Predictors of thermal response and lesion size in patients undergoing magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is being increasingly utilized in the treatment of movement disorders such as essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Whilst skull density ratio (SDR) has previously been correlated with achieving lesional temperature rises, other patient factors such as brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume have not previously been investigated. We aimed to investigate the effect of brain and CSF volumes on lesional temperature rises, as well as the effect of brain and CSF volumes and SDR on post-treatment lesion sizes. Fifty-four consecutive patients were studied with patient and treatment-related variables collected along with post-treatment lesion sizes. Linear regression analysis identified that SDR alone was associated with lesional temperatures. Both SDR and brain atrophy were associated with post-treatment lesion sizes on linear regression analysis. On multiple linear regression analysis SDR was significantly associated with post-treatment lesion size, and the association between brain atrophy and lesion sizes approached significance, a finding that warrants further investigation.

Resveratrol prevents pulmonary trunk remodeling but not right ventricular hypertrophy in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension (PAH) is characterized by abnormal vascular remodeling and increased pulmonary artery pressure which lead to right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy and heart failure. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a dietary polyphenol found in the skins and seeds of grapes, has been found to have antioxidant, anti-proliferative and anti-fibrotic effects. This study examined the effects of resveratrol on cardiac and pulmonary trunk remodeling, and common plasma markers of vascular function in rats with PAH was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (MCT, 60mg/kg). Rats were treated with resveratrol (25mg/kg/day) by oral gavage daily for 21days. PAH was confirmed by the presence of increased RV/LV+septum weight, RV and lung weight. In MCT rats, total heart surface area and RV lumen area were increased without corresponding increases in total muscle area, indicating a dilation of the lumen. Pulmonary truck lumen area and thickness of the tunica media were increased by 43% and 44%, respectively, by MCT. Resveratrol had no significant effect on remodeling, although decreases of 12% and 27% were observed for overall heart area and pulmonary truck area, respectively. However, resveratrol significantly reduced the thickness of the pulmonary trunk tunica media. Plasma levels of angiotensin II, aldosterone, C-reactive protein and endothelin-1 were not altered with resveratrol. Our results indicate that daily treatment with resveratrol does not inhibit the abnormal remodeling of the RV induced by MCT, but attenuates the development of medial hypertrophy in the pulmonary trunk.

Resveratrol protects the brain of obese mice from oxidative damage.

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a polyphenolic phytoalexin that exerts cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antioxidant effects. Recently it has been shown that obesity is associated with an increase in cerebral oxidative stress levels, which may enhance neurodegeneration. The present study evaluates the neuroprotective action of resveratrol in brain of obese (ob/ob) mice. Resveratrol was administered orally at the dose of 25 mg kg(-1) body weight daily for three weeks to lean and obese mice. Resveratrol had no effect on body weight or blood glucose levels in obese mice. Lipid peroxides were significantly increased in brain of obese mice. The enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and nonenzymatic antioxidants tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and glutathione were decreased in obese mice brain. Administration of resveratrol decreased lipid peroxide levels and upregulated the antioxidant activities in obese mice brain. Our findings indicate a neuroprotective effect of resveratrol by preventing oxidative damage in brain tissue of obese mice.