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Reprint from ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION, Vol. 70. January 1989 - Spasticity: Quantitative Measurements as a Basis for Assessing Effectiveness of Therapeutic Intervention

News from Johns Hopkins Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery

"The focus of the study is on the plentiful neurons that communicate with each other through the neurotransmitter glutamate. While glutamate is a necessary excitatory substance in the nervous system, in excess, it overstimulates and becomes toxic - excitotoxic - to neurons. Fortunately, neighboring astrocytes can mop up the excess via molecular transporters embedded in their outer membranes. The chief transporter is a protein called EAAT2. Earlier Rothstein's group showed that astroglia - and their EAAT2 protein - are critical for normal neuron activity. In test rats whose astroglia lack the EAAT2 equivalent there's not only a flood of toxic glutamate but a resulting neuron death that leads to paralysis."

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins is pleased to present this online guide to our patient care, research and medical education programs.

Reseach Mission is to advance neuromuscular functional assessment using objective measurements of muscle tone, strength, and gait. Goal: To apply innovative techniques to facilitate improved treatment strategies and research evaluation.Our work includes measurement of neuromuscular and musculoskeletal function and dysfunction, with emphasis on quantification of the interrelationships of muscle tone, strength, and gait related to medical diagnosis such as: *Cerebral Palsy*Parkinson's Disease*Spinal Cord Injury *Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis*Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus*Obesity*Normal aging *Stroke*Transverse Myelitis*Traumatic Brain Injury

The Johns Hopkins Medicine Brain Science Institute's (BSi) mission is to solve fundamental questions about brain development and function and to use these insights to understand the mechanisms of brain disease