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Front Cell Neurosci 2021 25;15:600872. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Institut de Neurociències, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a pleiotropic extracellular lipid mediator with many physiological functions that signal through six known G protein-coupled receptors (LPA). In the central nervous system (CNS), LPA mediates a wide range of effects including neural progenitor cell physiology, neuronal cell death, axonal retraction, and inflammation. Since inflammation is a hallmark of most neurological conditions, we hypothesized that LPA could be involved in the physiopathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Read More

J Clin Med 2021 Mar 26;10(7). Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Department of Neurosurgery, Spine Center, Nanoori Gangnam Hospital, Seoul 06048, Korea.

Background: Multifocal intra-and-extraspinal lumbar stenotic lesions could be decompressed with one endoscopic surgical approach, which has the advantages of functional structure preservation, technical efficacy, and safety.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 48 patients who underwent uniportal endoscopic contralateral approach due to coexisting lateral recess, foraminal, and extraforaminal stenosis at the L5-S1 level. Foraminal stenosis grade and postoperative dysesthesia (POD) were analyzed. Read More

J Anat 2021 Mar 17. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a common complication after surgery; however, the underlying mechanisms of CPSP are poorly understood. As one of the most important inflammatory pathways, the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-kappa B (TLR4/NF-κB) signaling pathway plays an important role in chronic pain. However, the precise role of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in CPSP remains unclear. Read More

J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2021 Feb 13;82(Suppl 1):S37-S38. Epub 2020 Mar 13.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, United States.

 This study was aimed to describe a far lateral approach for microsurgical resection of a transverse ligament cyst, with emphasis on the microsurgical anatomy and technique.  A far lateral craniotomy is performed in the lateral decubitus position. After opening the dura laterally, dural sutures are placed for retraction. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Feb;100(8):e24983

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2021 Feb 27. Epub 2021 Feb 27.

Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Background: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has become a routine technique for treating benign and malignant lesions of the oropharynx with the advantage of reducing morbidity compared to open surgical techniques. However, TORS has not been used routinely for accessing lesions of the spine.

Objective: To describe how TORS can be used to access spinal lesions. Read More

Br J Neurosurg 2021 Feb 20:1-3. Epub 2021 Feb 20.

Department of Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, I.R.C.C.S. San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.

Background: To report the use of Nuvasive MAS-TLIF retractor for the removal of lumbar spine schwannomas.

Methods: A 47-year-old man with 1-year history of back pain with progressive left sciatica underwent surgical resection of a left extraforaminal lumbar schwannoma (type IV according to Eden's classification) using the MAS-TLIF retractor.

Results: The patient completely recovered from the preoperative symptoms and was discharged three days after surgery. Read More

Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021 Feb 17. Epub 2021 Feb 17.

Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No 6, Beijing West Road, Huai'an, 223300, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.

Studies have found that molecular targets that regulate tissue development are also involved in regulating tissue regeneration. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte A4 (EphA4) not only plays a guiding role in neurite outgrowth during the development of the central nervous system (CNS) but also induces injured axon retraction and inhibits axon regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI). EphA4 targets several ephrin ligands (including ephrin-A and ephrin-B) and is involved in cortical cell migration, axon guidance, synapse formation and astrocyte function. Read More

Neurosci Lett 2021 Mar 3;747:135703. Epub 2021 Feb 3.

Department of Medical Imaging, 960 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Jinan, 250031, Shandong Province, China. Electronic address:

Clin Drug Investig 2021 Feb;41(2):199

Department of Orthopedic and Spinal Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 North Guangzhou Avenue, Guangzhou, 510515, People's Republic of China.

Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2021 03 28;163(3):829-834. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street South West, Rochester, MN, 55901, USA.

Background: Exploration and grafting of the brachial plexus remains the gold standard for post-ganglionic brachial plexus injuries that present within an acceptable time frame from injury. The most common nerves available for grafting include C5 and C6. During the surgical exposure of C5 and C6, the phrenic nerve is anatomically anterior to the cervical spinal nerves, making it vulnerable to injury while performing the dissection and nerve stump to graft coaptation. Read More

World Neurosurg 2021 Apr 11;148:e101-e114. Epub 2021 Jan 11.

Nanoori Gangnam Hospital, Seoul, Spine Surgery, Republic of South Korea.

