Case study: camptocormia, a rare conversion disorder

Camptocormia is a condition characterized by severe frontal flexion of the spinal cord and knees, with passive drooping of both arms. It occurs as a form of conversion disorder. Some cases are associated with behavioral problems. A case of camptocormia of 2-year duration in a south Indian adolescent girl with oppositional defiant disorder and moderate mental retardation is reported.     

Sleep changes produced by destruction of medial septal neurons in rats

Changes in sleep-wakefulness were studied in male Wistar rats after destruction of the medial septal neurons with NMDA. Electroencephalogram, electromyogram and electrooculogram were recorded for 24 h prior to the destruction of the medial septum, and 7, 14 and 21 days after the destruction. There was a decrease in the total amount of slow wave sleep and frequency of slow wave sleep episodes after the lesion. It also produced an increase in the duration of paradoxical sleep episodes. These findings are in contrast to the changes produced after lesion of other basal forebrain areas. The present findings suggest that the medial septum may be involved in the genesis of slow wave sleep and inhibition of the durations of paradoxical sleep episodes.     

Quetiapine-induced myoclonus

We report a case of myoclonus induced by quetiapine. A 64-year-old man with schizophrenia developed myoclonic jerks when given higher doses of quetiapine. These movements were dose-related and completely abated on reducing the dose. To our knowledge, these movements have not been reported previously as an adverse effect of quetiapine.     

Role of catecholaminergic terminals in the preoptic area in behavioural thermoregulation in rats

This study was conducted to find out the role of the catecholaminergic terminals in the preoptic area (POA) in selection of ambient temperature in rats. The adult male Wistar rats (n = 6) were allowed to choose between three ambient temperatures (24 degrees C, 27 degrees C and 30 degrees C). Rats could move about freely from one ambient temperature to another, in a specially designed environmental chamber having three interconnected compartments, which were maintained at the above mentioned temperature. The results show that the normal rats preferred to stay at 27 degrees C both during day and night. After the lesion of catecholaminergic terminals in the POA with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), the animals preferred 24 degrees C on the third and seventh day and 27 degrees C on the fourteenth and twenty first day after lesion. The alteration in thermal preference was associated with an elevation of rectal temperature. The study suggests that the catecholaminergic terminals of the POA play an important role in integrating behavioural and non-behavioural thermoregulatory responses, but in its absence the rest of the brain takes over some of its functions.     

Narrowing of the dark valve: aortic stenosis in alkaptonuria

The commonest cardiac pathology in patients with alkaptonuria is aortic stenosis. Patients with alkaptonuria and aortic stenosis may remain asymptomatic until the 6th decade. Surgeons may have to deal with per-operative difficulties as alkaptonuria is a systemic disease. Proper preoperative planning is important. The mechanical valve prosthesis is advisable in a patient with alkaptonuria and aortic stenosis considering disease pathophysiology. We report a 70-year-old male diagnosed with alkaptonuria and aortic stenosis, who underwent aortic valve (mechanical valve prosthesis) and ascending aorta replacement.     

Biological evaluation of pliable hydroxyapatite-ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer composites intended for cranioplasty

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is undoubtedly a material suitable for repairing the defective bone tissue. However, the brittleness and non-malleability of HAP limit its clinical application as a cranioplastic analogue. To improve these properties, pliable, osteoconductive composites composed of HAP and ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer (EVA) have been developed. This study reports the biocompatibility evaluation of the newly developed composite material. Composites of two compositions, containing 40 and 50 volume percentage of HAP, were evaluated. In vitro cell culture cytotoxity studies were carried out using L929 cell line. Intracutaneous irritation studies, and intramuscular implantation studies were carried out on rabbits. Cell culture studies showed that the composite was non-cytotoxic to mouse fibroblast cell line. Intracutaneous irritation studies did not show any gross signs of tissue reaction. Histological analysis after six months of implantation in the paravertebral muscles of rabbit showed that all the implants under study were covered with a thin soft tissue capsule. On the basis of these observations, we conclude that the composite materials are biocompatible and hence are a candidate material for implantation in the cranium.     

Glycoprotein gene truncation in avian metapneumovirus subtype C isolates from the United States

The length of the published glycoprotein (G) gene sequences of avian metapneumovirus subtype-C (aMPV-C) isolated from domestic turkeys and wild birds in the United States (1996-2003) remains controversial. To explore the G gene size variation in aMPV-C by the year of isolation and cell culture passage levels, we examined 21 turkey isolates of aMPV-C at different cell culture passages. The early domestic turkey isolates of aMPV-C (aMPV/CO/1996, aMPV/MN/1a-b, and 2a-b/97) had a G gene of 1,798 nucleotides (nt) that coded for a predicted protein of 585 amino acids (aa) and showed >97% nt similarity with that of aMPV-C isolated from Canada geese. This large G gene got truncated upon serial passages in Vero cell cultures by deletion of 1,015 nt near the end of the open reading frame. The recent domestic turkey isolates of aMPV-C lacked the large G gene but instead had a small G gene of 783 nt, irrespective of cell culture passage levels. In some cultures, both large and small genes were detected, indicating the existence of a mixed population of the virus. Apparently, serial passage of aMPV-C in cell cultures and natural passage in turkeys in the field led to truncation of the G gene, which may be a mechanism of virus evolution for survival in a new host or environment.     

A study of platelet serotonin receptor in mania.

BACKGROUND: Serotonergic (5-HT) dysfunction has been hypothesized in mania; however platelet studies on the 5-HT uptake rate and the 5-HT transporter have revealed inconsistent results. To the best of our knowledge no studies have been conducted on the 5-HT2 receptor status in mania. METHODS: We determined density (Bmax) and dissociation constant (Kd) of 5-HT2 receptors in the platelets of 29 normal control and 29 manic subjects using 125I-ketanserin as the binding radioligand. The manic patients were assessed for the same after 14 days of treatment with lithium (n = 14) and after return to premorbid levels of functioning (n = 5). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the Bmax (3.51 +/- 3.04 vs. 3.14 +/- 3.44 fmol/mg protein, p = ms) values between normal control and manic subjects. In comparison to the baseline values Bmax at day 14 (3.49 +/- 3.68 vs. 2.18 +/- 1.90 fmol/mg protein, p = ns) and following recovery (1.17 +/- 0.85 vs. 1.29 +/- 1.13 fmol/mg protein, p = ns) did not show any significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings preliminarily suggest that the platelet 5-HT2 receptor is neither a state marker nor a trait marker in mania; however studies on the 5-HT2 receptor using positron-emission tomography ligands will help in conclusively ruling out the involvement of this receptor in mania.