Effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (liquid ecstasy) on the eye development of the chick embryo

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a precursorto gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), wasinitially employed as an anesthetic. As a relativelynovel drug, few people are aware of itsharmful effects and few studies have beenundertaken to investigate its long-term effectsor its action on developing tissues.We performed an experimental study onthe action of GHB on the developing eye, anorgan very closely related to the developmentof the CNS. Chick embryos were treated with20% or 30% dilutions of 100 ìl GHB at 7(30-31 HH) and 11 (37 HH) days of incubation(i.e., two doses per group), and the effectswere observed at 21 days of incubation (45HH). An ophthalmologic ultrasonographydevice (Hondex A/B SCAN IS-500) was usedto measure different eye parameters (cornealthickness; posterior surface of cornea – anteriorsurface of lens; anteroposterior diameter oflens; anteroposterior diameter of eye).We observed significant differencesbetween the treated and control groups asregards the thickness of the cornea and lens,and in the anteroposterior diameter of the eye.The present results demonstrate a possibleeffect of GHB on development (AU)

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Effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (liquid ecstasy) on the development of the chick cranium

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a precursorto gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), is currentlyone of the widest used drugs of abuse, with devastating effects. GHB produces a transient rise in the concentration of dopamine in the brain, inducing a stimulating effect. However, GHB can produce hallucinations, delirium, somnolence, hypotonia, confusion, and loss of balance. There may besubsequent progression to coma, with severerespiratory alterations due to CNS depression.The effects of GHB on humans are unpredictable,and its impact on the embryo and fetus is completely unknown. The purpose of our study was to contribute experimental data regarding the effects of GHB on development.Groups of chick embryos received 100 ìl ofGHB at dilutions of either 20% (GHB-A) or 30% (GHB-B) at 7 or 11 days of incubation,a further group serving as controls. After hatching, different cranial measurements were made using a Mitutoyo 500-331 series slidegauge in order to investigate possible effects ofthe drug on cranial development. At both doses studied, GHB significantly altered the transverse and vertical cranial measurements in comparison with vehicletreatedcontrols, suggesting a possible harmful effect on cranial development (AU)

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Efectos de los campos magnéticos de baja y extremadamente baja frecuencia sobre el desarrollo del globo ocular en el embrión de pollo / Effects of low and extremely low-frequency magnetic fields on eye development in chick embryo

Introducción: Realizamos un estudio experimental sobre los efectos que pueden provocar los CEM (campos electromagnéticos) en el desarrollo del globo ocular. Material y método: Montamos dos bobinas de Heltmholtz (generador CEM homogéneo) entre las cuales colocamos la incubadora (Masalles 65). El material biológico de estudio es el embrión de Gallus Domesticus, expuesto a los CEM, los 21 días de incubación. Hacemos tres experiencias con sus correspondientes grupos controles con 1 microtesla de intensidad y frecuencias de 30, 50 y 100 Hz, haciendo extracciones en los días 15 y 21 de incubación. Resultados: Los resultados significativos a los 15 días de incubación son: aumentos del grosor cornea en tratados con 30-50 Hz; distancia cara posterior cornea y cara anterior cristalino en tratados con 100 Hz; grosor cristalino en tratados con 50-100 Hz.E l eje antero posterior globo ocular se encuentra disminuido en tratados con 100 Hz. Los extraídos en día 21, disminuyen de manera significativa: grosor de cornea en tratados con 30 Hz; distancia cornea cristalino en tratados con 50 Hz; y grosor cristalino en tratados con 30 Hz. Mientras que el eje antero posterior globo ocular es significativamente mayor en tratados con 30 Hz(AU)

Ultrasound analysis of the eye of chick embryos exposed to low-frequency magnetic fields / Análisis ultrasonográfico del ojo de embriones de pollo expuestos a campos magnéticos de baja frecuencia

Ultrasonography was used to measure different ocular parameters in chick embryos exposed to low-frequency (50Hz) magnetic fields with flow intensities of 1 ?T, 0.1 mT, 0.5 mT, or 1 mT throughout their incubation. In comparison with unexposed control embryos, a significant reduction was observed in corneal thickness and in the anteroposterior diameter of the lens at 21 days of incubation (hatching) during exposure to the highest intensities (0.5 mT and 1 mT). By contrast, there was an increase in the anteroposterior diameter of the anterior eye chamber in embryos exposed to the lower magnetic field intensities (1 ?T and 0.1 mT). The anteroposterior diameter of the eye was smaller at 21 days of incubation in all the embryos exposed to magnetic fields as compared with the controls. The anteroposterior diameter of the lens was significantly smaller in embryos exposed to intensities of 0.5 mT and 1 mT in comparison with the controls (AU)

En nuestro estudio, se han usado medios ecográficos para medir diferentes parámetros oculares en embriones sometidos a campos magnéticos de baja frecuencia (50 Hz) con intensidades de 1mT, 0.1mT, 0.5mT, ó 1mT durante su incubación. Al comparar con embriones controles no expuestos se observó una reducción significativa en el grosor corneal y en el diámetro anteroposterior del cristalino en el día 21 de incubación en los embriones expuestos a las intensidades más altas (0.5mT y 1mT). Sin embargo, hubo un incremento en el diámetro anteroposterior de la cámara anterior del ojo en los embriones expuestos a las intensidades más bajas (1mT y 0.1mT). Observamos que el diámetro anteroposterior del ojo era menor a los 21 días de incubación en todos los embriones expuestos a campos magnéticos al compararlos con los controles. El diámetro anteroposterior del cristalino fue significativamente más pequeño en los embriones expuestos a intensidades de 0.5mT y 1mT con respecto a los controles (AU)

Transient localization of 5-HT1A receptors in human cerebellum during development.

The appearance and distribution of 5-HT1A receptors in the human cerebellum during the ontogenetic development was studied in samples from a group of fetal, neonatal and adult cases, by means of quantitative autoradiography and membrane binding. [3H]8-OH-DPAT was used as a ligand. High densities of 5-HT1A receptors were found during the fetal and neonatal stages over the whole cerebellar cortex, with a slight predominance in the external part, in a band which included the molecular layer. In contrast, the adult cerebellum was nearly devoid of such sites. This finding supports a role for 5-HT1A receptors in the regulation of development in the human cerebellum.