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Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) candidates experience frequently episodic or persistent hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, these patients can exhibit neurological comorbidities that contribute to cognitive impairment in the pre-transplant period. Assessment of the respective contribution of hepatic encephalopathy or comorbidities in the cognitive manifestations is critical to estimate the neurological benefits of restoring liver function. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy are useful to assess the impact of liver failure or comorbidities. This assessment is critical to decide liver transplant in difficult cases. In ...
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Abstract
The syndrome of dyskinesia associated with hyperglycemia and basal ganglia hyperintensity on T1 – weighted MR images is rare and most often affects elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. We report a case of a 79 year-old female patient who presented to the ED with a 12 h history of a left sided hemichoreoathetosis. Laboratory results revealed pronounced nonketotic hyperglycemia [27 mmol/L (486 mg/dL); HbA1c 140 mmol/mol (15 %)] and brain MRI showed bilateral T1 hyperintensity in the basal ganglia, more noticeable on the right side. One ...
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Abstract
The urea-cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of congenital enzyme and carrier deficiencies predisposing to hyperammonemia (HA). HA causes changes in the central nervous system (CNS) including alterations of neurotransmitter function, cell volume, and energy deprivation ultimately leading to cerebral edema. Neuropathological findings of UCDs primarily reflect changes in astrocyte morphology. Neurological features accompanying acute HA include changes in behavior and consciousness in the short term, and potential for impairments in memory and executive function as long-term effects. Plasma measures of ...
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| |
Abstract
Glutamine/glutamate homeostasis must be exquisitely regulated in mammalian brain and glutaminase (GA, E.C. 3.5.1.2) is one of the main enzymes involved. The products of GA reaction, glutamate and ammonia, are essential metabolites for energy and biosynthetic purposes but they are also hazardous compounds at concentrations beyond their normal physiological thresholds. The classical pattern of GA expression in mammals has been recently challenged by the discovery of novel transcript variants and protein isoforms. Furthermore, the interactome of brain GA is also starting ...
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Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy is the main cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients associated with impaired prognosis. Hyperammonemia plus inflammatory response do play a crucial role on hepatic encephalopathy. However, in some patients HE appeared without hyperammonemia and patients with increased levels of ammonia could not show cognitive dysfunction. This has led to investigate other factors that could act in a synergistic way. Diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance are characterized by releasing and enhancing these pro-inflammatory cytokines and, additionally, has been related to hepatic ...
|
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Abstract
Induction of hyperammonaemia with nitrogen challenge in man can be used to study the pathogenesis and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy complicating cirrhosis. Initially 20 g of glutamine was given orally as a flavored solution which resulted in doubling of blood ammonia concentration and this was associated with a deterioration in performance of the choice reaction time. The effect could have been due to a direct effect of glutamine rather than the ammonia generated so in subsequent experiments a glutamine free mixture of ...
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by Michele Rui, Sami Schiff, Daniele Aprile, et al.Paolo Angeli, Giancarlo Bombonato, Massimo Bolognesi, David Sacerdoti, Angelo Gatta, Carlo Merkel, Piero Amodio, Sara Montagnese
Abstract
The relationship between hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and the sleep-wake disturbances exhibited by patients with cirrhosis remains debated. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of sleep-wake interview within the context of HE assessment. One-hundred-and-six cirrhotic patients were asked three yes/no questions investigating the presence of difficulty falling asleep, night awakenings and daytime sleepiness. All underwent formal HE assessment, quantitative electroencephalography and standardised psychometry. Fifty-eight were monitored for 8 ± 6 months in relation to the occurrence of HE. Patients complaining of ...
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Abstract
Previous comparative studies of fumarate hydratase (FH) protein density revealed that the enzyme was overexpressed in the striatum of rodents that are less influenced by rewarding stimuli, from cocaine to food. Therefore, we recently proposed FH as a potential striatal biomarker of brain reward deficiency and addiction vulnerability. This work has been focused to investigate FH activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) of undernourished rats, taking into account that malnutrition has been related to increased responsiveness to food and drug reward. ...
