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Biomedical subjects

T Shibazaki

Publications and source records attributed to T Shibazaki.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Branched output neurons of the rat subthalamic nucleus: electrophysiological study of the synaptic effects on identified cells in the two main target nuclei, the entopeduncular nucleus and the substantia nigra.

The synaptic responses of entopeduncular and nigral cells to subthalamic stimulation were studied with extracellular recording techniques in rats with and without chronic lesions. Entopeduncular output cells were identified by antidromic activation from the lateral habenula, ventral anterior thalamic nucleus and tegmenti pedunculopontine nucleus. Nigral cells projecting to superior colliculus were identified by antidromic discharge. Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus produced a short latency suppression of spontaneous activity (10-60 ms duration) of 89% of the entopeduncular cells tested in chronically lesioned rats. Of these cells, 50% were identified as projecting to lateral habenula. On the other hand, subthalamic nucleus stimulation produced a short latency excitation of 73% of the nigral cells tested (4.16 +/- 0.07 ms). Forty-eight percent of these cells projected to superior colliculus. The subthalamic fibres which terminate in entopeduncular nucleus and substantia nigra, come from the same neuronal population since the majority, if not all, rat subthalamic neurones send branched projections to both these nuclei. Therefore, the two different types of responses recorded in these nuclei are elicited by the activation of a single neuronal population. This dual effect could be easily explained if one of the responses is mediated by local interneurones. If not, the same transmitter induces the two responses. The entopeduncular nucleus and substantia nigra which are the main target nuclei of the subthalamic nucleus, are also the only known outputs of the striatum. The subthalamic efferent cells could thus modulate the activity of the entire striatal descending output. It is noteworthy that this subthalamic control is different in entopeduncular nucleus than in substantia nigra.

Animals↗

The correlation between tremor characteristics and the predicted volume of effective lesions in stereotaxic nucleus ventralis intermedius thalamotomy.

In 51 cases (6 cases with bilateral operations) with various kinds of tremor, stereotaxic ventralis intermedius (Vim) thalamotomies were performed using Leksell's apparatus and the results of operation evaluated. Several characteristics of the tremor, including clinical features and EMG, were correlated with the assumed location and volume of the coagulative lesion. In 54 of the 57 operations, the thalamic Vim nucleus was identified physiologically and a therapeutic lesion placed at a site that included the Vim neurons. In all these cases, except one in which the lesion was estimated to be too small, tremor was immediately abolished by a relatively small lesion. The estimated volume of the lesion was about 40 to 200 mm3 and the effect persisted over a long follow-up period (maximum ten years). The size of the lesion that was necessary apparently depended on several features of the tremor. A larger lesion was required in cases of movement type tremor, tremor with a low rate (less than 4 Hz), tremor of high amplitude (more than 600 microV), and tremor involving proximal muscles or with a wide distribution. Tremor following a cerebrovascular lesion and post-traumatic tremor were characterized by coarse oscillation (high amplitude and low frequency) involving proximal muscles. A relatively larger coagulative lesion was therefore necessary to relieve this type of tremor. In contrast, parkinsonian and essential tremor were usually of low amplitude and distal in distribution. For the relief of such tremor, the lesion could be very small: if aided by electrophysiological methods to identify Vim neurons, the minimal effective volume of the lesion was estimated as about 40 mm3 and restricted to the Vim nucleus. Based on these results, the importance of the Vim nucleus in tremor mechanisms is discussed.

Adult↗

Stereotactic selective thalamotomy for the treatment of tremor type cerebral palsy in adolescence.

6 cases with tremor-athetotic type cerebral palsy and 2 cases with moderate dystonia-tremor type cerebral palsy were treated by selective stereotactic thalamotomy. In the former group, postural-movement type tremor in the upper limb gradually progressed with age while athetosis remained unchanged. In the latter group, dystonia in the truncal muscles predominated over the irregular tremulous movement of the upper limbs. In all cases, the intelligence was almost normal. Stereotactic selective thalamotomy (Vim for tremor athetosis, VL-Vim for dystonia tremor) was performed under local anesthesia with the aid of radiological and neurophysiological control methods. The results of the operations were satisfactory in regard to the tremor relief and concomitant improvement of motor performances in most of the cases. Stereotactic treatment might be an effective way to make possible a one-step progress in these handicapped cases. The importance of postoperative physical therapy is also emphasized.

