Structure diseases associated with disorders

Human brains show symmetrical necrotic lesions most consistently in the mammillary bodies but also in the periaqueductal midbrain, thalamus, and along the floor of the fourth ventricle. These are the lesions of the acute disease, not necessarily associated with disordered memory. The changes in patients from the Korsakoff end of the spectrum differ by virtue of consistent involvement of the diencephalon, particularly the medial dorsal nucleus of the thalamus. This structural lesion, rather than a reversible biochemical process, appears to be responsible for the memory loss. Thus, patients with third ventricular tumors, resection of inferomed-ial portions of the temporal lobes, or sequelae of herpes encephalitis may demonstrate classical signs of Korsakoff s psychosis (Victor et al., 1971). 

The neuropeptide Y (NPY) belongs to a family of peptides that includes peptide YY and pancreatic polypeptide, and it is associated with several diseases such as asthma, immune system disorders, inflammatory diseases, anxiety, depression and diabetes mellitus. NPY is found in the central and peripheral nervous system, and its biological functions are mediated by interactions with five receptor sub-types, i.e. Yl, Y2, Y4, Y5 and Y6. Several studies indicate that the feeding behavior is influenced by interactions between NPY and Yl and Y5. Deswal and Roy used Cerius descriptors and genetic function approximation QSAR to investigate the structural determinants for the inhibition potency of 24 compounds with the general structure 4 for the NPY Y5 receptor [31]. The best QSAR (H = 0.720,... 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that interferes with the normal functions of the colon. At various points in the past, IBS has been referred to as mucous colitis, spastic colon, irritable colon, or nervous stomach. IBS is generally described as afunctional disorder rather than a disease per se. A functional disorder involves symptoms that cannot be attributed to a specific injury, infection, or other physical problem. A functional disorder occurs because of altered physiologic processes rather than structural or biochemical defects and may be subject to nervous system influence. IBS is associated with frequent fluctuation in symptoms, loss of productivity, and decreased quality of life. Although IBS has been referred to as functional bowel disease, true functional bowel disease may be more indicative of widespread gastrointestinal involvement including (but not limited to) the colon. 

Furthermore, the presence of CB1 in the structures and pathways associated with the pathophysiology of Tourette s syndrome, and especially the functional link between CB1 and Di, D2, also argues that the endocannabinoid system may have some involvement in this disorder as well (Consroe, 1998). In addition, it has been suggested that activation of CB1 receptors, also owing to their link with the dopaminergic system, may reduce dyskinesia produced by L-DOPA in patients with Parkinson s disease (Brotsie, 1998). 

Tranylcypromine ( rans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine, TCP, 8a) has close structural similarity to amphetamine (2-amino-1-phenylpropane) and is known as a nonhydrazine, nonselective, and irreversible inhibitor of both MAO A and B. It is also a potent reversible inhibitor of CAOs [36,37], Tranylcypromine has an important clinical use for treatment of certain depressive illnesses, particularly of nonendo-genous and atypical depressions and depressions associated with anxiety, agitation, phobias, and anergia [38-40], In combination with lithium, it is also applied for treatment of refractory depression [41], Recent reports also discussed MAO inhibitors as useful agents against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson s or Alzheimer s diseases [42], Despite impressive clinical successes, clinical use of tranylcypromine and other MAO inhibitors is limited by various problems, including the cheese effect discussed in Section 1,... 

Clinical pharmacology Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a chronic, hereditary, usually fatal, autosomal recessive disorder in which a low concentration of alphai-proteinase inhibitor is associated with slowly progressive, severe, panacinar emphysema that most often manifests itself in the third to fourth decades of fife. The pathogenesis of development of emphysema in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is believed to be due to a chronic biochemical imbalance between elastase and alphai-proteinase inhibitor (the principal inhibitor of neutrophil elastase), which is deficient in alpha-1 antitrypsin disease. As a result it is believed that alveolar structures are unprotected from chronic exposure to elastase released from a chronic low-level burden of neutrophils in the lower respiratory tract, resulting in progressive degradation... 

The REM sleep behavior disorder has carried us across the border between functional sleep disorders associated with easily reversible alterations in consciousness to structural disease of the brain associated with irreversible alterations in consciousness, leading to its ultimate loss in coma and death. Whether that border—like the border between the normal states of consciousness—is fuzzy or sharp, ragged or smooth, continuous or discontinuous, remains to be seen, but one thing is clear the border between the functional and the structural can be crossed and when it is, the states of consciousness are permanently altered. They also vividly instruct us to keep our eyes open for new and unexpected discoveries and our minds open for new and surprising concepts. 

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