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Biomedical subjects

A Moulignier

Publications and source records attributed to A Moulignier.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Cerebral glial tumors and human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection. More than a coincidental association.

BACKGROUND: The authors describe the clinical and morphologic patterns in four patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) who developed intracranial glial tumors. METHODS: This retrospective study reports 70 patients at various stages of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection who underwent stereotactic brain biopsy for an intracerebral space-occupying lesion. RESULTS: Of these patients, four had glial tumors: one astroblastoma, two astrocytomas, and one glioblastoma. Glial tumors probably arise from a complex interplay of factors; possibilities include the activation of a dominant oncogene or viral inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene by a viral promoter (like the tat protein), impairment of immune defenses (which facilitates the growth of astrocytomas in acute lymphoblastic leukemia), production of cellular growth factors, cytokines, possible infection of glial cells by HIV, and the potentiation of a coinfectious agent. CONCLUSIONS: These cases illustrate that glial tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of brain masses in HIV-1 infection, especially because specific treatment for these tumors is available. Moreover, the occurrence of glial tumors in AIDS patients is not only an important event from a clinical point of view, but may also have implications for the pathogenesis of tumors in AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

[Central serotonin receptors. Principal fundamental and functional aspects. Therapeutic applications].

Serotonin (5-HT) is a central neurotransmitter and a neuromodulator. This amine is involved in many physiological functions and pathological disorders. Most of its effects are mediated by specific 5-HT receptors. In the first part of this paper, the present knowledge of 5-HT receptors is reviewed in terms of both pharmacology and molecular biology. In the second part, the functional properties of 5-HT receptors are analyzed and their involvement in pathophysiological processes is discussed. Most 5-HT receptors belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor family (5-HT1, 5-HT2 and 5-HT4 receptors), whereas one is a member of the ligand-gated ion-channel receptor family (5-HT3 receptor). 5-HT1 receptors are characterized by their high affinity for 5-HT and comprise several subclasses. Most are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase but the 5-HT1C subtype is linked to phospholipase C activation and resembles the 5-HT2 receptor. By contrast, the newly identified 5-HT4 receptor is positively coupled to adenylate cyclase. Most 5-HT receptors have now been cloned, but their physiological roles are not completely understood. Better knowledge of 5-HT receptors has already led to the development of new drugs, such as buspirone, a 5-HT1A partial agonist devoid of benzodiazepine-like properties for the treatment of generalized anxiety. Anxiolytic properties have also been reported for 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. A new and potent anti-migrainous drug, sumatriptan, has recently been selected among compounds obtained by research on the 5-HT1D receptor. This key receptor controls the release of monoamines, amino acids and peptides, and new drugs are expected in the near future. The therapeutic potential of 5-HT3 antagonists is impressive, as these compounds have potent antiemetic, promnesic and antipsychotic properties in various animal models. Two such drugs have already been marketed for the prevention of radiation-induced emesis (ondansetron and granisetron) and are more potent than the antidopaminergic drugs. Many other data suggest that 5-HT receptors might be involved in other illnesses. Some drugs are in the development phase but identification of the relevant receptor is often difficult. Furthermore, the lak of specific ligands for some receptors clearly hinders functional correlations.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed1993

[Specialized memory consultation. Value and evaluation after 2 years of functioning].

Disorders of memory are a frequent cause of consultation and are observed in dementias, in some depressive syndromes and in normal ageing. The specialized memory consultation is based on two successive examinations: one by a neurologist, the other by a psychologist, using standardized batteries of tests. In 100 consecutive subjects, 3 main groups of about 20 to 30 individuals each could be identified: dementia syndromes, psychiatric disorders and age-related disorders of memory. The remaining subjects had various diseases. In subjects with memory complaints a psychometric evaluation performed by a team of specialists seems to be the only means of refining the diagnosis enough for a personalized management. In addition, the specialized consultation team acquires the knowledge that will help it, in the future, to lay down the bases of medical prevention of pathological cerebral ageing.

Aging↗
PubMed1992

[Cerebral glioblastoma: a new complication of HIV-1 infection].

A new case of supratentorial malignant glioma is reported in an HIV-1 infected male homosexual. Tumours of the nervous system account for only 5 to 10 percent of neurological complications of AIDS, and most of them are lymphomas or metastases from Kaposi's sarcomas. In fact, HIV-1 is a neurotropic lentivirus, not transforming by definition. Our patient had a frontal tumoral syndrome resistant to the conventional anti-toxoplasmic treatment. Pathological examination of a tumoral fragment obtained by stereotactic biopsy showed that according to the WHO criteria the tumour was a glioblastoma. The mechanism through which HIV infection results in malignant transformation of astrocytes is conjectural. There is no consensus on whether the virus is located in glial cells, but the transgenic animal technique suggests that the tat gene might play a certain role. Other hypotheses concerning the indirect neurotoxicity of HIV have been put forward, notably that of viral coinfection with viruses of the papova group.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

[Meningoradiculitis after injection of an antirabies vaccine. A vaccine from human diploid cell culture].

We report the case of a 45-year old farmer who developed meningoradiculitis after preventive anti-rabies vaccination with a vaccine obtained from human diploid cell culture. Two weeks after the second injection of vaccine, the patient complained of sensory symptoms in the right half of his body. These symptoms spontaneously regressed. The literature is reviewed and the physiopathological hypotheses are discussed.

Humans↗