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Abstract
Biochemical and metabolic analysis of ischemic cerebral tissue is central in stroke investigation and is usually performed in animal stroke models, such as the permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in the rat that we have used. To be sure that the sample is from infarct tissue, it is differentiated from the surrounding normal tissue by staining, usually with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), but staining can hamper biochemical colorimetric analysis. We performed this study to avoid this obstacle. A cerebral ...
|
| |
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) candidates experience frequently episodic or persistent hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, these patients can exhibit neurological comorbidities that contribute to cognitive impairment in the pre-transplant period. Assessment of the respective contribution of hepatic encephalopathy or comorbidities in the cognitive manifestations is critical to estimate the neurological benefits of restoring liver function. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy are useful to assess the impact of liver failure or comorbidities. This assessment is critical to decide liver transplant in difficult cases. In ...
|
| |
Abstract
The syndrome of dyskinesia associated with hyperglycemia and basal ganglia hyperintensity on T1 – weighted MR images is rare and most often affects elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. We report a case of a 79 year-old female patient who presented to the ED with a 12 h history of a left sided hemichoreoathetosis. Laboratory results revealed pronounced nonketotic hyperglycemia [27 mmol/L (486 mg/dL); HbA1c 140 mmol/mol (15 %)] and brain MRI showed bilateral T1 hyperintensity in the basal ganglia, more noticeable on the right side. One ...
|
| |
Abstract
The urea-cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of congenital enzyme and carrier deficiencies predisposing to hyperammonemia (HA). HA causes changes in the central nervous system (CNS) including alterations of neurotransmitter function, cell volume, and energy deprivation ultimately leading to cerebral edema. Neuropathological findings of UCDs primarily reflect changes in astrocyte morphology. Neurological features accompanying acute HA include changes in behavior and consciousness in the short term, and potential for impairments in memory and executive function as long-term effects. Plasma measures of ...
|
| |
Abstract
Glutamine/glutamate homeostasis must be exquisitely regulated in mammalian brain and glutaminase (GA, E.C. 3.5.1.2) is one of the main enzymes involved. The products of GA reaction, glutamate and ammonia, are essential metabolites for energy and biosynthetic purposes but they are also hazardous compounds at concentrations beyond their normal physiological thresholds. The classical pattern of GA expression in mammals has been recently challenged by the discovery of novel transcript variants and protein isoforms. Furthermore, the interactome of brain GA is also starting ...
|
| |
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy is the main cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients associated with impaired prognosis. Hyperammonemia plus inflammatory response do play a crucial role on hepatic encephalopathy. However, in some patients HE appeared without hyperammonemia and patients with increased levels of ammonia could not show cognitive dysfunction. This has led to investigate other factors that could act in a synergistic way. Diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance are characterized by releasing and enhancing these pro-inflammatory cytokines and, additionally, has been related to hepatic ...
|
| |
Abstract
Induction of hyperammonaemia with nitrogen challenge in man can be used to study the pathogenesis and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy complicating cirrhosis. Initially 20 g of glutamine was given orally as a flavored solution which resulted in doubling of blood ammonia concentration and this was associated with a deterioration in performance of the choice reaction time. The effect could have been due to a direct effect of glutamine rather than the ammonia generated so in subsequent experiments a glutamine free mixture of ...
|
| |
by Michele Rui, Sami Schiff, Daniele Aprile, et al.Paolo Angeli, Giancarlo Bombonato, Massimo Bolognesi, David Sacerdoti, Angelo Gatta, Carlo Merkel, Piero Amodio, Sara Montagnese
Abstract
The relationship between hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and the sleep-wake disturbances exhibited by patients with cirrhosis remains debated. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of sleep-wake interview within the context of HE assessment. One-hundred-and-six cirrhotic patients were asked three yes/no questions investigating the presence of difficulty falling asleep, night awakenings and daytime sleepiness. All underwent formal HE assessment, quantitative electroencephalography and standardised psychometry. Fifty-eight were monitored for 8 ± 6 months in relation to the occurrence of HE. Patients complaining of ...
