Biomedical subjects

I Karlsson

Publications and source records attributed to I Karlsson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Hypothalamic monoamines and neuropeptides in dementia.

The concentrations of monoamines and various neuropeptides were determined in the hypothalamus of brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia (n = 26) and compared with control values (n = 21). Decreased concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (P less than 0.05) and homovanillic acid (P less than 0.01) were found, and increased arginine vasopressin- (P less than 0.01), galanin- (P less than 0.05) and somatostatin- (P less than 0.01) like immunoreactivity. It is proposed that this disequilibrium may be important for certain circadian symptoms, e.g. the changes in sleep/wake rhythms that are rather often observed in dementia.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Visualization of brain monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) in dementia of Alzheimer's type by means of large cryosection autoradiography: a pilot study.

Quantitative autoradiography, using 3H-deprenyl, was applied to study the regional localization of MAO-B in large cryosections from 3 control brains and 3 brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). High 3H-L-deprenyl binding was found in e.g. basal ganglia, cingulate gyrus, and insula cortex. Temporal cortex, parietal cortex, occipital cortex and various nuclei of the thalamus, showed moderate density, while low binding was observed in e.g. white matter. When the brains from the controls were compared with those with AD, the mean values for 3H-deprenyl binding was higher in the latter group, however, more generalised than previously reported.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulins in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 45 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 24 healthy controls were examined in order to investigate the possibility of an intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulins in AD. The group of AD patients showed higher IgG and IgM indices than the control group. Five (11%) AD patients had an intrathecal IgG synthesis and 7 (15%) an intrathecal IgM synthesis. In total, 12 (26%) AD patients had an intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis, while there was none among the controls. This finding supports the hypothesis that immunological mechanisms may play a role in the etiology and/or pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, at least in a subgroup of patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Effects of the training of integrity--promoting care on the interaction at a long-term ward. Analysis of video-recorded social activities.

A training programme in integrity-promoting care was given the staff of a long-term ward and practised during a three months intervention period. The effects were analysed in different parameters and compared with a control ward. This report describes analysis of video-recorded interactions (12 hs) during social activities between demented patients and caregivers and changes induced by the programme. The video-recorded episodes, containing mainly music and coffee sessions were interpreted from a model on interaction with demented patients suggested by Athlin & Norberg. The results indicate that the training programme and the guidance during the intervention resulted in increased understanding of demented patients' situation among the staff. They became more sensitive, adapted their cues and made the environment easier to interpret for the patients. This in turn led to the fact that the patients appeared more sensitive and clear in their cues. A positive circle developed.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Parenteral administration of GM1 ganglioside to presenile Alzheimer patients.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of GM1 ganglioside were examined in 16 patients (mean age 64 +/- 5 years) with Alzheimer's disease. The ganglioside was given intramuscularly and subcutaneously. The maximum GM1 blood level was reached after 48-72 h, the subcutaneous route leading to the highest blood levels, but the individual variability was relatively large. When 100 mg GM1 ganglioside was given daily for a week, maximum serum values of 15 to 20 mumol/l were found in 3 patients. The elimination half-life from serum was 60-75 h.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulin G in vascular dementia.

Serum and CSF from 53 vascular dementia (VD) patients and 50 controls were analysed to investigate the possibility of an intrathecal synthesis of IgG, defined as an elevated IgG index (greater than or equal to 7) and/or presence of oligoclonal IgG in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but not in serum. Five (9%) patients and no controls exhibited an intrathecal synthesis of IgG. The IgG index increased with the degree of dementia (p less than 0.05). It was positively related to presence/absence of hypertension (p less than 0.05) and correlated positively with diastolic blood pressure (p less than 0.05). The findings suggest that immunological factors might be involved in the pathogenesis of VD.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Blood brain barrier function in vascular dementia.

