ABSTRACT
To study the findings of magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS] of the brain in patients with sickle cell disease [SCD]. This study was carried out from January 2007 to February 2009, in the Radiology Department of King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study consists of 22 patients with SCD ranging from 6-17 years, excluding those with a recent change in brain function. Twenty-two control subjects ranging from 7-19 years [13 boys, 9 girls] were also evaluated. An MRI and MRS were carried out for all patients. Patients had a proportion of N-acetyl aspartate [NAA] in the basal ganglia that was higher than that of healthy control subjects. A higher ration of NAA to choline [Cho] in patients compared to control subjects [p=0.012] was shown on short-echo and long-echo spectra [p=0.016]. The ratio of Cho to creatine [Cr] was similar in patients and control subjects. The NAA is strikingly increased in the brain spectra of children with SCD, with no recent brain insult, questioning what is known of it as an indicator of neuronal viability
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Child , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Aspartic Acid/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Effects of excitatory aminoacids (EAAs) aspartate (ASP) and glutamate (GLU) in a low (50 ng, i.c.) and high dose (20 micrograms, i.c.), were studied on nociception, catalepsy and rectal temperature in albino rats. Both ASP and GLU altered the tail flick reaction time to thermal stimulation in a dose dependent manner, increasing it with low doses and reduced with high doses. Naloxone (10 micrograms, ic) antagonized the anti-nociceptive effect of EAAs while ketamine (10 micrograms, ic)-a NMDA receptor antagonist antagonized the hyperalgesic effect. These EAAs also antagonized catalepsy induced by haloperidol, chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine and morphine. Both ASP and GLU produced a hyperthermic response in all animals, including those in which hypothermia was induced by reserpine. These EAAs produced a comparable central modulatory effects on nociception, catalepsy and core temperature.