|
| |
Abstract
Previous comparative studies of fumarate hydratase (FH) protein density revealed that the enzyme was overexpressed in the striatum of rodents that are less influenced by rewarding stimuli, from cocaine to food. Therefore, we recently proposed FH as a potential striatal biomarker of brain reward deficiency and addiction vulnerability. This work has been focused to investigate FH activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) of undernourished rats, taking into account that malnutrition has been related to increased responsiveness to food and drug reward. ...
|
| |
Abstract
Biochemical and metabolic analysis of ischemic cerebral tissue is central in stroke investigation and is usually performed in animal stroke models, such as the permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in the rat that we have used. To be sure that the sample is from infarct tissue, it is differentiated from the surrounding normal tissue by staining, usually with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), but staining can hamper biochemical colorimetric analysis. We performed this study to avoid this obstacle. A cerebral ...
|
| |
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) candidates experience frequently episodic or persistent hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, these patients can exhibit neurological comorbidities that contribute to cognitive impairment in the pre-transplant period. Assessment of the respective contribution of hepatic encephalopathy or comorbidities in the cognitive manifestations is critical to estimate the neurological benefits of restoring liver function. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy are useful to assess the impact of liver failure or comorbidities. This assessment is critical to decide liver transplant in difficult cases. In ...
|
| |
Abstract
The syndrome of dyskinesia associated with hyperglycemia and basal ganglia hyperintensity on T1 – weighted MR images is rare and most often affects elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. We report a case of a 79 year-old female patient who presented to the ED with a 12 h history of a left sided hemichoreoathetosis. Laboratory results revealed pronounced nonketotic hyperglycemia [27 mmol/L (486 mg/dL); HbA1c 140 mmol/mol (15 %)] and brain MRI showed bilateral T1 hyperintensity in the basal ganglia, more noticeable on the right side. One ...
|
| |
Abstract
The urea-cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of congenital enzyme and carrier deficiencies predisposing to hyperammonemia (HA). HA causes changes in the central nervous system (CNS) including alterations of neurotransmitter function, cell volume, and energy deprivation ultimately leading to cerebral edema. Neuropathological findings of UCDs primarily reflect changes in astrocyte morphology. Neurological features accompanying acute HA include changes in behavior and consciousness in the short term, and potential for impairments in memory and executive function as long-term effects. Plasma measures of ...
|
| |
Abstract
Glutamine/glutamate homeostasis must be exquisitely regulated in mammalian brain and glutaminase (GA, E.C. 3.5.1.2) is one of the main enzymes involved. The products of GA reaction, glutamate and ammonia, are essential metabolites for energy and biosynthetic purposes but they are also hazardous compounds at concentrations beyond their normal physiological thresholds. The classical pattern of GA expression in mammals has been recently challenged by the discovery of novel transcript variants and protein isoforms. Furthermore, the interactome of brain GA is also starting ...
|
| |
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy is the main cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients associated with impaired prognosis. Hyperammonemia plus inflammatory response do play a crucial role on hepatic encephalopathy. However, in some patients HE appeared without hyperammonemia and patients with increased levels of ammonia could not show cognitive dysfunction. This has led to investigate other factors that could act in a synergistic way. Diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance are characterized by releasing and enhancing these pro-inflammatory cytokines and, additionally, has been related to hepatic ...
|
| |
Abstract
Induction of hyperammonaemia with nitrogen challenge in man can be used to study the pathogenesis and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy complicating cirrhosis. Initially 20 g of glutamine was given orally as a flavored solution which resulted in doubling of blood ammonia concentration and this was associated with a deterioration in performance of the choice reaction time. The effect could have been due to a direct effect of glutamine rather than the ammonia generated so in subsequent experiments a glutamine free mixture of ...
