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Biomedical subjects

M Kurachi

Publications and source records attributed to M Kurachi.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Sex concordance in proband-relative pairs with schizophrenia.

Sex concordance rates were investigated in 278 schizophrenic probands, who had at least one first-degree relative with schizophrenia, in order to find out whether the illness affects the same sex more often than the opposite sex when two close relatives become ill. No such unusual concordance rates were found in proband-relative pairs with schizophrenia. When 118 of the 278 probands were examined who had at least one parent with schizophrenia, the morbidity risk for schizophrenia in siblings of the same sex as the schizophrenic probands was significantly higher than that found in siblings of the sex opposite that of schizophrenic probands.

Adolescent↗

A case of localization-related epilepsies suspected of panic disorder.

Some localization-related epilepsies have autonomic symptoms as well as psychic symptoms. As these symptoms are similar to those of panic disorder, it is important to discriminate between the two disorders. In such cases, VTR-polygraphic examination is necessary for the correct diagnosis.

Amygdala↗

5-HT3 receptor antagonists inhibit the response of kappa opioid receptors in the morphine-induced Straub tail [corrected].

We used the morphine-induced Straub tail to examine the actions of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and kappa opioid receptor agonist. The kappa opioid receptor agonist, U-50,488H (4-16 mg/kg i.p.), produced a dose-related inhibition of the tail elevation induced by morphine (10 mg/kg s.c.) in ICR male mice. ICS-205-930 (3 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) and zacopride (0.3 and 1 mg/kg i.p.), 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, attenuated the inhibitory effect of U-50,488H in a dose-dependent manner. ICS-205-930 and zacopride did not inhibit the morphine-induced Straub tail. These observations suggest that the actions of kappa opioid receptors may be modulated by 5-HT3 receptors in the morphine-induced Straub tail.

3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cycloh↗

Dopamine D2 receptors and spinal cord excitation in mice.

Spinal cord excitation was induced in mice by morphine and the effects of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonists on the Straub tail reaction were investigated. The dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, sulpiride (25-100 mg/kg i.p.), or haloperidol (0.25-1.0 mg/kg dose dependently inhibited the Straub tail reaction induced by subcutaneously injected morphine. A low dose of apomorphine (50 micrograms/kg s.c.) also reduced the Straub tail reaction. The dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, SCH-23390 (25-100 micrograms/kg i.p.), had no significant effect. Sulpiride (50 mg/kg i.p.) significantly inhibited the Straub tail reaction induced by intrathecally injected morphine (6 microgram/mouse). Intrathecal injection of apomorphine (12.5-25 micrograms/mouse) induced the Straub tail reaction dose dependently. The Straub tail reaction induced by intrathecally injected apomorphine was significantly inhibited by sulpiride. SCH-23390 had no significant effect on the Straub tail reaction induced by intrathecally injected morphine or apomorphine. These results support the proposal that the dopamine response involved in the Straub tail reaction is mediated by postsynaptic dopamine D2 receptors in the spinal cord of mice.

Animals↗

A biphasic change of afterdischarge threshold during the kindling process.

Cats were stimulated in the ventral hippocampus with low-frequency (about 3 Hz) square wave pulses. All subjects were kindled until generalized convulsion occurred. During the kindling process, the number of stimulating pulses required for the provocation of afterdischarge (AD), which was used as an indicator of AD threshold, decreased suddenly in the initial stage and increased gradually in the late stage. We consider this phenomenon to be important in deepening the understanding of seizure generation.

Action Potentials↗

[Prediction of length and width of upper central incisor tooth in multivariate face information].

The possibility of accurately estimating a tooth crown length and width from measured distance of various face points was examined by using Multiple Correlation Analysis. The multiple correlation coefficient between a tooth crown length and the face point was 0.3137 and the residual standard error was 0.820; that between a tooth crown width and the face point was 0.3917 and its standard error was 0.467, obtained by substituted sample data for multiple regression equation.

Analysis of Variance↗

Acoustic analysis of experimental prosthetic apparatus on spatial distribution formants.

This study concerns the effects of various prosthetic apparatus on speech perception. In this study we analyzed not only the first and second formant frequencies (as have often been studied previously) but also the third formant frequencies, and the three formant frequencies en masse. Our study demonstrated that of the six kinds of prosthetic apparatus we examined, the least effective apparatus was the L.S. type, while the most effective was the M.P. type.

