Yasuya Kubota

Bio: Yasuya Kubota is an academic researcher from Tokyo Medical and Dental University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Fibrinolysis & Airway. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 11 publications receiving 48 citations.

Relationship between subjective pain estimation and somatosensory evoked potentials by electrical tooth stimulation.

Abstract: The relationship between the amplitude of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and the subjective pain estimation using a visual analogue scale (VAS) was examined in 8 volunteers undergoing randomized electrical tooth stimulation with 3 different intensities. Randomized stimulation was used instead of repetitive stimulation with a fixed intensity in order to minimize the phenomena of habituation and expectancy in recording the SEP and VAS. The VAS scores increased significantly with the stimulus intensity. The amplitude with a latency between 160 and 300 msec (N160-P300) showed a significant increase with the increased intensity. But the amplitudes between 60 and 110 msec (N60-P110) and between 110 and 160 msec (P110-N160) showed no significant change. There was a significant correlation between the amplitude of N160-P300 and the VAS scores. These findings indicate that the component between 160 and 300 msec reflects the perceived pain intensity and the psychological evaluation processes such as cognition, meaning, interpretation and appreciation of pain. The method of randomized stimulation can serve as a simple and useful way for the objective or subjective pain estimation.

Effects of acupuncture anesthesia on the pituitary gland.

Abstract: The skin pain threshold was elevated significantly by weak and nonstressful acupuncture stimulation. Although an analgesic effect was obtained by acupuncture stimulation, the beta-E, ACTH, GH and TSH levels were not changed. These findings indicate that these hormone levels were not necessarily related to the skin pain threshold elevation. It is concluded therefore that an analgesic effect was induced without involving the pituitary gland by the weak acupuncture stimulation employed in our study. However, the magnitude of the stimulation may determine whether or not an analgesic effect is mediated by the pituitary gland. The possibility remains that strong acupuncture stimulation produces stress-induced analgesia (SIA). Further detailed research should be attempted.

Malignant hyperthermia and muscular dystrophies.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Patients with muscular dystrophy have been reported to experience a variety of life-threatening complications during and after general anesthesia. We performed a systematic analysis to define the spectrum of anesthetic-related complications in patients with muscular dystrophy, with an emp

Duchenne muscular dystrophy: an old anesthesia problem revisited

Abstract: Patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy suffer from a progressive deterioration in muscle secondary to a defect in the dystrophin gene. As such, they are susceptible to perioperative respiratory, cardiac and other complications, such as rhabdomyolysis. Inhalational anesthetic agents have been implicated as a cause of acute rhabdomyolysis that can resemble malignant hyperthermia (MH). This article reviews perioperative 'MH-like' reactions reported in muscular dystrophy patients and groups them into three categories according to clinical presentation. The etiology and underlying pathophysiological process responsible for these reactions is discussed and recommendations are proposed for the safe anesthetic management of these patients.

Biological mechanisms of acupuncture.

Abstract: This chapter begins by briefly placing modem acupuncture in an historical context. This leads, in the following section, to a discussion of some technical difficulties and limitations of experimental paradigms for the study of the clinical efficacy of acupuncture. Then, in order to provide a background for understanding the biological underpinnings of the clinical effects of acupuncture, it undertakes a brief review of selected aspects of the literature concerned with the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment modality for various medical ailments. The discussion of biological mechanisms involved in acupuncture discusses on the analgesic effects of acupuncture, because little is known about the biological foundation of other acupuncture effects. The analysis of acupuncture analgesia examines the data from both man and other animals. The data from man is restricted primarily to evidence indicating a role for endogenous opioids, and these data are assessed in detail. There is also extensive evidence for a role of endogenous opioids in animal models of acupuncture analgesia. These data are discussed as well as data indicating a role for additional neural mechanisms.

Human brain measures of clinical pain: a review I. Topographic mappings

Abstract: This paper (Parts I and II) reviews the measures employed in studying the brain neurophysiological activities of clinical pain. In Part II, these measures include the imaging and measurement of brain blood flow and hemodynamics in various regions of the brain, the scanning of gross and fine brain structures by computerized axial tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, and the imaging and measurement of brain metabolic changes, energy uptake, and receptors bindings through positron emission tomography or single-photon emission computerized tomography. Molecular chemical transformation by the nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of tissue changes and analgesic-receptor interactions is also noted. Most studies of the cerebral measures of traumatic and pathophysiological pain reported in the literature are concerned with headache. The relationships of brain activities among sensory processes of nociception, subjective experience of pain intensity and quality, emotional reaction, and cognitive coping often are complex and not well elucidated in man. Although significant changes in the cerebral physiological parameters are frequently reported in pain patients, the specificity and sensitivity of these measures as objective markers for human pain, reviewed from Part I and Part II together, has not yet been conclusively defined. Also, normative data basis and criteria for classifying abnormality of these brain measures must be established and their validity and reliability be carefully examined so that they can be confidently applied in diagnosis and management of clinical pain. Nevertheless, advancement on measurement of temporal dynamics in 3-D topographic mapping of cortical activities and source localization modeling, together with tomographic imaging of neurochemical metabolisms in the brain will further our scientific understanding of cerebral pain mechanisms. A window on the brain of human pain is being opened.