Università degli Studi di Foggia
Medicina Clinica E Sperimentale
Objective: This study aims at defining the incidence of rhino-bronchial syndrome (RBS) in children in order both to verify the influence of nasal obstructions on the disease and to determine therapeutic strategies which may cure the... more
Objective: This study aims at defining the incidence of rhino-bronchial syndrome (RBS) in children in order both to verify the influence of nasal obstructions on the disease and to determine therapeutic strategies which may cure the syndrome effectively at its early stage. Methods: The investigation includes 128 non-allergic children with obstructive disorders (adenoid hypertrophy, septal deviation, etc.) and rhino-sinus inflammations associated with bronchopulmonary diseases (asthma, chronic cough, bronchopulmonary infections). Medical and/or surgical treatment was chosen in consideration of the type and entity of the patients' main nasal pathology.
- by Matteo Gelardi and +1
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- Asthma, Child, Allergic rhinitis, Chronic Disease
A grading into four classes of hypertrophied adenoid rhinopharyngeal obstructions in children on the basis of fiberendoscopic findings to outline an effective therapeutic program according to this classification. Ninety-eight children... more
A grading into four classes of hypertrophied adenoid rhinopharyngeal obstructions in children on the basis of fiberendoscopic findings to outline an effective therapeutic program according to this classification. Ninety-eight children with chronic nasal obstruction and oral respiration were examined by anterior rhinoscopy, and fiberendoscopy. During the investigation, the fiberendoscopic images of the choanal openings were divided into four segments from the upper choanal border to the nasal floor. In view of clinical findings, 78 patients also underwent active anterior rhinomanometry. In eight patients (8.2%), the fiberendoscopic imaging revealed that the adenoid tissue occupied only the upper segment in the rhinopharyngeal cavity (< 25%). Therefore, choanal openings were free (first degree obstructions). In 20 patients (20.4%), the adenoid tissue was confined to the upper half (< 50%) of the rhinopharyngeal cavity (second degree obstructions) and in 63 patients (64.3%) the t...
- by Matteo Gelardi and +1
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- Adolescent, Endoscopy, Sleep Apnea, Child
A 21-year-old man presented with nasal obstruction of the right nasal fossa of 1 year duration. Nasal endoscopy revealed in the right inferior turbinate head a rounded neoplasm about 1 cm in diameter. Cytologic study of a nasal scraping... more
A 21-year-old man presented with nasal obstruction of the right nasal fossa of 1 year duration. Nasal endoscopy revealed in the right inferior turbinate head a rounded neoplasm about 1 cm in diameter. Cytologic study of a nasal scraping specimen disclosed numerous clusters containing columnar cells with cytomegaly, prominent multinucleation, markedly sparse shortened cilia; the cytoplasm contained an acidophil area and a small round area that stained poorly; cells with a large intracytoplasmic vacuole that was acidophil and PAS+. Serology tests using the nested polymer chain reaction (PCR) technique on serum, nasal and pharyngeal smears revealed an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection that was confirmed at electron microscopy. The clinical and cytological features resolved 19 months after the initial evaluation. The authors advise carrying out clinical (endoscopy, serology, etc.) evaluation of all endonasal neoplasms and to routinely perform cytological study on nasal scraping specime...
Gusher is a very rare phenomenon, generally associated with congenital stapes fixation or otosclerosis in adult age, that may present during stapedectomy. A sudden perilymph flow occurs following platinotomy, due to congenital... more
Gusher is a very rare phenomenon, generally associated with congenital stapes fixation or otosclerosis in adult age, that may present during stapedectomy. A sudden perilymph flow occurs following platinotomy, due to congenital malformation (abnormally wide cochlear aqueduct or internal auditory canal fistula), that causes an abnormal connection between subarachnoid and perilymphatic spaces. This report deals with a case of bilateral gusher, occurring during stapedectomy, caused by an osseous fistula between bottom of internal auditory canal and the osseous labyrinth later observed at computed tomography scan. The usefulness of a radiologic examination is stressed for a correct therapeutic approach in the even contralateral ear stapedectomy.
