Working memory abnormalities in chronic interictal epileptic psychosis and schizophrenia revealed by magnetoencephalography

Working memory (WM) deficits are considered a core cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. To determine cognitive abnormalities in chronic interictal psychosis (CIP), and to assess whether these abnormalities are distinguishable from those seen in schizophrenia in terms of WM deficits, we used magnetoencephalography during a WM task performed by patients with CIP, nonpsychotic epilepsy, and schizophrenia and by healthy subjects. Multiple Source Beamformer and Brain-Voyager were used for analysis. In both patients with CIP and those with schizophrenia, we found dorsolateral prefrontal hyperactivation and left inferior temporal hypoactivation, as indicated by alpha event-related desynchronization and synchronization, respectively. Patients with schizophrenia also showed alpha2 event-related desynchronization in the mid-prefrontal cortex relative to healthy controls. Direct comparison of patients with CIP and schizophrenia rendered no difference in source-power changes. Our findings indicate similar functional cognitive abnormalities in CIP and schizophrenia in the prefrontal and left temporal cortex, which supports the possibility that these disorders share common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.     

Relationship between prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle response and schizotypy in healthy Japanese subjects

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex (ASR) is the most common psychophysiological index of sensorimotor gating. Several studies have investigated the relationship of PPI of ASR to schizotypy in Caucasians. However, little has been reported on this relationship in Asians. We investigated a possible relationship between PPI of ASR and schizotypy in 79 healthy Japanese subjects. Schizotypy was assessed by the Schizotypal personality Questionnaire (SPQ). PPI was evaluated at signal‐to‐noise ratios (SnRs: difference between background noise intensity and prepulse intensity) of +12, +16, and +20 dB. The total SPQ score, cognitive/perceptual score, and interpersonal score correlated negatively with PPI at SnR of +16 and +20 dB. We conclude that PPI is associated with the trait of schizotypy in healthy Asian subjects.     

Cold ischemia with selective anterograde in situ pulmonary perfusion preserves gas exchange and mitochondrial homeostasis and curbs inflammation in an experimental model of donation after cardiac death

The aim of this study was to assess the functional preservation of the lung graft with anterograde lung perfusion in a model of donation after cardiac death. Thirty minutes after cardiac arrest, in situ anterograde selective pulmonary cold perfusion was started in six swine. The alveolo‐capillary membrane was challenged at 3, 6, and 8 h with measurements of the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), the pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), the PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio, the transpulmonary oxygen output (tpVO₂), and the transpulmonary CO₂ clearance (tpCO₂). Mitochondrial homeostasis was investigated by measuring maximal oxidative capacity (V_max) and the coupling of phosphorylation to oxidation (ACR, acceptor control ratio) in lung biopsies. Inflammation and induction of primary immune response were assessed by measurement of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukine‐6 (IL‐6) and receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Data were compared using repeated measures Anova . Pulmonary hemodynamics (mPAP: P = 0.69; PVR: P = 0.46), oxygenation (PaO₂/FiO₂: P = 0.56; tpVO₂: P = 0.46), CO₂ diffusion (tpCO₂: P = 0.24), mitochondrial homeostasis (V_max: P = 0.42; ACR: P = 0.8), and RAGE concentrations (P = 0.24) did not significantly change up to 8 h after cardiac arrest. TNFα and IL‐6 were undetectable. Unaffected pulmonary hemodynamics, sustained oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion, preserved mitochondrial homeostasis, and lack of inflammation suggest a long‐lasting functional preservation of the graft with selective anterograde in situ pulmonary perfusion.     

Muscular metastasis from primary lung cancer: about seven cases

Muscular metastasis from primary bronchial carcinoma are rare. We report seven cases with different clinical features. In most cases, these metastasis first manifested as a painful mass and revealed the cancer. Localisation of muscular metastasis was assessed by various imaging techniques (RMI, CT scan and ultrasonography). All cases were assessed by biopsy and were associated with primary adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated large cell carcinoma of the lung. Three patients underwent wide excision, leading to an improvement of general condition. All patients were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. With reference to our cases, imaging of the metastases will be illustrated and clinical and therapeutic features will be discussed.