An Initial miRNA Profile of Persons With Persisting Neurobehavioral Impairments and States of Disordered Consciousness After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: To examine the merits of using microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers of disorders of consciousness (DoC) due to traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Settings: Acute and subacute beds.

Participants: Patients remaining in vegetative and minimally conscious states (VS, MCS), an average of 1.

Testosterone treatment restores vestibular function by enhancing neuronal survival in an experimental closed-head repetitive mild traumatic brain injury model.

Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) results in a myriad of symptoms, including vestibular impairment. The mechanisms underlying vestibular dysfunction in rmTBI patients remain poorly understood. Concomitantly, acute hypogonadism occurs following TBI and can persist chronically in many patients.

Muscle-Nerve-Nerve Grafting Improves Facial Reanimation in Rats Following Facial Nerve Injury.

Nerve injury resulting in muscle paralysis from trauma or surgery is a major medical problem. Repair of such injuries with existing nerve grafting and reconstructive techniques often results in less than optimal outcomes. After previously demonstrating significant return of function using muscle-nerve-muscle (MNM) grafting in a rat facial nerve model, this study compares a variant of the technique, muscle-nerve-nerve (MNN) neurotization to MNM and interposition (IP) nerve grafting.

Distinct neurotoxic effects of select local anesthetics on facial nerve injury and recovery.

Background: Local anesthetic toxicity has been well-documented to cause neuronal injury, death, and dysfunction, particularly in a susceptible nerve.

Objective: To determine whether select local anesthetics affect neuron survival and/or functional recovery of an injured nerve.

Methods: This report describes 6 separate experiments that test immediate or delayed application of local anesthetics in 3 nerve injury models.

Effects of the Number of Muscle-Nerve-Muscle Grafts on Rat Facial Nerve Functional Recovery.

Introduction: Facial nerve denervation can be devastating for patients. Primary neurorrhaphy and interposition (IP) nerve grafting are common reinnervation techniques. Muscle-nerve-muscle (MNM) grafting is a lesser known alternative.

Muscle-Nerve-Muscle Grafting for Facial Reanimation in Rats.

Objective: Facial paralysis is a devastating condition leaving patients with a myriad of aesthetic and functional consequences. Muscle-nerve-muscle (MNM) neurotization is a reinnervation technique that involves implanting an autogenous nerve graft as a conduit between an innervated "donor" muscle and a denervated "recipient" muscle. We investigated the use of MNM reinnervation, alone or in combination with electrical stimulation (ES) and testosterone propionate (TP) in comparison to nerve reanastomosis (RE), on functional recovery following rat facial nerve injury.

Th17 Cell Response in SOD1G93A Mice following Motor Nerve Injury.

An increased risk of ALS has been reported for veterans, varsity athletes, and professional football players. The mechanism underlying the increased risk in these populations has not been identified; however, it has been proposed that motor nerve injury may trigger immune responses which, in turn, can accelerate the progression of ALS. Accumulating evidence indicates that abnormal immune reactions and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of ALS, but the specific immune cells involved have not been clearly defined.

Vocal Fold Paralysis after Esophagectomy for Carcinoma.

Objectives: (1) To recognize factors that contribute to vocal fold paralysis (VFP) after esophagectomy. (2) To describe the morbidity associated with VFP after esophagectomy.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Association between chronic acetaminophen exposure and allergic rhinitis in a rat model.

Background: Several population studies demonstrated an increased risk of allergic rhinitis in patients exposed to acetaminophen. However, no histologic studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between acetaminophen exposure and allergic rhinitis.

Objective: In this study, we investigated the association between chronic acetaminophen exposure and the development of allergic rhinitis in a rat model.

Increased thermal pain sensitivity in animals exposed to chronic high dose Vicodin but not pure hydrocodone.

Vicodin, the combination drug of acetaminophen and the opioid hydrocodone, is one of the most prescribed drugs on the market today. Opioids have demonstrated the ability to paradoxically cause increased pain sensitivity to users in a phenomena called opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). While selected opioids have been shown to produce OIH symptoms in an animal model, hydrocodone and the combination drug Vicodin have yet to be studied.

Intracranial facial nerve crush injury and facial motor nuclei cell loss in rats.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to (1) assess the degree of motoneuron cell loss and (2) the combinatorial effects of electrical stimulation (ES) and testosterone propionate (TP) on cell survival following an intracranial facial nerve crush injury and (3) compare these results to distal injuries.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: intracranial sham surgery or intracranial crush injury with or without ES and TP treatments.

