OLFACTORY BULB REMOVAL: EFFECTS ON BRAIN NOREPINEPHRINE

Removal of one olfactory bulb causes marked changes in the norepinephrine contents of several brain regions. The brainstem catecholamine level is higher on the side of the lesion than on the control side, whereas telencephalic norepinephrine is lower ipsilateral to the lesion. The apparent decline in telencephalic norepinephrine is associated with a parallel decrease in the ability of this region to take up and retain ³H-norepinephrine injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle. Within the ipsilateral olfactory tubercle, there is also a significant decrease in the activity of the enzyme phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase, which catalyzes the conversion of norepinephrine to epinephrine. The results of this study suggest that measurement of changes in the uptake of ³H-norepinephrine injected into the cerebral ventricle can be used as a technique for mapping central adrenergic pathways.     

Pre-and post-junctional receptor-mediated cholinergic interactions with adrenergic transmission in guinea-pig vas deferens

Summary Isolated, superfused, field stimulated guinea-pig vas deferens, in which the noradrenaline stores had been labelled by preincubation with tritiated (-)-noradrenaline, was used to study the interaction between exogenous and endogenous acetylcholine and adrenergic neuroeffector function. Exogenous acetylcholine was found to exert a dual muscarinic effect on the preparation, consisting of depression of the secretion of tracer noradrenaline from the sympathetic nerves, as well as enhancement of the nerve stimulation-induced contraction of the preparation. The results indicate that endogenous acetylcholine may play an analogous role, since eserine enhanced the nerve stimulation-induced contraction, without markedly affecting the secretion of labelled noradrenaline (the effect was abolished by atropine), while higher concentrations of atropine depressed the contraction and actually enhanced the secretion of labelled noradrenaline. The findings support the concept that guinea-pig vas deferens has a dual, cholinergic as well as adrenergic, innervation, and that the cholinergic nerves exert a dual modulatory effect on sympathetic neuro-effector function in this tissue: Firstly they appear to restrict the secretion of sympathetic neurotransmitter (via pre-junctional muscarinic receptors, on the adrenergic nerve terminals), and secondly they seem to enhance the excitability of the smooth muscle to sympathetic neurotransmitter (via post-junctional muscarinic receptors, on the smooth muscle cells).     

Acalculous cholecystitis

Among all patients undergoing cholecystectomy during an eight year period, sixty-two had cholecystitis without gallbladder stones, including twenty-two with choledocholithiasis. Roentgenologic examination prior to operation had shown a nonfunctioning gallbladder or a functioning gallbladder with stones in most of these cases. The mean size of the common duct was 13.9 mm in patients with choledocholithiasis and 9.3 mm in those without choledocholithiasis. Complete obliteration of the cystic duct was found in three cases. Microscopic examination showed chronic cholecystitis in most cases, and acute or both acute and chronic inflammation in most of the remaining cases. The most frequent symptoms were pain in the right upper quadrant, jaundice, fever, epigastric distress, bile-stained urine, and stool discoloration. Gallbladder stones that have passed spontaneously into the common bile duct or intestines prior to operation are believed to play a prominent role in the development of acalculous cholecystitis.     

Die elektrischen Potentiale des Innenohres

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 6 TextabbildungenNach einem Vortrag vor der Schwedischen Otolaryngologischen Gesellschaft am 5. Dezember 1959.     

Reversal of the reserpine-induced suppression of the conditioned avoidance response in the cat by l-DOPA

Summary l-DOPA was effective in temporarily antagonizing the reserpine-induced suppression of a conditioned avoidance response. The effect was associated with the accumulation of dopamine in the brain. The role of dopamine, noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in this response is discussed.