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Journal Article 2003; 24(3-4): 203-208 PubMed PMID: 14523358 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease:blood, Cohort Studies, Dementia:blood, Follicle Stimulating Hormone:blood, Gonadotropins:blood, Humans, Hypogonadism:blood, Immunoenzyme Techniques, Luteinizing Hormone:blood, Male, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin:m.   

OBJECTIVES: Sex steroids such as testosterone and estradiol might protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously found lower levels of testosterone in men with AD compared with controls. We wanted to assess levels of pituitary gonadotropins that regulate sex steroid levels, to determine whether primary or secondary hypogonadism was responsible for low levels of testosterone in cases.r />r /> METHOD: We included 45 men with AD (McKhann, 1987), 15 men with other types of dementia and 133 elderly controls from the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Ageing. Gonadotropins (follicle stimulating hormone or FSH and luteinizing hormone or LH), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG, which determines the amount of free testosterone) and testosterone were measured using enzyme immunoassays.r />r /> RESULTS: We found no difference in average LH (8.7 +/- 9 UI/L), FSH (13 +/- 17 UI/L) or SHBG (44 +/- 18 nmol/L) levels between AD cases and controls. Similar to our earlier findings, testosterone levels were significantly lower in men with AD (13 +/- 6 nmol/L) compared with controls (17 +/- 8, O.R. = 0.92, 95% C.I. = 0.87 to 0.97, p<0.005). Results were unchanged when controlled for age, SHBG and gonadotropin levels.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Although normal, the levels of gonadotropins were inappropriately low for the levels of testosterone. Our results support a preliminary conclusion that secondary hypogonadism occurs in men with AD. This could be a consequence of brain degeneration. This is contrary to an earlier study (Bowen, 1999) that found raised levels of gonadotropins in cases with AD, suggesting primary hypogonadism. Our cohort was younger than theirs and gonadotropin levels increase with age. We are enlarging our data set to investigate whether primary hypogonadism occurs in older cases with AD or whether secondary hypogonadism precedes cognitive dysfunction in men at risk for AD. If this is true, testosterone replacement therapy for hypogonadal men at risk for dementia may be indicated....

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Clinical Trial 2003; 24(3-4): 197-202 PubMed PMID: 14523357 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Adult, Anxiety:physiopathology, Blood Pressure:physiology, Conflict (Psychology), Heart Rate:physiology, Hemodynamics:physiology, Hormones:blood, Human Growth Hormone:blood, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, MMPI, Military P.   

OBJECTIVES: Pilots are exposed to the "stress of flight" and the chronically activated stress response may play an important role in circulatory system disease progression. We studied the effect of an experimental mental stress on cardiovascular and neuroendocrine activity, in Air Force Academy cadets, before and after one month intensive course.r />r /> DESIGN: Nine cadets were submitted to a psychometric evaluation before Stroop test (ST), including Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X1 and X2 form) and Reaction Scheme Test. After ST, subjects completed a STAI X1 form. Heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) were monitored and serum prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol levels were determined, during ST. The protocol was repeated at the end of the course.r />r /> RESULTS: No significant differences were evident in PRL, GH and ACTH levels. Cortisol concentrations were significantly higher before the course. ST did not modify hormone secretion. ST induced a significant and reproducible elevation of HR and SBP. Basal HR, SBP and DBP values were significantly elevated after the course. Two subjects presented a particular psychometric profile, a different cardiovascular response to ST and did not pass the course.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: acute mental stress significantly activated cardiovascular response without modifying endocrine responses, in relation to the psychological profiles. A significant increase of cardiovascular parameters was present after the course, with enhanced dichotomy between the endocrine and sympathetic system, suggesting a careful evaluation and follow-up for circulatory system diseases in cadets....

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Comparative Study 2003; 24(3-4): 193-196 PubMed PMID: 14523356 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Hot Temperature, Injections, Intraperitoneal, Injections, Intraventricular, Leptin:administration & dosage, Male, Mice, Pain Measurement:drug effects, Pain Threshold:drug effects, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Reaction Time:drug effects,.   

OBJECTIVE: This study was planned to investigate the effects of exogenous leptin on the pain threshold.r />r /> METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g and mice weighing 25-30 g were used in this study. Leptin was intracerebroventricularly (i. c. v.) injected in a dose of 3.5 micro g/rat. Mice were intraperitoneally (i. p.) injected with leptin in a dose of 25 micro g/mouse. Control animals were injected with the respective vehicle. The pain threshold test was performed using hot plate analgesia meter. The experiments were performed during the day and at night. The data were statistically analysed by Mann-Whitney U test. Level of significance was set at p<0.05.r />r /> RESULTS: During the day, there were no significant changes in hot plate latencies half an hour after i.c.v. injection of vehicle or leptin in the control and leptin-treated rats, respectively. At night, like during the day, i.c.v. injection of neither vehicle nor leptin caused any significant change in pain sensitivity. In mice, i.p. injection of leptin decreased latencies significantly (p<0.05) during the day and at night. Thus, leptin caused an increase in pain sensitivity during the day and at night.r />r /> CONCLUSION: These results clearly demonstrated that leptin has a decreasing-effect on pain threshold if it is peripherally administered in mice....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(3-4): 185-191 PubMed PMID: 14523355 Citation  Keywords:  Cytokines:biosynthesis, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Estradiol:pharmacology, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:antagonists & inhibitors, In Vitro Techniques, Indicators and Reagents, Interferon-gamma:biosynthesis, Interleukin-10:biosynthesis, Interleuki.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of estradiol and progesterone on interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin (IL)-12, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) productions in polyclonal activators (phytohemagglutinin+lipopolysaccharide)-stimulated whole blood cultures.r />r /> METHODS: Nineteen healthy males and females volunteered in the study. Blood samples were drawn, diluted, and cultured for 24h with different concentrations of estradiol, progesterone or hydrocortisone and then PHA+LPS was added for another 24 h. The supernatant, then, was harvested and assayed for IL-12 p70, IFN-gamma, IL-10 and TNF-alpha.r />r /> RESULTS: At preovulatory concentrations, estradiol enhanced significantly IFN-gamma, IL-12 and IL-10, but not TNF-alpha, production levels and reversed the suppressive effect of hydrocortisone in PHA+LPS stimulated whole blood. While IL-10 levels kept increasing at pregnancy estradiol concentrations, IFN-gamma, IL-12 levels and IFN-gamma/IL-10 ratio decreased significantly. No effect of progesterone on IL-12 p70, IFN-gamma, IL-10 and TNF production levels was observed.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that those pregnancy estradiol concentrations (and higher) enhance the production of IL-10 and reduce IL-12, IFN-gamma levels and IFN-gamma/IL-10 ratio in stimulated whole blood cells. Because of the known IL-10 inhibitory actions on T helper (Th) 1 cells and monocytes/macrophages, these high IL-10 levels keep Th2 cytokines favored during pregnancy and may be useful in shifting Th1-mediated autoimmune diseases towards non-pathogenic Th2 pathway....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(3-4): 181-184 PubMed PMID: 14523354 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Biomarkers, Circadian Rhythm:physiology, Humans, Male, Melatonin:blood, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Schizophrenia:blood, Schizophrenic Psychology,.   

OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to verify if a simple index as night-day plasma MLT level variation is able to confirm the existing data on circadian melatonin alterations in schizophrenia and if a relationship to disease itself instead of the actual clinical state can be suggested.r />r /> SETTING AND DESIGN: Ten consecutively admitted male schizophrenic inpatients were examined.r />r /> METHODS: The blood samples for melatonin were collected at 3.00 a.m. and 15.00 p.m. and consequently calculated the values of Delta () (MLT h.3.00- MLT h.15.00). We divided the sample into two subgroups: < 30 pg/ml and > 30 pg/ml taking 30 pg/ml as an arbitrary value, based on literature data, that should indicate a physiologically correct value of.r />r /> RESULTS: The 70% of the sample was under the 30 pg/ml value of (13.61 +/- 4.0) or was lacking of the characteristic circadian pattern of MLT secretion, whilst the 30% of the sample was over the 30 pg/ml value of (83.60 +/- 16.34) or was in presence of the characteristic circadian pattern of MLT secretion (p=.0001). No correlation was found between values and the scale and subscales scores for the assessment of psychopathology.r />r /> MAIN FINDINGS: The data confirm the lack of the characteristic circadian pattern of MLT secretion in schizophrenics.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The absence of significant correlation between night / day melatonin level differences and actual psychopathology variables should indicate that the suppression of is mostly related to the disease and independent from the clinical state. A neuroleptic-treatment effect cannot be excluded so far....

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Clinical Trial 2003; 24(3-4): 173-180 PubMed PMID: 14523353 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Affect:physiology, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:metabolism, Male, Music:psychology, Photic Stimulation, Radioimmunoassay, Saliva:metabolism, Sex Characteristics, Stress, Psychological:metabolism, Testosterone:metabolism,.   

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study were to examine sex-related differences in testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) changes with music listening and visual stress.r />r /> SETTING AND DESIGN: Saliva T and C concentrations were measured in 88 healthy college students (44 males and 44 females). These subjects were placed in one of 4 different conditions: (1) 30 min of listening to music, (2) 30 min of listening to music with visual stress (documentary film without sound including violent scenes), (3) 30 min of visual stress without music, and (4) 30 min of silence.r />r /> METHODS: All subjects provided two saliva samples, one collected before intervention and the other after intervention. T and C levels were assessed by radio immuno assay (RIA).r />r /> RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the sexes in the way music affected T. Music decreased T in males, whereas it increased T in females. As for C, no sex-related differences were found under any of the conditions studied. C decreased with music and increased under other conditions. THE MAIN FINDINGS: Our data suggests that the effects of music and stress on T differ between males and females.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Further investigation is necessary to evaluate the relationships between music and other substances, the effect of degree of preference and hormonal changes not only during music listening but also during music plays and creation....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(3-4): 170-172 PubMed PMID: 14523352 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antioxidants:therapeutic use, Male, Malondialdehyde:blood, Melatonin:therapeutic use, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Reperfusion Injury:pathology, Spermatic Cord Torsion:pathology, Testicular Diseases:pathology, Testis:metabolism,.   

AIM: Torsion of testis, which is a urologic emergency case, is generally treated by surgical detorsion procedure. However, the resulting reperfusion and both ipsilateral and contralateral testis damage caused thereby are important problems. This study aims at investigating the administration of prophylactic melatonin in order to reduce free radical damage that is caused due to reperfusion after experimental testis torsion-detorsion procedure.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHOD: The rats used in the study were allocated to four groups, each containing 10 rats. Rats in Group I had six hours of torsion (ischemia) followed by orchiectomy. Rats in Group II had six hours of torsion, then received melatonin (10 mg/kg/IM) and after that had detorsion (reperfusion). Rats in Group III had detorsion after six hours of torsion and serum physiologic administration (the same volume as melatonin). Torsion and/or detorsion procedures were not applied in Group IV (control). Ipsilateral, contralateral testis and plasma Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in all groups.r />r /> RESULTS: Tissue and plasma MDA levels in the group which had detorsion were found to be significantly higher than those in the group that had orchiectomy only (p<0.02). Ipsilateral and contralateral testis MDA levels were identified to be significantly lower in the group receiving prophylactic melatonin in comparison to the group receiving serum physiologic (p<0.02). Plasma and contralateral MDA levels correlated positively with MDA levels identified in ipsilateral testis in all groups (rs=+0.89, n=40, p=0.000).r />r /> CONCLUSION: In cases where testis torsion is identified, administration of melatonin just before torsion may reduce local and systemic free radical damage....

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Case Reports 2003; 24(3-4): 167-169 PubMed PMID: 14523351 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Cortex Hormones:adverse effects, Adult, Anabolic Agents:adverse effects, Binding, Competitive:drug effects, Cerebellar Neoplasms:surgery, Cerebellopontine Angle:pathology, Edema:complications, Hiccup:chemically induced, Humans, Male, Meningioma:su.   

: Hiccups occurring secondary to high-doses of corticosteroids are a well-recognized problem in the field of neurosurgery. Numerous reports of oral, intravenous and intraarticular corticosteroids inducing hiccups exist in the literature. To date, there is only one case of anabolic steroids inducing hiccups. We now present a case of a patient who underwent a suboccipital craniotomy for resection of a cerebellar pontine angle meningioma. Postoperatively the patient was on high doses of Decadron and Oxandrin, an anabolic-anticatabolic agent used to combat the deleterious effects of corticosteroids. The patient suffered intractable hiccups postoperative day one, resistant to Thorazine. Oxandrin was discontinued to assess the possibility of a anabolic steroid-induced singultus. The hiccups resolved within 24 hours. This report validates the previous report on anabolic steroids inducing hiccups and exemplifies the ability for steroids as a class, due to there backbone structural homology, to induce function even as competitive inhibitors....

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