Search results for "toxin"
showing 10 items of 1434 documents
Botulinum toxin for the treatment of somatic tinnitus
2007
Subjective tinnitus is an auditory sensation experienced in the absence of external or internal acoustic stimuli. It causes significant morbidity and can progress to a chronic debilitating condition. Somatic tinnitus is tinnitus that can be modulated by stimulation of the somatic sensory system. It occurs because of interactions between the auditory and the somatosensory system that may occur at several levels of the central nervous system. In the present chapter, we discuss how botulinum toxin can improve tinnitus and discuss the mechanism of its action, and how it relates to its effects on chronic pain.
Therapeutic considerations in cerebellopontine angle lipomas inducing hemifacial spasm.
2000
Lipoma is a very rare tumour at the cerebellopontine angle. We report a case of incomplete hemifacial spasm, associated with a lipoma involving and compressing both facial and acoustic nerves at their origin in the brainstem. The patient was treated with medical therapy (botulinum toxin A) and surgery. We present a review of the last ten years of the literature, with particular regard to management.
Differential blockade by nifedipine and ω-conotoxin GVIA of α1- and β1-adrenoceptor-controlled calcium channels on motor nerve terminals of the rat
1990
Electrically evoked release of [3H]acetylcholine ([3H]ACh) from the rat phrenic nerve and its facilitation by stimulation of presynaptic alpha 1- and beta 1-adrenoceptors were investigated in the absence and presence of nifedipine and omega-conotoxin GVIA. Both calcium channel antagonists did not modify electrically evoked [3H]ACh release, but selectively blocked the effect triggered by both facilitatory adrenergic receptors. The increase in [3H]ACh release mediated via beta 1-adrenoceptor activation was abolished by low concentrations (1 nM) of omega-conotoxin GVIA, whereas nifedipine (100 nM) abolished the facilitatory effect mediated via alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation. Therefore, the b…
Seroepidemiology of pertussis infection in an urban childhood population in Cameroon.
1991
In 1989, the prevalence of IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT) in a sample of 367 unvaccinated apparently healthy children 5-14 years old was estimated by ELISA in Kumba City (Cameroon). Children were recruited using a systematic random sampling from six primary schools located in different districts of the city. The sample was representative of the various socioeconomic classes. The overall prevalence was 75%; it increased from 62% in 5 year old children to 81% in children 12-14 years old (P less than 0.01). IgG antibody prevalence was positively related to the family size. Children belonging to households of nine or more members had a 2.2-fold risk (C.I. 95 per cent = 1.1-4.6) of previ…
Pentobarbital-sensitive EDHF comediates ACh-induced arteriolar dilation in the hamster microcirculation
1999
It is unclear to what extent the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) contributes to the control of microcirculatory blood flow in vivo. We analyzed, by intravital microscopy in hamster muscles, the potential role of EDHF along the vascular tree under stimulated (ACh) or basal conditions. Experiments were performed in conscious as well as anesthetized (pentobarbital, urethan) animals. Additionally, cellular effects of the potential EDHF were studied in isolated small arteries. In pentobarbital-anesthetized animals, treatment with N ω-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA; 30 μmol/l) and indomethacin (3 μmol/l) reduced the dilation in response to 10 μmol/l ACh from 60 ± 6 to 20 ± 4%. This ni…
Epithelium-derived inhibition of [3H]acetylcholine release from the isolated guinea-pig trachea
1990
To investigate presynaptic, regulatory mechanisms on parasympathetic nerve fibres innervating the airways, the release of newly-synthesized [3H]acetylcholine from the isolated trachea was studied. Reverse phase HPLC followed by liquid scintillation spectrometry was used to separate and quantify the radioactive compounds choline, phosphorylcholine and acetylcholine in the incubation medium and the tissue. During the incubation of the tracheae with [3H]choline a significant synthesis of [3H]acetylcholine (35,000 dpm/preparation) and [3H]phosphorylcholine (500,000 dpm/preparation) occurred. In epithelium-deficient tracheae the formation of [3H]phosphorylcholine was enhanced, whereas the conten…
Isoprenaline and forskolin increase evoked vasopressin release from rat pituitary
1982
Isolated neurointermediate lobes of rat pituitaries were incubated in Krebs solution. The vasopressin release evoked by electrical stimulation (0.2 ms, 80 V, 15 Hz, 10 s trains at 10 s intervals for a total of 10 min) was completely inhibited by tetrodotoxin. Isoprenaline increased the evoked vasopressin release to a maximum of 60% (EC50 10 nM) and this effect was antagonized surmountably by propranolol. Forskolin increased the vasopressin release by 98%. These results suggest the presence within the neurohypophysis of a beta-adrenoceptor-linked adenylate cyclase facilitating vasopressin secretion.
Agouti-related peptide-expressing neurons are mandatory for feeding.
2005
Multiple hormones controlling energy homeostasis regulate the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Nevertheless, inactivation of the genes encoding NPY and/or AgRP has no impact on food intake in mice. Here we demonstrate that induced selective ablation of AgRP-expressing neurons in adult mice results in acute reduction of feeding, demonstrating direct evidence for a critical role of these neurons in the regulation of energy homeostasis.
Molecular genetics of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms on indwelling medical devices.
2005
Staphylococcus epidermidis is an opportunistic pathogen associated with foreign body infections and nosocomial sepsis. The pathogenicity of S. epidermidis is mostly due to its ability to colonize indwelling polymeric devices and form a thick, multilayered biofilm. Biofilm formation is a major problem in treating S. epidermidis infection as biofilms provide significant resistance to antibiotics and to components of the innate host defenses. Various cell surface associated bacterial factors play a role in adherence and accumulation of the biofilm such as the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin and the autolysin AtlE. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that global regulators such as the …
New strategies for medical management of overactive bladder in children.
2011
Purpose of review The medical treatment of children with non-neurogenic overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is still limited to a small number of drugs approved for use in childhood according to the national regulations of each country. Recent findings Over the last few years, there were several studies on the use of antimuscarinics other than oxybutynin in children, as well as some on the use of extended release oxybutynin and tolterodine and transdermal oxybutynin. It was shown that the combination of two different anticholinergics might be a well tolerated and successful option in children with OAB refractory to monotherapy, as well as administration of a receptor-selective antimuscarinic …