SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “sensory function”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 955 records · Page 53Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Midcervical tetraplegia with strong wrist extension: a two-stage synergistic reconstruction of the hand.

Reconstructive surgery can restore appreciable function of the upper limb in tetraplegic patients. The magnitude of the function regained depends on several factors: (1) the level of the spinal cord lesion, (2) careful patient selection, (3) thoughtful application of the basic principles of tendon transfer, (4) absence of severe spasticity, (5) the remaining sensory function of the hand, and (6) the surgical program and the surgeon's expertise with this type of patient. Reconstructive surgery offers patients not only greater physical independence but also psychological benefits. This article refers to cases with midcervical spinal cord lesion where wrist extension is complete and strong (MRC grading 5). It describes the author's strategy and technical choices in these patients, based on an ever evolving experience of more than 30 years.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

Sensory recovery in replanted digits and transplanted toes: a review.

A review of replanted digits has indicated that excellent sensory function can be recovered in replants that are distal, in which the mechanism of injury has been a sharp cut, in which the patient's age is young, and in cases where the patient receives postoperative sensory re-education. It appears that poor sensory recovery in replanted digits is most directly attributable to crush or avulsion type injuries and lack of sensory re-education in the postoperative period. The level of sensory recovery in toe-to-thumb transfers appears to be better than in the donor toe and better than in replanted digits. The explanation for this most likely lies in the sharp "mechanism of injury" in the toe-to-thumb transfer and in the "extra" postoperative rehabilitation such cases receive. Future improvements in recovery of sensation in replanted digits may come from increased use of nerve grafting in those digits that have been crushed or avulsed, and by instituting routine sensory re-education in the postoperative period.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and development of human infants.

Human infants require n-6 and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), derivatives of the essential fatty acids, linoleate (n-6) and linolenate (n-3), for growth and neural development. Animals fed diets deficient in the essential fatty acids have low neural LCPUFA and behavioral changes that imply adverse effects on brain function. Studies of animals deficient in essential fatty acids have provided the rationale and outcomes for studies to determine whether human infants need dietary LCPUFA. After including n-3 LCPUFA in formula, preterm infants showed higher sensory function (retinal responses to light, visual acuity), visual attention characteristic of higher maturity during infancy, and higher scores on test of global development (6- and 12-mo Bayley Mental Developmental Index). In term infants, some but not all studies found higher visual acuity, 4-mo Brunet-Lezine psychomotor development, and 10-mo means-end problem solving with LCPUFA-containing formulae compared to formulae in general use. Because preterm infants have lower LCPUFA accumulation at birth than term infants, it may be easier to show benefits of dietary LCPUFA for neural development in the former group. In addition to low gestational age, other variables may influence LCPUFA accumulation at birth and determine whether a particular group of infants will respond to dietary LCPUFA. One current challenge is to identify and characterize the effects of those variables. Another is to learn the mechanisms by which LCPUFA status may influence behavior.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Disability and walking capacity in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: association with sensorimotor function, balance, and functional performance.

STUDY DESIGN: One-group, prospective, cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To determine how sensorimotor function, balance, and physical performance are associated with disability and walking capacity in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. BACKGROUND: Disability and limited walking capacity are often reported by patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Identification of associated factors could provide information for future investigations leading to better prevention and intervention strategies. METHODS AND MEASURES: Fifty patients with lumbar spinal stenosis answered questions regarding symptom intensity, disability, and walking capacity. Muscle strength and vibration sense were assessed to represent sensorimotor function. Balance ability was measured by single-leg stance time and basic physical performance was tested by the up-and-go (UG) test. Regression analyses, entering demographics and symptom intensity as control variables, and sensory, strength, balance, and physical performance as additional independent variables, were conducted separately for disability and walking capacity. RESULTS: Symptom intensity, vibration sense at the big toe, and UG test time were significantly correlated with disability. The final regression model showed that the control variables explained 20% of the variance, while vibration sense and UG test time explained an additional 20% of the variance. Walking capacity was significantly correlated with vibration sense at the big toe and UG test time. No significant regression model emerged for walking capacity. CONCLUSIONS: A moderate amount of variance in disability could be explained by sensory function at the big toe and physical performance. These factors should be considered in future research.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Colonic motility and tone after spinal cord and cauda equina injury.

