The Peptidic GHS-R antagonist [D-Lys(3)]GHRP-6 markedly improves adiposity and related metabolic abnormalities in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity

It was demonstrated that estrogen deficiency and consuming high fat (HF) diet enhanced orexigenic activity of ghrelin. Therefore, we hypothesized that antagonizing of ghrelin action would attenuate food intake and body weight in mice obese both from ovariectomy (OVX) and feeding a HF diet. Ghrelin receptor antagonist [D-Lys(3)]GHRP-6 after seven days of subcutaneous treatment markedly decreased food intake in OVX mice fed both HF and standard diets; furthermore, it reduced body weight and blood glucose, insulin and leptin, and increased β-hydroxybutyrate level and uncoupling-protein-1 mRNA in brown adipose tissue. Pair-feeding revealed that effect of [D-Lys(3)]GHRP-6 was primary anorexigenic. Estrogen supplementation reduced anorexigenic effects of [D-Lys(3)]GHRP-6. OVX [D-Lys(3)]GHRP-6 treatment in mice on HF diet resulted in markedly increased circulating level and liver expression of a major metabolic regulator, fibroblast growth factor 21. Our data suggest that ghrelin antagonists could be especially beneficial in individuals with common obesity combined with estrogen deficiency.

[Epidemiology of childhood cerebral palsy in Slovakia]

In the 5.3 million population of Slovakia the author investigated by means of questionnaire screening the prevalence and incidence of cerebral palsy in children. The questionnaires were processed in collaboration with child neurologists and district paediatricians from all 38 Slovak districts. The author revealed that in 1990 child neurologists recorded 6,214 1-14-year-old children with the diagnosis of cerebral palsy, i.e. the motor form. The prevalence of cerebral palsy in children in Slovakia is 4.9 and the incidence 9.0. The assembled data are valuable in the system of comprehensive care of children with cerebral palsy, for establishment of an early diagnosis and early rehabilitation treatment.