scholarly journals The effect of botulism toxin on the central nervous system, in comparison with the effect of some other nerve toxins

1907 ◽  
Vol XIV (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Victor P. Osipov

In view of the fact that at present the doctrine of intoxication and autointoxication of the body is becoming more and more firmly established, as the causal factor of many nervous and mental diseases, the study of the effect of toxins on the nervous system is gaining more and more interest every day; this study has not only theoretical, but also important practical significance, since by causing a known disease with the help of this or that toxin, having studied the effect of the toxin on the body, we gain chances to develop an antitoxin, and, therefore, enrich the clinic with a new rational therapeutic agent; in addition, having a toxin, we can cause and study the clinical and pathological picture of the disease in animals at any given moment, which is especially valuable when studying the nature of rare diseases.

Author(s):  
F. L. Azizova ◽  
U. A. Boltaboev

The features of production factors established at the main workplaces of shoe production are considered. The materials on the results of the study of the functional state of the central nervous system of women workers of shoe production in the dynamics of the working day are presented. The level of functional state of the central nervous system was determined by the speed of visual and auditory-motor reactions, installed using the universal device chronoreflexometer. It was revealed that in the body of workers of shoe production there is an early development of inhibitory processes in the central nervous system, which is expressed in an increase in the number of errors when performing tasks on proofreading tables. It was found that the most pronounced shift s in auditory-motor responses were observed in professional groups, where higher levels of noise were registered in the workplace. The correlation analysis showed a close direct relationship between the growth of mistakes made in the market and the decrease in production. An increase in the time spent on the task indicates the occurrence and growth of production fatigue.Funding. The study had no funding.Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interests.


Author(s):  
Prithiv K R Kumar

Stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into any type of cell or organ. Stems cell originate from any part of the body, including the brain. Brain cells or rather neural stem cells have the capacitive advantage of differentiating into the central nervous system leading to the formation of neurons and glial cells. Neural stem cells should have a source by editing DNA, or by mixings chemical enzymes of iPSCs. By this method, a limitless number of neuron stem cells can be obtained. Increase in supply of NSCs help in repairing glial cells which in-turn heal the central nervous system. Generally, brain injuries cause motor and sensory deficits leading to stroke. With all trials from novel therapeutic methods to enhanced rehabilitation time, the economy and quality of life is suppressed. Only PSCs have proven effective for grafting cells into NSCs. Neurons derived from stem cells is the only challenge that limits in-vitro usage in the near future.


In the study of the phenomena of anaphylaxis there are certain points on which some measure of agreement seems to have been attained. In the case of anaphylaxis to soluble proteins, with which alone we are directly concerned in this paper, the majority of investigators probably accept the view that the condition is due to the formation of an antibody of the precipitin type. Concerning the method, however, by which the presence of this antibody causes the specific sensitiveness, the means by which its interaction with the antibody produces the anaphylactic shock, there is a wide divergence of conception. Two main currents of speculation can be discerned. One view, historically rather the earlier, and first put forward by Besredka (1) attributes the anaphylactic condition to the location of the antibody in the body cells. There is not complete unanimity among adherents of this view as to the nature of the antibody concerned, or as to the class of cells containing it which are primarily affected in the anaphylactic shock. Besredka (2) himself has apparently not accepted the identification of the anaphylactic antibody with a precipitin, but regards it as belonging to a special class (sensibilisine). He also regards the cells of the central nervous system as those primarily involved in the anaphylactic shock in the guinea-pig. Others, including one of us (3), have found no adequate reason for rejecting the strong evidence in favour of the precipitin nature of the anaphylactic antibody, produced by Doerr and Russ (4), Weil (5), and others, and have accepted and confirmed the description of the rapid anaphylactic death in the guinea-pig as due to a direct stimulation of the plain-muscle fibres surrounding the bronchioles, causing valve-like obstruction of the lumen, and leading to asphyxia, with the characteristic fixed distension of the lungs, as first described by Auer and Lewis (6), and almost simultaneously by Biedl and Kraus (7). But the fundamental conception of anaphylaxis as due to cellular location of an antibody, and of the reaction as due to the union of antigen and antibody taking place in the protoplasm, is common to a number of workers who thus differ on details.


1957 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-333
Author(s):  
G. M. HUGHES

I. The effects of limb amputation and the cutting of commissures on the movements of the cockroach Blatta orientalis have been investigated with the aid of cinematography. Detailed analyses of changes in posture and rhythm of leg movements are given. 2. It is shown that quite marked changes occur following the amputation of a single leg or the cutting of a single commissure between the thoracic ganglia. 3. Changes following the amputation of a single leg are immediate and are such that the support normally provided by the missing leg is taken over by the two remaining legs on that side. Compensatory movements are also found in the contralateral legs. 4. When two legs of opposite sides are amputated it has been confirmed that the diagonal sequence tends to be adopted, but this is not invariably true. Besides alterations in the rhythm which this may involve, there are again adaptive modifications in the movements of the limbs with respect to the body. 5. When both comrnissures between the meso- and metathoracic ganglia are cut, the hind pair of legs fall out of rhythm with the other four legs. The observations on the effects of cutting commissures stress the importance of intersegmental pathways in co-ordination. 6. It is shown that all modifications following the amputation of legs may be related to the altered mechanical conditions. Some of the important factors involved in normal co-ordination are discussed, and it is suggested that the altered movements would be produced by the operation of these factors under the new conditions. It is concluded that the sensory inflow to the central nervous system is of major importance in the co-ordination of normal movement.


