Neurotoxicology
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3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride (DOI) are hallucinogenic amphetamines with addictive properties. The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory and seems particularly vulnerable to amphetamine's neurotoxicity. We evaluated the neurotoxicity of DOI and MDMA in primary neuronal cultures of hippocampus obtained from Wistar rat embryos (E-17 to E-19). ⋯ Pre-treatment with an antibody raised against the 5-HT(2A)-receptor (an irreversible antagonist) greatly attenuated neuronal death promoted by 48 h exposure to DOI or MDMA. In conclusion, hallucinogenic amphetamines promoted programmed neuronal death involving both the mitochondria machinery and the extrinsic cell death key regulators. Death was dependent, at least in part, on the stimulation of the 5-HT(2A)-receptors.
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While the impact of active maternal smoking during pregnancy on child health has been well investigated, the association between maternal passive smoking, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), or second-hand smoke, and behavioral development of offspring is less clear. This study examines the association between maternal ETS exposure during pregnancy and child behavior problems. ⋯ This study suggests that maternal ETS exposure during pregnancy may impact child behavioral development, particularly externalizing behaviors.
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Cytisine (CYT), one of the principal bioactive components derived from the seeds of Cytisus laborinum L, has been widely used for central nervous system (CNS) diseases treatment. The present study investigated the protective effect of CYT on cultured cortical neural injury induced by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA). ⋯ Furthermore, CYT significantly reversed the up-regulation of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors by exposure to NMDA, but it did not affect the level of GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors. These findings suggest that CYT protects cortical neurons, at least partially, by inhibiting the level of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors and regulating Bcl-2 family.
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Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by an initial injury due to stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain infection, or febrile seizures causing status epilepticus (SE). This phenomenon precedes recurrent (secondary) seizures, the latent period (period without seizures) and downstream appearance of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). Epilepsy inducers include the organophosphorous (OP) compounds modified as chemical warfare nerve agents, such as soman. ⋯ The soman seizure model is an important model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and comparable in certain respects with well studied models in the literature such as pilocarpine and kainic acid. All these models together allow for a greater understanding of the different mechanisms of seizure induction, propagation and options for treatment. These studies are very necessary for current military and civilian treatment regimens, against OP nerve agent exposure, which fail to prevent SE resulting in severe neuropathology and epilepsy.
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Dental amalgam is approximately 50% metallic mercury and releases mercury vapor into the oral cavity, where it is inhaled and absorbed. Maternal amalgams expose the developing fetus to mercury vapor. Mercury vapor can be toxic, but uncertainty remains whether prenatal amalgam exposure is associated with neurodevelopmental consequences in offspring. ⋯ We found no evidence of an association between our primary exposure metric, amalgam surfaces, and neurodevelopmental endpoints. Secondary analyses using occlusal points supported these findings, but suggested the possibility of an adverse association with the MDI for girls at 9 months. Given the continued widespread use of dental amalgam, we believe additional prospective studies to clarify this issue are a priority.