AIM: To characterize colonic motility and tone in patients with spinal cord and cauda equina injury. METHODS: Barostat-controlled measurements of tone and manometric measurements of phasic contractions in the left colon in two patients with spinal cord injury. ANALYSIS: Computer based analysis of tone and phasic activity; comparison with data from 11 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Both patients showed normal fasting tone and decreased postprandial tone in the colon; one had markedly decreased phasic contractility in the descending colon, but both had normal sigmoid colon motility. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired postprandial tone and phasic motor function of the descending colon after spinal cord injury with normal sigmoid motility suggests regional differences in the effect of denervation. The effect of the level of injury to the neural axis on colonic motor and sensory function requires further elucidation.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Modification of IFSSH system for evaluation of impairment of hand function.

We modified the examination and evaluation standard of impairment of hand function proposed by the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH). 1) The thumb adduction and opposition examination is changed from measuring distance alone to calculation of the ratio of thumb length to the distance of movement. 2) Sensation grading and two-point discrimination test are included in the sensory function evaluation. 3) In the estimation of anatomic loss of the hand, instead of measuring the length of the loss, calculation of the area of loss is proposed. 4) In the evaluation of joint movement, besides the angle of movement and position of the joint itself, influence of the defect distal to the joint thereon is also considered. 5) In the original evaluation standard, sensory disturb ances of the palmar and dorsal aspects of the hand as well as the anatomic loss of tissues through the palm are not taken into account. The present work pays special attention to this point. The software of the above mentioned work has been developed, approved by experts and adopted nation wide in China. The data of hand function examinations can be fed into the computer and the function loss in percentage can be displayed, or printed out. This software, using a graphic display, can also take care of the filling and retrieving of case history. At present the menu and instructions are in Chinese, which can be changed to suit other language.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anthropometry↗

PubMed1985

Concussive head injury producing suppression of sensory transmission within the lumbar spinal cord in cats.

This study examines the effects of concussive levels of a fluid-percussion head injury on sensory transmission within the lumbar spinal cord of the cat. Primary afferent depolarization (PAD) was suppressed for 2 to 5 minutes following injury, as assessed by dorsal root potentials and augmentation of antidromic dorsal root potentials, both evoked by stimulation of adjacent dorsal roots. Polysynaptic reflex discharges in ventral root potentials evoked by dorsal root stimulation were also profoundly suppressed during this same period, even when spontaneous and monosynaptic reflex discharges were facilitated. Changes in PAD produced by injury were abolished by spinal cord transection, but were not affected by midpontine transection. These findings suggest that concussive head injury can produce suppression of segmental sensory transmission by neurally mediated processes involving the bulbar brain stem. Recordings of dorsal root resting potentials, antidromic dorsal root potentials, and reductions of antidromic dorsal root potentials induced by tetanic root stimulation indicated that depressed segmental sensory function produced by injury was due to suppression of postsynaptic interneuronal transmission rather than to excitability changes in primary afferent fibers. Somatosensory cortical potentials evoked by dorsal root stimulation were profoundly depressed at the same time as segmental sensory transmission was suppressed, suggesting that suppressed segmental sensory transmission may also contribute to suppression of ascending sensory transmission. It is hypothesized that transmission failure of interneuronal systems in the initial period following insult may be a general response occurring in wide areas of the central nervous system, and not restricted to areas to which mechanical stress is directly applied. This response pattern may result from indiscriminate activation of interconnected excitatory and inhibitory elements of interneuronal systems.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Nerve reconstruction in lumbosacral plexopathy. Case report and review of the literature.

Neurological injury to the lumbosacral plexus associated with pelvic and sacral fractures has traditionally been treated conservatively, despite significant and often debilitating functional deficits of the lower extremities. The authors report a case of reconstruction of the lumbosacral plexus, including nerve grafting to restore lower-extremity function caused by severe trauma to the pelvis. A 16-year-old boy sustained pelvic and sacral fractures in a motor vehicle accident. After stabilization of his orthopedic injuries, he suffered from paresis of his right gluteal and hamstring muscles and had no motor or sensory function below his knee. Two months later, he underwent reconstruction of his lumbosacral plexus performed using a nerve graft from his L-5 and S-1 nerve roots proximal to the inferior gluteal nerve and distal to a branch to the hamstring muscles. After another 2 months, his recovering saphenous nerve was transferred to the sensory component of the posterior tibial nerve by using cabled sural nerve grafts to restore sensation to the sole of his foot. After 2.5 years, he experienced reinnervation of his gluteal and hamstring muscles and could perceive vibration on the sole of his foot. With the assistance of a foot-drop splint, the patient ambulates well and is able to ski. Operative details and the relevant literature are reviewed.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2003

Repair of peripheral nerve transections with fibrin sealant containing neurotrophic factors.

