فهرست مطالب

Basic and Clinical Neuroscience
Volume:8 Issue: 5, Sep - Oct 2017

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1396/09/09
  • تعداد عناوین: 8
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  • Farnaz Faridi, Reza Khosrowabadi * Pages 349-360
    Asperger syndrome (AS) is a subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) characterized by major problems in social and nonverbal communication, together with limited and repetitive forms of behavior and interests. The linguistic and cognitive development in AS is preserved which help us to differentiate it from other subtypes of ASD. However, significant effects of AS on cognitive abilities and brain functions still need to be researched. Although a clear cut pathology for Asperger has not been identified yet, recent studies have largely focused on brain imaging techniques to investigate AS. In this regard, we carried out a systematic review on behavioral, cognitive, and neural markers (specifically using MRI and fMRI) studies on AS. In this paper, behavior, motor skills and language capabilities of individuals with Asperger are compared to those in healthy controls. In addition, common findings across MRI and fMRI based studies associated with behavior and cognitive disabilities are highlighted.
    Keywords: Asperger syndrome, Behavioral deficit, Cognitive dysfunction, Neurobiological marker
  • Fereshteh Ameri, Naser Vazifeshenas, Abbas Haghparast * Pages 361-370
    Introduction
    The growing elderly population calls mental health professionals to take measures concerning the treatment of the elderly mental disorders. Today in developed countries, bibliotherapy is used for the treatment of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of audio book on the elderly mental health of Retirement Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
    Methods
    This experimental study was conducted on 60 elderly people participated in 8 audio book presentation sessions, and their mental health aspects were evaluated through mental health questionnaire (SCL-90-R). Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.
    Results
    Data analysis revealed that the mean difference of pretest and posttest of control group is less than 5.0, so no significant difference was observed in their mental health, but this difference was significant in the experimental group (more than 5.0). Therefore, a significant improvement in mental health and its dimensions have observed in elderly people participated in audio book sessions. This therapeutic intervention was effective on mental health dimensions of paranoid ideation, psychosis, phobia, aggression, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and somatic complaints.
    Conclusion
    Considering the fact that our population is moving toward aging, the obtained results could be useful for policy makers and health and social planners to improve the health status of the elderly.
    Keywords: Mental disorders, Mental health, Bibliotherapy, Audio book
  • Meysam Siyah Mansoory, Mohammad Ali Oghabian, Amir Homayoun Jafari *, Alireza Shahbabaie Pages 371-386
    Introduction
    Graph theoretical analysis of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data has provided new measures of mapping human brain in vivo. Of all methods to measure the functional connectivity between regions, Linear Correlation (LC) calculation of activity time series of the brain regions as a linear measure is considered the most ubiquitous one. The strength of the dependence obligatory for graph construction and analysis is consistently underestimated by LC, because not all the bivariate distributions, but only the marginals are Gaussian. In a number of studies, Mutual Information (MI) has been employed, as a similarity measure between each two time series of the brain regions, a pure nonlinear measure. Owing to the complex fractal organization of the brain indicating self-similarity, more information on the brain can be revealed by fMRI Fractal Dimension (FD) analysis.
    Methods
    In the present paper, Box-Counting Fractal Dimension (BCFD) is introduced for graph theoretical analysis of fMRI data in 17 methamphetamine drug users and 18 normal controls. Then, BCFD performance was evaluated compared to those of LC and MI methods. Moreover, the global topological graph properties of the brain networks inclusive of global efficiency, clustering coefficient and characteristic path length in addict subjects were investigated too.
    Results
    Compared to normal subjects by using statistical tests (P
    Conclusion
    Based on the results, analyzing the graph topological properties (representing the brain networks) based on BCFD is a more reliable method than LC and MI.
    Keywords: Graph theory, Box-counting fractal dimension, Mutual information, Linear correlation, Methamphetamine
  • Ardeshir Moayeri, Maryam Nazm Bojnordi, Sara Haratizadeh, Amir Esmaeilnejad-Moghadam, Rafieh Alizadeh, Hatef Ghasemi Hamidabadi * Pages 387-394
    Introduction
    The nerve fibers in central nervous system are surrounded by myelin sheet which is formed by oligodendrocytes. Cell therapy based on oligodendrocytes and their precursors transplantation can hold a promising alternative treatment for myelin sheet repair in demyelinating diseases.
    Methods
    Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (hDPSCs) are noninvasive, autologous and easy available source with multipotency characteristics, so they are in focus of interest in regenerative medicine. In the present study, hDPSCs were differentiated into oligoprogenitor using glial induction media, containing Retinoic Acid (RA), basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF), Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), N2 and B27. The differentiated Oligoprogenitor Cells (OPCs) were evaluated for nestin, Olig2, NG2 and O4 using immunocytochemistry. Also, the expression of nestin, Olig2 and PDGFR-α gens (neuroprogenitor and oligoprogenitor markers) were investigated via RT-PCR technique.
    Results
    The results indicate that glial differentiation medium induces the generation of oligoprogenitor cells as revealed via exhibition of specific glial markers, including Olig2, NG2 and O4. The expersion of nestin gene (neuroprogenitor marker) and Olig2 and PDGFR-α genes (oligoprogentor markers) were detected in treated hDPSCs at the end of the induction stage.
    Conclusion
    hDPSCs can be induced to transdifferentiate into oligoprogenitor cells and respond to the routinely applied regents for glial differentiation of mesanchymal stem cells. These data suggest the hDPSCs as a valuable source for cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases.
