Detection of pia2 gene polymorphism in glycoprotein III in patients with :migraine

Glycoprotein lila CGP lila) is a platelet membrane receptor. which when activated leads to platelet adhesion. Platelet alloantigen <P1Al is normally represented on the GPIIIa of human platelet membrane in the more common homozygous allelic state CP1A1/A1l. or the rarer polymorphic state CP1A1/A2l. The . later polymorphism P1A1/A2 polymorphic state renders the platelet hyperadhesive leading to increased incidence of coronary events and possibly migraine as well. Migraine is also a disorder wherein platelet hyperadhesion and serotonin release have been observed. Migraine is a common headache disorder exhibiting a prevalence of 9% in the Malaysian population. This study was designed to identify the prevalence of the homozygous CP1A1/A1l and the polymorphic CP1A1/A2) state in the population at Kelantan and to determine whether the polymorphic state CP1A1/A2l is more common in our migraine patients. So far no work has been published from Malaysia on this subject. A case control study was conducted between September 2004 and October 2005. eightv (80) patien(s who fulfilled the International Headache Society (IHSl criteria for migraine with or without aura. and a group of eighty healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. The P1A1/A2 genotype pattern of all these 160 individuals was analysed by polymerase chain reaction CPCRl using the Allele Specific Oligonucleotide CASO) technique and the results compared with the nigraine symptoms in the patients concerned. ·It was found that 77 (of the 80) controls and 76 (of the 80lcases with migraine possess the homozygous (P1A1/P1A1l configuration. indicating that in the population here the homozygous state is more common (i.e present in 153 out of 160 individulas studied). Secondly. the occurrence of the P1A1/A2 polymorohism in only four (of the 80) migraine cases and also three (of the 80) controls suggest that the polymorphic CP1A 1/A2) state is not more frequent in the migraine cases. Thirdly. of the four cases positive for P1A1/A2 polymorphism three had classical visual aura (75%). Earlier studies have reported that migraine with aura has an increased familial incidence when compared with migraine without aura suggesting that migraine with aura could well be related to the inheritance of this P1A1/A2 polymorphism state. Although our findings do not totally support the hypothesis that the P1A2 polymorphism represents an added inherited platet risk factor for migraine or even migraine with aura. further searches for such a factor are clearly warrwnted. because of the familial aggregation of migraine headache cases. Thus this preliminary study shows that P1A1/A2 polymorphic state on the GPIIIa platelet membrane receptor does not increase the risk of inheriting migraine. However if present it is more likely to manifest as migraine with aura in the migraineurs with this polymorphism

Effects of chronic hypoxia on semaphorin class 3 expressions in human hippocampal neurons and astrocytes

Bram requires a continuous supply or oxygen to perform its normal function. Being the largest consumer of oxygen, 1t tS especially sensitive to hypo•ia. a condition in vmich bram receives reduced oxygen Several studies have shown that InJUry to the brain due to loss of oxygen triggers memory loss and causes teaming and memory deficits. Despite many animal studies reported that hypoxia caused neuronal damage in hippocampus which could deficrts learning and memory, but the exact damage caused by chron1c hypoYta on human hippocampal astrocyte has not been analysed yet Our a•m for thiS study ts to understand the cnaractenzation of human hippocampal astrocyte rollovmlg chronk: hypoxia exposure and how the changes varied accordillQ to dtfferent concentration level of oxygen. For the laboratory work. we were using human hippocampal astrocytes cell line and also hypoKia chamber in mimicking the hypoxic condition. Based on lhe preliminary screenmg. almost 80% or cell death occurred after 20 min or hypoxia eKposure at 3% Oxygen and 60% cell death occurred m 15 min of 3% Oxygen. From the data gained. 15 minutes was chosen as the time point and the celJs were exposed to different oxygen percentage (15%. 10%. 5% and 3%). Analysis from Trypan blue viab~ity assay showed abolrt 15% of cells were dead 111 15% oxygen. 25% dead cells m10% oxygen, 48% dead cells in S% oxygen and 65% dead cells in 3% oxygen. For the immunofluorescence Assay, a rel~able marker GFAP was used m order to portray the architecture and morphology of astrocytes cells. Ruorescence scannmg microscope revealed a filamentous and clear nuclear appearance in a control. In contrast. the rupture nudet along with no rigid structure of cell were dtsplayed in chronic hypoKia group, the 3% oxygen eKposure. The control and hypoxia cells also were stained with !he Allnexin V FfTC and then observed under a fluorescence microscope. Cultured astrocytes after hypoxia showed higher expression of nuclei but not in control. Merged between PI and FITC dearly showed the differences of nude1 expression between the control and hypoxia exposed group. Along Wtth that. the HIF-1 sta1ning 'l'r.lS performed to confirm the cell death due to hypoxia e)(posure. Based on the fluorescence microscope viewed. there are dramatiC eKpression of HIF-1 was dl$played in exposed astrocyte cells com;lare to the rorrtrol. For the molecular analysis, we chose several genes such as GAPDH. GFAP. HIF-1a and Bcl2 and ran RT-PCR. General v1ew of human hippocampal astrOC)'1e genomic response to hypoxia was obtained. Key words: Hypox1a. human hlppocarnpal astrocytes. oxygen percentage. cell viability. morphological changes. FITC Annexln V sta1mng. GFAP mal1<er, HIF-1a. GAPDH, Bcl2

