The vestibulothalamic projections in the cat studied by retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase

Summary Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected or iontophoretically ejected in various thalamic nuclei in 63 adult cats. In 11 other animals HRP was deposited outside the thalamic territory. The number and distribution of labelled cells within the vestibular nuclear complex (VC) were mapped in each case. To a varying degree all subgroups of VC appear to contribute to the vestibulothalamic projections. Such fibres are distributed to several thalamic areas. From the present investigation it appears that generally speaking, there exist three distinct vestibulothalamic pathways with regard to origin as well as to site of termination of the fibres. One projection appears to originate mainly in caudal parts of the medial (M) and descending (D) vestibular nuclei and in cell group z. This pathway terminates chiefly in the contralateral medial part of the posterior nucleus of the thalamus (POm) including the magnocellular part of the medial geniculate body (Mgmc), the ventrobasal complex (VB) and the area of the ventral lateral nucleus (VL) bordering on VB. A second projection originates mainly in the superior vestibular nucleus (S) and in cell group y and terminates mainly in the contralateral nucleus centralis lateralis (CL) and the adjoining nucleus paracentralis (Pc). A third, more modest, pathway originates chiefly in the middle M and D, with a minor contribution from S and cell group y, and terminates in the contralateral ventral nucleus of the lateral geniculate body (GLV). There is some degree of overlap between the origin of these three vestibulothalamic pathways.Abbreviations B.c. brachium conjunctivum - CeM nucleus centralis medialis thalami - CL nucleus centralis lateralis thalami - CM nucleus centrum medianum - D nucleus vestibularis descendons - f cell group f - g cell group g - GLD corpus geniculatum laterale dorsalis - GLV corpus geniculatum laterale ventralis - i.e. nucleus intercalatus - L nucleus vestibularis lateralis - LD nucleus lateralis dorsalis thalami - LIM lamina medullaris interna - Lim nucleus limitans - LP nucleus lateralis posterior thalami - M nucleus vestibularis medialis - MD nucleus medialis dorsalis thalami - MGmc corpus geniculatum mediale, pars magnocellularis - MGp corpus geniculatum mediale, pars principalis - N.cu.e. nucleus cuneatus externus - N.f.c. nucleus fasciculi cuneati - N.mes. V nucleus mesencephalicus nervi trigemini - NR nucleus ruber - N.tr.s. nucleus tractus solitarius - N. VII nervus facialis - N. VIII nervus statoacusticus - PC pedunculus cerebri - Pc nucleus paracentralis thalami - Pf nucleus parafascicularis - p.h. nucleus prepositus hypoglossi - PO posterior thalamic group - PO1 lateral part of PO - POm medial part of PO - Prt nucleus pretectalis - Pul pulvinar - R nucleus reticularis thalami - S nucleus vestibularis superior - Sg nucleus suprageniculatus - SN substantia nigra - Sv nucleus supravestibularis - Tr.s. tractus solitarius - VA nucleus ventralis anterior thalami - VL nucleus ventralis lateralis thalami - VPL nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis - VPL1 lateral part of VPL - VPLm medial part of VPL - VPM nucleus ventralis posterior medialis - x cell group x - y cell group y - z cell group z - V nucleus motorius nerve trigemini - X nucleus dorsalis nerve vagi - XII nucleus nervi hypoglossi     

Pseudoephedrine, a sympathomimetic agent, induces Fos-like immunoreactivity in rat nucleus accumbens and striatum.

The pharmacological properties of the ephedrine derivative pseudoephedrine were investigated at the nuclear level. Following intraperitoneal injection of Sprague Dawley rats with pseudoephedrine, Fos induction was measured in various brain areas by Western blots and immunocytochemistry. Pseudoephedrine induced Fos-like immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens and striatum in a time and concentration-dependent manner with maximal effect at 60 mg/kg 2 h after injection. Immunocytochemical studies confirmed that the majority of the signal was detectable in the nucleus accumbens and striatum. Pre-injection with the D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 partially and completely blocked pseudoephedrine-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, respectively, suggesting that the action of pseudoephedrine is mediated via dopamine release and results in the activation of D1 dopamine receptors. With the exception of the higher doses required, the actions of pseudoephedrine were similar to those previously described for the psychostimulant amphetamine.     

Effects of Inhaled Rosemary Oil on Subjective Feelings and Activities of the Nervous System

Rosemary oil is one of the more famous essential oils widely used in aroma-therapy. However, the effects of rosemary oil on the human body, in particular the nervous system, have not been sufficiently studied. This study investigates the effects of the inhalation of rosemary oil on test subjects’ feelings, as well as its effects on various physiological parameters of the nervous system. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in the experiment. All subjects underwent autonomic nervous system (ANS) recording. This consisted of measurements of skin temperature; heart rate; respiratory rate; blood pressure; evaluations of the subjects’ mood states; and electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in the pre-, during treatment, and post-rosemary inhalation periods as compared with control conditions. Our results showed significant increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate after rosemary oil inhalation. After the inhalation treatments, subjects were found to have become more active and stated that they felt “fresher”. The analysis of EEGs showed a reduction in the power of alpha1 (8–10.99 Hz) and alpha2 (11–12.99 Hz) waves. Moreover, an increment in the beta wave (13–30 Hz) power was observed in the anterior region of the brain. These results confirm the stimulatory effects of rosemary oil and provide supporting evidence that brain wave activity, autonomic nervous system activity, as well as mood states are all affected by the inhalation of the rosemary oil.     

