امیر مقدم احمدی

 Multiple sclerosis is one of the most important diseases that change a person's life, especially at a young age, causing a sharp drop in the quality of life and leading to disability. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of stress control training on the quality of life of female patients with multiple sclerosis.

 The current research is semi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and control group in 2017. Sixty female patients with multiple sclerosis were selected as available and randomly divided into two intervention and control groups. The research tool was the quality of life questionnaire of multiple sclerosis patients. The intervention group participated in 10 stress control training sessions for 2 hours. The control group did not receive training. Data were analyzed using independent-t and paired-t statistical tests.

 The average score of quality of life before the intervention in the intervention group and the control group had no statistically significant difference (p=0.672). In the post-test, the average score of quality of life, physical health, and mental health in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group (p<0.001). The independent t-test results showed a significant difference between the average scores of the quality of life and its dimensions before and after the intervention between the intervention and control groups (p<0.001).

 A stress control management program can help MS patients to manage their disease and problems related to their lives. Since this educational program is efficient and low-cost, it can be included in health interventions for MS patients.

Stroke is a neurological disease and one of the leading causes of death all over the world. It is also an important cause of disability in people over age over 65. It may be possible to reduce the incidence of cerebral ischemia using antioxidants, followed by inhibition of oxidative and inflammatory mechanisms. Troxerutin is a natural bioflavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its neuroprotective effects have not yet been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of troxerutin on ischemic brain damage in male mice.

In this experimental study, 39 male mice (30-25 grams) were used. The animals were divided into three groups: 1. Sham group 2. Ischemic brain group 3. The ischemic brain group, receiving troxerutin drug. Cerebral ischemia was induced in the second and third groups of mice. Five hours later, group 3 received 300 mg/kg troxerutin intraperitoneal injection. After 24 and 48 hours, the effect of troxerutin on sensory and motor neurological disorders, cerebral edema, and infarct volume was investigated. Analysis of variance test was performed by SPSS software (21) using one-way and two-way.

The results indicated that troxerutin reduced stroke volume (p=0.05) and cerebral edema (p=0.05) compared with the control group. Troxerutin also improved sensory-motor function (p<0.0001) and balance function and muscle strength (p<0.05)

Treatment with troxerutin can have beneficial effects on complications and disorders caused by cerebral ischemia.

Stroke is considered as the third common cause of disability and mortality in the world. Therefore, it is important to find a new treatment for increasing the rehabilitation of disability after stroke. The aim of this study was comparing the effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and functional exercise therapy (FET) on the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS).

This randomized clinical trial was performed in Fatemieh Physiotherapy Clinic of Rafsanjan, Iran in 2019. Thirty-three patients affected by IS were randomly assigned into three equal groups including that received FES, FET and conventional physiotherapy (CP), respectively during 10 sessions. Strength of grasping, intensity of spasticity, ability of walking and assessing of disability levels were evaluated during the first and tenth sessions and one month later. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA and two-way repeated measures ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test and chi-square test.           

The finding of this study showed that 10 sessions of FES was more effective than FET and CP in reducing spasticity, increasing walking ability and decreasing levels of disability in IS (p˂0.001), but the three methods did not significantly differ in increasing the strength of grasping (p=0.070).

According to this study, it is recommended that FES be used in treating the complications of IS such as spasticity, problem of walking and decreasing disability.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that can cause memory loss, personality changes and unusual behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ampakine Farampator on impairment of working memory in rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Forty male Wistar rat (250-300g) were randomly divided into five experimental groups including: Group 1: Sham/control (intra-hippocampal microinjection of phosphate buffer solution (PBS)/1μl); Group 2: Rat model of Alzheimer's disease (intra-hippocampal microinjection of 4μg/1μl amyloid beta 1-42), Groups 3 & 4: Rat model of Alzheimer's disease + Farampator (30 and 300 µg/kg/by oral gavage/ twice per day); Group 5: Rat model of Alzheimer's disease + Farampator vehicle (saline/ by oral gavage / twice per day). Y-maze spontaneous alternation test was used to evaluate the working memory.

Intra-hippocampal injection of amyloid beta 1-42 caused significant defects in working memory in rat model of Alzheimer's disease (p < 0.01). Farampator 300 µg/kg significantly improved working memory task in rat model of Alzheimer's disease (p < 0.05). Farampator 30 µg/kg had no significant effect on working memory impairment in rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Ampakine farampator can improve the working memory defect in rat model of Alzheimer's disease.