RESUMO
The use of lithium is well established in bipolar disorders and the benefits are being demonstrated in neurodegenerative disorders. Recently, our group showed that treatment with microdose lithium stabilized the cognitive deficits observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. In order to verify the lithium microdose potential in preventing the disease development, the aim of this work was to verify the effects of chronic treatment with microdose lithium given before and after the appearance of symptoms in a mouse model of a disease similar to AD. Transgenic mice (Cg-Tg(PDGFB-APPSwInd)20Lms/2J) and their non-transgenic litter mate genetic controls were treated with lithium carbonate (0.25mg/Kg/day in drinking water) for 16 or 8 months starting at two and ten months of age, respectively [corrected]. Similar groups were treated with water. At the end of treatments, both lithium treated transgenic groups and non-transgenic mice showed no memory disruption, different from what was observed in the water treated transgenic group. Transgenic mice treated with lithium since two months of age showed decreased number of senile plaques, no neuronal loss in cortex and hippocampus and increased BDNF density in cortex, when compared to non-treated transgenic mice. It is suitable to conclude that these data support the use of microdose lithium in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease, once the neurohistopathological characteristics of the disease were modified and the memory of transgenic animals was maintained.
Assuntos
Doença de Alzheimer/tratamento farmacológico , Amnésia/prevenção & controle , Transtornos Cognitivos/prevenção & controle , Carbonato de Lítio/farmacologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Placa Amiloide/prevenção & controle , Administração Oral , Doença de Alzheimer/genética , Doença de Alzheimer/patologia , Doença de Alzheimer/fisiopatologia , Amnésia/genética , Amnésia/patologia , Amnésia/fisiopatologia , Animais , Aprendizagem da Esquiva/efeitos dos fármacos , Fator Neurotrófico Derivado do Encéfalo/genética , Fator Neurotrófico Derivado do Encéfalo/metabolismo , Córtex Cerebral/efeitos dos fármacos , Córtex Cerebral/patologia , Córtex Cerebral/fisiopatologia , Transtornos Cognitivos/genética , Transtornos Cognitivos/patologia , Transtornos Cognitivos/fisiopatologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Esquema de Medicação , Expressão Gênica , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/patologia , Hipocampo/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Locomoção/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Aprendizagem em Labirinto/efeitos dos fármacos , Memória/fisiologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Transgênicos , Placa Amiloide/genética , Placa Amiloide/patologia , Placa Amiloide/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of death among patients with cirrhosis. Therefore, a focal hepatic lesion in a patient with cirrhosis must always be investigated for its high risk of cancer. However, when hepatic lesions in an imaging exam do not present the typical characteristics of a malignant or a benignant tumor, diagnosis may be a challenge. The biopsy can be used in these circumstances, but, as shown by this case, even that can be misleading. A 54-year-old male patient with cirrhosis presented with abdominal pain, jaundice, nausea and vomits. He performed a biopsy at another service, with the result being focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). He presented adequate hepatic function, and alpha-fetoprotein level was 6.4. Upon first consultation, we required the slides to be brought to our service and reviewed. Our revision also showed no signs of malignancy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large hepatic tumor in segments V and VI, predominantly exofitic, with a central scar. The tumor was surgically removed, and its dimensions were 14 × 10 × 9 cm. Microscopic examination revealed an HCC. Even though histological diagnosis was not necessary to indicate surgery, due to its exofitic nature and adequate hepatic function, we discuss the diagnostic characteristics of both HCC and FNH that could help other medical groups in cases where the position of a liver tumor could make the decision to operate more difficult.
