Waiver of the psychotherapist-patient privilege: implications for child custody litigation.

The psychotherapist-patient privilege, rooted in both common and statutory law, is predicated upon the public policy goal of protecting the reasonable expectation of privacy of individuals seeking psychotherapy. The privilege is not absolute, however. State and federal courts are far from uniform in determining how and when the privilege should be waived, in whole or in part, through implication, inadvertence or the affirmative action of the parties.

Sciatic nerve block with resiniferatoxin: an electron microscopic study of unmyelinated fibers in the rat.

Background: Perineural administration of the naturally occurring vanilloids (capsaicin, resiniferatoxin [RTX]) produces selective nociceptive blockade. Studies using perineural vanilloids in high concentrations suggest that they can cause a degeneration of unmyelinated fibers. However, electron microscopic studies of local vanilloid toxicity produced conflicting outcomes.

Perineural resiniferatoxin prevents the development of hyperalgesia produced by loose ligation of the sciatic nerve in rats.

Background: The vanilloid receptors (TRPV1) are found in peripheral nerve fibers; their stimulation by capsaicin leads to release of calcitonin gene-related peptide and other neuropeptides participating in neuroinflammation. On the other hand, various inflammatory mediators, released after nerve damage, can activate or sensitize the TRPV1 receptors. These findings together suggest a protective effect of TRPV1 receptor blockade in neuropathy.

Memory of pain: the effect of perineural resiniferatoxin.

The long-lasting imprint of acute pain in the central nervous system may contribute to the transition of acute pain to chronicity. The long-term potentiation (which is proposed as a mechanism of memory) and central sensitization were each reported as a form of synaptic plasticity, and both can be initiated by stimulation of C fibers. In the current study, we assessed nociceptive memory regarding hyperalgesia by measuring distant hyperalgesia after repeated carrageenan-induced inflammation.

The effects of intraarticular resiniferatoxin in experimental knee-joint arthritis.

In this study we sought to determine whether an intraarticular administration of a vanilloid agonist resiniferatoxin (RTX) produces an analgesic effect in experimental arthritis. Knee joint inflammation was induced in rats by intraarticular carrageenan (2%, 30 microL). Pain score and left/right hind leg weight distribution ratio were used to assess pain behavior.