Denervation study of synapses of organ of corti of old world monkeys

Fine structural characteristics of synapses in the spiral organ of Corti were examined, with reference to differences between inner and outer haircell systems, and to location of neurons of origin of efferent axons. Surgical interruption of crossed olivocochlear bundle, of vestibular nerve, of facial nerve, and excision of superior cervical ganglia were used to determine the pathways of efferent axons. Interruption of the vestibular nerve near the brainstem results in degeneration of all efferent terminals on outer hair cells. Mid-line lesions at, and caudal to, the facial colliculus result in degeneration of about half of these efferent terminals. Efferent synaptic bulbs to the inner hair-cell system are small, of the order of one micron, and form type 2 junctions with afferent dendrites. They tend to have more large dense-core vesicles (about 80 nm) than the large efferent terminals of the outer hair-cell system, and appear to be the terminals of axons in the habenula perforata, which exhibit varicosities laden with large dense core vesicles. The varicosities are unaffected by excision of the superior cervical ganglia. So far as our material can reveal, it appears that the varicosities in the habenula perforata do not survive vestibular root interruption, nor do the efferent processes in the internal spiral bundle or at the base of inner hair cells. Most interestingly, the afferent processes of the inner hair-cell system, as identified for example by their relation to pre-synaptic bodies in the inner hair cells, are subject to a trans-synaptic reaction after severance of the vestibular root. They undergo a dramatic cytological transformation, characterized by increase of volume, engorgement with microtubules, microfilaments, microvesicles of various sizes, and clusters of lysosomes. Thus, both the efferent and afferent terminals of the inner hair-cell system show marked cytological differences from the corresponding terminals of the outer hair cell system.     

Mechanism of action of tubocurarine on nicotinic cholinoreceptors of neurons of the sympathetic ganglia of rats

Tubocurarine (Tc) effect on membrane currents elicited by acetylcholine (ACh) was studied in isolated superior cervical ganglion neurons of rat using patch-clamp method in the whole-cell recording mode. The "use-dependent" block of ACh current by Tc was revealed in the experiments with ACh applications, indicating that Tc blocked the channels opened by ACh. Mean lifetime of Tc-open channel complex, tau, was found to be 9.8 +/- 0.5 s (n = 7) at -50 mV and 20-24 degrees C. tau exponentially increased with membrane hyperpolarization (e-fold change in tau corresponded to the membrane potential shift by 61 mV). Inhibition of the ACh-induced current by Tc (3-30 microM/1) was completely abolished by membrane depolarization to the level of 80-100 mV. Inhibition of ACh-induced current was augmented at increased ACh doses. It is concluded that the open channel block produced by Tc is likely to be the only mechanism for Tc action on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in superior cervical ganglion neurons of rat.     

The effect of age of onset of PD on risk of dementia

Background Dementia occurs in the majority of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Late onset of PD has been reported to be associated with a higher risk for dementia. However, age at onset (AAO) and age at baseline assessment are often correlated. The aim of this study was to explore whether AAO of PD symptoms is a risk factor for dementia independent of the general effect of age. Methods Two community-based studies of PD in New York (n = 281) and Rogaland county, Norway (n = 227) and two population-based groups of healthy elderly from New York (n = 180) and Odense, Denmark (n = 2414) were followed prospectively for 3–4 years and assessed for dementia according to DSM-IIIR. All PD and control cases underwent neurological examination and were followed with neurological and neuropsychological assessments. We used Cox proportional hazards regression based on three different time scales to explore the effect of AAO of PD on risk of dementia, adjusting for age at baseline and other demographic and clinical variables. Findings In both PD groups and in the pooled analyses, there was a significant effect of age at baseline assessment on the time to develop dementia, but there was no effect of AAO independent of age itself. Consistent with these results, there was no increased relative effect of age on the time to develop dementia in PD cases compared with controls. Interpretation This study shows that it is the general effect of age, rather than AAO that is associated with incident dementia in subjects with PD. Received in revised form: 22 December 2005     