Electrical stimulation and testosterone enhance recovery from recurrent laryngeal nerve crush.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of a combinatorial treatment, consisting of a brief period of nerve electrical stimulation (ES) and systemic supraphysiologic testosterone, on functional recovery following a crush of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN).

Study Design: Prospective, controlled animal study.

Methods: After a crush of the left RLN, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four treatment groups: 1) no treatment, 2) ES, 3) testosterone propionate (TP), and 4) ES + TP.

Androgen treatment and recovery of function following recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in the rat.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of the androgen testosterone propionate (TP), on regeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) after unilateral crush injury using assessment of vocal fold mobility (VFM) as a measure of behavioral recovery.

Methods: 48 adult male rats underwent standardized crush injury of left RLN and received treatment in the form of 2 silastic capsules containing TP or controls receiving a blank capsule (untreated). Direct laryngoscopic assessment of vocal cord mobility was performed before, immediately following and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 weeks post injury.

Single session of brief electrical stimulation immediately following crush injury enhances functional recovery of rat facial nerve.

Peripheral nerve injuries lead to a variety of pathological conditions, including paresis or paralysis when the injury involves motor axons. We have been studying ways to enhance the regeneration of peripheral nerves using daily electrical stimulation (ES) following a facial nerve crush injury. In our previous studies, ES was not initiated until 24 h after injury.

A rat model for intracranial facial nerve crush injuries.

Objective: (1) Explain the need for an animal model to study intracranial injuries to the facial nerve. (2) Describe various techniques attempted to identify and crush the intracranial segment of the facial nerve in a rat model. (3) Describe in detail a successful rat model of intracranial facial nerve crush injury.

Facial motor nuclei cell loss with intratemporal facial nerve crush injuries in rats.

Objectives/hypothesis: Injuries of cranial nerves that are distal to but near the motor nucleus might result in retrograde motoneuron cell death. The hypothesis of this article is that an intratemporal crush injury of the facial nerve in rats can cause facial motor nuclei cell death.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study.

Combinatorial treatments enhance recovery following facial nerve crush.

Objectives/hypothesis: To investigate the effects of various combinatorial treatments, consisting of a tapering dose of prednisone (P), a brief period of nerve electrical stimulation (ES), and systemic testosterone propionate (TP) on improving functional recovery following an intratemporal facial nerve crush injury.

Study Design: Prospective, controlled animal study.

Methods: After a right intratemporal facial nerve crush, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following eight treatment groups: 1) no treatment, 2) P only, 3) ES only, 4) ES + P, 5) TP only, 6) TP + P, 7) ES + TP, and 8) ES + TP + P.

Effects of electrical stimulation and gonadal steroids on rat facial nerve regenerative properties.

Purpose: The neurotherapeutic effects of nerve electrical stimulation and gonadal steroids have independently been demonstrated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of a combinatorial treatment strategy of electrical stimulation and gonadal steroids on peripheral nerve regeneration.

Methods: Following a facial nerve crush axotomy in gonadectomized adult male rats, testosterone propionate (TP), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), or estradiol (E(2)) was systemically administered with/without daily electrical stimulation of the proximal nerve stump.

Electrical stimulation and testosterone differentially enhance expression of regeneration-associated genes.

As functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury is dependent upon successful repair and regeneration, treatments that enhance different regenerative events may be advantageous. Using a rat facial nerve crush axotomy model, our lab has previously investigated the effects of a combinatorial treatment strategy, consisting of electrical stimulation (ES) of the proximal nerve stump and testosterone propionate (TP) administration. Results indicated that the two treatments differentially enhance facial nerve regenerative properties, whereby ES reduced the delay before sprout formation, TP accelerated the overall regeneration rate, and the combinatorial treatment had additive effects.

Neuroprotective actions of androgens on motoneurons.

Androgens have a variety of protective and therapeutic effects in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Here we review these effects as they related specifically to spinal and cranial motoneurons. Early in development, androgens are critical for the formation of important neuromuscular sex differences, decreasing the magnitude of normally occurring cell death in select motoneuron populations.

Electrical stimulation facilitates rat facial nerve recovery from a crush injury.

Objective: To study the effect of electrical stimulation on accelerating facial nerve functional recovery from a crush injury in the rat model.

Study Design: Experimental.

Method: The main trunk of the right facial nerve was crushed just distal to the stylomastoid foramen, causing right-sided facial paralysis in 17 Sprague-Dawley rats.