cosyntropin and Brain-Diseases

Pachymeningitis of unknown origin is uncommon and is usually associated with headaches, cranial nerve lesions and cerebellar ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging is particularly contributive to diagnosis. The default diagnosis must however be confirmed by brain biopsy. Treatment is not well defined. Basically, corticosteroid therapy, or immunosuppressive therapy in case of failure, is known to have little effect on the brain lesion. We report here a case characterized by headache associated with partial regression of the radiographic lesions.

Topics: Biopsy; Brain; Brain Diseases; Cosyntropin; Diagnosis, Differential; Electroencephalography; Female; Glucocorticoids; Headache; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Prednisolone

Permanent effects of ACTH1-24 on the developing rat brain were investigated. Rats were injected with 20 IU/kg of ACTH1-24 daily for 4 weeks starting at two days of age. Brain weight, protein, DNA and RNA contents, contents of monoamines and their metabolites, 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase and glutamic acid decarboxylase activities were measured at 24 h and 8 weeks after the last injection. There were no significant changes in these indicators compared to saline-injected controls. These results suggest that chronic treatment with ACTH1-24 does not permanently damage the developing rat brain.

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Biogenic Amines; Brain; Brain Chemistry; Brain Diseases; Cosyntropin; DNA; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; RNA