产后抑郁症与孤啡肽及单胺类递质的相关性研究

目的　探讨孤啡肽 (OFQ)及单胺类递质与产后抑郁症的关系。方法　采用放射免疫法测定 2 5名健康产妇 (对照组 )及 17例产后抑郁症妇女 (抑郁组 )静脉血中孤啡肽及单胺类递质含量。结果　①抑郁组及对照组血孤啡肽含量分别为 (2 7 39± 6 0 4 )ng/L及 (10 37± 3 6 5 )ng/L ,与对照组相比 ,抑郁组孤啡肽含量显著升高 (P <0 0 1) ;抑郁组及对照组血 5 羟色胺 (5 HT)含量分别为 (0 93± 0 2 1) μmol/L及 (1 4 3± 0 36 ) μmol/L ,二者间有显著差异 (P <0 0 5 ) ;抑郁组血多巴胺 (DA)含量为 (2 15± 0 4 1) μmol/L ,显著低于对照组 (P <0 0 5 )。②抑郁组孤啡肽与5 HT及DA含量呈显著负相关 (r为 0 6 0 1及 0 5 93,P <0 0 5 )。③抑郁组爱丁保产后抑郁量表总分 (EPDS)与OFQ含量呈显著正相关 (r为 0 5 12 ,P <0 0 5 ) ,与 5 HT、DA含量呈显著负相关 (r分别为 - 0 5 71及 - 0 5 2 6 ,P <0 0 5 )。结论　孤啡肽与产后抑郁症的发生发展密切相关。     

急性脑卒中后焦虑抑郁共病状态血清单胺类递质的变化研究

目的探讨急性脑卒中后焦虑抑郁共病患者血清单胺类递质水平的关系。方法采用荧光分光光度计法测定33例急性卒中后焦虑抑郁共病患者、22例急性卒中后抑郁患者、49例卒中后非焦虑抑郁患者及37例正常人血清单胺类递质的水平。结果急性脑卒中后焦虑抑郁共病组和PSD组血清中，NE、5-HT、DA含量低于非焦虑抑郁组和对照组，共病组NE、5-HT高于抑郁组，其中5-HT差异有显著意义，而非焦虑抑郁组血清中，单胺类递质的含量亦低于对照组。而大脑左侧及前部卒中患者的血清中单胺类递质水平低于其它卒中部位患者（P〈0．05）。结论急性脑卒中后焦虑抑郁共病组和单纯PSD的发生与血清中单胺类神经递质的降低有关。     

帕金森病患者立体定向手术前后脑脊液单胺类递质含量的改变

目的　研究帕金森病 (PD)患者脑立体定向手术前后脑脊液 (CSF)中单胺类递质含量的变化。方法测定 2 6例原发性PD患者 (PD组 )脑立体定向术前、后CSF中多巴胺 (DA)、5 羟色胺 (5 HT)、去甲肾上腺素 (NE)及其代谢产物高香草酸 (HVA)、5 羟吲哚乙酸 (5 HIAA)、3 甲氧基 4羟基苯乙二醇 (MHPG)的含量 ,另外测定 2 5例外科疾病腰麻手术患者 (对照组 )CSF中HVA、5 HIAA、MHPG含量。结果　PD组CSF中HVA、5 HIAA、MHPG含量明显低于对照组 (P <0 0 0 1、P <0 0 5、P <0 0 0 1) ;手术后组的CSF中DA、HVA ,、5 HT、5 HIAA、NE、MHPG含量明显高于手术前组 (其中DA、HVA、5 HT、5 HIAA和NE均P <0 0 0 1;MHPGP <0 0 5 )。结论　PD患者CSF单胺类神经递质代谢产物含量明显降低 ,脑立体定向术可提高PD患者脑部单胺类神经递质及其代谢产物的含量 ,其发生机制可能与DA能神经元的保护作用有关     

立体定向毁损大鼠杏仁核及隔核对脑内单胺类递质含量的影响

目的 :探讨杏仁核及隔核毁损后AMP模型大鼠脑内单胺类递质含量的变化。方法 :经腹腔注射苯丙胺 (amphetamine ,AMP)制作精神分裂症动物模型 ,用立体定向技术电极毁损大鼠杏仁核及隔核 ,采用荧光分光光度法和放射免疫法测定大鼠前额叶、间脑和脑干多巴胺 (DA)、5 羟色胺 ( 5 HT)和去甲肾上腺素 (NE)的含量。结果 :杏仁核及隔核毁损组前额叶DA低于模型组 (P <0 0 1) ,5 HT、NE均高于模型组 (P <0 0 1) ;杏仁核及隔核毁损组间脑DA、NE均低于模型组 (P <0 0 1) ,5 HT高于模型组 (P <0 0 1) ;脑干DA、NE均低于模型组 (P <0 0 1) ,5 HT高于模型组 (P <0 0 1)。结论 :AMP模型大鼠前额叶和脑干DA含量增高、5 HT和NE含量下降 ,间脑DA、NE含量增高、5 HT含量下降 ,立体定向毁损杏仁核及隔核能够改变脑内单胺类递质的水平。     

