Search

Overwhelming inflammatory immune response can result in systemic inflammation and septic shock. To prevent excessive and deleterious action of proinflammatory cytokines after they have produced their initial beneficial effects, the immune system can release several anti-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-10, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors, thus initiating a compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome. However, in vivo the delicate balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory responses is additionally controlled by the central nervous system. Therefore, proinflammatory cytokines stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and enhance sympathetic nerve system activity. The mediators of these neuroimmune pathways can again suppress immune cell functions to control systemic inflammation. The question is, however, what happens if the immunoinhibitory CNS pathways are activated without systemic inflammation? This can result from production of cytokines in the brain following infection, injury, or ischemia or in response to various stressors (e.g., life events, depression, anxiety) or directly from brainstem irritation. The answer is that this may generate a brain-mediated immunodepression. Many animal and clinical studies have demonstrated a stress and brain cytokine mediated decrease in the cellular immune response at the lymphocyte level. More recently, the importance of monocytes in systemic immunocapacity has been shown. Monocytic inactivation with decreased capability of antigen presentation and depressed secretion of proinflammatory cytokines increases the risk of infectious complications. Interestingly, cytokines in the brain and other stressors can also generate systemic immunodepression at the monocyte level. In this scenario the catecholamine-induced release of the potent anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 is a newly discovered mechanism of the brain-mediated monocyte deactivation in addition to the "well known" immunosuppressive action of glucocorticoids. Furthermore, other neuropeptides such as alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and beta-endorphin which can be released in stressful situations have also inhibitory effects on immune cells. Thus mediators of the CNS are implicated in the regulation of immune functions and may play a role in both conditioning the host's response to endogenous or exogenous stimuli and generating a "brain-mediated" immunodepression.

The currently available hydrocephalus valves are still far from perfect. Whereas the design principles of differential pressure valves and adjustable devices involve the danger of overdrainage, hydrostatic valves have a tendency to clog. The new dual-switch valve (DSV) avoids overdrainage-related problems such as subdural hygromas/hematomas or slit-like ventricles with the high risk of proximal catheter obstruction by means of two parallel chambers in a titanium casing: one for the the horizontal and the other for the vertical position. The control chamber for the horizontal position is closed by a gravity-activated tantalum ball as soon as the patient moves into an upright position. Now the drainage of CSF is directed into the appropriate controller for the erect position. Thus, the hydrostatic differential pressure between ventricles and peritoneal cavity is counterbalanced and the intraventricular pressure (IVP) remains within physiological values independently of the CSF flow and the position of the patient. To avoid the problem of clogging, the newly designed valve introduces large-area diaphragms to create extensive acting forces. The forces generated in this way are able to overcome sticking forces set up as a result of high protein content or cellular debris. By this mechanism the IVP is maintained in physiological ranges regardless of the CSF composition. The new valve has been investigated with a computer controlled test apparatus especially designed to simulate different positions of the body. The in vitro test results according to ASTM standards document a superior performance in comparison with other valves. When the new device was interposed in external drainage systems precision of its function was confirmed even in the presence of elevated protein content and high CSF flow. Simulation of the upright position of the patient allowed documentation of the valve's reliability in maintaining the IVP within physiological ranges. A clinical trial with implantation of the new dual-switch valve was started at the beginning of 1995; so far follow up has been short. Clinical and computer tomographic monitoring has provided evidence of the valve's capacity to avoid the problems of overdrainage and early clogging.

The clinical course and radiological and histological findings in a 30-month-old boy suffering from desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma are reported. The child's development was normal until a series of complex partial seizures occurred at the age of 7 months. Cranial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic mass with intensive ring-shaped contrast enhancement in the right temporal fossa without shift of intracranial structures. Histologically, the firm, grayish tumor showed an enormous amount of connective tissue, cystic areas, and some mitoses. Glial and neuronal cell lines were identified by immunocytochemical methods. Eighteen months after surgery the boy had developed well without any neurological dysfunction; no radiation or chemotherapy was given. For the first time a synopsis of radiological findings in this rare brain tumor is correlated with the results of multiple histological and immunocytochemical studies. Despite some malignant characteristics, the prognosis of this dysontogenetic brain tumor is good.