Objective: Postoperative dysesthesia (POD) is a common complication in surgery involving foraminal diseases, including lumbar foraminal or extraforaminal herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP). Minimal dorsal root ganglion (DRG) retraction is key to preventing POD. We compared the clinical results, safety, and efficacy between the paraspinal transforaminal approach requiring DRG retraction and the interlaminar contralateral approach without DRG retraction for foraminal and extraforaminal diseases. Read More

Surg Innov 2021 Jan 2:1553350620984650. Epub 2021 Jan 2.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 117958The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.

In this study, we performed a novel type of posterior en bloc elevation cervical laminoplasty (PEEL) to keep the integrity of the posterior structure, aiming to reduce axial symptoms complicated by a conventional cervical laminoplasty procedure. Twelve human cervical cadaveric spines (C2-T1) were sequentially tested in the following order: intact condition, open-door laminoplasty (ODL) through bilateral intermuscular approach (mini-invasive ODL), PEEL, and laminectomy (LN). After bilateral transecting at the junction of lamina and lateral mass through the tubular retraction system, the PEEL procedure symmetrically elevated all the posterior structure which was further stabilized with bone grafts and titanium plates. Read More

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2021 Apr;20(5):E356

Spine Research Group, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.

Symptomatic cord compression affects approximately 20% of patients with spinal metastatic disease. Direct decompressive surgery followed by conventional radiation was shown to be superior to radiation alone in a landmark trial published in 2005.1 For radioresistant tumors causing high-grade compression, however, "separation surgery" followed by stereotactic body radiation therapy was developed. Read More

QJM 2020 Dec 14. Epub 2020 Dec 14.

From the Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China.

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2021 Jan 18;200:106366. Epub 2020 Nov 18.

Department of Neurological Surgery, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA, United States. Electronic address:

Background: The "kissing carotids" (KCS) phenomenon refers to bilateral retropharyngeal displacement of the internal carotid arteries (ICA). This anomalous anatomy can impose a significant surgical challenge to spine surgeons.

Objective: In this report, we describe our approach for an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in the setting of kissing carotids. Read More

J Neurosci 2021 01 1;41(3):446-460. Epub 2020 Dec 1.

Department of Brain Science, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea

Preconditioning peripheral nerve injury enhances the intrinsic growth capacity of DRGs sensory axons by inducing transcriptional upregulation of the regeneration-associated genes (RAGs). However, it is still unclear how preconditioning injury leads to the orchestrated induction of many RAGs. The present study identified proto-oncogene as a transcriptional hub gene to regulate the expression of a distinct subset of RAGs in DRGs following the preconditioning injury. Read More

J Cell Biochem 2021 Jan 23;122(1):146. Epub 2020 Sep 23.

"Downregulation of long noncoding RNA Sox2ot protects PC-12 cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced injury in spinal cord injury via regulating the miR-211-myeloid cell leukemia-1 isoform2 axis," by Dong Yin, Xiaoqing Zheng, Jianxiong Zhuang, Liangze Wang, Bin Liu, Yunbing Chang, J Cell Biochem. 2018; 9675-9684: The above article, published online on 26 August 2018 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley. Read More

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021 01 25;534:395-400. Epub 2020 Nov 25.

Department of Anesthesiology, Kanagawa Dental University Hospital, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a serious issue for many postoperative patients. Though there are numerous treatment options for the prevention of CPSP, none of them is optimal as the mechanisms of the transition from acute to chronic postoperative pain have not been elucidated. Ketamine and opioids have been administered for chronic postoperative pain treatment but induce severe adverse reactions and/or physical dependency. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2020 Nov 1;81:455-461. Epub 2020 Nov 1.

Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No 95, Yong'an Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess the preoperative and postoperative changes in MRI image and the short-term efficacy of the ISDF with BacFuse covering 3 years.

Methods: 32 patients who underwent ISDF were involved in this retrospective study. The symptoms assessment including VAS, ODI, and SF-12 were evaluated preoperative and postoperative at 1 year and 3 years. Read More

Dev Neurobiol 2021 Jan 5;81(1):3-21. Epub 2020 Dec 5.

Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.

