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At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Neuroelectric source imaging of steady-state movement-related cortical potentials in human upper extremity amputees with and without phantom limb pain.

Whereas several studies reported a close relationship between changes in the somatotopic organization of primary somatosensory cortex and phantom limb pain, the relationship between alterations in the motor cortex and amputation-related phenomena has not yet been explored in detail. This study used steady-state movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) combined with neuroelectric source imaging to assess the relationship of changes in motor cortex and amputation-related phenomena such as painful and non-painful phantom and residual limb sensations, telescoping, and prosthesis use. Eight upper limb amputees were investigated. A significant positive relationship between reorganization of the motor cortex (distance of the MRCP source location from the mirrored source for hand movement) and phantom limb pain was found. Non-painful phantom sensations as well as painful and non-painful residual limb sensations were unrelated to motor cortical reorganization. A higher amount of motor reorganization was associated with less daily prosthesis use, which also tended to be related to more severe phantom limb pain. These results extend previous findings of a positive relationship between somatosensory reorganization and phantom limb pain to the motor domain and suggest a potential positive effect of prosthesis use on phantom limb pain and cortical reorganization.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Pavlovian conditioning of muscular responses in chronic pain patients: central and peripheral correlates.

A differential conditioning design using an aversive slide as conditioned stimulus (CS(+)) that was followed by an intracutaneous electric stimulus to the left index finger as unconditioned stimulus (US) and a pleasant slide that was not followed by shock (CS(-)) were used to test the hypothesis of enhanced aversive conditioning of muscular responses in chronic back pain patients (CBP). Heart rate, skin conductance levels, and integrated surface electromyograms (EMG) from the left and right m. flexor digitorum, the right m. trapezius, and bilaterally from the m. orbicularis oculi were recorded. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was measured from nine electrode positions. The CBP patients showed an enhanced muscular response of the left forearm (where the US was applied) to the CS(+) already in the preconditioning phase. During acquisition both the left forearm and the right trapezius of the patients but not the controls displayed enhanced muscular responding to the CS(+). During extinction the CBP patients' muscular responses to both CS(+) and CS(-) were elevated. The contingent negative variation of the EEG differentiated between CS(+) and CS(-) in the healthy controls but not the chronic pain patients. These data confirm the hypothesis of enhanced muscular responding in chronic pain patients and suggest a dissociation of muscular and central processes during aversive conditioning in the patients that might contribute to the chronicity problem.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Quantitative sensory testing in children with migraine: preliminary evidence for enhanced sensitivity to painful stimuli especially in girls.

Recent studies showed an enhanced general sensitivity to painful stimuli in adult migraineurs during as well as between attacks. Yet, the influence of a prolonged pain history and potential sex differences has not been studied. We used quantitative sensory testing to examine 25 children with migraine between attacks and 28 controls (age 9-15). The assessment included the measurement of heat and mechanical pain thresholds as well as measures of perceptual sensitization in response to repetitive (mechanical) or tonic (thermal) noxious stimulation at both trigeminal and thenar sites. In addition, the mother was either present or absent during the measurements. Heat pain thresholds were not significantly different between the two groups. However, the child migraineurs showed significantly lower mechanical pain thresholds. Children and especially girls with migraine displayed significantly more sensitization to a tonic heat stimulus at the trigeminal site when the mother was present. The migraineurs also showed a trend towards higher sensitization ratings for mechanical stimuli. Overall, heat pain thresholds were significantly higher in the presence of the mother. In the migraine group only, mechanical pain thresholds were significantly higher when the mother was present. To summarize, an enhanced sensitivity to painful stimuli can already be observed in children suffering from migraine for an average duration of 4.4 years. This may be the result of sensitization in nociceptive pain pathways caused by frequent pain experiences. Girls with migraine were more prone to such sensitization, which may increase their risk for continuing to suffer from migraine throughout adulthood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Quantitative sensory testing in the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS): standardized protocol and reference values.

