phosphorus-radioisotopes and Epilepsy

There is increasing evidence for a dysfunctional metabolic network in human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). To further describe this, we evaluated the bioenergetic status in unilateral MTLE inter-regionally and in relation to neuropathology.. We used whole brain high field (4 T) 31P MR spectroscopic imaging to determine in vivo PCr and ATP, studying n=22 patients (all candidates for hippocampal resection) and n=14 control volunteers. The degree of bioenergetic impairment was assessed by calculating the ratio of PCr to ATP.. Compared to controls, patients demonstrated significant decreases in PCr/ATP from the ipsilateral amygdala and pes (0.84 +/- 0.14, 0.87 +/- 0.10, respectively, patients vs 0.97 +/- 0.15, 0.98 +/- 0.16, controls). In patients, the ipsilateral thalamic energetics positively correlated with contralateral hippocampal energetics. In addition, the ipsilateral thalamic and striatal energetics negatively correlated with hippocampal total glial counts.. These data are consistent with a view that in MTLE, the bilateral hippocampi, ipsilateral thalamus and striatum are linked in their energetic depression, possibly reflecting the propagation of seizures throughout the brain.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Adolescent; Adult; Brain Chemistry; Case-Control Studies; Corpus Striatum; Epilepsy; Female; Hippocampus; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Male; Middle Aged; Phosphocreatine; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Thalamus

DNA from human brain tumor samples was analysed by the 32P-postlabeling technique for the presence of aromatic DNA adducts. Thirteen out of 16 samples showed low levels of adducts at 0.14-3.53 adducts per 10(9) nucleotides. Inter-individual variations in the patterns of these aromatic adducts were observed. On the other hand, none of 5 brain samples from epilepsy patients revealed any evidence of such adducts. The data demonstrated the presence of low level, large molecule aromatic DNA adducts in malignant brain tissues and these adducts may either result from environmental exposure to an undetermined genotoxic agent or from the aging process.

Topics: Adenoma; Adult; Aged; Brain Chemistry; Brain Neoplasms; Carcinogens; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; DNA Damage; DNA, Neoplasm; Epilepsy; Female; Glioma; Humans; Male; Meningioma; Middle Aged; Neurilemmoma; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Pituitary Neoplasms; Polycyclic Compounds

Because brain inositides are enriched in the 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl species, they form a likely source for the tetraenoic free fatty acids (FFA) and diacylglycerols (DG) that are accumulated during seizures. To study inositide turnover during bicuculline-induced seizures, rats were injected intraventricularly and bilaterally with 10-20 microCi 32P, mechanically ventilated and sacrificed by 6.5 KW head-focused microwave irradiation. Seizure activity was recorded by electroencephalography. Bicuculline-induced seizure activity resulted in: a) almost 50% increase in 32P labeling of phosphatidic acid (PA); phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) also increased (24% and 36%, respectively); b) no change in other lipids; and c) water-soluble phosphodiesteratic degradation products, analyzed by high voltage paper electrophoresis, increased 24% in the amount of radiotracer recovered as inositol 1,4-bisphosphate (IP2) and by 44% in the amount recovered as inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). These data indicate that during experimental status epilepticus the cerebral inositide cycle is accelerated: PIP2----(IP3----IP2----IP----I) + DG----PA----PI----PIP----PIP2.

Topics: Animals; Bicuculline; Brain; Diglycerides; Epilepsy; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Male; Phosphatidic Acids; Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate; Phosphatidylinositols; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Tissue Distribution

Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Adenosine; Adenosine Triphosphate; Animals; Blood Pressure; Brain Chemistry; Caffeine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; NAD; Niacinamide; Norepinephrine; Phosphocreatine; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Time Factors

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contains two groups of proteins that bind tightly to DNA and to polyriboguanylic acid, respectively. In certain diseases the amounts of a given nucleic acid bound by a constant volume of CSF may increase, while in others the amount of such proteins may be reduced. Binding of polyriboguanylic acid increased in CSF samples from patients with brain tumors, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and communicating hydrocephalus, but it significantly decreased in CSF samples from patients with obstructive hydrocephalus. These increases may or may not be proportional to the rise in total CSF proteins characteristic for these diseases. Elevated binding of DNA was observed in samples from patients with hydrocephalus, epilepsy, and cortical atrophy. The technique described may be applicable to the diagnosis of a variety of diseases of the central nervous system.

Topics: Alcoholism; Astrocytoma; Brain Diseases; Brain Injuries; Brain Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Child, Preschool; DNA; Epilepsy; Female; Guanine Nucleotides; Headache; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Meningioma; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis; Neurilemmoma; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Polynucleotides; Protein Binding; Schizophrenia; Tritium