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Taccola G, Kissane R, Culaclii S, Apicella R, Liu W, Gad P, Ichiyama RM, Chakrabarty S, Edgerton VR. Dynamic electrical stimulation enhances the recruitment of spinal interneurons by corticospinal input. Exp Neurol 2024; 371:114589. [PMID: 37907125 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Highly varying patterns of electrostimulation (Dynamic Stimulation, DS) delivered to the dorsal cord through an epidural array with 18 independent electrodes transiently facilitate corticospinal motor responses, even after spinal injury. To partly unravel how corticospinal input are affected by DS, we introduced a corticospinal platform that allows selective cortical stimulation during the multisite acquisition of cord dorsum potentials (CDPs) and the simultaneous supply of DS. Firstly, the epidural interface was validated by the acquisition of the classical multisite distribution of CDPs and their input-output profile elicited by pulses delivered to peripheral nerves. Apart from increased EMGs, DS selectively increased excitability of the spinal interneurons that first process corticospinal input, without changing the magnitude of commands descending from the motor cortex, suggesting a novel correlation between muscle recruitment and components of cortically-evoked CDPs. Finally, DS increases excitability of post-synaptic spinal interneurons at the stimulation site and their responsiveness to any residual supraspinal control, thus supporting the use of electrical neuromodulation whenever the motor output is jeopardized by a weak volitional input, due to a partial disconnection from supraspinal structures and/or neuronal brain dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliano Taccola
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Roger Kissane
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Stanislav Culaclii
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rosamaria Apicella
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy
| | - Wentai Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; UCLA California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Parag Gad
- SpineX Inc, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
| | - Ronaldo M Ichiyama
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Samit Chakrabarty
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - V Reggie Edgerton
- Rancho Research Institute, Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA 90242, USA; University of Southern California Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033; USA; Institut Guttmann, Hospital de Neurorehabilitació, Institut Universitari adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Badalona 08916, Spain
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Taccola G, Kissane R, Culaclii S, Apicella R, Liu W, Gad P, Ichiyama RM, Chakrabarty S, Edgerton VR. Spinal facilitation of descending motor input. bioRxiv 2023:2023.06.30.547229. [PMID: 37461548 PMCID: PMC10349979 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.30.547229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Highly varying patterns of electrostimulation (Dynamic Stimulation, DS) delivered to the dorsal cord through an epidural array with 18 independent electrodes transiently facilitate corticospinal motor responses, even after spinal injury. To partly unravel how corticospinal input are affected by DS, we introduced a corticospinal platform that allows selective cortical stimulation during the multisite acquisition of cord dorsum potentials (CDPs) and the simultaneous supply of DS. Firstly, the epidural interface was validated by the acquisition of the classical multisite distribution of CDPs on the dorsal cord and their input-output profile elicited by pulses delivered to peripheral nerves. Apart from increased EMGs, DS selectively increased excitability of the spinal interneurons that first process corticospinal input, without changing the magnitude of commands descending from the motor cortex, suggesting a novel correlation between muscle recruitment and components of cortically-evoked CDPs. Finally, DS increases excitability of post-synaptic spinal interneurons at the stimulation site and their responsiveness to any residual supraspinal control, thus supporting the use of electrical neuromodulation whenever the motor output is jeopardized by a weak volitional input, due to a partial disconnection from supraspinal structures and/or neuronal brain dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliano Taccola
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Roger Kissane
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Stanislav Culaclii
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rosamaria Apicella
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy
| | - Wentai Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Parag Gad
- Rancho Research Institute, Downy, CA 90242, USA; Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
- University of Southern California Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033; USA
| | - Ronaldo M. Ichiyama
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Samit Chakrabarty
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - V. Reggie Edgerton
- Rancho Research Institute, Downy, CA 90242, USA; Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
- University of Southern California Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033; USA
- Institut Guttmann. Hospital de Neurorehabilitació, Institut Universitari adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain
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Apicella R, Taccola G. Passive limb training modulates respiratory rhythmic bursts. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7226. [PMID: 37142670 PMCID: PMC10160044 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34422-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exercise modifies respiratory functions mainly through the afferent feedback provided by exercising limbs and the descending input from suprapontine areas, two contributions that are still underestimated in vitro. To better characterize the role of limb afferents in modulating respiration during physical activity, we designed a novel experimental in vitro platform. The whole central nervous system was isolated from neonatal rodents and kept with hindlimbs attached to an ad-hoc robot (Bipedal Induced Kinetic Exercise, BIKE) driving passive pedaling at calibrated speeds. This setting allowed extracellular recordings of a stable spontaneous respiratory rhythm for more than 4 h, from all cervical ventral roots. BIKE reversibly reduced the duration of single respiratory bursts even at lower pedaling speeds (2 Hz), though only an intense exercise (3.5 Hz) modulated the frequency of breathing. Moreover, brief sessions (5 min) of BIKE at 3.5 Hz augmented the respiratory rate of preparations with slow bursting in control (slower breathers) but did not change the speed of faster breathers. When spontaneous breathing was accelerated by high concentrations of potassium, BIKE reduced bursting frequency. Regardless of the baseline respiratory rhythm, BIKE at 3.5 Hz always decreased duration of single bursts. Surgical ablation of suprapontine structures completely prevented modulation of breathing after intense training. Albeit the variability in baseline breathing rates, intense passive cyclic movement tuned fictive respiration toward a common frequency range and shortened all respiratory events through the involvement of suprapontine areas. These observations contribute to better define how the respiratory system integrates sensory input from moving limbs during development, opening new rehabilitation perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosamaria Apicella
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy
- Applied Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology Lab, Istituto Di Medicina Fisica E Riabilitazione (IMFR), Via Gervasutta 48, Udine, UD, Italy
| | - Giuliano Taccola
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy.
