Biomedical subjects

Rich W Clough

Publications and source records attributed to Rich W Clough.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Vagus nerve stimulation may protect GABAergic neurons following traumatic brain injury in rats: An immunocytochemical study.

Seizures and subclinical seizures occur following experimental brain injury in rats and may result from inhibitory neuron loss. This study numerically compares cortical and hippocampal glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) positive neurons between sham fluid percussion injury (FPI), FPI with sham Vagus Nerve Simulation (VNS), and FPI with chronic intermittent VNS initiated at 24 h post FPI in rats. Rats (n=8/group) were prepared for immunocytochemistry of GAD at 15 days post FPI. Serial sections were collected and GAD immunoreactive neurons were counted in the hippocampal hilus and two levels of the cerebral cortex. Numbers of quantifiable GAD cells in the rostral cerebral cortices were different between groups, both ipsilateral and contralateral to the FPI. Post hoc analysis of cell counts rostral to the ipsilateral epicenter, revealed a significant 26% reduction in the number of GAD cells/unit area of cerebral cortex following FPI. In the FPI-VNS group, this percentage loss was attenuated to only an 8.5% reduction, a value not significantly different from the sham group. In the contralateral side of the rostral cerebral cortex, FPI induced a significant 24% reduction in GAD cells/unit area; whereas, the VNS-treated rats showed no appreciable diminution of GAD cells rostral to the contralateral epicenter. Hippocampal analysis revealed a similar reduction of GAD cells in the FPI group; however, unlike the cortex this was not statistically significant. In the FPI-VNS group, a trend towards increased numbers of hilar GAD cells was observed, even over and above that of the sham FPI group; however, this was also not statistically significant. Together, these data suggest that VNS protects cortical GAD cells from death subsequent to FPI and may increase GAD cell counts in the hippocampal hilus of the injured brain.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Weaving basic and social sciences into a case-based, clinically oriented medical curriculum: one school's approach.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine recently completed its fourth year of a resource-session-enhanced, case-based, tutor-group-oriented curriculum. As an example of a curricular unit, the authors describe the implementation of the basic and clinical sciences in one of the four units in year one, and detail that unit's organization, logistics, content, rationale, and other characteristics. The Sensorimotor Systems and Behavior (SSB) unit is preceded by a cardio-respiratory-renal unit and is followed by an endocrine-reproductive-gastrointestinal unit. A Doctoring unit temporally spans each of these three units. The SSB unit is allotted an 11.5-week period that includes an aggregate of 2.5 weeks of available clinical time, 1.5 weeks for examinations and exam study time, and approximately 8.5 weeks for tutor-group sessions, mandatory laboratory sessions, and self-directed learning. Optional resource sessions are offered during a two- to four-hour block on a single morning each week. Clinical training in the SSB unit augments self-directed, laboratory, and tutor-group learning of neuroscience, gross anatomy, cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, behavioral and social science, embryology, limited pharmacology and genetics, and basic clinical neurology for first-year students. Although it is fast-paced and places heavy responsibility for independent learning on the students, the SSB unit culminates in significant achievement in the basic and clinical sciences. The unit provides substantial clinical training and practical experience in physical and neurological examinations that directly integrate with basic science knowledge. The unit reduces lecture-based instruction, demands self-determination, and promotes experience in team effort, professionalism, peer interaction, empathy in clinical medicine, and practical use of basic science knowledge.

Curriculum↗