Light Microscopic Evaluation of Acute and Chronic Hypophyseal Endocrinopathy in a Kaolin-Induced Hydrocephalus Model

AIM: To demonstrate progression of acute and chronic endocrinopathies in a kaolin-induced hydrocephalus model using light microscopy. MATERIAL and METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 48) were divided into six groups. Hydrocephalus was induced by intracisternal injection of kaolin solution in the acute and chronic kaolin groups, whereas an identical volume of sterile saline was injected into the sham groups. RESULTS: Somatotropic cell concentrations were lower in the kaolin groups compared with their controls, but there was no difference in somatotropic cell concentration between the acute and chronic kaolin groups. Corticotropic cell concentrations were higher in the acute kaolin and sham groups compared with acute controls. Thyrotropic cell numbers were higher in the acute sham and kaolin groups compared with their controls, and although thyrotropic cell concentations were higher in the acute kaolin group than the acute sham group. No differences were observed between the acute and chronic controls and sham and kaolin groups regarding mammotropicand gonadototropic cell concentations. CONCLUSION: Somatotropic cells are most affected by hydrocephalus that causes pituitary dysfunction, and this effect was more prominent under acute and chronic phases.Turkish Neurosurgical SocietyPreparation for publication of this article is partly supported by Turkish Neurosurgical Society

Vagal Nerve Stimulation Effects On Generalized-Partial Seizures And Medication In Adult Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Patients

AIM: The aim of this study was to find out if vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) affect the generalized-partial seizure count and medical treatment in adult drug resistant epilepsy patients. MATERIAL and METHODS: Twenty adult patients who were diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy were investigated retrospectively for vagal nerve stimulator implantation between 2001 and 2010 at the Neurosurgery Departments of Ufuk University and Gulhane Military Medical Academy. The effects of vagal nerve stimulation on generalized-partial seizures and medical treatment was scored and if a significant difference was found, a comparison was made by Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test and Pairwise. For all the group analyses, the statistical significant rank was accepted as a p value <0.05. Bonferroni correction was made when it was needed during pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: VNS significantly decreased the scores of generalized-partial seizures. There was no decrease in the doses of anti epileptic drugs and the medical treatment was resumed as before the implantation. The results were correlated with the relevant literature. CONCLUSION: VNS is an alternative treatment option for drug resistant epilepsy for patients who are not ideal candidates for surgery or are not healed after epilepsy surgery.WoSScopu

Effect of intermittent hypoxia on the cardiac HIF-1/VEGF pathway in experimental type 1 diabetes mellitus

Conclusion: The IH treatment restored the diabetic effects on the heart by reducing tissue injury and increasing the capillarity without transcriptional changes in HIF-1/VEGF correspondingly