Summary Gusher is a very rare phenomenon, generally associated with congenital stapes fixation or otosclerosis in adult age, that may present during stapedectomy. A sudden perilymph flow occurs following platinotomy, due to congenital... more
Summary Gusher is a very rare phenomenon, generally associated with congenital stapes fixation or otosclerosis in adult age, that may present during stapedectomy. A sudden perilymph flow occurs following platinotomy, due to congenital malformation (ab- normally wide cochlear aqueduct or internal auditory canal fis- tula), that causes an abnormal connection between subarach- noid and perilymphatic spaces. This report deals with
A grading into four classes of hypertrophied adenoid rhinopharyngeal obstructions in children on the basis of fiberendoscopic findings to outline an effective therapeutic program according to this classification. Ninety-eight children... more
A grading into four classes of hypertrophied adenoid rhinopharyngeal obstructions in children on the basis of fiberendoscopic findings to outline an effective therapeutic program according to this classification. Ninety-eight children with chronic nasal obstruction and oral respiration were examined by anterior rhinoscopy, and fiberendoscopy. During the investigation, the fiberendoscopic images of the choanal openings were divided into four segments from the upper choanal border to the nasal floor. In view of clinical findings, 78 patients also underwent active anterior rhinomanometry. In eight patients (8.2%), the fiberendoscopic imaging revealed that the adenoid tissue occupied only the upper segment in the rhinopharyngeal cavity (< 25%). Therefore, choanal openings were free (first degree obstructions). In 20 patients (20.4%), the adenoid tissue was confined to the upper half (< 50%) of the rhinopharyngeal cavity (second degree obstructions) and in 63 patients (64.3%) the t...
- by Michele Cassano and +1
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- Adolescent, Endoscopy, Sleep Apnea, Child
Gusher is a very rare phenomenon, generally associated with congenital stapes fixation or otosclerosis in adult age, that may present during stapedectomy. A sudden perilymph flow occurs following platinotomy, due to congenital... more
Gusher is a very rare phenomenon, generally associated with congenital stapes fixation or otosclerosis in adult age, that may present during stapedectomy. A sudden perilymph flow occurs following platinotomy, due to congenital malformation (abnormally wide cochlear aqueduct or internal auditory canal fistula), that causes an abnormal connection between subarachnoid and perilymphatic spaces. This report deals with a case of bilateral gusher, occurring during stapedectomy, caused by an osseous fistula between bottom of internal auditory canal and the osseous labyrinth later observed at computed tomography scan. The usefulness of a radiologic examination is stressed for a correct therapeutic approach in the even contralateral ear stapedectomy.
- by Michele Cassano and +1
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- Computed Tomography, Fistula, Clinical Sciences, ACTA
A 21-year-old man presented with nasal obstruction of the right nasal fossa of 1 year duration. Nasal endoscopy revealed in the right inferior turbinate head a rounded neoplasm about 1 cm in diameter. Cytologic study of a nasal scraping... more
A 21-year-old man presented with nasal obstruction of the right nasal fossa of 1 year duration. Nasal endoscopy revealed in the right inferior turbinate head a rounded neoplasm about 1 cm in diameter. Cytologic study of a nasal scraping specimen disclosed numerous clusters containing columnar cells with cytomegaly, prominent multinucleation, markedly sparse shortened cilia; the cytoplasm contained an acidophil area and a small round area that stained poorly; cells with a large intracytoplasmic vacuole that was acidophil and PAS+. Serology tests using the nested polymer chain reaction (PCR) technique on serum, nasal and pharyngeal smears revealed an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection that was confirmed at electron microscopy. The clinical and cytological features resolved 19 months after the initial evaluation. The authors advise carrying out clinical (endoscopy, serology, etc.) evaluation of all endonasal neoplasms and to routinely perform cytological study on nasal scraping specime...
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether perinatal exposure to a moderate dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alters cortical gene expression and neurotransmission, leading to enduring cognitive dysfunctions in rat... more
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether perinatal exposure to a moderate dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alters cortical gene expression and neurotransmission, leading to enduring cognitive dysfunctions in rat offspring. To this purpose, rat dams were treated, from gestational day 15 to postnatal day 9, with THC at a daily dose (5 mg/kg, per os ) devoid of overt signs of toxicity. THC did not influence reproduction parameters, whereas it caused subtle neurofunctional deficits in the adult offspring. Particularly, perinatal THC induced long-lasting alterations of cortical genes related to glutamatergic and noradrenergic systems, associated with a decrease in the cortical extracellular levels of both neurotransmitters. These alterations may account, at least in part, for the enduring cognitive impairment displayed by THC-exposed offspring. Taken together, the present results highlight how exposure to cannabinoids during early stages of brain development can lead to irreversible, subtle dysfunctions in the offspring.
