Light therapy modulates serotonin levels and blood flow in women with headache. A preliminary study.

In this study, we looked at the possible effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on blood flow velocity, and serotonin (5-HT) and cholinesterase levels in patients with chronic headache associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). LLLT has been clinically applied over the past years with positive results in analgesia and without the report of any side effects. The understanding of biological mechanisms of action may improve clinical results and facilitate its indication. Ten patients presenting headache associated with TMD completed the study. An 830-nm infrared diode laser with power of 100 mW, exposure time of 34 s, and energy of 3.4 J was applied on the tender points of masseter and temporal muscle. Blood flow velocity was determined via ultrasound Doppler velocimetry before and after laser irradiation. The whole blood 5-HT and cholinesterase levels were evaluated three days before, immediately, and three days after laser irradiation. Pain score after treatment decreased to a score of 5.8 corresponding to 64% of pain reduction (P < 0.05). LLLT promoted a decrease in the blood flow velocity (P < 0.05). In addition, the 5-HT levels were significantly increased three days after LLLT (P < 0.05). The cholinesterase levels remained unchanged at the analyzed time points (P > 0.05). Our findings indicated that LLLT regulates blood flow in the temporal artery after irradiation and might control 5-HT levels in patients suffering with tension-type headache associated to TMD contributing to pain relief.

The effects of adrenalectomy in blood flow adjustments produced by sciatic nerve stimulation in rats.

Sciatic nerve stimulation (SNS) produces hypertension, tachycardia, vasodilatation in the stimulated limb and vasoconstriction in the limb contralateral to the stimulation site. These autonomic adjustments represent an equivalent of the cardiovascular responses described as features of defense-alerting reactions. However, while the muscle vasodilatation observed in rats during stimulation of hypothalamic sites involved in defense reactions has been referred to as a general, non-selective increase in blood flow, previous studies conducted on cats have demonstrated that high-intensity cutaneus stimulation produces vasodilatation in the stimulated limb and vasoconstriction in the other limbs. In anesthetized rats, the effects of SNS in the muscle vascular territory of the contralateral limb, as well as the participation of circulating catecholamines in these adjustments continued to be unknown. Therefore, in the present study we investigated the blood flow adjustments elicited by SNS in the stimulated and in the contralateral hind limbs before and after bilateral adrenalectomy. In urethane-anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated rats, SNS (800-1000 microA, 1 ms, 100 Hz, 10 s) produced hypertension, tachycardia, vasodilatation in the stimulated hindlimb and vasoconstriction in the contralateral hindlimb. After bilateral adrenalectomy the pressor responses to SNS were abolished, the vasodilatation in the stimulated limb was greater and the vasoconstriction in the contralateral limb was replaced by vasodilatation. These results suggest that the vasodilatation in the stimulated limb does not depend on circulating catecholamines.

Sintesis, control y marcacion de d,I HM-PAO con tecnecio-99m y su aplicacion clinica en estudios neurologicos / Synthesis, control and bearing of d,I HM-PAO with technetium-99m and clinic aplication in neurology studies

Con el objeto de estimar los cambios funcionales en patologia del Sistema Nervioso Central, se estudio la perfusion encefalica con el isomero "d,I" del Hexametilpropilenaminooxima (HM-PAO), usando un tomografo por emision de foton unico (SPECT). La sintesis del radiofarmaco fue realizada mediante la tecnica de Schneider R.F. Se describe el metodo de preparacion y los controles correspondientes. La eficacia de la marcacion excedio el 85%en todos los casos. Cinco milimetros del complejo 99mTcHM-PAO (0.75 mg d.I HM-PAO, 25ug de Cl2Sn.2h2oy 25mCi de 99mTc) fueron inyectados en la vena antecubital. La adquisicion de datos se realiza antes de las 2 h de administrado el compuesto. La poblacion estudiada consiste en 28 controles normales y 140 pacientes con patologia neurologica (enfermedad cerebro-vascular isquemica o hemorragica 37, epilepsia 20, demencia vascular 22 y tipo Alzheimer 19, tumores 15 y miscelaneas 27), definidos por metodos clinicos, electrofisiologicos y radiologicos. Mediante el analisis semicuantitativo de los tomogramas transaxiales con 99mTc-HM-PAO, se descubrieron areas fotopenicas en el 90%de los pacientes con enfermedad cerebro-vascular, en el 65%de las demencias tipo Alzheimer, en el 80%de los epilepticos y en el 10%de los controles normales. El estudio de perfusion encefalica con 99mTc-HM-PAO y SPECT, permite diagnosticar la isquemia cerebral de diversa forma y etiologia, antes que la tomografia computada por Rxe, incluso, resulta mas util que la RMN para el diagnostico diferencial de las demencias

Sintesis, control y marcacion de d,I HM-PAO con tecnecio-99m y su aplicacion clinica en estudios neurologicos / Synthesis, control and bearing of d,I HM-PAO with technetium-99m and clinic aplication in neurology studies

Con el objeto de estimar los cambios funcionales en patologia del Sistema Nervioso Central, se estudio la perfusion encefalica con el isomero "d,I" del Hexametilpropilenaminooxima (HM-PAO), usando un tomografo por emision de foton unico (SPECT). La sintesis del radiofarmaco fue realizada mediante la tecnica de Schneider R.F. Se describe el metodo de preparacion y los controles correspondientes. La eficacia de la marcacion excedio el 85%en todos los casos. Cinco milimetros del complejo 99mTcHM-PAO (0.75 mg d.I HM-PAO, 25ug de Cl2Sn.2h2oy 25mCi de 99mTc) fueron inyectados en la vena antecubital. La adquisicion de datos se realiza antes de las 2 h de administrado el compuesto. La poblacion estudiada consiste en 28 controles normales y 140 pacientes con patologia neurologica (enfermedad cerebro-vascular isquemica o hemorragica 37, epilepsia 20, demencia vascular 22 y tipo Alzheimer 19, tumores 15 y miscelaneas 27), definidos por metodos clinicos, electrofisiologicos y radiologicos. Mediante el analisis semicuantitativo de los tomogramas transaxiales con 99mTc-HM-PAO, se descubrieron areas fotopenicas en el 90%de los pacientes con enfermedad cerebro-vascular, en el 65%de las demencias tipo Alzheimer, en el 80%de los epilepticos y en el 10%de los controles normales. El estudio de perfusion encefalica con 99mTc-HM-PAO y SPECT, permite diagnosticar la isquemia cerebral de diversa forma y etiologia, antes que la tomografia computada por Rxe, incluso, resulta mas util que la RMN para el diagnostico diferencial de las demencias

Distribuiçäo regional do fluxo sanguíneo pulmonar em ortostatismo / Regional distribution of pulmonary blood flow in upright position

Determinou-se a distribuiçäo regional do fluxo sanguíneo regional pulmonar em 15 indivíduos jovens normais, pela cintigrafia pulmonar perfusional quantitativa com macroagregados de albumina (99mTc-MAA). Os resultados permitiram o estabelecimento de valores padröes para adultos jovens normais sem correçäo de volume