Secondary cerebral edema regulation is of prognostic significance in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cerebral edema. The traditional Japanese herbal medicine Goreisan relieves brain edema in adults; however, its effect and pharmacological mechanism in children are unknown. We investigated the effects of Goreisan on HIE-associated brain edema and AQP4 expression in a juvenile rat model, established by combined occlusion of middle cerebral and common carotid arteries. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the lesion areas were significantly smaller in the Goreisan- (2 g/kg) treated group than in the nontreated (saline) group at 24 and 48 h postoperatively. AQP4 mRNA levels in the lesion and nonlesion sides were significantly suppressed in the Goreisan group compared with the nontreated group 36 h postoperatively. Western blotting revealed that levels of AQP4 protein were significantly decreased in the Goreisan group compared with the nontreated group in the lesion side 72 h postoperatively, but not at 12 or 36 h. After 14 days, the Goreisan group had a significantly better survival rate. These findings suggest that Goreisan suppresses brain edema in HIE and improves survival in juvenile rats, possibly via regulation of AQP4 expression and function.
It remains unclear whether prolonged febrile seizures (pFS) in childhood facilitate mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) in adulthood. Interleukin (IL)-1β is associated with seizures in children and immature animal models. Here, we use a rat model of pFS to study the effects of IL-1β on adult epileptogenesis, hippocampal damage, and cognition. We produced prolonged hyperthermia-induced seizures on postnatal days (P) 10-11 and administered IL-1β or saline intranasally immediately after the seizures. Motor and cognitive functions were assessed at P85 using rotarod and passive avoidance tests. Electroencephalogram recordings were conducted at P90 and P120. Hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons and gliosis were quantified at the end of the experiment. Spontaneous seizure incidence was significantly greater in rats that had received IL-1β than in those that had received saline or those without hyperthermia-induced seizures (p < 0.05). Seizure frequency did not differ significantly between the three groups and no motor deficits were observed. Passive avoidance learning was impaired in rats that received IL-1β compared with controls (p < 0.05), but was not different from that in rats that received saline. Hippocampal cell numbers and gliosis did not differ between the three groups. These results indicate that neuronal loss and gliosis are not prerequisites for the epileptogenic process that follows pFS. Our results suggest that infantile pFS combined with IL-1β overproduction can enhance adulthood epileptogenesis, and might contribute to the development of MTLE.
The relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and intracerebral hemorrhage remains unclear. We herein report a case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia complicated by multiple simultaneous intracerebral hemorrhages (MSICH). The patient died eight days after the episode of MSICH. No apparent coagulopathy was observed; however, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and anticoagulation might have caused the occurrence of MSICH. Laboratory findings showed hypercoagulability, suggesting that thrombotic etiologies, such as sinus thrombosis or cerebral infarction, might also have caused MSICH. MSICH can occur as a fatal complication of COVID-19, and this should be considered when providing treatment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.