Juan Forero - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Juan Forero
Journal of neuroscience research, Jan 14, 2017
Electrical stimulation (ES) to promote corticospinal tract (CST) repair after spinal cord injury ... more Electrical stimulation (ES) to promote corticospinal tract (CST) repair after spinal cord injury (SCI) is underinvestigated. This study is the first to detail intracortical ES of the injured CST. We hypothesize that cortical ES will promote CST collateralization and regeneration, prevent dieback, and improve recovery in an SCI rat model. The CST was transected at the the fourth cervical level in adult female Lewis rats trained in a stairwell grasping task. Animal groups included (a) ES333 (n = 14; 333 Hz, biphasic pulse for 0.2-ms duration every 500 ms, 30 pulses per train); (b) ES20 (n = 14; 20 Hz, biphasic pulse for 0.2-ms duration every 1 s, 60 pulses per train); (c) SCI only (n = 10); and (d) sham (n = 10). ES of the injured forelimb's motor cortex was performed for 30 min immediately prior to SCI. Comparisons between histological data were performed with a 1-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test, and grasping scores were compared using repeated-measures 2-way ANOVA. Significantl...
Biomedical materials (Bristol, England), Feb 25, 2017
In this study, GFP+ skin-derived precursor Schwann cells (SKP-SCs) from adult rats were grafted i... more In this study, GFP+ skin-derived precursor Schwann cells (SKP-SCs) from adult rats were grafted into the injured spinal cord of immunosuppressed rats. Our goal was to improve grafted cell survival in the injured spinal cord, which is typically low. Cells were grafted in hyaluronan-methylcellulose hydrogel (HAMC) or hyaluronan-methylcellulose modified with laminin- and fibronectin-derived peptide sequences (eHAMC). The criteria for selection of hyaluronan was for its shear-thinning properties, making the hydrogel easy to inject, methylcellulose for its inverse thermal gelation, helping to keep grafted cells in situ, and fibronectin and laminin to improve cell attachment and, thus, prevent cell death due to dissociation from substrate molecules (i.e., anoikis). Post-mortem examination revealed large masses of GFP+ SKP-SCs in the spinal cords of rats that received cells in HAMC (5 out of n = 8) and eHAMC (6 out of n = 8). Cell transplantation in eHAMC caused significantly greater spina...
EMBO molecular medicine, Nov 9, 2017
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor,... more Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems. Previous studies indicated that levels of brain gangliosides are lower than normal in HD models and that administration of exogenous ganglioside GM1 corrects motor dysfunction in the YAC128 mouse model of HD In this study, we provide evidence that intraventricular administration of GM1 has profound disease-modifying effects across HD mouse models with different genetic background. GM1 administration results in decreased levels of mutant huntingtin, the protein that causes HD, and in a wide array of beneficial effects that include changes in levels of DARPP32, ferritin, Iba1 and GFAP, modulation of dopamine and serotonin metabolism, and restoration of normal levels of glutamate, GABA, L-Ser and D-Ser. Treatment with GM1 slows down neurodegeneration, white matter atrophy and body weight loss in R6/2 mice. Motor functions are significantly improved in R6...
Behavioural brain research, Jan 25, 2017
The single pellet reaching and grasping (SPG) task is widely used to study forelimb motor perform... more The single pellet reaching and grasping (SPG) task is widely used to study forelimb motor performance in rodents and to provide rehabilitation after neurological disorders. Nonetheless, the time necessary to train animals precludes its use in settings where high-intensity training is required. In the current study, we developed a novel high-intensity training protocol for the SPG task based on a motorized pellet dispenser and a dual-window enclosure. We tested the protocol in naive adult rats and found 1) an increase in the intensity of training without increasing the task time and without affecting the overall performance of the animals, 2) a reduction in the variability within and between experiments in comparison to manual SPG training, and 3) a reduction in the time required to conduct experiments. In summary, we developed and tested a novel protocol for SPG training that provides higher-intensity training while reducing the variability of results observed with other protocols.
