(C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background/Aims: Expression of dynorphin, an endogenous opioid peptide, increases with age and has been associated with cognitive AZD6094 deficits in rodents. Elevated dynorphin levels have been reported in postmortem samples from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, and prodynorphin (PDYN) gene polymorphisnns might be linked to cognitive function in the elderly. Activation of kappa-opioid receptors by dynorphins has been associated with stress-related memory impairments.

Interestingly, these peptides can also modulate glutamate neurotransmission and may affect synaptic plasticity underlying memory formation. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazol-propionate (AMPA) ionotropic glutamate receptor levels generally decrease with aging, and their function is impaired in AD. Methods: Here, we compared the impact of aging on ionotropic glutamate receptor levels in the hippocampal formation of wild-type (WT) and Pdyn knock-out (KO) mice. Results: We observed a significant reduction in GluR1 and GluR2 AMPA receptor subunits in the hippocampal formation of 18- to 25-month-old

WT mice in comparison with 6-month-old mice. Conversely, the GluR1 protein level was maintained in old Pdyn KO mice, and the NMDA NR2B subunit level was increased by 42% when compared to old WT animals. Conclusions: These results suggest that elevated dynorphin expression occurring during aging and AD may mediate cognitive

deficits by altering JQ1 datasheet the glutamatergic system integrity. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Objective: To demonstrate and quantify the learning curve for microsurgical excision of vestibular schwannoma in a newly formed neurootologic team by using the cumulative summation test for learning curve (LC-CUSUM). To secondarily identify the factors influencing postoperative facial nerve outcome.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Patients: Between 1999 and 2011, 153 consecutive cases of vestibular schwannoma excision.

Intervention: β-Nicotinamide One-hundred and fifty-three patients underwent excision of vestibular schwannoma.

Main Outcome Measures: Facial nerve outcomes were assessed using the House-Brackmann (HB) facial nerve grading system. Postoperative facial nerve outcomes at 12 months were analyzed using the LC-CUSUM method with HB Grades I to III being defined as successful outcomes. The factors that influence postoperative facial nerve outcome were analyzed.

Results: The constructed learning curve shows a gradual improvement in facial nerve outcomes. The learning curve crossed the derived LC-CUSUM barrier at the 56th procedure, indicating that sufficient evidence had accumulated to demonstrate that the surgeon had achieved optimal outcomes at this point. Tumor size (p = 0.008) and surgical approach (p = 0.005) were 2 additional significant factors influencing postoperative facial nerve outcome.