The nationwide multicenter trials of the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS) aim to characterize the somatosensory phenotype of patients with neuropathic pain. For this purpose, we have implemented a standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol giving a complete profile for one region within 30 min. To judge plus or minus signs in patients we have now established age- and gender-matched absolute and relative QST reference values from 180 healthy subjects, assessed bilaterally over face, hand and foot. We determined thermal detection and pain thresholds including a test for paradoxical heat sensations, mechanical detection thresholds to von Frey filaments and a 64 Hz tuning fork, mechanical pain thresholds to pinprick stimuli and blunt pressure, stimulus/response-functions for pinprick and dynamic mechanical allodynia, and pain summation (wind-up ratio). QST parameters were region specific and age dependent. Pain thresholds were significantly lower in women than men. Detection thresholds were generally independent of gender. Reference data were normalized to the specific group means and variances (region, age, gender) by calculating z-scores. Due to confidence limits close to the respective limits of the possible data range, heat hypoalgesia, cold hypoalgesia, and mechanical hyperesthesia can hardly be diagnosed. Nevertheless, these parameters can be used for group comparisons. Sensitivity is enhanced by side-to-side comparisons by a factor ranging from 1.1 to 2.5. Relative comparisons across body regions do not offer advantages over absolute reference values. Application of this standardized QST protocol in patients and human surrogate models will allow to infer underlying mechanisms from somatosensory phenotypes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Classical conditioning and expectancy in placebo hypoalgesia: a randomized controlled study in patients with atopic dermatitis and persons with healthy skin.

The effectiveness of placebos is unchallenged. However, it is still not clear on which mechanisms the placebo effect is based. Besides expectancy theories, classical conditioning is discussed as a major explanatory model. In an experimental conditioning design we tested 96 participants, 48 with atopic dermatitis (24 male, 24 female) and 48 with healthy skin (24 male and 24 female). All of them received a neutral ointment with a different briefing ("pain-reducing ointment" versus "neutral ointment"). Electrical pain stimuli were subsequently applied, which selectively induce a painful sensation. In the case of the learning condition (classical conditioning) and unbeknown to the participants, the intensity of the pain stimulus was reduced by 50% after the ointment had been applied. The study addressed the question whether the pain experienced by the patients with atopic dermatitis could be reduced through a placebo effect and whether the placebo effect was achieved through expectancy or through a process of classical conditioning or both. The results indicate that a placebo effect is achieved via expectancy and classical conditioning. However, conditioning processes seem to be necessary for a longer lasting effect. The extent of this effect seemed to be greater in atopics than in healthy controls. Expectancy, achieved through verbal instruction, might also be seen as a conditioned stimulus that reactivates earlier stimulus associations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Long-term alteration of pain sensitivity in school-aged children with early pain experiences.

While animal studies suggest that neonatal pain experiences induce long-term alterations in pain sensitivity, no such data exist in humans. Changes in pain sensitivity in school-aged children (9-14 years) who were born preterm or fullterm, had been hospitalized for a prolonged period of time after birth and had undergone repeated painful procedures while being treated in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were determined. A retrospective cohort study of 19 preterm ( or=37 weeks gestational age) treated at least 3 days in a NICU at a University Hospital and 20 fullterm control children without NICU experience was performed. Perceptual sensitization to tonic heat and repetitive mechanical stimuli as well as heat pain and mechanical pain thresholds were obtained at the thenar and a trigeminal site. Length of hospitalization and NICU treatment was significantly higher in preterm than fullterm children. Nonetheless, both preterm and fullterm children with NICU experience showed greater perceptual sensitization to tonic heat and elevated heat pain thresholds at both sites. Mechanical pain threshold and perceptual sensitization did not differ between groups. Consistent with findings in animals, repeated pain experiences during the neonatal period were associated with alterations in thermal pain responsivity in school-aged preterm and fullterm children that was characterized by enhanced perceptual sensitization to prolonged painful stimulation and hypoalgesia to brief heat pain stimuli. Our findings suggest that repeated pain experiences in neonates may induce activity-induced changes in the functioning of pain pathways that persist well beyond infancy.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2026

Comparative phylogenomics and transcriptional regulatory networks of AQPs, HSPs, and LEA proteins in salt-stressed Portulaca oleracea.

