In addition to its cardinal symptoms of bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, resting tremor and postural disturbances, Parkinson’s disease (PD) also affects orolingual motor function. Orolingual motor deficits can contribute to dysphagia, which increases morbidity and mortality in this population. Previous preclinical studies describing orolingual motor deficits in animal models of PD have focused on unilateral nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) depletion. In this study we compared the effects of unilateral vs bilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced DA depletion in rats trained to lick water from an isometric force-sensing disc. Rats received either unilateral or bilateral 6-OHDA into the medial forebrain bundle and were tested for four weeks post-lesion. Dependent variables included task engagement (the number of licks per session), tongue force (mean and maximum), and tongue motility (the number of licks per second). While both lesion groups exhibited decreased tongue force output, tongue motility deficits were present in only the group that received unilateral nigrostriatal DA depletion. Task engagement was not significantly diminished by 6-OHDA. Analysis of striatal DA tissue content revealed that DA depletion was ~97% in the unilateral group and ~90% in the bilateral group. These results suggest that while nigrostriatal DA depletion affects tongue force output, deficits in tongue motility may instead result from a functional imbalance in neural pathways affecting this midline structure.
Objectives To evaluate a multicomponent pilot program for low‐income individuals with, or at risk for, hypertension, diabetes, and/or overweight. Design Pre‐post evaluation including baseline and follow‐up assessments, satisfaction surveys, program utilization data, and focus groups. Sample The evaluation included 138 participants. The majority were Latinx (88%), female (82%), born outside the United States (80%), and had not graduated from high school (52%). The most common health conditions were hypertension (59%), overweight or obesity (55%), high cholesterol (53%), and diabetes (34%). Measurements Engagement in program activities, health indicators (e.g., blood pressure), and behavior change. Qualitative data focused on perceptions of the program and its impacts. Intervention The program offered a number of health promotion services, including consultation with a nurse and a community health worker (CHW), health and nutrition talks, subsidized farm shares, cooking classes, exercise classes, and home visits. Results There were improvements in general health, blood pressure, and knowledge and behavior related to disease management and healthy eating. Conclusions Program success was attributed to the wide range of complementary program components. The staffing model was also a strength: the CHW/nurse collaboration combined clinical expertise with cultural, language, and community knowledge to create a program that was accessible and empowering.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.