卒中后抑郁单胺类递质与睡眠的研究

目的 探讨卒中后抑郁患者单胺类递质和睡眠结构的变化,以及二者的关系.方法 对46例卒中后抑郁患者和30例正常人进行血浆单胺类递质的测定以及多导睡眠图描记,将所得结果进行分析.结果 卒中后抑郁患者血浆中多巴胺、去甲肾上腺素、5-羟色胺、5-羟吲哚乙酸、高香草酸含量均显著低于对照组(P＜0.05);卒中后抑郁组与对照组相比,睡眠潜伏期及S1(%)时间延长,s3 S4(%)、REM、REM时间及潜伏期缩短,差异均有显著性(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);卒中后抑郁患者血浆NE、5-HT与REM、REM latency(%)均呈正相关(P＜0.05或P＜0.01).结论 卒中后抑郁存在单胺类神经递质及睡眠结构的改变,且睡眠障碍与单胺类神经递质变化有关.     

脑缺血时脑单胺类神经介质的动态变化

用萤光分光光度法测定蒙古沙土鼠左CCA结扎后脑3种单胺类递质的动态变化,经与假手术和空白对照组比较,证明缺血后0.5、3及24小时的脑半球的NE、5HT及DA含量均显著下降,前两种以术后3小时最低,此时非缺血侧的NE含量亦下降;卒中症状积分又与脑单胺含量呈负相关。认为缺血性卒中症状的发生和发展与脑单胺类递质含量下降有关。     

肝豆状核变性的血清和脑脊液递质的初步报告

本文应用萤光分光光度计测定44例肝豆状核变性患者血清及脑脊液的单胺类递质前体物一色氨酸和酪氨酸以及5—HT、5—HIAA、NE 和 DA 等。从42例的 CSF 值分析 DA、NE、5—HIAA 等浓度与正常人无显著差异。血清色氨酸较对照组增高,其增高原因尚待进一步探讨。     

血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与脑卒中关系探讨

目的　探讨血浆同型半胱氨酸 (Homocysteine ,HCY)水平与脑卒中之间的关系。方法　检测健康人与脑卒中患者的血浆HCY水平 ,统计高HCY卒中患者与正常HCY卒中患者伴随的脑卒中危险因素状况 ,进行对比分析。结果　脑卒中组HCY水平(2 8 2 4± 6 62 ) μmol/L ,对照组 (9 16± 2 3 4) μmol/L ,有显著差异 (P <0 0 5 ) ;脑卒中组高HCY血症发生率 3 8% ,对照组 5 % ,有显著性差异 (P <0 0 1)。高HCY卒中患者与正常HCY卒中患者伴随的吸烟、高血压病、糖尿病及高血脂症的状况无显著性差异 (χ2 =0 3 8,0 0 8,0 47,1 0 8;P >0 0 5 )。结论　脑卒中患者血浆HCY水平升高 ,高HCY血症是脑卒中的独立危险因素。     

性激素对雌性大鼠缰核单胺类递质含量的影响

用高效液相-荧光检测法分别测定了成年及幼年雌性大鼠缰核(Hb)内单胺类递质的含量.结果表明,成年大鼠动情前期缰核内NE含量明显高于动情期和动情间期,DA、5-HT含量在整个动情期中无明显变化.皮下注射50 μg的雌二醇后,缰核内DA含量明显升高,NE、5-HT含量与对照组相比则无明显改变;在去卵巢给以雌激素的大鼠注射孕酮后,可显著提高缰核内NE含量,DA、5-HT含量与对照组比较则无明显变化;在幼年雌性大鼠皮下注射5、50 μg雌激素后,缰核内DA含量显著减少,NE、5-HT含量与对照组相比则均无明显变化.另外,对照组幼年雌性大鼠DA含量明显高于成年雌性大鼠对照组,成年大鼠NE、5-HT含量明显高于幼年大鼠.以上结果提示,雌、孕激素的水平可改变缰核内单胺类递质含量.     

