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Journal Article 2005; 26(3): 264-267 PubMed PMID: 15990734 Citation  Keywords:  Health Promotion, Humans, Love, Models, Psychological, Psychophysiology, Stress, Psychological:physiopathology,.   

: Love has consequences for health and well-being. Engaging in joyful activities such as love may activate areas in the brain responsible for emotion, attention, motivation and memory (i.e., limbic structures), and it may further serve to control the autonomic nervous system, i.e., stress reduction. This specific CNS activity pattern appears to exert protective effects, even on the brain itself. Moreover, anxiolytic effects of pleasurable experiences may occur by promotion of an inhibitory tone in specific areas of the brain. Thus, love and pleasure clearly are capable of stimulating health, well-being and (re)productivity: This wonderful biological instrument makes procreation and maintenance of organisms and their species a deeply rewarding and pleasurable experience, thus ensuring survival, health, and perpetuation....

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Journal Article 2005; 26(3): 219-224 PubMed PMID: 15990725 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Cerebral Cortex, Cerebral Ventricles, Choristoma, Electroencephalography, Epilepsy:epidemiology, Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory, Female, Humans, Hydrocephalus:epidemiology, Incidence, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Median Nerve:physiolog.   

OBJECTIVES: Developmental cerebral dysplasias are frequent causes of epilepsy. The early stage of gestation, mainly the period of neural crest separation and neuroblast migration (disturbance of midline structures, heterotopias, cortical dysplasias and disturbance of the ventricular and vascular formation), may be considered as a cause of serious cerebral dysplasia. The aim of the study was focused on frequent simultaneous occurrences of epileptic seizures and the defect or abnormality of the ventricular system - cavum septi pellucidi (CSP).

MATERIAL AND METHOD: In our study the clinical symptoms, EEG and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP's) following median nerve stimulation and MRI pictures in the group of patients with CSP (n= 35), were analyzed. In the SEP analysis, a control group of normal, healthy volunteers (n = 40) and a group of age matched patients with epileptic seizures of different origin, without structural lesions evident on MRI (n=21), were used.

RESULTS: Analysis of the patient population with CSP (CSP was confirmed by MRI) showed that approximately in 2/3 cases, different types of cranio-cerebral dysplasias were evident on MRI. More than 2/3 of the patients with CSP showed epilepsy and an abnormal EEG record, however, focal EEG changes were seen more frequently in the group of patients with epilepsy without CSP, than in patients with CSP. The SEP's in patients with CSP showed a statistically significant prolongation of latency of thalamic P15 waves, however these changes were not present in the group of patients with epilepsy of a different origin.

CONCLUSIONS: In a group of patients with CSP, dysplastic MRI changes, together with the prolongation of thalamic wave latencies according SEP, were examined. These clinical symptoms may be considered the result of disturbances of early gestation and of lesions of midline structures. CSP became an interesting model opportunity for us, and allowed for the clinical, MRI and electrophysiological examination of developmental cerebral dysplasias. We believe that there is an important role for septal and diencephalic midline structures in cerebral electrogenesis, and possibly in the origin of epileptic seizures too....

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Journal Article 2005; 26(3): 197-203 PubMed PMID: 15990721 Citation  Keywords:  Aging:physiology, Animals, Antibodies, Blood Pressure:physiology, Body Temperature:physiology, Caloric Restriction, Cell Survival:physiology, Estrogen Receptor alpha:immunology, Female, Immunohistochemistry, Luteinizing Hormone:metabolism, Mice, Mice, Inb.   

: Life-long calorie restriction (CR) remains the most robust and reliable means of extending life span in mammals. Among the several theories to explain CR actions, one variant of the neuroendocrine theories of aging postulates that changing hypothalamic sensitivity to endocrine feedback is the clock that times phenotypic change over the life span. If the feedback sensitivity hypothesis is correct, CR animals should display a significantly different pattern of hormone-sensitive cell density and distribution in the hypothalamus. Of the many endocrine signal receptors that may be involved in maintaining hypothalamic feedback sensitivity, our study has selected to begin mapping those for estrogen (E). Altered hypothalamic sensitivity to E is known to schedule reproductive maturation and influence reproductive senescence. Taking estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) immunoreactivity as an index of sensitivity to E, we counted ERalpha immunoreactive and non-immunoreactive cells in the pre-optic hypothalamus of young (6 weeks), ad-libitum (Old-AL) fed old (22 months), and calorie restricted (Old-CR) old (22 months) female B6D2F1 mice. An automated imaging microscopy system (AIMS) was used to generate cell counts for each sampled section of pre-optic hypothalamus. Results show a 38% reduction in ERalpha immunoreactive cells and an 18% reduction in total cell numbers in AL-old mice in comparison to young mice. However, CR mice only show a 19% reduction in ERalpha immunoreactive cells and a 13% reduction in total cell numbers in comparison to young mice. This indicates CR prevents age-related cell loss and maintains estrogen sensitivity in the pre-optic hypothalamus of old female B6D2F1 mice....

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Journal Article 2005; 26(3): 193-195 PubMed PMID: 15990720 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Cortex:cytology, Animals, Biological Clocks:physiology, Cell Aging:physiology, Humans,.   

