State-dependent modulation of positive and negative affective valences by a parabrachial nucleus-to-ventral tegmental area pathway in mice

Appropriately responding to various sensory signals in the environment is essential for animal survival. Accordingly, animal behaviors are closely related to external and internal states, which include the positive and negative emotional values of sensory signals triggered by environmental factors. While the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) plays a key role in nociception and supports negative valences, it also transmits signals including positive valences. However, the downstream neuronal mechanisms of positive and negative valences have not been fully explored. In the present study, we investigated the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a projection target for LPB neurons. Optogenetic activation of LPB-VTA terminals in male mice elicits positive reinforcement in an operant task and induces both avoidance and attraction in a place-conditioning task. Inhibition of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65-expressing cells in the VTA promotes avoidance behavior induced by photoactivation of the LPB-VTA pathway. These findings indicate that the LPB-VTA pathway is one of the LPB outputs for the transmission of positive and negative valence signals, at least in part, with GABAergic modification in VTA

硝子体手術後に眼底所見および視力が著明に改善したARMDの1例

雑誌掲載

【眼科検査法-最近の進歩】 眼循環 レーザードプラー血流計

出版社

眼科検診における手持ち式オートレフラクトケラトメーターの有用性

雑誌掲載版集団検診受診者222名412眼(0歳から84歳(平均58.6歳))に対してニコン社製の手持ち式オートレフラクトケラトメーター「レチノマックスKプラス」と据置式オートレフラクトケラトメーターによって測定した屈折度と角膜曲率半径を比較検討した.レチノマックスKプラスは,強度近視においてやや低近視側に測定される傾向にあるが,据置式とほぼ同等の値が得られ,又,角膜曲率半径もほぼ同等の値が得られた.集団検診の視力検査,屈折異常に対するスクリーニングに有用な検査機器であると思われ

Exhaled nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism in Japanese asthmatics

Background: Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by inflammatory cytokines and iNOS activity in bronchial epithelial cells is a major determinant of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of iNOS promoter gene polymorphisms and FeNO levels in Japanese asthmatics before the introduction of asthma treatment. Methods: Asthmatics were recruited from Fukushima Medical University Hospital. Genotyping of the pentanucleotide repeat (CCTTT)n and seven previously detected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the iNOS promoter lesion was performed. The relationships between the genotypes and FeNO levels before the introduction of asthma treatment were compared. Results: In 91 asthmatics, the number of microsatellite repeats ranged from 9 to 20 and showed a bimodal distribution. According to this distribution, asthmatics were divided into two groups: genotypes with at least one long allele with more than 14 repeats (L/s or L/L) and genotypes with both short alleles with 14 or fewer repeats (s/s). No significant differences were observed in each parameter between the two groups. The mean FeNO level before treatment was significantly higher in the L/s or L/L subjects than in the s/s subjects. After treatment, the lowest FeNO level did not differ between the two groups. Three SNPs detected in the Japanese subjects were not associated with FeNO levels. Conclusions: The number of CCTTT repeats in the iNOS promoter region was associated with FeNO levels in asthmatics before treatment, suggesting the importance of iNOS genotype in the clinical application of FeNO for asthmatics

網膜厚解析装置による黄斑部網膜厚測定の再現性

雑誌掲載版2名の検者がRetina Mapを用いて,正常人7名14眼の黄斑部の網膜厚を各眼2回測定した.中心窩を囲む600×600μmの範囲の平均を黄斑部網膜厚とし,同一検者内又は検者間の測定値の差の絶対値を,測定値の平均値で除した商を再現性の指標とした.黄斑部網膜厚は138〜235μmであり,平均189μmであった.各検者における網膜厚測定値の再現性は,それぞれ9.9±1.6%, 11.1±2.4%(平均値±標準誤差)であり,両者に有意差はなかった.又,検者間の測定値の再現性は10.6±2.3%であった.本装置は黄斑部網膜厚の解析に有用であ

網膜動脈分枝閉塞症の網膜厚と網膜感度の変化

雑誌掲載版網膜動脈分枝閉塞症の一症例(55歳男)において,網膜浮腫が改善していく経過をHRTにより網膜厚を定量的に測定することで観察し,同時に病変部の視野検査をSLO動的微小視野検査で行い,絶対暗点の境界を眼底所見上で明らかにすることができた.このように,形態評価と機能評価を同時に行い,その経時的変化を評価することができた.これらの諸検査は病態の把握に有用であ

黄斑疾患 黄斑疾患に対する新しい検査法―診断と治療への応用―

黄斑疾患に対する新しい検査法に関し,診断と治療への応用に力点をおいて述べた.黄斑部の形態検査として,網膜厚と網膜の微細構造をretinal thickness analyzer,Heidelberg retina tomograph,optical coherence tomographyの3機種を用いて検討した.又,scanning laser ophthalmoscopeを用い,黄斑部における硝子体と網膜表層から深層迄の観察が可能なことを示した.黄斑部の機能検査としては,脈絡膜血流量,黄斑周囲の網膜血流量,中心窩脈絡毛細管板の血流量の測定を行った.黄斑浮腫の発症に血液網膜柵の障害が関与しているかを検討する為には,differential fluorophotometryを新しく開発した.治療法については,黄斑部光凝固法,黄斑変性に対する新しい治療法(光線力学療法),硝子体手術シミュレーションシステムについて述べ