beta-endorphin and Death--Sudden

Using male and female Wistar rats, pituitary response to cardiac and respiratory failure type (CFT and RFT) sudden death caused by the intravenous administration of KC1 and SCC, respectively, was examined by analyzing variation in pituitary immunoreactive beta-endorphin (IR-beta-EP) levels determined by radioimmunoassay after death and in circulating IR-beta-EP levels during periods of agony. In the pituitary gland of both sexes which differed significantly in ratio of the organ weight to body weight for CFT and RFT (CFT greater than RFT), IR-beta-EP was significantly less in RFT than in CFT (p less than 0.05). No variation in plasma IR-beta-EP was noted during short periods of agony in CFT, but it markedly increased during long periods of agony in RFT. The highest elevation at 2 or 4 minutes after SCC administration was about 3 times the preadministration value for IR-beta-EP in males (p less than 0.01). But elevation in females was lower than in males. Rise plasma IR-beta-EP during agony of RFT is regarded to be of pituitary origin due to dexamethasone treatment. The pituitary was thus concluded to respond more to the fatal agony in RFT than in CFT.

Topics: Animals; beta-Endorphin; Death, Sudden; Death, Sudden, Cardiac; Female; Male; Pituitary Gland; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Respiratory Insufficiency

The assessment of beta-endorphin levels in several symmetrical brain regions of seven suicides and seven sudden death controls reveals a decreased concentration in the left temporal cortex, the left frontal cortex, and the left caudate nucleus of suicides compared to controls. Moreover, the comparisons of beta-endorphin concentrations in the symmetrical brain regions reveals an asymmetrical concentration in suicides (left less than right) in frontal cortex and caudate nucleus. These data confirm previous reports of abnormalities of neurochemical pathways in the brains of suicides and suggest that suicidal behavior might be related to the lateralized mechanisms of mood control.

Topics: Adult; Aged; beta-Endorphin; Brain; Caudate Nucleus; Death, Sudden; Dominance, Cerebral; Female; Frontal Lobe; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Suicide; Temporal Lobe

By means of a specific two-site immunoradiometric assay, we explored the beta-endorphin levels in various brain regions of a patient affected by Prader-Labhart-Willi Syndrome. The rank of the beta-endorphin levels of five cerebral zones (hypothalamus, substantia grisea centralis, pons dorsalis, medulla oblongata dorsalis medialis, thalamus medialis) of the patient was homologous to that of subjects without the syndrome, except for the medulla oblongata dorsalis medialis. In patient with the Prader-Labhart-Willi Syndrome this region had a higher ranking level than in subjects without it. However, a functional meaning cannot be attributed to such difference because the patient of this study did not exhibit neurological disturbances relating to elevated beta-endorphin levels in the medullary region investigated.

Topics: Adult; beta-Endorphin; Brain; Brain Mapping; Death, Sudden; Female; Humans; Immunoradiometric Assay; Prader-Willi Syndrome