Stem cells have been suggested for the treatment of intractable neurological diseases. In spite of numerous clinical trials using autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), unfortunately, clinical efficacy has not yet been proved except for its safety. Although there are several reasons for unsuccessful efficacy of stem cell therapy using adult stem cells, we should consider the exact factors that may improve the therapeutic efficacy of adult stem cells. One of the most important factors is the patient's age when MSCs are obtained from patients. It is associated with decreased functions of MSCs. Several reports have shown that MSCs from elderly persons have decreased capacities in the secretion of neurotrophic factors and migration to the lesion site. Therefore, procedures potentiating MSCs need to be studied during ex-vivo expansion. To suggest diverse procedures to improve capacities of MSCs for improvement of therapeutic efficacy, I will discuss previously reported methods potentiating MSCs and will suggest further experiments.
Adult ; Adult Stem Cells ; Aged ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Stem Cells ; Tissue Therapy

No abstract available.
Meconium* ; Peritonitis*

Polyneuropathy includes a lot of diseases damaging peripheral nerves. It shows roughly the same areas on both sides of the body, featuring weakness, numbness, and burning pain. Polyneuropathy is known to usually begin in the hands and feet and progress to the arms and legs. Sometimes it can involve other parts of the body such as the autonomic nervous system. Lots of causes can induce acute or chronic polyneuropathy, so finding the original cause is most important for the treatment of polyneuropathy. There are too many different types of polyneuropathies to be discussed in this review, so we will discuss some of various acquired polyneuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy, vasculitic neuropathy, alcoholic neuropathy, Vitamin B12 deficiency neuropathy, and drug-induced neuropathy, with special focus on symptoms, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
Alcoholic Neuropathy ; Arm ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Burns ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Diagnosis* ; Foot ; Hand ; Hypesthesia ; Leg ; Peripheral Nerves ; Polyneuropathies* ; Prognosis* ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Although uncountable clinical trials have been done to develop the treatment of AD, there are a couple of drugs that can be used only for symptomatic treatment. Therefore, many studies based on the amyloid cascade hypothesis and the tauopathy hypothesis are still ongoing. After the failure of numerous huge Phase III clinical trials, arguments on those hypotheses have arisen and efforts to establish other possible therapeutic strategies based on diverse plausible mechanisms associated with AD have been done as well. One of the new therapeutic targets for AD is the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway. In this review, questions on the two hypotheses, the definition of the PI3K/AKT pathway, the relationship between the pathway and AD, and the possibility of the modulation of the pathway as a new therapeutic strategy for AD will be discussed briefly.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Amyloid ; Dementia ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; Tauopathies

No abstract available.
Physical Phenomena ; Prostatitis ; Helicobacter Infections ; Helicobacter pylori ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Ophthalmologists ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Physicians ; Writing ; Speech ; Thinking ; Prognosis ; Otolaryngology ; Internal Medicine ; Pelvic Pain ; Polyneuropathies ; Korea

Telomeres are located at the end of chromosomes. They are known to protect chromosomes and prevent cellular senescence. Telomere length shortening has been considered an important marker of aging. Many studies have reported this concept in connection with neurodegenerative disorders. Considering the role of telomeres, it seems that longer telomeres are beneficial while shorter telomeres are detrimental in preventing neurodegenerative disorders. However, several studies have shown that people with longer telomeres might also be vulnerable to neurodegenerative disorders. Before these conflicting results can be explained through large-scale longitudinal clinical studies on the role of telomere length in neurodegenerative disorders, it would be beneficial to simultaneously review these opposing results. Understanding these conflicting results might help us plan future studies to reveal the role of telomere length in neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, these contradictory findings are thoroughly discussed, with the aim to better understand the role of telomere length in neurodegenerative disorders.

No abstract available.
Ganglion Cysts* ; Knee Joint* ; Knee*

BACKGROUND: Atlanto-axial dislocation (AAD) is a common complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Diverse or different patterns of neurological manifestations including brainstem signs, myelopathy, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and radiculopathy are expected in each type of AAD. This study is designed for the evaluation of neurological manifes-tations of AAD in RA, and for the comparison of clinical profiles with radiological findings. METHODS: Thirty patients compatible with radiological criteria of AAD were selected. The age, sex, symptom duration, and neurological signs were evaluated in the clinical profiles. Based on the neurological signs, the patients were classified into three groups. Radiological classifications of AAD were done according to the direction of AAD (anterior, vertical, lateral, mixed) and degrees of dislocation (grade I, II, III). Correlational analysis was performed as a measure of association with the clinical profiles and radiological findings. RESULTS: Neurological manifestations were present/found in 50% of the patients. Each types of AAD were distributed into the following groups:; anterior - 76.7%, mixed - 13.3%, lateral -10%, pure vertical - 0% in our study. The various groups determined by the neurological signs may be correlated with the severity of AAD, especially in the anterior type (> 8mm) and mixed type. Neurological signs were not noted in the pure lateral type. Vascular signs such as vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) were more common in the anterior-AAD, but myelopathic or brainstem signs were more common in the mixed type. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse neurological findings exist in AAD. Different and characteristic manifestations are also noted in each type of AAD. Critical neurological signs including myelopathic, brainstem signs and VBI are prominent in severe anterior-AAD or mixed type.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Brain Stem ; Classification ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency

BACKGROUND: Atlanto-axial dislocation (AAD) is a common complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Diverse or different patterns of neurological manifestations including brainstem signs, myelopathy, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and radiculopathy are expected in each type of AAD. This study is designed for the evaluation of neurological manifes-tations of AAD in RA, and for the comparison of clinical profiles with radiological findings. METHODS: Thirty patients compatible with radiological criteria of AAD were selected. The age, sex, symptom duration, and neurological signs were evaluated in the clinical profiles. Based on the neurological signs, the patients were classified into three groups. Radiological classifications of AAD were done according to the direction of AAD (anterior, vertical, lateral, mixed) and degrees of dislocation (grade I, II, III). Correlational analysis was performed as a measure of association with the clinical profiles and radiological findings. RESULTS: Neurological manifestations were present/found in 50% of the patients. Each types of AAD were distributed into the following groups:; anterior - 76.7%, mixed - 13.3%, lateral -10%, pure vertical - 0% in our study. The various groups determined by the neurological signs may be correlated with the severity of AAD, especially in the anterior type (> 8mm) and mixed type. Neurological signs were not noted in the pure lateral type. Vascular signs such as vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) were more common in the anterior-AAD, but myelopathic or brainstem signs were more common in the mixed type. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse neurological findings exist in AAD. Different and characteristic manifestations are also noted in each type of AAD. Critical neurological signs including myelopathic, brainstem signs and VBI are prominent in severe anterior-AAD or mixed type.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Brain Stem ; Classification ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency