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Clinical Trial 2012; 33(7): 722-726 PubMed PMID: 23391885 Citation  Keywords:  Abdomen:surgery, Adult, Analgesics, Opioid:administration & dosage, Biomarkers:blood, Drug Monitoring:methods, Elective Surgical Procedures, Female, Humans, Hysterectomy:methods, Infusions, Subcutaneous:methods, Middle Aged, Morphine:administration & dosa.   

OBJECTIVES: Systemic β-endorphin, an endogenous opioid and stress hormone, has been demonstrated to correlate with the postoperative pain intensity, however its putative role as a postoperative pain biomarker has not been cleared.r />r /> METHODS: Thirty patients scheduled for elective hysterectomy were included into the study. Postoperative pain was assessed by a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10. Plasma morphine concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Plasma β-endorphin concentrations were measured by a radioimmunoassay.r />r /> RESULTS: Administration of morphine in intravenous infusion turned out to be a markedly better method of morphine administration up to 4th hour postoperatively regarding both drug concentration and pain rating. A significant correlation between systemic β-endorphin concentration and pain rating at the 4th postoperative hour was found. No association between morphine and β-endorphin concentrations was detected.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Systemic β-endorphin is not an appropriate pain marker in postoperative gynaecologic patients....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(7): 713-721 PubMed PMID: 23391884 Citation  Keywords:  Acute-Phase Reaction:chemically induced, Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal:pharmacology, Body Temperature:drug effects, Brain:drug effects, Dopamine:biosynthesis, Fever:chemically induced, Indomethacin:pharmacology, Lipopolysaccharides:toxi.   

OBJECTIVES: The antipyretic and neuroprotective potential of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug "indomethacin" was tested against lipopolysaccharide-produced hyperthermia and biosynthesis of norepinephrine and dopamine, in six brain regions of male rat.r />r /> METHODS: Observations were based on a single intraperitoneal injection of each of lipopolysaccharide (250 µg Kg-1 body wt) and indomethacin (20 mg Kg-1 body wt) followed by sampling and assaying of brain specimens after 2, 8, 12 and 24 hrs. lipopolysaccharide induced a general hyperthermia (8-24 hr) that was completely abolished by pretreatment with indomethacin.r />r /> RESULTS: In virtually all brain regions tested, lipopolysaccharide stimulated the biosynthesis of norepinephrine and dopamine. Yet, pretreatment with indomethacin provoked substantial mitigation predominantly after 24 hrs. A time-based manner attended by a regionally nonselective manner characterized lipopolysaccharide-induced monoamine biosynthesis; whereas, indomethacin alleviation seems to proceed in a time-dependent and regionally-selective pathway since the pons proved the fastest and/or most responsive brain region to indomethacin action. A role of prostaglandin synthesis in the development of lipopolysaccharide-induced fever and catecholamine biosynthesis was suggested, given that both responses were abolished by the cyclooxygenase-inhibitor indomethacin.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Accordingly, our data verified the potent therapy potential of indomethacin in protecting cerebral noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute phase reactions....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(7): 709-712 PubMed PMID: 23391882 Citation  Keywords:  Analgesics, Opioid:pharmacology, Animals, Behavior, Animal:drug effects, Choice Behavior:drug effects, Conditioning (Psychology):drug effects, Male, Mice, Morphine:pharmacology, Morphine Dependence:physiopathology, Music, Nucleus Accumbens:drug effects, R.   

OBJECTIVES: This research aims at studying the neuroendocrine effects of music on creating morphine dependence in mice using conditioned place preference (CPP).r />r /> METHODS: The mice treated with 10 mg/kg morphine subcutaneously, fast music and slow music. Morphine was used to create dependence. In order to recognize the morphine rewarding effects, CPP technique was used. In the conditioning stage that lasted for 8 days, different groups of mice, after receiving the treatment were randomly placed in compartment for 30 minutes. The post-conditioning stage included the fourth day, the ninth day, the 12th day and the 16th day.r />r /> RESULTS: Comparing place preference between morphine group and the control group, a significant increase (p<0.05) was observed in the place preference of morphine group, while a significant decrease (p<0.05) was demonstrated in the place preferences of morphine + taxi girl music group compared with morphine group alone. In addition morphine + alone in the rain music group demonstrated a significantly increased conditioned place preference (p<0.05) compared with the morphine group.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Alone in the rain music acts as a positive pleasant emotion increasing the dopaminergic activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) and Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) and through associated learning mechanisms of reward-related behavior increases morphine addiction. However, taxi girl music may act as unpleasant experiences producing negative emotions and reducing morphine addiction....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(7): 703-708 PubMed PMID: 23391881 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antithyroid Agents:pharmacology, Body Temperature:drug effects, Body Weight:drug effects, Brain Chemistry:drug effects, Eating:drug effects, Energy Metabolism:drug effects, Hypothalamus:drug effects, Hypothyroidism:chemically induced, Male, Methi.   

