Regional gray matter density associated with emotional intelligence: Evidence from voxel‐based morphometry

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to monitor one's own and others' emotions and the ability to use the gathered information to guide one's thinking and action. EI is thought to be important for social life making it a popular subject of research. However, despite the existence of previous functional imaging studies on EI, the relationship between regional gray matter morphology and EI has never been investigated. We used voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) and a questionnaire (Emotional Intelligence Scale) to measure EI to identify the gray matter correlates of each factor of individual EI (Intrapersonal factor, Interpersonal factor, Situation Management factor). We found significant negative relationships between the Intrapersonal factor and regional gray matter density (rGMD) (1‐a) in an anatomical cluster that included the right anterior insula, (1‐b) in the right cerebellum, (1‐c) in an anatomical cluster that extends from the cuneus to the precuneus, (1‐d) and in an anatomical cluster that extends from the medial prefrontal cortex to the left lateral fronto‐polar cortex. We also found significant positive correlations between the Interpersonal factor and rGMD in the right superior temporal sulcus, and significant negative correlations between the Situation Management factor and rGMD in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that each factor of EI in healthy young people is related to the specific brain regions known to be involved in the networks of social cognition and self‐related recognition, and in the somatic marker circuitry. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Creative females have larger white matter structures: Evidence from a large sample study

The importance of brain connectivity for creativity has been theoretically suggested and empirically demonstrated. Studies have shown sex differences in creativity measured by divergent thinking (CMDT) as well as sex differences in the structural correlates of CMDT. However, the relationships between regional white matter volume (rWMV) and CMDT and associated sex differences have never been directly investigated. In addition, structural studies have shown poor replicability and inaccuracy of multiple comparisons over the whole brain. To address these issues, we used the data from a large sample of healthy young adults (776 males and 560 females; mean age: 20.8 years, SD = 0.8). We investigated the relationship between CMDT and WMV using the newest version of voxel‐based morphometry (VBM). We corrected for multiple comparisons over whole brain using the permutation‐based method, which is known to be quite accurate and robust. Significant positive correlations between rWMV and CMDT scores were observed in widespread areas below the neocortex specifically in females. These associations with CMDT were not observed in analyses of fractional anisotropy using diffusion tensor imaging. Using rigorous methods, our findings further supported the importance of brain connectivity for creativity as well as its female‐specific association. Hum Brain Mapp 38:414–430, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Fatal hemorrhage after radiochemotherapy for leptomeningeal dissemination of glioma: report of two cases

BACKGROUND: Dissemination of malignant gliomas is often observed, but the treatment of choice for leptomeningeal dissemination has not been established. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: A 55-year-old man suffered fatal hemorrhage 1 day after whole brain irradiation (2 Gy) along with intravenous administration of 150 mg of nitrosourea (ACNU) for leptomeningeal dissemination of glioblastoma. A 14-year-old boy suffered hemorrhage after intrathecal administration of 10 mg of methotrexate for recurrence of leptomeningeal dissemination of anaplastic astrocytoma 4 months after local brain irradiation and ACNU administration, and died 19 days later. CONCLUSION: Massive fatal hemorrhage is an unusual but possible acute complication after radiochemotherapy for leptomeningeal dissemination of gliomas.     

SN-38 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human testicular cancer

OBJECTIVE: CPT-11 is one of the most widely used camptothecin analogues and is converted to form the active metabolite SN-38. Clinical trials are ongoing to better characterize its spectra of clinical activity, to determine the optimal schedules of administration, and to define the usage in combination with other chemotherapeutic compounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: KU-MT, an AFP-producing testicular carcinoma cell line, was exposed to SN-38, etoposide, or cisplatin for 24 h, and the resulting cytotoxicity was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazonium bromide (MTT) assay. This paper describes the effects of SN-38 on the cell proliferation and cell cycle of testicular tumor cells in culture. RESULTS: SN-38 was shown to inhibit KU-MT cell growth more potently than either etoposide or cisplatin. A marked decrease in the percentage of S phase cells was accompanied by the enhancement of cyclin E levels. In concentrations of >30 nmol/l, SN-38 arrested the cell cycle in G2 and induced cell death via apoptosis. The apoptosis was promoted by Bax and p53 protein, which were both shown to be present by flow cytometric and Western blot analyses. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that CPT-11, a pro-drug of SN-38, may be clinically useful for the treatment of testicular cancer, and that the mechanism of this agent's cytotoxicity consists of cell cycle arrest and concomitant apoptosis.     

Neuronal expression of αB crystallin in cerebral infarction

alphaB crystallin (alphaBC) is one of the heat shock proteins that are induced under stressful conditions. In normal brains, alphaBC is present in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, but not in neurons. Neuronal alphaBC expression in the central nervous system under pathological conditions has been investigated in several previous studies, most of which dealt with various neurodegenerative diseases with and without ballooned neurons. Neuronal expression of alphaBC has seldom been studied in cerebral infarction (CI), and the frequency of alphaBC-positive neurons in the various stages of CI is unknown. To investigate this issue, we examined 48 autopsy brains of patients with CI, and found neuronal expression of alphaBC in 68.8% of the cases. We found three types of alphaBC-positive neurons: normal morphological, convex, and ballooned neurons. Although alphaBC-positive neurons were present in the every stage of CI, they were more frequent later than 10 days after the onset of CI, and the frequency of alphaBC-positive ballooned neurons was particularly increased in the later stages of CI. This may indicate that morphologically normal neurons gradually swelled up through convex neurons, finally forming ballooned neurons. Previous studies indicated that alphaBC might have a cytoprotective function as a molecular chaperone, and we speculate that alphaBC is expressed in neurons subjected to ischemic stress, and exerts a cytoprotective effect on the neurons.     

Pulmonary artery stenting for recurrent lung cancer after left pneumonectomy

We present a case of a patient with stenosis of the pulmonary artery which was successfully treated by implantation of a vascular endoprosthesis. A 50-year-old man underwent left pneumonectomy for lung cancer. Eleven months later, a computed tomographic scan revealed a soft tissue mass in the mediastinum and there was severe stenosis of the remaining right main pulmonary artery. A self-expandable vascular endoprosthesis was implanted in the stenotic portion. We used percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) during the procedure. We recommend the technique of pulmonary artery stenting using PCPS as efficacious and safe.     

Time-dependent contribution of the hippocampal complex when remembering the past: a PET study

Previous studies of brain-damaged patients and functional neuro-imaging have consistently shown the importance of the hippocampal complex, i.e. the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, in episodic memory retrieval. We wished to determine whether patterns of brain activation during memory retrieval as measured by PET are same or different when the oldness of a to-be-retrieved episode is manipulated. Using cue words, subjects remembered related episodes from three periods of their life, childhood, adolescence and recent period. The results showed an increase of parahippocampal activities during recall of episodes from childhood and recent period, but not from adolescence. These data suggest a possibility of time-dependent hippocampal contribution in episodic recall, which cannot be understood in simple terms of recent remote memory dichotomy.     

A state of delirium (confusion) following cerebral angiography with ioxilan: a case report

The case of a 21-year-old man in a state of delirium (confusion) following cerebral angiography with 50 ml of ioxilan is reported. The patient was admitted to our hospital with facial hemangioma. After the examination, he complained of nausea and headache, and then became confused. No lesion was demonstrated on CT or MRI. About 3 days later, he recovered completely without any neurologic deficit. This patient had undergone cerebral angiography with ioxilan one year previously.