To aid in development of chronic stage treatments for sensorimotor deficits induced by ischemic stroke, we investigated the effects of GABA antagonism on brain structure and fine skilled reaching in a rat model of focal ischemia induced via cortical microinjections of endothelin-1 (ET-1). Beginning 7 days after stroke, animals were administered a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA A ) inverse agonist, L-655,708, at a dose low enough to afford α5-GABA A receptor specificity. A week after stroke, the ischemic lesion comprised a small hypointense necrotic core (6 ± 1 mm 3 ) surrounded by a large (62 ± 11 mm 3 ) hyperintense perilesional region; the skilled reaching ability on the Montoya staircase test was decreased to 34% ± 2% of the animals' prestroke performance level. On L-655,708 treatment, animals showed a progressive decrease in total stroke volume (13 ± 4 mm 3 per week), with no change in animals receiving placebo. Concomitantly, treated animals' skilled reaching progressively improved by 9% ± 1% per week, so that after 2 weeks of treatment, these animals performed at 65% ± 6% of their baseline ability, which was 25% ± 11% better than animals given placebo. These data indicate beneficial effects of delayed, sustained low-dose GABA A antagonism on neuroanatomic injury and skilled reaching in the chronic stage of stroke recovery in an ET-1 rat model of focal ischemia.

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There has been a fundamental change in health care pedagogy to address the demands and challenges posed by the present generation of millennial students. There is also a growing recognition of the role of intrinsic motivation as a catalyst in a positive learning experience. The term intrinsic motivation refers to energizing behavior that comes from within an individual and develops due to an inherent interest in the activity at hand. However, stimulating intrinsic motivation in the present generation of millennial health care students is a daunting task, considering their diverse and disparate nature. In addition, the inherent generational differences between educators and students, and an increasing emphasis on technological tools have resulted in a dichotomy in the educational environment leading to the development of a greater incidence of burnouts among students. Hence, numerous innovative techniques have been introduced in health care education to enhance the levels of intrinsic motivation in these students. Unfortunately, most of these approaches have only been moderately successful due to their limited ability to address the unique educational expectations of millennial students. The cumulative evidence suggests that specific approaches to stimulate intrinsic motivation should aim at nurturing the learning efforts of students, bridging the generational barriers between educators and students, and ameliorating the stress associated with health care education. Hence, the specific aim of this narrative review is to suggest empirically proven curricular strategies and institutional reforms to enhance intrinsic motivation in health care students belonging to the Millennial Generation.

This study suggests that the use of MPIOs as labeling agents are insufficient to conclusively determine the localization of iron within cells in regions of neuronal ischemia and hemorrhage.

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