Proceedings of the Second Joint 24th Annual Conference and the Annual Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society] [Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 2002
ABSTRACT EMG signal of the response of the flexor carpi radialis muscle of the non-dominant arm o... more ABSTRACT EMG signal of the response of the flexor carpi radialis muscle of the non-dominant arm of six subjects was recorded after a mechanical pulse perturbation was applied to the forward stretched forearm. Two parameters were defined; the reflex onset time is the time elapsed between the perturbation application and the reflex activation, and the reflex magnitude is the magnitude of the reflex signal. Both variables were found independent of the perturbation characteristics (pulse magnitude and duration) and the muscle activity level.
Proceedings of the Second Joint 24th Annual Conference and the Annual Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society] [Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 2002
ABSTRACT Wrist response has been widely evaluated in order to classify the sources of wrist relat... more ABSTRACT Wrist response has been widely evaluated in order to classify the sources of wrist related disorders, or to evaluate the risk involved on wrist loading activities. These studies have been focused on a qualitative approach of the wrist response. The current study quantifies the wrist response based on a single degree of freedom model. The natural frequency and the damping were estimated from the data gathered during the experiments. The stiffness was calculated based on the model definition. No variation of the damping is related to the loading conditions or muscular activity. Both natural frequency and stiffness increase as muscle activity increases. However, these two model parameters values tend to level off at higher muscle activity levels.
Experimental Brain Research, 2015
Light touch at the fingertip has been shown to influence postural control during standing and wal... more Light touch at the fingertip has been shown to influence postural control during standing and walking. Interlimb cutaneous reflexes have been proposed to provide a neural link between the upper and lower limbs to assist in interlimb coordination during activities such as walking. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that cutaneous sensory pathways linking the arm and leg will be facilitated if subjects use light touch to assist with postural control during treadmill walking. To test this, interlimb cutaneous reflexes from the median nerve, serving the skin contact region, and radial nerve, serving an irrelevant sensory territory, were tested in the legs of subjects walking on treadmill in an unstable environment. Interlimb cutaneous reflexes were tested while subjects (a) touched or (b) did not touch a stable contact with their fingertip, and while the eyes were either (c) open or (d) closed. Reflexes arising from both nerves were facilitated when vision was removed that was then ameliorated when touch was provided. These changes in reflex amplitude during the eyes closed conditions were mirrored by changes in background muscle activity. We suggest that this facilitation of interlimb reflexes from both nerves arises from a generalized increase in excitability related to the postural anxiety of walking on a treadmill with the eyes closed, which is then restored by the provision of light touch. However, the influence of touch when the eyes were open differed depending upon the nerve stimulated. Radial nerve reflexes in the legs were suppressed when touch was provided, mirroring a suppression in the background muscle activity. In contrast, median nerve reflexes in the leg were larger when touch was provided with the eyes open, despite a suppression of background muscle activity. This nerve-specific effect of touch on the amplitude of the interlimb cutaneous reflexes suggests that touch sensory information from the median nerve was facilitated when that input was functionally relevant.
Journal of neurophysiology, 2014
The arms have been shown to be involved in the regulation of balance during walking. The use of a... more The arms have been shown to be involved in the regulation of balance during walking. The use of a walking aid enhances balance by increasing the base of support and reducing the load on the legs by partly transferring it to the arms. However, when actively engaged during a balance task, perturbations to the arms can destabilize balance. Previous studies have investigated postural adjustments associated with focal arm movements during standing and walking. However, balance-corrective reactions to unexpected perturbations to the arms during walking have not been well studied. In the present study, subjects walked on a treadmill while grasping a pair of handles when sudden perturbations were delivered by displacing the handles in the forward or backward direction. Instructing subjects to oppose the displacement of the handles resulted in strong responses in the arms that were accompanied by activation of muscles in the legs, comparable to those observed in other balance disturbance stu...