1998 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Laura Del Basso De Caro ◽  
Antonella Siciliano ◽  
Paolo Cappabianca ◽  
Alessandra Alfieri ◽  
Enrico de Divitiis

Paragangliomas are usually benign tumors which can be found in many sites of the body, from the base of the skull down to the pelvic floor. In the central nervous system the sellar region is very rarely involved; only three well studied cases have been reported to date. We present the cytological, histological, histochemical, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural features of an intrasellar and suprasellar paraganglioma in an 84-year-old man.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-451
Author(s):  
Barry H. Rumack

The increased incidence of poisoning by overdoses of commonly used drugs with anticholinergic properties (Table I) and the general lack of knowledge concerning a specific treatment for these poisons warrants a summary of the problem at this time. Some plants containing anticholinergic alkaloids are also included in this group as they may also be taken intentionally or accidentally. Drugs with anticholinergic properties primanly antagonize acetylcholine competitively at the neuroreceptor site. Cardiac muscle, exocrine glands, and smooth muscle are most markedly affected.1 Action of the inhibitors is overcome by increasing the level of acetylcholine naturally generated in the body through inhibiting the enzyme (choline esterase) which normally prevents accumulation of excess acetylcholine. It does this by hydrolyzing that compound to inactive acetic acid and choline. Agents which inhibit this enzyme, so that acetylcholine accumulates at the neuroreceptor sites, are called anticholine esterases. Physostigmine, one of the anticholine esterases which is a tertiary amine, crosses into the central nervous system and can reverse both central and peripheral anticholinergic actions2. Neostigmine and pyridostigmine are also anticholine esterases but they are quaternary amines and are capable of acting only outside the central nervous system because of solubility and ionization characteristics. The anticholinergic syndrome has both central and peripheral signs and symptoms. Central toxic effects include anxiety, delirium, disorientation, hallucinations, hyperactivity, and seizures.2 Severe poisoning may produce coma, medullary paralysis, and death. Peripheral taxicity is characterized by tachycardia, hyperpyrexia, mydriasis, vasodilatation, urinary retention, diminution of gastrointestinal motility, decrease of secretion in salivary and sweat glands, and loss of secretions in the pharynx, bronchi, and nasal passages.


1948 ◽  
Vol s3-89 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-45
Author(s):  
J.A. C. NICOL

1. A description is given of the main features of the central nervous system of Myxicola infundibulum Rénier. 2. The nerve-cord is double in the first four thoracic segments and single posteriorly. It shows segmental swellings but is not ganglionated in the usual sense in that nerve-cell accumulations are not related directly to such swellings of the cord. 3. A very large axon lies within the dorsal portion of the nerve-cord and extends from the supra-oesophageal ganglia to the posterior end of the animal. It is small in the head ganglia where it passes transversely across the mid-line, increases in diameter in the oesophageal connectives, and expands to very large size, up to 1 mm., in the posterior thorax and anterior abdomen, and gradually tapers off to about 100µ in the posterior body. It shows segmental swellings corresponding to those of the nerve-cord in each segment. It occupies about 27 per cent, of the volume of the central nervous system and 0.3 per cent, of the volume of the animal. The diameter of the fibre increases during contraction of the worm. 4. The giant fibre is a continuous structure throughout its length, without internal dividing membranes or septa. Usually a branch of the giant fibre lies in each half of the nerve-cord in the anterior thoracic segments and these several branches are continuous with one another longitudinally and transversely. 5. The giant fibre is connected with nerve-cells along its entire course; it arises from a pair of cells in the supra-oesophageal ganglia, and receives the processes of many nerve-cells in each segment. There is no difference between the nerve-cells of the giant fibre and the other nerve-cells of the cord. 6. A distinct fibrous sheath invests the giant fibre. A slight concentration of lipoid can be revealed in this sheath by the use of Sudan black. 7. About eight peripheral branches arise from the giant fibre in each segment. They have a complex course in the nerve-cord where they anastomose with one another and receive the processes of nerve-cells. Peripherally, they are distributed to the longitudinal musculature. 8. Specimens surviving 16 days following section of the nerve-cord in the thorax have shown that the giant fibre does not degenerate in front of or behind a cut, thus confirming that it is a multicellular structure connected to nerve-cells in the thorax and abdomen. 9. It is concluded that the giant fibre of M. infundibulum is a large syncytial structure, extending throughout the entire central nervous system and the body-wall of the animal. 10. The giant fibre system of M. aesthetica resembles that of M. infundibulum. 11. Some implications of the possession of such a giant axon are discussed. It is suggested that its size, structure, and simplicity lead to rapid conduction and thus effect a considerable saving of reaction time, of considerable value to the species when considered in the light of the quick contraction which it mediates. The adoption of a sedentary mode of existence has permitted this portion of the central nervous system to become developed at the expense of other elements concerned with errant habits.


