Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Semin Neurol 2018 Dec 6;38(6):640-643. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Myofascial pain syndromes arise from acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain and often have a referred neuropathic component. It affects more than three quarters of the world's population and is one of the most important and overlooked causes of disability. The origins of pain are thought to reside anywhere between the motor end plate and the fibrous outer covering of the muscle, with involvement of microvasculature and neurotransmitters at the cellular level. Read More

Early Hum Dev 2018 Dec 3;128:48-54. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of parent-reported child behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to cognition, language, and motor skills on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - III (Bayley-III) in toddlers born extremely preterm.

Study Design: Toddlers born extremely preterm (gestational ages 22 0/7 to 26 6/7 weeks) were tested at 22-26 months corrected age with Bayley-III while parents completed the CBCL. Socio-demographic variables and medical history were recorded. Read More

Gait Posture 2018 Nov 29;68:232-237. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi", University of Bologna, Via del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy.

Background: When aiming at studying and monitoring locomotor development in childhood, innovative indexes for the characterization of motor control performance and wearable technologies have highlighted the potential of significant advances. In particular, quantitative assessment of motor performance during natural walking (NW) and tandem walking (TW) has been proposed to highlight manifestations of motor automaticity and complexity, respectively.

Research Question: This work aims at providing a quantitative overview of metrics characterizing locomotor maturation in a typically developing population, by analysing NW and TW. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology and Minia University Hospital, Mohammed Badway str., 61111, El-Minia, Egypt; Minia University Spine Unit (MUSU), Faculty of Medicine, Minia University. Minia University Hospital, Mohammed Badway str., 61111, El-Minia, Egypt. Electronic address:

Background Data: Complexity in ventral surgical exposure, presence of scapula and large para-scapular musculature during posterior surgery are the main obstacles in operative treatment of Upper Thoracic Spine Compressive Lesions (UTSCL) like trauma, tuberculosis and neoplasm. Recently, the advantages of combined ventro-dorsal surgery could be successfully gained using 1-stage posterior salvage technique with enough accessibility to all three spinal columns.

Purpose: Retrospective evaluation of 35 patients with UTSCL treated by Posterior Extensive Circumferential Decompressive Reconstructive (PECDR) procedure. Read More

Neuroimage 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, 50924, Cologne, Germany.

Neurophysiological accounts of human volition are dominated by debates on the origin of voluntary choices but the neural consequences that follow such choices remain poorly understood. For instance, could one predict whether or not an action was chosen voluntarily based only on how that action is motorically executed? We investigated this possibility by integrating scalp electroencephalograms and index-finger accelerometer recordings acquired while people chose between pressing a left or right button either freely or as instructed by a visual cue. Even though freely selected and instructed actions were executed with equal vigor, the timing of the movement to release the button was comparatively delayed for freely selected actions. Read More

Neuroimage 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Psychology, Yale University, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, USA.

Dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) aims to maximize resolvable information from functional brain scans by considering temporal changes in network structure. Recent work has demonstrated that static, i.e. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Biotrial Pharmacology, 7-9 rue Jean-Louis Bertrand, 35042, Rennes, France.

This study aims to investigate the contribution of nigral dopaminergic (DA) cell loss, repeated exposure to DA medication and the combination of both to the development of neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in Parkinson's disease (PD). A bilateral 6-OHDA lesion of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) was performed in rats. A set of animals was repeatedly administered with L-dopa (20 mg/kg/day) and benserazide (5 mg/kg/day) over 10 days starting from day 11 post-lesion. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Program in Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Gould-Simpson Building, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Gould-Simpson Building, Tucson, AZ. 85721, United States; Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Building, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States. Electronic address:

Dopamine (DA) is an important neuromodulator of motor control across species. In zebra finches, DA levels vary in song nucleus Area X depending upon social context. DA levels are high and song output is less variable when a male finch sings to a female (female directed, FD) compared to when he is singing by himself (undirected, UD). Read More

J Biomed Inform 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Computer Science Sapienza University of Rome, Via Salaria 113, 00198, Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