- Applied Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology Lab, Istituto Di Medicina Fisica E Riabilitazione (IMFR), Via Gervasutta 48, Udine, UD, Italy.
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Mohammadshirazi A, Apicella R, Zylberberg BA, Mazzone GL, Taccola G. Suprapontine Structures Modulate Brainstem and Spinal Networks. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023:10.1007/s10571-023-01321-z. [PMID: 36732488 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01321-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Several spinal motor output and essential rhythmic behaviors are controlled by supraspinal structures, although their contribution to neuronal networks for respiration and locomotion at birth still requires better characterization. As preparations of isolated brainstem and spinal networks only focus on local circuitry, we introduced the in vitro central nervous system (CNS) from neonatal rodents to simultaneously record a stable respiratory rhythm from both cervical and lumbar ventral roots (VRs).Electrical pulses supplied to multiple sites of brainstem evoked distinct VR responses with staggered onset in the rostro-caudal direction. Stimulation of ventrolateral medulla (VLM) resulted in higher events from homolateral VRs. Stimulating a lumbar dorsal root (DR) elicited responses even from cervical VRs, albeit small and delayed, confirming functional ascending pathways. Oximetric assessments detected optimal oxygen levels on brainstem and cortical surfaces, and histological analysis of internal brain structures indicated preserved neuron viability without astrogliosis. Serial ablations showed precollicular decerebration reducing respiratory burst duration and frequency and diminishing the area of lumbar DR and VR potentials elicited by DR stimulation, while pontobulbar transection increased the frequency and duration of respiratory bursts. Keeping legs attached allows for expressing a respiratory rhythm during hindlimb stimulation. Trains of pulses evoked episodes of fictive locomotion (FL) when delivered to VLM or to a DR, the latter with a slightly better FL than in isolated cords.In summary, suprapontine centers regulate spontaneous respiratory rhythms, as well as electrically evoked reflexes and spinal network activity. The current approach contributes to clarifying modulatory brain influences on the brainstem and spinal microcircuits during development. Novel preparation of the entire isolated CNS from newborn rats unveils suprapontine modulation on brainstem and spinal networks. Preparation views (A) with and without legs attached (B). Successful fictive respiration occurs with fast dissection from P0-P2 rats (C). Decerebration speeds up respiratory rhythm (D) and reduces spinal reflexes derived from both ventral and dorsal lumbar roots (E).
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Affiliation(s)
- Atiyeh Mohammadshirazi
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.,Applied Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology Lab, Istituto di Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione (IMFR), Via Gervasutta 48, Udine, UD, Italy
| | - Rosamaria Apicella
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.,Applied Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology Lab, Istituto di Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione (IMFR), Via Gervasutta 48, Udine, UD, Italy
| | - Benjamín A Zylberberg
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT)-CONICET - Universidad Austral, Av. Pte. Perón 1500, Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Graciela L Mazzone
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT)-CONICET - Universidad Austral, Av. Pte. Perón 1500, Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Giuliano Taccola
- Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy. .,Applied Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology Lab, Istituto di Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione (IMFR), Via Gervasutta 48, Udine, UD, Italy.
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Taccola G, Salazar BH, Apicella R, Hogan MK, Horner PJ, Sayenko D. Selective Antagonism of A1 Adenosinergic Receptors Strengthens the Neuromodulation of the Sensorimotor Network During Epidural Spinal Stimulation. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:44. [PMID: 32760254 PMCID: PMC7372902 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Although epidural spinal stimulation (ESS) results in promising therapeutic effects in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), its potential to generate functional motor recovery varies between individuals and remains largely unclear. However, both preclinical and clinical studies indicate the capacity of electrical and pharmacological interventions to synergistically increase the engagement of spinal sensorimotor networks and regain motor function after SCI. This study explored whether selective pharmacological antagonism of the adenosine A1 receptor subtype synergizes with ESS, thereby increasing motor response. We hypothesized that selective pharmacological antagonism of A1 receptors during ESS would produce facilitatory effects in spinal sensorimotor networks detected as an increased amplitude of spinally-evoked motor potentials and sustained duration of ESS induced activity. Terminal experiments were performed in adult rats using trains of stereotyped pulses at 40 Hz delivered at L5 with the local administration to the cord of 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX). We demonstrated that ESS combined with the blockage of A1 receptors increased the magnitude of the endogenous modulation and postponed the decay of responses that occur during ESS alone. Although DPCPX significantly increased the yield of repetitive stimulation in intact spinal cords, the effects of A1 antagonism on motor evoked responses after an acute spinal transection was not detected. These studies support the future investigation of the optimal dosage, methods of delivery, and systemic effects of the synergistic application of A1 antagonists and spinal stimulation in the intact and injured spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliano Taccola
- Department of Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Betsy Habeth Salazar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rosamaria Apicella
- Department of Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Matthew Kevin Hogan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Philip John Horner
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Dimitry Sayenko
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
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