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Journal Article 2007; 28(4): 335-340 PubMed PMID: 17693982 Citation  Keywords:  Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity:chemically induced, Calcium:metabolism, Carbon Dioxide:metabolism, Child Development:drug effects, Chorionic Villi:metabolism, Cross-Sectional Studies, Embryonic Development:drug effects, Erythrocytes:metaboli.   

: This work points out consequences of lead on prenatal and postnatal development of child that have not been elaborated in such extent before. Our new method for proof of lead in placenta enabled us to show how lead is from mother's blood erythrocytes in the intervillous space released and received by the villous syncytiotrophoblast. This finding enriches relation between mother's erythrocytes, lead, calcium that is a lead carrier, and syncytiotrophoblast. Our finding of abundant thin terminal villi, that in some places form bunches observed in scanning electron microscope, points out deficiency of O2 and CO2 transport in placenta. This phenomenon is indirect evidence that periphery "starves" for oxygen that participates in maintaining conditions for intact development of child. Behaviour of fibrin deposit layer before the childbirth is also discussed. Attention is paid to possible rise of hyperkinetic syndrome of children as a consequence of mother's dwelling in environment polluted with lead. Presence of lead is verified by infrared spectroscopy....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(5): 386-390 PubMed PMID: 15580175 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Carbon Dioxide, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:metabolism, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiopathology, Male, Panic Disorder:chemically induced, Pituitary-Adrenal System:physiopathology, Reference Values, Saliva:metabolism, Sex Factors,.   

OBJECTIVES: The underlying mechanisms of panic attacks (PA's) are still unclear. Theories focusing on these mechanisms differ in their description of the relationship between panic and fear. The main controversy concerns whether a PA resembles the classical flight response, or whether it is qualitatively different from fear. According to the first theory, a PA would result in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) activation, whereas according to the second, it would not. So far, inconclusive results have been reported in studies measuring HPA-axis activity after laboratory evoked PA's. The present study was designed to assess cortisol levels following a 35% CO2 challenge in Panic Disorder (PD) patients compared to healthy volunteers as a measurement of HPA-axis activity.

DESIGN: Twenty-three PD patients and 20 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Cortisol was determined in saliva at regular intervals before and after the challenge. Furthermore, attention was paid to possible gender effects.

RESULTS: Although the 35% CO2 inhalation induced a significant increase in anxiety, no cortisol increase was found. Moreover, there was no difference between patient and control cortisol values following the 35% CO2 challenge, whereas the delta anxiety scores were far more pronounced in the patient group. Interestingly, male PD patients showed higher cortisol values.

CONCLUSIONS: This study may be in accordance with the view that PA's are not accompanied by an important HPA-axis activation. There are some indications for aberrant cortisol secretion in male PD patients. Further research needs to confirm whether male and female PD patients differ in their underlying mechanisms related to HPA-axis activity....

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