To investigate blood-brain barrier (BBB) function measured as an albumin ratio (cerebrospinal fluid/serum) in vascular dementia (VD) samples from 53 patients and 30 healthy controls were analysed. The VD group showed a higher mean albumin ratio than controls (8.5 +/- 3.8 and 5.7 +/- 2.1, respectively). The albumin ratio did not correlate significantly with age, nor with individual clinical vascular factors. The results of the present study suggest that the altered BBB might be a consequence of small vessel disorder rather than evidence of infarcts.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Blood-brain barrier disturbance in patients with Alzheimer's disease is related to vascular factors.

To investigate the blood-brain barrier (BBB function), serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 118 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 50 healthy controls was analyzed with regard to albumin concentrations. For the AD group, clinical vascular factors were also recorded. The CSF/serum albumin ratio was used as a measure of BBB function. When compared with controls, the AD group showed a higher mean albumin ratio, indicating a decline in BBB function. However, no significant reduction in BBB function was found in AD patients without vascular factors. These findings support the hypothesis that BBB disturbance is related to vascular factors, coexisting with AD. In the control group, no significant correlation between age and albumin ratio was found, which suggests that aging per se is not primarily associated with a decline in BBB function. The present study provides evidence in favour of the conclusion that a reduced BBB function is related neither to AD nor to aging, but to clinical vascular factors.

Aged↗

PubMed1990

Receptors for human plasminogen on gram-negative bacteria.

A total of 188 strains representing 11 species of gram-negative bacteria were examined for the ability to interact with human plasminogen. Highly purified human plasminogen was labeled with 125I, and its uptake by different bacterial strains was measured. All 14 strains of Haemophilus influenzae and all 13 strains of Branhamella catarrhalis tested were positive with respect to plasminogen uptake. Also, eight species belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae were tested, and of those, Proteus mirabilis demonstrated the most substantial uptake, with 28 of 39 strains taking up more than 10% of the plasminogen. Ten strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were also tested, of which seven showed uptake values higher than 10%. With H. influenzae and B. catarrhalis strains, Scatchard analysis indicated a two-phase receptor interaction, one more-avid receptor with a Kd of 6 to 8 nM and 2,000 to 2,500 sites per bacterium and a second receptor with a Kd of 50 to 80 nM and 9,000 sites per bacterium. With Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, a single receptor interaction was detected with a Kd of 60 nM and the number of sites was estimated as 8,000 per bacterium. Scatchard analysis with strains of P. mirabilis indicated binding of a less-specific nature. However, plasminogen uptake by this species could be reduced by 50% by the addition of 2 mM unlabeled plasminogen. This estimate of Kd, as well as uptake studies with plasminogen fragments, suggests different properties of this receptor. With all receptor types, the addition of plasmin-aprotinin complex inhibited plasminogen uptake, which demonstrates that both forms of the molecule react with the same receptors. Plasminogen uptake could be eliminated by the addition of lysine or epsilon-aminocaproic acid, which suggests that the lysine-binding sites of the plasminogen molecule are involved in the receptor-ligand interaction.

Aprotinin↗

PubMed1990

Antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli isolates from inpatients with urinary tract infections in hospitals in Addis Ababa and Stockholm.

A high level of antimicrobial resistance of bacteria has been detected at the Tikur Anbessa Hospital (TAH), Addis Ababa, for many years. In contrast, at the Karolinska Hospital (KH), Stockholm, the level of resistance is low. Reported are the results of an investigation of the correlation between antibiotic usage and the antimicrobial resistance rates of Escherichia coli isolates from patients with urinary tract infections in these hospitals. At TAH the strains of E. coli isolated were considerably more resistant to all seven antibiotics tested. The level of multiresistance was 63% at TAH and 7% at KH. There were no significant differences in the total amount of antibiotics used in the two hospitals, except for antituberculosis agents. The strain biotypes and antibiograms, together with the length of patients' hospitalization before a positive urine culture was obtained, suggest that the majority of the strains from TAH were of nosocomial origin.

Cross Infection↗

PubMed1989

Monoamine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and behavioral ratings in patients with early and late onset of Alzheimer dementia.

