PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Weddell

Publications and source records attributed to A Weddell.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Brain oestradiol and testosterone levels in Alzheimer's disease.

Epidemiological studies indicate that oestrogen improves memory and may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, evidence from experimental studies suggests beneficial effects of oestrogen on several pathogenic mechanisms implicated in AD. We have therefore measured the levels of oestradiol and testosterone in control and AD brains. The results show that in control brain, oestradiol levels are 3.5 fold higher in females than males, though testosterone levels are equivalent. In AD, oestradiol levels were not significantly increased compared to those in control brain, while testosterone levels were unaffected in AD. The results do not support the hypothesis that a lack of oestrogen is a contributory factor in AD.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

The impact of cigarette smoking on the plasma concentrations of gonadotrophins, ovarian steroids and androgens and upon the metabolism of oestrogens in the human female.

This study compares the plasma gonadotrophin, oestradiol, and androgen and salivary progesterone concentrations in a single menstrual cycle between 25 normal pre-menopausal women who smoke cigarettes and 21 who are non-smokers. The effect of smoking on luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility and the urinary excretion of oestrogens is also described. Cigarette smoking did not consistently suppress LH pulsatility. There was no significant difference in the length of either the follicular or luteal phases. There were no significant differences in the mean plasma oestradiol concentrations in the follicular phase in smokers compared to non-smokers. There were no significant differences in the mean salivary progesterone concentration in the luteal phase in smokers compared to non-smokers. There was no significant difference in plasma concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. There was also no significant difference between the urinary concentrations of oestradiol, oestrone or oestriol. We have been unable to demonstrate a detrimental effect of cigarette smoking on any of the important endocrine characteristics of the menstrual cycle, and we conclude that these data suggest that the anti-oestrogenic effect of smoking does not work through alterations in pituitary or follicular endocrine function or in alterations in the metabolism of oestrogens.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Hormonal and metabolic response to hypoglycaemia in small for gestational age infants.

Little is known of the ability of hypoglycaemic infants who are small for gestational age (SGA) to mount the coordinated hormonal and metabolic counterregulatory response that is seen in healthy older subjects during glycopenia. This response was studied in 22 SGA infants (birth weight < 10th centile) by measuring the blood concentrations of glucose, intermediary metabolites, and glucoregulatory hormones. Plasma non-esterified fatty acid and blood ketone body concentrations were low, even when blood glucose concentrations were low. Plasma insulin and glucagon varied widely (< 1.0-53.1 mU/l and 16.6-87.1 pmol/l, respectively). Concentrations of noradrenaline and glucagon were raised, but cortisol and adrenaline were lower than those found in hypoglycaemic adults. There was no relationship between the concentration of any hormone and blood glucose concentration. We postulate that hypoglycaemia and the failure to mobilise alternative fuels in some SGA infants is secondary both to a poorly coordinated counterregulatory hormone response and to a peripheral insensitivity to the actions of the hormones. Those infants, who fail to mount a counterregulatory response, should be identified by accurate and reliable blood glucose monitoring, and an adequate exogenous supply of energy, either enteral or parenteral, should be ensured.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1992

Ovarian steroid receptor expression in endometriosis and in two potential parent epithelia: endometrium and peritoneal mesothelium.

Endometriosis is an oestrogen dependent condition and it is expected that the tissue of origin of endometriosis will express receptors for the ovarian steroids. Two epithelia, endometrium and peritoneal mesothelium, are the potential parent epithelium. Oestrogen and progesterone receptor expression has been studied immunohistochemically in (i) timed endometrial biopsies from 25 normal subjects and 27 patients with endometriosis, (ii) 25 endometriotic biopsies and (iii) 42 peritoneal biopsies. Endometrium but not peritoneal mesothelium expresses both oestrogen and progesterone receptors. No difference in the intensity of staining between endometria of normal subjects compared with the endometria of patients with endometriosis was noted. In paired endometrial and endometriotic biopsies, the intensity of staining for the oestrogen receptor in stromal cells and for the progesterone receptor in both glandular and stromal cells was less in the endometriotic biopsies. These data provide circumstantial evidence for an endometrial origin for endometriosis although quantitative differences exist in receptor expression between endometrium and endometriosis.

Endometriosis↗
PubMed1992

Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in normal endometrium and endometriosis: an immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: To study epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor expression in endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and to compare EGF-receptor expression in endometrium from patients with endometriosis with receptor expression in synchronously sampled endometriosis and in endometrium from healthy women. DESIGN: An immunohistochemical study of receptor expression using murine monoclonal antibodies and timed endometrial and endometriotic biopsies. SUBJECTS: 25 healthy women and 27 patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis. RESULTS: Positive staining for EGF receptors was observed in 24 of 25 samples from normal women and in 26 of 27 endometrial samples from patients with endometriosis. In neither group was there any variation in the intensity of staining throughout the menstrual cycle and both glands and stroma were stained. EGF-receptor expression was observed in the glands of 15 out of 17 endometriotic lesions and in 12 of these biopsies positive staining was also present within endometriotic stroma. CONCLUSION: This study shows no difference in the intensity of staining of EGF receptors in endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle or between the glands of normal endometrium and those of endometriosis.

Endometriosis↗
PubMed1985

Hormone studies in a case of virilisation due to ovarian tumour.

The investigation is described of a 62-year-old female patient who presented with severe virilisation; her plasma testosterone concentration was grossly elevated at 37.9 nmol/L. Measurement of plasma androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulphate, urinary 17-oxosteroids and urinary 'free' cortisol suggested an ovarian source of androgens. An ultrasound scan indicated the presence of an ovarian mass which was removed and classified as a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour (arrhenoblastoma) combined with a mucinous cystadenoma. Following operation plasma testosterone levels returned to normal. The excessive pre-operative testosterone production appeared to have had little effect on the plasma level of SHBG, since levels remained similar before and after removal of the tumour. Serum LH and FSH levels were higher post-operatively.

17-Ketosteroids↗