Psychiatry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 125-134
Author(s):  
E. F. Vasilyeva ◽  
O. S. Brusov

Background: at present, the important role of the monocyte-macrophage link of immunity in the pathogenesis of mental diseases has been determined. In the first and second parts of our review, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of activation of monocytes/macrophages, which secreting proinflammatory CD16 receptors, cytokines, chemokines and receptors to them, in the development of systemic immune inflammation in the pathogenesis of somatic diseases and mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (BAD) and depression were analyzed. The association of high levels of proinflammatory activity of monocytes/macrophages in patients with mental disorders with somatic comorbidity, including immune system diseases, is shown. It is known that proinflammatory monocytes of peripheral blood, as a result of violation of the integrity of the hematoencephalic barrier can migrate to the central nervous system and activate the resident brain cells — microglia, causing its activation. Activation of microglia can lead to the development of neuroinammation and neurodegenerative processes in the brain and, as a result, to cognitive disorders. The aim of review: to analyze the results of the main scientific studies concerning the role of cellular and molecular mechanisms of peripheral blood monocytes interaction with microglial cells and platelets in the development of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of mental disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Material and methods: keywords “mental disorders, AD, proinflammatory monocytes, microglia, neuroinflammation, cytokines, chemokines, cell adhesion molecules, platelets, microvesicles” were used to search for articles of domestic and foreign authors published over the past 30 years in the databases PubMed, eLibrary, Science Direct and EMBASE. Conclusion: this review analyzes the results of studies which show that monocytes/macrophages and microglia have similar gene expression profiles in schizophrenia, BAD, depression, and AD and also perform similar functions: phagocytosis and inflammatory responses. Monocytes recruited to the central nervous system stimulate the increased production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), chemokines, for example, MCP-1 (Monocyte chemotactic protein-1) by microglial cells. This promotes the recruitment of microglial cells to the sites of neuronal damage, and also enhances the formation of the brain protein beta-amyloid (Aβ). The results of modern studies are presented, indicating that platelets are involved in systemic inflammatory reactions, where they interact with monocytes to form monocyte-platelet aggregates (MTA), which induce the activation of monocytes with a pro inflammatory phenotype. In the last decade, it has been established that activated platelets and other cells of the immune system, including monocytes, detached microvesicles (MV) from the membrane. It has been shown that MV are involved as messengers in the transport of biologically active lipids, cytokines, complement, and other molecules that can cause exacerbation of systemic inflammatory reactions. The presented review allows us to expand our knowledge about the cellular and molecular aspects of the interaction of monocytes/macrophages with microglial cells and platelets in the development of neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in the pathogenesis of mental diseases and in AD, and also helps in the search for specific biomarkers of the clinical severity of mental disorder in patients and the prospects for their response to treatment.


Bioprinting ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 98-118
Author(s):  
Kenneth Douglas

Abstract: This chapter recounts bioprinting studies of skin, bone, skeletal muscle, and neuromuscular junctions. The chapter begins with a study of bioprinted skin designed to enable the creation of skin with a uniform pigmentation. The chapter relates two very different approaches to bioprinted bone: a synthetic bone called hyperelastic bone and a strategy that prints cartilage precursors to bone and then induces the conversion of the cartilage to bone by judicious choice of bioinks. Muscles move bone, and the chapter discusses an investigation of bioprinted skeletal muscle. Finally, the chapter considers an attempt to bioprint a neuromuscular junction, a synapse—a minute gap—of about 20 billionths of a meter between a motor neuron and the cell membrane of a skeletal muscle cell. A motor neuron is a nerve in the central nervous system that sends signals to the muscles of the body.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. e235412
Author(s):  
Jesse Mooneyham ◽  
Cesar Gentille ◽  
Andrea Barbieri ◽  
Shilpan Shah

A 33-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with severe headaches. A CT scan of the head revealed two brain lesions with associated vasogenic oedema. Diagnostic resection of one of the lesions followed by pathological analysis revealed grade III lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG). Staging investigations elsewhere in the body were negative, isolating this case of LYG to the central nervous system, an atypical presentation. After the resection, she was treated with single-agent rituximab 375 mg/m2. The follow-up MRI demonstrated the resolution of brain lesions and no progression of the disease.


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