Adolescent↗

The bioavailability of flufenamic acid and its dissolution rate from capsules.

The bioavailabilities of five commercially available flufenamic acid (FA) capsules were studied in humans and beagle dogs. The dissolution rates of these capsules were determined by several methods. Experiments on in vitro/in vivo and humans/dogs correlations were performed to evaluate the dissolution test methods and the values of beagle dogs as models for predicting bioavailability of weak acid drugs in humans. Significant differences in the rates and extents of bioavailability of the different capsules were observed both in humans and dogs, but results in humans differed from those in dogs. The dissolution rates, determined by dissolution methods involving pretreatment with acidic solutions, correlated significantly with bioavailabilities in humans and dogs; however, those obtained by the rotating basket and paddle methods without any surface active agents did not correlate with in vivo data.

Adult↗

Bioavailability of griseofulvin from tablets in humans and the correlation with its dissolution rate.

Dissolution rates of 10 commercial microsize griseofulvin tablets and one ultramicrosize griseofulvin tablet were preliminarily determined in 18 liters of pH 7.2 phosphate buffer and in 900 ml of 40% dimethylformamide as test media. Addition of dimethylformamide affected the dissolution behavior of the formulations. The products, three microsize and one ultramicrosize, were selected for further studies on the bioavailability in humans and dissolution. Significant differences among the formulations were found in serum levels Cmax, and AUC47.5 hr, but not in AUC infinity and tmax. The maximum difference of Cmax was approximately 40%. The ultramicrosize product showed lower Cmax and serum levels at earlier sampling times than two microsize products. The dissolution rates determined under sink and nonsink conditions without pretreatment significantly correlated with the serum level at 1 hr but not with the other in vivo parameters. Only the dissolution rate determined by the sink method with pretreatment with a small quantity of water (1.0 ml) and plastic beads significantly correlated with serum levels at 3 and 5 hr, Cmax, and AUC 47.5 hr.

Biological Availability↗

Bioavailability of griseofulvin from tablets in beagle dogs and correlation with dissolution rate and bioavailability in humans.

The bioavailability of four griseofulvin tablets in beagle dogs, including an ultramicrosize tablet used previously in a human bioavailability study, was investigated on the basis of the plasma 6-demethyl-griseofulvin concentration. The relations with the in vivo findings in humans and the in vitro dissolution rates also were examined. Contrary to the lower bioavailability of the ultramicrosize formulation in humans, it provided the best bioavailability in beagles. The microsize griseofulvin formulations showed similar in vivo results to those in humans. Poor correlation of in vivo parameters between humans and beagles was attributed to the discrepancy of the availability of the ultramicrosize formulation between the two species. The dissolution rates determined by the pretreatment method using plastic beads were correlated more with the in vivo findings than those determined by the other methods. Beagles were a useful animal model for bioavailability studies of certain griseofulvin formulations but not ultramicrosize ones.

Animals↗

Primary writing tremor treated by stereotactic selective thalamotomy.

Three cases with primary writing tremor were treated successfully by stereotactic selective thalamotomy centred mainly on the ventralis intermedius nucleus. They exhibited progressive coarse tremor of 5-7 Hz during writing, and Westphal's phenomenon on stretch, as the only neurological manifestations. Within the thalamus, a very high incidence of irregular burst discharges was recorded. These findings suggest that the writing tremor is an organic disorder.

Dominance, Cerebral↗

Correlation of the bioavailability of diazepam from uncoated tablets in beagle dogs with its dissolution rate and bioavailability in humans.