Peripheral nerve injury is often followed by incomplete recovery of function and sometimes associated with neuropathic pain. There is, therefore, need for therapies which improve the speed of recovery and the final functional outcome after peripheral nerve injuries. In addition, neuropathic pain is not easily dealt with clinically and should preferably be eliminated. Neurotrophic factors have well-documented abilities to support neuron survival and stimulate neurite outgrowth, making them excellent candidates for use in repairing injured nerves. We investigated the possible beneficial effects of repairing the transected rat sciatic nerve by local application of a fibrin sealant containing nerve growth factor (NGF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), or acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF). Fibrin sealant was used in conjunction with sutures. Evaluation of motor and sensory function, autotomy, and histological parameters was carried out from 1 to 12 weeks after injury. We demonstrate that NGF cotreatment decreased the occurance of autotomy, suggesting a reduction of neuropathic pain, and improved the performance in motor and sensory tests. In addition, the number of regenerating motoneurons was significantly increased after NGF administration. GDNF increased the speed of sensory recovery, but also markedly increased autotomy, indicating an increased degree of neuropathic pain. aFGF did not alter the outcome of the motor or sensory tests. Fibrin sealant could easily be used in conjunction with sutures to deliver neurotrophic substances locally to the damaged nerve and to enhance recovery of nerve function.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Intrathecal bupivacaine protects against extension of lesions in an acute contusive spinal cord injury model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We recently demonstrated that intrathecal bupivacaine before or after acute photochemical spinal injury improved functional outcome in rats. However, the closest model to spinal trauma is the contusive weight-drop method. The aim of this study was to evaluate functional, electrophysiological and anatomical consequences of a contusive spinal-cord lesion in rats with or without an intrathecal injection of bupivacaine. METHODS: Fifteen minutes before a contusive spinal lesion, 18 rats received intrathecally either 0.5% bupivacaine (Group T) or saline (Group C). During an 18-days period, motor and sensory functions were evaluated, and bladder voiding dysfunction was noted. Somatosensory evoked potential testings were performed at day 18. Then, the intact spinal cord area at the epicentre of the lesion and the extent of the lesion were measured. RESULTS: Motor deficit was less and inclined-plane stability was better in treated animals at all times, the scores were statistically different from day 7. There were no differences concerning the sensory test. Despite no significant difference, there were less spinal bladders in the T group from day 7. Somatosensory evoked potential latencies were longer in T group, but only the first negative component (N1) was statistically significant. Amplitudes were higher in T group, but were not statistically different. The spinal cord intact area at the epicentre of the lesion was higher in the T group (1.23 +/- 0.8 mm(2) vs. 0.81 +/- 0.39 mm(2); P < 0.05). The extent of the lesion was higher in the C group (9.4 +/- 2.9 mm vs. 6.4 +/- 3.4 mm; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intrathecal 0.5% bupivacaine provide a neuroprotective effect by decreasing functional, electrophysiological and anatomical consequences after a contusive spinal cord injury.

Anesthetics, Local↗

PubMed1989

Relationships between sensory decline among the elderly and the physical environment: implications for health care. Maximizing the wellbeing of the elderly through environmental change is of great importance.

There is an unprecedented increase in elderly people who are 85 years of age and older. At this point in life multiple sensory deficits become significant thereby limiting their means for gathering information and social interaction. Without sensory function the world becomes inaccessible. Therefore, it is extremely important to maximize the quality of life among the elderly through environmental means. This will offset the perception that most elderly are cognitively impaired when in fact attention to their sensory loss through adaptive environmental design can maximize well-being. Total wellness is dependent upon it.

Aged↗

PubMed1984

Properties of mechanoreceptive fibres serving skin grafts transferred to the hands of adult baboons (Papio anubis).

