A Complementary study on Schizophrenia

The auther took observation to find some clue for pathogenesis of schizophrenia, on certain physical natures of erythrocytes. attacking the most general somatic aspect above all, on their diameter, specific gravity, number, hematocrit value, volume, thickness, spheric index (spread of erythrocytes), inverse spheric index (swell or dilation of erythrocytes), as well as their resistance against NaCl solution. In Ist chapter, the auther took investigation to know whether the erythroeytes of schizophrenics had specific natures. compared to those of normal subjects or non-schizophrenics; moreover examined if there existed any difference even for various clinical types or states of schizophrenics. In 2nd chapter, the auther investigated about changes in the physical properties of schizophrenic erythrocytes by electric shock therapy, besides if they had certain special differences from those of depression and neurosis, and examined the changes between acute or chronic progressive schizophrenic types, by comparative study. In 3rd chapter, the auther examined as to those effects occurred by insulin shock therapy on the physical properties of schizophrenic erythrocytes. The results of the investigation were summarized as follows;1st chapter. 1) Examined; normal, 20 cases; non-schizophrenics, 22; schizophrenics, 60; respectively, male and female were same in number. 2) Schizophrenic erythrocytes are discovered to have a large diameter, rather thin, and small in volume. Their spheric index proved below 0.23; their inverse spheric index, above 40. The specific gravity of the total blood and the blood plasma proved heavy, but that of erythrocytes suffered no changes. As to resistance, they proved an incrcase in the width of it due to the shift of the maximum resistance, which brought about an increase in their resistance. 3) The volume, thickness, spheric index, and inverse spheric index etc. of schizophrenic erythrocytes, compared to those of non-schizophrenics, indicated specific changes. 4) Erythrocytes in excitatory state of schizophrenic is larger and flatter than those in stuporous; as special features in stuporous state, schizophrenic erythrocytes proved light in their gravity, while numerous. 5) While becomes remission, the diameter of erythrocytes reduces compared to worse time: thickness, spheric index, inverse spheric index, resistance, and number, all come back to their former normal state, but on the contrary, their specific gravity and volume indicate even a rise. 2nd chapter. 1) The physical changes taking place in erythrocytes in those three periods, i.e., immediately before as well as after, 90 minutes after E. C. T., were duly laid under observation, employing 26 schizophrenic cases, 12 non-schizophrenic; summing up, 38 cases. 2) Such as the erythrocytes diameter, the specific gravity of total blood as well as blood plasma, hematocrit value, volume, thickness of erythrocytes. each showed certain degree of increase by E. C. T.; after 90 minutes, it relapsed to the direction of before E. C. T., and the specifie gravity of erythrocytes decreased immediately after E. C. T., contrary to the changes of total blood or blood plasma, and then it became heavier again after 90 minutes. Both spheric index and inverse spheric index altered their course toward increase by E. C. T., which recovered as before, after 90 minutes. 3) Between schizophrenics and non-schizophrenics, essential differences are as to those changes in the specific gravity of erythrocytes and in their number, the specific gravity in schizophrenics being slow to regain its self-same state, while their number in non-schizophrenics though regained normal self, it keeped on abating trend in schizophrenics. The resistance of schizophrenic erythrocytes was weakend by E. C. T. and recovered afterwards. The width of resistance, though enlarged itself, after a while underwent certain shrinkage

Effects of intracarotid admimistration of GABA and its related compounds on the perfused cat brain

ネコ脳灌流法を用いて頸動脈系に一定条件下でGABAおよびその関連物質を注入し,脳波,脳血流量,体側血圧に及ぼす作用を調べ,各物質の作用力価を比較した.被検物質はGABA, β-ヒドロキシーGABA, β-フェニール-GABA, γ-ヒドロキ酪酸, γ-ヒドロキシ-β-アミノ酪酸, γ-アミノブチリルコリン, ホモカルノシン, カルノシン, γ-グアニジノ酪酸である.脳波変化をきたすものでは,その変化はいずれも徐波群発などの抑制作用を示した.脳波抑制作用を示したものにGABA, BH-GABA, BP-GABA, GH-BA, Carnosineがある.このうちGABAの作用が最も弱く,BH-GABA, Carnosineがこれに続ぎ,GHBAとBP-GABAが最も強い作用を示した.Homocarnosine硫酸塩とGGBA塩酸塩では逆に発作発射をきたしたが,これは塩の作用と考えられる.脳血流量の変化をきたす場合には,いずれも流量増大の傾向を示した.脳血流量増大作用を示したものにBH-GABA, BP-GABA, GHBA, Carnosineがあるが,このうちBP-GABA, GHBA, Carnosineが著明であつた.体側血圧の変化をきたす場合には,いずれも降圧的に作用した.降圧作用を示したものにGABA, GABA-Ch, Homocarnosine, Carnosine, GGBAがあるが,このうち, GABA, GABA-Chの作用が強かつた.また,GABAで脳波変化をおこす脳血中有効濃度を求めるため,GABAの各投与量に〔u-(14)C-GABA〕を加え,流出脳静脈血中の放射能を回収し,その経過図から脳血中に5mg/ml以上のGABAが存在する時間だけ脳波が抑制されることがわかつた.For the purpose to study the effects of GABA and its related compunds on EEG, cerebral blood flow and systemic blood pressures, GABA and related compounds were administered into the carotid system of perfused cat brains under a certain fixed condition and the intensity of each drug action was compared. The agents in the experiments were GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid), β-hydroxy-GABA, β-phenyl-GABA, γ-hydroxybutyric acid, γ-hydroxy-β-aminobutyric acid, γ-aminobutyrylcholine, homocarnosine and γ-guanidinobutyric acid. Those agents that induced changes in EEG all shoed inhibitory effects such as slow bursts. Those that had inhitory effect on EEG were GABA, β-hydroxy-GABA, β-phenyl-GABA, γ-hydroxy-butyric acid and carnosine. Among them GABA showed the least effect followed in ascending order by β-hydroxy-GABA, carnosine and γ-hydroxybutyric acid and β-phenyl-GABA being most potent. On the contrary, sulfate salt of homocarnosine and chloride salt of γ-guanidiobutyric acid induced transient excitatory changes, but this seemed to be the effect of salts. In the cases where changes occurred in the cerebral blood flow, there was an increasing tendency of the blood flow in every cases. Those agents that induced the increase in blood flow were β-hydroy-GABA, β-phenyl-GABA, γ-hydroxy-butric acid and carnosine, and of them such an increasing effect was marked with β-phenyl-GABA, γ-hydroxybutyric acid and carnosine. In the cases where changes were brought on the systemic blood pressures, the effect proved to be depressing in every case. The agents showing such a depressing effect were GABA, γ-aminobutyrylcholine, homocarnosine, carnosine and γ-guanidino-butyric acid. Of them the effects of GABA and γ-aminobutyrylcholine proved to be strongest

