Age and sex differences in human skeletal muscle: role of reactive oxygen species.

Previous studies, conducted on experimental animals, have indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the aging process. The objective of this work was to study the relationship between oxidative damage and human skeletal muscle aging, measuring the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (total and MnSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase in the skeletal muscle of men and women in the age groups: young (17-40 years), adult (41-65 years) and aged (66-91 years). We also measured glutathione and glutathione disulfide (GSH and GSSG) levels and the redox index; lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content. Total SOD activity was lower in the 66-91 year-old vs. the 17-40 year-old men; MnSOD activity was significantly greater in 66-91 year-old vs. 17-40 year-old women. GPx activity remained unchanged. The activity of catalase was lower in adults than in young men but higher in the aged. We observed no changes in GSH levels and significantly higher GSSG levels only in aged men vs. adult men, and a significant decrease in aged women vs. aged men. The protein carbonyl content increased significantly in the 41-65 and 66-91 year-old vs. the 17-40 year-old men. Finally, young women have lower lipid peroxidation levels than young men. Significantly higher lipid peroxidation levels were observed in aged men vs. both young and adult men, and the same trend was noticed for women. We conclude that oxidative damage may play a crucial role in the decline of functional activity in human skeletal muscle with normal aging in both sexes; and that men appear to be more subject to oxidative stress than women.

Inflammatory trigeminal sensory neuropathy mimicking trigeminal neurinoma.

Idiopathic trigeminal sensory neuropathy is a benign disorder. We report two patients with transient MRI abnormalities, suggesting transient inflammation of the trigeminal nerve caused temporary facial sensory symptoms.

The danger of intracranial wood.

Peri-orbital puncture wounds by sharp wooden objects are not rare, but can be dangerous when there is intracranial penetration by and retention of the wooden foreign body. Days to years after an apparently trivial initial wounding, serious intracranial complications can occur. The authors have reviewed 42 case reports from the literature. Morbidity-defined as permanent neurologic sequelae-occurred in 74% of the cases. Intracranial suppuration was the major complication, with brain abscess having occurred in nearly one-half of the cases. Mortality occurred in 25% of 28 cases occurring in the post-antibiotic era. The qualities of wood which make it especially hazardous as a wounding agent and foreign body are discussed. The role of orbital anatomy in affording easy access to the cranial contents is described. Surgical exploration in all those cases in which there is a reasonable suspicion of intracranial injury is recommended.