Journal of the neurological sciences
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Association of 231G>A polymorphism of endothelin type A receptor gene with migraine: a meta-analysis.
Vascular dysfunction is implied in migraine. Endothelin type A receptor (EDNRA) is a receptor for endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor. Several studies have investigated the association between EDNRA -231G>A SNP and migraine, but showed conflicting results. This study aimed to evaluate the association between EDNRA -231A allele and migraine by meta-analysis. ⋯ This meta-analysis provides evidence suggesting a significant association between EDNRA -231G>A polymorphism and migraine.
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Comparative Study
Regional differences in cortical benzodiazepine receptors of Alzheimer, vascular, and mixed dementia patients.
We examined regional benzodiazepine receptors (rBZR) using single photon emission CT (SPECT) in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and mixed AD/VaD dementia (MD) and compared the changes in the availability of rBZR with those of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). ⋯ rCBF imaging can detect parietotemporal abnormalities in AD, while rBZR imaging may enable the demonstration of underlying pathophysiological differences in the frontal lobe between VaD, MD and AD, reflecting neuronal integrity in the cerebral cortex.
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Case Reports Comparative Study
Thrombin promotes the expression of thrombospondin-1 and -2 in a rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most severe types of stroke. Thrombin has been reported to participate in brain repair following ICH and play an important role in angiogenesis. Our previous studies have shown that ICH induces angiogenesis in damaged rat brain, accompanied by upregulation of expression of thrombospondin (TSP)-1 and TSP-2. ⋯ In contrast, sole thrombin treatment in normal rats induced strong expression of TSP-1 or TSP-2 in the blood vessels around the damaged brain region when compared with those without thrombin treatment. Western blot analysis data confirmed that the protein levels of TSPs were significantly increased when compared with those in the sham control group (P<0.01). These findings support that thrombin positively regulates the expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 after ICH, which may be involved in modulating angiogenesis in injured brains following ICH.
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The present study, using a rodent model of closed-head diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI), investigated the role of dysregulated aquaporins (AQP) 4 and 9, as well as hypoxia inducible factor -1α(HIF-1α) on brain edema formation, neuronal injury, and functional deficits. TBI was induced in adult (400-425 g), male Sprague-Dawley rats using a modified Marmarou's head impact-acceleration device (450 g weight dropped from 2m height). Animals in each treatment group were administered intravenous anti-AQP4 or -AQP9 antibodies or 2-Methoxyestradiol (2ME2, an inhibitor of HIF-1α) 30 min after injury. ⋯ Finally, compared to the non-treated TBI animals, AQP or HIF-1α inhibition significantly (p<0.01) improved neurobehavioral outcomes after TBI. Taken together, the present data supports a causal relation between HIF-AQP mediated cerebral edema, secondary neuronal injury, and tertiary behavioral deficits post-TBI. The data further suggests that upstream modulation of the molecular patho-trajectory effectively ameliorates both neuronal injury and behavioral deficits post-TBI.
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The direct impact of external carotid-internal carotid (EC-IC) bypass surgery on cognition of patients with severe steno-occlusive disease of internal carotid (ICA) or middle cerebral artery (MCA) is unknown. In this pilot study, we evaluated changes in cerebral hemodynamic and cognition in these patients. ⋯ EC-IC bypass surgery in carefully selected patients could improve cerebral hemodynamics and verbal memory and executive function.