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M Sugitani

Publications and source records attributed to M Sugitani.

68 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Effects of locus coeruleus stimulation on neuronal activities of dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and perigeniculate reticular nucleus of the rat.

In rats anesthetized with urethane, a stimulating electrode was introduced to the locus coeruleus by observing the antidromic field response to single shock stimulation of the dorsal pathway of noradrenergic axons. Effects of locus coeruleus stimulation were studied on activities of relay neurons and intrinsic interneurons of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and on those of neurons in the perigeniculate reticular nucleus. The intrinsic interneurons and the perigeniculate reticular neurons are believed to exert inhibition upon the relay neurons. The relay neurons were activated by repetitive stimulation of locus coeruleus; spontaneous discharges were increased in rate and the threshold of response to single shock stimulation of the optic nerve was lowered. The activation was rarely seen in rats pretreated with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine. Iontophoretic application of phentolamine, an alpha-blocker, effectively antagonized the activation, whereas an iontophoretic beta-blocker and cholinergic blockers were virtually ineffective. The activation of the relay neurons was suggested to be due to a direct action of noradrenaline, released by locus coeruleus stimulation. Locus coeruleus stimulation inhibited the interneurons and activated the perigeniculate reticular neurons; spontaneous or light-evoked discharges were suppressed in the interneurons and tonic discharges were elicited in the perigeniculate reticular neurons. These effects of locus coeruleus stimulation were mimicked by noradrenaline applied iontophoretically. Activation of the perigeniculate reticular neurons was antagonized by an iontophoretic alpha-blocker but not by a beta-blocker. Two special features emerge from the present results: (1) the locus coeruleus exerts different effects upon the two neuronal constituents of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, excitation of the relay neurons and inhibition of the intrinsic interneurons; (2) a suggestion previously advocated that locus-coeruleus-induced excitation of the lateral geniculate relay neurons would be due to inhibition of inhibitory neurons (disinhibition) does not hold true, at least with respect to the perigeniculate reticular neurons; the latter neurons have been proved to exert a powerful inhibition upon the geniculate relay neurons and they are excited by stimulation of the locus coeruleus.

Animals↗

Electrophysiological and sensory properties of the thalamic reticular neurones related to somatic sensation in rats.

1. In urethane-anaesthetized rats, studies were made on unit discharges of neurones of the thalamic reticular nucleus (tr) receiving the somatosensory input. Such units were found distributed in a part of the tr (s-tr) surrounding the anterior and anterolateral borders of the ventrobasal nuclear complex (vb). 2. A series of five to ten bursts of grouped discharges were elicited in the s-tr neurones as orthodromic responses to single shock stimulation of the medial lemniscus (ml) or the somatosensory cortex (smc). In contrast to this, the vb relay cells were fired by ml impulses only once at short latencies, though later there occurred a series of two to three bursts of grouped discharges. The same response pattern was seen by stimulating the smc, except that the initial response to smc shocks was of antidromic origin. 3. The mean response latency of the s-tr neurones to ml shocks was about 0.6 msec longer than that of the vb relay cells. Ml fibres connected to the s-tr neurones had the same distribution of conduction velocity as those connected to the vb relay cells. It is suggested that most, if not all, of the s-tr neurones are innervated by axon collaterals of the vb relay cells. 4. About half the s-tr units were activated from vibrissae. For most of the remaining half either movements of hairs or touch to the skin were effective. In the vb, the units discharged by movements of hairs were most numerous and those activated from vibrissae were less frequent. While responses of the s-tr neurones to adequate stimuli were almost exclusively of phasic type, 30% of the responses of the vb relay cells were tonic and the remainder were phasic. 5. By exploring the tr extensively, the s-tr was found to be contiguous caudally to the perigeniculate reticular nucleus which is immediately adjacent to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and contains reticular neurones activated by visual stimuli. Though few in number, units were found in the tr which received a convergence of somatosensory and visual inputs or of somatosensory and auditory inputs.

Action Potentials↗

Receptive-field properties of cells in the dorsal part of the albino rat's lateral geniculate nucleus.