Developing ICF Core Sets for persons with sleep disorders based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

BACKGROUND: With the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), we can now rely on a globally agreed-upon framework and system for classifying the typical spectrum of problems in the functioning of persons given the environmental context in which they live. ICF Core Sets are subgroups of ICF items selected to capture those aspects of functioning that are most likely to be affected by sleep disorders. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to outline the developmental process for the ICF Core Sets for Sleep. METHODS: The ICF Core Sets for Sleep will be defined at an ICF Core Sets Consensus Conference, which will integrate evidence from preliminary studies, namely (a) a systematic literature review regarding the outcomes used in clinical trials and observational studies, (b) focus groups with people in different regions of the world who have sleep disorders, (c) an expert survey with the involvement of international clinical experts, and (d) a cross-sectional study of people with sleep disorders in different regions of the world. CONCLUSION: The ICF Core Sets for Sleep are being designed with the goal of providing useful standards for research, clinical practice and teaching. It is hypothesized that the ICF Core Sets for Sleep will stimulate research that leads to an improved understanding of functioning, disability, and health in sleep medicine. It is of further hope that such research will lead to interventions and accommodations that improve the restoration and maintenance of functioning and minimize disability among people with sleep disorders throughout the world.     

Epidemiology of sleep-related complaints associated with sleep-disordered breathing in Bangkok,Thailand

BackgroundThis study assesses the prevalence of and risk factors for sleep-related complaints in Bangkok, Thailand.MethodsA representative sample of the Bangkok population was selected based on results of the 2000 Census. A total of 4680 participants underwent face-to-face interview with a 49-question sleep inventory.ResultsFour percent of the total sampled (5.3% of men and 3.5% of women) complained of habitual snoring (>3 nights/week) and excessive daytime sleepiness (>3 days/week) for at least 3 months. These subjects were significantly (p < 0.0001) older (41.4 vs. 36.7 years), had greater BMI (26.0 vs. 22.8 kg/m²), neck size (34.7 vs. 32.5 cms), and waist circumference (88.0 vs. 78.7 cms). They reported significantly shorter nocturnal sleep time, greater frequency of sleep disturbances and awakenings, unrefreshing sleep, choking during sleep, night sweats, nocturia, and bruxism. There was also a greater prevalence of cardiovascular and endocrine diseases. Multivariate analysis showed that male gender; BMI; waist size; and reports of witnessed apneas, unrefreshing sleep and night sweats were significant predictors of snoring and daytime sleepiness.ConclusionThis is the first epidemiologic study investigating sleep-related complaints and associated health morbidities in the Thai population.     

Effects of an iron supplementation trial on the Fe status of Thai schoolchildren.

A double-blind clinical trial was conducted among 9- to 11-year-old children in sixteen schools in the Chon Buri province of Thailand to assess the effects of an iron supplement combined with an anthelminthic agent (i.e. albendazole). In addition to the albendazole, Fe or placebo tablets were distributed to 2268 children enrolled in grades three to five without knowledge of the Fe status of the children. Criteria for case inclusion were: (a) absence of A E Bart's or haemoglobin (Hb) H disease, (b) absence of abnormal Hb EE, and (c) age, 108-144 months. The results showed a significant improvement in the Fe status of the children after 16 weeks of treatment. The increments were: Hb from 124 to 128 g/l, serum ferritin from 34.54 to 104.72 micrograms/l, transferrin saturation from 24.09 to 35.05%; free erythrocyte protoporphyrin decreased from 444.7 to 281.4 micrograms/l erythrocytes. These changes were significantly greater than in the control group that received only the anthelminthic agent. However, the administration of albendazole only also resulted in significant changes in the same Fe indicators.     

Differential effect of alpha-syntrophin knockout on aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 expression in retinal macroglial cells in mice

Aquaporin-4 water channels and the inwardly rectifying potassium channels Kir4.1 are coexpressed in a highly polarized manner at the perivascular and subvitreal endfeet of retinal Müller cells and astrocytes. The present study was aimed at resolving the anchoring mechanisms responsible for the coexpression of these molecules. Both aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 contain PDZ-domain binding motifs at their C-termini and it was recently shown that mice with targeted disruption of the dystrophin gene display altered distribution of aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 in the retina. To test our hypothesis that alpha-syntrophin (a PDZ-domain containing protein of the dystrophin associated protein complex) is involved in aquaporin-4 and Kir4.1 anchoring in retinal cells, we studied the expression pattern of these molecules in alpha-syntrophin null mice. Judged by quantitative immunogold cytochemistry, deletion of the alpha-syntrophin gene causes a partial loss (by 70%) of aquaporin-4 labeling at astrocyte and Müller cell endfeet but no decrease in Kir4.1 labeling at these sites. These findings suggest that alpha-syntrophin is not involved in the anchoring of Kir4.1 and only partly responsible for the anchoring of aquaporin-4 in retinal endfeet membranes. Furthermore we show that wild type and alpha-syntrophin null mice exhibit strong beta1 syntrophin labeling at perivascular and subvitreal Müller cell endfeet, raising the possibility that beta1 syntrophin might be involved in the anchoring of Kir4.1 and the alpha-syntrophin independent pool of aquaporin-4.