Epidemiology of congenital malformations of the central nervous system in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Scotland

1974 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dugald Baird

SummaryThe incidence of anencephalus and other malformations of the central nervous system (CNS) is much higher in the United Kingdom than in other countries of Western Europe which were not industrialized to the same extent. In the UK the incidence is highest in the unskilled manual occupational group, especially in the large cities of the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Standards of living have been low in these areas for many years and deteriorated sharply at the time of the worldwide industrial depression from 1928 to 1934. The population tended to be stunted in stature and to show other signs of chronic malnutrition.The cohort of women born in these years had an unusually high stillbirth rate from anencephalus (and from all other CNS malformations) from about 1946 onwards. It was highest in the early 1960s when these women were at the peak of their reproductive activity. This suggests that the severe malnutrition to which they were subjected before and soon after birth resulted in severe damage, which reduced their reproductive efficiency as demonstrated by the unusually high perinatal death rate from all CNS malformations. Not surprisingly the death rate rose sooner, lasted longer and reached a higher level in social classes IV and V than in social classes I and II. Other evidence of damage was an increase in the incidence of low birth weight babies with a corresponding increase in the perinatal death rate from this cause.In Scotland the stillbirth rate from anencephalus was approximately 2·1 per 1000 in 1948–49, 3·4 at its highest point between 1961 and 1963 and 2·1 in 1968, by which time the women born in the years of the depression had completed their childbearing. A teratogen acting during a particular period of time could not provide a satisfactory explanation for this sequence of events.

1997 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Manfrè ◽  
A. Banco ◽  
M. Accardi ◽  
V. D'Antonio ◽  
A. Caronia ◽  
...  

As for all the central nervous system (CNS) defects, the severity of eye malformations is related to the time a teratogenic factor occurs: the earlier the insult, the more serious the eye abnormalities are. Magnetic resonance imaging perfectly depicts most eye defects. Considering that several CNS malformations have been described to occur simultaneously in the case of eye abnormalities, MRI is considered the imaging modality of choice nowadays.


Author(s):  
Doreen E. Ashhurst ◽  
M. Berry

Regeneration of axons in the mammalian CNS appears to be limited to a small group of unmyelinated fibres; the majority of axons are unable to grow across a lesion. Despite much work, the mechanism by which the growth of these axons is inhibited, is not understood. A mature, fully healed lesion is filled by collagenous tissue and bordered by the foot processes of astrocytes. Little is known of the early stages in the healing of a lesion, and since it was considered that the sequence of events in the days immediately following injury might be of special significance in determining whether the regenerating axons cross the lesion, this study was initiated.Lesions made with a knife were placed stereotactically in the left cerebral hemisphere of 30-day-old Wistar rats of either sex. After periods of 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 30 days, the brains were perfused first with 20% and then 5% glutaraldehyde in 0. 1M phosphate buffer, pH 7. 2 containing 0. 05M sucrose.


1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth B Goldstein

Among serious fetal anomalies currently detectable with ultrasound, defects of the central nervous system (CNS) are among the most common. These congenital anomalies are especially likely to burden not only affected children with severely limiting handicaps, but also their families with long-lasting anguish and financial responsibility. It is appropriate that interest in methods for improving prenatal detection of these abnormalities has intensified. Alphafetoprotein screening programmes are now widely available, and many papers have been written describing useful sonographic observations that enhance prenatal diagnosis. As a consequence, the majority of the most common serious neural axis defects including fetal hydrocephalus, anencephaly, myelomeningocele and encephalocele, previously detected almost exclusively at birth, today can be accurately detected prenatally. A few observations in the fetal brain and spine have proven to be especially useful in this task. This article presents a simplified and effective approach to the general sonographic survey of the neural axis in fetuses at average and increased risk for these anomalies. The aim is to improve not only accuracy of diagnosis of CNS malformations, but the efficiency and confidence of the examiner.


Author(s):  
Gladys Harrison

With the advent of the space age and the need to determine the requirements for a space cabin atmosphere, oxygen effects came into increased importance, even though these effects have been the subject of continuous research for many years. In fact, Priestly initiated oxygen research when in 1775 he published his results of isolating oxygen and described the effects of breathing it on himself and two mice, the only creatures to have had the “privilege” of breathing this “pure air”.Early studies had demonstrated the central nervous system effects at pressures above one atmosphere. Light microscopy revealed extensive damage to the lungs at one atmosphere. These changes which included perivascular and peribronchial edema, focal hemorrhage, rupture of the alveolar septa, and widespread edema, resulted in death of the animal in less than one week. The severity of the symptoms differed between species and was age dependent, with young animals being more resistant.


Author(s):  
John L.Beggs ◽  
John D. Waggener ◽  
Wanda Miller ◽  
Jane Watkins

Studies using mesenteric and ear chamber preparations have shown that interendothelial junctions provide the route for neutrophil emigration during inflammation. The term emigration refers to the passage of white blood cells across the endothelium from the vascular lumen. Although the precise pathway of transendo- thelial emigration in the central nervous system (CNS) has not been resolved, the presence of different physiological and morphological (tight junctions) properties of CNS endothelium may dictate alternate emigration pathways.To study neutrophil emigration in the CNS, we induced meningitis in guinea pigs by intracisternal injection of E. coli bacteria.In this model, leptomeningeal inflammation is well developed by 3 hr. After 3 1/2 hr, animals were sacrificed by arterial perfusion with 3% phosphate buffered glutaraldehyde. Tissues from brain and spinal cord were post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in alcohols and propylene oxide, and embedded in Epon. Thin serial sections were cut with diamond knives and examined in a Philips 300 electron microscope.


Author(s):  
Ezzatollah Keyhani

Acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) (ACHE) has been localized at cholinergic junctions both in the central nervous system and at the periphery and it functions in neurotransmission. ACHE was also found in other tissues without involvement in neurotransmission, but exhibiting the common property of transporting water and ions. This communication describes intracellular ACHE in mammalian bone marrow and its secretion into the extracellular medium.


Author(s):  
S.S. Spicer ◽  
B.A. Schulte

Generation of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against tissue antigens has yielded several (VC1.1, HNK- 1, L2, 4F4 and anti-leu 7) which recognize the unique sugar epitope, glucuronyl 3-sulfate (Glc A3- SO4). In the central nervous system, these MAbs have demonstrated Glc A3-SO4 at the surface of neurons in the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum, the retina and other widespread regions of the brain.Here we describe the distribution of Glc A3-SO4 in the peripheral nervous system as determined by immunostaining with a MAb (VC 1.1) developed against antigen in the cat visual cortex. Outside the central nervous system, immunoreactivity was observed only in peripheral terminals of selected sensory nerves conducting transduction signals for touch, hearing, balance and taste. On the glassy membrane of the sinus hair in murine nasal skin, just deep to the ringwurt, VC 1.1 delineated an intensely stained, plaque-like area (Fig. 1). This previously unrecognized structure of the nasal vibrissae presumably serves as a tactile end organ and to our knowledge is not demonstrable by means other than its selective immunopositivity with VC1.1 and its appearance as a densely fibrillar area in H&E stained sections.


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