Biomedical subjects

Jun Nakamura

Publications and source records attributed to Jun Nakamura.

96 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Interaction between fluvoxamine and cotinine or caffeine.

We examined the relationships between plasma fluvoxamine concentrations and plasma levels of cotinine and caffeine, respectively, under steady-state conditions in 30 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive disorder and who were being treated with fluvoxamine. The daily dosages of fluvoxamine ranged from 50 to 200 mg (mean +/- SD 108 +/- 42 mg). Eleven patients were smokers and the remaining 19 were nonsmokers. The plasma fluvoxamine concentrations were significantly higher in nonsmokers (0.92 +/- 0.40 ng/ml/mg) than in smokers (0.56 +/- 0.28 ng/ml/mg); in addition, a trend towards negative correlations was observed between the plasma fluvoxamine concentrations and the plasma cotinine levels, although it was not significant. Significant positive correlations were found between the plasma fluvoxamine concentrations and the plasma caffeine levels. These findings are compatible with those in earlier reports that cytochrome P450 1A2 plays a major role in fluvoxamine metabolism.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Possible relationships between plasma carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide levels and antimanic efficacy and side effects in patients with schizoaffective disorde.

We examined the relationships of plasma levels of carbamazepine (CBZ) and its two major metabolites, carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) and carbamazepine-10,11-diol (CBZ-D), with antimanic efficacy and side effects in patients with schizoaffective disorder. Positive relationships were found among plasma concentrations of CBZ-E and the degree of clinical improvement and side effects, whereas neither plasma CBZ nor CBZ-D levels were correlated with the degree of clinical improvement or side effects. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Exhibitionism and low-dose trazodone treatment.

We describe the case of a 37-year-old man who had suffered from exhibitionism for 10 years. The strength of the patient's urges to act out decreased gradually with the commencement of low-dose trazodone treatment. During the 2 years of trazodone treatment, there was no acting out. The medicine was gradually decreased and eventually discontinued. The patient's impulse manifested only once, but is responded well to trazodone resumption. Thereafter, the patient has neither acted out nor had impulses, even without trazodone, for the following 2 years. This case suggests that trazodone can be useful in the treatment of exhibitionism and it can enhance the remitting process of exhibitionism in some patients. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Changes in plasma monoamine metabolites during acute lithium intoxication.

A case of acute lithium intoxication is presented in which plasma levels of 3-methyoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and homovanillic acid (HVA) were longitudinally measured during the intoxication period. Plasma levels of MHPH and 5-HIAA, but not HVA were increased during the intoxication period. These results suggest that toxic levels of lithium concentration occurred due to transient enhancement of serotonin and noradrenaline function. Dopamine function was not affected. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The rarity of Charles Bonnet syndrome.

Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) is characterized by complex visual hallucinations in otherwise psychologically normal people. Estimates of the prevalence of CBS in different samples vary from a small percentage (around 1%), to a relatively large percentage (about 10%). The purpose of the present study is to determine whether CBS is rare or not. One-thousand ophthalmologic and optometric outpatients at a university hospital were consecutively screened by a questionnaire to identify patients possibly experiencing visual hallucinations. The mean corrected visual acuity in the best eye was 1.1. Those who positively responded to the questionnaire were further investigated to determine whether their symptoms were consistent with CBS. As a result, the prevalence of CBS was 0.5% (5/1000). In subclass analyses, the prevalence was 3 of 372 (0.8%) in the low vision group, 2 of 346 (0.6%) in the elderly, and 1 of 120 (0.8%) in both conditions. These were not significantly different from each other or from the overall prevalence (0.5%). This low prevalence of CBS in our subjects may be due to their relatively good visual acuity because previous studies with high prevalence of CBS investigated patients with a visual acuity of less than 0.3. The prevalence of CBS may be low in patients with these particular characteristics, and this syndrome seems to be rare in even ophthalmologic and optometric patients if they do not have seriously low vision. Further studies are needed to investigate the prevalence of CBS in general population.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

DNA damage in nasal and brain tissues of canines exposed to air pollutants is associated with evidence of chronic brain inflammation and neurodegeneration.

Acute, subchronic, or chronic exposures to particulate matter (PM) and pollutant gases affect people in urban areas and those exposed to fires, disasters, and wars. Respiratory tract inflammation, production of mediators of inflammation capable of reaching the brain, systemic circulation of PM, and disruption of the nasal respiratory and olfactory barriers are likely in these populations. DNA damage is crucial in aging and in age-associated diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. We evaluated apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in nasal and brain genomic DNA, and explored by immunohistochemistry the expression of nuclear factor NFkappaB p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX2), metallothionein I and II, apolipoprotein E, amyloid precursor protein (APP), and beta-amyloid(1-42) in healthy dogs naturally exposed to urban pollution in Mexico City. Nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V) were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Forty mongrel dogs, ages 7 days-10 years were studied (14 controls from Tlaxcala and 26 exposed to urban pollution in South West Metropolitan Mexico City (SWMMC)). Nasal respiratory and olfactory epithelium were found to be early pollutant targets. Olfactory bulb and hippocampal AP sites were significantly higher in exposed than in control age matched animals. Ni and V were present in a gradient from olfactory mucosa > olfactory bulb > frontal cortex. Exposed dogs had (a) nuclear neuronal NFkappaB p65, (b) endothelial, glial and neuronal iNOS, (c) endothelial and glial COX2, (d) ApoE in neuronal, glial and vascular cells, and (e) APP and beta amyloid(1-42) in neurons, diffuse plaques (the earliest at age 11 months), and in subarachnoid blood vessels. Increased AP sites and the inflammatory and stress protein brain responses were early and significant in dogs exposed to urban pollution. Oil combustion PM-associated metals Ni and V were detected in the brain. There was an acceleration of Alzheimer's-type pathology in dogs chronically exposed to air pollutants. Respiratory tract inflammation and deteriorating olfactory and respiratory barriers may play a role in the observed neuropathology. These data suggest that Alzheimer's disease may be the sequela of air pollutant exposures and the resulting systemic inflammation.

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