Neurochemical research
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Neurochemical research · Feb 2017
Neonatal Repeated Exposure to Isoflurane not Sevoflurane in Mice Reversibly Impaired Spatial Cognition at Juvenile-Age.
Inhalation anesthetics facilitate surgical procedures in millions of children each year. However, animal studies demonstrate that exposure to the inhalation anesthetic isoflurane may cause neuronal cell death in developing brains. The long-term cytotoxic effects of sevoflurane, the most popular pediatric anesthetic, have not been compared with isoflurane. ⋯ Repeated inhalation of isoflurane or sevoflurane caused different degrees of apoptosis and damaged hippocampal neurons in neonatal mice, particularly isoflurane. In neonatal mice, repeated exposure to isoflurane, but not sevoflurane, caused spatial cognitive impairments in juvenile mice. Our findings suggest that isoflurane induces significantly greater neurodegeneration than an equipotent minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane.
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Neurochemical research · Feb 2017
Upregulated TLR3 Promotes Neuropathic Pain by Regulating Autophagy in Rat With L5 Spinal Nerve Ligation Model.
Microglia, rapidly activated following peripheral nerve injury (PNI), accumulate within the spinal cord and adopt inflammation that contributes to development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. Microglia express functional Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which play pivotal roles in regulating inflammatory processes. However, little is known about the role of TLR3 in regulating neuropathic pain after PNI. ⋯ Poly (I:C) treatment promotes the expression of proinflammatory mediators, whereas 3-MA (a specific inhibitor of autophagy) suppresses Poly (I:C)-induced secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Autophagy inhibition further inhibits TLR3-mediated mechanical and cold hypersensitivity following SNL. These results suggest that inhibition of TLR3/autophagy signaling contributes to alleviate neurophathic pain triggered by SNL.