癫(疒间)患者事件相关电位和血浆单胺类神经递质水平的改变及其关系

目的探讨癫患者事件相关电位(ERP)和血浆单胺类神经递质水平的改变及其相关性。方法对50例癫患者进行ERP和血浆去甲肾上腺素(NE)、多巴胺(DA)和5-羟色胺(5-HT)水平检测,并与正常对照组比较。结果与正常对照组比较,癫组ERP的N2、P3波潜伏期延长,P3波幅明显降低(均P<0.01),血浆NE、DA和5-HT水平显著降低(均P<0.01)。癫组ERP的P3波潜伏期与血浆NE、DA和5-HT水平呈负相关(r=-0.33,r=-0.41,r=-0.46,均P<0.01),P3波幅与其呈正相关(r=0.32,r=0.39,r=0.48,均P<0.01)。结论癫患者有ERP异常和血浆单胺类神经递质水平降低;并且ERP异常程度与血浆单胺类神经递质水平相关。     

Neuroimaging in epilepsy in tropics

Epilepsy is a major public health problem in many tropical countries. Also, some of the tropical diseases are major contributors to the higher prevalence of epilepsy in these countries. The etiologic factors responsible for epilepsy in these countries are quite different from those in the developed world. This article discusses the etiologic factors and neuroimaging of epilepsy in light of the conditions in these tropical countries.     

Sudanophilic lipid accumulation in astrocytes in periventricular leukomalacia in monkeys

Summary Sudanophilic lipid accumulation is a characteristic feature of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) of infants. At least two types of lipid-containing cells have been identified, one being the macrophage, the other the pre-myelin glial cell. A third type of lipid-containing cell has been seen in two monkeys with spontaneous PVL. Electron microscopically this cell appears to be an astrocyte. This probably represents a reaction of the astrocyte to hypoxia and may be the equivalent of the hypertrophic astrocytes found in human infants.Supported in part by NIH grant HDO 8633 and the Regional Primate Research Center Grant RR-00166     

Increase in cathepsin D activity in rat brain in aging

Cathepsin D-like activity in homogenates of five brain areas of 3-month-old and 24-month-old Fischer 344 rats was measured. With hemoglobin as substrate at pH 3.2, more than 90% of the activity was inhibited by pepstatin. In each area studied, activity was more than twice as high in the old rat brain: 140-160% higher in the cortex, cerebellum, pons-medulla, and striatum and 90-100% higher in the hippocampus and spinal cord. The greatly increased metabolic capacity in the absence of an increase in protein turnover may have a role in age-related pathological degeneration in the brain.     

癫痫与抑郁关系的研究进展

抑郁是癫痫患者中常见的精神障碍,严重地影响了患者的生活质量。传统的观点认为癫痫患者因为存在着诸多社会学问题易出现抑郁倾向,癫痫和抑郁是单向的联系,但大量的研究已经证明癫痫和抑郁之间存在双向的联系,一种异常状态的存在可能易转化为另一种异常状态的发展。癫痫和抑郁存在着共同的发病机制。本文主要就癫痫和抑郁的双向联系以及抗抑郁药物在癫痫患者中的应用进行阐述。     

Issues in evaluation of cognition in the elderly in developing countries

Background:

Developing regions of the world host the majority of elderly subjects who are at risk for dementia. Reliable epidemiological data from these countries is invaluable in tackling this global problem. Scarcity of such data in literature is largely attributable to problems that are unique to developing communities worldwide.

Objective:

To classify and describe the problems that interfere with the collection of reliable epidemiological data on cognitive impairment in the elderly in developing communities, and to suggest practical solutions for some of them.

Methods:

Inferring from the experiences of a large, ongoing, population-based study on the cognitive impairments in the elderly in South India and from the review of literature.

Conclusion:

A fatalistic attitude regarding aging in the communities, significant heterogeneity in educational abilities and activities of daily living, high illiteracy among rural subjects, and lack of an organized health care system and updated demographic figures are some of the major factors that contribute to technical, namely, methodology-related problems and practical, namely, subject-related problems in such epidemiological studies.     

Gender in Voice Perception in Autism

Deficits in the perception of social stimuli may contribute to the characteristic impairments in social interaction in high functioning autism (HFA). Although the cortical processing of voice is abnormal in HFA, it is unclear whether this gives rise to impairments in the perception of voice gender. About 20 children with HFA and 20 matched controls were presented with voice fragments that were parametrically morphed in gender. No differences were found in the perception of gender between the two groups of participants, but response times differed significantly. The results suggest that the perception of voice gender is not impaired in HFA, which is consistent with behavioral findings of an unimpaired voice-based identification of age and identity by individuals with autism. The differences in response times suggest that individuals with HFA use different perceptual approaches from those used by typically developing individuals.     

Changes in parasympathetic system in medulla oblongata in male pigs in the course of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy

Background

Autonomic imbalance constituting a fundamental feature of heart failure (HF) has been assessed mainly at the periphery. Changes in the functioning of autonomic centers in the brain remain unclear. We investigated the molecular elements of parasympathetic system, i.e. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and enzymes metabolizing acetylcholine (acetylcholinesterase, AChE, choline acetyltransferase, ChAT) in medulla oblongata (MO) of male pigs with chronic tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy.

