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A single motor unit study of spinal cmd brainstem motor neuron in ALS

Research Project

Project/Area Number 09670653
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Neurology
Research InstitutionKYOTO UNIVERSITY

Principal Investigator

KOHARA Nobuo  Dep.Neurology, Kyoto University Hospital Instructor, 医学研究科, 助手 (20252439)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KIMURA Jun  Professor eineritus of Kyoto Univers., 名誉教授 (10204976)
KAJI Ryuji  Dep.Neurology, Kyoto University Hospit Lecturer, 医学研究科, 講師 (00214304)
Project Period (FY) 1997 – 1998
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
Budget Amount *help
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000)
KeywordsALS / single motor unit / PSTH / facial nucleus / motor neuron / corticospinal tract / 運動単位 / ALS / 脳幹 / 脊髄
Research Abstract

The pathophysiology of corticospinal tract degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was investigated by studying the effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on discharge characteristics of single motor units during voluntary activation. The occurrence of motor unit discharges from first dorsal interosseus muscle (FDI) was plotted in a peristimulus time histogram (PSTH) and evaluated the excitability of the motor neurons. For the analyses, we developed new computer programs. Next, we investigated the synaptic dysfunction of facial nucleus by trigeminal electrical stimulation using the same analysis method.
PSTHs from FDI muscle revealed double primary peaks (PPs) in 6 out of 16 motor units (38%) in ALS with upper motor neuron sign as compared to only 2 out of 16 (13%) motor units in multiple sclerosis or cerebrovascular disease with upper motor neuron sign. None of the patients with lower motor neuron diseases or ALS without upper motor neuron sign had these abnormalities. These findings suggest typical ALS has abnormal hyperexcitable state of slow or polysynaptic corticospinal neurons.
Trigeminal electrical stimulation produced trigemino-facial reflex. PSTH of the reflex from normal subjects showed an early short excitation (P1 : 10 msec) and a late dispersed one (P2 : 30 msec) with prolonged duration. That from 10 ALS patients revealed highly synchronized P1 peak with normal latency. These findings indicated facial nucleus of ALS had the abnormal hyperexcitability.
Both of these findings suggest that the hyperexcitable state of motoneuron is a cardinal feature in the pathopysiology of ALS.

Report

(3 results)
  • 1998 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1997 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (11 results)

All Other

All Publications (11 results)

  • [Publications] Kohara N et al: "An electrophysiological study of the cuticospinal projections in amyotrophic Lateral scierosis" Clinical Neurophysiolosy(In Press).

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 幸原伸夫: "臨床検査としての経頭蓋磁気刺激法と運動ニューロン疾患" 臨床神経学. 37. 1152-1153 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Mills KR & Kahara N: "“Physiology of ALS and related disurders" chap 14 Magnetic Stimulation in ALS" (Amsterdam) Elsevier (分担), 14(177-199) (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 幸原伸夫: "神経筋疾患 ; 経皮的磁気刺激法による運動ニューロンの検索" 中山書店 (分担), 8(278-285) (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Mills KR,Kohara N.: "Magnetic stimulation in ALS : single motor unit studies. Kimura J,Kaji R ed." Physiology of ALS and related disorders. Amsterdam : Elsevier. 177-191 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kohara N,Kaji R,Kojima Y,Kimura J: "An electrophysiological study of the corticospinal projections in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." Clinical Neurophysiology. (in press).

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Kohara N,et al.: "An electrophy siological study of the corticospinal projections in amyotrophic laterul sclerosis." Clinical Neurophysiology. (in press).

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 幸原 伸夫: "臨床検査としての経頭蓋磁気刺激法と運動ニューロン疾患" 臨床神経学. 37. 1152-1153 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Mills KR & Kohara N: "“Physiology of ALS and related disorders"Chap14 Magnetic stimulation in ALS" (Amsterdam) Elsevier(分担), 14(177-191) (1997)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 幸原 伸夫: "神経筋疾患:経皮的磁気刺激法による運動ニューロンの検索" 中山書店(分担), 8(278-285) (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 幸原 伸夫: "経頭蓋磁気刺激法による運動ニューロン疾患の検索" 臨床脳波. 40巻3号. 179-181 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1997-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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