The antiepileptic activity of Safranal in kindling model of epilepsy in male rats

Abstract Recent studies suggested that safranal exerts anticonvulsant properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of safranal on epileptic activities in the amygdala electrical kindling model in male rats. Animals were implanted with a recording electrode on the skull and a tripolar in the amygdala. After 10 days of recovery, the afterdischarge (AD) threshold of each animal was determined and stimulated once daily the AD threshold for full kindling development. Then, parameters including afterdischarge duration (ADD), stage 4 latency (S4L), stage 5 duration (S5D), and stimulation threshold were determined before and after injection of safranal (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 ml/ kg; i.p). While the dose of 0.05 ml/kg had no significant effect, the dose of 0.1 ml/kg increased the AD threshold as well as S4L and decreased the S5D (P<0.05). Injection of 0.2 ml/kg of the safranal significantly decreased the ADD and S5D (P<0.05) and 83.3% of animals had no stage 4 and stage 5 of kindling (P<0.001). Based on the obtained data safranal has anticonvulsant effects dosedependently. It seems that a dose of 0.2 ml/kg is the minimum effective dose. Further investigation is warranted to conduct the clinical implications for the treatment of epileptic disorders

Psychiatric comorbidities in temporal lobe epilepsy: possible relationships between psychotic disorders and involvement of limbic circuits / Comorbidades psiquiátricas na epilepsia do lobo temporal: possíveis relações entre desordens psicóticas e comprometimento de circuitos límbicos

OBJECTIVE: Mounting evidence suggests that the limbic system is pathologically involved in cases of psychiatric comorbidities in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients. Our objective was to develop a conceptual framework describing how neuropathological and connectivity changes might contribute to the development of psychosis and to the potential neurobiological mechanisms that cause schizophrenia-like psychosis in TLE patients. METHODS: In this review, clinical and neuropathological findings, especially brain circuitry of the limbic system, were examined together to enhance our understanding of the association between TLE and psychosis. Finally, the importance of animal models in epilepsy and psychiatric disorders was discussed. CONCLUSIONS: TLE and psychiatric symptoms coexist more frequently than chance would predict. Damage and deregulation among critical anatomical regions, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, and the temporal, frontal and cingulate cortices, might predispose TLE brains to psychosis. Studies of the effects of kindling and injection of neuroactive substances on behavior and electrophysiological patterns may offer a model of how limbic seizures in humans increase the vulnerability of TLE patients to psychiatric symptoms.

OBJETIVO: Existem cada vez mais evidências de que o sistema límbico está envolvido na patologia das comorbidades psiquiátricas em pacientes com epilepsia do lobo temporal (ELT). Nosso objetivo foi elaborar um desenho conceitual descrevendo como aspectos neuropatológicos e de conectividade podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento de psicose em pacientes com ELT. MÉTODOS: Nesta revisão, achados clínicos e neuropatológicos, e especialmente os aspectos da circuitaria límbica, foram examinados em conjunto para auxiliar nossa compreensão sobre a associação entre ELT e psicose. Achados em modelos animais de epilepsia e esquizofrenia também foram levados em consideração. CONCLUSÕES: ELT e comorbidades psiquiátricas coexistem com maior frequência que o predito pela associação ao acaso. Dano e desregulação entre estruturas anatômicas críticas, como hipocampo, amígdala, tálamo, e córtices temporal, frontal e cingulado podem predispor o cérebro com ELT à psicose. Estudos sobre efeitos comportamentais e eletrofisiológicos do abrasamento elétrico e injeções de substâncias neuroativas em modelos animais podem oferecer pistas sobre como crises límbicas em humanos aumentam a vulnerabilidade de pacientes com ELT a sintomas psiquiátricos.

Neuroimaging in specific phobia disorder: a systematic review of the literature / Neuroimagem do transtorno de fobia específica: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

OBJECTIVE: Specific phobia (SP) is characterized by irrational fear associated with avoidance of specific stimuli. In recent years, neuroimaging techniques have been used in an attempt to better understand the neurobiology of anxiety disorders. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of articles that used neuroimaging techniques to study SP. METHOD:A literature search was conducted through electronic databases, using the keywords: imaging, neuroimaging, PET, spectroscopy, functional magnetic resonance, structural magnetic resonance, SPECT, MRI, DTI, and tractography, combined with simple phobia and specific phobia. One-hundred fifteen articles were found, of which 38 were selected for the present review. From these, 24 used fMRI, 11 used PET, 1 used SPECT, 2 used structural MRI, and none used spectroscopy. RESULT: The search showed that studies in this area were published recently and that the neuroanatomic substrate of SP has not yet been consolidated. CONCLUSION: In spite of methodological differences among studies, results converge to a greater activation in the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex of patients exposed to phobia-related situations compared to controls. These findings support the hypotheses of the hyperactivation of a neuroanatomic structural network involved in SP.