    Keywords: Dental pulp stem cells, Regenerative medicine, Oligoprogenitor cells, Mesenchymal stem cells
  • Mehdi Khodamoradi, Majid Asadi-Shekaari, Saeed Esmaeili-Mahani, Fariba Sharififar, Vahid Sheibani * Pages 395-404
    Introduction
    Previous studies have shown that seizure can induce cognitive impairment. On the other hand, soy phytoestrogens, which are mainly found in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), have beneficial effects on the nervous system. However, little is known about their probable effects on seizure. The present study aimed to examine the probable effects of soy extract, containing the phytoestrogen genistein on seizure-induced cognitive and synaptic plasticity impairment in Ovariectomized (OVX) rats.
    Methods
    Rats were ovariectomized, implanted with guide cannula and then divided into 5 groups (n=7-8 in each group): PBS, KA, Saline-KA, Higher Dose Soy (HDS-KA), and Lower Dose Soy (LDS-KA) groups. Animals of the HDS-KA and LDS-KA groups received intraperitoneal administration of soy extract (20 and 2 mg/kg, respectively) and the Saline-KA group received normal saline once a day for 4 days. Sixty minutes after the last injection, Kainic Acid (KA) or PBS was injected into the left lateral ventricle via pre-implanted guide cannula to induce generalized seizures. The Morris water maze task and in vivo field potential recordings were conducted 7 days later.
    Results
    Soy extract at both doses significantly improved learning impairment and at the higher dose (20 mg/kg) significantly prevented seizure-induced spatial memory impairment and deficit of long-term potentiation in the hippocampus.
    Conclusion
    The soy extract containing the phytoestrogen genistein may have beneficial effects on memory deficit induced by seizure in OVX rats and this effect is accompanied by a beneficial effect on synaptic plasticity.
    Keywords: Seizure, Soy extract, Genistein, Long-term potentiation, Spatial memory
  • Bijan Forogh, Tannaz Ahadi, Maryam Nazari, Simin Sajadi, Lydia Abdul Latif, Seyed Majid Akhavan Hejazi, Gholamreza Raissi * Pages 405-412
    Introduction
    Balance impairment is a common problem and a major cause of motor disability after stroke. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether low-frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) improves the postural balance problems in stroke patients.
    Methods
    This randomized double blind clinical trial with 12 weeks follow-up was conducted on stroke patients. Treatment was carried with 1 Hz rTMS in contralateral brain hemisphere over the primary motor area for 20 minutes (1200 pulses) for 5 consecutive days. Static postural stability, Medical Research Council (MRC), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Fugl-Meyer assessments were evaluated immediately, 3 weeks and 12 weeks after intervention.
    Results
    A total of 26 patients were enrolled (age range=53 to 79 years; 61.5% were male) in this study. Administering rTMS produced a significant recovery based on BBS (df=86, 7; F=7.4; P=0.01), Fugl-Meyer Scale (df=86, 7; F=8.7; P
    Conclusion
    According to the findings, rTMS as an adjuvant therapy may improve the static postural stability, falling risk, coordination, motor recovery, and muscle strength in patients with stroke.
    Keywords: Stroke, Transcranial magnetic stimulation, Stroke rehabilitation, Postural balance, Proprioception
  • Behnoosh Vasaghi-Gharamaleki *, Zahra Naser Pages 413-418
    Introduction
    Cervical spine abnormalities can affect the ear vessels and or nerves with different mechanisms. Ear dysfunctions following cervical spine injuries can be manifested as hearing loss, vertigo, or tinnitus. Usually, cervical spine injuries can cause pain and Range of Motion (ROM) limitation. The major objective of this study was to determine which cervical ROM limitation was accompanied with higher level of hearing loss.
    Methods
    In this cross-sectional study, 42 volunteers (20 women and 22 men) with cervical spine injury and pain participated after giving their informed consent. Audiometry, tympanometry, and pure-tone threshold of individuals were taken in frequencies from 250 to 8000 Hz in all cases. The ROM limitation in flexion, extension and rotation was recorded.
    Results
    About 53% of participants had bilateral hearing loss. In 40.48% (n=17) of cases, rotation to the left was limited. Flexion and extension motion were restricted on 23.8% (n=10) and 30.95% (n=13) of the participants, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between sex and hearing loss but a significant correlation was observed between hearing loss and ROM limitation of rotation to the left in men.
    Conclusion
    According to the present study, the likelihood of hearing loss was high in patients with cervical left rotation limitation, and that the incidence of hearing loss following the cervical spine injuries was more in men. It seems that left Rotation limitation can be used as a predictor to diagnosis of hearing impairment following the cervical spine injuries (especially in men).
    Keywords: Cervical neck injuries, Hearing loss, Range of motion, Cervical movement
  • Mahdiyeh Sarraf Razavi, Mehdi Tehranidoost, Farnaz Ghassemi *, Parivash Purabassi, Athena Taymourtash Pages 419-427
    Introduction
    Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have some impairment in emotional relationship which can be due to problems in emotional processing. The present study investigated neural correlates of early stages of emotional face processing in this group compared with typically developing children using the Gamma Band Activity (GBA).
    Methods
    A total of 19 children diagnosed with ADHD (Combined type) based on DSM-IV classification were compared with 19 typically developing children matched on age, gender, and IQ. The participants performed an emotional face recognition while their brain activities were recorded using an event-related oscillation procedure.
    Results
    The results indicated that ADHD children compared to normal group showed a significant reduction in the gamma band activity, which is thought to reflect early perceptual emotion discrimination for happy and angry emotions (P
    Conclusion
    The present study supports the notion that individuals with ADHD have some impairments in early stage of emotion processing which can cause their misinterpretation of emotional faces.
    Keywords: Emotional face recognition, Event-Related Oscillation (ERO), Gamma band activity, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)