Experimental Brain Research, 2014
Light touch contact of the tip of one finger can influence the postural control of subjects stand... more Light touch contact of the tip of one finger can influence the postural control of subjects standing or walking on a treadmill. It is suggested that haptic cues from the finger provide an important sensory cue for the control of posture. In the current study, we used intra-limb cutaneous reflexes in the arms to test the hypothesis that transmission in sensory pathways relevant to the light touch contact would be modulated when light touch is used to increase stability during walking in an unstable environment. Subjects walked on a treadmill and received periodic pulls to the waist. Cutaneous reflexes were evoked from stimulation of the median and radial nerves while the subjects either (a) lightly touched or (b) did not touch a stable contact with the tip of their index finger, while the eyes were either (c) open or (d) closed. The results showed that cutaneous reflexes were modulated by both touch and vision. The effect of touch depended on the nerve being stimulated. The provision of touch in the absence of vision resulted in facilitation of median nerve reflexes evoked in the posterior deltoid and the triceps brachii, but resulted in the suppression of radial nerve reflexes. The nerve-specific influence of touch observed in the responses suggests that cutaneous afferent pathways are facilitated in the presence of touch if they transport sensory information from functionally relevant sensory cues.
Exercise and sport sciences reviews, Jan 19, 2015
When considering plasticity, the central nervous system can be viewed as a building block house. ... more When considering plasticity, the central nervous system can be viewed as a building block house. Following damage, building components might be lost or loosened and may be rearranged by renovation, analogous to neuroplasticity that occurs following CNS injury. In both scenarios, the location and severity of damage will determine the efficacy of renovation/rehabilitation, and thus the quality of the adapted structure. Viewing the central nervous system as a set of building components is useful to describe injury-induced neuroplasticity.
Experimental Brain Research, 2013
The arms play an important role in balance regulation during walking. In general, perturbations d... more The arms play an important role in balance regulation during walking. In general, perturbations delivered during walking trigger whole-body corrective responses. For instance, holding to stable handles can largely attenuate and even suppress responses in the leg muscles to perturbations during walking. Particular attention has been given to the influence of light touch on postural control. During standing, lightly touching a stable contact greatly reduces body sway and enhances corrective responses to postural perturbations, whereas light touch during walking allows subjects to continue to walk on a treadmill with the eyes closed. We hypothesized that in the absence of mechanical support from the arms, sensory cues from the hands would modulate responses in the legs to balance disturbing perturbations delivered at the torso during walking. To test this, subjects walked on a treadmill while periodically being pulled backwards at the waist while walking. The amplitude of the responses evoked in tibialis anterior to these perturbations was compared across 4 test conditions, in a 2 × 2 design. Subjects either (a) lightly touched or (b) did not touch a stable contact, while the eyes were (c) open or (d) closed. Allowing the subjects to touch a stable contact resulted in a reduction in the amount of fore-aft oscillation of the body on the treadmill, which was accompanied by a reduction in the ongoing electromyographic activity in both tibialis anterior and soleus during undisturbed walking. In contrast, the provision of touch resulted in an increase in the amplitude of the evoked responses in tibialis anterior to the backward perturbations that was more evident when subjects walked with the eyes closed. These results indicate that light touch provides a sensory cue that can be used to assist in stabilizing the body while walking. In addition, the sensory information provided by light touch contributes to the regulation of corrective reactions initiated by balance disturbances encountered during walking.
revistaing.uniandes.edu.co
La evaluación de vehículos se realiza con base en estándares internacionales, en particular aquel... more La evaluación de vehículos se realiza con base en estándares internacionales, en particular aquellos desarrollados por la SAE. El Centro de Investigación en Control Ambiental, Vehículos y Combustibles desarrolló un sistema para la evaluación de vehículos, el cual ha sido ...
Journal of Thermal Analysis …, 2008
A new solution-reaction isoperibol calorimeter was developed to measure enthalpies of solution an... more A new solution-reaction isoperibol calorimeter was developed to measure enthalpies of solution and reaction. A new system of sample cell was developed to avoid the breaking of glass ampoules, hence making the sample cell reusable. The system is suitable for measuring molar enthalpies of solid-liquid and liquid-liquid interactions at different temperatures. The reproducibility and accuracy of the apparatus were tested by measuring the enthalpy of solution of KCl in water at 298.15 K and the enthalpy of protonation of THAM in HCl (0.1 M) at 298.15 K. The results showed the uncertainty taken as the reproducibility was ±0.3% and the difference with the literature values was within ±0.5%.
