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Plagemann A, Davidowa H, Harder T, Dudenhausen J. Developmental programming of the hypothalamus: a matter of insulin. A comment on: Horvath, T. L., Bruning, J. C.: Developmental programming of the hypothalamus: a matter of fat. Nat. Med. (2006) 12: 52-53. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 70-72
OBJECTIVE: Cortistatin (CST) is a 17-amino acid neuropeptide expressed mainly in the cortex and hippocampus. It is also found in the peripheral tissues such as the stomach, kidney, pancreas and the immune system. Two forms of cortistatin CST-17, CST-29 bind with high affinity all somatostatin (SS) receptor subtypes. It has been reported that a receptor called MrgX(2) is able to selectively bind both CST-17 and CST-14 rather than SS. In human tissues CST-17 and CST-29, rather than SS, also bind ghrelin receptor GHS-r1a. In in vivo experiments CST inhibited GH and insulin secretion.
THE AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cortistatin on GH release in in vitro experiments.
RESEARCH METHODS: CST-14 and SS-14 in doses of 1nMol, 10nMol, and 100nMol were added after 48 hrs of pituitary cell culture, and the medium was collected 30, 60, 120, 240 min thereafter. rGH was measured with RIA kits provided by Linco.
RESULTS: CST-14 stimulated GH release from cultured pituitary cells in a dose dependent manner. The maximum effect of CST-14 was observed after 60 min of incubation. However, SS-14 in doses of 10 nMol and 100 nMol inhibited GH release.
CONCLUSION: A direct stimulating effect of Cortistatin-14 on GH release from cultured pituitary cells was found....
Baranowska B, Chmielowska M, Wolinska-Witort E, Bik W, Baranowska-Bik A, Martynska L. Direct effect of cortistatin on GH release from cultured pituitary cells in the rat. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 153-156
OBJECTIVES: Growth hormone (GH) deficiency in adults is associated with a higher risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. It has recently been suggested that enhanced oxidative stress may be implicated in vascular (and probably other) disturbances, occurring in GH-deficient subjects. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products in adult patients with severe GH deficiency during insulin tolerance test (ITT), and to estimate the relationships between LPO and GH, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and other parameters of metabolic processes.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve adult patients with severe GH deficiency hospitalized in our department and 12 healthy volunteers, matched for sex, age and body mass index (BMI), were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood was collected during ITT. The concentrations of malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA+4-HDA), as an index of LPO, were measured in blood serum.
RESULTS: Serum LPO level was approximately twice as high in GH-deficient patients as in the controls at each time point of ITT. A positive correlation was found between bone mineral density in the lumbar spine and GH concentration in GH-deficient patients. A positive correlation was found between LPO and BMI in the controls, but no such correlation was observed in GH-deficient patients.
CONCLUSION: The increased LPO in GH-deficient patients may indicate enhanced oxidative stress within the vascular compartment and, possibly, in other tissues, which may contribute to the proatherogenic state and corresponding organ disturbances in GH-deficient patients, independently from conventional risk factors....
Kokoszko A, Karbownik M, Lewiński A. Increased lipid peroxidation in growth hormone-deficient adult patients. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 225-230
OBJECTIVES: An increased behavioural response ("behavioural sensitization") to drugs of abuse occurs after repeated treatment. In the present study the possibility of cross-sensitization existence between various cannabinoid receptor ligands--CB1 agonist methanandamide, CB2 agonist JWH 015, and CB1 antagonist AM 251 with methamphetamine was explored.
METHODS: Locomotion in the open field was measured in naive mice and in those pre-treated acutely and repeatedly (for 8 days), respectively, with either vehicle or tested drugs.
RESULTS: Methamphetamine produced significant sensitization to its stimulatory effect on locomotion. Methanandamide pre-treatment elicited cross-sensitization to methamphetamine effect, whereas pre-treatment with JWH 015 did not. Combined pre-treatment with methamphetamine+AM 251 suppressed sensitization to methamphetamine.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the activity of the endocannabinoid system is involved in the neuronal circuitry underlying the development of sensitization to methamphetamine....
Landa L, Sulcova A, Slais K. Involvement of cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptor activity in the development of behavioural sensitization to methamphetamine effects in mice. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 63-69
OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to investigate how exhaustion exercise affects thyroid hormones and testosterone levels in elite athletes who are supplemented with oral zinc sulfate for 4 weeks.
METHODS: The study included 10 male wrestlers, who had been licensed wrestlers for at least 6 years. Mean age of the wrestlers who volunteered in the study was 18.70 +/- 2.4 years. All subjects were supplemented with oral zinc sulfate (3 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks in addition to their normal diet. Thyroid hormone and testosterone levels of all subjects were determined as resting and exhaustion before and after zinc supplementation.
RESULTS: Resting TT3, TT4, FT3, FT4 and TSH levels of subjects were higher than the parameters measured after exhaustion exercise before zinc supplementation (p<0.05). Both resting and exhaustion TT3, TT4 and FT3 values after 4-week zinc supplementation were found significantly higher than both of the parameters (resting and exhaustion) measured before zinc supplementation (p<0.05). Resting total testosterone and free testosterone levels before zinc supplementation were significantly higher than exhaustion levels before zinc supplementation (p<0.05). Both resting and exhaustion total and free testosterone levels following 4-week zinc supplementation were found significantly higher than the levels (both resting and exhaustion) measured before zinc supplementation (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Findings of our study demonstrate that exhaustion exercise led to a significant inhibition of both thyroid hormones and testosterone concentrations, but that 4-week zinc supplementation prevented this inhibition in wrestlers. In conclusion, physiological doses of zinc administration may benefit performance....