Strokes, surgeries, or degenerative diseases can impair motor abilities and balance. Long-term rehabilitation is often the only way to recover, as completely as possible, these lost skills. To be effective, this type of rehabilitation should follow three main rules. Read More

Neuron 2018 Dec;100(5):1241-1251.e7

Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Neural Circuit Laboratories, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Large numbers of brain regions are active during behaviors. A high-resolution, brain-wide activity map could identify brain regions involved in specific behaviors. We have developed functional ultrasound imaging to record whole-brain activity in behaving mice at a resolution of ∼100 μm. Read More

Neuron 2018 Dec;100(5):1019-1021

Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; BioX, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address:

In this issue of Neuron, Macé et al. (2018) use whole-brain functional ultrasound imaging in mice to unveil the circuits involved reflexive eye movements. They separated the sensory and motor networks and discovered that certain eye movements robustly suppress the amygdala. Read More

Aging (Albany NY) 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

KU Leuven, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, Leuven 3001, Belgium.

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc 2018 11 30;56(4):354-359. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Unidad de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación Norte “Dr. Victorio de la Fuente Narváez”, Curso de especialidad médica en Medicina de Rehabilitación. Ciudad de México, México

Background: The diabetic neuropathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. The reported prevalence ranges from 10-90%. Electrophysiological alterations can be demonstrated in nearly 100% of diabetics. Read More

J Biochem 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Biosciences, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, 3-25-40 Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

The amino acid sequence of the motor domain of AnKinA, kinesin-1 from Aspergillus nidulans, growing optimally at 37°C, was compared with that of SbKin1, kinesin-1 from the snow mold Sclerotinia borealis. For cold-adaptation, some enzymes are thought to exhibit augmented protein structure flexibility, acquired most effectively by substituting a glycine residue for another amino acid residue. By the comparison described above, two glycine residues proximal to tightly-bound ADP were identified in the SbKin1 motor domain, of which the corresponding residues of AnKinA were non-glycine ones (P60 and S323). Read More

Clin Neuropharmacol 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Impax Laboratories, LLC, Hayward, CA.

Objective: IPX203 is an investigational oral extended-release capsule formulation of carbidopa-levodopa (CD-LD). The aim of this study was to characterize the single-dose pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and safety of IPX203 in subjects with advanced Parkinson disease compared with immediate-release (IR) CD-LD and extended-release CD-LD (Rytary).

Methods: This was a randomized, open-label, rater-blinded, multicenter, single-dose crossover study. Read More

J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2018 Dec 6:1-7. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

2Department of Penal Law, School of Law,University of Tartu (Tallinn branch),Tallinn,Estonia.

Objectives: Several studies on human risk taking and risk aversion have reported the involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Yet, current knowledge of the neural mechanisms of risk-related decision making is not conclusive, mainly relying on studies using non-motor tasks. Here we examine how modulation of DLPFC activity by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) affects risk-taking behavior during a motor response task. Read More

Haemophilia 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.

Introduction: The objective of this work was to examine the interrelations of posturographic and surface EMG (SEMG) characteristics of ankle muscles in patients with haemophilia while standing naturally.

Methods: Surface EMG of five bilaterally recorded ankle muscles was conducted in 24 patients with haemophilia (PwH, age: 42 [11] years, mean [SD], 22 A, 2 B, 21 severe, 3 moderate) with median (quartiles) WFH orthopaedic joint score of 30 (20/39) points and 24 non-haemophilic controls (Con, age: 42 [12]). Force plate (IBS) signals were captured simultaneously during bipedal stance with eyes open. Read More

Acta Bioeng Biomech 2018 ;20(4):69-76

Laboratory of Functional Anatomy, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.

Purpose: Many pregnant women suffer from pelvic girdle pain (PGP) during pregnancy. Etiologies are multifactorial and affect the joint stability of the sacroiliac joint. Pelvic belts could restore stability and reduce pain during gait. Read More

Acta Bioeng Biomech 2018 ;20(4):11-17

The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Department of Human Motor Behavior, Katowice, Poland.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how global effort affects the rhythm of multi-joint coordination in the global task. We wanted to examine how this specific kind of fatigue impacts sense of rhythm.

