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Case Reports 2007; 28(1): 7-10 PubMed PMID: 17277733 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17:genetics, Craniofacial Abnormalities:genetics, Female, Gene Deletion, Humans, Intellectual Disability:genetics, Melatonin:physiology, Mood Disorders:diagnosis, Muscle Hypotonia:genetics, Syndrome,.   

: Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a microdeletion syndrome characterized by physical and neurobehavioural features. This report describes the case of a 27 year old female affected by SMS associated with a diagnosis, according to DSMIV criteria, of Mood Disorder N.O.S. and Intermittent Explosive Disorder. To our knowledge, the association of SMS with mood shifts has never been reported. Considering the genetic alterations that characterizes the SMS, further investigations on the region of the chromosome 17p11.2 could help produce more information on the role of melatonin in the genesis of mood disorder....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 769-772 PubMed PMID: 17187022 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Atrophy, Case-Control Studies, Female, Humans, Hypothalamus:pathology, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins:metabolism, Magnetic Resonance Imaging:instrumentation, Male, Middle Aged, Narcolepsy:metabolism, Neurons:metabolism, Neuropeptides.   

OBJECTIVES: Narcolepsy with cataplexy is associated with a loss of hypocretin. The question is, if there is an autoimmune or neurodegenerative process selectively killing the hypothalamic hypocretin-containing neurons or if these cells survive but fail to produce hypocretin. To support one of these hypothesis we aimed to detect structural changes in the hypothalamus of narcoletic patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen narcoleptic patients were compared to 16 healthy controls. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM), an unbiased MRI morphometric method with a high sensitivity for subtle changes in gray and white matter volumes to investigate hypothalamic region in this condition.

RESULTS: Classical MRI protocol revealed no structural abnormalities, but using VBM we found significant reduction in hypothalamic gray matter volumes between patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS: VBM showed hypothalamic gray matter loss in narcolepsy with cataplexy. This suggest that functional abnormalities of hypocretin neurons in narcolepsy are associated with structural changes of hypothalamus....

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Comparative Study 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 144-147 PubMed PMID: 17159801 Citation  Keywords:  Acetylcholine:pharmacology, Animals, Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental:complications, Diabetic Angiopathies:complications, Evoked Potentials:drug effects, Heart:drug effects, Male, Myocardial Ischemia:complications, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Reperfusion Injury:co.   

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) and ischaemia/reperfusion injury on functional changes and dysrhythmias of the isolated diabetic rat heart.

METHODS AND RESULTS: On retrogradely perfused hearts isolated from 10-week-old diabetic rats (streptozotocin 30 mg/kg b.w. for three consecutive days i.p.), two types of experiments were done: /1/ The effect of acetylcholine (ACh; 3 x 10(-7) mol/l) was evaluated both during and after infusion, and /2/ the influence of the ischaemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) was studied. At the end of both experiments the hearts were electrically stimulated to evoke sustained ventricular fibrillation (VF). An increase of coronary arterial pressure, bradycardia and decreased total number of severe dysrhythmias of both types, spontaneous and evoked ones, were recorded in the diabetic hearts. ACh increased the force of contraction (LVP) and induced vasoconstriction, which persisted in the diabetic hearts even after removal of ACh from the perfusion solution.

CONCLUSIONS: The isolated diabetic rat heart was more resistant against severe dysrhythmias. After washing out the ACh, the vasoconstriction of coronary arteries still lasted, along with increased inotropic effect on the left ventricle....

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Comparative Study 2006; 27(5): 631-638 PubMed PMID: 17159829 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Body Weight:drug effects, Diet:adverse effects, Glutathione Peroxidase:metabolism, Goiter:blood, Iodine:urine, Male, Organ Size:drug effects, Potassium Iodide:administration & dosage, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Selenium:deficiency, Thyroid Gland:drug ef.   