Limits of deinstitutionalization--perspectives of relatives of psychiatric patients

After a hopeful beginning, the social process of the reintegration of those with severe mental illness has come to a standstill. I am led to wonder whether "the community" really wants to live together with people suffering from severe mental illness, and if so, how closely? As long as the medical treatment of mental illness provided by the general practitioners is fundamentally deficient, as they are not able to prescribe the necessary interventions--such as out-patient psychiatric nursing, and service providers in the out-patient sector are content with offering increasingly intensive forms of care for the less seriously ill at the cost of the Social Welfare System--the reintegration of those with serious mental illness remains an illusion--which is mainly to the benefit of providers of residential care in homes and hostels.     

Summary of Legislation of 1933 of interest to the Department of Mental Hygiene

Psychiatric Quarterly -     

Summary of legislation of 1937 of interest to the Department of Mental Hygiene

Psychiatric Quarterly -     

Comparison of rates of infection of two methods of emergency ventricular drainage.

The rates of infection of two methods of external ventricular drainage in use at Atkinson Morley's Hospital--namely, (a) percutaneous drainage with Rickham reservoirs and (b) tunnelled ventriculostomies--were compared in this retrospective review. Percutaneous drainage of CSF with Rickham reservoirs was associated with a 27% rate of infection as identified by positive microbiological cultures; tunnelled ventriculostomy catheters had a 10% infection rate. The difference in the infection rate between the two methods was statistically significant (P < 0.015). Other variables examined, including the age and sex of the patients and the reasons for ventricular drainage, were not associated with an increased rate of infection. Most infections from either method were caused by a coagulase negative staphylococcus. The average duration of ventricular drainage before identification of positive cultures was 5.7 days for Rickham reservoirs and 6.0 days for ventriculostomies.     

Bibliography of officers of department of mental hygiene

Psychiatric Quarterly -     

Sense of coherence as a predictor of subjective state of health: results of 4 years of follow-up of adults

A number of cross-sectional population studies have shown that a strong sense of coherence (SOC) is associated with various aspects of good perceived health. The association does not seem to be entirely attributable to underlying associations of SOC with other variables, such as age or level of education. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study reported here was to determine whether SOC predicted subjective state of health. METHODS: The study was carried out as a two-way panel mail survey of 1976 individuals with 4 years interval for two collections of data. The statistical method used was multivariate cumulative logistic modeling. Age, initial subjective state of health, initial occupational training level, and initial degree of social integration were included as potential explanatory variables. RESULTS: A strong SOC predicted good health in women and men. CONCLUSIONS: SOC can be interpreted as an autonomous internal resource contributing to a favorable development of subjective state of health. SOC data should, however, be regarded as complementary to and not a substitute for information already known to be associated with increased risk of future ill health.     

Bibliography of officers of State Department of Mental Hygiene

Psychiatric Quarterly -     

Bibliography of officers of the Department of Mental Hygiene

Psychiatric Quarterly -     

腺垂体功能减退症临床特征变化分析

目的探讨腺垂体功能减退症患者的病因结构变化及临床表现。方法回顾性分析我院2013-01—2016-12住院及门诊78例腺垂体功能减退症患者的临床资料。结果男32例(41.03%),女46例(58.97%);诊断时年龄11~89岁,平均62.5岁;鞍区占位(包括术前及术后)52例(66.67%),席汉综合征8例(10.26%),空泡蝶鞍9例(11.65%),病因不明8例(10.26%),垂体-下丘脑发育不良1例(1.28%)。首次就诊科室:纳差厌食、恶心呕吐就诊于消化内科36例(46.15%)最常见。ACTH+TSH+Gn+G激素缺乏为19例最多,占24.36%,ACTH+TSH+Gn缺乏15例,占19.23%。结论腺垂体功能减退症病因结构发生变化,发病人群、首发症状及受累激素也不同,患者女性多于男性,发病年龄偏高,症状不典型,分布于临床多个科室,其中以低钠血症为首发临床表现就诊消化内科最多。