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Biomedical subjects

C Köhler

Publications and source records attributed to C Köhler.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Monosodium glutamate: increased neurotoxicity after removal of neuronal re-uptake sites.

Microinjections of monosodium glutamate (MSG; 300 microgram/0.5 microliter) into the hippocampus of the adult rat result in only marginal damage to local neurons. Perforant path transections, removing glutamatergic afferents to hippocampal granule cells, make the latter markedly more vulnerable to a subsequent MSG injection. The principle of modulating toxic effects of MSG by interfering with its neurotransmitter role may have significant impact on our understanding of human neurodegenerative disorders.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

The distribution and orientation of serotonin fibers in the entorhinal and other retrohippocampal areas. An immunohistochemical study with anti-serotonin antibodies in the rats brain.

The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) innervation of the retrohippocampal region (subiculum, pre- and parasubiculum, area 29e, medial and lateral entorhinal area) in the rat brain has been examined with antibodies against 5-HT used in combination with fluorescence histochemistry. Analysis of consecutive sections cut in the coronal, sagittal, and horizontal planes revealed a widespread distribution of 5-HT immunoreactive fibers throughout the retrohippocampal region. This innervation was with regard to the morphological characteristics of the 5-HT fibers, their density and their spatial orientation. On the basis of morphological criteria, four different types of 5-HT positive processes were distinguished: (a) fine, convoluted fibers with small (approximately 0.5-0.8 micron), round and evenly spaced varicosities: (b) fine fibers with small elongated, irregularly distributed varicosities; (c) thick, possibly myelinated fibers, and (d) a terminal plexus with large (5-10 micron), irregularly spaced varicosities. Analysis of the laminar distribution of the 5-HT fibers showed that whereas all layers contain 5-HT positive fibers, the molecular layer was the most densely innervated. The 5-HT fibers were found to be oriented both parallel and transverse to the longitudinal axis of medial and lateral entorhinal area. This grid-like arrangement was less pronounced in the presubiculum. Although the 5-HT innervation of the retrohippocampal region was found to be dominated by a widespread and apparently diffuse pattern, several areas contained dense clusters of preterminal 5-HT processes: area 29e, dorsal presubiculum (layer II), lateral entorhinal area (layer III and ventral layer II) and the transitional zone of the ventral entorhinal area. The 5-HT fibers were found to enter the retrohippocampal region primarily by three different routes; from the ventral and dorsal aspects and from the piriform and lateral neocortex (via the perirhinal area). Most of the fibers enter the region by the ventral route and these were found to ascend in all layers but predominantly in layer I. The location of the 5-HT cells giving rise to the innervation of the entorhinal area was studied by combining retrograde transport of fluorescent tracers with immunohistochemistry on the same tissue section. Both ipsi- and contralaterally located cells in the dorsal and median raphe nuclei were found to project to the entorhinal area. Most, but not all, of these retrogradely labeled cell bodies also contain 5-HT immunoreactivity.

Animals↗

Regional blockade by neuroleptic drugs of in vivo 3H-spiperone binding in the rat brain. Relation to blockade of apomorphine induced hyperactivity and stereotypies.

The regional prevention by neuroleptic drugs of specific in vivo 3H-spiperone binding was studied in the rat brain. L-sulpiride, thioridazine and clozapine was found to reduce the 3H-spiperone binding selectively in the olfactory tubercle, septum, substantia nigra region and frontal cortex but not the striatum at dose levels which preferentially block apomorphine (APO) induced hyperactivity. The maximal prevention of specific 3H-spiperone binding by l-sulpiride and clozapine reached 60-80% in the former structures while the displacement of striatal 3H-spiperone binding did not exceed 40%. In contrast to l-sulpiride, thioridazine and clozapine both chlorpromazine and haloperidol reduced the 3H-spiperone binding to the same extent in all regions studied. Chlorpromazine and haloperidol were potent in prevention of striatal 3H-spiperone binding in vivo which reached 60-80% in this structure.

Animals↗

Characterization of normal and supersensitive dopamine receptors: effects of ergot drugs and neuropeptides.

