NERF

In search of a new potential target for deep brain stimulation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we evaluated the single-cell activity of neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) in urethane-anesthetized rats in an animal model for OCD, the schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) model, and compared this to the BST activity in control rats and to a third group of rats which were introduced in the model but did not develop the SIP, and thus were considered resistant. We compared the firing rate and firing pattern of BST neurons between these groups, between hemispheres and made a correlation of the firing rate and firing pattern to the position in the BST. The variability of BST neurons in SIP rats was lower and the randomness higher than BST neurons in control rats or resistant rats. The firing rate of BST neurons in SIP rats was significantly higher and the burst index lower than BST neurons in resistant rats but not in control rats. Also, neurons from the right hemisphere in the SIP group had a higher burst index than neurons from the left hemisphere. However, this is opposite in the resistant and control group. Third, we found a higher bursting index with increasing (more ventral) depth of recording. These findings suggest that schedule-induced polydipsia, which models compulsive behavior in humans, induces a change in firing behavior of BST neurons.

In search of a new potential target for deep brain stimulation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we evaluated the single-cell activity of neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) in urethane-anesthetized rats in an animal model for OCD, the schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) model, and compared this to the BST activity in control rats and to a third group of rats which were introduced in the model but did not develop the SIP, and thus were considered resistant. We compared the firing rate and firing pattern of BST neurons between these groups, between hemispheres and made a correlation of the firing rate and firing pattern to the position in the BST. The variability of BST neurons in SIP rats was lower and the randomness higher than BST neurons in control rats or resistant rats. The firing rate of BST neurons in SIP rats was significantly higher and the burst index lower than BST neurons in resistant rats but not in control rats. Also, neurons from the right hemisphere in the SIP group had a higher burst index than neurons from the left hemisphere. However, this is opposite in the resistant and control group. Third, we found a higher bursting index with increasing (more ventral) depth of recording. These findings suggest that schedule-induced polydipsia, which models compulsive behavior in humans, induces a change in firing behavior of BST neurons.

Transient forebrain ischaemia is widely observed in clinical practice. We have examined the effect of a single administration of the Cholinesterase inhibitor galanthamine (2 mgkg−1, i.p.) 25 min after reperfusion in male Sprague-Dawley rats (180 ± 20 g) after a 20-min common carotid artery occlusion. Twenty-four-hours post-ischaemia there was no difference in motor co-ordination or muscle tonus of the rats treated with or without galanthamine as assessed by the rota-rod test. Learning ability was examined using the shuttle-box test, evaluating the latency time and the number of errors for six days in succession. The performance of the ischaemic saline-injected rats was significantly impaired on days 4, 5, 6 (latency time) compared with the non-ischaemic rats and with the ischaemic animals administered galanthamine (P< 0.05). Similar results were obtained when counting the number of errors (failure to cross the cage during conditioned or unconditioned stimulus). The monitoring of ...

The paper demonstrates the basic properties of the local fractional variation operators (termed fractal variation operators). The action of the operators is demonstrated for local characterization of Hölderian functions. In particular, it is established that a class of such functions exhibits singular behavior under the action of fractal variation operators in infinitesimal limit. The link between the limit of the fractal variation of a function and its derivative is demonstrated. The paper presents a number of examples, including the calculation of the fractional variation of Cauchy sequences leading to the Dirac’s delta-function.

Fractional variation is defined as the limit of the difference quotient of the increments of a function and its argument raised to a fractional power. Fractional variation can be suitable for characterizing singular behavior of derivatives of H\"olderian functions and non differentiable functions. The manuscript derives the product rules for fractional variation. Correspondence with integer-order derivatives is discussed. It is demonstrated that for H\"older functions under certain conditions the product rules deviates from the Leibniz rule. This deviation is expressed by another quantity, fractional co-variation. Basic properties of the fractal co-variation are demonstrated.

Fractional velocity is defined as the limit of the difference quotient of the increments of a function and its argument raised to a fractional power. The fractional velocity can be suitable for characterizing singular behavior of derivatives of Hölderian functions and non differentiable functions. Relations to integer-order derivatives and other integral-based definitions are discussed.It is demonstrated that for Hölder functions under certain conditions the product rules deviates from the Leibniz rule. This deviation is expressed by another quantity, fractional co-variation.