Physical and psychosocial stressors among caregivers of patients with cerebrovascular stroke

The present study was conducted to assess physical and psychosocial stressors among family caregivers of patients with cerebrovascular stroke . The study was carried out at the Outpatient of Neurophychiatric Clinic in Ain Shams University Hospitals . The sample included 100 caregivers of patients with cerebrovascular stroke . Tools used for data collection were 1] Questionnaire dealing with socio-demographic characteristics, general health condition of caregivers and, physical, economical psychological and social stressors. 2] Beck Depression Inventory Scale, 3] Social Dysfunction Rating Scale. Results revealed that 52% of caregivers females for 52% their age was >40. The most common physical stressor was 63% [general body joint pain and hand pain], economical stressors was [89% cost of medication and hospitalization] psychological stressors was [56% sadness about patient] and social stressors was [28% negligence of domestic work] . There were statistically significant differences in relation to age, sex, and availability of caregivers related stressors . The study'recommended in increasing awareness of family caregivers about community resources and how to gain access to them, this might be done through audiovisual media. [Improving social care services, to contribute as social support to caregivers.] Computer networks and hotline services should be available to immediately solve problems and link caregivers, doctors and local support organizations to each others

Counseling intervention for parents' coping patterns toward their children with ADHD

This study aimed to investigate the effect of counseling intervention on parents having children with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], to help parents to cope with their children's problem; through improving their knowledge, practices and attitudes toward their children. The sample included 100 parents' caregivers accompanying their children with ADHD, aged 6-12 years, who attended to the Out- Patient Clinic of the Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Sams University. The tool used in the study was an interviewing questionnaire which covered demographic data about parents and their ADHD children such as; age and sex, rank of child in family, marital status, educational level and occupation of parents, statements to assess the knowledge of parents about ADHD, statements to assess positive and negative attitudes toward their children and statements to measure their practice toward child's inattentive, impulsivity and hyperactivity behaviors. This scale was applied before and after the counseling sessions. The results of this study showed improvements, with highly statistically significant differences between before and after application of the counseling intervention program regarding to parents' knowledge, attitudes and practices toward their ADHD children. The study recommended that counseling clinic for parents of ADHD is needed to offer appropriate care and support through open dialogues between parents and mental health professionals in order to plan for intervention and guide families to know how to cope with their children's problems and difficulties. Further research is to be undertaken, for parents that emphasizes on assertive training to deal with their ADHD children and how to provide them opportunities for enhancing learning potentials

Effects of neuropeptide derivative FPF 1070 [cerebrolysin] administration on experimental acute spinal cord injury: a histological study

Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide-derived synthetic preparation produced by enzymatic breakdown of lipid-free animal neuroproteins. It regulates the neuronal energy metabolism and is supposed to afford brain protection by its neurotrophic stimulation. The present study aimed at assessing the possible neuroprotective effects of Cerebrolysin on an experimentally induced spinal cord injury in dogs depending on clinical and histological bases. The experiment was conducted on 20 adult male dogs, which were divided among five groups: A sham operated control group [subjected only to laminectomy of the midthoracic vertebrae], a positive control group [subjected to laminectomy with subsequent daily Cerebrolysin administration for 15 days], an acute spinal cord injury group [injury was induced by compression using an inflated balloon of the Folleyis catheter over the mid-thoracic spinal cord segments] and the animals were killed 24 hours after the surgery, a spinal cord injury group with subsequent daily administration of isotonic saline for 15 days and a spinal cord injury group with subsequent daily Cerebrolysin administration for 15 days. Clinical follow up of the experimental animals was daily recorded for 30 days, after which serial sections were prepared from the injured spinal cord segments of the different sacrificed groups. They were examined histologically by routine haematoxylin and eosin and by toluidine blue stains. The end results proved that Cerebrolysin achieved satisfactory protection to the nervous tissue. It prevented the setting in of degenerative changes in the majority of the anterior horn neurons of the injured spinal cord segments and subsequently its propagation in the axonal nerve fibers in the white matter. Therefore, Cerebrolysin administration was recommended as a successful treatment during the management of acute spinal cord injuries. It was also suggested that studies should be extended to investigate a possible similar effect in the case of human spinal cord injury as well as in chronic lesions

protective effect of silymarin on the suprarenal gland in chlorpyrifos intoxicated rats

Chlorpyrifos [CPF] is a widely used organophosphorous insecticide that induces toxic effects in man and animal through its inhibitory action on acetyl choline esterase enzyme. The present work aimed to evaluate the toxic effect of chlorpyrifos on the function and structure of the suprarenal gland and to investigate the possible protective effect of silymarin antioxidant against such toxicity. The study included twenty four adult male rats they were equally divided into four groups as follows: a control group [n=6] received the oral vehicle only [corn oil], a Silymarin group [n=6] received Silymarin in a dose of 6mg/kg b. w orally twice weekly for four weeks, the intoxicated group [n=6] received CPF 5mg/kg b. w, orally twice weekly for four weeks and the protection group [n=6] receivied silymarin orally 6mg/kg b. w. half an hour after chlorpyrifos, administration in a dose of 5mg/kg b. w. orally twice weekly for four weeks. By the end of the experiment, estimation of the following biochemical parameters was done: plasma choline esterase enzyme activity level, serum cholesterol, serum cortisol and serum testosterone. The suprarenal gland was examined by the light microscope using routine H and E stain and chromaffin stain reaction as well as by the Transmission Electron Microscope. The measured biochemical parameters showed significant variation in CPF group compared to the control. The chlorpyrifos intoxicated group revealed affection of the cells of the suprarenal cortex and medulla with variable degrees of degenerative changes. The protection group showed improvement of the levels of the biochemical parameters with partial restoration of the normal histological features of the suprarenal structure compared to the CPF intoxicated group. Accordingly, it was proved that silymarin is a reliable antioxidant that could protect against the toxic effect of chlorpyrifos on the suprarenal gland

study of the possible neuroprotective effects of an iron chelator and antioxidantin an experimentally induced neurodegenerative lesion in rats

Many neurodegenerative diseases have proved to be precipitated not only by age but also by the accumulation of excessive iron content in the basal ganglia which initiates free radical formation. An experimental neurodegenerative lesion was induced in the rat corpus striatum, which is part of the basal ganglia, by intracerebroventricular injection [I.C.V.] of ferric chloride [FeCI3] in a dose of 50mg/5 ml saline for a week. The neuroprotective effect was tested for deferroxamine in a dose of 50mg/kg b.w., intraperitoneally for a week and for vitamin E in a dose of 100mg/kg b.w.,orally for a week. Brain sections of the corpus striatum were studied histologically and histochemically by DOPA [deoxyphenylalanine] reaction. The biochemical parameters for lipid peroxidation by malondialdehyde [MDA], for the natural oxygen scavengers superoxide dismutase [SOD] and reduced glutathione [GSH] and total brain proteins were assessed in blood samples and in brain tissue homogenates. These results were further statistically evaluated. The histological results revealed degenerative changes in the neurons of the corpus striatum of the FeCI3- treated groups with much reduction in the number of dopa positive cells. The lesion showed more improvement on vitamin E administration rather than with deferroxamine therapy. FeCI3 injury induced a rise of brain and blood MDA and SOD, decrease of total brain tissue proteins and reduction of blood GSH. The values of these parameters returned to control values notably more with vitamin E protection rather than with deferroxamine. Accordingly, natural dietary antioxidants were more recommended as neuroprotective and long term therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases than the iron chelating agents