Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in geriatric depression and primary degenerative dementia

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to investigate volumes of different brain structures in 19 patients with late-onset major depression (DSM-III-R), 27 patients with Alzheimer's disease (NINCDS-ADRDA criteria) and 13 age matched controls. 3-D MRI sequences were acquired using a Siemens 1.5 T scanner. Whole brain volume, CSF volume, volume of the frontal and temporal lobes and the volume of the amygdala-hippocampus complex were assessed using the software NMR Win. Compared to the controls, depressed patients showed a significantly lower whole brain volume and a significantly higher CSF volume, whereas volumes of the frontal and temporal lobes as well as the amygdala-hippocampus complex volumes were not significantly decreased. In addition, depressed patients exhibited a higher ventricle-brain ratio suggesting a higher degree of central atrophy compared to healthy individuals. In contrast, Alzheimer patients showed significantly lower volumes than depressed patients and controls with respect to all volumetric parameters. Although the findings indicate the presence of brain atrophy in patients with late-onset depression, the pattern of volumetric changes in these patients differs markedly from that observed in patients with primary degenerative dementia.

Systemic and mucosal infection program protective memory CD8 T cells in the vaginal mucosa

Whether mucosal immunization is required for optimal protective CD8 T cell memory at mucosal surfaces is controversial. In this study, using an adoptive transfer system, we compare the efficacy of two routes of acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis viral infection on the generation, maintenance, and localization of Ag-specific CD8 T cells in tissues, including the vaginal mucosa. Surprisingly, at day 8, i.p. infection results in higher numbers of Ag-specific CD8 T cells in the vaginal mucosa and iliac lymph node, as well as 2-3x more Ag-specific CD8 T cells that coexpress both IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in comparison to the intranasal route of infection. Expression of the integrin/activation marker CD103 (alphaEbeta7) is low on vaginal mucosal Ag-specific CD8 T cells in comparison to gut mucosal intraepithelial lymphocytes. At memory, no differences are evident in the number, cytokine production, or protective function of Ag-specific CD8 T cells in the vaginal mucosa comparing the two routes of infection. However, differences persist in the cytokine profile of genital tract vs peripheral Ag-specific CD8 T cells. So although the initial route of infection, as well as tissue microenvironment, appear to influence both the magnitude and quality of the effector CD8 T cell response, both systemic and mucosal infection are equally effective in the differentiation of protective memory CD8 T cell responses against vaginal pathogenic challenge.

[Schizophrenia concepts in Soviet and Russian psychiatry]

Concepts of schizophrenia of the Soviet Russian school are presented. They are historically based upon the broad concepts of schizophrenia by Kraepelin and Bleuler. The relationships to the German concept of "Einheitspsychose" (unitary psychosis) is emphasized. Along with the discussion of correspondence to and differences with Western diagnostic systems (DSM, ICD) it is pointed out that the old Soviet system of classification extends to psychotic and also non-psychotic forms which in ICD-10 are not attributed to schizophrenia, but to other categories. Differential-diagnostic criteria of sluggish schizophrenia and neurosis, such as positive psychopathological symptoms, thought disturbances and changes in personality, will be delineated. Furthermore, recent developments in Russian psychiatry and modifications in Russian schizophrenia concepts will be exemplified by the concept of "psychic diathesis."

Both systemic and mucosal LCMV immunization generate robust viral-specific IgG in mucosal secretions, but elicit poor LCMV-specific IgA

Immunoglobulins in secretions play a critical role in protection at mucosal surfaces. We examined the generation of viral-specific IgG and IgA in plasma and mucosal secretions of mice following systemic or mucosal immunization with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), a widely used experimental model of viral infection. While there are early differences in humoral responses depending on the route of viral entry, we show that both routes generate comparably robust viral-specific IgG in plasma, vaginal, lung, and nasal secretions of immune mice. In contrast, LCMV elicited poor viral-specific IgA responses. Mice that were infected IN showed elevated viral-specific IgA in nasal and lung washes compared to IP-infected mice; however, LCMV-specific IgG overwhelmingly contributed to the humoral response in all mucosal secretions examined. Thus similarly to HIV-1, and several other mucosally-encountered microbial infections, these data suggest that LCMV infection fails to induce vigorous viral-specific IgA responses.

[The symptomology of akathisia]

The phenomenon of akathisia is characterised by a subjective feeling of inner agitation accompanied by general motoric restlessness, which particularly affects the legs. It is mainly the inner agitation from which the patients suffer, but which they often cannot describe in any detail. The psychopathology of akathisia is presented in a case report, the emphasis being on a detailed description of inner agitation. Furthermore, motor, affective and cognitive symptoms of akathisia are pointed out. Finally, differential diagnosis of akathisia and standardised scales for assessment are discussed.

Generation and maintenance of antigen-specific CD8 T cells in the vaginal mucosa following systemic versus mucosal routes of immunization (41.6)

In this study we compared the efficacy of two different routes of viral infection on the generation, maintenance, and localization of antigen specific CD8T cells in lymphoid, non-lymphoid, and mucosal tissues during peak effector and memory phases of an immune response. We used an adoptive transfer system of naïve transgenic CD8 T cells, followed by intra-peritoneal (i.p) or intra-nasal (i.n) LCMV infection. Surprisingly, on day 8 the peak of the primary response, i.p. infection resulted in higher numbers of antigen-specific CD8T cells in the vaginal mucosa and ILN only, in addition to 2–3x more antigen specific CD8 T cells that co-expressed both IFNγ and TNFα, when compared to the i.n. route of infection. During memory, equivalent numbers of antigen specific CD8T cells were detected at all sites, irrespective of the route of infection. Following intravaginal re-challenge, both i.p. and i.n generated memory CD8 T cells showed robust secondary responses in the vaginal tract, however the i.n. memory CD8 T cell response was consistently greater. These data suggest that both systemic and mucosal routes of infection can generate a similar quantity of memory CD8 T cells in mucosal sites. However, the initial route of infection appears to influence the programming of the memory CD8T cells generated, and these early differences in priming may impact the quality of protective secondary responses.