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Biomedical subjects

L Terenius

Publications and source records attributed to L Terenius.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP) immunoreactive neurons in the spinal cord and spinal trigeminal nucleus.

Using indirect immunofluorescence technique, avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP) immunoreactive cell bodies and fibres have been observed in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and of the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Fibres were also seen in the ventral horns, in low numbers at the cervical and thoracic levels and in high numbers at the lower lumbar and upper sacral levels. Neither total cord transection, nor dorsal rhizotomy, nor capsaicin treatment seemed to affect the APP systems described above. The present findings suggest that an APP-like peptide may be involved in processing of sensory information at the level of the first relay station.

Animals↗

CSF-endorphins in heroin addicts during methadone maintenance and during withdrawal.

Seventeen opiate-dependent subjects accepted for methadone maintenance treatment were housed in a closed metabolic ward. They stayed drug-free for 3 weeks before methadone treatment was started. One sample of cerebrospinal fluid was taken immediately before the first methadone dose and another sample was taken after the patient had received methadone daily for 3 weeks. Fraction I and II endorphin levels were frequently pathological on both occasions, either elevated or reduced when compared with 19 healthy volunteers. Subjects with pathological pre-treatment levels of both fractions seemed to respond better to the methadone treatment that those with at least one pre-treatment value within the normal range.

Adult↗

Hemodialysis in schizophrenia: psychiatric aspects of treatment failure in a pilot study.

In order to examine the reported curative effects of hemodialysis in patients with chronic schizophrenia a pilot study approved by the Committee of Ethics at the University of Lund was initiated in September 1977. 13 patients, 10 men and 3 women, 21--44 years old, were treated. All but one were diagnosed as chronic schizophrenia. The duration of illness was 4--20 years. All the patients functioned defectively psychosocially, and conventional therapy had failed. Our goal was to give at least one dialysis treatment a week during 13 weeks. 10 patients completed the treatment series. The patients were scored according to the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Rockland and Pollin scale before, during and after the treatment. Conventional therapy was given throughout. Analysis of hemofiltrates for endorphins did not reveal any abnormal levels. 1 patient reported a distinct and hitherto lasting improvement. Marginal and temporary improvements were noted in 3 patients. Therefore placebo effects or spontaneous remission seemed probable. The ratings showed no significant changes in any patient during the treatment period. All patients including those who showed improvement remained seriously incapacitated by their psychiatric illness. Different psychiatric aspects of our failure to reproduce the American findings including cultural discrepancies in diagnostic criteria are discussed.

Adult↗

The peptidergic neural control of the feline pylorus.

By immunohistochemistry the three neuropeptides enkephalin, substance P, and VIP were all localized to numerous nerve fibers in the smooth muscle layer and the myenteric plexus of the feline pylorus. The motor activity of the pylorus was studied by recording changes in the volume flow of body-warm saline through the sphincter at constant perfusion pressure in anesthetized cats. Efferent electric stimulation of the cervical vagi (8 V; 5 ms; 8 Hz) elicited a noncholinergic, nonadrenergic pyloric contraction, which was blocked by infusion of the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone. The peptides were injected into a regional gastric artery to the pylorus antrum. Enkephalin and substance P in micronanomolar doses resulted in a prompt contraction of 3 - 5 min duration. Equimolar doses of naloxone blocked the enkephalin-induced contraction, and atropine blocked the SP contraction. On the other hand, VIP caused a prompt dilatation, which could not be blocked in this study. Altogether the findings suggest a peptidergic motor control of the feline pylorus using several transmission mechanisms.

Animals↗

Changes in endorphins and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid as a result of treatment with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (zimelidine) in chronic pain patients.

Both the endorphin and the serotonin systems seem to be involved in pain perception, and a significant positive correlation between the levels of endorphins and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been established. In the present study, 20 chronic pain patients were treated with zimelidine, a rather selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake, or placebo. Zimelidine produced a significant pain relief and a significant reduction of the levels of endorphins and 5-HIAA in CSF, while no significant changes occurred during placebo treatment. The results indicate that both the endorphin and the serotonin systems are involved in pain perception and that the systems are functionally related.

Adult↗

Substance P, VIP, enkephalin and somatostatin immunoreactive neurons in intestinal tissue transplanted to the anterior eye chamber.

Tissue pieces of small and large intestine from pre- and postnatal and adult rats, respectively, were transplanted to the anterior eye chamber of the rat. Immunohistochemical studies revealed high numbers of substance P-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)- and enkephalin-containing nerve fibers, especially in the circular smooth muscle layer and in the myenteric plexus of the intestinal tissue transplants. A small number of somatostatin-containing fibers were observed. The distribution patterns of the various peptide-containing neurons in the grafts resembled those which have been described in the intact gastro-intestinal wall. Substance P, VIP, enkephalin and somato-statin immunoreactive fibers were seen also in the host irides. No obvious differences in peptide innervation in grafts and host irides were observed between normal and sympathectomized animals and animals lesioned in the trigeminal ganglion. These findings suggest that most of the peptide-containing fibers in the intestinal transplants and the host irides originate in the transplanted tissue. Thus, it is shown that peptide neurons can survive in this transplantation model, which may be useful for functional studies of intestinal physiology including peptidergic mechanisms.

Animals↗

Prenatal naloxone affects survival and morphine sensitivity of rat offspring.

In order to examine the effects of blockade of the opiate-receptor during gestation and parturition, pregnant rats were implanted with subcutaneous minipumps, loaded with either naloxone (100 or 30 mg/ml) or saline, released at a constant rate for 7 days. It was found that neonatal mortality was significantly increased in the group that received naloxone 0.1 mg/h from day 17 of pregnancy, compared to saline controls. Body weight increase was slightly retarded by administration of naloxone 0.03 mg/h, starting day 17. At the age of 40 days, the groups exposed to naloxone 0.03 mg/h during late gestation showed a significant analgetic response to morphine 5 mg/kg, in contrast to saline controls, when tested with the hot-plate technique. The results suggest a role for endorphins during parturition and development.

Animals↗

Predictors for the outcome of treatment with high frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in patients with chronic pain.

Seventy-two patients suffering from chronic pain were treated with high frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (hi-TNS). Significant predictors for a positive result were pains of neurogenic origin and pains located mainly in the extremities. CSF endorphin levels were determined for 22 patients with organic pain and the group with positive results from the treatment had somewhat (but not significantly) lower levels of fraction I endorphins. Age, sex or reported severity of pain had no predictive value.

Electric Stimulation Therapy↗

Synthesis of potential antiprogestins II.

Alkylated derivatives of 17-acetoxyprogesterone were prepared in order to test the hypothesis that bulky groups in certain positions of the steroid molecule have the effect of transforming progestogens into antiprogestogens. These groups might exert binding influence outside the area occupied by progesterone itself. The compounds were tested for competitive affinity against tritiated progesterone and receptor from rabbit uterus cytosol. The low affinity of all derivatives makes it unlikely that they would be active as antiprogestational agents.

Animals↗