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the contribution of the thyroid hormones to the long-term maintenance of feeding behavior and body weight, while distinguishing their direct central effects from those resulting from the metabolic rate in the peripheral tissues.r />r /> METHODS: We assessed the effect of hypothyroidism on the long-term (6 months) regulation of food intake, body weight, and energy expenditure in rats. We then generated the recovery of a euthyroid condition in the brain while maintaining a low T3 availability for the peripheral organs, i.e. a combined condition of central euthyroidism with peripheral hypothyroidism, with the aid of a pharmacological combination.r />r /> RESULTS: Hypothyroidism caused a decrease in the daily food intake, body weight, and body temperature. The food intake and body temperature stabilized at a lower value, whereas body weight kept decreasing at a constant rate. The administration of exogenous T4 increased food intake and body-weight gain, but had no effect on body temperature.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The thyroid hormones are necessary for the long-term regulation of energy intake, storage, and expenditure by different mechanisms. The feeding behavior seems to be partially dependent on a direct action of the thyroid hormones on the brain and this effect is independent of the energy expenditure in the peripheral organs. The body weight is closely dependent on the thyroid status and its maintenance seems to involve thyroid action on mechanisms other than feeding and metabolic rate....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(7): 689-696 PubMed PMID: 23391880 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, CA1 Region, Hippocampal:pathology, Cerebral Cortex:pathology, Disease Models, Animal, Disease Progression, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials:drug effects, Male, Neurodegenerative Diseases:chemically induced, Neurotoxins:toxicity, Rats, Rats, Wis.   

BACKGROUND: Trimethyltin (TMT), a potent neurotoxicant, elicits neuronal death in the limbic system and causes damage particularly in the hippocampus. Current interest relates to the opportunity to use TMT as an experimental model of neurodegeneration in the study of Alzheimer-like diseases.r />r /> OBJECTIVE: In light of recently found species-specific and strain-specific differences in TMT intoxication, the aim of this study was to characterise the model of TMT-induced neurodegeneration in the brain of Wistar rats during early (days 1-3) and late (days 22-24) stage of neuronal damage.r />r /> RESULTS: Reduced neurotransmission at the CA3-CA1 synapse and reduced number of cells accompanied with reduced width of CA1 pyramidal cell layer were observed at the late stage of TMT intoxication (7 mg/kg, i.p.). Long-term potentiation of excitatory postsynaptic potential, elicited by train stimulation (100 Hz, 1s), was not impaired by the dose of TMT tested. Activation of pro-apoptotic caspase-3 suggests involvement of apoptosis in neuronal cell death in the hippocampus at the late stage of TMT intoxication. Increased protein carbonyl formation was proved in the cortex at the early stage of TMT intoxication compared both to controls in the early and late stage and to the late stage of TMT action.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: TMT-induced neurodegeneration was proved in the brain of Wistar rats. Changes found in the parameters examined may be reliable indicators of neurodegeneration. The increased level of carbonyls in the cortex at the early stage indicates that particularly at the onset of progressive neurodegeneration compounds with antioxidative properties may be effective in slowing down brain injury....

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Comment 2012; 33(7): 689-696 PubMed PMID: 23391878 Citation  Keywords:  Brain Ischemia:epidemiology, Coronary Artery Disease:epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Stroke:epidemiology,.   

: In this issue of Neuroendocrinology Letters Kováčik et al. reported that coronary artery disease is not associated with stroke recurrence. Although the data were analyzed by statistical methods and the analysis was extremely encouraging, the conclusion should be interpreted with caution....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(7): 697-702 PubMed PMID: 23391877 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Chemoradiotherapy:adverse effects, Contraceptive Agents, Female:administration & dosage, Drug Combinations, Dydrogesterone:administration & dosage, Estradiol:administration & dosage, Estriol:administration & dosage, Female, Follicle Sti.   

OBJECTIVES: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a consequence of gonadotoxic chemoradiotherapy given in antyneoplasia treatment. In young women it will correlate with menopausal symptoms which tend to appear due to depleted ovarian follicle reserve.r />r /> DESIGN: It was a case series study that included women 18-50 years old who were treated for malignancy with gonadotoxic chemioradiotherapy. We have measured blood hormonal levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone within one month of various hormone replacement therapy (HRT).r />r /> RESULTS: We have observed different kind of hormonal reaction according to FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone levels due to various hormonal replacement therapy. The administration of various HRT regimens presented with a decrease in the blood concentration of estradiol E2 and progesterone and a concomitant increase of FSH and LH. These findings demonstrate a shift to physiological ranges and a simultaneous improvement of symptoms associated with CI-POF.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The most appropriate therapy needs to be selected according to the patient's alleviation of symptoms and correction of blood hormone levels....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(7): 684-688 PubMed PMID: 23391876 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases:epidemiology, Circadian Rhythm:physiology, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Disorders of Excessive Somnolence:epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Polysomnography, REM Sleep Behavior Disorder:epidemiology, Rest.   

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition leading to excessive daytime sleepiness. The aim of the study was a) to study course of daytime sleepiness in patients with OSA and b) to find the most important nocturnal polysomnography parameters influencing daytime sleepiness in OSA.r />r /> METHODS: The cohort consisted of forty-five patients (6 women, 39 men) diagnosed with OSA. All patients underwent polysomnography, Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) and rated subjectively their daytime tendency to sleep with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.r />r /> RESULTS: Sleep latency was significantly longer at 15:00 and at 17:00 hours compared to previous tests. A significant negative correlation was found between the mean of the MSLT sleep latency and a number of awakenings, the apnoea/hypopnoea index and oxygen desaturation index values.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The study showed the sleep latency prolongation at 15:00 and 17:00 hours respectively and confirmed connection of excessive daytime sleepiness to fragmentation of nocturnal sleep and OSA severity....

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