The developing caudate nucleus in the euthyroid and hypothyroid rat

The basal ganglia are presently implicated in learning, and thyroid deficiency induced neonatally is known to affect mentation. The effects of such a deficiency on the developing causate nucleus might be used to provide insight into structure and function of the normal subcortical brain, as well as possible influences of these extrapyramidal structures on mental retardation. Propylthiouracil was added to the diet of lactating rat dams and observations of the developing caudate nuclei of normal hypothyroid rats were made at 8, 14, 20, 30 and 42 days by using various tissue stains and Golgi-Cox preparations. Seven different types of neurons were distinguished in the caudate nucleus. Differences in the size of cell somata and the varying morphology of axons and dendrites were criteria used to make distinctions. Normally, the nucleus acquires cytoarchitectural complexity during the first three postnatal weeks. Within this period, neuron incidence increases in the caudate neuropil with age while the germinal matrix density decreases. Neuron accumulation reaches a plateau after the third week and cell migration is essentially complete at the end of the first postnatal month as shown by computer analysis of Nissl stained cell counts. Branching of cellular processes, attainment of receptor spines and complexity of the fiber network also appeared during this period. Retardation of structural development with thyroid hormone deficiency was shown by decreased numbers of neurons, inhibition of dendritic arborization, decreased numbers of dendritic spines and a reduced complexity of axonal plexuses. Thyroid deficiency delays cell migration during the first three weeks when compared to age-matched normal controls. The lack of thyroid hormone does not appear to influence the size of neuron somata, and the extent of related dendritic fields, nor does hypothyroidism affect a specific cell type population. Generalized disturbances of caudate nuclear morphological maturation are caused by the deficiency. An apparent compensatory process, including a spurt of neural growth and differentiation, takes place in the period between days 14 and 30 in the deficient animals and a seemingly "normal" caudate cytoarchitecture is seen after the third postnatal week. Quantitative data, however, show that this rapid "catch up" process is inadequate. The developmental imperfection of the caudate nucleus which persists might be a part of the underlying substrate for the mental retardation, disturbed motor performance and perceptual handicaps which are found in the human patient.     

The clinical effect of a new infant formula in term infants with constipation: a double-blind,randomized cross-over trial

Background  

Nutrilon Omneo (new formula; NF) contains high concentration of sn-2 palmitic acid, a mixture of prebiotic oligosaccharides and partially hydrolyzed whey protein. It is hypothesized that NF positively affects stool characteristics in constipated infants.     

"The myth of mental illness:" continuing controversies and their implications for mental health professionals

Since the publication of "The Myth of Mental Illness" in 1960, there has been an ongoing debate about Thomas Szasz's ideas concerning mental illness. In this paper, Szasz's views are summarized, as are the views of Szasz's critics. Specifically, the following areas are addressed: Szasz's definition of disease, his notions regarding the unconscious and rationality, his beliefs regarding culpability, his proposed differences between psychiatry and other branches of medicine, the uses of the term "mental illness," and the possibility of implicating physical lesions in some mental illnesses. With this discussion as a backdrop, the importance of these issues to mental health practitioners is addressed.     

Outcome of Perthes'' disease in unselected patients after femoral varus osteotomy and splintage

PURPOSE: To study the incidence, cause, recovery time, and prevention of diplopia following subcutaneous injection of botulinum A toxin for the treatment of facial spasms. METHODS: Patients who experienced diplopia after botulinum A toxin injections had their deviations examined in detail. When the muscle that caused diplopia was identifiable, the injection closest to that muscle was omitted in the next treatment in an attempt to prevent diplopia. RESULTS: Of 250 patients receiving about 1500 sets of injections, 25 (1.7%) incidents of diplopia occurred in 10 patients. Excluding two patients who declined further treatment after having diplopia on their first botulinum A toxin treatment, seven of the remaining eight patients had multiple incidents of diplopia. The most common pattern of diplopia was "uncertain diagnosis." The most common identifiable cause of diplopia was paresis of the inferior oblique muscle. Omission of the injection into the central portion of the lower eyelids in the next treatment prevented recurrence of diplopia in only one of the four patients. No significant correlation between botulinum A toxin doses injected and times to recovery was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Diplopia following botulinum A toxin treatment is uncommon. Seven patients (3% of patients studied) had 22 episodes of diplopia (88% of episodes). When diplopia occurs, it tends to recur on reinjection, sometimes with a prolonged recovery time. This response may not be dose dependent. The extraocular muscles of some patients may be more susceptible to chemodenervation than others, or botulinum A toxin may diffuse to extraocular muscles more easily in some patients than in others.     

Cellular and molecular biomarkers indicate precocious in vitro senescence in fibroblasts from SAMP6 mice. Evidence supporting a murine model of premature senescence and osteopenia

A variety of short-lived mouse strains (SAMP strains) and control strains of less abbreviated life span (SAMR strains) have been proposed as murine models of accelerated senescence. Each SAMP strain, in addition to displaying "progeroid" traits of accelerated aging, exhibits a singular age-related pathology. The application of this animal model to the study of normal aging processes has been and remains controversial. Therefore, we have undertaken a study of dermal fibroblasts derived from the short-lived SAMP6 strain, which shows early-onset and progressive osteopenia. We have investigated cellular and molecular characteristics that are associated with in vitro aging of normal human fibroblasts, and which are exacerbated in fibroblasts from patients with Werner syndrome, a human model of premature senescence. We found that SAMP6 dermal fibroblasts, relative to SAMR1 and C57BL/6 controls, exhibit characteristics of premature or accelerated cellular senescence with regard to in vitro life span, initial growth rate, and patterns of gene expression.