Objective To establish a Chinese clinical controlled trials database of neurology. Methods We identified relevant studies by electronic searching of CBMdisc from 1978 to April 2002, and the Library of Evidence-Based Medicine (Chinese). We also searched manually 11 journals and 4 conference proceedings relevant to neurological diseases. The studies included in this database should be controlled studies relevant to treatment on neurological disease, randomized or only controlled without randomization. Results 3 641 studies were included in this database. Conclusions The Chinese neurological trials database was established. This database will provide Chinese evidence on treatments of various neurological diseases. Studies in this database will also be included in the Cochrane Library to facilitate systematic reviewers.
Objective To review the possible mechanisms of the mammal ian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in theneuronal restoration process after nervous system injury. Methods The related l iterature on mTOR in the restoration ofnervous system injury was extensively reviewed and comprehensively analyzed. Results mTOR can integrate signals fromextracellular stress and then plays a critical role in the regulation of various cell biological processes, thus contributes to therestoration of nervous system injury. Conclusion Regulating the activity of mTOR signaling pathway in different aspects cancontribute to the restoration of nervous system injury via different mechanisms, especially in the stress-induced brain injury.mTOR may be a potential target for neuronal restoration mechanism after nervous system injury.
Objective To review the role of integrin in nervous system injury and its repair, and to analyze the possible mechanisms. Methods Recent l iterature concerning integrin and its role in nervous system injury was reviewed and analyzed. Results Integrin and its related signall ing pathway were involved in nervous system injury, especially hypoxicischemic nervous injury, and their repair processes. Conclusion Intervention of integrin signall ing pathway would be a potential strategy to treat nervous system injury, especially hypoxic-ischemic nervous injury.
Objective To review the research process of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in the restoration of neurological diseases. Methods The related l iterature on TERT in the restoration of neurological diseases was extensively reviewed and comprehensively analyzed. Results TERT was the significant component of telomerase and the critical regulator of telomerase activity. It played an important role in the pathomechanism of neurological diseases including tumors,neurodevelopmental deficits, and nerve injury. TERT was becoming a research focus in the reparative therapy of neurological diseases. Conclusion TERT has manifested its great academic significance and appl ication prospects in the reparative therapy of neurological diseases, which deserves a further investigation.
Objective To analyze the therapeutic effect of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplantation for central nervous system diseases. Methods Between November 2001 and January 2008, 1 255 participants with central nervous system diseases were enrolled in this cl inical study for fetal OECs transplantation. There were 928 males and 327 femalesaged 1.2-87 (mean 40) years. The course of disease was (4.52 ± 4.67) years. Among them, 656 participants suffered from chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), 457 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), 68 cerebral palsy (CP), 20 multiple sclerosis (MS), 11 the sequelae of stoke, 10 ataxia, and 33 residual diseases. The participants came from 71 countries or regions. Accidentally abortional fetal olfactory bulbs were donated voluntarily and were cultured for 2 weeks, then were transplanted. Results One thousand one hundred and twenty-eight cases were followed up for 2-8 weeks (mean 4 weeks) to obtain integrated data. Among them, the neurological functional amel ioration was noticed in 994 participants with the overall short-term improvement rate of 88.12%. Seventy-six patients experienced the various perioperative compl ications with the incidence rate of 6.74%. One hundred and twenty patients with SCI received over 1 year follow-up. And according to ASIA assessment, motor scores increased from (39.82 ± 20.25) to (44.55 ± 18.99) points, l ight touch scores from (51.56 ± 25.89) to (59.81 ± 27.72) points, pain scores from (50.36 ± 27.44) to (57.09 ± 28.51) points for foreign patients (P lt; 0.05); motor scores increased from (40.52 ± 20.80) to (46.45 ± 20.35) points, l ight touch scores from (55.64 ± 26.32) to (68.64 ± 25.89) points, pain scores from (57.05 ± 26.00) to (66.13 ± 24.29) points for good rehabil itation Chinese patients (overall P lt; 0.05); motor scores from (37.03 ± 18.52) to (38.03 ± 18.50 points (P lt;0.05), l ight touch scores from (45.88 ± 22.56) to (46.63 ± 23.09) points (P gt; 0.05), pain scores from (45.25 ± 23.68) to (45.28 ± 23.63) points (P gt; 0.05) for poor rehabil itation Chinese patients. Compared foreign patients and good rehabil itation Chinese patients with poor rehabil itation Chinese patients, difference in score change was remarkable (P lt; 0.05). One hundred and six cases of ALS, 32 CP, 8 MS, 7 ataxia, and 2 stroke sequelae were followed up for 3-48, 3-36, 2-20, 7-17, 6 and 24 months, One hundred and six cases of respectively. Majority of them (113/155, 72.9%）were benefited from OECs transplantation. Conclusion OECs transplantation into brain and spinal cord is feasible and safe . The therapeutic strategy is valuable treatment for such central nervous system diseases such as chronic SCI, ALS, CP and stroke sequelae and can improve the patients’ neurological functions and/or decrease the progressive deterioration.
