Impact of early adverse experience on complexity of adult-generated neurons.

New neurons continue to be generated in the dentate gyrus (DG) region of the hippocampus throughout adulthood, and abnormal regulation of this process has emerged as an endophenotype common to several psychiatric disorders. Previous research shows that genetic risk factors associated with schizophrenia alter the maturation of adult-generated neurons. Here, we investigate whether early adversity, a potential environmental risk factor, similarly influences adult neurogenesis. During the first 2 weeks of postnatal life, mice were subject to repeated and unpredictable periods of separation from their mothers. When the mice reached adulthood, pharmacological and retroviral labelling techniques were used to assess the generation and maturation of new neurons. We found that adult mice that were repeatedly separated from their mothers early in life had similar rates of proliferation in the DG, but had fewer numbers of cells that survived and differentiated into neurons. Furthermore, neurons generated in adulthood had less complex dendritic arborization and fewer dendritic spines. These findings indicate that early adverse experience has a long-lasting impact on both the number and the complexity of adult-generated neurons in the hippocampus, suggesting that the abnormal regulation of adult neurogenesis associated with psychiatric disorders could arise from environmental influence alone, or from complex interactions of environmental factors with genetic predisposition.

Intertriginous drug eruption.

Presented are two patients who developed an unusual, and as yet unreported eruption due to amoxycillin. They exhibited an eruption confined to the intertriginous areas, which mimicked intertrigo. Although drug eruption can mimic a variety of idiopathic skin diseases, intertrigo is easily distinguished from drug eruption and has not been mentioned in the differential diagnosis of this reaction. It is suggested that drug reactions should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intertrigo, in particular of atypical and therapy-resistant cases. Early detection of these cases has practical importance since the elimination of the causative drug is essential for therapy success. Case 2 showed a response of the toxic epidermal neurolysis (TEN) type, which could have been very severe and dangerous had the diagnosis not been made in an early stage before the development of generalized TEN.

Atenolol-induced cutaneous vasculitis.

We present a case of cutaneous vasculitis apparently due to an adverse reaction to atenolol. The causal relationship between the drug and the eruption was based mainly on circumstantial evidence. It has been further strengthened by positive results of the indirect rat mast cell degranulation test. The number of published cases of reaction to atenolol is limited. Cutaneous vasculitis has, to the best of our knowledge, never been reported as an adverse reaction to atenolol, although it is not a rare side effect of other beta blocker drugs including propranolol and practolol. Atenolol should be added to the list of beta blocker medications that may produce cutaneous vasculitis.

Variations in aquagenic pruritus and treatment alternatives.

We report our experience in the treatment of two patients with aquagenic pruritus of the elderly and two patients with aquagenic pruritus. Our findings confirm previous reports by others indicating that aquagenic pruritus is not one homogenous entity but rather is composed of two similar but distinct entities, each of which responds to a different treatment. Patients with aquagenic pruritus were helped by adding sodium bicarbonate to the bath water while patients with aquagenic pruritus of the elderly responded to emollients. It is suggested that aquagenic pruritus and aquagenic pruritus of the elderly are two similar but distinct entities. Separating these two entities provides the key to successful treatment, because each of them responds to a different treatment without crossover. This report is only the second report indicating the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate baths in patients with aquagenic pruritus. It is clear that further examples are needed to confirm these findings.

The hair follicle mites (Demodex spp.). Could they be vectors of pathogenic microorganisms?

The hair follicle mites Demodex folliculorum and D. brevis are the most common permanent ectoparasites of Man. Ordinarily they are harmless to their human host and appear to be of no medical significance. We present, however, an unusual finding regarding this mite, namely, that in a potassium hydroxide mount of a skin scraping from a mycotic plaque we found numerous Demodex mites containing inside them spores of Microsporum canis. This could mean that the putatively inoffensive Demodex has the potential to ingest various microorganisms that are found in its niche and transport them to other areas of the skin or possibly to other individuals.

Dorfman-Chanarin syndrome. A case report and a review.

Dorfman-Chanarin syndrome in two sisters of Jewish Iraqi origin is reported. This heritable disorder of the metabolism of neutral lipids was manifested by congenital ichthyosis, vacuoles in the leukocytes, and variable involvement of liver, muscle, central nervous system, and the auditory system. In two asymptomatic members of the family leukocyte vacuoles were found as the only sign of the syndrome. Clinical, pathologic, ultrastructural, and biochemical findings are described. Previous reported cases are reviewed.

Atypical crusted scabies.

Five cases of an atypical form of crusted (or Norwegian) scabies are described. Three cases occurred in patients who suffered from a malignant tumor, and two additional cases occurred in mentally retarded and physically debilitated patients. These cases should draw attention to the possibility of a scabietic infestation whenever a widespread, scaly, itchy dermatosis develops in a debilitated immunosuppressed patient.

Psoriasiform eruption induced by captopril and chlorthalidone.

We present findings from two patients who experienced a psoriasiform eruption apparently due to captopril and chlorthalidone. These drugs should be added to the growing list of drugs that may produce a psoriasiform eruption. Drugs other than beta-adrenergic blocking agents should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a psoriasiform drug eruption.

[Norwegian scabies. Report of 2 cases]. / Scabies norvegica. Bericht über zwei Fälle.

Two cases with an atypical form of Norwegian (or crusted) scabies are presented. It is suggested that a systemic (first case) or a local (second case) alteration of the immune system paved the way for the development of this atypical presentation.

Panic disorder associated with mitral valve prolapse: psychosomatic implications.

Findings of the second part of the clinical study initiated in 1982 are presented. Both aimed to determine possible clinical differences among panic disorder, agoraphobia with panic attacks and mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS). Such clinical psychiatric differences could be useful because MVPS poses potentially dangerous consequences in patients with a high rate of serious cardiac and neurological complications. The first part of the study included 35 patients, 20 of whom were confirmed MVPS. This group appeared distinguishable by the increased frequency of fear of doing something uncontrolled and, even more so, by the anger-rage symptoms manifested during the attacks. In the present study of 100 patients, 36 of whom were documented MVPS, fear of doing something uncontrolled was not greater, although attacks of anger and rage were again higher than in the other two groups and exceeded 5% standard deviation. In all other psychological dimensions, the three groups did not differ from one another. This paper considers possible causes and consequences of symptoms seen in the MVPS.

Quinidine-induced lichenoid and eczematous photodermatitis.

We report 6 cases of photodistributed rashes due to oral administration of quinidine: 4 cases with a lichen-planus-like eruption and 2 with an eczematous dermatitis. The casual relationship between the drug and the eruption was established mainly by means of circumstantial evidence. It was further strengthened by an in vitro challenge test in 4 cases and by a rechallenge in 2 patients. The in vitro challenge test used was the macrophage migration inhibition test, which can be of diagnostic aid whenever a rechallenge of the patient is contraindicated. Quinidine-induced lichenoid eruption in a photodistribution seems to be more common than previously reported. Physicians should be aware of this type of drug eruption.

Tinea capitis among children of Ethiopian immigrants.

The incidence, clinical appearance and causative agent of tinea capitis among children of Ethiopian immigrants, was studied. Out of 124 children examined, 36 had scalp lesions and 32 cases were confirmed as scalp-ringworm on direct microscopy. Culture showed the dermatophyte to be Trichophyton violaceum. The clinical presentation, resembling seborrheic dermatitis, without clinically apparent hair invasion, was atypical.