Methods: In this study, fourteen non-professsional runners performed two effort trials of different intensity, where speed was set individually according to the speed of running when par- ticipants reached lactate threshold. Read More

Brain Behav 2018 Dec 5:e01183. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan.

Introduction: Optimal focus of attention is a crucial factor for improving motor learning. Most previous studies have shown that directing attention to movement outcome (external focus; EF) is more effective than directing attention to body movement itself (internal focus; IF). However, our recent studies demonstrated that the optimal attentional strategy in healthy and clinical populations varies depending on individual motor imagery ability. Read More

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre.

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is clinically characterised by a wide range of motor, cognitive, and behavioural features but remains challenging to diagnose accurately. Despite recent evidence supporting the presence of social cognition and emotion processing disturbances, few studies have explored the nature of empathic ability in CBS. This study aimed to: (i) investigate the extent to which cognitive and affective dimensions of empathy are affected in CBS, and (ii) to determine the impact of such changes on carer burden. Read More

J Comp Neurol 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

College of Medicine and Public Health & Centre for Neuroscience, Flinders University, Australia.

Normal gut function relies on the activity of the enteric nervous system (ENS) found within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. The structural and functional organisation of the ENS has been extensively studied in the guinea pig small intestine, but less is known about colonic circuitry. Given that there are significant differences between these regions in function, observed motor patterns and pathology, it would be valuable to have a better understanding of the colonic ENS. Read More

J Neurochem 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Neurology, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, QLD, Australia.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results from motor neuron damage. Cannabinoids have been proposed as treatments for ALS due to their anti-excitotoxicity, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Pre-clinical studies in mice models of ALS have been published using a range of cannabinoid formulations and doses. Read More

Brain Imaging Behav 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

This proposed novel method consists of three levels of analyses of diffusion tensor imaging data: 1) voxel level analysis of fractional anisotropy of white matter tracks, 2) connection level analysis, based on fiber tracks between specific brain regions, and 3) network level analysis, based connections among multiple brain regions. Machine-learning techniques of (Fisher score) feature selection, (Support Vector Machine) pattern classification, and (Leave-one-out) cross-validation are performed, for recognition of the neural connectivity patterns for diagnostic purposes. For validation proposes, this multilevel approach achieved an average classification accuracy of 90% between Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls, 83% between Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, and 83% between mild cognitive impairment and healthy controls. Read More

Neuroradiology 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

ITAB-Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. D'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.

Purpose: To investigate modifications of Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) metrics in lateral white matter (WM) bundles of the cervical spinal cord in patients with previous stroke in the vascular territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA).

Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with a previous ischemic stroke of the MCA territory and a varying degree of upper motor impairment were enrolled. DKI was centered at the C3C4 and C5C6 intervertebral level. Read More

Cell Mol Life Sci 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100, Rehovot, Israel.

The hindbrain is a key relay hub of the central nervous system (CNS), linking the bilaterally symmetric half-sides of lower and upper CNS centers via an extensive network of neural pathways. Dedicated neural assemblies within the hindbrain control many physiological processes, including respiration, blood pressure, motor coordination and different sensations. During early development, the hindbrain forms metameric segmented units known as rhombomeres along the antero-posterior (AP) axis of the nervous system. Read More

Int J Colorectal Dis 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.

Purpose: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common complication after abdominal surgery. Invasive stimulation of the cervical vagus nerve is known to reduce inflammatory response and ameliorated POI after surgery in a mouse model. However, the transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a possible non-invasive approach. Read More

Cell Tissue Res 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Section on Molecular Neuroscience, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation, NIMH-IRP, Building 49, Room 5A-32, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, USA.