Methods

The mRNA levels of AChE, ChAT, α7nAChR and X-box binding protein 1 (spliced form, XBP1s) in MO were analyzed using qPCR, AChE and ChAT activities using spectrophotometry, proteasome activity using fluorometry, and the protein level of α7nAChR using Western blotting.

Results

The development of systolic HF was accompanied by an increase in circulating catecholamines, a decrease in the AChE and α7nAChR mRNA in MO, an increase in AChE activity (all p < 0.05), and no change in either the mRNA or activity of ChAT. Both circulating catecholamine levels and AChE activity were inversely related to systolic function of left myocardial ventricle (p < 0.05). The level of α7nAChR protein in MO and its cytoplasmatic fraction were higher in pigs with moderate and severe HF as compared to the other animals (p < 0.01). There was no difference in proteasome activity in MO between diseased and healthy animals, whereas the XBP1s mRNA decreased during HF progression (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Molecular elements of parasympathetic system are changed within the medulla oblongata during the progression of systolic non-ischemic heart failure in male pigs, indicating a functional link between MO and heart in HF.     

Ethnic disparities in problem behaviour in adolescence contribute to ethnic disparities in social class in adulthood

BACKGROUND: It is important for prevention of social class disparities to know how ethnic disparities in social class arise among migrant children. We contribute to this understanding by examining the role of problem behaviour in adolescence. METHODS: Prospective observational study with 753 Dutch native and 217 Turkish migrant adolescents (11-18 year) followed for 10 years. Internalising and externalising problems were assessed in adolescence and employment status and occupational level were assessed in adulthood. The difference in odds ratios (OR) before and after adjustment for internalising and externalising problems was an indication of the predictive value of disparities in internalising and externalising problems for the development of social class disparities. RESULTS: A total of 135 (62%) of the Turkish and 602 (80%) of the Dutch adults were employed. Internalising and externalising problems were not associated with employment status. Of the employed, 65 (48%) Turkish and 179 (30%) Dutch adults worked in low-level occupations (p < 0.0001). Internalising and externalising problems were associated with both ethnicity and occupation. The OR for low-level occupation for Turkish adults was 1.78 (1.19-2.65), indicating ethnic disparities. Adjustment for internalising problems lowered the OR with 36% to 1.50 (0.97-2.31), and adjustment for externalising problems lowered it with 8% to 1.72 (1.15-2.57). Findings were similar for men and women and did not vary by age. CONCLUSIONS: Ethnic disparities in occupational level in adulthood could partly be attributed to disparities in mental health between Turkish migrants and Dutch natives in adolescence. Prevention of ethnic disparities in mental health at young age may therefore also contribute to the prevention of occupational differences in adulthood.     

Characteristics of nociceptors in the periodontium--an in vitro study in rats

Recent studies have indicated that nociceptors can be classified into various types according to their physiological properties. These studies have clarified that the frequency distribution of various nociceptor types is different among body sites and animal species. In the present study, we investigated the physiological properties of rat's periodontal nociceptors in an in vitro jaw-nerve preparation. Responses were recorded from functional single filaments in the inferior alveolar nerve. To determine the nociceptor type, calibrated von Frey filaments, heat, and bradykinin (BK) stimuli were used. We found five subtypes of nociceptors in the periodontal ligaments of the lower incisor: Adelta-high threshold mechanonociceptors (Adelta-HTM, n=28), Adelta-mechanoheat nociceptors (Adelta-MH, n=6), Adelta-polymodal nociceptors (Adelta-POLY, n=26), C-high threshold mechanonociceptors (C-HTM, n=3) and C-polymodal nociceptors (C-POLY, n=4). Most nociceptors were Adelta-innervated, while only a small number of C-innervated nociceptors were found. The present results suggest that periodontal nociceptors transmit mainly fast pain, and may thus play a role in rapid detection of injure-related stimuli during mastication.     

Defects in Bioenergetic Coupling in Schizophrenia

Synaptic neurotransmission relies on maintenance of the synapse and meeting the energy demands of neurons. Defects in excitatory and inhibitory synapses have been implicated in schizophrenia, likely contributing to positive and negative symptoms as well as impaired cognition. Recently, accumulating evidence has suggested that bioenergetic systems, important in both synaptic function and cognition, are abnormal in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia. Animal models of synaptic dysfunction demonstrated endophenotypes of schizophrenia as well as bioenergetic abnormalities. We report findings on the bioenergetic interplay of astrocytes and neurons and discuss how dysregulation of these pathways may contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, highlighting metabolic systems as important therapeutic targets.