In nine adult baboons, full-thickness skin grafts were reciprocally exchanged between three glabrous skin sites on one hand and glabrous skin sites on the contralateral hand or foot, and a hairy skin site on the dorsum of the ipsilateral hand. The grafts acquired some of the physical characteristics of the recipient site; glabrous skin became thinner and more pliable on the dorsum of the hand and hairy skin became thicker and displayed a more irregular surface contour when transferred to the palm. The electrophysiological properties of cutaneous mechanoreceptors serving these grafts were examined about 5 months after surgery and again after 1 year. Measurements of conduction velocity, receptive field size and shape, and responses to mechanical stimuli suggested that axons serving mechanoreceptors in glabrous grafts functioned at nearly normal levels by 5 months, while axons innervating hairy skin grafts, whether transferred to a glabrous skin site or to a hairy skin site, performed less well even after 1 year. These observations suggest that factors intrinsic to the graft are a major determinant of the quality of sensory function achieved following a skin graft procedure. These factors affect the relative proportions of rapidly and slowly adapting fibres, conduction velocities, thresholds and receptive field configurations. As a result, hairy skin is not the tissue choice for plastic surgical procedures requiring optimum sensory return.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

The sensory epithelium of the tentacles and the rhinophore of Nautilus pompilius L. (cephalopoda, nautiloidea).

Nine intraepithelial ciliated cell types that are presumed to be sensory cells were identified in the epithelium of the pre- and postocular tentacles, the digital tentacles, and the rhinophore of the juvenile tetrabranchiate cephalopod Nautilus pompilius L. The morphological diversity and specialization in distribution of the different ciliated cell types analyzed by SEM methods suggest that these cells include receptors of several sensory functions. Ciliated cell types in different organs that show similar surface features were combined in named groups. The most striking cell, type I, is characterized by a tuft of long and numerous cilia. The highest density of this cell type occurs in ciliary fields in the epithelium of the lamellae of the pre- and postocular tentacles, in the olfactory pits of the rhinophores, and in the lamellae of four pairs of lateral digital tentacles, but not in the epithelium of the medial digital tentacles. The similar morphological data, together with behavioral observations on feeding habits, suggest that this cell type may serve in long-distance chemosensory function. The other ciliated cell types are solitary cells with specific spatial distributions in the various organs. Cell types with tufts of relatively short, stiff cilia (types III, IV, VIII), which are distributed in the lateral and aboral areas of the tentacles and at the base of the tentacle-like process of the rhinophore, are considered to be employed in mechanosensory transduction, while the solitary cells with bristle-like cilia at the margin of the ciliary fields (type II) and at the base of the rhinophore (type IX) may be involved in chemoreception. Histological investigation of the epithelium and the nerve structures of the different organs shows the proportion and distribution of the sensory pathways. Two different types of digital tentacles can be distinguished according to their putative functions: lateral slender digital tentacles in four pairs, of which the lowermost are the so-called long digital tentacles, participate in distance chemoreception, and the medial digital tentacles, whose terminal axial nerve cord may represent a specialized neuromechanosensory structure, appear to have contact chemoreceptive abilities.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Subpopulations of neonatal rat sensory neurons express functional neurotransmitter receptors which elevate intracellular calcium.

We have attempted to identify which subpopulations of rat sensory neurons possess functional neurotransmitter receptors which elevate the free concentration of intracellular calcium. Subpopulations of sensory neurons were identified using three accepted criteria: (i) the distribution and proportion of neurons with differing somatic diameters; (ii) the expression of substance P-like immunoreactivity; and (iii) the responsiveness of each neuron to capsaicin. The total neuronal population was primarily grouped into three classes according to somatic diameter and defined as small- (< 17 microns), intermediate- (17-25 microns) and large- (> 25 microns) sized neurons. It was not possible to distinguish between small and intermediate-sized neurons since a similar percentage of each class expressed substance P-like immunoreactivity or sensitivity to capsaicin. Large-sized neurons did not possess these characteristics and, therefore, represented a distinct neuronal population. In single, intact neurons of differing diameter, the ability of a variety of receptor agonists to elevate the free concentration of intracellular calcium was determined using the calcium-sensitive indicator, Fura-2. Local application of capsaicin, adenosine, bradykinin, ATP and substance P elevated the resting level of the free concentration of intracellular calcium in small and intermediate-sized neurons. The large-sized neurons were unresponsive to these receptor agonists with the exception of ATP. The response to ATP was relatively transient in nature and did not differ between neurons of differing somatic diameter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine↗

