MR scoring sistems in Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

The use of hypoxic devices among athletes who train in normobaric hypoxia has become increasingly popular; however, the acute effects on heart and brain metabolism are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the mitochondrial bioenergetics in trained male and female Wistar rats after acute hypoxia training. The experimental plan included exercising for 30 min on a treadmill in a Plexiglas cage connected to a hypoxic generator set at 12.5% O2 or in normoxia. After the exercise, the rats were sacrificed, and their mitochondria were isolated from their brains and hearts. The bioenergetics for each complex of the electron transport chain was tested using a Clark-type electrode. The results showed that following hypoxia training, females experienced impaired oxidative phosphorylation through complex II in heart subsarcolemmal mitochondria, while males had an altered ADP/O in heart interfibrillar mitochondria, without any change in oxidative capacity. No differences from controls were evident in the brain, but an increased electron transport system efficiency was observed with complex I and IV substrates in males. Therefore, the study’s findings suggest that hypoxia training affects the heart mitochondria of females more than males. This raises a cautionary flag for female athletes who use hypoxic devices.

Worldwide, three-quarters of a million babies are born extremely preterm (<28 weeks gestation) with devastating outcomes: 20% die in the newborn period, a further 35% develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and 10% suffer from cerebral palsy. Pioglitazone, a Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARγ) agonist, may reduce the incidence of BPD and improve neurodevelopment in extreme preterm babies. Pioglitazone exerts an anti-inflammatory action mediated through Nuclear Factor-kappa B repression. PPARγ signalling is underactive in preterm babies as adiponectin remains low during the neonatal period. In newborn animal models, pioglitazone has been shown to be protective against BPD, necrotising enterocolitis, and lipopolysaccharide-induced brain injury. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of PPARγ are associated with inhibited preterm brain development and impaired neurodevelopment. Pioglitazone was well tolerated by the foetus in reproductive toxicology experiments. Bladder cancer, bone fractures, and macular oedema, seen rarely in adults, may be avoided with a short treatment course. The other effects of pioglitazone, including improved glycaemic control and lipid metabolism, may provide added benefit in the context of prematurity. Currently, there is no formulation of pioglitazone suitable for administration to preterm babies. A liquid formulation of pioglitazone needs to be developed before clinical trials. The potential benefits are likely to outweigh any anticipated safety concerns.

Translational neuroscience is a multidisciplinary field that aims to bridge the gap between basic science and clinical practice. Regarding aphasia rehabilitation, there are still several unresolved issues related to the neural mechanisms that optimize language treatment. Although there are studies providing indications toward a translational approach to the remediation of acquired language disorders, the incorporation of fundamental neuroplasticity principles into this field is still in progress. From that aspect, in this narrative review, we discuss some key neuroplasticity principles, which have been elucidated through animal studies and which could eventually be applied in the context of aphasia treatment. This translational approach could be further strengthened by the implementation of intervention strategies that incorporate the idea that language is supported by domain-general mechanisms, which highlights the impact of non-linguistic factors in post-stroke language recovery. Here, we highlight that translational research in aphasia has the potential to advance our knowledge of brain–language relationships. We further argue that advances in this field could lead to improvement in the remediation of acquired language disturbances by remodeling the rationale of aphasia–therapy approaches. Arguably, the complex anatomy and phenomenology of aphasia dictate the need for a multidisciplinary approach with one of its main pillars being translational research.