Kilic M, Baltaci A, Gunay M, Gökbel H, Okudan N, Cicioglu I. The effect of exhaustion exercise on thyroid hormones and testosterone levels of elite athletes receiving oral zinc. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 247-252
OBJECTIVES: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent childhood disorder. Evidence from the family and twin studies suggest that ADHD is familiar and highly heritable. Association studies are frequently used for the searching of markers responsible for genetic basis of ADHD. We investigated TaqI polymorphism of the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) in relationship with ADHD. The association between TaqI A polymorphism of DRD2 gene and ADHD has previously been published.
DESIGN: We used the association study to test the relationship between TaqI A polymorphism of DRD2 gene and ADHD on groups of ADHD boys and control boys.
SETTING: For DNA isolation, buccal tissue was used. PCR with restriction analysis of PCR products was used for genotyping.
RESULTS: We found statistically different genotypic and allelic frequencies (p < 0.008, p < 0.002, respectively) of DRD2 polymorphism between two studied groups of boys.
MAIN FINDINGS: According to our results we suppose that polymorphism TaqI A of DRD2 gene is involved in the pathogenesis of childhood ADHD in male subjects. Allele A1 and genotype A1A1 in male subjects is associated with ADHD.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed the relationship between TaqI A polymorphism of DRD2 gene and ADHD published previously....
Serý O, Drtílková I, Theiner P, Pitelová R, Staif R, Znojil V, Lochman J, Didden W. Polymorphism of DRD2 gene and ADHD. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 236-240
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to report on radiographic features of the cranial vault abnormalities frequently seen but not yet described in detail in patients with Klinefelter syndrome.
SUBJECTS: Our studies comprised 72 patients with Klinefelter syndrome and 47,XXY karyotype. The majority of the patients were young between the ages of 16 to 28 years.
METHODS: Plain skull radiographs were taken in the frontal and lateral projections.
RESULTS: Several abnormalities were observed on skull radiographs of the Klinefelter patients. The most frequent was a premature fusion of the coronal sutures that occurred in 54 of 62 younger patients. In 42 cases extensive calcifications of these sutures were observed. The calcified sutures were dense and widened. In 24 patients the inner table in the anterior part or the parietal bone displayed a marked disruption with thinning of the calvaria at this place. In the posterior part of the parietal bone in 21 patients the inner table was thickened and excessively dense. On frontal radiographs, in 30 patients, there was a flattening of the squamous part of the temporal bones.
CONCLUSIONS: Skull radiographs in Klinefelter patients frequently display abnormalities: premature fusion and excessive calcifications of the coronal sutures, irregularities of the inner table of the parietal bone, and flattening of the temporal bones. These radiographic features, when present, may draw attention to the XXY syndrome as the underlying cause of the abnormalities....
Kosowicz J, Owecki M, El Ali Z, Sowiński J. Premature fusion and excessive calcification of coronal sutures in patients with Klinefelter syndrome. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 137-141
PURPOSE: Previous studies showed an association between the blood levels of folate and vitamin B(12) and the risk for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of chronic use of phenytoin, carbamazepine or valproate monotherapy on the plasma levels of folate and B(12), and to compare folate and B(12) levels in epileptic patients with or without cardiovasular disorders.
METHODS: The study was conducted in the outpatient neurology clinic at Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital between January-July, 2005. Medical information was obtained by interviewing the patients and examining their hospital records. Blood folate and vitamin B(12) were measured by Immulite immunoanalysis assay using chemoluminescence.
RESULTS: A total of 26 consecutive outpatients (17 males, 9 females) were recruited in the study. Their mean age +/- SD was 38.2 +/- 20.1 year (range 15-77 year). Five (19.2%) had complex partial epilepsy and the remainder had tonic-clonic seizures. They had epilepsy for 15.7 +/- 8.1 years (range 2-35 years). Thirteen of them used phenytoin, nine carbamazepine and four used valproate. The duration of the treatment (years), dose (mg/day) and serum concentration (micromol/l) were 18.3 +/- 10.6, 376.9 +/- 180.4, 41.6 +/- 25.6, for phenytoin, 14.5 +/- 11.7, 422.2 +/- 175.0, 31.1 +/- 15.9 for carbamazepine and 18.3 +/- 6.3, 400, 567.7 +/- 78.1 for valproate, respectively. Eleven (42.3%) had established cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, myocardial infarction or stroke. The mean level of plasma folate (12.94 +/- 6.76 ng/ml) and B12 (484.94 +/- 191.25 pg/ml) in epileptic patients with cardiovascular disorders compared to their values (11.27 +/- 5.84), (514.49 +/- 225.31) respectively in epileptics with no cardiovascular disorders were not statistically significant in the two groups.
CONCLUSION: In epileptic patients on chronic therapy with phenytoin, carbamazepine or valproate folate and B(12) levels were not different in patients with or without cardiovascular disorders....
Otoom S, Bakhiet M, Khan A, Sequeira R. Prolonged use of phenytoin, carbamazepine or valproate monotherapy on plasma levels of folate and B(12): a comparison between epileptic patients with or without cardiovascular disorders. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Apr; 27(1-2): 85-88