|
| |
by Michele Rui, Sami Schiff, Daniele Aprile, et al.Paolo Angeli, Giancarlo Bombonato, Massimo Bolognesi, David Sacerdoti, Angelo Gatta, Carlo Merkel, Piero Amodio, Sara Montagnese
Abstract
The relationship between hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and the sleep-wake disturbances exhibited by patients with cirrhosis remains debated. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of sleep-wake interview within the context of HE assessment. One-hundred-and-six cirrhotic patients were asked three yes/no questions investigating the presence of difficulty falling asleep, night awakenings and daytime sleepiness. All underwent formal HE assessment, quantitative electroencephalography and standardised psychometry. Fifty-eight were monitored for 8 ± 6 months in relation to the occurrence of HE. Patients complaining of ...
|
| |
Abstract
Previous comparative studies of fumarate hydratase (FH) protein density revealed that the enzyme was overexpressed in the striatum of rodents that are less influenced by rewarding stimuli, from cocaine to food. Therefore, we recently proposed FH as a potential striatal biomarker of brain reward deficiency and addiction vulnerability. This work has been focused to investigate FH activity in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) of undernourished rats, taking into account that malnutrition has been related to increased responsiveness to food and drug reward. ...
|
| |
Abstract
Biochemical and metabolic analysis of ischemic cerebral tissue is central in stroke investigation and is usually performed in animal stroke models, such as the permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in the rat that we have used. To be sure that the sample is from infarct tissue, it is differentiated from the surrounding normal tissue by staining, usually with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), but staining can hamper biochemical colorimetric analysis. We performed this study to avoid this obstacle. A cerebral ...
|
| |
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) candidates experience frequently episodic or persistent hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, these patients can exhibit neurological comorbidities that contribute to cognitive impairment in the pre-transplant period. Assessment of the respective contribution of hepatic encephalopathy or comorbidities in the cognitive manifestations is critical to estimate the neurological benefits of restoring liver function. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy are useful to assess the impact of liver failure or comorbidities. This assessment is critical to decide liver transplant in difficult cases. In ...
|
| |
Abstract
The syndrome of dyskinesia associated with hyperglycemia and basal ganglia hyperintensity on T1 – weighted MR images is rare and most often affects elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. We report a case of a 79 year-old female patient who presented to the ED with a 12 h history of a left sided hemichoreoathetosis. Laboratory results revealed pronounced nonketotic hyperglycemia [27 mmol/L (486 mg/dL); HbA1c 140 mmol/mol (15 %)] and brain MRI showed bilateral T1 hyperintensity in the basal ganglia, more noticeable on the right side. One ...
|
| |
Abstract
The urea-cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of congenital enzyme and carrier deficiencies predisposing to hyperammonemia (HA). HA causes changes in the central nervous system (CNS) including alterations of neurotransmitter function, cell volume, and energy deprivation ultimately leading to cerebral edema. Neuropathological findings of UCDs primarily reflect changes in astrocyte morphology. Neurological features accompanying acute HA include changes in behavior and consciousness in the short term, and potential for impairments in memory and executive function as long-term effects. Plasma measures of ...
|
| |
Abstract
Glutamine/glutamate homeostasis must be exquisitely regulated in mammalian brain and glutaminase (GA, E.C. 3.5.1.2) is one of the main enzymes involved. The products of GA reaction, glutamate and ammonia, are essential metabolites for energy and biosynthetic purposes but they are also hazardous compounds at concentrations beyond their normal physiological thresholds. The classical pattern of GA expression in mammals has been recently challenged by the discovery of novel transcript variants and protein isoforms. Furthermore, the interactome of brain GA is also starting ...
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Abstract
Kynurenine aminotransferase II (KAT-II) is the astrocytic enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous inhibitor of the α7-nicotinic receptor and the NMDA receptor (NMDAr). A previous study demonstrated an increase of KYNA synthesis in the brain of rats with thioacetamide (TAA)-induced acute liver failure. Here we show that TAA administration increases KAT-II expression in the rat cerebral cortex and the effect is mimicked in cerebral cortical astrocytes in culture treated with high (5 mM) concentration of ammonia. KAT-II ...
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Abstract
Nutritional status is significantly altered in patients with end-stage liver disease (cirrhosis). Malnutrition is a common complication of cirrhosis and is known to be associated with a greater risk of post-operative complications and mortality, especially following liver transplantation. Neurological complications occur frequently after transplant and the nature and extent of these complications may relate to nutritional deficits such as protein-calorie malnutrition as well as vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies. A consensus document from the International Society on Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nitrogen metabolism ...