A Fobia Específica (SP do inglês) é caracterizada por medos irracionais associados à evitação de estímulos específicos. Nos últimos anos, técnicas de neuroimagem vêm sendo empregadas na tentativa de melhor compreender a neurobiologia dos transtornos de ansiedade. O objetivo do presente estudo é realizar uma revisão sistemática dos artigos que utilizaram neuroimagem para estudar a SP. A busca na literatura foi realizada por intermédio de indexadores eletrônicos, utilizando-se as palavras-chave: imaging, neuroimaging, PET, spectroscopy, functional magnetic ressonance, structural magnetic ressonance, SPECT, MRI, DTI e tractography, cruzadas individualmente com os termos simple phobia e specific phobia. Foram encontrados 115 artigos, sendo 38 deles selecionados para a presente revisão. Desses, 24 usaram fMRI, 11 usaram PET, 1 usou SPECT, 2 usaram MRI estrutural e nenhum artigo de espectroscopia. Verifica-se que os estudos na área foram publicados recentemente e que, até o momento, o substrato neuroanatômico deste transtorno não está consolidado. Apesar das diferenças metodológicas entre os estudos, os resultados convergem para maior ativação na ínsula, cíngulo anterior, amídala e córtex préfrontal e orbitofrontal dos pacientes expostos a situações phobia related quando comparados aos controles. Esses achados reforçam hipóteses a respeito da hiperativação de uma determinada rede de estruturas neuroanatômicas envolvidas no transtorno de SP.

Psiconeuroendocrinologia do transtorno de estresse pós-traumático / Psychoneuroendocrinology of posttraumatic stress disorder

OBJETIVO: Os autores realizaram uma revisão tradicional da literatura sobre os achados neurobiológicos das disfunções do eixo hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal associados ao transtorno de estresse pós-traumático. MÉTODO: Os achados científicos relevantes foram descritos de acordo com a ordem cronológica de publicação e as características dos estudos, se eram pré-clínicos, relacio-nados à violência precoce como fator de risco e, finalmente, achados clínicos em pacientes portadores de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático. RESULTADOS: Foi encontrada uma literatura rica de achados a respeito de disfunções do eixo hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático. Os achados mostraram que o transtorno de estresse pós-traumático está associado a disfunções deste eixo e de estruturas cerebrais como o córtex pré-frontal, hipocampo e amídala. Os pacientes com transtorno de estresse pós-traumático apresentam um aumento da responsividade dos receptores de glicocorticóides, sugerindo que a inibição do feedback negativo tem um papel importante na fisiopatologia do quadro. Estudos pré-clínicos com modelos animais de deprivação maternal evidenciaram que, dependendo de quando o trauma ocorre, a disfunção do eixo será diferente. Os estudos clínicos mostram que o estresse precoce está relacionado ao desenvolvimento de psicopatologia durante a vida adulta. CONCLUSÕES: As disfunções do eixo hipotálamo-pituitária-adrenal relacionadas ao transtorno de estresse pós-traumático são evidências robustas e os mecanismos subjacentes a ele são cada vez mais compreendidos.

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on neurobiological findings related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunctions associated with posttraumatic stress disorder. METHOD: The relevant scientific findings were described according to the date of publication and the characteristics of the studies: preclinical studies, studies on early life violence as a risk factor, and clinical findings related to patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. RESULTS: A rich literature on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunctions and posttraumatic stress disorder was found. Neurobiological findings showed that posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunctions and other brain-related structures: prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Posttraumatic stress disorder patients have low plasma levels of cortisol and present increased responsivity of glucocorticoid receptors, suggesting that the inhibition of negative feedback plays a significant role in the disorder pathology. Preclinical studies using animal models of maternal deprivation showed that depending on the moment the trauma occurred during the development, different hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunctions were produced. Clinical studies showed that early life stress is related to the development of psychopathologies during adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: There is robust evidence of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunctions related to posttraumatic stress disorder, and the mechanisms underlying this association are being better understood.

