Altered hippocampal function and cytokine levels in a rat model of Gulf War illness.

Aims: Gulf War illness (GWI) is a disorder affecting military personnel deployed in the Gulf War (GW) from 1990 to 1991. Here, we will use a rat model of GWI to evaluate hippocampal function and cytokine levels.

Materials And Methods: Rats were exposed to diethyltoluamide and permethrin via dermal absorption and pyridostigmine bromide via gavage with or without a 5-min restraint for 28 days.

Polarity and subfield specific effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on hippocampal plasticity.

An increasing number of studies using human subjects substantiate the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a noninvasive approach to treat various neurological symptoms. tDCS has been tested in conditions from motor to cognition dysfunctions. Performance enhancement of healthy subjects using tDCS has also been explored.

Comparative electrophysiological evaluation of hippocampal function following repeated inhalation exposures to JP-8, Jet A, JP-5, and the synthetic Fischer Tropsch fuel.

Exposure to fuels continues to be a concern in both military and general populations. The aim of this study was to examine effects of in vivo rat repeated exposures to different types of jet fuel utilizing microelectrode arrays for comparative electrophysiological (EP) measurements in hippocampal slices. Animals were exposed to increasing concentrations of four jet fuels, Jet Propellant (JP)-8, Jet A, JP-5, or synthetic Fischer Tropsch (FT) fuel via whole-body inhalation for 20 d (6 hr/d, 5 d/week for 28 d) and synaptic transmission as well as behavioral performance were assessed.

Modulating Hippocampal Plasticity with In Vivo Brain Stimulation.

Unlabelled: Investigations into the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in relieving symptoms of neurological disorders and enhancing cognitive or motor performance have exhibited promising results. However, the mechanisms by which tDCS effects brain function remain under scrutiny. We have demonstrated that in vivo tDCS in rats produced a lasting effect on hippocampal synaptic plasticity, as measured using extracellular recordings.