We examine evolutionary aspects of two primordial neuropeptides, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP); the distribution of AVP and PACAP and their receptors in mammals; AVP and PACAP release patterns relevant to their roles in neuroendocrine control in brain and periphery; and finally the intricate interlocking of homeostatic and allostatic regulation created by extrahypothalamic AVP and PACAP projections to brain circuit nodes important in controlling appetitive, avoidance and aggressive motor responses. A cardinal feature of peptide neurotransmission important in regulatory control of organismic responses and emphasized in this review, is that neuropeptides are released from large dense-core vesicles docked not only within axonal varicosities and dendrites but also at presynaptic nerve terminal sites, along with small clear synaptic vesicles, at active zones. Peptide transmitter nerve terminals, from hypothalamic and other projections, are distributed widely to multiple brain areas important in integrative control of behavior. Read More

Mol Neurobiol 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.

The canonical Wnt pathway is critical for both the development and adulthood survival and homeostatic maintenance of the midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Expanding evidence has demonstrated that genetic factors associated with familial Parkinson disease (PD) deregulate this important pathway, suggesting that a disturbed canonical Wnt pathway is likely involved in PD pathogenesis; yet, the specific role of this pathway in sporadic PD remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of specific inhibition of the canonical pathway by hemizygous knockout of β-catenin, the obligatory component of the canonical Wnt pathway, on paraquat (PQ)-induced DA neuronal degeneration in the substantia nigra in vivo. Read More

Rehabil Res Pract 2018 4;2018:6183654. Epub 2018 Nov 4.

State University of Piauí, Department of Physical Therapy, Teresina, PI, Brazil.

Background/aim: To evaluate, in this pilot study, the effects of the mirror (MT) and vibration therapies (VT) on the functionality of hemiparesis patients after stroke.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one individuals after stroke with upper limb hemiparesis were randomized into control group (CG), Mirror Therapy Group (MTG), and Vibration Therapy Group (VTG). The functionality was evaluated before and after 12 sessions with three tests (i) Mobility Index Rivermead, (ii) Motor Function Wolf Test (time, functional ability), and (iii) Jebsen Taylor Test. Read More

Pharmacol Res Perspect 2018 Dec 29;6(6):e00447. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Roche Pharma Research and Early Development Roche Innovation Center Basel Switzerland.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare, inherited neuromuscular disease caused by deletion and/or mutation of the Survival of Motor Neuron 1 ( gene. A second gene, , produces low levels of functional SMN protein that are insufficient to fully compensate for the lack of . Risdiplam (RG7916; RO7034067) is an orally administered, small-molecule pre-mRNA splicing modifier that distributes into the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues. Read More

Pharmacol Res Perspect 2018 Dec 22;6(6):e00446. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Ipsen Bioinnovation Abingdon Oxford UK.

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is a major therapeutic agent. Of seven native BoNT serotypes (A to G), only A and B are currently used in the clinic. Here we compared the potency of commercially available purified native serotypes A1 to F1 across in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays. Read More

Basic Clin Neurosci 2018 Jul-Aug;9(4):275-288. Epub 2018 Jul 1.

Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Introduction: Opioids hijack learning and memory formation mechanisms of brain and induce a pathological memory in the hippocampus. This effect is mainly mediated by modifications in glutamatergic system. Speaking more precisely, Opioids presence in a synapse inhibits blockage of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor (NMDAR) by Mg, enhances conductance of NMDAR and thus, induces false Long-Term Potentiation (LTP). Read More

Basic Clin Neurosci 2018 Jul-Aug;9(4):241-250. Epub 2018 Jul 1.

Laboratory of Animal Addiction Models, Physiology Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.

Introduction: This study investigated the effect of the environmental enrichment during adolescence on morphine-induced Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) and locomotor sensitization in maternally separated male and female rat pups.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were allowed to mate with female virgin Wistar rats. Pups were separated from them 3 hours per day during 2-14 days postnatal. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 14;9:2647. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a group of neurodegenerative disorders that featured with the death of motor neurons, which leads to loss of voluntary control on muscles. The etiologies vary among different subtypes of ALS, and no effective management or medication could be provided to the patients, with the underlying mechanisms incompletely understood yet. Mutations in human (Optineurin), particularly E478G, have been found in many ALS patients. Read More

Front Physiol 2018 21;9:1540. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Institute of Sports Medicine, Paderborn University, Paderborn, Germany.

