• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.99-113
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• 1996

Taurine, a ${\beta}$-amino acid, plays an important role as a neuromodulator and is necessary for the normal development of the brain. Since de novo synthesis of taurine in the brain is minimal and in vivo studies suggest that taurine does not cross the blood-brain barrier, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier is likely to play a role in taurine transport between the central nervous system and the systemic circulation. Therefore, we examined in vivo elimination of taurine from the CSF in the rat to characterize in vivo kinetics of elimination for taurine from the CSF is consistent with the in vitro study. Using a stereotaxic device, cannulaes were placed into the lateral ventricle and the cisterna magna of the rat. Radio-labelled taurine and inulin (a marker of CSF flow) were injected into the lateral ventricle, and the concentrations of the labelled compounds in the CSF were monitored for up to 3 hrs in the cisterna magna. The apparent clearance of taurine from CSF was greater than the estimated CSF flow (p<0.005), indicating that there is a clearance process in addition to the CSF flow. Taurine distribution into the choroid plexus was at least 10 fold higher than that found in other brain areas (e.g., cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex). When unlabelled taurine was co-administered with radio-labelled taurine, the apparent clearance of the labeled taurine was reduced (p<0.01), suggesting a saturable disposition of taurine from CSF. Distribution of taurine into the choroid plexus, cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex was similarly diminished, indicating that the saturable uptake of taurine into these tissues is responsible for the non-linear disposition. A pharmacokinetic model involving first order elimination and saturable distribution described these data adequately. The Michaelis-Menten rate constant estimated from in vivo elimination study is similar to that obtained in the in vitro uptake experiment Collectively, our results demonstrate that taurine is transported in the choroid plexus via a taurine is cleared from the CSF via a saturable process. This process may be functionally relevant to taurine homeostasis in the brain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.981-984
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• 2001

Object : To treat hydrocephalus by ventriculo-peritoneal shunt operation, the correct positioning of the proximal catheter in the ventricle is very important. The purpose of this study was to develop the "shunt guiding kit" for the proper positioning of the proximal shunt catheter to the ventricle in the ventriculo-peritoneal shunt operation. Materials and Methods: The "shunt guiding kit" is made of tungsten alloy and it consists of one frame, two screws and one guider. Through the guider, the proximal shunt catheter operates by mechanically coupling the posterior burr hole to the anterior target point. Results: We have treated three hydrocephalus patients with use of the "shunt guiding kit", and achieved good location of proximal shunt catheters. Conclusion: We developed the "shunt guiding kit" for the proper positioning of the proximal shunt catheter to the ventricle, and this would be very useful for preventing ventriculo-peritoneal shunt malfunction and preventing possible brain injury during the procedures.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2015

Chordoid glioma is a rare, low-grade brain neoplasm typically located in the third ventricle. Herein, we report an unusual case of histologically confirmed chordoid glioma located in the pituitary fossa and suprasellar region, not attached to the third ventricle. A 57-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of headache and visual disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an ovoid mass in the pituitary fossa and suprasellar region, compressing the optic chiasm without involvement of the third ventricle. The tumor showed low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and iso- to high signal intensity on T2-weighted images, with strong and homogenous contrast enhancement. Subtotal resection was performed via the transcranial approach, and the patient subsequently received adjuvant gamma knife radiosurgery. However, the residual mass showed disease progression 5 months after the initial surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.382-384
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• 2008

Gas forming brain abscess is a rare disease caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae occurring in patients with impaired host defense mechanism such as diabetes mellitus or liver cirrhosis. A 59-year-old man with 2-year history of diabetes mellitus and 20-year history of liver cirrhosis presented to the hospital with headache. On the day after admission, severe headache was developed and he deteriorated rapidly. Brain CT showed a non-enhanced mass including multiple air density as well as surrounding edema seen in the right occipital lobe, and isodensity air-fluid level seen in the right lateral ventricle. Despite emergent ventricular drainage and intraventricular and intravenous administration of antibiotics, his condition progressively worsened to sepsis and to death after 5 days. Bacterial culture of blood and ventricular fluids disclosed a Gram (-) rod, Klebsiella pneumoniae. In this report we review the pathogenic mechanism and its management.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2015

