[Resting-state functional magnetic resonance study of the brain's network of the temporal lobe epilepsy patients with depression].

OBJECTIVE: To study brain networks of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to investigate whether TLE brain dysfunction have an impact on depression, using resting state functional magnetic resonance (RS-fMRI) detection technology. METHODS: A total of 18 patients with TLE were included in this study. According to Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton's Depression Scale (HAMD)-17 score, we divided them into two groups: depression group 9 cases, non-depression group 9 cases. All patients underwent 3.0T MRI , RS-fMRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) examinations and then the results were analyzed. RESULTS: Disease course of depression group was longer than non-depression group and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). RS-fMRI examination showed that depression group had more active brain areas and more extral temporal active areas than non-depression group (P<0.05). By compared with the non-depression group, we found more strong active brain areas including thalamus, and the default-mode network which involved in prefrontal cortex, precuneus, ventral anterior cingulate and hippocampus. We found the NAA and NAA/Cho+ Cr of the hippocampus which were ipsilateral to the advantage discharge side were decreased in 5/9 cases with depression in MRS and 3/5 cases had hippocampal atrophy, while the non-depression group had no obvious abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The brain default-mode network activity in TLE patients with depression is increased and there is more extral temporal activation than the non-depression group; furthermore abnormal hippocampus structure is more common in depression group, which suggests that epileptic brain dysfunction may affect the development of depression.

[Direct detection of oxygen free radicals produced by myocardial reperfusion using electron spin resonance spectroscopy].

There is a growing evidence for the role of oxygen free radicals (OFR) in mediating myocardial tissue injury during myocardial ischemia and particularly during reperfusion. But almost all of the evidence was indirect, using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, we have directly measured OFR generated in ischemic and reperfused isolated rabbit hearts. 17 hearts were rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen after their arrest by cardioplegic solution and sampled after 150 min of sustained hypothermic global ischemia or after reperfusion. The ESR spectra obtained from experiment have directly demonstrated that OFR is produced in significant amounts in the isolated rabbit hearts during early stage of reperfusion but only small amount during ischemia. The mitochondrial electron transport chain appeared to be the main source of OFR. We found that superoxide dismutase scavenged OFR generated during reperfusion efficiently, but catalase did not. We believe that superoxide anion, not hydroxyl radical, is the main OFR which is responsible for myocardial reperfusion injury. We also found that Salvia, a traditional Chinese medicine, a very efficient OFR scavenger, had the similar effect as superoxide dismutase.