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Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is characterized by a wide variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms, and from a psychiatric perspective its nosological status calls for clarification. According to the ICD-10 classification, it can be classified as delirium due to overt HE´s core symptom of clouding of consciousness in increasing degrees. Minimal/covert HE with impairment of neurocognitive function is more difficult to classify and could correspond to Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild degrees of dementia. However, the advantages of current psychiatric nosology is the possibility ...
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Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the hypothesis that patients who develop depression after myocardial infarction (MI) have a lower level of brain serotonergic neurotransmission through measurement of plasma free fraction of L-tryptophan and intensity-dependence auditory-evoked potentials (IDAEPs). A cross-sectional study was carried out in 74 adults after MI. Thirty-four patients suffered from depression and 40 patients did not demonstrate depressive symptoms. We measured the free fraction, bound and total plasma L-tryptophan, and neutral amino acids as well as ...
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Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) arises from acute or chronic liver diseases and leads to cognitive deficits. Different animal models for the study of HE have demonstrated learning and memory impairment and a number of neurotransmitter systems have been proposed to be involved in this. Recently, it was described that bile duct-ligated (BDL) rats exhibited altered spatio-temporal locomotor and exploratory activities and biosynthesis of neurotransmitter GABA in brain cortices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate cognition in the same animal ...
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Abstract
Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I) is an inborn error of lysine and tryptophan metabolism. Clinical manifestations of GA-I include dystonic or dyskinetic cerebral palsy, but when the symptoms occur, treatment is not effective. In Taiwan, newborn screening for GA-I started in 2001; we wish to evaluate the outcomes of patients detected through newborn screening. Newborns diagnosed with GA-I by abnormal dried blood spot glutarylcarnitine (C5DC) levels followed in our hospital were included in this study. They were treated with special diets, ...
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Abstract
Acute liver failure patients with a persistence of hyperammonemia are at an increased risk of intracranial hypertension due to development of brain oedema. In vitro studies of brain tissue and cell cultures that indicates that exposure to ammonium inhibits enzymatic activity in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, induces substrate depletion through marked glutamate utilization for glutamine synthesis and leads to mitochondrial dysfunction. In patients with acute liver failure cerebral microdialysis studies show a linear correlation between the lactate to pyruvate ratio and ...
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Abstract
Brain edema and the subsequent increase in intracranial pressure are major neurological complications of acute liver failure (ALF), and swelling of astrocytes (cytotoxic brain edema) is the most prominent neuropathological abnormality in ALF. Recent studies, however, have suggested the co-existence of cytotoxic and vasogenic mechanisms in the brain edema associated with ALF. This review 1) summarizes the nature of the brain edema in humans and experimental animals with ALF; 2) reviews in vitro studies supporting the presence of cytotoxic brain edema ...
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Abstract
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an iatrogenic syndrome being a significant adverse outcome of typical and atypical antipsychotic therapy. Recently we demonstrated that vitamins B (B1, B6, B12 alone or in combination) were able to prevent haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia (OD) possibly by their antioxidant activity in the striatum, using a well-established model of TD. Here, based on the fact that alterations in cholinergic neurotransmission are related to TD pathophysiology and that vitamins B seems to influence brain cholinergic neurotransmission, we decided to ...
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Abstract
Mitochondrial glutathione (mGSH) is a critical factor in the cell defense against oxidative and nitrosative stress (ONS), and ONS is a key pathogenic event in hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Acute HE in the thioacetamide (TAA) model caused a 54 % decrease of mGSH content in the rat prefrontal cortex (pfc), but not in the striatum (str), nor did it affect the GSH content in the pfc or str homogenate. In the pfc, treatment with L- histidine (His), which is known to alleviate ...
