ABSTRACT
Introduction: The cervical plexus is formed by the union of the anterior branches of the cervical nerves from C1to C4. These nerves originates sensory fibers and motor that will innervate the skin, muscles, glands and regionsof the head and neck.Objective: In literature, it has been a frequent description of findings of anatomical variations of peripheralnerves of the cervical plexus. A study of descriptive type anatomical design was carried out by observing theformation of the cervical plexus of its peripheral nerve branches, and search of possible anatomic variations ofthese nerve branches.Methods: This study was conducted with Bilateral dissections were performed in 32 stillborns, formalin- fixed,all males with a mean age of 26.5 weeks (SD = 2.121). The fetuses were meticulously dissected and the formationof cervical plexus and its branches were observed. Results and Discussion: Among the 32 fetuses dissected, itfound a variation of the CTN and an anastomosis between CTN and SCN and an anatomical variation was foundin the form of anastomosis between the roots C1 to C4, forming a common trunk from which emerge some othernerve branches.Conclusion: The most frequent anatomical identifications were confirmed, some variations already describedand verification of new variations of the sensory branches in the cervical plexus. The identification of thesensory branches of the cervical plexus, and anatomical variants may help in clinical, therapeutic, surgical anddiagnostics
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to identify the pharmacological effects of bee venom and its major component, melittin, on the nervous system of mice. For the pharmacological analysis, mice were treated once with saline, 0.1 or 1.2 mg/kg of bee venom and 0.1 mg/kg of melittin, subcutaneously, 30 min before being submitted to behavioral tests: locomotor activity and grooming (open-field), catalepsy, anxiety (elevated plus-maze), depression (forced swimming test) and apomorphine-induced stereotypy. Haloperidol, imipramine and diazepam were administered alone (positive control) or as a pre-treatment (haloperidol).The bee venom reduced motor activity and promoted cataleptic effect, in a similar manner to haloperidol.These effects were decreased by the pretreatment with haloperidol. Both melittin and bee venom decreased the apomorphine-induced stereotypies. The data indicated the antipsychotic activity of bee venom and melittin in a murine model.