A volumetric magnetic resonance imaging study of brain structures in children with Down syndrome.

Background And Purpose: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation with deficits in language and memory. Mental retardation of varying degrees is the most consistent feature of DS. The objective of this study was to use high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to investigate the volumes of the hippocampus, amygdala, and temporal and frontal lobes in children with DS compared with healthy children.

Levetiracetam protects hippocampal neurons in culture against hypoxia-induced injury.

Many experimental studies indicate that some antiepileptic drugs possess neuroprotective properties in varied models of neuronal injury. Levetiracetam is a second-generation antiepileptic drug with a novel mechanism of action. In the present study, we evaluated the putative neuroprotective effect of levetiracetam on primary hippocampal cultures at seven day in vitro.

Anti-inflammatory plasma cytokines in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.

Cytokines participate in many physiological processes including the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Production of some important cytokines in children with Down syndrome (DS) is depressed or increased. In this study we analysed the selected anti- inflammatory cytokines: interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-13 (IL-13) in plasma of children and adolescents with DS.

Amino acid metabolic processes in the temporal lobes assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) in children with Down syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS), or trisomy 21, is one of the most common autosomal mutations. The overexpression of the β-amyloid precursor protein gene, located on chromosome 21, causes an increased production of the specific amyloid. The current study is a continuation of our earlier investigations relating to the profile of metabolic changes in the frontal lobes of DS patients as assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS).

Somatosensory evoked potentials in epileptic children treated with carbamazepine or valproate in monotherapy - a preliminary study.

Purpose: Data from the literature suggest that long-term therapy with various antiepileptic drugs can be responsible for the functional disturbances within the nervous system e.g. peripheral neuropathy and encephalopathy.