Autonomic Nervous System Diseases ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; physiopathology

Synapsins serve as flagships among the presynaptic proteins due to their abundance on synaptic vesicles and contribution to synaptic communication. Several studies have emphasized the importance of this multi-gene family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins in maintaining brain physiology. In the recent times, increasing evidence has established the relevance of alterations in synapsins as a major determinant in many neurological disorders. Here, we give a comprehensive description of the diverse roles of the synapsin family and the underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to several neurological disorders. These physiologically important roles of synapsins associated with neurological disorders are just beginning to be understood. A detailed understanding of the diversified expression of synapsins may serve to strategize novel therapeutic approaches for these debilitating neurological disorders.
Animals ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Synapsins ; physiology

Peripheral nerve injury frequently leads to neuropathic pain like hyperalgesia, spontaneous pain, mechanical allodynia, thermal allodynia. It is uncertain where the neuropathic pain originates and how it is transmitted to the central nervous system. This study was performed in order to determine which peripheral component may lead to the symptoms of neuropathic pain. Under halothane anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neuropathic surgery by tightly ligating and cutting the tibial and sural nerves and leaving the common peroneal nerve intact. Behavioral tests for mechanical allodynia, thermal allodynia, and spontaneous pain were performed for 2 weeks postoperatively. Subsequently, second operation was performed as follows: in experiment 1, the neuroma was removed; in experiment 2, the dorsal roots of the L4-L6 spinal segments were cut; in experiment 3, the dorsal roots of the L2-L6 spinal segments were cut. Behavioral tests were performed for 4 weeks after the second operation. Following the removal of the neuroma, neuropathic pain remained in experiment 1. After the cutting of the L4-L6 or L2-L6 dorsal roots, neuropathic pain was reduced in experiments 2 and 3. The most remarkable relief was seen after the cutting of the L2-L6 dorsal roots in experiment 3. According to the fact that the sciatic nerve is composed of the L4-L6 spinal nerves and the femoral nerve is composed of the L2-L4 spinal nerves, neuropathic pain is transmitted to the central nervous system via not only the injured nerves but also adjacent intact nerves. These results also suggest that the dorsal root ganglion is very important in the development of neuropathic pain syndrome.
Animal ; Ganglia, Spinal/physiopathology ; Male ; Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology* ; Nervous System Diseases/complications ; Pain/physiopathology* ; Pain/etiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Nerve Roots/physiopathology ; Spinal Nerves/physiopathology

A wide variety of neurologic complications associated with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) infection result from HIV-1 itself or secondarily related to immunosuppression. In Korea, the number of HIV-1 seropositive populations is increasing, but little has been known about the neurologic complications of HIV-1 infection. To investigate the neurologic complications in HIV-1 infected Korean patients, we performed a cross-sectional study in consecutive admissions to the Seoul National University Hospital between March 1998 and June 1999. Thirty-four HIV-1 seropositive patients were included. As a result, a total of 26 HIV-1 related neurologic complications were identified from 17 patients. Among them, 10 patients showed cognitive/motor abnormalities: 3 HIV-1-associated dementia and 7 possible HIV-1-associated minor cognitive/motor disorder. Neuromuscular complications were found in 10 patients: 9 distal symmetric polyneuropathy, and 1 possible chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. In 3 patients with focal brain lesions, 2 were presumptively diagnosed as having primary CNS lymphoma, and 1 as having progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in the posterior fossa, based on history, clinical findings, serology, radiological appearances, and response to empirical therapy. Other complications included cryptococcal meningitis and only soft neurologic signs without any neurologic disease. Most of these complications (88%) occurred in the advanced stage of infection.
Adult ; Brain/pathology ; HIV Infections/complications* ; HIV Seropositivity ; HIV-1* ; Human ; Korea ; Male ; Nervous System Diseases/etiology* ; Nervous System Diseases/pathology ; Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Meridians ; Muscles ; physiopathology ; Nervous System Diseases ; physiopathology ; therapy

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are increasingly implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The brain is the body's highest energy consumer, and the glutathione system is the brain's dominant free radical scavenger. In the current paper, we review the evidence of central and peripheral nervous system anomalies in the oxidative defences of individuals with schizophrenia, principally involving the glutathione system. This is reflected by evidence of the manifold consequences of oxidative stress that include lipid peroxidation, protein carboxylation, DNA damage and apoptosis - all potentially part of the process of neuroprogression in the disorder. Importantly, oxidative stress is amenable to intervention. We consider the clinical potential of some possible interventions that help reduce oxidative stress, via augmentation of the glutathione system, particularly N-acetyl cysteine. We argue that a better understanding of the mechanisms and pathways underlying oxidative stress will assist in developing the therapeutic potential of this area.
Acetylcysteine ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Nervous System ; physiopathology ; Oxidative Stress ; Schizophrenia ; physiopathology

Adult ; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Biopsy ; adverse effects ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Vagus Nerve ; physiopathology ; Vasomotor System ; physiopathology

Autonomic Nervous System ; physiopathology ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; therapy ; Cardiovascular System ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; therapy ; Humans

Microglia are resident macrophages of central nervous system (CNS), and thus act as the crucial stuff of immune response and play very important roles in the progress of various CNS diseases. There are two different polarization statuses of activated microglia, M1 and M2 phenotypes. M1 polarized microglia are important for eradicating bacterial and promoting inflammation, whereas M2 cells are characterized by anti-inflammation and tissue remodeling. Recently, more and more evidence indicated that different polarized microglia showed diverse microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles. MiRNAs regulate microglia polarization, and thus affect the progress of CNS diseases. Fully exploring the polarization status of microglia during CNS diseases and the role of miRNAs in microglia polarization will be very helpful for a deep understanding of the roles of microglia in immunopathologic mechanism of different CNS diseases and offer the theoretical foundation of searching more effective therapies for these disorders.
Central Nervous System Diseases ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Macrophages ; physiology ; MicroRNAs ; physiology ; Microglia ; physiology

Carbon Monoxide ; physiology ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases ; physiopathology ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology