ABSTRACT
The action of the pulse-modulated GSM radiofrequency of mobile phones has been suggested as a physical phenomenon that might have biological effects on the mammalian central nervous system. In the present study, GSM-exposed picrotoxin-pretreated rats showed differences in clinical and EEG signs, and in c-Fos expression in the brain, with respect to picrotoxin-treated rats exposed to an equivalent dose of unmodulated radiation. Neither radiation treatment caused tissue heating, so thermal effects can be ruled out. The most marked effects of GSM radiation on c-Fos expression in picrotoxin-treated rats were observed in limbic structures, olfactory cortex areas and subcortical areas, the dentate gyrus, and the central lateral nucleus of the thalamic intralaminar nucleus group. Nonpicrotoxin-treated animals exposed to unmodulated radiation showed the highest levels of neuronal c-Fos expression in cortical areas. These results suggest a specific effect of the pulse modulation of GSM radiation on brain activity of a picrotoxin-induced seizure-proneness rat model and indicate that this mobile-phone-type radiation might induce regional changes in previous preexcitability conditions of neuronal activation.
Subject(s)
Brain/physiopathology , Brain/radiation effects , Gene Expression/radiation effects , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism , Radio Waves , Seizures/physiopathology , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Electroencephalography , Male , Picrotoxin , Radiation Dosage , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Seizures/chemically inducedABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Subthalamic stimulation is a therapeutic option that can be used to treat advanced cases of Parkinson's disease. However, psychiatric or cognitive disorders have been reported in some patients treated using this technique. Age and a long disease history are two important risk factors for the appearance of these problems. The complications that have been reported include cases of depression, apathy, manias and psychosis. Surgery can also exacerbate the syndrome of addiction to levodopa that is sometimes observed. In contrast, sleep disorders usually improve with this technique. As far as the cognitive sphere is concerned, verbal fluency has been seen to deteriorate and the executive functions become impaired in patients over 69 years of age. These disorders are usually due to a number of different causes and have been attributed to the action of stimulating areas close to the subthalamic nucleus, to the presence of previously existing cognitive or psychiatric problems, to unrealistic expectations about this technique or to the individual's inability to adapt to the functional situation after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Although generally speaking these disorders are not usually serious, they must be borne in mind so that adequate treatment can be indicated.
Subject(s)
Deep Brain Stimulation/adverse effects , Mental Disorders/etiology , Parkinson Disease/therapy , Subthalamic Nucleus/physiology , Antiparkinson Agents/therapeutic use , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Humans , Levodopa/therapeutic use , Mental Disorders/physiopathology , Parkinson Disease/physiopathology , Sleep/physiologyABSTRACT
We have studied the clinical usefulness of Flumazenil to reverse the sedative action of Midazolam in 12 children admitted in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Two groups were established, one treated with individual dose and the other treated with continuous infusion. In four cases the indication of Flumazenil was the reversion of secondary effects and in 8 cases it was elective. The average reversion time was 1.22 +/- 0.42 minutes. Flumazenil is able to reverse immediately the effects of Midazolam.