Human Brain Anatomy: Prospective, Microgravity, Hemispheric Brain Specialisation and Death of a Person

Central nervous system seems to float inside a craniospinal space despite having miniscule amount of CSF. This buoyancy environment seems to have been existing since embryogenesis. This indicates central nervous system always need microgravity environment to function optimally. Presence of buoyancy also causes major flexure to occur at midbrain level and this deep bending area of the brain, better known as greater limbic system seems to regulate brain functions and site for cortical brainwave origin. These special features have made it as a possible site for seat of human soul and form a crucial part in discussion related to death. Besides exploring deep anatomical areas of the brain, superficial cortical areas were also studied. The brainwaves of thirteen clinical patients were analysed. Topographical, equivalent current dipoles and spectral analysis for somatosensory, motor, auditory, visual and language evoked magnetic fields were performed. Data were further analysed using matrix laboratory method for bilateral hemispheric activity and specialization. The results disclosed silent word and picture naming were bilaterally represented, but stronger responses were in the left frontal lobe and in the right parieto-temporal lobes respectively. The sensorimotor responses also showed bilateral hemispheric responses, but stronger in the contralateral hemisphere to the induced sensation or movements. For auditory-visual brainwave responses, bilateral activities were again observed, but their lateralization was mild and could be in any hemisphere. The conclusions drawn from this study are brainwaves associated with cognitive-language, sensorimotor and auditory-visual functions are represented in both hemispheres; and they are efficiently integrated via commissure systems, resulting in one hemispheric specialization. Therefore, this chapter covers superficial, integrative and deep parts of human brain anatomy with emphasis on brainwaves, brain functions, seat of human soul and death

Clinical Study and Molecular Genetic Analyses of Malaysian GEFS+ Patients

Generalized epilepsy with febrile seizure plus (GEFS+) is a familial epilepsy syndrome characterized by phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Neuronal voltage gated sodium channel &#x3b1;-1 subunit gene, SCN1A is the most clinically relevant and associated with GEFS+. The objective was to study the clinical presentations of GEFS+ and analyze the SCN1A gene associated with Malaysian GEFS+ patients. Blood samples were collected from 30 unrelated GEFS+ patients and genomic DNA was obtained using the Qiagen DNA Blood Mini Kit following the manufacturer&#x2019;s instructions. The 26 exons of SCN1A genes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC). The aberrant profile peak from DHPLC analysis was confirmed by direct sequencing. The spectrum of phenotypes observed in Malaysian GEFS+ patients included febrile seizure (FS), febrile seizure plus (FS+) and afebrile generalized tonic clonic seizure (AGTCS). Direct sequencing of SCN1A revealed seven sequence variants including one novel SCN1A mutation that was associated with GEFS+. This suggests that mutation of the SCN1A gene is one of the prevalent causes of GEFS+ in Malaysia

Assessing neuroplasticity using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in patient with left-temporo-parietal pilocytic astrocytomas treated with endoscopic surgery

Neuroplasticity has been subjected to a great deal of research in the last century. Recently, significant emphasis has been placed on the global effect of localized plastic changes throughout the central nervous system, and on how these changes integrate in a pathological context. The present study aimed to demonstrate the functional cortical reorganization before and after surgery using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in a participant with brain tumor. Results of Visual Evoked Magnetic Field (VEF) based on functional MEG study revealed significantly different of MEG N100 waveforms before and after surgery. Larger and additional new locations for visual activation areas after the surgery were found suggesting neuroplasticity. The present study highlight a physiological plasticity in a teenage brain and the alterations regarding neural plasticity and network remodeling described in pathological contexts in higher-order visual association areas

Quality of life of epilepsy patients with obstructive sleep apnea in Malaysia

After that patients were assessed again with QOLIE-31 questionnaires. In our study, the frequency of OSA was positively associated with age. Seizure worry was significantly more in epilepsy patients with OSA compared to those without OSA.( p value &lt; 0.005) and quality of life scores were lower in this group with high sezure worry. There were significant differences (, p value &lt; 0.005) in medication effects, cognitive functioning, overall quality of life and seizure worry. We conclude that patients with epilepsy and OSA may have frequently seizure attack or severe seizure which influences their QoL and this situation improved with treatment of OSA using CPAP