Neuroscience Journal of Shefaye Khatam
Year:2015 | Volume:3 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

Introduction: Trimethyltin (TMT) is an organotin neurotoxicant which causes selective degeneration in central nervous system such as hippocampus. TMT intoxication is the cause of mood-cognitive and motor deficits in human and rodents. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of lithium chloride (LiCl) on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in the hippocampus and anxiety-exploratory behaviors in TMT intoxication rat model.Materials and Methods: In order to induce intoxication, TMT (8mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to the rats. The test groups (TMT+Li) received 0.5, 1 and 1.5 meq/kg of LiCl respectively and the TMT+Saline group received normal saline for 14 days after TMT intoxication. The elevated plus maze, dark-light box and open field tests were conducted in order to investigate the anxiety symptoms and exploratory behaviors. Then, the hippocampal level of BDNF was measured using ELISA.Results: The findings indicated an increase in anxiety behaviors and a decrease in exploratory ones. In addition, the hippocampal level of BDNF was decreased in the TMT-treated rats. However, LiCl treatment revealed significant effects on decreasing the anxiety level with exploratory behaviors modification in the behavioral tests.Conclusion: LiCl, having sufficient neuroprotective effects, can be used as a solution to manage the anxiety symptoms and cognition deficits after TMT intoxication.

Introduction: Synchronization of bioelectrical activities of neurons contributes to the initiation of epileptiform activities occurred during a seizure attack. Absence seizures are characterized by synchronous and symmetric 2.5-4 Hz spike-wave discharges in children under 15 years old.More than half of children with absence epilepsy suffer from cognitive, education, and learning difficulties. The amplitude ratio of the theta and alpha waves is a reliable indicator for measuring of learning difficulties in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of L- and T-type voltage-dependent calcium channel blockers, verapamil and ethosuximide, on the amplitude of electroencephalogram (EEG) waves in WAG/Rij rats, a genetic animal model of absence epilepsy.Materials and Methods: 18 adult WAG/Rij rats in the age between 4 and 6 months were divided randomly into 3 groups. Using stereotaxic method, cannula was implanted in the peri-oral region of the primary somatosensory cortex for injection of drugs and recording electrodes were placed in the frontal and the occipital cortices. Electroencephalography was recorded 30 minutes before and one hour after drug injection.Results: The power of EEG sub-bands significantly decreased in the first 30 minutes after injection of verapamil and ethosuximide compared to the control group.Conclusion: Our data show that verapamil and ethosuximide can decrease the power of EEG sub-bands. However, they have not noticeable effect on theta to alpha ratio.

Introduction: The Near-death experience is one of the undeniable facts of aging. This study was aimed to examine the role of spiritual wellbeing and resiliency in predicting death anxiety among elderly people in Tehran, Iran.Materials and Methods: The method of this study was descriptive-correlational with the total number of 200 older males who live in Tehran during 2013-2014. The questionnaires of the Spiritual Wellbeing Scale, Resiliency Scale, and Death Anxiety Scale were used for this investigation.Results: Our findings revealed that there was a negative significant correlation between spiritual wellbeing and resiliency with death anxiety. In addition, the results showed that spiritual wellbeing was a valuable factor in prediction of death anxiety.Conclusion: Our data indicated that resiliency and spiritual wellbeing can be considered as crucial factors in death anxiety among the older adults.

Introduction: Spreading depression (SD), discovered by Leao in 1944, is a pathophysiological depolarization wave that propagates slowly in the brain (3 mm/min) and causes dramatic ionic and hemodynamic changes. SD appears to act through several mechanisms and receptors, which have not completely understood. Here, we studied the effect of inhibitory system in animal model of SD using immunohistochemistry technique.Materials and Methods: After implanting recording electrodes and cannula over the brain, repetitive SD was induced by KCl injection (2 M) in juvenile rats for four consecutive weeks. Then all rats’ brains removed. The mean number of dark neurons in the entorhinal cortex (EC) were determined using toluidine blue staining. To identify the prevalence and distribution of GABAA subunit receptors as well as glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the GABA biosynthetic enzyme, immunohistochemistry technique was performed.Results: The mean number of SD induced was statistically increased during four weeks of experiments. The mean number of dark neurons in EC was significantly increased in SD group compared to sham group. Furthermore, expression of GAD65 in EC significantly increased in SD group compared to sham group. However, both GABA-Aα and GABA-Aβ subunit receptors didn’t significantly change in that region after SD.Conclusion: These data suggest that SD is able to damage the neuronal cells in neural tissues in juvenile rats and parallelly lead to enhancement of GAD65 in the central nervous system.

Introduction: Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures and affects 0.5-1% of people worldwide. More than 30% of the epilepsy patients have uncontrolled seizures or unacceptable medication-related side effects despite adequate pharmacological treatment. The use of plant extracts to treat diseases is proposed as a therapeutic modality.Datura plant has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of some neurological disorders, like epilepsy. The aim of this investigation was to testDatura on an intractable experimental model of epilepsy. Materials and Methods: 40 adult mice were randomly divided into 5 groups including: control group, sham group, and three treatment groups. Doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract ofDatura stramonium seed were gavaged in treatment rats for 24 days. Chemical kindling was produced by intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) once every 48 hours for 12 times to induced seizure after 30 minutes of gavage in sham and experimental groups. The latency of seizure onset, the duration of the seizure, and the intensity of seizure were measured.Results: Data analysis indicated that the equeous Datura stramonium L seed extract had a significant effect on PTZ-induced seizure. This herb increased the latency of seizure onset, decreased the intensity of seizure attacks, and reduced seizure duration.Conclusion: The present data indicated that extract ofDatura stramonium has anticonvulsant effect on PTZinduced seizure. This finding points to its potential therapeutic effect in epilepsy.

