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“Deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a therapy in neurological and psychiatric disorders is widely applied in the field of functional and stereotactic neurosurgery. In this respect, experimental DBS in animal models is performed to evaluate new indications and new technology. In this article, we review our experience with the concept of experimental DBS, including its development and validation. An electrode construction was developed using clinical principles to perform DBS unilaterally or bilaterally in freely moving rats. The stimulation parameters were adjusted for the rat using current density calculations. We performed validation
PD0332991 in vivo studies in 2 animal models: a rat model of Parkinson’s disease (bilateral 6-hydroxydopamine infusion in the striatum) and a rat model of Huntington’s disease (transgenic rats). The effects of DBS were evaluated in different behavioral tasks measuring motor and cognitive functions. The electrode construction developed allows experimental DBS to be performed in freely moving rats. With the current setup,
electrodes are placed in the target in 70% to 95% of the cases. Using a rat model, we showed that bilateral DBS of the subthalamic nucleus improves parkinsonian motor disability, but can induce behavioral side effects, similar BAY 11-7082 order to the clinical situation. In addition, we showed that DBS of the globus pallidus can improve motor and cognitive symptoms in a rat model of Huntington’s disease. Nevertheless, during the process of the development and validation of experimental DBS, we encountered specific problems., These are discussed in detail. Experimental DBS in freely moving animals is an adequate tool to explore new indications for DBS and to refine DBS technology.”
“BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health problem in developing countries.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical presentation, management, and long-term outcome in 6 patients with tuberculous brain abscesses (TBA), an uncommon form of central nervous system (CNS) TB.
METHODS: A search of medical records of
a single referral neurological center in Mexico City from 2002 to 2007 retrieved 149 patients with CNS TB; 6 of them (4%) met Whitener’s criteria for TBA and were included in this review.
RESULTS: Five of six patients had a previous history of TB. Three patients were referred to our center Selleck Thiazovivin under antituberculous treatment (ATT) for pulmonary and lymph node TB, and two patients were receiving ATT for TB meningitis at diagnosis of TBA. All presented with symptoms of intracranial hypertension and hemiparesis. On imaging studies, 3 patients had a single, deep multiloculated lesion and another three had separated lesions, all patients underwent surgery and received long courses of ATT. One patient died after surgery and the rest recovered with moderate to severe neurological sequelae. The residual lesions in 5 patients resolved in follow-up CT or MRI studies at a mean time of 10 months.