Search NEL Online

Case Reports 2012; 33(6): 579-589 PubMed PMID: 23160229 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized:therapeutic use, Brain:pathology, Drug Resistance, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Multiple Sclerosis:drug therapy, Natalizumab, Secondary Prevention, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult,.   

: Pediatric cerebrospinal multiple sclerosis (MS) constitutes about 2-5% of all MS cases. The International Pediatric MS Study Group (IPMSSG) applies diagnostic criteria for adults to MS in childhood and adolescence. Recent publications highlight an increasing number of MS in children resistant to the first-line treatment, i.e. disease modifying therapy (DMT). Furthermore, the number of published case studies on children with highly active MS treated with natalizumab also rises, whereas long-term risks as well as therapeutic potential of this therapy in pediatric population have been at the centre of attention. This paper presents a group of 5 children in whom natalizumab was selected to manage highly active disease or resistance to conventional MS treatment and provided very good clinical as well as MRI results....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(6): 569-573 PubMed PMID: 23160227 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Glands:physiology, Brain:physiology, Humans, Neurosecretory Systems:physiopathology, Pseudotumor Cerebri:physiopathology,.   

: The clinical syndrome idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), also termed pseudotumor cerebri, consists of symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting and visual field defects in combination with findings of papilledema. IIH is more commonly seen in overweight women where the rise in intracranial pressure is putatively a consequence of an endocrine-based disturbance of electrolytes. Less frequently, it can also occur in men and in the pediatric age group. Associated risk factors include primary and secondary aldosteronism, pregnancy, recombinant growth hormone (r-GH) therapy, oral contraceptives, obesity, vitamin A intoxication or deficiency, Addison disease, corticosteroid therapy or acute withdrawal of steroid therapy and Cushing disease. Herein, we review the association between these conditions and IIH working toward its having a unifying neuroendocrine hypothesis....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Case Reports 2012; 33(6): 590-596 PubMed PMID: 23160226 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Brain Neoplasms:diagnosis, Fatal Outcome, Female, Humans, Hydrocephalus:diagnosis, Hypothalamic Diseases:diagnosis, Hypothalamus:surgery, Male, Middle Aged, Neurosurgical Procedures:adverse effects, Postoperative Complications:diagnosis, Subdural Ef.   

BACKGROUND: Opening of the lamina terminalis is often used in surgery of the optico-chiasmatic region. Consequently, alteration of cerebral-spinal fluid (CSF) dynamics can occur after this manoeuvre, thus potentially translating into clinical complications. Herein, we describe 2 cases in which clinically relevant hypothalamic dysfunctions developed after few days opening of the lamina terminalis both patients showed mild to moderate preoperative hydrocephalus which improved postoperatively.

CASES DESCRIPTION: In a patient with ruptured aneurysm of the basilar bifurcation, opening of the lamina terminalis was performed prior to acute-stage clipping. On postoperative day 7th, the patient developed significant subdural hygroma, mild disturbances of consciousness and increase of ADH concentration. These clinical features resolved only following subdural hygroma drainage and ventricular-peritoneal shunting. One previously operated patient in whom the lamina terminalis had been opened to remove a sizeable parasellar tumour showed a similar post-operative course. In this patient, sole subdural hygroma drainage was not an effective treatment, and the patient died subsequently for complications related to long-standing, though mild, hypothalamic dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS: Our experience may suggest that hypothalamic dysfunctions should be reminded as a possible, although rare, complication following the opening of the lamina terminalis. This clinical condition, if not properly managed, may contribute to trigger severe life-threatening complications....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Case Reports 2012; 33(6): 597-599 PubMed PMID: 23160225 Citation  Keywords:  Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal:administration & dosage, Female, Headache Disorders, Primary:drug therapy, Humans, Indomethacin:administration & dosage, Middle Aged, Remission Induction, Treatment Outcome,.   

