Severe diffuse axon injury in chronic alcoholic rat medulla oblongata following a concussion blow

Effect of cypermethrin on the postnatal development of the medulla oblongata and the possible protective role of melatonin in albino rats

Previous studies have shown that cypermethrin (CYP), a broad spectrum pesticide has a teratogenic effect on rat offspring born to an exposed dam with no information on its effect on the development of the brain. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first attempt to study the postnatal development medulla oblongata of rat offspring exposed to CYP during the perinatal period and the possible neuroprotective role of melatonin. The offspring of treated female rats were organized into control, melatonin (1 mg/kg/day orally); CYP (12 mg/kg/day orally); and CYP/melatonin groups. The mothers received treatments from day 6 of gestation until day 21 after birth. At Postnatal days 7 and 21, the animals were sacrificed and their medulla oblongata was removed and subjected to histological, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic studies. CYP induced neuronal degeneration by chromatolysis and pyknosis. Nuclear changes, cytoplasmic vacuolation, damage mitochondria, and breakdown of RER were also detected. Reduction of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), myelin basic protein (MBP), and oligodendrocyte transcription factor expressions and increment of glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the medulla oblongata of the developing rats were observed. On the other hand, melatonin led to an obvious improvement of the injured medulla oblongata tissues and ameliorating the damaging effects of CYP. In conclusion, melatonin has protected rats against CYP-induced histopathological and immunohistochemical changes. This may be due to the protection of MAP-2, conservation of MBP, an increment of oligodendrocytes, and alleviation of astrogliosis.

Initial researches on neuro-functional status and evolution in chronic ethanol consumers with recent traumatic spinal cord injury

We found differences related to the neuro-functional deficiency and clinical progress, among non-consumers and chronic consumers of ethanol, with recent traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). We present a synthesis of related data on lesion mechanisms in post-traumatic myelogenous disorders, namely some of the alcohols and their actions on the nervous system, with details on the influences exerted, in such afflictions, by the chronic consumption of ethanol. The subject is not frequently approached – according to a literature review with systematic elements, which we have done before – thus constituting a niche that deserves to be further explored. The applicative component of the article highlights statistical data resulted from a retrospective study regarding the specialized casuistry from the Neuromuscular Recovery Clinic of the “Bagdasar Arseni” Emergency Clinical Hospital, following the comparative analysis of two groups of patients with recent SCI: non-consumers – the control group (n=780) – and chronic ethanol consumers – the study group (n=225) – with the addition of a prospective pilot component. Data processing has been achieved with SPSS 24. The American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) mean motor scores differ significantly (tests: Mann-Whitney and t) between the control and study group in favor of the second, both at admission (p<0.001) and at discharge (p<0.001). AIS mean sensitive scores differ between the two lots, and also in favor of the study, but statistically significant only at discharge (p=0.048); the difference at admission is not significant (p=0.51) – possibly because of alcoholic-nutritional polyneuropathy. These findings, with numerous related details, later presented in the text, are surprising, which requires further studies and attempts of understanding.

Cerebral white matter sex dimorphism in alcoholism: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with brain aberrations, including abnormalities in frontal and limbic brain regions. In a prior diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) study of neuronal circuitry connecting the frontal lobes and limbic system structures, we demonstrated decreases in white matter fractional anisotropy in abstinent alcoholic men. In the present study, we examined sex differences in alcoholism-related abnormalities of white matter connectivity and their association with alcoholism history. The dMRI scans were acquired from 49 abstinent alcoholic individuals (26 women) and 41 nonalcoholic controls (22 women). Tract-based spatial statistical tools were used to estimate regional FA of white matter tracts and to determine sex differences and their relation to measures of alcoholism history. Sex-related differences in white matter connectivity were observed in association with alcoholism: Compared to nonalcoholic men, alcoholic men had diminished FA in portions of the corpus callosum, the superior longitudinal fasciculi II and III, and the arcuate fasciculus and extreme capsule. In contrast, alcoholic women had higher FA in these regions. Sex differences also were observed for correlations between corpus callosum FA and length of sobriety. Our results suggest that sexual dimorphism in white matter microstructure in abstinent alcoholics may implicate underlying differences in the neurobehavioral liabilities for developing alcohol abuse disorders, or for sequelae following abuse.

Protective Effect of 17β-Estradiol Upon Hippocampal Spine Density and Cognitive Function in an Animal Model of Vascular Dementia

The current study examined whether the steroid hormone, 17β-estradiol (E2) can exert long-lasting beneficial effects upon axonal health, synaptic plasticity, dementia-related amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein expression, and hippocampal-dependent cognitive function in an animal model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and vascular dementia (VaD). Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and VaD was induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) in adult male Sprague Dawley rats. Low dose E2 administered for the first 3-months after BCCAO exerted long-lasting beneficial effects, including significant neuroprotection of hippocampal CA1 neurons and preservation of hippocampal-dependent cognitive function when examined at 6-months after BCCAO. E2 treatment also prevented BCCAO-induced damage to hippocampal myelin sheaths and oligodendrocytes, enhanced expression of the synaptic proteins synaptophysin and PSD95 in the hippocampus, and prevented BCCAO-induced loss of total and mushroom dendritic spines in the hippocampal CA1 region. Furthermore, E2-treatment also reduced BCCAO induction of dementia-related proteins expression such as p-tau (PHF1), total ubiquitin, and Aβ1-42, when examined at 6 m after BCCAO. Taken as a whole, the results suggest that low-dose E2 replacement might be a potentially promising therapeutic modality to attenuate or block negative neurological consequences of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and VaD.

Ethanol, Trauma, and the Brain

Alcohol intoxication plays a significant and causal role in various fatal injuries. In comparison to sober individuals, intoxicated people have a greater generic risk for being involved in hazardous activities that may result in fatal injuries. However, it is not clear whether the biological effects of acute alcohol intoxication result in worse injuries than those sustained by sober individuals who are injured by identical mechanisms. Alcohol intoxication has a neuroprotective effect in experimental animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) but the evidence for a similar effect in humans is controversial. Earlier studies found such a protective effect, but more recent large epidemiological studies have not confirmed this finding; some studies also suggest a dose-related protective or exacerbating effect of alcohol intoxication on TBI. There are two apparent alcohol-associated syndromes in which an otherwise survivable blunt force impact to the head of an intoxicated individual is fatal at the scene. The first is a fatal cardiorespiratory arrest (the so-called alcohol concussion syndrome or “commotio medullaris”); the second is “traumatic basilar subarachnoid hemorrhage” (secondary to tears in the cerebral arteries, particularly the intracranial and extracranial vertebral arteries).