Auditory and tactile processing in a postmeningitic deaf-blind patient with a cochlear implant.

The authors examined the neural function of a postmeningitic deaf-blind patient who regained his hearing with a multichannel cochlear implant. Auditory stimuli activated the temporal cortices of both sides in a manner similar to that of controls, reflecting the successful recruitment of the auditory cortex after implantation. The patient's occipital lobes were deactivated during the tactile language task, the results of which were completely different from those before cochlear implantation.

"Schistotaxis" in cerebral blood flow on 99mTc-HMPAO single-photon emission computed tomography during a seizure following a stroke.

We describe a patient with seizures following a stroke in whom on ictal 99mTc-HMPAO single-photon emission computed tomography demonstrated cerebral blood flow "schistotaxis", i.e., focal hyperaemia corresponding to an epileptogenic focus together with an extensive hypoperfused area in the same hemisphere. This phenomenon may have been caused by haemodynamic alternation and a remote transneural effect during the seizures.

Transient crossed cerebellar diaschisis following thalamic hemorrhage.

This report concerns a 65-year-old right-handed woman with cerebral hemorrhage who presented with mild right-sided hemiparesis. Computed tomography (CT) revealed hematoma in the left thalamus and compression of the posterior limb of the internal capsule by a brain edema surrounding the lesion. 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images obtained 4 days after onset showed hypoperfusion in the left thalamus containing a hematoma as well as contralateral cerebellar hypoperfusion to the supratentorial lesion, which is well recognized as crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) after stroke. CT 14 days after the onset revealed reduction of the brain edema of the posterior limb of the internal capsule accompanied by gradual neurological improvement. SPECT obtained 14 and 28 days later showed that CCD had disappeared. In this case report, the authors discuss the disappearance of CCD due to transient edematous compression of the internal capsule following thalamic hemorrhage on serial 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT scans. CCD was possibly caused by the lesion confined to the posterior limb of the internal capsule, which anatomically constitutes the cerebropontocerebellar pathway.

Detrimental effects of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, a mutagenic agent, on mitochondrial respiration among various rat tissues.

2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine is a potent mutagenic agent produced during thermal processing of meats. Since 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine has a similar structure to tetrahydroisoquinoline, a mitochondria toxic compound, we determined whether or not this compound shows detrimental effects on mitochondrial electron transport activities in various rat tissues. Administration of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, 100 mg/kg twice a week for 4 weeks, decreased significantly the activity of complex I in mitochondrial electron transport chain of heart, diaphragm, and psoas major, while it did not affect the activities of complex I in the liver mitochondria. Concerning the activities of complexes II, III, and IV, no significant effects were observed irrespective of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine administration. Age-related deterioration of mitochondrial function seems to be a major contributor to age-related decline in cellular function. From our results, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine might act as an accelerator of age-related decline in mitochondrial function.

Changes in skeletal muscle, heart and liver mitochondrial electron transport activities in rats and dogs of various ages.

We determined skeletal muscle, heart and liver mitochondrial electron transport activities in rats and dogs of various ages. In the skeletal muscle mitochondria, decrease in the activity of complex I was observed in rats aged 28 weeks, and further reduction of the activity was observed in rats aged 55 weeks. A significant decrease in complex IV activity was observed in rats aged 55 weeks. No significant reduction in complex II and III activities were observed in rats aged up to 100 weeks. Significant decreases in complex I and IV activities were observed in heart muscles of rats aged 100 weeks, while no significant changes in the activity of complex I in liver mitochondria were observed in rats aged up to 100 weeks. Similar results were obtained in dogs, i.e., the activity of complex I was the most susceptible to aging among the activities of complexes; and skeletal muscle mitochondria were the most susceptible to aging among the tissues. From our results, involvement of mitochondria in the development of age-related decline in cellular function is especially emphasized in post mitotic cells, and age-associated mitochondrial functional changes are stressed in mitochondrial complexes which contain mitochondrial DNA-encoded subunits.

Age-associated damage in mitochondrial function in rat hearts.

The aim of this study is to elucidate effects of aging on mitochondrial function and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in rat heart and liver. The activities of complex I and complex IV of heart mitochondria of rats aged 100 weeks decreased significantly by 31% and 22%, respectively, compared with those of rats aged 7 weeks. No significant changes were observed in these two parameters in rats aged 7 weeks and aged 55 weeks. There were no significant differences in the specific activities of complex II and complex III among the age groups of 7, 55, and 100 weeks. The mtDNA content decreased by 58% in rats aged 100 weeks compared with that in rats aged 7 weeks. Content of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), an oxidative product of deoxyguanosine (dG), increased by 130% in rats aged 100 weeks compared with that in rats aged 7 weeks. No significant changes were observed in these parameters between rats aged 7 weeks and 55 weeks. In contrast to heart mtDNA, these age-dependent changes were not observed in liver mitochondria at rats aged up to 100 weeks. From our results, age-associated decline in mitochondrial function might play an important role in cell aging, particularly in postmitotic cells such as heart muscle, and accumulation of oxidative damage to mtDNA might be involved in this mechanism.

Age-associated damage in mitochondrial DNA in human hearts.

Damage to mitochondrial DNA seems to be involved in the etiology of age-associated degenerative diseases. The aim of this study is to elucidate effects of aging on human mitochondrial DNA. 8-Hydroxy-deoxyguanosine, a product of free radical damage to deoxyguanosine, is reported to cause random point mutations. In human mitochondrial DNA, 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine increased exponentially with age, and the population of mitochondrial DNA with deletion increased also exponentially with age. Furthermore, a clear correlation existed between the accumulation of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine and that of mitochondrial DNA with deletion. We also determined the effects of aging on rat mitochondrial function together with 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine content in mitochondrial DNA. The activities of complexes I and IV of the mitochondrial electron transport chain decreased significantly in rats aged 100 weeks compared with those in rats aged 7 weeks. A concomitant increase in 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine was observed in mitochondrial DNA of rats aged 100 weeks. From our results, it is concluded that the age-associated accumulation of somatically acquired oxygen damage together with deletions in mitochondrial DNA might be important contributors to the deterioration of cardiac function associated with age.

Effects of acute protein loads of different sources on renal function of patients with diabetic nephropathy.

To evaluate effects of acute loading of different proteins on renal function, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), albumin excretion rate (AER), and concentrations of plasma amino acids, 11 normal volunteers and 20 diabetic patients were studied before and after eating 1.0 g/kg body weight of either tuna fish meal or bean curd on separate days. In normal subjects, the mean baseline GFR was 115.8 +/- 9.5 ml/min/1.73 m2, and the mean GFRs after ingestion of tuna fish meal were 134.1 +/- 15.5 (1 hr), 146.2 +/- 18.8 (2 hr), and 157.8 +/- 21.2 (3 hr), respectively. GFR did not significantly increase in normal subjects after ingestion of bean curd. GFR in diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria after ingestion of each protein was similar to the response in normal subjects. In diabetic patients with microalbuminuria, GFR did not significantly increase after ingestion of each protein. In diabetes with macroalbuminuria, GFR decreased after ingestion of tuna fish meal and did not significantly change after intake of bean curd. In both normal subjects and diabetic patients, urinary AER did not increase after each kind of protein loading. Plasma concentrations of alanine, glycine, and arginine, known to induce glomerular hyperfiltration, increased to a greater degree after ingestion of tuna fish meal than after administration of bean curd. These findings suggest that responses of GFR to acute protein loading may differ according to the amino acid composition of the protein ingested and to the stage of diabetic nephropathy.