: It is well known that plasma levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a steroid hormone secreted by zona reticularis (ZR) of the adrenal cortex, reach the maximal values in the third decade of life and then gradually decline with age. Moreover, the DHEA deficiency is probably responsible for several functional disturbances connected with aging. It was also found that ZR reaches its definitive volume at puberty and undergoes selective atrophy during the aging. Thus, the decline of DHEA may be a simple consequence of ZR atrophy in aged subjects. A hypothesis presented here attempts to explain the mechanism of the age-related ZR atrophy and is based on the adrenal cortex cell kinetics. In the adrenal cortex the cell proliferation indices are lower when we pass from zona glomerulosa (ZG) to the inner zones and are the lowest in ZR. In contrast, the apoptotic index is the highest in ZR. It is suggested that adrenocortical cells renew from the progenitor cells located in ZG /zona fasculata boundary and /or in subcapsular layer. These cells migrate centripetally undergoing the subsequent steps of differention and consecutive divisions - and - if not die en route - reach the most central localization in ZR. In consequence, ZR includes the "oldest" adrenocortical cells which probably in majority reached the "Hayflick's number" and cannot divide. This results in the preponderance of apoptosis over proliferation leading to progressive ZR atrophy followed by a decline of secretion of ZR-derived steroid hormones....

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Journal Article 2005; 26(3): 175-192 PubMed PMID: 15990719 Citation  Keywords:  Happiness, Humans, Limbic System:physiology, Love, Neurosecretory Systems:physiology, Stress, Psychological:physiopathology,.   

: Love is a complex neurobiological phenomenon, relying on trust, belief, pleasure and reward activities within the brain, i.e., limbic processes. These processes critically involve oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, and serotonergic signaling. Moreover, endorphin and endogenous morphinergic mechanisms, coupled to nitric oxide autoregulatory pathways, play a role. Naturally rewarding or pleasurable activities are necessary for survival and appetitive motivation, usually governing beneficial biological behaviors like eating, sex, and reproduction. Yet, a broad basis of common signaling and beneficial neurobiological features exists with connection to the love concept, thereby combining physiological aspects related to maternal, romantic or sexual love and attachment with other healthy activities or neurobiological states. Medical practice can make use of this concept, i.e., mind/body or integrative medicine. Thus, love, pleasure, and lust have a stress-reducing and health-promoting potential, since they carry the ability to heal or facilitate beneficial motivation and behavior. In addition, love and pleasure ensure the survival of individuals and their species. After all, love is a joyful and useful activity that encompasses wellness and feelings of well-being....

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Editorial 2005; 26(3): 173-174 PubMed PMID: 15990718 Citation  Keywords:  Humans, Love, Neurosecretory Systems:physiology, Stress, Psychological:physiopathology,.   

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Clinical Trial 2005; 26(2): 148-151 PubMed PMID: 15855887 Citation  Keywords:  Adipose Tissue:physiology, Adolescent, Adult, Anthropometry, Body Composition:physiology, Body Mass Index, Exercise, Football:physiology, Humans, Leptin:blood, Life Style, Male, Reference Values,.   

OBJECTIVE: In the present study we aimed at investigating leptin levels in professional male athletes who have been exercising regularly for a long time and leptin levels in healthy sedentary males.

METHODS: The study included 10 male professional football players and 17 healthy sedentary males. The relations between groups in terms of leptin levels, Max VO2 levels, blood lactic acid levels before and after exercise and effort durations were investigated.

RESULTS: It was found in the study that although BMI of professional male athletes was higher than that of the healthy sedentary males, leptin levels of the former were significantly lower (p<0.01), while VO2Max levels (p<0.05) and test periods (p<0.01) were significantly higher than those in the latter. As for lactic acid levels after exercise and between groups, these were also higher in athletes, but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Leptin levels of those who exercised regularly were found lower than the levels in healthy males. Although the increase in serum leptin levels is in direct proportion with BMI in general, the major determinant of serum leptin level is the body fat rate. As regular exercising reduces body fat rate, it also reduces serum leptin levels....

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Clinical Trial 2005; 26(2): 143-147 PubMed PMID: 15855886 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Cerebral Cortex:physiology, Diabetes Complications:physiopathology, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2:complications, Diabetic Neuropathies:diagnosis, Evoked Potentials, Motor:physiology, Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory:physiology, Humans, Middle Aged, Neu.   

OBJECTIVES: Diabetic neuropathy and autonomic nervous system neuropathy are recognized as the most common clinical pictures of nervous system disorders caused by diabetes mellitus (DM). Damage to the brain and the spinal cord is rare. The aim of this work is to show the importance of somatosensory and motor evoked potentials (SEP and MEP) for the early diagnosis of nervous system damage related to diabetes mellitus.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined spinal and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) after median and fibular nerve stimulation in diabetics and control subjects. We measured the latencies of individual wave deflections and peripheral and central conduction time (PCT and CCT) of spinal and cortical SEP. Similarly, transcranial magnetic stimulation was used for measuring the central and peripheral conduction time (CCT and PCT) in a group of type 1 diabetics and a control group of volunteers.

RESULTS: The examination SEP and MEP proved and confirmed the prolongation not only of peripheral conduction time, but also of the central conduction time - especially in spinal cord structures. An assumption that spinal cord changes are connected with the decreased number of myelinated fibers able to conduct the impulses from periphery and brain cortex, respectively, has to be accepted.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the use of somatosensory and motor evoked potentials (SEP and MEP) examination and conduction times measurement has significance in the confirmation of unapparent lesions of the spinal cord in diabetics of both types....

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