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Biomedical subjects

M R De Feo

Publications and source records attributed to M R De Feo.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Vigabatrin versus carbamazepine and phenytoin in kainic acid-treated pubescent rats.

The effects of the administration of two doses (1,000 and 1,500 mg kg-1) of gamma-vinyl-GABA (GVG), have been tested in pubescent rats, systemically injected with kainic acid (KA). The changes in spontaneous behaviour before KA injection, the behavioural and epileptic manifestations (Wet Dog Shakes, Limbic Seizures and Status Epilepticus) and the lethality rate caused by KA were taken into account and compared to those observed in controls and in carbamazepine (CBZ) or phenytoin (PHT) treated animals. While GVG appeared to reduce the incidence of the epileptic manifestations and the subsequent mortality, particularly when higher doses of the drug were used, CBZ exerted a proconvulsant action and PHT did not substantially modify the parameters considered. Moreover, GVG, but not CBZ and PHT, induced remarkable sedative effects which disappeared within 48 h. The different anticonvulsant profile of GVG, CBZ and PHT were correlated to their different modes of action, since GVG acts by enhancing the inhibitory GABA-mediated processes, while CBZ and PHT act by reducing the excitatory processes.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗
PubMed1984

Status epilepticus and brain maturation.

The development of a limbic and a generalized tonic-clonic form of epilepsy, induced by systemic injections of kainic acid and pentylenetetrazol respectively, has been studied in developing rats. The purpose of this research was to investigate the correlations between the maturational stages of the CNS and the electro-clinical manifestations of epilepsy and status epilepticus. In both models of epilepsy, the electro-clinical patterns of seizures typical of the adult animal were reached as early as the third week of life. During the first weeks, atypical behavioural and EEG epileptic manifestations were observed. An attempt has been made to compare the experimental results with the electro-clinical epileptic signs of the infant, in order to suggest some neurophysiological explanations of the peculiar aspects of infantile epilepsy.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

EEG and clinical features in epileptic children during halothane anaesthesia.

Clinical and EEG changes were studied in 12 children affected by infantile cerebral palsy and generalized or focal epilepsy, during and after halothane anaesthesia induced by orthopaedic surgery. The anaesthesia was induced by inhalation of halothane 1.5%, and maintained with halothane 0.5%. During anaesthesia a decrease of the incidence of epileptic abnormalities was observed in 10 patients. In the other 2 children no changes were seen. At the end of surgery, when the anaesthetic was gradually suspended, there was a notable increase of epileptic abnormalities in 4 children. Clinical seizures were never observed during or shortly after surgery. In the majority of the cases, the EEGs performed 1 week later did not show modifications of epileptic abnormalities, as compared to the preoperative EEGs. Only in a few patients the epileptic activity was modified. The data show that halothane anaesthesia can be used in epileptic children without risking activation of seizures.

Anesthesia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[EEG and biochemical considerations on 40 cirrhotic patients surgically treated by portacaval anastomosis or mesenterico-caval bypass].

Starting from biochemical hypotheses on hepatic encephalopathy, which presuppose at the basis of this disease first of all some modifications of the plasmatic values of octopamine, ammonia, serotonin and of particular aromatic aminoacids, the Authors compared the levels of ammoniemia and of octopaminemia with eegraphic data, in two groups of cirrhotic patients, operated of porto-cava anastomosis (16 patients) ad of mesenterico-cava by-pass (24 patients). All this in order to value if there are significant correlations between these values and the cerebral damage and also if there are differences between the two types of operation. Attained data show a good correlation between neuropsychiatric symptomatology and importance of the cerebral damage noticeable at the E.E.G. As to the possible correlations existing between biochemical data and E.E.G., while as to plasmatic octopamine no significant modifications were found, as to ammoniemia, highest values correspond to findings of greater cerebral compromission. Moreover, it seems that between the two types of operations, the mesenterico-cava by-pass is the one that allows a better clinical and eegraphic evolution.

Amino Acids↗