Effects of intracarotid administratraion of glutamic acid and its related compounds on the perfused cat brain

By means of brain perfusion method, for the purpose to study the effects of glutamic acid and its related amino acids on EEG, cerebral blood flow and systemic blood pressures, these amino acids were administered into the carotid system of perfused cat brains under a certain fixed condition and the intensity of each drug action was compared. The amino acids tested in the experiments were L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid, N-acetyl-DL-aspartic acid, β-hydroxy-glutamic acid, L-glutamic acid-Na, L-aspartic acid-Na, and N-acetyl-DL-aspartic acid-Ca. For EEG, acidic amino acids induce transient excitatory changes followed by inhibition. These excitatory changes prove to be low-amplitude fast waves or burst of seizures, and postexcitatory inhibition to be slow waves or flat waves. N-methyl-D-aspartic acid, even in a minimal dose, induces marked bursts of seizures followed by L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid-Na, and L-aspartic acid-Na, in their potency. Generally, N-acetyl-DL-aspartic acids show only low-amplitude fast waves but some of them do induce burst of seizures. β-Hydroxy-glutamic acid elicits only low-amplitude fast waves but never burst of seizures. N-Acetyl-DL-aspartic acid-Ca, differing from the free form, never induces excitatory changes. For the cerebral blood flow, acidic amino acids decrease the blood flow, but those that show a strong decreasing effect are N-alkyl amino acids such as N-methyl-D-aspartic acid and N-acetyl-DL-aspartic acid. On the Other hand, acidic amino acids increase the systemic blood pressure, and of them such an effect is especially marked with N-alkyl amino acid

Studies on the Heinz Body Appearance of the Erythrocytes in Schizophrenics due to the Addition of Bloodgift

1. The Heinz body formation in vitro due to the addition of hydroxylamin hydrochlorate as a blood gift was studied and compared in 71 cases of 22 normal subjects and 49 schizophrenics. 2. The mean value of erythrocytes with Heinz body formation: normal group 94‰ chronic standstill group 146‰; strong excitement and confusion group 211‰, chronic progressive group 213‰; intense deterioration group 304‰. If we suppose the mean value of normal group as 100, so the rate of every schizophrenic group is calculated as follows; chronic standstill group 155; strong excitement and confusion group 224, chronic progressive group 227: intense deterioration group 324. This fact indicates that the erythrocytes of schizophrenic patients are pathological. 3. The resistance of erythrocytes with Heinz body is weaker than that of normal. (by the Ribiere's method). 4. We found that the erythrocytes sedimentation rate in the intense deterioration group accelsrates more than in normal, and that e. s. r. has some relation to Heinz body appearance

Characteristics of Microbial Community Structure at the Seafloor Surface of the Nankai Trough

Phylogenetic analysis of bacteria and archaea on the seafloor surface of the Nankai Trough was conducted. DNA was extracted from a total of 14 samples (2 samples from 1 methane seep area and 12 samples from 12 general seafloor areas) and analyzed, targeting the 16S rRNA gene. As a result of the phylogenetic analysis of bacteria, 1 clone was found to have 96% homology with the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum, a halophilic methane-oxidizing bacterium, in a sample taken from the methane seep area. However, overall, no characteristic pattern was observed in the bacterial community structure between the methane seep area and the general seafloor. In contrast, in archaea, the genus Methanosarcina was predominantly detected in the samples from the methane seep area. Among them, many sequences that were closely related to anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea, which perform anaerobic methane oxidation, were detected