Taurine protects cerebellar neurons of the external granular layer against ethanol-induced apoptosis in 7-day-old mice.

Acute alcohol administration is harmful especially for the developing nervous system, where it induces massive apoptotic neurodegeneration leading to alcohol-related disorders of newborn infants. Neuroprotection against ethanol-induced apoptosis may save neurons and reduce the consequences of maternal alcohol consumption. Previously we have shown that taurine protects immature cerebellar neurons in the internal granular layer of cerebellum from ethanol-induced apoptosis.

Accuracy of quantity-frequency and graduated frequency questionnaires in measuring alcohol intake: comparison with daily diary and commonly used laboratory markers.

Aims: To ascertain the accuracy of a quantity-frequency questionnaire (QF) and a graduated frequency questionnaire (GF) as methods of obtaining self-reported alcohol intake in relation to a daily diary and biochemical tests.

Methods: QF and GF data were obtained before and after a 1-month daily diary on alcohol intake in a sample of 52 volunteers aged 20-63 years, of whom 43 were female. A blood sample to measure serum aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and % carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) was obtained at the outset.

Microglial response to the neurotoxicity of 6-hydroxydopamine in neonatal rat cerebellum.

Depletion of noradrenaline in newborn rats by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) affects the postnatal development and reduces the granular cell area in the neocerebellum (lobules V-VII). During the first postnatal month, Bergmann glial fibers guide the migration of immature granule cells to the internal granule cell layer. Microglia and Bergmann glia may play an important role in this process, but the exact mechanism behind this phenomenon is not known.

Neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine treatment affects GABA(A) receptor subunit expression in the frontal cortex but not the hippocampus of rats during postnatal development.

The influence of neonatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on the maturation of GABA(A) receptors in the frontal cortex and hippocampus was studied using 5- to 40-day-old rats. In situ hybridization with antisense oligonucleotide probes was performed for alpha(1), alpha(2), alpha(5), beta(2), beta(3) and gamma(2) subunit mRNAs of the GABA(A) receptor. We demonstrated that neonatal treatment with 6-OHDA temporarily delays the postnatal transcription of the alpha(1) and gamma(2) subunits in the rat prefrontal cortex, as assessed by in situ hybridization histochemistry.

Neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine treatment affects GABA(A) receptor subunit expression during postnatal development of the rat cerebellum.

Neurotoxic elimination of noradrenergic terminals by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) leads to alteration of the granule cell layer formation. We have studied the developmental expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits in rat cerebellum after neonatal administration of 6-OHDA during the first postnatal month of life. 6-OHDA was injected subcutaneously.

Apoptosis in acute pancreatitis.

Background: Apoptosis may be involved in the mechanism of acinar cell injury in acute experimental pancreatitis.

Aim: This study was to investigate whether apoptosis also is involved in human acute pancreatitis.

Method: A needle biopsy pancreatic specimen was obtained from a patient with acute oedematous pancreatitis.

Increased expression of peripheral benzodiazepine receptors and diazepam binding inhibitor in human tumors sited in the liver.

The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor system triggers intracellular metabolic events and has been associated with cell proliferation. Its endogenous ligand, the diazepam binding inhibitor, contributes to steroidogenesis by promoting cholesterol delivery to the inner mitochondrial membrane. The present study was undertaken to verify whether this system is altered in tumors sited in the liver.

Neonatal noradrenaline depletion prevents the transition of Bergmann glia in the developing cerebellum.

The influence of neonatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on the cell proliferation in cerebellum was studied using 10-30 days-old rats. Compared to their littermates, treated rats had poor ability in searching, skills performance and orienting in the new environment. Elimination of noradrenergic terminals by 6-OHDA led to a delay in granular cell migration.

Reduction of GABAergic transmission and alterations in behavior after 6-OHDA treatment of rats.

We studied the effects of neonatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) upon gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and noradrenergic neurotransmission in the developing rat brain. After 6-OHDA administration tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunolabelling revealed more than 70% loss of catecholaminergic terminals in cortex. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) immunolabelling showed that the intensity of staining and the density of labelled terminals were decreased by approximately 50% in the prefrontal cortex of 6-OHDA treated animals, but in visual and somatosensory zones there was no difference between lesioned and control cortex.

[Damage to the catecholaminergic system causes a slowing in the formation of early behavioral reactions in rats].

Influence of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on catecholaminergic brain system and development of early behavioural patterns was studied in 1-20-days-old Wistar rats. After 6-OHDA neonatal injection the number on catecholaminergic terminals in deep layers of pons-medulla was considerably reduced while the number of catecholaminergic neurons was 2-3 times increased. Damage of catecholaminergic innervation of the forebrain of rats was shown to cause a delay in development of washing behaviour, searching activity and disturbance of orientation in new environment.

Expression of diazepam-binding inhibitor peptide in human skin: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

Human diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) was originally isolated from the brain and subsequently found to be present in several peripheral tissues. The various physiologic effects recently attributed to DBI include acting as an endogenous ligand for the central and peripheral (mitochondrial) benzodiazepine receptors. The present work provides, for the first time, evidence of DBI immunoreactivity in skin.

Ultrasound-amplified immunohistochemistry.

We describe a novel technique for improving the sensitivity of immunofluorescence staining by use of ultrasonic irradiation. Free-floating vibratome sections from rat cerebellum were incubated with primary antiserum and simultaneously were briefly exposed to ultrasound (US) in a conventional ultrasound bath. After the US treatment, a conventional immunohistochemical method was employed.

[The dynamics of intracortical interaction during thinking activities].

A new method is described of the brain mapping, based on determination of the probability of appearance of isofrequency components in the EEG derivations allowing to evaluate functional interaction of the brain structures in the process of psychic activity. The process of mental construction of visual image from separate elements includes three stages. At the stage of image search the focus of activity is in the occipital cortical area; in the stage of construction it moves to the frontal cortical areas; completion of the task and verbalization of the image are accompanied by joining of the cortical connections in common system.