- by Patrizia Campolongo and +2
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- Addiction, Fear, Addiction (Biology), Gene expression
It has been well documented that β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide accumulation and aggregation in the brain plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, a new orientation of the amyloid cascade hypothesis has... more
It has been well documented that β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide accumulation and aggregation in the brain plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, a new orientation of the amyloid cascade hypothesis has evidenced that soluble forms of the peptide (sAβ) are involved in Aβ-induced cognitive impairment and cause rapid disruption of the synaptic mechanisms underlying memory. The primary aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of sAβ, acutely injected intracerebrally (i.c.v., 4 µM), on the short term and long term memory of young adult male rats, by using the novel object recognition task. Glutamatergic receptors have been proposed as mediating the effect of Aβ on synaptic plasticity and memory. Thus, we also investigated the effects of sAβ on prefrontal cortex (PFC) glutamate release and the specific contribution of N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) receptor modulation to the effects of sAβ administration on the cognitive parameters evaluated. We found that a single i.c.v. injection of sAβ 2 h before testing did not alter the ability of rats to differentiate between a familiar and a novel object, in a short term memory test, while it was able to negatively affect consolidation/retrieval of long term memory. Moreover, a significant increase of glutamate levels was found in PFC of rats treated with the peptide 2 h earlier. Interestingly, memory deficit induced by sAβ was reversed by a NMDA-receptor antagonist, memantine (5 mg/kg i.p), administered immediately after the familiarization trial (T1). On the contrary, memantine administered 30 min before T1 trial, was not able to rescue long term memory impairment. Taken together, our results suggest that an acute i.c.v. injection of sAβ peptide interferes with the consolidation/retrieval of long term memory. Moreover, such sAβ-induced effect indicates the involvement of glutamatergic system, proposing that NMDA receptor inhibition might prevent or lead to the recovery of early cognitive impairment.
Data in animal models and surveys in humans have revealed psychiatric complications of long-term anabolic androgenic steroid abuse. However, the neurobiochemical mechanisms behind the observed behavioral changes are poorly understood.
- by Emanuela Mhillaj and +1
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- STEROIDS, Nucleus Accumbens, Reward, Serotonin
A/S ACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA Neurochemical differences in two rat strains exposed to social isolation rearing Trabace L, Zotti M, Colaianna M, Morgese MG, Schiavone S, Tucci P, Harvey BH, Wegener G, Cuomo V. Neurochemical differences in two... more
A/S ACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA Neurochemical differences in two rat strains exposed to social isolation rearing Trabace L, Zotti M, Colaianna M, Morgese MG, Schiavone S, Tucci P, Harvey BH, Wegener G, Cuomo V. Neurochemical differences in two rat strains exposed to social isolation rearing.
- by Maria Morgese
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Early phases of Parkinson's disease (PD) are characterized by a mild reduction of dopamine (DA) in striatum and by emergence of psychiatric disturbances that precede overt motor symptoms. In order to characterize the neurochemical... more
Early phases of Parkinson's disease (PD) are characterized by a mild reduction of dopamine (DA) in striatum and by emergence of psychiatric disturbances that precede overt motor symptoms. In order to characterize the neurochemical re-arrangements induced by such striatal impairment, we used a mouse model in which a low dose of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was bilaterally injected into the dorsal striatum. These mice showed a DA reduction of about 40% that remained stable up to 12 weeks after injection. This reduction was accompanied by changes in DA metabolite levels, such as HVA, transiently reduced at 4 weeks, and DOPAC, decreased at 12 weeks. No change in the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels was found but the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA)/5-HT ratio was increased at 4 weeks. In addition, at the same time-point, the levels of 15-F 2t -IsoP, an index of oxidative stress, and of PGE 2 , a major product of cyclooxygenase-2, were decreased in different brain areas while BDNF levels were increased. These neurochemical changes were accompanied by altered behavioral responses concerning the emotional reactivity. Overall, the present findings suggest that a change of 5-HT metabolism and a modification of oxidative stress levels may play a role in the early PD degeneration phases.