: Hypnic headache (HH) is considered as a disorder of the circadian rhythm, mostly affecting the elderly and generally considered a benign disorder, but the pathophysiology of hypnic hedache remains unclear. Various treatments have been suggested for hypnic headache, especially lithium and indomethacin. We report the case of HH fulfilling The International Classification Headache Disorders, 2nd edition criteria (ICHD-II). A 64-year-old woman, who suffered from dull headaches strictly during the night for a period of 5 months. Attacks of headache lasted from 30 to 150 minutes, with a frequency usually 4 times per week. The patient was started on indomethacin 50 mg twice a day (BID). From day 25 on she was free of hypnic headache. On day 31 we tapered the daily dose of indomethacin to 50mg at bedtime, the patient was still without headache. On day 60 the treatment was stopped. 30 months after day 60, the patient was still headache free. We reported the first Czech patient with HH with very good therapeutic response to indomethacin. The effect of therapy with indomethacin 50mg BID was very fast and stable....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(6): 631-635 PubMed PMID: 23160224 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Catecholamines:biosynthesis, Chronic Disease, Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase:metabolism, Functional Laterality:physiology, Hippocampus:enzymology, Male, Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins:metabolism, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Social Isolation.   

OBJECTIVES: Right-left asymmetry of human brain function has been known for a century. Brain asymmetry and lateralization has been observed at the neurochemical level. At the neurochemical level, it is important to further correlate changes in monoaminergic activity with the synthesis and reuptake of these monoamines. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of social isolation on catecholamine stores as well as on the regulation of catecholamine synthesis and uptake in the right and left hippocampus.

METHODS: We examined changes in protein levels of dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), norepinephrine transporter (NET) and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT 2) in the right and left hippocampus of socially isolated adult male rats during 12 weeks by Western blot analysis.

RESULTS: Chronic isolation stress reduced norepinephrine content in the right hippocampus. No changes were observed in protein levels of DBH and NET in the right hippocampus, whereas expression of this norepinephrine synthetizing enzyme and transporter were elevated in the left hippocampus. On the other hand, chronic isolation stress caused reduction of VMAT2 protein in the right hippocampus.

CONCLUSION: Our results reveale not only the lateralization of stress regulatory system but they also show that long-term isolation stress produces right-left asymmetry of the hippocampus norepinephrine, different regulation of the catecholamines synthesis and reuptake....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(6): 636-642 PubMed PMID: 23160222 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Psychological:physiology, Adolescent, Biological Evolution, Dominance-Subordination, Female, Hierarchy, Social, Humans, Male, Masochism:physiopathology, Sadism:physiopathology, Sexual Behavior:physiology, Social Behavior, Surveys and Questionn.   

OBJECTIVES: We theorize that sexual arousal by dominance and submission may be connected to a reproduction strategy respecting a reached social dominance rank (a common reproduction strategy in socially living mammals), while the preference for "bondage" may be derived from an opportunistic strategy when being unable to compete for hierarchic rank (an alternative reproductive strategy that co-occurs frequently with the above-named main strategy). The answers to questions dealing with hierarchy in character should correlate exclusively with sexual arousal connected to any kind of expression of a hierarchy, but not with bondage.

DESIGN AND SETTINGS: The data were obtained from young adults (157 males and 183 females aged 18-20, with mean 18.4 years) via questionnaires.

RESULTS: Seven out of eight questions dealing with hierarchy correlated with sexual arousal by dominance and submission in men (Spearman's r=0.169-0.313; p<0.05 - p<0.001), two questions correlated with sexual arousal by dominance and submission in women (Spearman's r=0.32-0.166, p<0.001, p<0.05). THE MAIN FINDINGS: The questions dealing with hierarchy correlated with sexual arousal by dominance and submission while no answers correlated with bondage, neither in men nor in women.

CONCLUSION: The preference for sexual arousal by dominance and submission may be connected to strategy respecting rank, while the preference for "bondage" may be derived from an opportunistic strategy that may be essential for possible partner problems solution. From the evolutionary biology point of view, these patterns of sadomasochistic sex appear as adaptive rather than as pathology....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(6): 643-650 PubMed PMID: 23160220 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes:enzymology, Catecholamines:biosynthesis, Cell Differentiation:immunology, Cells, Cultured, Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic:immunology, Gene Silencing:physiology, Interferon-gamma:metabolism, Interleukin-4:metabo.   

