title: Ipsilateral versus bilateral limb-training in promoting the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells following cerebral infarction in rats.
abstract: We investigated the effects of ipsilateral versus bilateral limb-training on promotion of endogenous neural stem cells in the peripheral infarct zone and the corresponding cerebral region in the unaffected hemisphere of rats with cerebral infarction. Middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced in Wistar rats. The rat forelimb on the unaffected side was either wrapped up with tape to force the use of the paretic forelimb in rats or not braked to allow bilateral forelimbs to participate in training. Daily training consisted of mesh drum training, balance beam training, and stick rolling training for a total of 40 minutes, once per day. Control rats received no training. At 14 days after functional training, rats receiving bilateral limb-training exhibited milder neurological impairment than that in the ipsilateral limb-training group or the control group. The number of nestin/glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive and nestin/microtubule-associated protein 2-positive cells in the peripheral infarct zone and in the corresponding cerebral region in the unaffected hemisphere was significantly higher in rats receiving bilateral limb-training than in rats receiving ipsilateral limb-training. These data suggest that bilateral limb-training can promote the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in the bilateral hemispheres after cerebral infarction and accelerate the recovery of neurologic function. In addition, bilateral limb-training produces better therapeutic effects than ipsilateral limb-training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiyao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shenyang Brain Hospital, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: The First People's Hospital of Dandong, Dandong 118000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shenyang Brain Hospital, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Yunpeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
keywords: affected limb; bilateral limbs; bilateral rehabilitation training; brain; differentiation; middle cerebral artery occlusion; neural regeneration; neural stem cells; peripheral infarct zone; plasticity; proliferation; unaffected hemisphere