Niuvanniemi Hospital

About: Niuvanniemi Hospital is a healthcare organization based out in Kuopio, Finland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Serotonin transporter & Poison control. The organization has 64 authors who have published 99 publications receiving 7106 citations.

Cloning of a novel receptor expressed in rat prostate and ovary.

Abstract: We have cloned a novel member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. The cDNA of clone 29 was isolated from a rat prostate cDNA library and it encodes a protein of 485 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 54.2 kDa. Clone 29 protein is unique in that it is highly homologous to the rat estrogen receptor (ER) protein, particularly in the DNA-binding domain (95%) and in the C-terminal ligand-binding domain (55%). Expression of clone 29 in rat tissues was investigated by in situ hybridization and prominent expression was found in prostate and ovary. In the prostate clone 29 is expressed in the epithelial cells of the secretory alveoli, whereas in the ovary the granuloma cells in primary, secondary, and mature follicles showed expression of clone 29. Saturation ligand-binding analysis of in vitro synthesized clone 29 protein revealed a single binding component for 17beta-estradiol (E2) with high affinity (Kd= 0.6 nM). In ligand-competition experiments the binding affinity decreased in the order E2 > diethylstilbestrol > estriol > estrone > 5alpha-androstane-3beta,17beta-diol >> testosterone = progesterone = corticosterone = 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol. In cotransfection experiments of Chinese hamster ovary cells with a clone 29 expression vector and an estrogen-regulated reporter gene, maximal stimulation (about 3-fold) of reporter gene activity was found during incubation with 10 nM of E2. Neither progesterone, testosterone, dexamethasone, thyroid hormone, all-trans-retinoic acid, nor 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,I7beta-diol could stimulate reporter gene activity, whereas estrone and 5alpha-androstane-3beta,17beta-diol did. We conclude that clone 29 cDNA encodes a novel rat ER, which we suggest be named rat ERbeta to distinguish it from the previously cloned ER (ERalpha) from rat uterus.

Altered striatal dopamine re-uptake site densities in habitually violent and non-violent alcoholics.

Abstract: Animal studies suggest that development of substance dependence is associated with dopaminergic activity in striatum and the limbic system. Several genetic studies indicate that allele A1 is associated with both D2 receptor density and alcoholism, although these findings have remained controversial. We studied striatal dopamine (DA) re-uptake site densities in 48 subjects (19 healthy controls, 19 habitually impulsive violent alcoholics, and 10 non-violent alcoholics) with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using iodine-123-I a belled 2β-carbomethoxy-3β (4-iodophenyl)tropane, (β-CIT) as a tracer. Blind quantitative analysis revealed that the striatal DA transporter density was markedly lower in non-violent alcoholics than in healthy controls (P < 0.001), while violent alcoholics had slightly higher DA transporter densities than controls (P < 0.10). The results indicate that both types of alcoholics have alterations in striatal dopaminergic system, though these occur in opposite directions.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in patients with very mild and mild Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are common manifestations of Alzheimer’ s disease (AD). Objective: To examine the prevalence and significance of NPS in very mild and mild AD patients with emphasis on their influence on the well-being of the patients and their caregivers. Methods: The participants were 240 patient-caregiver dyads who participated in a prospective, controlled rehabilitation study (ALSOVA). Three Quality of Life (QoL) instruments were used; generic 15D, disease-specific QoL-AD and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The disease-specific QoL-AD was both selfrated and caregiver rated. Other scales used were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), ADCS-ADL, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: NPS were present in 76.5% of patients with very mild AD (CDR 0.5) and in 84.9% of patients with mild to moderate AD (CDR 1). The most frequent symptoms were apathy, depression, irritability, and agitation. The strongest predictor of self-reported QoL-AD scores was depressive symptoms whereas functional decline and presence of NPS predicted poor caregiver ratings of patients’ QoL. However, caregiver depression also influenced significantly their ratings. Conclusion: NPS are common even in the early stages of AD. NPS were significantly associated with caregiver assessment of the patient’s QoL but not with patients’ self-assessed QoL. Depression decreases QoL, but may remain unrecognized in AD patients, emphasizing the need for careful and structured assessment of NPS before deciding on the appropriate treatment. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Regional cerebral blood flow during exposure to food in obese binge eating women

Abstract: Cerebral responses elicited by the sight of food were evaluated in eight obese binge eating, 11 obese and 12 normal-weight non-binge eating women. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was mapped while the subjects were looking at a picture of a landscape (control) or at a portion of food (food exposure), and was measured by [99mTc]ethyl-cysteine-dimer and single photon emission computed tomography. Exposure to food was associated with different changes in the cerebral blood flow (normalized to mean cerebellar counts) of the right and left hemispheres in the obese binge eating than in the obese or normal-weight non-binge eating women. As compared with the non-binge eating groups, the obese binge eating women had, due to food exposure, a greater increase in the cerebral blood flow in the left than right hemisphere, especially in the frontal and pre-frontal regions. In addition, strong linear correlations were observed in this group between the rCBF of the left frontal and pre-frontal regions and the increase in the feeling of hunger during the exposure to food. Left hemisphere and its frontal and pre-frontal regions could thus play a role in binge eating behavior in humans.