Background and purpose: Depression is common in early phases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may represent prodromal symptoms of dementia. Recent reports suggest that early memory deficits and neuropsychiatric symptoms are caused by... more
Background and purpose: Depression is common in early phases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may represent prodromal symptoms of dementia. Recent reports suggest that early memory deficits and neuropsychiatric symptoms are caused by soluble rather than aggregated bamyloid (Ab). Thus, we investigated the effects of soluble Ab1-42 on working memory and depressive/anxiety-related behaviour in rats and on 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurotransmission and neurotrophin content in various brain regions. Experimental approach: Behavioural reactivity to novel object recognition, open field, elevated plus maze and forced swimming test were assessed 7 days after i.c.v. injection of Ab1-42 or its vehicle. BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and NGF (nerve growth factor) mRNA and protein levels and 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) content were measured in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), striatum (STR) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Key results: Ab1-42 did not affect the ability to distinguish between familiar and novel objects, but Ab-treated rats exhibited an increase in forced swimming immobility. No differences were revealed between experimental groups in the elevated plus maze test or in self-grooming (evaluated in the open field). In the PFC, but not STR or NAc, Ab-injected rats exhibited a selective reduction in 5-HT content, BDNF and NGF expression. Conclusions and implications: Our data suggest that soluble Ab-treated rats have a depressive, but not anxiogenic-like, profile, accompanied by brain region-dependent alterations in the expression of neurotrophins and 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurotransmission. Hence, these alterations induced by soluble Ab might be sensitive indicators of early phases of AD and possible risk factors for the expression of neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD.
Levodopa is the most commonly prescribed drug for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although levodopa improves PD symptoms in the initial stages of the disease, its long-term use is limited by development of side effects, including abnormal... more
Levodopa is the most commonly prescribed drug for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although levodopa improves PD symptoms in the initial stages of the disease, its long-term use is limited by development of side effects, including abnormal involuntary movements (dyskinesias) and psychiatric complications. The endocannabinoid system is emerging as an important modulator of basal ganglia functions and its pharmacologic manipulation represents a promising therapy to alleviate levodopainduced dyskinesias. Rats with 6-OHDA lesions that are chronically treated with levodopa develop increasingly severe axial, limb, locomotor and oro-facial abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs). Administration of the cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212−2 attenuated levodopa-induced axial, limb and oral AIMs dose-dependently via a CB 1 -mediated mechanism, whereas it had no effect on locomotive AIMs. By contrast, systemic administration of URB597, a potent FAAH inhibitor, did not affect AIMs scoring despite its ability to increase anandamide concentration throughout the basal ganglia. Unlike WIN, anandamide can also bind and activate transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) receptors, which have been implicated in the modulation of dopamine transmission in the basal ganglia. Interestingly, URB597 significantly decreased all AIMs subtypes only if coadministered with the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine. Our data indicate that pharmacological blockade of TRPV1 receptors unmasks the anti-dyskinetic effects of FAAH inhibitors and that CB 1 and TRPV1 receptors play opposite roles in levodopa-induced dyskinesias.
To investigate the psychiatric symptoms accompanying the early phases of Parkinson's disease (PD), we injected adult rats with 10.5 lg 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) bilaterally into the dorsal striatum. The resulting neurodegeneration led,... more
To investigate the psychiatric symptoms accompanying the early phases of Parkinson's disease (PD), we injected adult rats with 10.5 lg 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) bilaterally into the dorsal striatum. The resulting neurodegeneration led, 12 weeks after injection, to a mild (36%) reduction of striatal dopamine. We tested the behavioral response of sham and 6-OHDA-lesioned animals at different time points after injection to evaluate the onset and progression of behavioral abnormalities. The results showed that such a mild reduction of dopamine levels was associated with a decrease in anxiety-like behavior, an increase in ''depression''-like behavior, and a marked change in social behavior. Learning and memory abilities were not affected. Overall, the PD rat model used here displays behavioral alterations having face validity with psychiatric symptoms of the pathology and thus appears to be a valuable tool for investigating the neural bases of the early phases of PD. V V C 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Oregano and thyme essential oils are used for therapeutic, aromatic and gastronomic purposes due to their richness in active substances, like carvacrol; however, the effects of the latter on the central nervous system have been poorly... more
Oregano and thyme essential oils are used for therapeutic, aromatic and gastronomic purposes due to their richness in active substances, like carvacrol; however, the effects of the latter on the central nervous system have been poorly investigated. The aim of our study was to define the effects of carvacrol on brain neurochemistry and behavioural outcome in rats. Biogenic amine content in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus after chronic or acute oral carvacrol administration was measured. Animals were assessed by a forced swimming test. Carvacrol, administered for seven consecutive days (12.5 mg/kg p.o.), was able to increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. When single doses were used (150 and 450 mg/kg p.o.), dopamine content was increased in the prefrontal cortex at both dose levels. On the contrary, a significant dopamine reduction in hippocampus of animals treated with 450 mg/kg of carvacrol was found. Acute carvacrol administration only significantly reduced serotonin content in either the prefrontal cortex or in the hippocampus at the highest dose. Moreover, acute carvacrol was ineffective in producing changes in the forced swimming test. Our data suggest that carvacrol is a brain-active molecule that clearly influences neuronal activity through modulation of neurotransmitters. If regularly ingested OPEN ACCESS Molecules 2013, 18 6162 in low concentrations, it might determine feelings of well-being and could possibly have positive reinforcer effects.
