3 research outputs found
Anatomical study of the carotid bifurcation and origin variations of the ascending pharyngeal and superior thyroid arteries
Background: Human anatomy texts in current use have very little precise information
as to the frequency of variations in the bifurcation of the common
carotid artery, and a clear description of the relation between external and
internal carotid arteries as well as the variation of the origin of the ascending
pharyngeal and superior thyroid arteries is limited.
Material and methods: Sixty common carotid arteries in the sagittal section of
the head and neck of 30 human adult cadavers were obtained from the Anatomy
Department of King Abdulaziz University. The data collected were analysed
using the Chi square-test.
Results: The carotid bifurcation was at the level of the superior border of
the thyroid cartilage in 48.3% of cases, 25% were opposite the hyoid bone,
and 18.3% were at the level between the thyroid cartilage and the hyoid
bone. The bifurcation appeared at a lower level than the superior border of
the thyroid cartilage in 5% of cases, while in 3.3% of cases the bifurcation
level was seen higher than the hyoid bone. The usual anteromedial position
of the external carotid artery to the internal carotid artery was found in
51.7% of cases, whereas it was medial to the internal carotid artery in 36.7%
of cases. In 10% it was seen in an anterior position and only in 1.7% the
external carotid artery was lateral to the internal carotid artery. In 93.3% of
the cases the ascending pharyngeal artery originated from one root, while
in the remaining 6.7% of cases it originated from two roots. In 80% of cases
the superior thyroid artery arose from the external carotid artery. In 18.3%
of cases it originated from the common carotid artery, and in 1.7% it arose
from a thyrolingofacial trunk.
Conclusions: The carotid bifurcation can occur as high as the hyoid bone, or
as low as the cricoid cartilage. The anteromedial position of the external carotid
artery (ECA) in relation to the internal carotid artery (ICA) was the most
common anatomical position. The origins and configurations of the ascending
pharyngeal artery and the superior thyroid artery are variable. (Folia Morphol
2011; 70, 1: 47-55
The Neuroprotective Effect of Carvedilol on Diabetic Neuropathy: An In Vitro Study
Diabetic neuropathy serves as a major complication for diabetic patients across the world. The use of effective treatment is integral for reducing the health complications for diabetic patients. This study has evaluated the carvedilol potential neuroprotective effect on diabetic neuropathy. An in vitro model of diabetic neuropathy was used, including dorsal root ganglia (DRG) that were cultured from male adult mice C57BL. These were incubated for about twenty-four hours in high glucose (HG) media (45 mM). Some cells were incubated with carvedilol (10 μM). Neuronal viability, neuronal morphology, and activating transcription factor 3 (AFT3) were measured. The cell viability was decreased, along with neuronal length, soma area, and soma perimeter with HG media. Also, there was an overexpression of ATF3, which is a neuronal stress response marker. The pretreatment with carvedilol increased the viability of DRG as compared to HG-treated cells. Also, it significantly protected the DRG from HG-induced morphology changes. Though it shows a decrease in AFT3 expression, the statistical results were insignificant. The current study demonstrates the neuroprotective effect of carvedilol against HG-induced DN using an in vitro model. This could be through carvedilol antioxidant effects