Nerve growth factor-mediated Na channel plasticity of bladder afferent neurons in mice with spinal cord injury.

Aim: To investigate the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) neutralization on Na channel plasticity of bladder afferent neurons in mice with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Main Methods: Female C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into spinal intact (SI) group, SCI group and SCI + NGF-Ab group. SCI was induced by spinal cord transection at the Th8/9 level.

Propriospinal Neurons of L3-L4 Segments Involved in Control of the Rat External Urethral Sphincter.

Coordination of activity of external urethral sphincter (EUS) striated muscle and bladder (BL) smooth muscle is essential for efficient voiding. In this study we examined the morphological and electrophysiological properties of neurons in the L3/L4 spinal cord (SC) that are likely to have an important role in EUS-BL coordination in rats. EUS-related SC neurons were identified by retrograde transsynaptic tracing following injection of pseudorabies virus (PRV) co-expressing fluorescent markers into the EUS of P18-P20 male rats.

Transcranial direct current stimulation for major depression: a general system for quantifying transcranial electrotherapy dosage.

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in therapeutic modalities using transcranial weak electrical stimulation through scalp electrodes, such as trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), as a means of experimentally modifying and studying brain function and possibly treating psychiatric conditions. A range of electrotherapy paradigms have been investigated, but no consistent method has been indicated for reporting reproducible stimulation "dosage." Anecdotal reports, case studies, and limited clinical trials with small numbers suggest that tDCS may be effective in treating some patients with depression, but methods for selecting the optimal stimulation parameters ("dosage") are not clear, and there is no conclusive indication that tDCS is an effective treatment for depression.

Regulation of IPSP theta rhythm by muscarinic receptors and endocannabinoids in hippocampus.

Theta rhythms are behaviorally relevant electrical oscillations in the mammalian brain, particularly the hippocampus. In many cases, theta oscillations are shaped by inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) that are driven by glutamatergic and/or cholinergic inputs. Here we show that hippocampal theta rhythm IPSPs induced in the CA1 region by muscarinic acetylcholine receptors independent of all glutamate receptors can be briefly interrupted by action potential-induced, retrograde endocannabinoid release.