| 1. |
- Ansved, Tor, et al.
(författare)
-
Enzyme-histochemical and morphological characteristics of fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle after brain infarction in the rat
- 1996
-
Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - 1878-5883. ; 144:1-2, s. 14-20
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The right middle cerebral artery was permanently occluded in 12-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats. After the surgery the rats were subjected to repeated behavioural tests during the observation period. Fourteen weeks after surgery the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and the slow-twitch soleus muscle of both sides were removed and examined with regard to muscle fibre characteristics obtained by histochemical and morphometrical methods. Comparisons were made with age-matched controls. Limb placement and the ability to traverse a beam or a rotating pole were repeatedly tested 2-13 weeks after the operation. In spite of permanent sensorimotor deficits in limb placement and when traversing a rotating pole or beam, no increase in pathological changes was noted in either EDL or soleus. The number and proportion of fibre types remained unchanged in both muscles. There was no difference in muscle fibre size in either EDL or soleus. It is concluded that brain infarction in the rat, although causing marked impairment of contralateral motor function, does not have a major influence on the muscle-fibre morphology or fibre-type composition, irrespective of muscle type.
|
|
| 2. |
- Dahle, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
-
T helper type 2 like cytokine responses to peptides from P0 and P2 myelin proteins during the recovery phase of Guillain-Barré syndrome
- 1997
-
Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - 0022-510X .- 1878-5883. ; 153:1, s. 54-60
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- T-lymphocytes are probably involved in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). T-helper-1 (Th1) cytokines activate macrophages and induce a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) inflammatory response, consistent with the morphology of the demyelination in GBS. Th2 cytokines encourage antibody production and downregulate Th1 responses. To study the Th1/Th2 cytokines in relation to the clinical course of GBS an ELISPOT method for determination of single cells secreting interferon-γ, IFN-γ (Th1) or interleukin-4, IL-4 (Th2) was used. We serially investigated antigen-induced cytokine secretion from circulating T-cells stimulated with human peptides from the P0 and P2 proteins in seven patients and compared to results from seven serially investigated healthy controls. Most patients (five of seven) showed IL-4 responses during the plateau- or recovery-phase as compared to controls. One patient with a prolonged disease course, on the other hand, had an IFN-γ dominated reactivity. We suggest that the IL-4 responses are beneficial in GBS, and may have a role in terminating the disease process in this self-limiting inflammatory disease.
|
|
| 3. |
- Grundström, Eva, et al.
(författare)
-
Increased expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in muscle biopsies from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 1999
-
Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - 0022-510X .- 1878-5883. ; 162:2, s. 169-173
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA were studied in muscle biopsies from five patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), six patients with other neuromuscular diseases and eight healthy control persons. All five patients with ALS had higher GDNF mRNA expressions in their biopsies than the healthy control group (almost a three fold increase). Among the other patients only one, who had a rapidly progressing toxic polyneuropathy, showed a GDNF mRNA expression above those of the controls. The BDNF mRNA expressions in the biopsies from the ALS patients were in the same range as those from the healthy controls, although the mean value of the ALS patients was higher. The only biopsy that showed a markedly higher BDNF mRNA expression was taken from one patient with progressive muscular atrophy. These results suggest that increased GDNF mRNA expression in muscle is an unspecific response to ongoing denervation and that this response is maintained in ALS, at least temporarily. If increased GDNF mRNA in muscle proves to be a constant finding in ALS the rationale for the use of GDNF as a therapeutic agent in ALS must be questioned.
|
|
| 4. |
- Johansson, A, et al.
(författare)
-
Hypercortisolism after stroke--partly cytokine-mediated?
- 1997
-
Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - 0022-510X .- 1878-5883. ; 147:1, s. 43-7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is common early after stroke. Hypercortisolism is a prominent manifestation. Normally the secretion of cortisol is regulated by adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), but recently an ACTH/cortisol dissociation after stroke was reported. Cytokines may influence the HPA axis, and plasma IL-6 levels are elevated following stroke. We investigated correlations between cortisol, ACTH, and cytokines, and between blood pressure and blood hormone levels early after stroke in seven stroke patients. All had neurological symptoms secondary to brain infarctions. Blood samples for analysis of cortisol, ACTH, IL-6, TNF alpha, norepinephrine, and epinephrine were collected four times daily, and 24-h blood pressure was measured. Plasma IL-6, but not ACTH, correlated significantly to serum cortisol. Catecholamine levels correlated with cytokine and cortisol levels. This study suggests that several routes for HPA-axis dysregulation is present early after stroke. Cytokine release may play an important role in this situation.
|
|
| 5. |
- Mezei, M., et al.
(författare)
-
Motor system abnormalities in heterozygous relatives of a D90A homozygous CuZn-SOD ALS patient of Finnish extraction.
- 1999
-
Ingår i: Journal of the Neurological Sciences. - 0022-510X .- 1878-5883. ; 169:1-2, s. 49-55
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Presently, 64 mutations in the gene encoding the enzyme CuZn-superoxide dismutase have been found in a small fraction of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients worldwide. All but one of these mutations show autosomal dominant inheritance. In Scandinavia, the D90A mutation is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait and patients have an easily recognizable characteristic phenotype with little variation among patients, even amongst different families. Importantly, all D90A heterozygous relatives of Scandinavian D90A homozygous patients have been reported as clinically unaffected. We have investigated a Canadian family of Finnish extraction in which the D90A homozygous proband developed ALS with the characteristic phenotype. Remarkably, two D90A heterozygous relatives show slight symptoms and signs of motor system involvement, suggesting that the final phenotype of an individual with a CuZn-superoxide dismutase mutation is shaped by the combination of the particular CuZn-SOD mutation, other polymorphic modifying genes elsewhere in the genome, stochastics and possible environmental factors.
|
|
