Protective effects of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, citalopram and clomipramine, against hippocampal CA1 neuronal damage following transient ischemia in the gerbil

To clarify the role of serotonin in cerebral ischemia, we examined the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, citalopram and clomipramine, on ischemic neuronal damage in the gerbil. Pretreatment with citalopram (40 mg/kg i.p.) and clomipramine (20 mg/kg i.p.) protected against neuronal destruction of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells following 5 min of forebrain ischemia. Furthermore, microdialysis assays showed that a striking increase in extracellular excitatory amino acid levels during ischemia was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with citalopram and clomipramine. However, citalopram (40 mg/kg i.p.) did not alter the extracellular amino acid concentrations in normal gerbils. Thus, serotonin reuptake inhibitors have a protective effect against ischemic neuronal damage. Furthermore, the present result suggests that the protective effect is mediated through prevention of the accumulation of extracellular excitatory amino acids during and after ischemia.     

Velocity and flow quantitation in the superior sagittal sinus with ungated and cine (gated) phase-contrast MR imaging

Normal blood flow and velocity in the superior sagittal sinus were measured in 30 patients. A fast two-dimensional ungated phase-contrast (PC) pulse sequence was compared with a peripherally gated cine PC technique for velocity and flow quantitation. The same imaging parameters were used for both methods. Measured values for mean velocity and flow obtained with the two methods were compared by using regression analysis and t testing. For blood flow, the correlation coefficient was 0.976. For velocity measurements, r was 0.950. Mean flow was 285 mL/min ± 19 with the ungated PC method and 281 mL/min ± 19 with the cine PC method. The mean velocities measured with the two methods were 12.94 cm/sec ± 1.1 and 13.59 cm/sec ± 1.1, respectively. There was no significant difference (paired t test) between the methods for mean flow or velocity data. This was true even though flow in the superior sagittal sinus is moderately pulsatile, as shown with the cine PC technique. The ungated PC method provided these data in 13 seconds versus 3.5 minutes for the cine PC method.     

硒对沙土鼠脑缺血再灌注的保护作用及其作用机制研究

目的 研究亚硒酸钠对沙土鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用及其机制。方法 将50只沙土鼠随机分为5组，Ⅰ组：假手术组；Ⅱ组：缺血灌注1天处死组；Ⅲ组：缺血再灌注4天处死组；Ⅳ组：硒处理、缺血再灌1天处死组；Ⅴ组：硒处理、缺血再灌注4天处死组。采用夹闭双侧颈动脉法制备沙土鼠脑缺血再灌注模型，焦油紫染色，光镜下观察各组海马CAl区神经细胞的形态变化，电镜下超微结构变化。同时测定脑组织中丙二醛(MDA)、谷胱甘肽过氧化酶(GSH-PX)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的含量。结果 硒处理组沙土鼠脑缺血再灌注后，神经细胞病理形态损伤较轻，SOD、GSH-PX含量较高，MDA含量较低。结论 硒对沙土鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤具有保护作用，其机制可能和增强脑缺血再灌注早期脑组织中SOD、GSH-PX的活性，抑制氧自由基损伤，减轻脂质过氧化反应有关。     

大鼠马桑内酯急性局灶型癫痫大脑运动皮质的形态计量研究

用微量马桑内酯注入Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠左侧前肢运动皮质，造成急性局灶型癫痫。用光镜、电镜和体视学方法研究其运动皮质第Ｖ层结构的改变。结果显示：癫痫大鼠运动皮质灶区、灶旁区的神经细胞数和胶质细胞数均分别比对照大鼠灶区和灶旁区显著减少；灶区神经毡中突触性终末数，显著减少；突触性终末的面积分数明显减少，而树突的面积分数无变化；神经胶质突起的面积分数增加。     

MRI of the brain in diabetes mellitus

We studied the MRI appearances of the brain in 159 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 2566 agematched individuals without DM (controls). The images were reviewed for cerebral infarcts, hemorrhage, atrophy and subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy. Cerebral atrophy was significantly more frequent in patients with DM than in controls (P>0.005) from the sixth to the eighth decade. The frequency of atrophy was 41.2% in the 6th decade, 60.0% in the 7th and 92.3% in the 8th decade in DM, and 19.8%, 38.9% and 56.8% respectively in controls. Unexpectedly, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidences of cerebrovascular diseases at any age.     

