Effects of sequential connective tissue massage on autonomic nervous system of middle-aged and elderly adults

The purpose of this study was to describe autonomic nervous system responses to serial connective tissue massage (CTM) in healthy middle-aged and elderly subjects. Fourteen healthy middle-aged or elderly subjects (means age = 61.3 years) were randomly assigned to either a CTM or placebo group. Subjects received nine separate treatments (CTM or placebo) on alternate days over a three-week period. Each treatment was divided into 15-minute control, intervention, and recovery periods. Subjects in the CTM Group (n = 8) were given CTM on the basic section (low back), and subjects in the Placebo Group (n = 6) had sham ultrasound applied to the same area. Variables monitored were skin temperature (right great toe and popliteal fossa), galvanic skin response, mean arterial blood pressure, and heart rate. Variable measurements were made every five minutes. An analysis of variance and single-case analyses showed no changes in the variables measured in the CTM or Placebo Group. The results of this study suggest that CTM has no consistent immediate or long-term effects on the autonomic nervous system in healthy middle-aged and elderly subjects.

Enrichment versus exercise effects on motor impairments following cortical removals in rats

Groups of rats were exposed to an enriched environment, given access to an activity wheel, or individually housed in wire mesh cages, impoverished. Rats were exposed in groups of four to the enriched environment or placed individually in the activity wheel for 2 h per day for 25 days preoperatively. Within each exposure group, rats sustained bilateral removals of sensorimotor cortex, or were sham-operated controls. Animals were trained preoperatively to locomote across a narrow elevated runway. Postoperatively, locomotor testing was initiated 17 days after surgery throughout which time all animals were maintained under impoverished conditions. Locomotor deficits following cortical damage were a function of preoperative exposure: enriched rats were least impaired; impoverished rats were most impaired. Rats allowed running wheel activity initially showed the same marked deficits as impoverished animals but recovered more rapidly. The opportunity for physical exercise afforded wheel animals preoperatively may have enhanced motor capabilities that aided recovery. However, physical activity alone did not yield the same protective effects from initial impairment as enrichment. Greater elaboration of neural structures associated with perceptual-motor enrichment probably accounted for the initial sparing of the enriched group.

Environmental influences on locomotor recovery following cortical lesions in rats

Groups of rats were exposed to an enriched environment 2 hr per day for 30 days during the immediate pre- and/or postoperative period, or not at all. Animals in four of these groups sustained lesions in the bilateral sensorimotor cortex. One sham-operated control group was enriched pre- and postoperatively; a second control group was not. Animals were trained preoperatively to locomote across a narrow elevated runway. Testing on the locomotor task began 31 days after surgery and continued until preoperative performance levels were achieved. Preoperative enrichment had the most potent influence on initial deficit and recovery of locomotion. Animals that were enriched preoperatively failed to demonstrate any deficit postoperatively, and the topology of their hindlimb movement appeared to be normal. In preoperatively impoverished animals, postoperative enrichment reduced the degree of initial deficit and speeded recovery of locomotion when compared with animals not enriched at all. However, preoperatively impoverished rats demonstrated an aberrant topology of hindlimb movement even after they were "behaviorally recovered".

Environmental influences on locomotor recovery following cortical lesions in rats

Groups of rats were exposed to an enriched environment 2 hr per day for 30 days during the immediate pre- and/or postoperative period, or not at all. Animals in four of these groups sustained lesions in the bilateral sensorimotor cortex. One sham-operated control group was enriched pre- and postoperatively; a second control group was not. Animals were trained preoperatively to locomote across a narrow elevated runway. Testing on the locomotor task began 31 days after surgery and continued until preoperative performance levels were achieved. Preoperative enrichment had the most potent influence on initial deficit and recovery of locomotion. Animals that were enriched preoperatively failed to demonstrate any deficit postoperatively, and the topology of their hindlimb movement appeared to be normal. In preoperatively impoverished animals, postoperative enrichment reduced the degree of initial deficit and speeded recovery of locomotion when compared with animals not enriched at all. However, preoperatively impoverished rats demonstrated an aberrant topology of hindlimb movement even after they were "behaviorally recovered".

Reduction of hypertonicity by early casting in a comatose head-injured individual. A case report

The patient in this report sustained a closed-head injury. Within six days of the injury, he demonstrated generalized hypertonicity accompanied by alternating strong decerebrate and decorticate posturing. By Day 10 after injury, normal passive ROM could no longer be maintained using neurophysiological therapeutic techniques. Therefore, we applied plaster casts to both ankles. Within 24 hours of cast application, the patient's general hypertonus had decreased, and by 72 hours after casting, the patient demonstrated seemingly purposeful movements of the left extremities. Although casts have been used previously to maintain ROM or decrease contractures and to improve balance of muscle function of the joint that was immobilized, we believe that the marked, generalized reduction in tone in body segments far removed from the ankles was an important clinical observation. We explored several possible mechanisms for these observations. Because the usual casting conditions for reflex inhibition were not obtained with this patient, other factors were suggested to be important: total even pressure and neutral warmth. Research is currently in progress at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont to study further the effects of plaster casting and to understand the mechanisms underlying the effects.

Alpha blocking latency and reaction time in schizophrenics and normals

7 schizophrenics and 8 normal controls were administered reaction time (RT) trials while alpha (8 to 13 cps) waves were visible from the right motor parietal EEG leads. Under these conditions, schizophrenics were significantly faster than normals in alpha blocking latency (ABL) on this and the other two recorded channels. No differences occurred in RT. Mean RT was significantly correlated with mean ABL only when blocked trials and diminished trials were correlated separately. Intrasubject correlations between RT and ABL were not significant. The findings were discussed in terms of the concepts of arousal by Venables and by Goldstein and Sugerman.