Introduction: Thrimethyltin (TMT), an environmental toxicant, induces selective neuronal death in the central nervous system (CNS) of human and rodents. It has been suggested that Lithium Chloride (LiCl) may prevent TMT toxicity and its consequent neuronal death. This study examined neuroprotective effects of LiCl on cerebellar granular cells in lobule V and VI of TMTintoxicated Sprague Dawley rats.Materials and Methods: 30 adult male rats were divided into three groups. The control group (untreated healthy rats) did not receive any treatment; the sham group received saline for fourteen days, after TMT (8 mg/kg body weight) intoxication.The experimental group received LiCl (20 mg/kg body weight) for fourteen days after TMT intoxication. The rats were sacrificed and histopathological assessments were performed.Results: Data indicated that the density of granular cells in the cerebellar folium V was significantly higher in sham rats compared to control and experimental groups. Administration of LiCl did not affect the density of granular cells in folium V of the cerebellum. Furthermore, the results showed that the density of granular cells in the folium VI was significantly reduced in the sham group, compared to the other groups. Administration of LiCl prevented neuronal apoptosis and preserved granular cells in the cerebellum.Conclusion: This study suggests that LiCl may have a neuroprotective effect on toxic damage of TMT in the cerebellum.

Introduction: Epilepsy is one of the most common disorders of the brain, affecting at least 50 million persons worldwide. Despite a variety of current antiepileptic drugs, research for discovering new drugs with more efficacies and less side effects has been continued. Herbal medicine has various natural substances and proper context for this type of research. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect ofHumulus lupulus (Hops) extract on seizure attacks in an experimental animal model.Materials and Methods: 40 male mice have been chosen randomly and divided into 5 groups; including control group, sham group, and three experimental groups. Treated mice received aqueous extract ofHumulus lupulus via gavage at doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Thirty minutes after gavage with different doses of the herb or distilled water (sham mice), pentylenetetrazole (PTZ; 45mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally. Animals immediately transferred to a special cage and the seizure behaviors were recorded by a camera during a 25 minutes period.Results: Data analysis indicated that the aqueous extract of Humulus lupulus had a significant inhibitory effect on PTZ-induced seizure. Treatment withHumulus lupulus significantly increased the latency of seizure onset, decreased the intensity of seizure, and seizure duration.Conclusion: The attained results showed that Hops extract has anticonvulsant effect on PTZ-induced seizure and may be useful for treatment of epilepsy.

Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system and one of the most common neurological disorders among young adults. Clinical manifestations of MS vary from a benign disease to a rapid progressive disabling disorder. Although headache is not common in MS, an increased incidence of headache has been reported in people with MS. According to high prevalence of primary headache in MS patients and the prominence of its diagnosis in improving the quality of life, our aim was to evaluate the frequency of primary headache in patients with MS.Materials and Methods: 100 patients with multiple sclerosis enrolled in this descriptive study.Age, gender, clinical form of disease, duration, Expanded Disability Status Scale, family history of headache and type of headache according to international headache society criteria (IHS) were recorded.Results: In this study, 48% of MS patients had primary headache. Frequency of migraine was 19% and tension type headache was 29%. There was no significant association between primary headache and MS clinical features.Conclusion: This study points to a high comorbidity of headache and MS in Mashhad. Further studies in larger number of patients are needed to confirm our preliminary investigations.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to measure the body temperature changes in the process of central dynamic sequence in intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy.Case Description: The sample consisted of a patient who was voluntarily chosen. The research design was case study method.Results: The body temperature (hand temperature, forehead temperature) was measured during treatment protocol, using biofeedback machine.A nonparametric test K independent sample was used for data analysis.Conclusion: The intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy changes the body temperature. The body temperature is a sign to review the protocol and determine the level of anxiety and the patient’s defenses.

Introduction: Brain injury is one of the main concerns in societies and a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Following a brain injury, primary and secondary injuries occur and cause a complicated pathological process. Experimental brain injury models can be divided into focal brain injury models, diffused brain injury models, models used in tissue engineering strategies, and in vitro models of brain injury.Conclusion: By choosing a proper experimental model, we can address the pathology of brain injury and assess the potential treatments.

Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and deadliest of malignant primary brain tumors in adults and is one of a group of tumors referred to as gliomas. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 23, 000 adults were diagnosed with GBM every year in USA, and less than 5% survive 5 years post-diagnosis. Thus, novel therapeutic strategies to target and kill GBM cells are desperately needed to increase the efficiency of therapy. Immunotherapy has the potential of inducing the immunity to remove GBM cells that might have spread throughout the central nervous system.Conclusion: In current review, the latest developments in preclinical immunotherapy for glioma will be discussed, which involve the local delivery of proinflammatory cytokines, such as Flt3L, Type I IFNs, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-12 using gene therapy carriers and neural stem cells, or the blockade of immune-suppressive mediators, such as TGF beta, FasL and phosphorylated STAT3. New immunotherapeutic strategies have also been evaluated in clinical trials applied in GBM patients, which makes it a promising tool in the future treatments for GBM.