通心络对颈动脉粥样硬化患者脑血流动力学的影响

目的　研究颈动脉粥样硬化伴脑供血不足患者 ,用通心络治疗前后血流动力学的变化。方法　给予 53例有颈动脉粥样硬化的脑供血不足的患者服用通心络胶囊 4粒 ,每日 3次 ,疗程为 4周。治疗前后采用经颅彩色多普勒 (transcranialdoppler,TCD)检测颅内各血管的血流变化 ,并与 30例老年健康体检者进行对照。结果　脑供血不足组各血管平均血流速度 (Vm)与健康对照组比较明显降低 (P <0 .0 5或 P <0 .0 1 ) ,且多数血管搏动指数 (PI)升高 (P <0 .0 5) ;治疗后脑供血不足组各血管的Vm较治疗前有显著性增高 (P <0 .0 5) ,且PI较治疗前有显著性降低 (P <0 .0 5)。结论　通心络可改善颈动脉粥样硬化患者的脑供血 ,是治疗和预防脑供血不足的有效药物     

脑梗塞患者血清脂蛋白（a）测定及其临床意义

应用酶标法测定58例脑梗塞患者和56例健康对照者血清脂蛋白(a)[LP(a)]含量,并同时测定了其他脂代谢指标,对其中26例脑梗塞患者还测定了血浆纤维蛋白溶解(简称纤溶)指标。结果表明脑梗塞组存在显著的脂代谢和纤溶功能紊乱。LP(a)含量增高,与所测脂代谢、纤溶指标无显著相关,是脑梗塞发病独立的危险因素。     

Cell volume regulation: a review of cerebral adaptive mechanisms and implications for clinical treatment of osmolal disturbances: II

Cerebral cell volume regulatory mechanisms are activated by sustained disturbances in plasma osmolality. Acute hypernatremia causes a predictable shrinkage of brain cells due to the sudden imposition of a plasma-to-cell osmolal gradient. However, during chronic hypernatremia cerebral cell volume is maintained close to the normal range as a result of the accumulation of electrolytes and organic osmolytes including myo-inositol, taurine, glutamine, glycerophosphorylcholine, and betaine. The increased cytosolic level of these molecules is generally accomplished via increased activity of sodium (Na⁺)-dependent cotransport systems. The slow dissipation of these additional osmotically active solutes from the cell during treatment of hypernatremia necessitates gradual correction of this electrolyte abnormality. Acute hyponatremia leads to cerebral cell swelling and severe neurological dysfunction. However, prolonged hyponatremia is associated with significant reductions in brain cell electrolyte and organic osmolyte content so that cerebral cell volume is restored to normal. While acute hyponatremia can be treated with the administration of moderate doses of hypertonic saline in order to control seizure activity, chronic hyponatremia should be corrected slowly in order to prevent subsequent neurological deterioration. If the rate of correction exceeds 0.5 mmol/l per hour, or if the total increment in serum [Na⁺] exceeds 25 mmol/l in the first 48 h of therapy, then there is an increased risk of the development of cerebral demyelinating lesions. Chronic hyperglycemia activates the brain cell volume regulatory adaptations in the same manner as hypernatremia. Therefore, during the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis, it is imperative to restore normoglycemia gradually in order to prevent the occurrence of cerebral edema. It is possible that excessive administration of electrolyte-free solutions and high doses of insulin may increase the risk of this complication. While there are some data to suggest that brain cell size is disturbed during acute uremia, additional work is necessary to clarify the role of cerebral cell volume regulation during acute and chronic uremia.     

Clinical impact of CCM mutation detection in familial cavernous angioma

Introduction and background A 3-year-old Bosnian girl with a large symptomatic brainstem and multiple supratentorial cavernous angiomas, who underwent neurosurgical treatment, is presented. As multiple cavernomas are more common in familial cases, genetic analyses and neuroradiological imaging were performed in the patient and her parents to see whether there was any evidence for inheritance. This information is important for genetic counseling and provision of medical care for at-risk relatives. Currently, no recommendation is available on how to manage these cases.Results Genetic analyses demonstrated a novel CCM1 frameshift mutation (c.1683_1684insA; p.V562SfsX6) in the child and the asymptomatic 27-year-old mother. Sensitive gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging of the mother revealed multiple supratentorial lesions, whereas analogous imaging of the father showed no pathological findings.Conclusion This case exemplifies that seemingly sporadic cases with multiple lesions might well be hereditary and that presymptomatic genetic testing of family members may identify relatives for whom clinical and neuroradiological monitoring is indicated.     

磷脂酶A2激活在鼠急性缺血性脑损伤中的作用机制

目的 探讨急性脑缺血后脑组织内磷脂酶A2（PLA2）激活及细胞内[Ca^2 ]i与脑损伤的关系，为预防和治疗急性缺血性脑损伤提供理论基础和新的思路。方法 将局灶性脑缺血模型大鼠分5组（假手术组、缺血30、60、90、120min组），测定脑组织PLA2活力、脑细胞[Ca^2 ]i、脑含水量及缺血120min组脑组织PLA2表达量的改变。结果 脑缺血120min脑组织PLA2活性、[Ca^2 ]i、脑含水量较假手术组明显升高，并与时间呈正相关，缺血120min后脑组织中出现sPLA2-ⅡAmRNA表达，且cPLA2-ⅣmRNA表达水平较假手术组明显增强。结论 磷脂酶A2激活参与了脑缺血后神经细胞内钙超载及脑损伤的整人病理过程。