Journal of neuroscience research, Jan 14, 2017
Electrical stimulation (ES) to promote corticospinal tract (CST) repair after spinal cord injury ... more Electrical stimulation (ES) to promote corticospinal tract (CST) repair after spinal cord injury (SCI) is underinvestigated. This study is the first to detail intracortical ES of the injured CST. We hypothesize that cortical ES will promote CST collateralization and regeneration, prevent dieback, and improve recovery in an SCI rat model. The CST was transected at the the fourth cervical level in adult female Lewis rats trained in a stairwell grasping task. Animal groups included (a) ES333 (n = 14; 333 Hz, biphasic pulse for 0.2-ms duration every 500 ms, 30 pulses per train); (b) ES20 (n = 14; 20 Hz, biphasic pulse for 0.2-ms duration every 1 s, 60 pulses per train); (c) SCI only (n = 10); and (d) sham (n = 10). ES of the injured forelimb's motor cortex was performed for 30 min immediately prior to SCI. Comparisons between histological data were performed with a 1-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test, and grasping scores were compared using repeated-measures 2-way ANOVA. Significantl...
Biomedical materials (Bristol, England), Feb 25, 2017
In this study, GFP+ skin-derived precursor Schwann cells (SKP-SCs) from adult rats were grafted i... more In this study, GFP+ skin-derived precursor Schwann cells (SKP-SCs) from adult rats were grafted into the injured spinal cord of immunosuppressed rats. Our goal was to improve grafted cell survival in the injured spinal cord, which is typically low. Cells were grafted in hyaluronan-methylcellulose hydrogel (HAMC) or hyaluronan-methylcellulose modified with laminin- and fibronectin-derived peptide sequences (eHAMC). The criteria for selection of hyaluronan was for its shear-thinning properties, making the hydrogel easy to inject, methylcellulose for its inverse thermal gelation, helping to keep grafted cells in situ, and fibronectin and laminin to improve cell attachment and, thus, prevent cell death due to dissociation from substrate molecules (i.e., anoikis). Post-mortem examination revealed large masses of GFP+ SKP-SCs in the spinal cords of rats that received cells in HAMC (5 out of n = 8) and eHAMC (6 out of n = 8). Cell transplantation in eHAMC caused significantly greater spina...
EMBO molecular medicine, Nov 9, 2017
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor,... more Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems. Previous studies indicated that levels of brain gangliosides are lower than normal in HD models and that administration of exogenous ganglioside GM1 corrects motor dysfunction in the YAC128 mouse model of HD In this study, we provide evidence that intraventricular administration of GM1 has profound disease-modifying effects across HD mouse models with different genetic background. GM1 administration results in decreased levels of mutant huntingtin, the protein that causes HD, and in a wide array of beneficial effects that include changes in levels of DARPP32, ferritin, Iba1 and GFAP, modulation of dopamine and serotonin metabolism, and restoration of normal levels of glutamate, GABA, L-Ser and D-Ser. Treatment with GM1 slows down neurodegeneration, white matter atrophy and body weight loss in R6/2 mice. Motor functions are significantly improved in R6...
Behavioural brain research, Jan 25, 2017
The single pellet reaching and grasping (SPG) task is widely used to study forelimb motor perform... more The single pellet reaching and grasping (SPG) task is widely used to study forelimb motor performance in rodents and to provide rehabilitation after neurological disorders. Nonetheless, the time necessary to train animals precludes its use in settings where high-intensity training is required. In the current study, we developed a novel high-intensity training protocol for the SPG task based on a motorized pellet dispenser and a dual-window enclosure. We tested the protocol in naive adult rats and found 1) an increase in the intensity of training without increasing the task time and without affecting the overall performance of the animals, 2) a reduction in the variability within and between experiments in comparison to manual SPG training, and 3) a reduction in the time required to conduct experiments. In summary, we developed and tested a novel protocol for SPG training that provides higher-intensity training while reducing the variability of results observed with other protocols.