Dopamine receptors have been characterized by the use of radiolabelled dopamine agonists and antagonists. Using ibotenic acid induced lesions of the striatum, evidence was obtained that 3H-N-propylnorapomorphine (3H-NPA) binding sites and 3H-bromocriptine binding sites are located both on intrastriatal nerve cells and on extrinsic nerve terminals probably mainly originating in the cerebral cortex. Development of dopamine receptor supersensitivity as evaluated in 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats was associated with an 50% increase in the number of 3H-NPA binding sites in the striatum. Furthermore, one year following the 6-hydroxydopamine induced lesion of the dopamine pathways two binding sites for 3H-NPA could be demonstrated in the striatum. However, at this time interval the total number of 3H-NPA binding sites was not increased. The functional significance of these two binding sites for 3H-NPA in the striatum is unknown, but they are probably coupled to the biological effector in view of the marked behavioural supersensitivity demonstrated in these old animals. The dopamine receptor agonists and especially the dopaminergic ergot derivatives have been characterized by studying their affinities for 3H-bromocriptine, 3H-spiperone, 3H-ADTN and 3H-NPA binding sites in vitro. It is suggested that the Ki ratios for agonist and antagonist radioligands may be one useful way to characterize the agonist-antagonist character of the drug. Another important method is to study the effects of dopamine receptor agonists on the specific in vivo binding of 3H-spiperone and 3H-NPA. The correlation analysis of DA agonist affinities for the four radioligands of DA receptors used in the present study give evidence for the existence of at least 3 types of DA receptors. Actions of dopaminergic ergot drugs have been evaluated at supersensitive dopamine receptors. The findings suggest that the shift to the left of the threshold dose to activate supersensitive dopamine receptors could be due to a lowering of the stereoselectivity of agonist interaction at the dopamine agonist sites of supersensitive dopamine receptors. Such a change may explain the highly preferential action of CF 25-397 at supersensitive dopamine receptors, since its affinity for 3H-NPA binding sites was not increased in the present experiments. In agreement with previous work, evidence have also been presented that prolonged treatment with a potent dopaminergic drug, pergolide, can produce a down regulation of normal dopamine receptors by reducing the density of such receptors. Evidence has also been presented that CCK-8 and the desulphated CCK-8 (10(-6) M) can in vitro reduce the number of 3H-NPA binding sites in the striatum. These results indicate that cholecystokinin peptides via activation of cholecystokinin receptors can regulate the movements of the 3H-NPA binding sites across the plane of the membrane in such a way as to make them less available to the external surface of the membrane...

Animals↗

[Prenatal diagnosis of a severe heart defect (author's transl)].

Report of the case of a 22 year old primigravida. At 37 weeks gestation an ultra-sound examination was carried out because of fetal bradycardia. An atrial septal defect was found with a complete atrial ventricle canal. (AV canal). These findings were corroberated at autopsy in addition a polyspienic syndrome with multiple thoracic and abdominal malformations was found. The antepartum diagnosis permitted a team approach to the case. The infant was immediately transferred to the cardiac centre where a pace maker was placed and angiography carried out. Ante-partum ultra-sound diagnosis of congenital heart disease permits optimal neonatal treatment.

Adult↗

Coping with a stoma - a comparative study of patients with rectal carcinoma of inflammatory bowel diseases.

409 patients who had either an implantation of a stoma or a bowel resection for either colorectal carcinoma of colitis/ileitis answered a 200-item questionnaire. A discriminant analysis revealed a higher degree of pre- and postoperative depression and a decrease of social activities for stoma patients who also more often lived in rural areas in comparison with patients with the same diagnosis who only had a resection. A comparison of operated cancer patients with patients operated for ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease showed less depression before and after surgery in cancer patients. Cancer patients also frequently ceased sexual activities after the operation, and they came from much more remote rural areas than the comparison group, irrespective of the type of operation performed.

Adult↗

Evidence against an exclusive role of glutamate in kainic acid neurotoxicity.

Transection of the non-glutamatergic septohippocampal fibers 3-5 days prior to intrahippocampal microinjection of 1 microgram kainic acid (KA) or 3 micrograms ibotenic acid (IBO) protect dentate granule cells against KA but not IBO. In the transected animals, a significant reduction of KA-induced behavioral seizures can be observed. Neither transection of the hippocampal commissural system nor the fornix contralateral to the intrahippocampal injections protected against KA or IBO neurotoxicity. These findings are discussed in the light of the current hypothesis of KA- and IBO-induced neuronal degeneration.

Animals↗

Effects of lateral and medial septal lesions on exploratory behavior in the albino rat.