Receptive-field properties of 273 relay (principal, P-) cells of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGd) were studied in urethane-anesthetized albino rats, in an attempt to see if there is some relation between the visual property and the conduction velocity of afferent optic nerve fibers. According to properties of the receptive-field center, P-cells were classified into two types, common (89%) and uncommon (11%). The common type consists of OFF-phasic, ON-phasic, ON-tonic and ON-OFF-phasic cells, while the uncommon type includes ON-inhibited, moving-sensitive, ON-OFF-inhibited, simple-cell-like and complex-cell-like cells. The mean response latency to single optic chiasm shocks increases in the order of OFF-phasic (1.94 msec), ON-phasic (2.35 msec), ON-tonic (2.87 msec), ON-OFF-phasic cells (3.04 msec) and uncommon type (3.18 msec). The mean size of the receptive-field center in each of the four common types was smaller than that in the uncommon type; 6 degrees--7 degrees vs. 11 degrees. From responsiveness to moving light spots with speeds faster than 25 degrees--30 degrees/sec, P-cells of the common type were divided into the fast- and slow-movement-sensitive cells. The ratio of occurrences of fast- to slow-movement-sensitive cells decreases in the order of the OFF-phasic (2.7), ON-phasic (2.4), ON-tonic (1.1) and ON-OFF-phasic types (0.06). The optic chiasm latencies were shorter than 2.5 msec in most of the fast-movement-sensitive cells while the reverse was true for most of the slow-movement-sensitive cells. From these findings discussions were made to point out that the rat LGd mainly consists of Y- and W-like P-cells and that the Y/W dichotomy of P-cells approximately corresponds to the previously established fast/slow classification.

Animals↗

Disinhibition of perigeniculate reticular neurons following chronic ablation of the visual cortex in rats.

Effects of chronic ablation of the visual cortex (VC) were studied in the perigeniculate reticular neurons (PGR neurones) which were located in the thalamic reticular nucleus immediately adjacent to the dorsal nucleus of the lateral geniculate body and identified as the I-cells of Burke and Sefton. In rats with the intact VC the PGR neurons responded to single shock stimulation of the optic tract (OT) with bursts of spike spaced regularly. During the inter-burst period the neurons were inhibited, indicating that except for the primary spike burst, others were postinhibitory rebound excitation. In the VC-ablated PGR neurons there were no changes in the primary spike burst, but the remaining ones were very weak or sometimes missing, suggesting that the inhibition was poorly developed. With double shock stimulation of OT it was established that after showing the primary spike burst, the VC-ablated PGR neurons suffered a less intense inhibition than control. To a diffuse, sustained illumination, the normal PGR neurons showed on- and off- responses, whereas the VC-ablated ones were tonically activated during the presence of illumination. These findings were taken as indicating that the inhibitory mechanism for the PGR neurons were made less active after the VC had been ablated chronically.

Animals↗

A further study on fast and slow principal cells of rat lateral geniculate body: an analysis of flash-evoked responses.

In the lateral geniculate body (LGB) of urethane-anesthetized and Flaxedil-immobilized rats, unit responses of principal cells (P-cells) were recorded by using flash stimulation of the eyes. By measuring response latencies to electrical stimulation of the optic tract, all P-cells were classified into the fastor slow group according to the criterion established by Fukuda. Flash-evoked unit responses consisted of the two kinds of discharges, i.e. the early discharge (ED) with latencies less than 100 msec and the late discharges of spike burst (LDs) often recurring twice or more (LD1, LD2 and so on). Cells' firings were suppressed during the interval between ED and LD1 and those between successive LDs. The ED- and LD1-latencies, measured in dark with strong flashes, were shorter in the fast cells than in the slow one. The interval between ED and LD1 was shorter in the fast cells than in the slow ones. It was common to the both types of P-cells that as flash intensity was reduced, the ED-latency increased and the LD1-latency decreased. However, the ED-LD1 interval remained shorter in the fast cells than in the slow ones. Upon shifting from dark to light, the LD1-latency markedly increased or decreased in the slow cells, whereas such was not seen in the fast cells. These findings seem to provide a further support for the classification of P-cells into the fast and slow types.

Animals↗

Ovarian Burkitt's lymphoma diagnosed by a combination of clinical features, morphology, immunophenotype, and molecular findings and successfully managed with surgery and chemotherapy.