Proceedings of the Second Joint 24th Annual Conference and the Annual Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society] [Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 2002
ABSTRACT EMG signal of the response of the flexor carpi radialis muscle of the non-dominant arm o... more ABSTRACT EMG signal of the response of the flexor carpi radialis muscle of the non-dominant arm of six subjects was recorded after a mechanical pulse perturbation was applied to the forward stretched forearm. Two parameters were defined; the reflex onset time is the time elapsed between the perturbation application and the reflex activation, and the reflex magnitude is the magnitude of the reflex signal. Both variables were found independent of the perturbation characteristics (pulse magnitude and duration) and the muscle activity level.
Proceedings of the Second Joint 24th Annual Conference and the Annual Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society] [Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 2002
ABSTRACT Wrist response has been widely evaluated in order to classify the sources of wrist relat... more ABSTRACT Wrist response has been widely evaluated in order to classify the sources of wrist related disorders, or to evaluate the risk involved on wrist loading activities. These studies have been focused on a qualitative approach of the wrist response. The current study quantifies the wrist response based on a single degree of freedom model. The natural frequency and the damping were estimated from the data gathered during the experiments. The stiffness was calculated based on the model definition. No variation of the damping is related to the loading conditions or muscular activity. Both natural frequency and stiffness increase as muscle activity increases. However, these two model parameters values tend to level off at higher muscle activity levels.
Experimental Brain Research, 2015
Light touch at the fingertip has been shown to influence postural control during standing and wal... more Light touch at the fingertip has been shown to influence postural control during standing and walking. Interlimb cutaneous reflexes have been proposed to provide a neural link between the upper and lower limbs to assist in interlimb coordination during activities such as walking. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that cutaneous sensory pathways linking the arm and leg will be facilitated if subjects use light touch to assist with postural control during treadmill walking. To test this, interlimb cutaneous reflexes from the median nerve, serving the skin contact region, and radial nerve, serving an irrelevant sensory territory, were tested in the legs of subjects walking on treadmill in an unstable environment. Interlimb cutaneous reflexes were tested while subjects (a) touched or (b) did not touch a stable contact with their fingertip, and while the eyes were either (c) open or (d) closed. Reflexes arising from both nerves were facilitated when vision was removed that was then ameliorated when touch was provided. These changes in reflex amplitude during the eyes closed conditions were mirrored by changes in background muscle activity. We suggest that this facilitation of interlimb reflexes from both nerves arises from a generalized increase in excitability related to the postural anxiety of walking on a treadmill with the eyes closed, which is then restored by the provision of light touch. However, the influence of touch when the eyes were open differed depending upon the nerve stimulated. Radial nerve reflexes in the legs were suppressed when touch was provided, mirroring a suppression in the background muscle activity. In contrast, median nerve reflexes in the leg were larger when touch was provided with the eyes open, despite a suppression of background muscle activity. This nerve-specific effect of touch on the amplitude of the interlimb cutaneous reflexes suggests that touch sensory information from the median nerve was facilitated when that input was functionally relevant.
Journal of neurophysiology, 2014
The arms have been shown to be involved in the regulation of balance during walking. The use of a... more The arms have been shown to be involved in the regulation of balance during walking. The use of a walking aid enhances balance by increasing the base of support and reducing the load on the legs by partly transferring it to the arms. However, when actively engaged during a balance task, perturbations to the arms can destabilize balance. Previous studies have investigated postural adjustments associated with focal arm movements during standing and walking. However, balance-corrective reactions to unexpected perturbations to the arms during walking have not been well studied. In the present study, subjects walked on a treadmill while grasping a pair of handles when sudden perturbations were delivered by displacing the handles in the forward or backward direction. Instructing subjects to oppose the displacement of the handles resulted in strong responses in the arms that were accompanied by activation of muscles in the legs, comparable to those observed in other balance disturbance stu...