NADPH oxidases (Nox) are membrane-bound multi-subunit protein complexes producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) that regulate many cellular processes. Emerging evidence suggests that Nox-derived ROS also control neuronal development and axonal outgrowth. However, whether Nox act downstream of receptors for axonal growth and guidance cues is presently unknown. Read More

Asian Spine J 2020 Nov 16. Epub 2020 Nov 16.

Department of Orthopedic and Spine Surgery, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Central Railway Hospital, Mumbai, India.

Conjoint nerve root (CNR) is an embryological nerve root anomaly that mainly involves the lumbosacral region. The presence of CNR during tubular discectomy raises the chances of failure in spinal surgery and the risk of neural injuries. Tubular discectomy can be challenging in the presence of CNR owing to limited visualization. Read More

Clin Imaging 2021 Mar 6;71:106-116. Epub 2020 Nov 6.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt.

We aim to review the imaging features of congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders. Characteristic imaging findings can define subtypes of these disorders through assessment of cranial nerves, extraocular muscles, orbital, and brain abnormalities. Duane retraction syndrome shows absent or hypoplasic 6th cranial nerve and preserved extraocular muscles (EOM). Read More

Mol Med Rep 2020 Dec 28;22(6):4821-4827. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China.

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) has a high incidence, but the underlying mechanism is not well understood. Accumulating evidence has suggested that central sensitization is the main mechanism of pain. To study the role of p120 in CPSP, a skin/muscle incision and retraction (SMIR) model was established, and immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were performed to analyze the expression of p120 in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Read More

Cells 2020 11 6;9(11). Epub 2020 Nov 6.

Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center (Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation), Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.

Many studies of axon regeneration in the lamprey focus on 18 pairs of large identified reticulospinal (RS) neurons, whose regenerative abilities have been individually quantified. Their axons retract during the first 2 weeks after transection (TX), and many grow back to the site of injury by 4 weeks. However, locomotor movements begin before 4 weeks and the lesion is invaded by axons as early as 2 weeks post-TX. Read More

Gait Posture 2021 Jan 4;83:194-200. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, Spinnaker Building, University of Portsmouth, PO1 2ER, United Kingdom.

Background: Poor standing posture has been reported in women with larger breasts, increasing the risk of back pain. Whilst breast reduction surgery can improve posture, conservative measures such as special bras may offer short or long-term relief of symptoms without surgical intervention.

Research Question: This study aimed to utilise a multi-study intervention to investigate the short and long-term kinematic effects of wearing a posture bra. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2021 Jan 23;200:106313. Epub 2020 Oct 23.

Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, United States. Electronic address:

Objective: Recently there has been increasing interest in the use of regional anesthesia for minimally-invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and laminectomy, with the goal of reducing the side effects and risks associated with general anesthesia and also to improve patient satisfaction. The goal of this technical note is to describe important perioperative aspects to safely perform an awake spine surgery and to describe a novel technique to preform minimally-invasive TLIF using a pedicle-based retraction system.

Methods: We report our patient selection criteria, perioperative anesthesia protocol and surgical technique for awake TLIF with the Maximum Access Surgery (MAS) TLIF Retraction System. Read More

Biomedicines 2020 Oct 22;8(11). Epub 2020 Oct 22.

Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics, Nihon Pharmaceutical University, Saitama 362-0806, Japan.

It is widely accepted that microglia-mediated inflammation contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases; however, the precise mechanisms through which these cells contribute remain to be elucidated. Microglia, as the primary immune effector cells of the brain, play key roles in maintaining central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. Microglia are located throughout the brain and spinal cord and may account for up to 15% of all cells in the brain. Read More

J Spine Surg 2020 Sep;6(3):572-580

Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Background: Lumbar discectomy is a common spinal procedure. The purpose of this survey is to ascertain neurosurgeons' practices in the surgical management of one-level lumbar discectomies in the Canadian adult population and to determine changes over a 10-year period.

Methods: One-page questionnaire distributed electronically to neurosurgeons in Canada and results were compared with similarly completed survey from 2007. Read More

J Integr Neurosci 2020 Sep;19(3):593

SciLifeLab BioVis Facility, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14 B, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.

The above-mentioned article (Andersen,2019), published online on December 30, 2019 has been withdrawn by Dr. Andersen. The retraction has been issued following additional information received by IMR Press and reviewed by the Chief Editor. Read More