Browsing by Subject "MED"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on cerebellar volume in children an MRI study
    (2012) Boonzaier, Natalie Rosella; Meintjes, Ernesta; Warton, Christopher
    Years of research have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to alcohol contributes to a range of effects in exposed children. These include problems in attention and hyperactivity, deficits in memory and learning, and problems with social, as well as emotional development. Past research has demonstrated that the cerebellum is a significant target of the teratogenic effects of alcohol. The aim of this study was to determine whether prenatal exposure to alcohol has specific effects on the volumes of specific lobules of the cerebellum. Lobule tracing was performed manually, with Multitracer, using a refined methodology. Lobule volumes (normalized for total cerebellar cortical volume) were analysed as functions of diagnosis as well as alcohol exposure. Lobules IX and X were affected when analysing normalized volumes as a function of diagnosis, with the fetal alcohol syndrome diagnostic group being most specifically affected. Significant differences between sex groups were found only for right lobules I-V and left lobule VIII, and hemisphere differences were found in lobule X. When analysing normalized lobule volume as a function of alcohol exposure, in the left hemisphere, lobules I-V showed positive correlations with alcohol exposure, suggesting that this region is relatively spared. Lobule IX and the vermis of the right hemisphere showed negative correlations with alcohol exposure. The strongest negative correlations were found for measures of absolute alcohol per day averaged across the period of pregnancy as opposed to at time of conception. Overall findings suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure causes disproportionate reductions in volume in specific lobules of the cerebellums of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) in wine-induced cardioprotection
    (2012) Albertyn, Zulfah; Lecour, Sandrine; Opie, Lionel H
    Moderate and chronic consumption of red wine confers cardioprotection. Melatonin, present in wine, may contribute to this cardioprotective effect. Melatonin confers cardioprotection via the activation of tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-α) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3(STAT-3), via mechanisms that still remain to be delineated. We therefore hypothesise that South African red and white wines confer a cardioprotective effect in relation to their melatonin content. Furthermore, we propose that the cardioprotective effect of melatonin (at a concentration found in red wine) is dependent on the activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) to activate TNF-α/STAT-3.