PubMed1997

Sensory perception in Parkinson disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a complex sensory disturbance that may be contributing to the motor deficit in patients with Parkinson disease. DESIGN: Comparison of performance by patients and healthy, age- and sex-matched subjects in tests of various sensory functions. SETTING: The Center for Human Performance and Testing at a university hospital and research center. PARTICIPANTS: Ten subjects with Parkinson disease and 10 control subjects matched for age and sex. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Performance on 4 subjects of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test: finger identification, graphesthesia, localization of tactile stimuli, and kinesthesia. RESULTS: Data were analyzed using paired t tests for ratio data and the paired Wilcoxon test for ordinal data. Patients with Parkinson disease performed significantly worse (P = .001) than the control patients on the test of kinesthesia. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups on the other subtests. CONCLUSIONS: Without visual guidance, patients with Parkinson disease had more difficulty in perceiving the extent of a movement made to a target away from the body, a task requiring reliance on proprioceptive feedback. Parkinsonian patients had no more difficulty than controls in making movements to a target on the surface of the body when they could use tactile sensations. Movement difficulties in patients with Parkinson disease may relate in part to a decrease in proprioception. Activities that enhance kinesthetic awareness may be an important adjunct to the treatment of these patients.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Factors affecting grip strength testing.

The rodent grip strength test was developed decades ago and is a putative measure of muscular strength. This test has been included in the functional observational battery (FOB) to screen for neurobehavioral toxicity, and changes in grip strength have been interpreted as evidence of motor neurotoxicity. Despite its widespread use, questions remain about what the grip strength test actually measures. In this study, potential confounders of the grip strength test were identified and tested, including operational parameters, disruption of peripheral sensory function and changes in body weight. Operational parameters (sampling rate, system type and trial angle but not trial speed) had dramatic effects on grip strength data. Doxorubicin (DX, 10 mg/kg iv) was used to cause sensory impairment. It decreased forelimb and hindlimb grip strength (by 27% and 32%, respectively, compared with controls), an effect that was correlated with degeneration of peripheral and central sensory components (distal tibial and sural nerves, dorsal funiculus of the spinal cord and dorsal, but not ventral, spinal roots). Feed restriction-induced loss of body weight (26% compared with controls) and muscle mass (20% compared with controls) reversibly decreased both forelimb and hindlimb grip strength (18% and 17%, respectively, compared with controls). Ignoring these confounding factors could potentially lead to increased data variability and inconsistency within single studies, across studies and in historical control data sets. To assist in data interpretation and evaluation of grip strength results, it is suggested that exact conditions of application of the test be reported in greater detail. Furthermore, given that the grip strength test can be influenced by factors other than true muscular strength, use of the term grip performance is proposed to better reflect the apical nature of this test.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1997

Blind rats are not profoundly impaired in the reference memory Morris water maze and cannot be clearly discriminated from rats with cognitive deficits in the cued platform task.

The Morris water maze is commonly used to test cognitive function in rodent models of neurological disorders including age-related cognitive deficits. It is often assumed that the most profoundly impaired aged rats may be blind due to retinal degeneration, and it has been reported that animals with visual sensory deficits can be identified based on their performance in a cued platform task. The results of the present study demonstrate that blind rats can perform surprisingly well in the reference memory version of the Morris water maze, and that blind rats cannot be selectively excluded based on performance in the cued platform task since atropine-treated rats also perform poorly in the cued platform task. Future studies may be able to develop screening procedures that help to eliminate subjects with non-cognitive deficits, but the present results do not support the use of the cued platform or straight swim task as screening procedures. Experimenters must be careful to consider the role that visual sensory function and other non-cognitive factors may have in performance of the spatial learning Morris water maze, and also the role that severe cognitive deficits may have in performance of the cued platform task.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Therapies with potential toxicity of neuro-ophthalmic interest.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Several therapies have potential neuro-ophthalmic or ophthalmic complications. We reviewed the recent literature for relevant therapies that affect ocular function. In this review, we discuss a variety of toxic effects of antiepileptic drugs, endocrine drugs, and miscellaneous therapies (intravitreal silicone oil and TNF-alpha inhibitors). RECENT FINDINGS: The pathogenesis of these side effects is quite heterogeneous affecting visual sensory function at the levels of the ciliary body, retina, optic nerve and chiasm, and central visual pathways. SUMMARY: Appropriate management requires prompt recognition of these associations. Practitioners should be familiar with these neuro-ophthalmic manifestations because they may present in the course of daily practice.

Anticonvulsants↗