• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2000

Background & Objectives : Motor evoked potentials(MEPs) to magnetic trans cranial stimulation were performed to evaluate upper motor neuron involvement and relationship to lower motor neuron involvement in motor neuron disease patients. Method : MEPs were obtained in the 17 consecutive patients with motor neuron disease. These patients were divided into three group based on clinical evidence of upper and lower motor neuron involvement, bulbar symptom; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), progressive muscular atrophy(PMA), progressive bulbar palsy(PBP). MEPs were recorded from abductor pollicis brevis and abductor hallucis muscles. Abnormal MEPs were defined by delayed central motor conduction time or absent MEP. Results : MEPs were abnormal in 64%(11/17) of patients; 100%(7/7) in ALS, 64%(4/7) in PMA, 0%(0/3) in PBP respectively. In 68 total recording muscles, 34 muscles had evidence of motor weakness and showed abnormal responses in 59%(20/34). Whereas 34 muscles with normal strength, only 3%(1/34) of muscles showed abnormal response. Conclusion : MEPs are well correlated with upper motor neuron signs in ALS and may detect masking upper motor neuron signs in PMA. The muscles with lower motor neuron sign(weakness) usually relate with abnormal MEPs reponses.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.177-180
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• 2004

Lower motor neuron signs of hind limbs, anus and bladder were identified by history taking and physical examination in the 6.8 year-old mongrel dog and 2.6 year-old Cocker spaniel. The Cocker spaniel, also showed gradual cranial migration of neurologic deficit including respiratory paralysis. On plain radiography and myelography, intervertebral disc extrusion between L2 and L3, the infiltration of contrast medium into the spinal cord and cord swelling were found in the mongrel dog, and infiltration of contrast medium like hollowness of cord parenchyma was observed in the Cocker spaniel. On the basis of clinical signs and radiographic findings, they were diagnosed tentatively as acute myelomalacia. The Cocker spaniel died of respiratory paralysis on the following day. Decompressive surgery was performed on the mongrel dog and the extensive necrosis and hemorrhage were found at surgery. It was euthanized with the owner's consent because of the perceived poor prognosis. Histopathologic examination after autopsy confirmed acute diffuse hemorrhagic myelomalacia with the swelling and the inflammation of axon, showing hemorrhagic changes in the white matter and the grey matter.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.73-88
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• 2009

Objectives : Neuronal changes that result from treadmill exercise for patients with Parkinson's disease(PD) have not been well documented, although some clinical and laboratory reports suggest that regular exercise may produce a neuroprotective effect and restore dopaminergic and motor functions. However, it is not clear if the improvements are due to neuronal alterations within the affected nigrostriatal region or result from a more general effect of exercise on affect areas and motivation. In this study, we demonstrate that motorized treadmill exercise improves the neuronal outcomes in rodent models of PD. Methods : We used a chronic mouse model of parkinsonism, which was induced by injecting male C57BL/6 mice with 10 doses(Every 12 hour) of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (30 mg/kg) and probenecid (20 mg/kg) over 5 days. These mice were able to sustain an exercise training program on a motorized rodent treadmill at a speed of 18 m/min, $0^{\circ}$ of inclination, 40 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. At the end of exercise training, we extracted the brain and compared their neuronal and neurochemical changes with the control(saline and sedentary) mice groups. Synphilin protein is the substance that manifestly reacts with ${\alpha}$-synuclein. In this study, we used Synphilin as a manifest sign of recovery from neurodegeneration. We analyze the brain stems of the substantia nigra and striatum region using the western blotting technique. Results : There were no expression of synphilin in the saline-induced groups. The addition of MPTP(1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) greatly accelerated synphilin expression which meant an aggregation of ${\alpha}$-synuclein. But, the MPTP-induced treadmill exercise group showed significantly lower expression than the MPTP-induced sedentary group. This means treadmill exercise has a definite effect on the decrease of ${\alpha}$-synuclein aggregation. Conclusions : In this study, our results suggest that treadmill exercise promoted the removal of the aggregation of ${\alpha}$-synuclein, resulting in protection against disease development and blocks the apoptotic process in the chronic parkinsonian mice brain with severe neurodegeneration.