Diagnostic ability of 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced MR angiography in identifying vertebral basilar artery stenosis.

Background: Vertebral-basilar artery stenosis is associated with posterior circulation infarction. So correct detection of vertebral basilar artery stenosis is very important. Studies concerning the sensitivity and specificity of 3-dimensional contrast enhanced MR angiography (3D-CE-MRA) in detecting vertebral basilar artery stenosis is generally lacking.

GSK-3β may be involved in hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting in the pentylenetetrazole-kindling model.

Mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) is a pathological phenomenon that is commonly observed in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying MFS remain unclear. It has been demonstrated that the tau protein is important in the progression of MFS by the regulation of microtubule dynamics and axonal transport, with all of these functions of tau modulated by its site-specific phosphorylation.

[Involvement of Cdk5/p35 and tau protein in the hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting in the PTZ kindling model].

Objective: To observe the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), p35, tau protein and the activity of Cdk5 in rat hippocampus during pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindling process and their correlation with mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) so as to investigate the role of Cdk5/p35 in epileptogenesis.

Methods: A total of 240 healthy male SD rats were divided randomly into normal controls and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) treatment groups. The epileptic models were established by injection of PTZ intraperitoneally.

Potential roles of Cdk5/p35 and tau protein in hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting in the PTZ kindling model.

Background: The most well-documented synaptic reorganization associated with temporal lobe epilepsy is mossy fiber sprouting (MFS), which is believed to play a critical role in epileptogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase which is found to be crucial in axon growth and synaptic plasticity.

Mossy fiber sprouting, hippocampal damage and spontaneous recurrent seizures in pentylenetetrazole kindling rat model.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the correlations among hippocampal damage, spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS), and mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) using pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindling model.

Methods: Chronic epileptic model was established by administration of PTZ. Behaviour and EEG seizure activity were recorded.

[Hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting and Cdk5/p35 expressions in the pentylenetetrazole kindling rat model].

Objective: To observe the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and p35 in rat hippocampus during pentetrazole kindling process and their relation with mossy fiber sprouting (MFS), and to investigate the role of Cdk5/p35 in epileptogenesis.

Methods: Altogether 120 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group and a pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) treated group. The epileptic models were established by the injection of PTZ intraperitoneally while the control rats were injected with an equal dose of saline.

[Changes of mossy fiber sprouting in hippocampus of pentylenetetrazole kindling rats].

Objective: To determine the changes of mossy fiber sprouting in hippocampus of pre-kindling and post-kindling rats of chronic epilepsy induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ).

Methods: Sixty rats were randomly divided into a control group and a PTZ group (PTZ 30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection, once daily). The changes of mossy fiber sprouting in hippocampus of pre-kindling and post-kindling rats were examined by Timm staining.