Ovarian involvement as an initial manifestation of lymphoma, without detectable extraovarian disease, is a rare occurrence. The diagnosis of ovarian lymphoma is almost invariably unsuspected until the tumor has been examined histologically. A 25-year-old null gravid woman presented with abdominal distension. Presence of abnormal lymphoid cells in pleural effusion led to presurgical assumption that the pelvic mass noted on computerized tomography examination might be an ovarian lymphoma. We performed left salpingo-oophorectomy. Clinical, histologic, and molecular examination revealed Burkitt's lymphoma of the ovary with c-myc gene rearrangement and mRNA expression of multiple cytokines. She received dose-intensified combination chemotherapy. She is alive and free of disease 30 months after the diagnosis. Immunophenotype and molecular findings allowed reliable discrimination of Burkitt's lymphoma from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and other lymphomas. If an ovarian tumor is solid and suspected to be of lymphoid origin, we suggest that it is necessary to obtain samples for genetic examination at surgery. This strategy often provides important information to establish therapeutic regimen and predict patient prognosis.

Adult↗

Huge IgD plasmacytoma in the abdomen presenting coagulation necrosis.

A 65-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed in 1996 with a pathological fracture of the left femur caused by immunoglobulin D-type myeloma (IgD myeloma). She responded well to combination chemotherapy followed by irradiation. The patient experienced renal failure and became dependent on haemodialysis. In 1999, large plasmacytomas developed in the abdomen and left humerus. The abdominal tumour appeared to induce gastroduodenal ulcers and jejunal obstruction. We initiated irradiation therapy without chemotherapy to prevent further growth of the plasmacytoma, although treatment-resistant gastroduodenal ulcers developed. Continued blood loss from the gastroduodenal ulcers resulted in a deterioration in the patient's health, which prevented successful haemodialysis. An autopsy showed that the plasmacytoma had undergone coagulation necrosis. We conclude that the use of combination chemotherapy with topical irradiation was an acceptable treatment measure against IgD plasmacytoma; irradiation without chemotherapy was the most likely cause of the coagulation necrosis seen in the plasmacytoma at autopsy.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

Pure red cell aplasia and myelofibrosis in B-cell neoplasm.

We describe an unusual case of B-cell neoplasm accompanied by pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) and myelofibrosis in a 67-year-old male presenting with severe anaemia. A few unclassified, myeloperoxidase-negative blastoid cells were seen on bone marrow aspiration, and erythroid cell hypoplasia and myelofibrosis on bone marrow biopsy. An autoimmune PRCA was suspected, as serum CH50, C3 and C4 levels were consistently low. Ciclosporin was effective in treating the anaemia, but anaemia returned when the drug was discontinued. Thirteen months later, the patient was admitted with pleural effusion and ascites that contained monoclonal CD19+ CD20+ immature blast cells with a complex karyotype, thought to be neoplastic B-cells. The unclassified blastoid cells seen earlier may therefore have been from the same origin. The patient deteriorated rapidly and died. Only one case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with PRCA and myelofibrosis has been reported previously. We discuss the possibility that dysregulated T-cells induced by neoplastic B-cells may have given rise to concomitant PRCA and myelofibrosis.

Aged↗

Features of chronic subdural haematoma developed from definitely identified acute subdural haematoma.

Follow-up results for 13 cases of acute subdural haematoma, which were identified by CT scan within two days of head injury and treated conservatively, were classified into two groups: In the first group of seven cases the acute subdural haematoma disappeared spontaneously within two weeks; in the second group the other six cases revealed clinical signs and CT scan findings which were identical to chronic subdural haematoma and underwent surgery within three weeks after the head injury. This group showed low ICP signs, such as the chronic stage of cerebral thrombosis, atrophic brain or subdural fluid collection with acute subdural haematoma at the initial CT scan, and most of these cases had only minor head injury. Common features of the operative findings in this second group, in which chronic subdural haematoma developed, included the identification of an external haematoma capsule based on the fibrin layer and granulation tissue beneath the dura. Also, fluid type haematoma was present under these structures, but no inner membrane of the haematoma could be identified other than the non-transparent white arachnoid membrane. Our results indicate the importance of a low ICP in determining whether or not acute subdural haematoma progresses to chronic subdural haematoma.

Adolescent↗