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Biomedical subjects

I C Robinson

Publications and source records attributed to I C Robinson.

132 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Growth induced by pulsatile infusion of an amidated fragment of human growth hormone releasing factor in normal and GHRF-deficient rats.

The discovery of human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factors (GHRFs) and subsequent characterization of human hypothalamic GHRF has led to studies on the role of these peptides in stimulating growth hormone (GH) release, and attempts to use GHRF peptides to increase growth rates in short children are already underway. However, there is no experimental evidence in animals that exogenous GHRF promotes growth in vivo. Although anaesthetized rats release GH reproducibly in response to GHRF injections, the responses in conscious male rats are much more variable, perhaps because of their highly episodic endogenous GH secretory pattern. In contrast, female rats secrete GH in a more continuous pattern and respond reproducibly to repeated injections of GHRF. We report here that it is possible to establish a 'male' type of GH secretory pattern in normal female rats by long-term pulsatile intravenous (i.v.) infusions of the active human GHRF fragment GHRF (1-29)NH2. We found that this treatment accelerates growth and increases pituitary GH content, whereas continuous infusions of this GHRF fragment at the same daily dose are ineffective. Pulsatile, but not continuous GHRF also stimulates growth in animals made GHRF-deficient by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment. Thus exogenous GHRF will stimulate growth in both GHRF-deficient and normal animals provided it is administered in an appropriate pattern.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A review of the aetiology of multiple sclerosis: an ecological approach.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of unknown aetiology characterized by myelin destruction. Approaches to the aetiology of the condition have noted its differential geographic and demographic distribution; a tentative and inconsistent link with infectious agents; a genetic susceptibility; and a tendency to track with dietary lipids. This review proposes a multidisciplinary approach to the aetiology of MS, emphasizing the interlocking and interdependent nature of current aetiological arguments. We suggest that the most profitable interpretation of current empirical data on the aetiology of MS can be accomplished through this kind of analysis.

Diet↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The functional and psychological status of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: some implications for rehabilitation.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as motor neurone disease (MND) in Britain, poses special problems in rehabilitation by virtue of its nature, trajectory and the age of patients with the disease. Many practical difficulties of ALS are well known, but there has been little research on the psychological parameters of the disease. This study of 181 ALS patients, from a national register in England and Wales, indicates that, contrary to some previous research, psychological distress (measured by the General Health Questionnaire) is widespread among patients at all stages of the disease. Severity of functional impairment is significantly related to psychological distress, but explains only a small part of the variance. Rehabilitation in relation to ALS must take account of the high incidence of psychological difficulties, as well as the considerable functional problems associated with the disease.

Activities of Daily Living↗