SUMMARY Axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) requires reactivating injured neurons’ intrinsic growth state and enabling growth in an inhibitory environment. Using an inbred mouse neuronal phenotypic screen, we find that CAST/Ei mouse adult dorsal root ganglion neurons extend axons more on CNS myelin than the other eight strains tested, especially when pre-injured. Injury-primed CAST/Ei neurons also regenerate markedly in the spinal cord and optic nerve more than those from C57BL/6 mice and show greater spouting following ischemic stroke. Heritability estimates indicate that extended growth in CAST/Ei neurons on myelin is genetically determined, and two whole-genome expression screens yield the Activin transcript Inhba as most correlated with this ability. Inhibition of Activin signaling in CAST/Ei mice diminishes their CNS regenerative capacity whereas its activation in C57BL/6 animals boosts regeneration. This screen demonstrates that mammalian CNS regeneration can occur and reveals a molecular pathway that contributes to this ability.
Summary Impaired consciousness in epilepsy has a major negative impact on quality of life. Prior work suggests that complex partial seizures (CPS) and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), which both cause loss of consciousness, affect similar fronto-parietal networks. Milder involvement in CPS than in GTCS may spare some simple behavioral responses, resembling the minimally conscious state. However, this difference in responses has not been rigorously tested previously. During video/EEG monitoring, we administered a standardized prospective testing battery including responses to questions and commands, as well as tests for reaching/grasping a ball and visual tracking in 27 CPS (14 patients) and 7 GTCS (6 patients). Behavioral results were analyzed in the ictal and post-ictal periods based on video review. During both CPS and GTCS, patients were unable to respond to questions or commands. However, during CPS patients often retain minimally conscious ball grasping and visual tracking responses. Patients were able to successfully grasp a ball in 60% or to visually track in 58% of CPS, and could carry out both activities in 52% of CPS. In contrast, during GTCS preserved ball grasp (10%), visual tracking (11%) or both (7%) were all significantly less than in CPS. Post-ictal ball grasping and visual tracking were also somewhat better following CPS than GTCS. These findings suggest that impaired consciousness in CPS is more similar to minimally conscious state than to coma. Further work may elucidate the specific brain networks underlying relatively spared functions in CPS, ultimately leading to improved treatments aimed at preventing impaired consciousness.
This 1-year qualitative study examined the ways in which nine social justice–oriented teachers in racially segregated schools defined and fostered sympathy with low-income students of color. These teachers reportedly defined sympathy on the basis of caring and high expectations, which challenged traditional notions of sympathy as a teacher cue for low ability and lowered expectations for learning. Building upon W. E. B. Du Bois’s concept of sympathetic touch, the findings of this study revealed that the teachers fostered sympathy through perceptions of fairness in educational opportunities, education as a method to challenge class oppression, the use of curriculum to communicate caring, and high expectations to promote students’ histories, self-respect, and preparation for a more just future. The results of these findings have implications for how society currently views teacher effectiveness, and future discussions regarding teacher education, school accountability, and teacher evaluation.
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