Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0029713 (immaturity)
 4,335 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Stereotypical behavior or response perseveration dominating early mammalian responding, especially under conditions of aversive motivation, may be radically modified through damage in the prefrontal and hippocampal systems. These observations contribute evidence to the notion that changes in neural circuitry may be supporting behavioral recovery of function after selective brain damage. The extent of behavioral deficits as well as the prognosis for recovery are governed by task-specific variables, usually related to a discriminative element in stimulus control. Conversely, reversion to earlier, stereotypical behavior may be produced in adult rats exposed to damage at points within the same sites. Specific experiments tested weanling and adult rats within tasks that differed in the (1) extent and site of damage, (2) variety of signalling stimuli, (3) complexity of the task requirements, and (4) time since surgery for initiation of training. Experiments on 1-way active avoidance, alternation and reversal learning indicated that performance deficits are attributed to developmental immaturity early in ontogeny, and enhanced neurophysiological growth with age provides a reliable predictor of recovery. However with increasing age, variables related to the subtleties of damage site and task also emerge as salient factors in behavioral deficiencies. Interestingly, the cue properties or information value contained in the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the environmental context provide differential compensation for selected types of injury-induced deficits, and there was some evidence that the utility of environmental signals can be improved over long-term recovery periods. The results support the view that relationships between age at the time of injury and extent of recovery are perhaps best explained within developmentally determined constraints.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Ontogenic factors in short- and long-term recovery of discriminative behavior in rats after selective brain damage. 213 Jun 36

Cell transplantation has been proposed as a potential approach to the treatment of neurological disorders. One cell population of interest consists of human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) cells, which have previously been shown to be useful for reparative medicine in haematological diseases. However, hUCB cells are also capable of differentiating into various non-haematopoietic cells, including those of the neural lineage. Moreover, hUCB cells can secrete numerous neurotrophic factors and modulate immune function and inflammatory reaction. Several studies on animal models of ischemic brain injury have demonstrated the potential of hUCB cells to minimize damage and promote recovery after ischemic brain injury.This review focuses on the treatment of both stroke and perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury using hUCB cells. We discuss the therapeutic effects demonstrated after hUCB cell transplantation and emphasize possible mechanisms counteracting pathophysiological events of ischemia, thus leading to the generation of a regenerative environment that allows neural plasticity and functional recovery. The therapeutic functional effects of hUCB cells observed in animal models make the transplantation of hUCB cells a promising experimental approach in the treatment of ischemic brain injury. Together with its availability, low risk of transplantation, immaturity of cells, and simple route of application, hUCB transplantation may stand a good chance of being translated into a clinical setting for the therapy of ischemic brain injury.
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PMID:Umbilical cord blood cell transplantation after brain ischemia--from recovery of function to cellular mechanisms. 2151 22

Poor regeneration of severed axons in the central nervous system (CNS) limits functional recovery. Regeneration failure involves interplay of inhibitory environmental elements and the growth state of the neuron. To find internal changes in gene expression that might overcome inhibitory environmental cues, we compared several paradigms that allow growth in the inhibitory environment. Conditions that allow axon growth by axotomized and cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons on CNS myelin include immaturity (the first few postnatal days), high levels of cyclic adenosine mono phosphate (cAMP), and conditioning with a peripheral nerve lesion before explant. This shift from inhibition to growth depends on transcription. Seeking to understand the transcriptome changes that allow axon growth in the CNS, we collaborated with the Marie Filbin laboratory to identify several mRNAs that are functionally relevant, as determined by gain- and loss-of-function studies. In this Perspective, we review evidence from these experiments and discuss the merits of comparing multiple regenerative paradigms to identify a core transcriptional program for CNS axon regeneration.
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PMID:Flipping the transcriptional switch from myelin inhibition to axon growth in the CNS. 2623 89

OBJECTIVE Despite perioperative risks, epilepsy surgery represents a legitimate curative or palliative treatment approach for children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Several factors characterizing infants and toddlers with DRE create unique challenges regarding optimal evaluation and management. Epilepsy surgery within children < 3 years of age has received moderate attention in the literature, including mainly case series and retrospective studies. This article presents a systematic literature review and explores multidisciplinary considerations for the preoperative evaluation and surgical management of infants and toddlers with DRE. METHODS The study team conducted a systematic literature review based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, targeting studies that investigated children < 3 years of age undergoing surgical treatment of DRE. Using the PubMed database, investigators selected peer-reviewed articles that reported seizure outcomes with or without developmental outcomes and/or perioperative complications. Studies were eliminated based on the following exclusion criteria: sample size < 5 patients; and inclusion of patients > 3 years of age, when demographic and outcomes data could not be separated from the cohort of patients < 3 years of age. RESULTS The study team identified 20 studies published between January 1990 and May 2017 that satisfied eligibility criteria. All selected studies represented retrospective reviews, observational studies, and uncontrolled case series. The compiled group of studies incorporated 465 patients who underwent resective or disconnective surgery (18 studies, 444 patients) or vagus nerve stimulator insertion (2 studies, 21 patients). Patient age at surgery ranged between 28 days and 36 months, with a mean of 16.8 months (1.4 years). DISCUSSION The study team provided a detailed summary of the literature review, focusing on the etiologies, preoperative evaluation, surgical treatments, seizure and developmental outcomes, and potential for functional recovery of infants and toddlers with DRE. Additionally, the authors discussed special considerations in this vulnerable age group from the perspective of multiple disciplines. CONCLUSIONS While presenting notable challenges, pediatric epilepsy surgery within infants and toddlers (children < 3 years of age) offers significant opportunities for improved seizure frequency, neuro-cognitive development, and quality of life. Successful evaluation and treatment of young children with DRE requires special consideration of multiple aspects related to neurological and physiological immaturity and surgical morbidity.
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PMID:Preoperative evaluation and surgical management of infants and toddlers with drug-resistant epilepsy. 3017 13