient verbal ability to answer simple questions and to comply with requests to speak, participate, or sit down; and (c) attaining the written consent of the patient's guardian or representative. All participants had been in music therapy twice per week for at least 3 months prior to the study onset. One week prior to the beginning of the study, subjects were assessed for cognitive functioning using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and language ability via the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB). A within-subjects design was used, with order of condition (music or group conversation first) counter-balanced between participants. Subjects participated in groups of 2 to 4, twice per week for 20-30 minutes for a total of 8 sessions (4 music therapy and 4 conversation sessions or vice-versa), and were re-tested on the WAB at the end of each 2 week (4 session) interval. Results from 20 participants revealed that music therapy significantly improved performance on both speech content and fluency dimensions of the spontaneous speech subscale of the WAB (p =.01). While the difference in overall Aphasia Quotient (AQ) for music and conversation sessions (mean AQ = 76 vs. 70, respectively) did not reach statistical significance, data were only available for 10 participants (5 per condition). Hopefully, these findings will stimulate additional research on the use of music therapy interventions with demented patients, as it may offer a noninvasive mechanism to enhance communication between victims and their caregivers.

Music therapy for dementia symptoms.

BACKGROUND: While music/music therapy does not represent a treatment of dementia, its use is based on a possible beneficial effect on symptoms including social, emotional and cognitive skills and for decreasing behavioral problems of individuals with dementias. Thus, there are clear implications for patients' and caregivers' quality of life. However, quantification and documentation of the evidence of this effect is necessary. Professional music therapists are accountable for providing efficient, beneficial treatment. Furthermore, music therapists are responsible for assessing, designing and implementing music therapy treatments, monitoring client progress, and reformulating their practice according to data collected and new advancements in the field. If they wait until sufficient valid, empirical data on all aspects of a disability or music response are available before attempting to design a therapy session, they may well reach retirement age before even one client can be served. On the other hand, promulgating the efficacy of music therapy in general, or of specific music therapy techniques, in the absence of any substantiation other than intuition or tradition borders on professional recklessness. OBJECTIVES: To gather and evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of music therapy for dementia symptoms. SEARCH STRATEGY: All available sources of references were searched in March 2000 for randomised controlled trials of music therapy used as an intervention in dementia. The search terms included 'controlled trial or study, music, therapy, dementia, Alzheimer's, cognitive impairment' and derivatives of these. SELECTION CRITERIA: The reviewers assessed the methodological quality of the studies available for inclusion. The criteria used are presence and adequacy of a control condition, independent assessment of patients' performance (ie standardized ratings carried out by a person other than the music therapist) and the number of participants (no fewer than three). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: No randomised controlled trials, or trials with quantitative data suitable for analysis were found. MAIN RESULTS: The research into music therapy to date has lacked methodological design rigour. However, the research evidence available provides sufficient grounds on which to justify further investigations into the use of music therapy in dementia patients. In this context, the reviewers discuss some of the issues and research from the studies that were considered for inclusion. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: This review was not able to identify reliable empirical evidence on which to justify the use of music therapy as a treatment for dementia. However, the evidence available suggests that music therapy may be beneficial in treating or managing dementia symptoms, and the predominant conclusion of this review is the highlighting of the need for better designed studies of the intervention.

Music therapy for dementia symptoms.