OBJECTIVES: We explored effect of gene silencing of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a rate-limiting enzyme for synthesis of catecholamines (CAs), in CD4+ T cells on differentiation and function of helper T (Th) cells to provide more evidence for functional significance of lymphocyte-derived CAs.

METHODS: CD4+ T lymphocytes were isolated and purified from the mesenteric lymph nodes of mice. Recombinant TH miRNA expression vector (pcDNA6.2-GW/EmGFPmiR-TH) was constructed and transfected into concanavalin A (Con A)-activated CD4+ T lymphocytes using nucleofection technology. After incubated for 48 h, these cells were detected for TH gene and protein expression and CA content. Simultaneously, percentage of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)- and interleukin-4 (IL-4)-producing cells and levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-4 and IL-5 in culture supernatants of Con A-stimulated CD4+ T cells were examined by flow cytometric analysis.

RESULTS: CD4+ T lymphocytes with TH RNAi expressed less TH mRNA and protein and synthesized less CAs including norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine than control cells with mock transfection. The silencing of TH gene in CD4+ T lymphocytes reduced percentage of IL-4-producing cells and elevated ratio of IFN-γ-producing cells to IL-4-producing cells, although it did not alter proportion of IFN-γ-producing cells. The Th1 cytokines, IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF, were increased, but the Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-5, were decreased in the culture supernatants of Con A-stimulated CD4+ T lymphocytes that were transfected with TH miRNA.

CONCLUSION: TH gene silencing attenuates TH expression and CA synthesis in CD4+ T lymphocytes and promotes polarization of differentiation and function towards Th1 cells....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(6): 614-618 PubMed PMID: 23160219 Citation  Keywords:  Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide):pharmacology, Animals, Brain Neoplasms, Cell Line, Tumor, Citalopram:pharmacology, Depression:drug therapy, Fluoxetine:pharmacology, GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11:metabolism, Glioma, Neurons:cytology, Puriner.   

OBJECTIVES: Trimeric G-proteins play a crucial role in the transmembrane signalling to intracellular pathways via effector phospholipase C (1,4,5 IP3) or adenylylcyclase (cAMP). G-protein modulation is considered to participate in the antidepressant mode of action by neurotransmitter G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR). Adenosine is naturally occured nucleoside and adenosine receptor belongs to GPCR family. Properties and functions of ubiquitous adenosine receptor were described with number of agonists and antagonists.

METHODS: In C6 glioma cells, we studied acute administration of SSRI antidepressants - fluoxetine, sertraline and citalopram. We used immunochemical estimation (ELISA) of the main types of G-protein alpha subunits from isolated membranes of C6 glioma cells. We also estimated effect of NECA agonist on fluoxetine induced signalling via 1,4,5 IP3 and its levels.

RESULTS: Results show involvement of the antidepressant drugs in the C6 glioma signal transduction cascades and their modulation in dependence on the antidepressant of SSRI type. We measured main G alpha protein profiles after fluoxetine, sertraline and citalopram administration. We found significant changes as following: decreased G alpha Gq/11 for fluoxetine, low G alpha s for sertraline and both high G alpha q/11 and high G alpha s for citalopram. Furthermore the NECA (5´-N-ethylcarboxamido- adenosine) agonist of adenosine receptor alone evoked high decrease of G alpha q/11 levels. Whereas fluoxetine influenced G alpha q/11 decline was abolished by NECA in concentration manner, especially at 10-8 and 10-9 M concentrations. These results support abolishion NECA effect on fluoxetin influenced 1,4,5 IP3 signalling via PLC.

CONCLUSION: Main G alpha profiles are dependent on SSRI type antidepressant. Abolishing both fluoxetine evoked G alpha q/11 and and 1,4,5 IP3 signalling can indicate parallel interference between G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) and the cell response. Presented data are first findings about adenosine receptor interaction with fluoxetine signalling. Thus in vitro studies contribute to the clarification of the molecular basis of antidepressant action....

Read abstract  Full text PDF