Adenosine A10 receptors activity of entrohinal cortex on amygdala bindled seigusrs in rat

The role of adenosine A1 receptors of the entorhinal cortex on amygdaloid kindled seizures was investigated. Material and Animals were kindled by daily electrical stimulation of amygdala. In the full kindled animals, N6-cyclohexyladenosine [CHA; 0.1, 1 and 10 mM], an adenosine A1 receptor agonist, and 8-cyclopenthyle 1,3-dimethylexanthine [CPT], an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, at concentrations of 1 and 5mM were injected bilaterally into the entorhinal cortex. Animals were stimulated at 5, 15, 60 and 120 min post drug infusion and kindling parameters were measured. Results:Results showed that CHA at concentration of 10 mM reduced amygdala after-discharge duration, entrorhinal cortex after-discharge duration [E-ADD] and stage 5 seizure duration at 5, 15,60 and 120 min post drug injection. It also increased the latency of stage 4 seizure. But, no alteration was observed in seizure stage. At concentrations of 1 and 0.1 mM, CHA reduced E-ADD only at 5 and 15min post drug infusion. Bilateral injection of CPT into the entorhinalcortex did not alter seizure parameters. Intra-entorhinal cortex injection of CPT [5mM], 5 min before CHA [10mM], blocked the anticonvulsant effects of CHA. These results suggest that the entorhinal cortex has a role in seizure propagation from the amygdala and its adenosine A1 receptors activity have anticonvulsant effects on amygdala kindled seizures

Medición de presión pulmonar en hiperplasia adenoamigdalina / Pulmonary pressure measurement in adenotonsillar hyperplasia

Se realiza un estudio de medición de presión pulmonar en un grupo de 24 niños con hiperplasia adenoamigalina severa que presentan crisis de apnea obstructiva durante el sueño y se compara con un grupo de 10 niños sanos. Las edades de los niños fluctuan entre los 2 y 8 años. A todos se les efectuó un electrocardiograma (ECG) y un ecocardiograma Doppler (ECO-D) midiendo la presión media pulmonar (PMP), presión sistólica (PS) y la presión diastólica (PD). En todos los niños las mediciones de presión pulmonar y el ECG, estuvieron dentro de rangos normales no demostrando hipertensión pulmonar (HTP)

Tonsilolito gigante / Giant tonsilolite

Se ha indicado que los tonsilolitos se forman de caseum retenido en las criptas amigdalinas en asociación confilamentos de Leptothrix buccalis, un saprofito oral comun, que forma el nido para las concreciones compuestas de sales de calcio. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 54 años de edad, sexo femenino, quien consulto por halitosis, sensación de cuerpo extrano y dolor en lado izquierdo de la garganta, con otalgia de evolución cronica. Al examen se encontro amigdala izquierda voluminosa, con hiperemia difusa, conteniendo masa de color blanco-amarillento, dura, con dolor a la palpación de la region. Una radiografia de cuello mostro imagen radiopaca, redondeada, de contornos definidos a nivel de orofaringe. Bajo anestesia general, se extrajo una concreción ovoide, petrea, con un tamano de 26 X 23 mm

Linfangioma amigdalino: presentación de un caso / Tonsillar lymphangioma: case report

El linfangioma de la amígdala es una neoplasia poco frecuente. De los numerosos casos de tumoraciones amigdalinas benignas reportados, pocos corresponden a linfangiomas. Se describe un caso de linfangioma amigdalino y se presenta una revisión de la literatura

The amygdaloid nucleus and its relationship to epilepsy

El núcleo amigdalino en la base del cerebro, es filogéneticamente la parte más antigua del sistema olfatorio, el cual ha sido recientemente revisado en relación a sus implicaciones en la Epilepsia psicomotora. Su excéresis para el control de las crisis psicomotoras, en algunas ocasiones ha presentado compliaciones como el deterioro de la memoria y alteraciones motoras y sensoriales. La demencia por alcohol y la neurocisticercosis parecen afectar específicamente esta área. El núcleo amigdalino tiene conexiones con el hipocampo y entonces, tiene papel en la memoria. Adicionalmente, tiene conexiones con el hipotálamo y un papel en la expreción de emociones. La indagación patológica se puede hacer mediante estudios de tomografía computada y resonancia magnética

Effect of amygdaloid kindled seizures during pregnancy on neonatal brain biogenic amines

The effects of amygdaloid kindled seizures during pregancy on the concentrations of noradrenaline (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5HT) and of their repective metabolites, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), normetanephrine (NMN), homovanilic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5HIAA), have been studied in the cerebral cortex, brain stem and cerebellum of rat offspring at bith. The levels of DA and NE were invreased and those of HVA and MHPG wee not modified in the cortex. The levels of DA, NE, 5HT, MHPG and 5HIAA were increased in the cerebellum. The brain stem presented a decrease in DA and 5HT levels, but increased MHPG and HVA levels. It is suggested that, in order to investigate possible changes in the biogenic amine loevels on the postnatal period, carefully planned prospective studies are needed