Objective To investigate the cl inical features of mal ignant melanoma (MM) in the central nervous system (CNS) and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Methods Seven MM-in-CNS patients’ records between September 1996 and April 2007 were analyzed retrospectively, including 6 males and 1 female aged 18-74 years. The 5 cases were located in the supra-tentorial area, 1 in the spinal cord and 1 in the whole brain. CT or MRI scan was appl ied. The lesion was in the right frontal area in 4 cases, in the right temporal are in 1 case, in the left temporal area in 1 case, in the left apex area in 1 case and in the cervical spinal cord of C5-7 in 1 case. Six patients underwent neurosurgical operation and1 patient received the Gamma Knife therapy. The pathological examination revealed that 2 cases were metastatic MM and 5 were primary. Results One patient with primary MM received no follow-up, and the rest 6 patients were followed up for 2 weeks to 2 years with the time of median 8 months. One patient with metastatic MM died 2 months after operation, 1 patient to with metastatic MM died 2 weeks after Gamma-Knife treatment, 1 patient with metastatic MM with primary MM died 2 years after operation, and 3 patients with primary MM were still al ive and self-independent 6, 10 and 24 months after operation, respecti vely. Conclusion Since MM-in-CNS is short of specificity in cl inical symptoms and signs, its diagnosis mainly rel ies on the pathological examination and is assisted by MRI. The combined therapy giving priority to operation is recommended.
Objective To introduce the current situation and futureof myoblast transfer therapy (MTT) in clinical application Methods The latest fifteenyear literatures were extensively reviewed, concerninggene therapy for Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, myelopathy, permanent facial paralysis, angiocardiopathy, injuries of bone, joint and muscle, hematopathy, and pituitary dwarf. Results In medical field, MTT is an ideal method to treat some common diseases. The problems were immunologic rejection and better carriers for myoblasts implantation. Conclusion It is the focus on the use of myoblast as a vector to carry exogenous gene in some disease therapy. The major problems of MTT include transplantation immunity, cell fusion and target protein expression. It is easy to gain,culture and transfuse to the host for myoblasts, these merits are beneficial to clinical application.
Objective To study the distribution of P2 Y2 receptor in spine cord, dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve in rat, and to provide the basis for clarifying the mechanism of the effect of adenosine triphosphate(ATP) on the peripheral nerve regeneration. Methods Six specimens of the spine cord, dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve from SD rats were fixed rapidly in 4% paraformaldehyde which included DEPC, imbedded by paraffin and made into ultrathin section. According to the sequence of P2 Y2 receptor’s gene, DNA needle was adopted to detect the distribution of P2 Y2 receptor by hybridization technique in section under the light microscope after theyhad been stained in NBT liquid（50 mg/ml） and BCIP liquid （75 mg/ml）. In thecontrol group, the ultrathin section was only covered with hybridism buffer solution. The result of staining was observed. ResultsHybridization in section showed that P2 Y2 receptor was distributed mainly in the anterior horn cell of spine cordgray matter and Schwann cell of the dorsal root ganglia. No P2 Y2 receptor was observed in the sciatic nerve of both groups. Conclusion P2 Y2 receptor is located mainly in the spine cord and the dorsal root ganglia. Extracellular ATP can affect the cell of spine cord, dorsal root ganglia through P2 Y2 receptor.
Objective To observe the changes of visual pathway of central nervous system in patients with glaucoma.Methods Thirty-five subjects were enrolled in this prospective study. There were seven patients of chronic primary angle closure glaucoma with bilateral visual field defects, 12 patients of primary open angle glaucoma with bilateral visual field defects, and 16 normal subjects. GE Signa HD 1.5 T magnetic resonance scanners and head eight phased array were used. The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and the mean average diffusion coefficient (DCavg) of white matter tracts in visual pathway of bilateral optic nerve, optic chiasma, bilateral optic tract，bilateral optic radiation were measured by diffusion tensor imaging, meanwhile the white matter tracts were reconstructed by fiber tracking system. The volumes of lateral geniculate body were measured by coronal proton density weighted magnetic resonance imaging.Results The differences of FA among bilateral optic nerve, optic chiasma, bilateral optic tract，bilateral optic radiation were statistically significant (F=25.985，20.626，12.262，22.399，21.708，24.994，22.774；P＜0.05). There was no difference of DCavg among bilateral optic nerve, optic chiasma, bilateral optic tract，bilateral optic radiation（F=2.097，2.178，0.530，0.983，0.608, 0.866, 1.504；P＞0.05）. The differences of volume of lateral geniculate body among three groups were statistically significant （F=18.631，17.274；P＜0.05）. Conclusion There is degeneration in visual pathway of central nervous system in patients with glaucoma.