Soil salinization severely threatens global food security, necessitating systematic investigations of halophytes like Portulaca oleracea to decode the molecular mechanisms of environmental resilience. Utilizing an integrated framework of deep learning-based genome annotation (58,817 predicted genes; 96.5% BUSCO completeness), multi-tissue RNA-Seq, phylogenomics, and gene regulatory network (GRN) inference, the synergistic orchestration of 78 aquaporins (AQPs), 525 heat shock proteins (HSPs), and 119 late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins was elucidated. The active transcriptome, encompassing 39,065 expressed loci, revealed a systemic growth-defense trade-off. Tissues displayed distinct adaptive mechanisms: leaves modulated intracellular water balance via specialized AQPs, whereas adult roots maintained proteostasis through robust HSP20/HSP70 induction. Phylogenomic clustering across 154 species demonstrated that salinity tolerance constitutes an evolutionary mosaic, identifying 81 halophyte-exclusive orthogroups and 1129 species-specific clusters. Comparative topology across six independent GRNs (4.2M-5.3 M edges) unmasked a highly modular transcriptional reprogramming strategy governed by a core apparatus of 22 stress-exclusive regulators, with functional enrichment heavily prioritizing protein dimerization and chromatin remodeling. Theoretically, the distinct convergence of Trihelix transcription factors with guard cell differentiation pathways offers a candidate transcriptomic framework to explain the plant's characteristic C4-CAM photosynthetic plasticity under severe osmotic pressure. Practically, these evolutionary blueprints and specific master switches transcend single-gene transgenic limitations. Utilizing these root-sustained and stress-inducible targets under localized promoters provides a naturally optimized, network-level precision engineering roadmap to transfer robust, compartmentalized halotolerance to sensitive glycophytic crops.

Gene Regulatory Networks↗
PubMed2004

A source-imaging (low-resolution electromagnetic tomography) study of the EEGs from unmedicated men with schizophrenia.

Imaging studies and quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) have often, but not consistently, implicated the left hemisphere and the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. To help clarify this picture, a spatial filter shown to be effective for enhancing differences between EEG populations was combined with low-resolution electromagnetic tomography and used to compare the source-current densities from a group of 57 male subjects with schizophrenia and a group of 65 matched controls. To elicit differences, comparisons were made during resting conditions and during verbal and spatial cognitive challenges to the subjects. Estimates of the source-current density were derived from 43-electrode recordings of the EEG reduced to the delta, alpha and beta frequency bands. The patients were unmedicated and were selected according to DSM-IV criteria. As a group, they were severe, chronic states with both deficit negative and superimposed florid psychotic symptomatology. The results confirm that schizophrenia is a left-hemispheric disorder centered in the temporal and frontal lobes. They also suggest that, in schizophrenia, functions normally performed by these regions in controls are assumed by homologous regions in the opposite hemispheres.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

A source-imaging (low-resolution electromagnetic tomography) study of the EEGs from unmedicated males with depression.

Imaging studies and quantitative EEG have often, but not consistently, implicated the right hemisphere and the left prefrontal cortex in depression. To help clarify this picture, a spatial filter shown to be effective for enhancing differences between EEG populations was combined with an electrical tomographic approach called low-resolution electromagnetic tomography and used to compare the source-current densities from a group of 25 male subjects with depression and a group of 65 matched controls. To elicit differences, comparisons were made during resting conditions and during verbal and spatial cognitive challenges to the subjects. Estimates of the source-current density were derived from 43-electrode recordings of the EEG reduced to the delta, alpha and beta frequency bands. The depressed subjects were unmedicated and selected according to DSM IV criteria. Regions of significantly increased current density in depression compared to controls were generally right hemispheric, while regions of significantly decreased current density were generally frontal and left hemispheric. A within-group comparison of the depressed subjects during the two cognitive challenges suggested a left anterior functional hypoactivation in depression. Retrospective classification of the two groups indicated that the spatial challenge best separated the groups irrespective of frequency band.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Altered cortisol awakening response in posttraumatic stress disorder.

