Curcumin Attenuates Glial Cell Activation But Cannot Suppress Hippocampal CA3 Neuronal Cell Death in i.c.v. Kanic Acid Injection Model

Kainic acid (KA) is a structural analogue of glutamate that interacts with specific presynaptic and postsynaptic receptors to potentiate the release and excitatory actions of glutamate. Systemic or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of KA to experimental animals elicits multifocal seizures with a predominantly limbic localization, and results in neuronal death of cornu ammonia 1 (CA1), reactive gliosis and biochemical changes in the hippocampus and other limbic structures. Several lines of evidence suggest that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of excitotoxic death by KA. Curcumin has been known to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, the effects of curcumin on KA induced hippocampal cell death, reactive gliosis and biochemical changes in reactive glia were investigated by immunohistochemical methods. Our data demonstrated that curcumin attenuated KA-induced astroglial and microglial activation although it did not protect KA-induced hippocampal cell death.

A Case of Glutaric Aciduria Type I with Macrocephaly

Glutaric aciduria type 1(GA1) is an autosomal recessive disorder of the lysine, hydroxylysine and tryptophan metabolism caused by the deficiency of mitochondrial glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase. This disease is characterized by macrocephaly at birth or shortly after birth and various neurologic symptoms. Between the first weeks and the 4-5th year of life, intercurrent illness such as viral infections, gastroenteritis, or even routine immunizations can trigger acute encephalopathy, causing injury to caudate nucleus and putamen. But intellectual functions are well preserved until late in the disease course. We report a one-month-old male infant with macrocephaly and hypotonia. In brain MRI, there was frontotemporal atrophy(widening of sylvian cistern). In metabolic investigation, there were high glutarylcarnitine level in tandem mass spectrometry and high glutarate in urine organic acid analysis, GA1 was confirmed by absent glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase activity in fibroblast culture. He was managed with lysine free milk and carnitine and riboflavin. He developed well without a metabolic crisis. If there is macrocephaly in an infant with neuroradiologic sign of frontotemporal atrophy, GA1 should have a high priority in the differential diagnosis. Because current therapy can prevent brain degeneration in more than 90% of affected infants who are treated prospectively, recognition of this disorder before the brain has been injured is essential for treatment.

A Case of Marshall-Smith Syndrome

Marshall-Smith syndrome is characterized by a triad of facial dysmorphism, failure to thrive and accelerated osseous maturation. We report a one-month-old male infant with of this rare syndrome, with laryngeal anomalies who died at 6 months of age with pneumonia. This is the first case of Marshall-Smith syndrome in Korea.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy: Analysis of 34 Cases Including 13 Autopsies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiologic characteristics of sudden unexpected death in infancy and to evaluate the importance of postmortem autopsy. METHODS: We reviewed, retrospectively, medical records of 34 infants admitted to Kangnam General Hospital from January 1987 to December 2001 because of sudden unexpected death. We investigated the cause of death through medical history, death scene examination, autopsy findings, acylcarnitine and organic acid analysis. RESULTS: Among the total 34 infants, 18 were male(52.9%) and 16 were female(47.1%). Thirty infants(88%) were below the six months of age. Winter was the most affected season(38.2%). Eighteen infants(52.9%) died between 6 and 12AM. The prone sleeping position was observed more frequently than the supine position at death; nine cases in the prone position, six cases in the supine position. The cause of death of 23 cases could not be found by only history and death scene examination. Autopsy was done in 13 cases. Seven cases of them were thought to be SIDS. In six cases, we explained the cause of death with autosy findings. They were an endocardial fibroelastosis, a nesidioblastosis, a subdural hematoma, a bronchopneumonia and two fatty changes of liver. Metabolic screening tests performed in three cases to rule out metabolic disorder since 2000 were all normal. CONCLUSION: We concluded that autopsy and metabolic screening test should be performed to find out the cause of death in sudden unexpected death in infancy.