PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Delirium mouse model helps researchers understand the condition's causes

2012-05-02
(Press-News.org) A new mouse model of delirium developed by Wellcome Trust researchers has provided an important insight into the mechanisms underlying the condition, bringing together two theories as to its causes. Details of the research are published today in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Delirium is a profound state of mental confusion which can include hallucinations and severe mood swings. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, one in ten hospital patients will experience a period of delirium.

Dr Colm Cunningham, a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin explains: "Delirium is an extremely common condition, particularly amongst the elderly, and it is extremely distressing both for the individuals themselves and for their families. The long-term outcomes for these individuals are often poor. Yet we know very little about its underlying mechanisms and have very few animal models with which to study the condition."

Delirium can arise in many situations, for example, as a result of infection or after surgery. This has led to the "neuroinflammatory hypothesis", which proposes that systemic inflammation arising in the body as a result of infection or injury induces inflammation in the brain, causing a disturbance of brain function. Delirium can also arise as the result of changes in medication, particularly those medications targeting a chemical known as acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that allows signals to be transmitted between nerve cells and is thought to be involved in learning, memory, and mood. The 'cholinergic hypothesis' of delirium suggests that the condition results from decreased action of this chemical, whether resulting from the loss of brain cells that normally synthesize this chemical, the cholinergic cells, or other acute disruptions of its release or action, such as anticholinergic medication.

Dr Cunningham and colleagues have now published findings that for the first time begin to reconcile these 'cholinergic' and 'neuroinflammatory" hypotheses.

The researchers developed a mouse model of the condition and showed that systemic inflammation triggers a robust disturbance of short-term memory, one of the key symptoms of delirium, but only in animals that have already lost cholinergic cells. Importantly, neither inflammation nor cholinergic cell loss individually were sufficient to cause this disturbance.

"Our work shows that both inflammation and prior damage to the cholinergic cells can combine to produce the delirium-like state," adds Dr Cunningham. "We also found that the effects could be partially reversed by treatment with donepezil, a drug that slows the breakdown of acetylcholine and is used to treat mild cases of Alzheimer's. However, this approach may only be effective in those patients with this vulnerability in the cholinergic system."

The research has been welcomed by Professor Alasdair MacLullich, Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and President of the European Delirium Association. "Delirium causes enormous suffering and costs billions of pounds, but it is hardly researched and there are no treatments. Dr Cunningham's exciting study provides critical new knowledge on the mechanisms explaining how two causes of delirium well known to clinicians, cholinergic deficiency and inflammation, may combine to produce this devastating syndrome. This is an important step forward and takes the field closer to developing drug treatments."

Dr John Williams, Head of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the Wellcome Trust said: "Understanding the brain is one of the Trust's five strategic priorities. "Animal models are essential in helping us understand how disease occurs in humans and how it may be treated. Dr Cunningham's work provides us with one of the surprisingly few models for delirium and should help further our understanding of this distressing and yet very common condition."

INFORMATION:

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Let Orange County Pest Control Services Prevent Problems Before They Start

2012-05-02
If you have ever had a pest problem in your house, you know what it feels like to have the sanctity and privacy of your home violated. Whether the pest is something small like a cockroach, or invasive like a colony of rats, you know how uncomfortable it feels to have unwanted visitors in your home. As well, a lot of people are under the mistaken impression that if they have pests in their home, they have done something wrong or they must live in a bad area. This is simply not the case. Pests, even those as nasty as rats and mice, are in the circle of life and they will ...

Insulin resistance, inflammation and a muscle-saving protein

2012-05-02
In the online May 2 issue of the journal Cell Metabolism, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine publish three distinct articles exploring: the complex interactions of lipids and inflammation in insulin resistance the roles of omega 3 fatty acids and a particular gene in fighting inflammation how elevated levels of a particular protein might delay the muscle-destroying effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions around the world, fueled in large part by the equally alarming expansion ...

New study identifies how information technology is used to solve global health challenges

2012-05-02
WASHINGTON, DC (MAY 1, 2012) – In response to the considerable challenges in providing high-quality, affordable and universally accessible care in low- and middle-income countries, policy makers, donors and program implementers are increasingly looking at the potential of e-health and m-health (the use of information communication technology for health) as a solution. Today, Results for Development Institute published a study in the May 1 issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization demonstrating that information technology is being increasingly employed to ...