The goal of our study was to assess the monoaminergic changes in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) following noradrenaline (NA) depletion. Seven days after a single N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4)... more
The goal of our study was to assess the monoaminergic changes in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) following noradrenaline (NA) depletion. Seven days after a single N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4) intraperitoneal administration in mice, we observed a decrease of NA in both the LC and DRN, as well as in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIPP). Moreover, an increase of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) was detected at LC level, while no change was found in DRN. DSP-4 also caused a significant decrease of dopamine (DA) tissue content in HIPP and DRN, without affecting the LC and the PFC. A decrease of DA metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA), was found in the DRN of NA-depleted mice. These results highlight that the neurotoxic action of DSP-4 is not restricted to LC terminal projections but also involves NA depletion at the cell body level, where it is paralleled by adaptive changes in both serotonergic and dopaminergic systems.
- by Maria Morgese and +2
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- Prefrontal Cortex, Biological Sciences, Serotonin, Dopamine
Chronic use of levodopa, the most effective treatment for Parkinson's disease, causes abnormal involuntary movements named dyskinesias, which are linked to maladaptive changes in plasticity and disturbances of dopamine and glutamate... more
Chronic use of levodopa, the most effective treatment for Parkinson's disease, causes abnormal involuntary movements named dyskinesias, which are linked to maladaptive changes in plasticity and disturbances of dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in the basal ganglia. Dyskinesias can be modeled in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions by repeated administration of low doses of levodopa (6 mg/kg, s.c.). Previous studies from our lab showed that sub-chronic treatment with the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2 attenuates levodopa-induced dyskinesias at doses that do not interfere with physiological motor function. To investigate the neurochemical changes underlying WIN55,212-2 anti-dyskinetic effects, we used in vivo microdialysis to monitor extracellular dopamine and glutamate in the dorsal striatum of the both hemisphere of freely-moving 6-hydroxydopamine-treated, SHAM-operated and intact rats receiving levodopa acutely or chronically (11 days), and studied how sub-chronic WIN55,212-2 (1 injection × 3 days, 20 min before levodopa) affected these neurochemical outputs.
- by Maria Morgese and +1
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- Neurochemistry, Cannabinoids, Dopamine, Glutamate
Although anecdotal reports suggest that cannabis may be used to alleviate symptoms of depression, the psychotropic effects and abuse liability of this drug prevent its therapeutic application. The active constituent of cannabis, ⌬ 9... more
Although anecdotal reports suggest that cannabis may be used to alleviate symptoms of depression, the psychotropic effects and abuse liability of this drug prevent its therapeutic application. The active constituent of cannabis, ⌬ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, acts by binding to brain CB 1 cannabinoid receptors, but an alternative approach might be to develop agents that amplify the actions of endogenous cannabinoids by blocking their deactivation. Here, we show that URB597, a selective inhibitor of the enzyme fatty-acid amide hydrolase, which catalyzes the intracellular hydrolysis of the endocannabinoid anandamide, exerts potent antidepressant-like effects in the mouse tail-suspension test and the rat forced-swim test. Moreover, URB597 increases firing activity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus and noradrenergic neurons in the nucleus locus ceruleus. These actions are prevented by the CB 1 antagonist rimonabant, are accompanied by increased brain anandamide levels, and are maintained upon repeated URB597 administration. Unlike direct CB 1 agonists, URB597 does not exert rewarding effects in the conditioned place preference test or produce generalization to the discriminative effects of ⌬ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol in rats. The findings support a role for anandamide in mood regulation and point to fatty-acid amide hydrolase as a previously uncharacterized target for antidepressant drugs.