QBI Neuroscience Seminar: 'Activity dependent neuroprotection in the acute phase after stroke'
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- Neuroscience Seminar by:
Dr Matilde Balbi
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Title: 'Activity dependent neuroprotection in the acute phase after stroke'
Abstract: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Recovery is widely variable across survivors and can have severe implications on behavioral autonomy and lifestyle. This variability is highly dependent on the level of blood flow restored to affected areas. Blood flow supply can be controlled by directly altering brain activity in the critical first hours after stroke. However, acute activity-dependent neuroprotection has been unsuccessful in restoring behavioral function or reducing lesion size in mice. To address this, I investigated the effects of specific types of neuronal activation to discern which types of stimulation, if any, are capable of rescuing affected brain tissue and behavioral function. Changes in gamma oscillations (20–50 Hz) have been observed in several neurological disorders. However, the relationship between gamma oscillations and cellular pathologies is unclear. I investigated the effect of the gamma-range modulation in the acute phase after stroke using a new model for stroke induction in awake, head-fixed mice. I employed optogenetics stimulation in conjunction with laser speckle imaging, electrophysiology and behavioral tasks to describe the beneficial effects of acute, 40 Hz brain stimulation: reduced lesion volume and improved motor function after stroke. Finally, I lay out a plan for future studies to investigate the subtypes of interneurons underlying the observed therapeutic effects and characterize intrinsic mechanisms of the brain that may be harnessed to enhance recovery after stroke.
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