The bioavailability of diazepam (I) in uncoated tablets in beagles was tested using tablets tested previously in humans. The correlations of the dissolution rates and bioavailabilities of these tablets in humans and beagles were examined. The plasma level of N-desmethyldiazepam (II), the main metabolite of I, was used as an index of bioavailability after p.o. administration of uncoated tablets of I, because I is rapidly metabolized. Thus the plasma level of I is very low, and AUCs (areas under plasma level-time curves) calculated from plasma levels of II were related to the dose of I (2-10 mg). With different tablets, the rates and extents of bioavailability of I differed significantly in beagles, but only the rate of bioavailability showed significant differences in humans. The rank orders of tablets, based on the blood levels of II soon after p.o. administration of the tablets were the same, but other parameters of bioavailability of I in the tablets were quite different in beagles and humans. Consequently, there was no significant correlation between the bioavailabilities of I in beagles and humans. The gastric fluid of beagles is almost neutral, and the bioavailabilities of the tablets in beagles correlated well with the dissolution rates of I determined at pH 4.6, but not at pH 1.2. The differences in the bioavailabilities of I in humans and beagles were attributed to differences in transit time in the gastrointestinal tract and/or in the volume of the gastrointestinal fluid.

Animals↗

The bioavailability of diazepam from uncoated tablets in humans--Part I: correlation with the dissolution rates of the tablets.

Dissolution studies of 15 preparations of commercial uncoated tablets of diazepam (5 mg) were performed by six methods (beaker, rotating basket, oscillating basket, solubility simulator, rotating flask, and single basket). Diazepam dissolved rapidly at pH 1.2; the T50 (the time of 50% dissolution) values were less than 5 min. But at pH 4.6, T50 estimated by rotating basket method lasted 3-120 min. Four different tablets of diazepam were chosen for the bioavailability tests in humans. The bioavailabilities of the four tablet preparations were estimated by serum level measurements after a single dose to 12 adult male volunteers. Statistical analysis of the data showed significant differences in the rate of bioavailability (peak concentrations and serum concentrations at 1, 2, and 3 h after administration), but not in the amount of available (AUC). The mean peak concentration and serum concentration at 1 h showed significant correlation with T50 and T70 determined by the rotating flask method at pH 4.6 in log-log regression. The peak concentration and serum concentration at 1 h were also correlated with T70 determined by the rotating flask method at pH 4.6 and T70 determined by the rotating basket method at pH 4.6 on normal-normal regression. In contrast, the dissolution rates determined at pH 1.2 did not show a good correlation with in vitro parameters.

Adult↗

The bioavailability of diazepam from uncoated tablets in humans--Part II: effect of gastric fluid acidity.

The healthy male volunteers participating in bioavailability tests of diazepam tablets were classified into two groups, high and low acidity groups, on the basis of the acidity of their gastric fluid. This was estimated by the Gastrotest method. The bioavailability parameters of four tablet preparations of diazepam (5 mg) after single administration were compared statistically between the two groups. Subjects with low acidity showed significantly lower diazepam serum levels than subjects with high acidity at 1 and/or 2 h after administration of tablets B, C, and D, which showed slower rates of dissolution at pH 4.6. Tablet B gave a significantly lower peak concentration than the other tablets in the high acidity group, whereas in the low acidity group tablet A gave a higher level than the other tablets. The peak concentration in the low acidity group correlated well with the dissolution rates represented as 1/T70 (time of 70% dissolution) at pH 4.6, but we could not find a good method for determining the dissolution rates except for T50 values with the rotating flask method at pH 4.6; these values significantly correlated with the peak concentrations of the high acidity group. From our results we conclude that the acidity of the gastric fluid affects the bioavailability of a drug such as diazepam, which has a pH-dependent dissolution rate and an especially slow rate of dissolution at pH 3-7.

Adult↗

Evidence for a GABAergic inhibitory nigrotectal pathway in the rat.

The aim of the present study was to test the GABAergic nature of the inhibitory projection from substantia nigra, pars reticulata (SNr) to superior colliculus (SC) in the rat, through the use of extracellular recordings and microiontophoresis. The effect of SN stimulation on the spontaneous or glutamate-evoked firing of SC units was analyzed. Among 28 SC cells inhibited by SNr stimulation, 27 decreased their firing rate following iontophoretic application of either GABA or glycine. The effect of the iontophoretic administration of bicuculline on SN4-evoked inhibition was studied on 14 of these GABA- and glycine-sensitive neurons. Bicuculline reversibly blocked nigral inhibition on 12 neurons, with iontophoretic current which did not affect glycine depression. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that GABA is the inhibitory transmitter of the nigrotectal projection.

Animals↗