0000000000375926
AUTHOR
Alessio Lipari
The somatotopy of the spinal cord: a comprehensive descrption.
For the benefit of medical students, in this paper we examine the somatotopic organization of the spinal cord, which shows a similar organization in mammalians. The dorsal horn is comprised of sensory nuclei with deutoneurons; the lateral horn contains preganglionic visceral motoneurons; the ventral horn is subdivided into a medial column innervating the paravertebral muscles, a central column, C3-C6, innervating the diaphragm, and a lateral column innervating the limb muscles. In the lateral column of the ventral horn, the dorsal motoneuron groups innervate the intrinsc arm muscles; the dorsal posterior motoneuron groups innervate hand muscles; the lateroventral motoneuron groups innervate…
SOMATOTOPIC ORGANIZATION OF THE CRANIAL NERVE NUCLEI INVOLVED IN EYE MOVEMENTS: III, IV, VI.
The oculomotor nucleus is divided into: 1. somatic medial column innervating the superior rectus muscle and somatic lateral column, further subdivided into a lateral column innervating the inferior rectus, inferior oblique and medial rectus muscles; 2. central nucleus innervating the levator palpebrae superioris muscle; 3. visceral nucleus innervating the pupillary sphincter muscle, consisting of the following two groups of neurons: cholinergic, preganglionic neurons supplying the ciliary ganglion, termed the Edinger- Westphal preganglionic (EWpg) neuron population, and the centrally projecting, peptidergic neurons, termed the Edinger-Westphal centrally projecting (EWcp) population. A detai…
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and oxytocin-expression in the adult rat and mouse cerebellum.
Abstract Background: Many studies are in the literature on the ANP and oxytocin-presence in the brain, but very few studies with controversial results are reported on the presence of these peptides in the cerebellum. This immunohistochemical study investigates on the ANP and oxytocin-presence in the cerebellum of the adult rat and mouse rodents. Results: This study, firstly, evidences the ANP- immunopositivity in cerebellar cortex of both rat and mouse rodents. In rat the molecular layer presents some few immunopositive fibers, but no neuron resulted immunopositive; the granular and Purkinje cells are immunopositive. In mouse the cerebellar cortex ANP-immunopositivity is present in all laye…
ANP Ontogeny in rat developing in the lateral choroid plexus.
An immunohistochemical study was carried out to verify whether ANP is present in the lateral plexus in adult and embryos rats. The results evidenced the ANP presence in ependymal cells of the plexus in adult rat and also at 16° day of foetal life suggesting the imnportant role of ANP in the development and maturation of brain.
ANP and vasopressin -presence in the ciliary body of eye in the pig, (Sus domesticus)
The aqueous humor is produced in the ciliary body so, in this study we investigate on the ANP presence and vasopressin in the ciliary body of the pig eye since these peptide are involved in the homeostasis of the body fluids. The results show ANP-presence in the epithelial cells and in the endothelial cells of the blood vessels and VP-presence in the epithelial cells, in the endothelium of canal of Schelmm and in the muscle cells of the blood vessels. These peptides might regulate the synthesis and the composition of the aqueous humor and regulate the hydrodynamic flow and haemodynamic flow of the blood.
Sporadic Parkinson disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis complex (Brait-Fahn-Schwartz disease).
Clinical evidence for parkinsonism may accompany Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with a frequency ranging from 5% to 17%. The concurrence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, outside the known Guam and Kii Peninsula foci, is instead rare, but this raises the possibility of a common pathogenesis. Clinically this complex presents with a levodopa-responsive parkinsonism and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and has been termed Brait-Fahn-Schwartz disease. Here we describe two patients with this uncommon neurodegenerative complex. Both presented with Parkinson disease and progressed to a full blown Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. We further suggest that the association of Parkinso…