Adult↗

[Observation of occlusal force in prosthetic crown cementings].

The method of pressure force in crown cementing was examined. Continuous occlusal force was always supported by the patients' personal occlusal force in cementing crowns. We found that continuous occlusal force continuously decreased as the occlusal force increased, and the decreasing morphologies were classified into four types, 'Rapid decrease', 'Step-wise decrease', 'Intermediate decrease' and 'Gradual decrease'.

Bite Force↗

[An autopsy case of generalized seizures, myoclonus, blindness and deafness].

We have reported the clinical and autopsy findings in a case with generalized seizures, myoclonus, blindness and deafness which was accompanied by stroke-like episodes. This case was diagnosed as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis & stroke-like episodes (MELAS) from these findings. Solitary and continuous lesions of softening were distributed in both hemispheres, more severely in the frontal and occipital poles. These lesions did not correspond to a vascular supply. The pulvinar, lateral and medial geniculate body of the thalamus, cerebellar vermis and dentate nucleus had small lesions of softening. The cortical lesions occurred mainly in layer 4, and the most prominent lesions among them appeared cystic, involving the subcortical white matter, but nerve cells in layer 1 and 2 were preserved. Proliferation of small blood vessels was seen around the softening areas. Electron microscopy revealed increased mitochondria in endothelial cells of these vessels, abnormal dense bodies in skeletal muscle cells and tightly packed mitochondria in choroid plexus epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical study suggested that vimentin positive cells were seen around lesions and proliferated vessels are different from those seen in the intact tissues.

Acidosis, Lactic↗

An evidence of 'post-seizure excitation' in feline-kindled seizures.

We assessed the post-seizure effects on the seizure threshold and the seizure duration using low-frequency kindling technique. The number of stimulating pulses required for a triggering of epileptic afterdischarge (pulse-number threshold; PNT) was used for the indicator of seizure threshold. PNT increased significantly at 2 and 4 h inter-stimulation intervals, whereas it decreased significantly with an increase of seizure duration at 16 and 24 h intervals. It appears from these data that a post-seizure excitation occurs after a post-seizure inhibition.

Action Potentials↗

Do women without a family history of schizophrenia have a later onset of schizophrenia?

The relation among age at onset of schizophrenia, sex and the presence or absence of first-degree relatives with schizophrenia was investigated in 2,417 inpatients meeting the DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia. The mean age at onset of female schizophrenic patients without a family history of this illness was slightly later than that of any of the other three groups (male familial, female familial and male nonfamilial groups). The female nonfamilial group developed schizophrenia after the age of 25 and 30 more frequently than the male familial group and female familial or male nonfamilial group, respectively.

Adolescent↗

Further postmortem examination of a case of familial ataxia with cerebrospinal fluid abnormality: an electron microscopic study of the intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the central nervous system.

As reported previously, the peculiar intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies (IEIBs) extensively appeared in the autopsied brain tissue from a 49-year-old man having familial ataxia with cerebrospinal fluid abnormality, and histochemically showed abundant proteins, but few lipids and carbohydrates. Ultrastructurally, many membrane-bound vacuoles derived from the distended cisterns of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum (RER) appeared in the neurons. They were filled with fine granular, less dense materials. The IEIBs, shown as a homogeneous dense core, were found in some of the vacuoles. Similar vacuoles also appeared in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, vascular pericytes, ependymal and choroidal epithelial cells. It is suggested that the vacuoles result from the accumulation of metabolic products in the distended RER cisterns of the cells in the central nervous system, presumably representing a genetically determined functional abnormality of the RER in protein synthesis and/or transport.

Astrocytes↗

Meige's syndrome during long-term neuroleptic treatment.

Two patients developed difficulties in eyelid opening following long-term neuroleptic treatment of more than 6-8 years. Tardive dyskinesia and dystonia apart from the face were not found in either case. The symptoms fluctuated in their severities on a daily basis and were easily aggravated by various stimuli, e.g., stress, walking, reading and watching television. Electromyographic studies of their faces clearly indicated that the symptoms resulted from spontaneous blepharospasm and were analogous to idiopathic Meige's syndrome. Therefore, the patients' difficulties in opening their eyes were considered to be the so-called drug-induced Meige's syndrome and/or facial tardive dystonia. It must be stressed that this syndrome is extremely distressing to patients and is a severe complication accompanying a long-term neuroleptic treatment.

Adult↗