Pass your CPA Exam the first time with new product from Fast Forward Academy

2012-05-02
Becoming an accountant in this, or any, economy is a very good career option. That's because no matter what the economic cycle, if you have the credentials required to be a Certified Public Accountant—a passing score on the CPA Exam — you will always have a stable and secure way to earn a living. That being said, there are four components to the CPA exam. That's essentially four CPA exams to study for in order to become a Certified Public Accountant. The exams are not easy to pass. In fact, in 2011 the nationwide CPA exam statistics showed that the pass rate was around ...

APBI associated with more mastectomies, toxicities, complications, compared to traditional radiation

APBI associated with more mastectomies, toxicities, complications, compared to traditional radiation
2012-05-02
Houston, TX - Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) brachytherapy, the localized form of radiation therapy growing increasingly popular as a treatment choice for women with early-stage breast cancer, is associated with higher rate of later mastectomy, increased radiation-related toxicities and post-operative complications, compared to traditional whole breast irradiation (WBI), according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The retrospective study, appears in the current issue of JAMA; it was first presented in the CTRC-AACR San ...

House Of Area Rugs Makes Available A Wide Range Of Unique Oriental Rugs

2012-05-02
House of Area Rugs features a wide range of oriental rugs to its clients who are in search of unique pieces of decorative items for home and interior decoration. The company offers these diverse items with the purpose of providing clients with a sundry of choices to fit every preference and requirement that every home or interior can possibly need. Made from the finest fibers and created using exceptional methods, the Oriental floor coverings offered by the supplier are poles apart from the rugs manufactured in most other places. The in-house expert at House of Area ...

HP Certified Repair Center Performs In The Dakotas

2012-05-02
Connecting Point Computer Center is an HP certified repair center with 5 convenient locations in North Dakota and South Dakota. Their highly trained technicians are available to support businesses and educational institutions with all of their Hewlett Packard hardware, services, and upgrades in their HP repair center. The HP certified repair center is just a small part of the complete range of state-of-the-art computer services offered at Connecting Point Computer Center in the Dakotas. As an HP certified repair center, Connecting Point has highly trained technicians ...

Researchers at Hebrew University identify genetic systems disrupted in autistic brain

Researchers at Hebrew University identify genetic systems disrupted in autistic brain
2012-05-02
Jerusalem, April 30, 2012 -- Autism has a strong genetic basis, but so far efforts to identify the responsible genes have had mixed results. The reason for this is that autism is influenced by many different genes, and different genes are involved in different individuals, making it hard to find the common genetic ground between patients. Now, research conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has shown that despite this fact, the different genes involved in autism tend to be involved in specific processes in the brain. This can explain, on the one hand, similarities ...

Broadcast2world, A One Stop Solution For Internet Marketing Videos

2012-05-02
Internet has today made the world grow smaller, we no longer hear of people relying on snail mails or waiting endlessly to receive, send or share anything. It has overtaken almost all the mediums which were there since ages to communicate things between two persons or entities. Being one stop solution to everyone's marketing needs, Internet marketing videos are the latest rage. Short, crisp, convincing and engaging are some of the features that are making them a big hit. They can advertise and promote a product or service at the click of a mouse and make traffic flow ...

New H.264 IP Decoder/Encoder Modules From MEL Secure Systems

2012-05-02
MEL Secure Systems, the leading developer of surveillance and security solutions, has launched a new set of H.264 IP decoder/encoder modules. Fitted inside existing camera housings or externally mounted, they extend the functionality of existing analogue CCTV cameras by enabling them to transmit images over IP networks in a wide range of surveillance applications. The new H.264 IP decoder/encoder modules enable system integrators, installers and end users to extend the operational life of existing analogue CCTV cameras by integrating them into the new generation of IP ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Intra-arterial tenecteplase for acute stroke after successful endovascular therapy

Study reveals beneficial microbes that can sustain yields in unfertilized fields

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

Climate change cuts milk production, even when farmers cool their cows

Frozen, but not sealed: Arctic Ocean remained open to life during ice ages

Some like it cold: Cryorhodopsins

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

T cells take aim at Chikungunya virus

[Press-News.org] Delirium mouse model helps researchers understand the condition's causes