Patients with Alzheimer disease (AD, onset less than 65 years of age, n = 13) and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT, onset greater than or equal to 65 years of age, n = 28) were investigated for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) content of homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (MHPG) and compared with a group of controls (n = 26). A geriatric rating scale, the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen scale, was used to assess impairment of motor performance, intellectual and emotional functioning, and symptoms common in dementia disorders. The HVA levels in CSF were significantly lower in the AD group than in the SDAT group and controls. MHPG was slightly but significantly increased in the SDAT group when compared with the controls. The HVA and 5-HIAA concentrations were correlated negatively with impairment of motor performance in the SDAT group; 5-HIAA correlated positively with impaired performance in the AD group; and 5-HIAA/HVA ratios were correlated positively with the performance variables. HVA correlated significantly and negatively with "impaired wakefulness" and "inability to increase tempo" in the SDAT group. 5-HIAA and the ratio 5-HIAA/HVA correlated significantly and positively with some items measuring intellectual and emotional impairment. In the AD group, "anxiety" and "fear-panic" correlated positively with 5-HIAA and "restlessness" with MHPG. The data indicate qualitative differences in the CSF monoamine pattern between AD and SDAT.

Aged↗

PubMed1989

Symptomatic hypoglycaemia in childhood diabetes: a population-based questionnaire study.

The occurrence of severe and mild hypoglycaemic attacks and their symptoms and signs were studied in 92 insulin-dependent diabetic children, 7-18 years old. A questionnaire was distributed to all families and they were interviewed by an experienced nurse. Severe attacks, for which the help of an adult was needed, were reported by 44% of the children during a 12-month period. Thirty-seven per cent of the attacks occurred in the mornings, most often attributed to extra physical exercise, but equally often without any obvious cause. They were more common in children with strict blood glucose control measured as HbA1c. Fast-acting carbohydrates, given by parents, relieved the attack in most children, but 15% needed a glucagon injection and 12% intravenous glucose. In all, 16% were admitted to hospital. Mild events occurred in 97% of the children, at least once per week in 53% of the children, and were not related to blood glucose control. They were often attributed to extra physical exercise and occurred mainly between breakfast and lunch. Initial symptoms were tremor and hunger; during the whole event tremor and sweating were most common. Parents noted pallor as the most common sign. The frequency of severe or mild attacks could not be correlated to the age of the child, duration of diabetes, daily dose or number of insulin injections.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Neurotransmitter deficits in a non-multi-infarct category of vascular dementia.

Brain tissue from 9 severely demented patients cared for in psychiatric long-term wards and with records of stroke episodes, macroscopic signs of brain infarcts and with no clinical evidence of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type was investigated and compared with control material. The mean volume of the brain infarcts in this vascular dementia group was only 6.8 ml. Pronounced disturbances of the serotoninergic and cholingergic systems were found in subcortical and cortical grey matter. These widespread neurotransmitter changes can hardly be explained by the localized brain infarcts per se, but suggest the existence of another category of vascular dementia. Since the neurotransmitter disturbances were found to be similar to those of Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type, it seems more likely that they indicate a common pathway for dementia disorders than that they serve as markers of different dementia categories.

Aged↗

PubMed1989

Decreased myelin lipids in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

The lipid composition of white matter and myelin from the semioval centre was studied in autopsy material from cases with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 11), vascular dementia (VD) (n = 7), and age-matched controls (n = 11). In AD and VD the white matter content of phospholipids and cholesterol was reduced to 72-76% of the control values (P less than 0.01), the diminution of cerebrosides and sulphatides was more pronounced (55-69%) (P less than 0.001) while the concentration of gangliosides did not change significantly (87-90%). The myelin composition was the same in the 3 groups, suggesting that the white matter involvement is not caused by alteration of the myelin structure. The altered lipid composition in white matter in AD and VD suggests that the myelin sheath is the primary lesion site.

Aged↗

PubMed1989

Elevated CSF somatostatin concentrations in demented patients parallel improved psychomotor functions induced by integrity-promoting care.

