somatosensory stimulator  (Compumedics Neuroscan)

Journal: Neuroscience

Article Title: Dorsal cochlear nucleus fusiform-cell plasticity is altered in salicylate-induced tinnitus

doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.08.035

Figure Lengend Snippet: A) Animals were tested for tinnitus baseline using the adapted GPIAS paradigm (see METHODS) 6 days (Mon/Thurs, or Tue/Fri) and with salicylate for 6 days. Following GPIAS, animals were trained to move when a sound was presented (2–6 days; Mon/Wed/Fri). Animals that successfully learned crossing received 6 days of baseline testing, followed by administration of saline and then salicylate, each for 6 days. After operant conditioning, DCN electrophysiology was performed. B) Tinnitus impairs gap-prepulse inhibition when spectrally like a background carrier band. Guinea pig pinna tips were painted green, tracked using high speed cameras and the pinna-startle displacement computed. C) If guinea pigs crossed the midline when a sound was introduced, no shock was given (Green). If they failed to cross the midline during a sound (Red), the guinea pig received a footshock until it crossed the midline (Yellow). D) Sample frame, with the adaptive midline (vertical red line) and guinea pig location (green, with red star on centroid). E) ABRs were recorded (20 min) followed by single unit recordings to identify DCN fusiform cells (30 min) and record spontaneous firing rates (SFR) and STDP learning rules (LR) (~90 min). Salicylate was then injected (i.p.), After 30 min, ABRs and single unit recordings were repeated. F) Schematic of multichannel recording electrode placements DCN and Ag/AgCl stimulating electrodes over C2 DRG region for STDP evaluation. G) Fusiform cells were identified by their receptive fields and temporal response patterns (inset), and stereotaxic location with the DCN (See methods for coordinates). H) Somatosensory (Blue square waves) and auditory (yellow sine waves) stimulation was applied to assess StDP and quantified by learning rules (boxed inset).

Article Snippet: Thus, the combination of sound and somatosensory stimulation elicits StDP in fusiform cells ( Koehler and Shore, 2013a ; Wu et al., 2015 ).

Techniques: Saline, Inhibition, Injection

Journal: Frontiers in Neurology

Article Title: Priming for Improved Hand Strength in Persons with Chronic Tetraplegia: A Comparison of Priming-Augmented Functional Task Practice, Priming Alone, and Conventional Exercise Training

doi: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00242

Figure Lengend Snippet: Responsiveness as a function of baseline sensory scores . Top row: change in Pinch [precision grip (A) ], Grasp [power grip (B) ], and Sensory function (C) in the weak hand as a function of baseline sensory scores of the weak hand. Bottom row: change in Pinch [precision grip (D) ], Grasp [power grip (E) ], and Sensory function (F) in the strong hand as a function of baseline sensory scores of the strong hand. Key (symbol, line): □ | = functional task practice plus peripheral nerve somatosensory stimulation (FTP + PNSS); ○ ⋮ = PNSS; Δ ¦ = conventional exercise training (CET). Pearson r -values were significant only for the relationship between baseline sensory scores and change in sensory function [Panel (C) ] for both the PNSS ( r = −0.624, p = 0.011) and CET group ( r = −0.695, p = 0.013).

Article Snippet: Peripheral nerve somatosensory stimulation was delivered bilaterally (Digitimer DS7AH, Digitimer Ltd., Welwyn Garden City, UK) with surface electrodes placed on the volar aspect of each wrist targeting the distribution of the median nerve (current parameters 10 Hz, 1 ms pulse duration, on/off duty cycle 500 ms/500 ms).

Techniques: Functional Assay