OBJECTIVE: A possible link was proposed between selenium [Se(-)], iodine deficiency and thyroid pathology. The aim of the study was to examine changes in FT3 and FT4 concentrations, weights of the thyroid glands and ioduria after potassium iodide (KI) in normal and goitrogenic rats on Se(-) diet.

METHODS: Wistar rats in Group 1 received the standard diet. Other animals remained (3 months) either on a Se(-) diet alone [Groups 2-5] or supplemented with selenium [Se(+)] (Group 6-8). After 9 weeks, Groups 3, 4, 6, 7 received sodium perchlorate [I(-); 1 month]. KI (1 mg/rat) was injected in Groups 4, 5, 7, 8. The animals were decapitated 3 days after the injections.

RESULTS: FT4 was higher in serum of Se(-) rats than in that of Se(+). The differences of FT3 were not statistically significant. In I(-) Groups, the levels of FT3 and FT4 were very low. KI increased both thyroid hormones in I(-) rats but the effect was especially pronounced for FT3. KI decreased the weights of the glands, enlarged in the I(-) animals, both on Se(-) and Se(+) diet. Urine iodide concentrations were lower in Se(-) animals; KI increased ioduria.

CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that selenium and iodine deficiencies may play an essential role in thyroid hormone metabolism....

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Comparative Study 2006; 27(5): 595-599 PubMed PMID: 17159816 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antioxidants:pharmacology, Antithyroid Agents:pharmacology, Diet, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Kidney:chemistry, Liver:chemistry, Lung:chemistry, Male, Oxidative Stress:drug effects, Potassium Iodide:administration & dosage, Propylthiouracil.   

OBJECTIVES: Iodide administration to animals, living in iodine-deficient areas, can induce oxidative processes in the thyroid gland and increase concentration of lipid peroxidation (LPO). Propylthiouracil (PTU)--a well-known antithyroid drug--may also act as an antioxidant. There are some reports, which consider the protective ability of this drug against LPO. The goal of the study was to evaluate oxidative processes and the protective role of PTU in three rat organs during treatment with pharmacological doses of iodide.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Schiff's bases (SB) concentrations (a parameter of oxidative stress) were measured in liver, lung and kidney homogenates of male Wistar rats. For 2 weeks the animals received iodides in their diet in the following concentrations: Group 1--Controls (standard diet, approx. 0.7 mg of potassium iodide per kg; KI/kg); Group 2--diet containing 0.25 mg KI/kg; Group 3--diet with 4.0 mg KI/kg; Group 4--diet with 8.0 mg KI/kg. Group 5--standard diet with 0.1% of PTU in drinking water for two weeks. Subsequent tree groups (6-8) received KI in their diet in doses as above, respectively, together with PTU.

RESULTS: We noted increased SB levels in the lungs and in the liver, compared to those observed in the control group. We also found decreased SB concentrations in liver and lung homogenates after the administration of PTU but, unexpectedly, the level of SB increased in kidney homogenates of all the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that iodine is involved in oxidative processes in different organs and PTU protects against iodine-induced oxidative stress....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(4): 535-537 PubMed PMID: 17136019 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease:complications, Cognition Disorders:etiology, Depression:etiology, Female, Humans, Hypothyroidism:complications, Male, Middle Aged, Thyroxine:blood,.   

: The role of thyroid function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been subject to a number of studies during the last years. We investigated the possible relationship between plasma levels of the biologically active free form of thyroxin (fT4) and cognitive function in 227 outpatients with mild to moderate Alzheimer s disease (AD) in a cross-sectional study design. A significant negative correlation was found between plasma fT4-levels and Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE) score (Spearman Rho = -0.14, p=0.04). When the lowest quartile of fT4-levels (<15.1 pmol/l) was compared to the highest quartile (>19.0 pmol/l), statistically significant lower mean MMSE-scores were seen in the group with the highest fT4-levels (p<0.05, ANOVA). The mean difference between the 1st and the 4th quartile of fT4 was 2.6 MMSE-score points. No correlations were found between plasma total T4-levels, plasma total T3-levels, plasma TSH-levels and the MMSE score (p>0.05). When fT4 quartile groups were compared for depression measured in the Geriatric Depression Score (GDS 15), a slightly higher score was seen in the 1s and 2nd compared to the 3rd and 4th quartile groups without reaching statistical significance (1st quartile of fT4: GDS 5.2 +/- 3.8; 2nd: 5.3 +/- 4.0; 3rd: 4.4 +/- 3.4; 4th: 4.5 +/- 3.8) pointing to a reverse correlation of fT4 levels and depressive mood. This study leads to the conclusion that high levels of plasma fT4 might result in a worsening of cognitive impairment and a positive effect on depressive mood in AD....