Experimental Brain Research, 2014
Light touch contact of the tip of one finger can influence the postural control of subjects stand... more Light touch contact of the tip of one finger can influence the postural control of subjects standing or walking on a treadmill. It is suggested that haptic cues from the finger provide an important sensory cue for the control of posture. In the current study, we used intra-limb cutaneous reflexes in the arms to test the hypothesis that transmission in sensory pathways relevant to the light touch contact would be modulated when light touch is used to increase stability during walking in an unstable environment. Subjects walked on a treadmill and received periodic pulls to the waist. Cutaneous reflexes were evoked from stimulation of the median and radial nerves while the subjects either (a) lightly touched or (b) did not touch a stable contact with the tip of their index finger, while the eyes were either (c) open or (d) closed. The results showed that cutaneous reflexes were modulated by both touch and vision. The effect of touch depended on the nerve being stimulated. The provision of touch in the absence of vision resulted in facilitation of median nerve reflexes evoked in the posterior deltoid and the triceps brachii, but resulted in the suppression of radial nerve reflexes. The nerve-specific influence of touch observed in the responses suggests that cutaneous afferent pathways are facilitated in the presence of touch if they transport sensory information from functionally relevant sensory cues.
Exercise and sport sciences reviews, Jan 19, 2015
When considering plasticity, the central nervous system can be viewed as a building block house. ... more When considering plasticity, the central nervous system can be viewed as a building block house. Following damage, building components might be lost or loosened and may be rearranged by renovation, analogous to neuroplasticity that occurs following CNS injury. In both scenarios, the location and severity of damage will determine the efficacy of renovation/rehabilitation, and thus the quality of the adapted structure. Viewing the central nervous system as a set of building components is useful to describe injury-induced neuroplasticity.
Experimental Brain Research, 2013
The arms play an important role in balance regulation during walking. In general, perturbations d... more The arms play an important role in balance regulation during walking. In general, perturbations delivered during walking trigger whole-body corrective responses. For instance, holding to stable handles can largely attenuate and even suppress responses in the leg muscles to perturbations during walking. Particular attention has been given to the influence of light touch on postural control. During standing, lightly touching a stable contact greatly reduces body sway and enhances corrective responses to postural perturbations, whereas light touch during walking allows subjects to continue to walk on a treadmill with the eyes closed. We hypothesized that in the absence of mechanical support from the arms, sensory cues from the hands would modulate responses in the legs to balance disturbing perturbations delivered at the torso during walking. To test this, subjects walked on a treadmill while periodically being pulled backwards at the waist while walking. The amplitude of the responses evoked in tibialis anterior to these perturbations was compared across 4 test conditions, in a 2 × 2 design. Subjects either (a) lightly touched or (b) did not touch a stable contact, while the eyes were (c) open or (d) closed. Allowing the subjects to touch a stable contact resulted in a reduction in the amount of fore-aft oscillation of the body on the treadmill, which was accompanied by a reduction in the ongoing electromyographic activity in both tibialis anterior and soleus during undisturbed walking. In contrast, the provision of touch resulted in an increase in the amplitude of the evoked responses in tibialis anterior to the backward perturbations that was more evident when subjects walked with the eyes closed. These results indicate that light touch provides a sensory cue that can be used to assist in stabilizing the body while walking. In addition, the sensory information provided by light touch contributes to the regulation of corrective reactions initiated by balance disturbances encountered during walking.
revistaing.uniandes.edu.co
La evaluación de vehículos se realiza con base en estándares internacionales, en particular aquel... more La evaluación de vehículos se realiza con base en estándares internacionales, en particular aquellos desarrollados por la SAE. El Centro de Investigación en Control Ambiental, Vehículos y Combustibles desarrolló un sistema para la evaluación de vehículos, el cual ha sido ...
Journal of Thermal Analysis …, 2008
A new solution-reaction isoperibol calorimeter was developed to measure enthalpies of solution an... more A new solution-reaction isoperibol calorimeter was developed to measure enthalpies of solution and reaction. A new system of sample cell was developed to avoid the breaking of glass ampoules, hence making the sample cell reusable. The system is suitable for measuring molar enthalpies of solid-liquid and liquid-liquid interactions at different temperatures. The reproducibility and accuracy of the apparatus were tested by measuring the enthalpy of solution of KCl in water at 298.15 K and the enthalpy of protonation of THAM in HCl (0.1 M) at 298.15 K. The results showed the uncertainty taken as the reproducibility was ±0.3% and the difference with the literature values was within ±0.5%.