Elderly demented patients from 2 nursing homes participated in this study. An experimental group (n = 17) was subjected to a 3-month program with integrity-promoting care resulting in emotional, intellectual and physical activation, whereas a control group (n = 18) had no change from the regular ward care. Dementia rating scales and psychological tests were administered before the start of the study and at the end of the 3-month study period. Lumbar punctures were performed at the same time for assessment of neuropeptide concentrations (somatostatin (SRIF), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and corticotropin-releasing factor) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the control group no significant changes were found in the ratings before and after the study. In contrast, improvements in intellectual and motor functioning were observed in the experimental group. Concomitantly, the SRIF concentrations in CSF were significantly elevated in the experimental group and not affected in the control group. The CSF AVP concentrations were reduced in both groups at the end of the study, but considerably more in the control group. It is concluded that environmental factors can improve intellectual and motor functioning in demented patients and also alter CSF biochemical measures of dementia.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

Complex chromosome rearrangements in an extraabdominal desmoid tumor.

Cytogenetic studies of an extraabdominal desmoid tumor revealed karyotypic abnormalities in 20 of 50 analyzed metaphases, with no less than 13 clonal marker chromosomes, 11 of which could be at least partially identified. The hypodiploid stemline karyotype was interpreted as: 43-45,XX,-1,-1, + der(1)(?::1p36----1q21::?) + der(1)t(1;?)(p11;?), + der(1) (1pter----1p31::1p11----1cen----1q32::?),- 3,del(3)(p12), + der(3)t[del(3)(p12);?](q25;?), + der(6) t(6;?)(q15;?),-8,-9,-9,-10, + der(10)t(10;?)(p13;?),-12, + der(12)(?::12q14----12q23::?), -13, -13,-15,-19,dic(21;22)(p13;q13),-21, + der(21)t(21;?)(p13;?),-22, + der(22)t(22;?)(q13;?), + 1-3mar/46,XX. This finding of clonal chromosome rearrangements strongly suggests that extraabdominal desmoid tumor is a neoplastic disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Do physically active people cope better with biopsychosocial stress after a myocardial infarction?

A preliminary study of the relationship between a physically active versus a physically non-active life before a myocardial infarction and coping ability (e.g. psychosocial effects) after a myocardial infarction has been performed. In a mainly rural area in south-western Sweden all myocardial infarction sufferers (N = 49) during January 1984-August 1986, fulfilling certain criteria, were sent a questionnaire with special emphasis on their present and former exercise habits and psychosocial situation. The results indicate that there is a positive relation between a physically active as compared with a physically non-active life and coping ability in terms of fewer expressed depressions, better experienced relations in the family and higher degree of return to work, after a myocardial infarction among the physically active. However, further investigations are needed in order to explain the mechanisms involved. The results further imply that primary and secondary prevention must support the "risk-individual's" coping ability from a multifactorial view, built on holistic caring.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1988

Effects of environmental stimulation on biochemical and psychological variables in dementia.

The nursing care of a group of moderately demented patients (n = 11) in a nursing home was improved as a result of an education of the staff. Thus the patients were subjected to an increased emotional and intellectual stimulation during the ordinary daily care and participated in group sessions twice a week. In order to evaluate the effects of the treatment, psychological parameters and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HVA (homovanillic acid), 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindole acetic acid) and HMPG (4-hydroxy, 3-metoxyphenylglucol) were quantified before and after a 2-month treatment period. A group of similar patients (n = 13) in another nursing home constituted a control group. The ratings of concentration, absent mindedness and recent memory showed a more favorable development in the treatment group than in the control group where an intellectual deterioration was evident. Restlessness was rated higher in the treatment group after the treatment period, while the psychological testings showed no significant changes between the groups. CSF HVA concentrations increased in the treatment group and decreased in the control group (P less than 0.05). No change was evident in 5-HIAA or HMPG concentrations in either group. The results suggest that environmental factors influence biochemical markers of transmitter activity which thus possibly may be of etiological importance in dementia.

Aged↗