Behavioral state-specific changes in human hippocampal theta activity

Although there has been extensive examination of the behavioral and physiologic correlates of hippocampal theta activity in animals, the human literature consists of a single case study. We investigated the differential effects of four behavioral states on human hippocampal theta activity in 16 epilepsy surgery patients. Behavioral conditions included resting eyes closed (RC), resting eyes open (RO), eyes open with auditory word activation (AW), and eyes open with visuospatial activation (VS). Hippocampal theta activity decreased during both RO and VS compared to both RC and AW. There were reciprocal changes in delta activity. Comparisons of RO to VS and of RC to AW were nonsignificant. The results demonstrate state-specific changes in human hippocampal theta and are consistent with the animal literature that relates hippocampal theta to sensorimotor integration and forebrain volitional mechanisms.     

Radiation dose reduction during hysterosalpingography: an application of scanning-beam digital radiography

Hysterosalpingography was performed in 31 patients by means of a low-dose scanning-beam digital radiographic system. The technique permits adequate evaluation of gynecologic abnormalities while allowing significant reduction in radiation: 2.4-mR (6.1 X 10(-7) C/kg) exposure to the skin and 0.7-mrad (7 X 10(-6) Gy) mean dose to the ovaries per image obtained. Sixteen patients demonstrated readily recognizable and documented abnormalities, corroborated by laparoscopy, laparotomy, or other supportive evidence.     

Cognitive evoked potentials and disorders of recent memory

P3 potentials evoked by spoken words were recorded from seven patients with disorders of recent memory and seven age-matched controls. Inclusion criteria included a clearly identifiable P3 to pure tone stimuli. Absence or marked decrement of P3 to word stimuli was seen in the patients even though they could perform the word task. The results are consistent with an encoding disorder and failure in elaboration of information processing.     

Characterization of the Medical Symptom Validity Test in evaluation of clinically referred memory disorders clinic patients.

We prospectively evaluated performance of 63 referrals to a memory disorders clinic who received the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) as part of their standard neuropsychological evaluation. The patients were grouped based on independent medical diagnoses and presence or absence of a potential financial incentive to under-perform. Twenty-seven patients (42.9%) scored below cutoffs on the MSVT symptom validity indices. Two individuals in the potential financial incentive group showed clear signs of invalid responding (18.2%). Twenty-two of the remaining 25 patients who failed the symptom validity indices corresponded to the dementia profile. Three individuals did not correspond to the dementia profile but are thought to have performed validly representing a 4.8% false positive rate. When considering all MSVT indices, the base rate of invalid responding in the potential financial incentive to under-perform group increased to 27.3%. Combining all groups our base rate of invalid responding was 4.8%. Specific performances are presented.     

Effect of a low-protein diet on doxorubicin pharmacokinetics in the rabbit

Summary Malnutrition involving protein deficiency, which commonly occurs in cancer patients receiving anthracycline treatment, is considered to be a risk factor for the development of cardiotoxicity. Protein deficiency has been shown to impair the metabolism of drugs such as theophylline and acetaminophen. If protein deficiency also impairs anthracycline metabolism, it could explain at least in part the enchanced anthracycline toxicity associated with malnutrition. We tested this idea by determining the effect of a low- protein, isocaloric diet on doxorubicin pharmacokinetics in rabbits. The animals were randomized into two groups for 8–12 weeks. Rabbits in group 1 received a low-protein (5%), isocaloric diet, whereas those in group 2 received a normal-protein (15%) diet. Both groups (group 1,n=15; group 2,n=14) were given 5 mg/kg doxorubicin by i.v. bolus. After doxorubicin injection, blood samples were obtained over the next 52 h for the measurement of doxorubicin and doxorubicinol plasma concentrations by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorometric detection. The low-protein diet significantly decreased doxorubicin clearance (48±3 vs 59±4 ml min^–1 kg^–1;P<0.05), prolonged the terminal climination half-life (28±2 vs 22±2 h;P<0.05), and increased the area under the plasma concentration/time curve extrapolated to infinity (1722±122 vs 1405±71 ng h ml^–1;P<0.05) as compared with the values determined for rabbits fed the standard rabbit chow (15% protein). The volume of distribution for doxorubicin was not altered by the low-protein diet. In addition, in rabbits fed the the low-portein diet, the terminal elimination half-life of the alcohol metabolite, doxorubicinol was prolonged (52±5 vs 40±2 h;P<0.05). Thus, a low-protein diet causes a reduction in the ability of rabbits to eliminate doxorubicin and possibly its alcohol metabolite doxorubicinol. If a similar alteration in anthracycline pharmacokinetics occurs in malnourished cancer patients, this phenomenon may contribute to their increased risk of developing cardiotoxicity associated with anthracycline therapy.Supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Heart Foundation     

F-19 MR imaging of glucose metabolism in the rabbit

Noninvasive metabolic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging reflecting glucose metabolism in the aldose-reductase-sorbitol (ARS) pathway was performed in the rabbit head; after administration of the fluorinated glucose analogue 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-glucose (3FD-glucose), fluorine-19 images were generated. Images of 3FD-glucose showed significant 3FD-glucose uptake by adipose tissue, indicating its buffering effects in case of excess loads of glucose. Images of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-sorbitol (3FD-sorbitol) demonstrated the spatial distribution of aldose reductase activities and significant sorbitol accumulation in the lens. Images of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-fructose (3FD-fructose) showed preferential uptake of fructose by muscle tissue. The extremely low toxicity of 3FD-glucose indicates promise for its clinical application in metabolic imaging.