Jackie Fellows <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Sue
This is great. Saved it in my psych. folder. I would imagine if there is no
genetic link that it would likely be a teratogen. Doesn't the brain stem develop
early in the pregnancy if I remember right.
jackief
Sue Hartigan wrote:
> Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> Hi Jackie:
>
> here is something that might help.
>
> Sue
>
> [NIH Press Release]
> ---
> > NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF National Institute of Child Health and
> > HEALTH Human Development
>
> > FOR RELEASE Robin Peth-Pierce
> > Monday, November 24, 1997 (301) 496-5133
> > 9:00 AM Eastern Time
> >
> > Study Confirms Deficit in the Brainstem of SIDS Victims
> >
> > Researchers have discovered that some infants who have died of sudden
> > infant death syndrome (SIDS) show abnormalities in not just one -- but
> > two -- receptors located in an area of the brainstem thought to be
> > involved in the control of breathing, carbon dioxide sensitivity, and
> > blood pressure responses. This discovery confirms earlier evidence of
> > a similar brain abnormality in another receptor and provides
> > additional support for the theory that malfunctions in the brain
> > region known as the arcuate nucleus may be a strong factor in SIDS.
> >
> > SIDS, the sudden, unexplained death of an infant under one year of
> > age, strikes nearly 3,000 infants each year and is the leading cause
> > of death among infants one month to one year of age.
> >
> > The study, partially funded by the National Institute of Child Health
> > and Human Development (NICHD), appears in the November issue of the
> > Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.
> >
> > Specifically, researchers found a significant decrease in kainate
> > binding to kainate neurotransmitter receptors in the arcuate nucleus
> > of the brainstem in a group of SIDS infants. "Brain and nerve cells
> > communicate by means of molecules called neurotransmitters," explained
> > Dr. Hannah Kinney, study author, NICHD grantee, and researcher at
> > Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
> >
> > Neurotransmitters produced in one brain cell bind to special receptor
> > molecules on neighboring brain cells, in much the same way the key
> > fits into a lock. In the case of SIDS victims, it appears that the
> > decreased binding to the kainate receptor results in faulty
> > communication among nerve cells and may prevent infants from
> > responding to life-threatening cardiorespiratory events during sleep.
> >
> > Earlier reported findings suggested that a significant decrease in
> > binding of another receptor, the muscarinic cholinergic receptor
> > (mAChR) in the arcuate nucleus, could prevent SIDS victims from
> > responding to potentially life-threatening, but frequent events, that
> > occur during sleep. These events include responding to the rising
> > levels of carbon dioxide or decreasing levels of oxygen that might
> > occur when infants, lying face down in heavy bedding or blankets,
> > rebreathe trapped air.
> >
> > "This finding is exciting in that it confirms our earlier discovery of
> > the mAChR receptor, and strengthens the argument that a deficit in the
> > arcuate nucleus -- specifically in two receptors involved in signaling
> > neurons -- may be partially responsible for some SIDS deaths,"
> > explained Dr. Kinney.
> >
> > The kainate and muscarinic cholinergic receptors, located in the
> > arcuate nucleus on the ventral or front surface of the brainstem, are
> > thought to be directly involved in the body's ability to respond to
> > rising levels of carbon dioxide, according to experimental animal
> > studies.
> >
> > Dr. Kinney and a scientific team studied the brainstems of 79 infants
> > who had succumbed to SIDS and other causes. The scientific team
> > included Dr. J. Filiano of Children's Hospital at Dartmouth; Dr. L.
> > Sleeper of the New England Research Institutes; Dr. M. Valdes-Dapena
> > of the University of Miami; Dr. W. White of Pfizer Central Research;
> > Dr. H. Krous of San Diego Children's Hospital; and Dr. F. Mandell, L.
> > Rava, and A. Panigraphy of Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical
> > School.
> >
> > In this study, the average receptor binding in the arcuate nucleus was
> > significantly different between SIDS and the control groups. In
> > addition, the average decrease in receptor binding for SIDS, relative
> > to the control group of infants who had died suddenly from other
> > causes, is greater for the kainate receptor (52%) than the mAChR
> > receptor (27%).
> >
> > "We now have a clue about the region of the brain that is involved --
> > and that there may be a more global, neural cell defect in the arcuate
> > nucleus. We know two of the neurotransmitters involved. Our next step
> > is to find out how and why this occurs," said Kinney.
> >
> > One of the goals of this research is to eventually develop a screening
> > test to identify infants at risk or a standard of measurement of
> > kainate receptor binding that could be used for diagnosis at autopsy.
> >
> > "This finding is also extremely important for the back sleeping
> > recommendation," said Kinney. "We think this new finding fits in with
> > the rebreathing theory -- that infants sleeping in the prone (stomach)
> > position are rebreathing trapped air and, unable to sense and respond
> > to the excess carbon dioxide, die suddenly."
> >
> > In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), after reviewing
> > studies that had linked infant prone (stomach) sleeping with an
> > increased risk of SIDS, recommended that infants be placed on their
> > back or side to reduce the risk of SIDS. In 1994, the NICHD joined the
> > AAP and initiated the "Back to Sleep" campaign, which recommended
> > placing healthy infants on their backs or sides to sleep to reduce the
> > risk of SIDS.
> >
> > Prior to the "Back to Sleep" campaign, nearly 70% of babies were
> > stomach sleeping.
> >
> > "Now, only about 21% of babies are stomach sleeping -- and the SIDS
> > death rate has dropped 38% between 1992 and 1996," reported NICHD
> > Director Duane Alexander, M.D., at the AAP annual meeting in New
> > Orleans on November 4, 1997.
> >
> > The NICHD is joined by several federal agencies, including the
> > Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the AAP, the SIDS Alliance, and the
> > Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs in spreading the
> > word about the importance of back sleeping. To order "Back to Sleep"
> > materials, write to NICHD/Back to Sleep, 31 Center Drive, Room 2A32,
> > Bethesda, MD 20892-2425, or call toll-free, 1-800-505-CRIB. An
> > Internet site providing the latest campaign information is also
> > available at http://www.nih.gov/nichd.
> >
> > The NICHD is part of the National Institutes of Health, the biomedical
> > research arm of the Federal government.
>
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--
In the sociology room the children learn
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I toss and turn all night. Theresa Burns, "The Sociology Room"
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