The effects of selective medial and lateral septal lesions on exploratory behavior were studied in the rat. Three types of open-field test and two tests of object exploration were used. In the first experiment, medial but not lateral septal lesions abolished exploration of an open-field accessible from the home-cage. No effects of either of the lesions were found in a standard open-field (Experiment 2). In the third experiment, rats with medial septal lesions were less active and showed a preference for the smaller compartments of the testing apparatus. These results suggest that a change in exploratory behavior following medial septal lesions may be primarily due to their effect on emotionality (increased fear). Two tests of object exploration (Experiments 4 and 5) showed that both types of selective septal lesions enhanced approaches to the novel object placed in the home-cage, but they did not affect object exploration and object preference in other conditions (Experiment 5). The same experiments revealed an increased level of activity (rearing and ambulation) in the rats with lateral septal lesions. It is concluded that the effect of medial septal lesions on exploration is due to increased fear of novel places (but not objects). Lateral septal lesions, on the other hand, increase activity in the rats but there is no evidence that this activity represents enhanced exploration.

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical localization of serotonin nerve terminals in the lateral entorhinal cortex of the rat: demonstration of two separate patterns of innervation from the midbrain raphe.

The distribution of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) containing nerve terminals in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) has been studied using antibodies against 5-HT in combination with fluorescence histochemistry. Thin, varicose, branching fibers were found to be distributed in a relatively even, diffuse pattern throughout all layers of the LEC. The largest amount of this type of 5HT innervation was in Layer I. This diffuse pattern of 5-HT terminals was supplemented by a dense network of 5HT terminals restricted to Layer III of a small (approximately 1 mm) strip of the LEC. The fibers in this layer were thicker and more convoluted and contained larger varicosities than fibers in any other layer. The existence of a distinct innervation by 5-HT terminals of only a small portion of the LEC demonstrates a hitherto unrecognized and important principle of heterogeneity in 5-HT innervation of cortex. It suggests that 5-5HT neurons in the raphe can selectively influence specific, narrow regions of the lateral perforant path system, which, in turn, affect the intrinsic hippocampal circuits.

Animals↗

Central monoamine synapses as sites of action for ergot drugs.

The acute and subacute effects of ergot drugs on central monoaminergic mechanisms were studied in the rat. The most significant findings are: 1. After acute treatment, lergotrile and bromocriptine were found to block apomorphine-induced locomotion and rearing, suggesting that these two ergot drugs can block postsynaptic DA receptors within the nucleus accumbens. 2. Several ergot drugs were shown to have high affinity for some 3H-ADTN binding sites. Earlier studies indicate that 3H-ADTN appears to label postsynaptic dopamine receptors located on nerve cells in the striatum. These ergot-sensitive 3H-ADTN binding sites appear not to be linked to the adenylate cyclase system. In addition, bromocriptine, unlike CM 29-712, was found to have a high affinity for 3H-spiperone binding sites in the striatum. 3. Bromocriptine and CM 29-712 increased norepinephrine turnover in periventricular and paraventricular hypothalamic areas, suggesting a blockade of norepinephrine receptors. CM 29-712 also increased DA turnover in the medial palisade zone of the median eminence. 4. Some ergot drugs also had affinity for 5-HT receptor binding sites, possibly reflecting a 5-HT agonistic action in some areas, as shown in behavioral studies. 5. Apomorphine and bromocriptine displaced in vivo 3H-spiperone binding in the hypothalamus, septal area, and substantia nigra, but not in the striatum. 6. Subacute treatment with bromocriptin and CM 29-712 were found to produce two types of changes in behavior: The apomorphine-induced locomotion was enhanced while the chewing and licking activity (stereotypies) was reduced. These behavioral changes may be associated with an increased affinity in the 3H-ADTN binding sites in the striatum. This treatment also produced persistent increases of DA turnover in the tuberculum olfactorium but not in striatum.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

Effects of chronic treatment with l-sulpiride and haloperidol on central monoaminergic mechanisms.

Chronic treatment with l-sulpiride (20 mg/kg, twice daily) and haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg, twice daily) for 2 weeks produced behavioral signs of DA receptor supersensitivity in both the striatum and the nucleus accumbens-tuberculum olfactorium region. Thus, 48 hr after treatment apomorphine-induced locomotion, total activity, and rearing activity was significantly enhanced. These behavioral results were correlated with 10% increases in the number of binding sites for the DA agonist 3H-ADTN and the DA antagonist 3H-spiperone in striatum, but the latter sites appeared to be markedly increased in number in the subcortical limbic region. A marked loss of stereoselectivity was demonstrated in the 3H-ADTN binding site, a change that could also in part be involved in producing the signs of enhancement of DA effector mechanisms observed. A corresponding loss of stereoselectivity was not observed in the 3H-spiperone binding site to which, instead, the (+)-butaclamol had an increased affinity. Haloperidol, but not l-sulpiride, in the doses used produced a further enhancement of degeneration-induced supersensitivity at DA receptor sites.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