It is well-established that expertise developed through continuous and deliberate practice has the potential to delay age-related decline in fine motor skills. However, less is known about the underlying mechanisms, that is, whether expertise leads to a higher performance level changing the initial status from which age-related decline starts or if expertise-related changes result in qualitatively different motor output and neural processing providing a resource of compensation for age-related changes. Thus, as a first step, this study aims at a better understanding of expertise-related changes in fine motor control with respect to force output and respective electrophysiological correlates. Read More

Front Hum Neurosci 2018 21;12:462. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czechia.

The phenomenon of impulsivity in Parkinson's disease appears as an arduous side effect of dopaminergic therapy with potentially detrimental consequences for the life of the patients. Although conceptualized as a result of non-physiologic chronic dopaminergic stimulation, recent advances speculate on combined disruption of other networks as well. In the search for neuroanatomical correlates of this multifaceted disturbance, this study employs two distinct, well-defined tasks of close association to motor inhibition and decision-making impulsivity, Go/No Go and Delay discounting. Read More

Stem Cells Cloning 2018 9;11:85-93. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Healthcare Science Research Institute, School of Healthcare Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK,

Background: Although considerable research on neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) has been conducted, the prospect of in vivo NMJ studies is limited and these studies are challenging to implement. Therefore, there is a clear unmet need to develop a feasible, robust, and physiologically relevant in vitro NMJ model.

Objective: We aimed to establish a novel functional human NMJs platform, which is serum and neural complex media/neural growth factor-free, using human immortalized myoblasts and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs)-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) that can be used to understand the mechanisms of NMJ development and degeneration. Read More

Clin Interv Aging 2018 12;13:2301-2316. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Human Motor Behavior, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, Poland,

Postural instability is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), often contributing to falls, injuries, and reduced mobility. In the clinical setting, balance disorder is commonly diagnosed using clinical tests and balance scales, but it is suggested that the most sensitive measurement is the force platform. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the methods and various posturographic procedures used to assess the body balance and gait in PD. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

Objective: To characterize the association of histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) with neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born at <30 weeks gestation.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study included infants born 2006-2012 in whom placental histopathology, neonatal outcomes, and Bayley-III assessment at age 2 years were available. We assessed the association of HCA exposure with cognitive, language, and motor delay with logistic regression models adjusted for gestational age, sex, small for gestational age and brain injury. Read More

Open Biol 2018 Dec 5;8(12). Epub 2018 Dec 5.

PhD Program for Translational Medicine, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taiwan, Republic of China

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant progressive neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by a triad of motor, psychiatric and cognitive impairments. There is still no effective therapy to delay or halt the disease progress. The striatum and cortex are two particularly affected brain regions that exhibit dense reciprocal excitatory glutamate and inhibitory gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) connections. Read More

Sci Transl Med 2018 Dec;10(470)

Neurimmune AG, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland.

Mutations in the gene encoding superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) lead to misfolding and aggregation of SOD1 and cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). However, the implications of wild-type SOD1 misfolding in sporadic forms of ALS (SALS) remain unclear. By screening human memory B cells from a large cohort of healthy elderly subjects, we generated a recombinant human monoclonal antibody (α-miSOD1) that selectively bound to misfolded SOD1, but not to physiological SOD1 dimers. Read More

J Biol Chem 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, United States.

Myosins are molecular motors that use a conserved ATPase cycle to generate force. We investigated two mutations in the converter domain of myosin V (R712G and F750L) to examine how altering specific structural transitions in the motor ATPase cycle can impair myosin mechanochemistry. The corresponding mutations in the human beta-cardiac myosin gene are associated with hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy, respectively. Read More

Trials 2018 Dec 5;19(1):671. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

The Spine Institute for Quality, 102 2nd Street, Davenport, IA, 52801,, USA.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common cause of disability among U.S. military personnel. Read More

Motor Control 2018 Dec 5:1-16. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

1 New York University.

Postural sway does not differentiate between balance disorders. Head kinematics within a salient, immersive environment could potentially help identifying movement patterns that are unique to vestibular dysfunction. We describe a virtual park scene, where participants are asked to avoid a virtual ball approaching their head, to target dynamic balance and quantify head movement strategy. Read More