scholarly journals Intact Sympathetic Nervous System Is Required for Leptin Effects on Resting Metabolic Rate in People with Spinal Cord Injury

2003 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 402-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Y. Jeon ◽  
Robert D. Steadward ◽  
Garry D. Wheeler ◽  
Gordon Bell ◽  
Linda McCargar ◽  
...  
2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W Teasell ◽  
J Malcolm O Arnold

The pathophysiology of the pain associated with complex regional pain syndrome, spinal cord injury and diabetic peripheral neuropathy is not known. The pain of complex regional pain syndrome has often been attributed to abnormal sympathetic nervous system activity based on the presence of vasomotor instability and a frequently reported positive response, albeit a temporary response, to sympathetic blockade. In contrast, the pain below the level of spinal cord injury and diabetic peripheral neuropathy are generally seen as deafferentation phenomena. Each of these pain states has been associated with abnormal sympathetic nervous system function and increased peripheral alpha-1 adrenoceptor activity. This increased responsiveness may be a consequence of alpha-1 adrenoceptor postsynaptic hypersensitivity, or alpha-2 adrenoceptor presynaptic dysfunction with diminished noradrenaline reuptake, increased concentrations of noradrenaline in the synaptic cleft and increased stimulation of otherwise normal alpha-1 adrenoceptors. Plausible mechanisms based on animal research by which alpha-1 adrenoceptor hyperresponsiveness can lead to chronic neuropathic-like pain have been reported. This raises the intriguing possibility that sympathetic nervous system dysfunction may be an important factor in the generation of pain in many neuropathic pain states. Although results to date have been mixed, there may be a greater role for new drugs which target peripheral alpha-2 adrenoceptors (agonists) or alpha-1 adrenoceptors (antagonists).


2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (3) ◽  
pp. E634-E640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Y. Jeon ◽  
Vicki J. Harber ◽  
Robert D. Steadward

We studied plasma leptin levels in six people with high-lesion spinal cord injury [SCI; body mass index (BMI) 25.9 ± 1.5 kg/m2, age 37 ± 3.0 yr] and six able-bodied (AB) controls (BMI 29.1 ± 1.9 kg/m2, age 35 ± 3.5 yr) before and after 12, 24, and 36 h of fasting. The plasma leptin levels significantly decreased during 36 h fasting by 48.8 ± 4.5% (pre: 11.3 ± 2.3, post: 6.2 ± 1.5 ng/ml) and 38.6 ± 7.9% (pre: 7.6 ± 5.0, post: 4.2 ± 1.0 ng/ml) in SCI and AB, respectively. Plasma leptin started to decrease at 24 h of fasting in the SCI group, whereas plasma leptin started to decrease at 12 h of fasting in the AB group. The current study demonstrated that plasma leptin decreased with fasting in both SCI and AB groups, with the leptin decrease being delayed in the SCI group. The delayed leptin response to fasting in the SCI group may be because of increased fat mass (%body fat, SCI: 33.8 ± 3.0, AB: 24.1 ± 2.9) and sympathetic nervous system dysfunction.


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