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Abstract
Acquired hepatolenticular degeneration, also known as “Parkinsonism in cirrhosis” is characterized by extrapyramidal symptoms including hypokinesia, dystonia and rigidity that are rapidly progressive and may be independent of the severity of cognitive dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging reveals T1-weighted hyperintense signals in both globus pallidus and substantia nigra. Estimates of the prevalence of Parkinsonism in cirrhosis have been reported as high as 21 %. The cause of Parkinsonism in cirrhosis has been attributed to manganese deposition in basal ganglia structures, leading to ...
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Abstract
Studies on influence of lipid lowering therapies have generated wide controversial results on the role of cholesterol on memory function. However recent studies revealed that cholesterol lowering treatment substantially reduce the risk of dementia. The objectives of this study were to analyze the effect of statins on memory function and to establish the relationship between increase/decrease in cholesterol synthesis, total cholesterol level and memory function in animals. We examined the relationship between biosynthesis of cholesterol and memory function using two statins ...
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Abstract
Brain edema, a lethal complication of acute liver failure (ALF), is believed to be largely cytotoxic due to the swelling of astrocytes. Ammonia, a principal neurotoxin in ALF, has been strongly implicated in the development of the brain edema. It was previously shown that treatment of cultured astrocytes with ammonia (5 mM NH 4 Cl) results in cell swelling. While ammonia continues to exert a direct effect on astrocytes, it is possible that ammonia can affect other neural cells, particularly microglia. ...
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Abstract
Glutamine synthetase (GS) is highly active in astrocytes, and these cells are physiologically and morphologically compromised by hyperammonemia. Hyperammonemia in end-stage acute liver failure (ALF) is often associated with cerebral edema and astrocyte pathology/swelling. Many studies of animal models of hyperammonemia, and, more recently, nuclear magnetic resonance studies of liver disease patients, have shown that cerebral glutamine is elevated in hyperammonemia, contributing to the edema and encephalopathy. The GS inhibitor L-methionine- S , R -sulfoximine (MSO) is protective in animal models ...
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Abstract
Effects of a chronic combined unpredictable stress on activities of two cell death-related proteases, calpain and cathepsin B, were studied along with indices of nitrergic system in rat brain structures. Male Wistar rats were subjected to a 2-week-long combined stress (combination of unpaired flash light and moderate footshock associated with a white noise session). Stress resulted in a significant loss in the body and thymus weight and increased defecation in the open field test, though neither motor and exploratory activity, nor ...
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Abstract
This mini-review focus on our studies on alterations in glutamatergic neurotransmission and their role in neurological alterations in rat models of chronic hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Hyperammonemia impairs the glutamate-nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway in cerebellum, which is responsible for reduced learning ability. We studied the underlying mechanisms and designed treatments to restore the pathway and learning. This was achieved by treatment with: phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, cGMP, anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen), p38 inhibitors or GABA A receptor antagonists (bicuculline). Hyperammonemia alters signal transduction ...
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Abstract
While it is consensus that minimal hepatic encephalopathy (mHE) has significant impact on a patient’s daily living, and thus should be diagnosed and treated, there is no consensus about the optimal diagnostic tools. At present the most frequently used psychometric methods for diagnosing minimal hepatic encephalopathy are the Inhibitory Control Test and the Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score PHES. Another frequently used method is Critical Flicker Frequency. The PHES and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status have been recommended ...
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Abstract
The use of psychostimulant methylphenidate has increased in recent years for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. However, the behavioral and neurochemical changes promoted by its use are not yet fully understood, particularly when used for a prolonged period during stages of brain development. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine some parameters of oxidative stress in encephalic structures of juvenile rats subjected to chronic methylphenidate treatment. Wistar rats received intraperitoneal injections of methylphenidate (2.0 ...
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Abstract
There is abundant evidence showing that repeated use of MDMA (3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy) has been associated with depression, anxiety and deficits in learning and memory, suggesting detrimental effects on hippocampus. Adenosine is an endogenous purine nucleoside that has a neuromodulatory role in the central nervous system. In the present study, we investigated the role of A2a adenosine receptors agonist (CGS) and antagonist (SCH) on the body temperature, learning deficits, and hippocampal cell death induced by MDMA administration. In this study, 63 ...
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