Prelimbic Cortical Stimulation with L-methionine Enhances Cognition through Hippocampal DNA Methylation and Neuroplasticity Mechanisms.

Declining global DNA methylation and cognitive impairment are reported to occur in the normal aging process. It is not known if DNA methylation plays a role in the efficacy of memory-enhancing therapies. In this study, aged animals were administered prelimbic cortical deep brain stimulation (PrL DBS) and/or L-methionine (MET) treatment.

Prelimbic Cortical Stimulation Improves Spatial Memory Through Distinct Patterns of Hippocampal Gene Expression in Aged Rats.

Dementia poses major health challenges worldwide, yet current treatments are faced with issues of efficacy and toxicity. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising non-pharmacological treatment for dementia, but most DBS studies use young healthy animals, which may not be aetiologically relevant. In this study, we used an aged rat model in which cognitive decline occurs through a natural ageing process.

Somatosensory-evoked potentials as an indicator for the extent of ultrastructural damage of the spinal cord after chronic compressive injuries in a rat model.

Objective: Somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) were found to correlate well with the disability and postoperative recovery in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Yet the exact pathophysiology behind it remains to be elucidated. This study aims to characterise the ultrastructural changes of a chronically compressive spinal cord with various SEP responses in a rat model.

C-reactive protein promotes cardiac fibrosis and inflammation in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive cardiac disease.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a risk factor or biomarker for cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. The present study investigated the functional importance of human CRP in hypertensive cardiac remodeling by a chronic infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II) into mice that express human CRP. Compared with the wild-type mice, although Ang II infusion caused an equally high systolic blood pressure, levels of human CRP were further elevated, and cardiac remodeling was markedly exacerbated in mice that express human CRP, resulting in a significant reduction in the left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening and an increase in cardiac fibrosis (collagen I and III and alpha-smooth muscle actin) and inflammation (interleukin 1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha).

A free-breathing non-contrast-enhanced pulmonary magnetic resonance angiography at 3 Tesla.

Background: The breathhold contrast-enhanced three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using T1-weighted gradient-echo imaging sequence is the standard technique for MRA of the thorax. However, this technique is not desirable for certain patients with respiratory insufficiency, serious renal impairment, or allergy to contrast agents. The objective of this study was to optimize and evaluate a non-contrast-enhanced free-breathing pulmonary MRA protocol at 3 Tesla.

LINGO-1 antagonist promotes spinal cord remyelination and axonal integrity in MOG-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, are characterized by the loss of the myelin sheath around neurons, owing to inflammation and gliosis in the central nervous system (CNS). Current treatments therefore target anti-inflammatory mechanisms to impede or slow disease progression. The identification of a means to enhance axon myelination would present new therapeutic approaches to inhibit and possibly reverse disease progression.