An altered function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is assumed to be characteristic for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), although there is inconsistent empirical evidence. Only few studies examined the awakening cortisol response and a daytime profile in PTSD. Salivary cortisol levels were measured at seven intervals from awakening until 8 PM in trauma-exposed subjects with (N=29) and without PTSD (N=19) and in 15 non-exposed controls. While the three groups did not differ with respect to their first cortisol level immediately after awakening, the expected cortisol increase to awakening 15-60 min later was significantly lower in PTSD patients compared to non-PTSD subjects and healthy controls. This effect remained stable when trauma-exposed subjects with comorbid major depression were excluded from the analysis. A significant negative correlation between the overall cortisol secretion (AUC(G)) and overall PTSD symptomatology and hyper-arousal symptoms was found. The findings are discussed in light of the hypothesis of a counterregulation of hyper-arousal symptoms and chronic stress in PTSD.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Central administration of a nitric oxide precursor abolishes both the hypothalamic serotonin release and the hypophagia induced by interleukin-1beta in obese Zucker rats.

Serotonin-induced anorexia has long been recognized as an important part of the CNS mechanisms controlling energy balance. More recently, interleukin-1beta and nitric oxide have been suggested to influence this control, possibly through modulation of hypothalamic serotonin. The present work aimed at investigating the interaction of these systems. We addressed whether 5-HT is affected during IL-1beta-induced anorexia in obese Zucker rats and the influence of the central NO system on this IL-1beta/5-HT interaction. Using microdialysis, we observed that an intracerebroventricular injection of 10 ng IL-1beta significantly stimulated 5-HT extracellular levels in the VMH, with a peak variation of 102+/-41% above baseline. IL-1beta also significantly reduced the 4-h feeding by 33% and the 24-h feeding by 42%. Contrarily, these effects were absent when IL-1beta was injected 2 h after the i.c.v. administration of 20 microg of the NO precursor L-arginine. The results suggest that, in obese Zucker rats, activation of the serotonergic system in the medial hypothalamus participates in IL-1beta-induced anorexia. Since L-arginine, probably through NO stimulation, abolished both the anorexia and the serotonergic activation, it can be proposed that the NO system, either directly or indirectly, counteracts IL-1beta anorexia. The hypothalamic serotonergic system is likely to mediate this NO effect.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Reactogenicity and immunogenicity profile of a two-dose combined hepatitis A and B vaccine in 1-11-year-old children.

This study was conducted to compare the reactogenicity, immunogenicity and safety of a combined two-dose (0, 6 months) hepatitis A and B vaccine (720ELU HAV, 20 mcg HBsAg) with the established three-dose (0, 1 and 6 months) hepatitis A and B vaccine (360ELU HAV, 10 mcg HBsAg). A total of 511 children aged 1-11 years who had not previously received a hepatitis A or B vaccine were enrolled in the study. Both vaccines were well tolerated, and were shown to be safe and immunogenic. The analysis, stratified according to two age groups (1-5 year and 6-11-year-old children) demonstrated that the reactogenicity profile of the two-dose schedule was at least as good as that of the established schedule. Both vaccines and schedules provided at least 98% seroprotection against hepatitis B and 100% seroconversion against hepatitis A, 1 month after the end of the vaccination course (Month 7).

Child↗
PubMed1997

The Arm Motor Ability Test: reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of an instrument for assessing disabilities in activities of daily living.