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Clinical Trial 2006; 27(4): 433-437 PubMed PMID: 16892008 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Anxiety:physiopathology, Depression:physiopathology, Dexamethasone, Feedback, Physiological:drug effects, Follow-Up Studies, Glucocorticoids, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiology, Immunosuppression, Male, Pituitar.   

OBJECTIVES: Higher rates of dexamethasone test (DST) nonsuppression in schizophrenia have been attributed to depressive symptoms, suicidality and negative symptoms. No study concerning first-episode schizophrenia has yet been published.

DESIGN: In patients hospitalised for the first time with first-episode schizophrenia the DST has been performed before, at the end of the acute treatment and after one year. At the same time the clinical evaluation with PANSS was performed. A cortisol value >5 microgram/dl in either of the postdexamethasone samples indicated nonsuppression of cortisol.

RESULTS: A total of 56 males were included. 18% of pts were DST nonsuppressors at medication-free baseline, 5% and 16% after acute treatment and after one year respectively. After 1 year 42/56 of patients fulfilled the criteria of remission. The rate of nonsuppression was 21.4%, 5% and 16.4% in remitters and 7%, 7% and 14.3% in nonremitters. Significant differences in the whole group were found between postdexamethasone cortisolemia at discharge on the one hand and on admission and at the one-year follow-up on the other. Significant correlations were observed between postdexamethasone cortisolemia and negative symptoms at the end of acute treatment.

MAIN FINDINGS: In first-episode schizophrenia the short-term treatment led to a decrease in cortisolemia and rates of nonsuppression and an increase at a one-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Rates of DST nonsuppression in schizophrenia including first-episode schizophrenia are influenced by the stage of illness and medication status. The impairment of feedback regulation of cortisol secretion may be related to different biopathogenetic mechanisms depending on the phase of the illness....

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Clinical Trial 2006; 27(3): 355-358 PubMed PMID: 16816832 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:drug therapy, Analysis of Variance, Dopamine:metabolism, Erythropoietin:metabolism, Female, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:drug effects, Injections, Intravenous, Male, Middle Aged, Neuroprotective Agents:metabol.   

OBJECTIVES: The presence of erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptors in several central nervous system regions indicates additional functions beside its hematopoietic role. Preclinical data suggest that it may slow down the process of neuronal loss, and that EPO may cause dopamine release, and thus influence hormone release, especially prolactin. This possibility has not yet been studied in humans.

METHODS: During a clinical trial on possible protective effects in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we studied the acute effects of EPO administration on prolactin, the release of which is under tonic inhibition of hypothalamic-pituitary dopaminergic activity. Prolactin as well as EPO levels were estimated in blood samples taken every 30 min over 2 hours after administration of 3000 IU EPO i.v. in seven male and four female patients with ALS.

RESULTS: The baseline PRL levels of the 11 patients were all within normal range (4.5-10.5 ng/ml). EPO administration caused a significant reduction in prolactin levels, maximal at 60 min after administration. Reductions in PRL were not related to EPO dose (IU per kg body weight), or to duration of illness.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that EPO promotes dopamine release in humans, and is consistent with preclinical data showing that EPO releases dopamine from rat striatal slices. Previous reports showed that dopaminergic neurons express EPO receptors, which exert a facilitating action on dopamine release, and the present data indicate that this may hold true in humans....

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