BACKGROUND: While music/music therapy does not represent a treatment of dementia, its use is based on a possible beneficial effect on symptoms including social, emotional and cognitive skills and for decreasing behavioral problems of individuals with dementias. Thus, there are clear implications for patients' and caregivers' quality of life. However, quantification and documentation of the evidence of this effect is necessary. Professional music therapists are accountable for providing efficient, beneficial treatment. Further, music therapists are responsible for assessing, designing and implementing music therapy treatments, monitoring client progress, and reformulating their practice according to data collected and new advancements in the field. If they wait until sufficient valid, empirical data on all aspects of a disability or music response are available before attempting to design a therapy session, they may well reach retirement age before even one client can be served. On the other hand, promulgating the efficacy of music therapy in general, or of specific music therapy techniques, in the absence of any substantiation other than intuition or tradition borders on professional recklessness. OBJECTIVES: To gather and evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of music therapy for dementia symptoms. SEARCH STRATEGY: All available sources of references were searched for randomised controlled trials of music therapy used as an intervention in dementia. The search terms included 'controlled trial or study, music*, therapy, dement*, Alzheimer*, cognitive impairment.' SELECTION CRITERIA: The reviewers assessed the methodological quality of the studies available for inclusion. The criteria used are presence and adequacy of a control condition, independent assessment of patients' performance (ie standardized ratings carried out by a person other than the music therapist) and the number of participants (no fewer than three). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: No randomised controlled trials, or trials with quantitative data suitable for analysis were found. MAIN RESULTS: The research into music therapy to date has lacked methodological design rigour. However, the research evidence available provides sufficient grounds on which to justify further investigations into the use of music therapy in dementia patients. In this context, the reviewers discuss some of the issues and research from the studies that were considered for inclusion. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: This review was not able to identify reliable empirical evidence on which to justify the use of music therapy as a treatment for dementia. However, the evidence available suggests that music therapy may be beneficial in treating or managing dementia symptoms, and the predominant conclusion of this review is the highlighting of the need for better designed studies of the intervention.

Comparison of the effects of frontal cortical and thalamic lesions on measures of olfactory learning and memory in the rat.

Rats were trained on an olfactory continuous delayed nonmatching-to-sample (DNMTS) task and then given 1 of 4 treatments: sham surgery or radio-frequency lesion of the lateral internal medullary lamina of the thalamus or of the frontal cortex along the medial wall or dorsal to the rhinal sulcus. Thalamic lesions produced persistent deficits on the continuous DNMTS task, and both the cortical lesions resulted in transient impairments that disappeared with continued training. Manipulations of stimulus set size and the delay between trials affected continuous DNMTS performance but did not exacerbate group differences. All 3 lesion groups performed normally when next trained on a discrimination task with odorants and go-no-go procedures comparable to continuous DNMTS. These results indicate that lesions did not affect ability to perform go-no-go procedures, to discriminate among odorants, or to use reference memory to respond on the basis of a fixed stimulus-response rule.

Service management.

Superior service is the outcome of a dedicated planning methodology. Medical groups that plan and manage for patients' service needs will achieve market differentiation, enjoy enhanced levels of staff development and motivation and improve long-term financial performance. Medical groups that ignore the importance of service excellence will find themselves trailing those groups that provide superior service to their patients.

Delayed-nonmatching-to-sample performance is impaired by extensive, but not by limited, lesions of the thalamus in the rat.

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether lesions affecting limited areas of the thalamus can impair the performance of rats on a spatial delayed-nonmatching-to-sample (DNMTS) task trained before surgery. In Experiment 1, DNMTS was not affected by lesions produced by injecting 5 microliters of 1 mM N-methyl-D-aspartate into either the midline thalamus (n = 16) or bilaterally 1.0 mm from the midline (n = 16). In experiment 2, radio-frequency lesions were made 1.0 mm lateral to the midline at 3 anterior-posterior locations that destroyed the full rostral-caudal extent of the lateral internal medullary lamina (L-IML; n = 8), or at single anterior-posterior locations that destroyed either the anterior (n = 8) or posterior (n = 8) portions of the L-IML site. Although complete L-IML lesions disrupted DNMTS performance to an extent comparable to that of another study (Mair & Lacourse, 1992), lesions that were restricted to either the anterior or posterior portion of the L-IML site had no significant effect on this task.

Depletion of cortical norepinephrine in rats by 6-hydroxydopamine does not impair performance of a delayed-nonmatching-to-sample task.

Rats were trained on a spatial delayed-nonmatching-to-sample (DNMTS) task, matched for performance, and randomly assigned to treatment with dorsal noradrenergic bundle injections of either 6-hydroxydopamine, to deplete cortical norepinephrine (NE), or vehicle, to control for the effects of surgery. After recovery, there were no significant differences between the groups when retrained on the DNMTS task at retention intervals (RI) from 0.1 to 15.0 s. Furthermore, no differences were observed when rats were trained at a 6.0-s RI filled with distracting stimuli or when dummy information runs were added to increase proactive interference. These results demonstrate that depletion of cortical NE cannot account for the DNMTS performance deficits observed in rats recovered from pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency (Knoth & Mair, 1991; Robinson & Mair, 1992).