OBJECTIVE: To continue and expand determination of the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT), an instrument for assessing deficits in activities of daily living (ADL). DESIGN: The AMAT was administered twice to patients, with an interest interval of either 1 or 2 weeks, by one of two examiners assigned to patients in counterbalanced order. Patients' interest intervals and scores on the arm portion of the Motricity Index was unknown to the raters. SETTING: A referral inpatient neurological rehabilitation center. PATIENTS: Thirty-three subacute stroke inpatients with moderate to mild upper extremity motor deficit: median Motricity-Index-Arm score = 89, median chronicity = 43d, median age = 66yr; 12 were women. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE AND RESULTS: The AMAT was developed in 1987, and interrater reliabilities at that time were found to range from .95 to .99. The present values for interrater reliability (2 scales) from videotaped test performance were: kappas = .68 to .77. Spearman correlations = .97 to .99. For performance time, interscorer reliability from videotaped test performance was .99. Homogeneities for the three AMAT measures for the total sample (Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability) were .93 to .99. The test-retest reliabilities for the total sample were .93 to .99. The correlations to the Motricity-Index-Arm score were .45 to .61. The AMAT detected the difference in change occurring as a result of the passage of 1 versus 2 weeks in these subacute inpatients, presumably as a result of intensive therapy and/or spontaneous recovery, confirming the results of an earlier intervention study. CONCLUSION: The AMAT is an instrument with high interrater reliability, internal consistency, and sensitivity to change, as well as having satisfactory concurrent validity.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Constraint-induced movement therapy for motor recovery in chronic stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the effectiveness of constraint-induced (CI) movement therapy and quantitative evaluation of the effects of CI therapy. DESIGN: Intervention study; case series; pretreatment to posttreatment measures and follow-up 3 months after intervention. SETTING: An outpatient department. PATIENTS: Five chronic stroke patients with moderate motor deficit; convenience sample. INTERVENTIONS: CI therapy consisting of restraint of the unaffected upper extremity in a sling for 14 days combined with 6 hours of training per weekday of the affected upper extremity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Actual Amount of Use Test (AAUT), Motor Activity Log (MAL), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), and Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT) RESULTS: There was a substantial improvement in the performance times of the laboratory tests (AMAT, WMFT, p < or = .039) and in the quality of movement (AMAT, WMFT, p < or = .049; MAL, p = .049), particularly in the use of the extremity in "real world" environments (AAUT, p = .020), supported by results of quantitative evaluation. The effect sizes were large and comparable to those found in previous studies of CI therapy. CONCLUSIONS: CI therapy is an efficacious treatment for chronic stroke patients, especially in terms of real world outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Psychophysiological and subjective indicators of aversive pavlovian conditioning in generalized social phobia.

Aversive conditioning has been proposed as an important etiologic mechanism in social phobia; however, empirical evidence is scarce and has not relied on a detailed analysis of the acquisition and extinction of the conditioned emotional response. Fourteen men sustaining generalized social phobia and 19 healthy control subjects participated in differential aversive conditioning with two neutral faces as conditioned stimuli and an aversive odor as unconditioned stimulus. Subjective and peripheral physiological responses were obtained. Both groups were successfully conditioned as reflected by differential subjective (valence, arousal, subjective unconditioned stimulus expectancy) and peripheral physiological responses (skin conductance, startle response). There was no evidence for an enhanced conditionability in the social phobics; however, they showed an enhanced unconditioned stimulus expectancy, especially for the nonreinforced conditioned stimuli during acquisition, and a delayed extinction of the conditioned skin conductance response as well as a certain dissociation between subjective and physiological responses.The enhanced unconditioned stimulus expectancy during acquisition and the overall elevated subjective arousal suggest that, under threat, subjects with generalized social phobia may be more prone to associate neutral social cues and an aversive outcome. Furthermore, delayed extinction of the conditioned response seems to contribute to the etiology and maintenance of generalized social phobia.

Adult↗