We report a case of non communicating hydrocephalus due to membranous obstruction of Magendie's foramen. A 37-year-old woman presented with intracranial hypertension symptoms caused by the occlusion of Magendie's foramen by a membrane probably due to arachnoiditis. As far as the patient's past medical history is concerned, an Epstein-Barr virus infectious mononucleosis was described. Fundoscopic examination revealed bilateral papilledema. Brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a significant ventricular dilatation of all ventricles and turbulent flow of cerebelospinal fluid (CSF) in the fourth ventricle as well as back flow of CSF through the Monro's foramen to the lateral ventricles. The patient underwent a suboccipital craniotomy with C1 laminectomy. An occlusion of Magendie's foramen by a thickened membrane was recognized and it was incised and removed. We confirm the existence of hydrocephalus caused by fourth ventricle outflow obstruction by a membrane. The nature of this rare entity is difficult to demonstrate because of the complex morphology of the fourth ventricle. Treatment with surgical exploration and incision of the thickened membrane proved to be a reliable method of treatment without the necessity of endoscopic third ventriculostomy or catheter placement.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2023

A 12-year-old Standard Poodle presented with intermittent weakness and occasional dyspnea at the Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital of Kangwon National University. A grade of 4 out of 6 systolic murmur with an irregular tachycardic rhythm was auscultated on both sides of the chest. Systolic blood pressure was 140 mmHg. Panting was noticed in the hospital, but there was no crackle sound. Blood analysis revealed mild increases in liver panel levels (alanine aminotransferase 149 [reference interval, 19-70] U/L; and alkaline phosphatase, 185 [reference interval, 15-127] U/L) and severe increases in cardiac biomarker levels (n-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, 4169 [reference interval, 50-900] pmol/L; and cardiac troponin I, 0.22 [reference interval, 0.03-0.12] ng/mL). On electrocardiography, irregularly irregular supraventricular tachycardic rhythm with an f-wave and no distinct p-wave was observed. Generalized cardiomegaly with an enlarged right atrium and left ventricle was confirmed on thoracic radiography. Moreover, hepatomegaly and an enlarged caudal vena cava were observed. Echocardiographic evaluation revealed a fibromuscular diaphragm in the right ventricle. Because of the obstructive lesion in the right ventricle, the right atrium and ventricle were enlarged (right atrial area index, 38.82 cm²/m² [reference interval, 4.2-10.2 cm²/m²]; right ventricle end-diastolic area index, 14.152 cm²/m² [reference interval, 4.9-10.92 cm²/m²]). Accordingly, the patient was diagnosed with double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV). Pimobendan, furosemide, enalapril, diltiazem, and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) were prescribed, and all symptoms were relieved. DCRV is a right-sided congenital heart defect resembling pulmonic valve stenosis. If symptoms are not severe, medical therapy can be facilitated without surgery or the balloon dilation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.300-303
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• 2008

Shunt infections are a common complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts, but the formation of a brain abscess related to a shunt system is very rare. A 44-year-old woman had a VP shunt inserted for hydrocephalus secondary to a subarachnoid hemorrhage. She suffered an episode of meningitis and sepsis 8 months after the shunt operation. After recovering from the meningitis, she complained of a loss of cognitive function. An enhancing mass was found in the frontal lobe, around the frontal horn of the lateral ventricle, and the ventricular catheter was embedded inside the mass. The ventricular catheter and cerebral abscess were removed using neuroendoscopy. We present an interesting case of a shunt-related brain abscess which illustrates the usefulness of neuroendoscopy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.144-147
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• 2012

Intraventricular cavernous hemangiomas are uncommon. Among them, those occurred at the foramen of Monro in the third ventricle may be of particular interest because of its rarity, development of hydrocephalus, being differentiated from other brain lesions. We present a rare case of intraventricular cavernous hemangioma at foramen of Monro which was resected through microsurgery and also review the relevant literatures.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.221-226
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• 1988

Normal swine brains at 1 to 70 days after birth were used to investigate the presence and morphology of the subependymal layer (SL) in the ventricle walls. The brain samples were taken from 27 pigs of 4 swine breeds. The results were summarized as follows: 1. SLs were observed on the walls of the lateral ventricle (LV) but none were observed on the walls of the 3th and 4th ventricles. 2. SLs of the LV walls were composed of mainly 3-to 10-cell layers in thickness. The thinest region of SLs was composed of only 1-to 2-cell thick on the dorsal and ventral walls, and the thickest region was composed of 250-to 300-cell thick on extension region of the SLs into the angle between the corpus callosum and caudate nucleus. 3. Of the LV parts observed, the SL thickness were 25-to 45-cell thick on the anterior horn, 3-to 10-cell thick on the body, 100-to 220-cell thick on the angle region between the corpus callosum and caudate nucleus, and 3-to 5-cell thick the superior walls of the posterior horn. Also the SL thickness was more thick on the anterior region than those on the posterior region. 4. SLs may be classified as three types by the cell distribution; one type of them is closely arranged cell region with the distinctive lateral margin from the periventricular white matter, the other type is loosely arranged cell region with the undistinctive lateral margin, and another type is two-subdivided region as the loosely and closely arranged cell layers in a layer. 5. SLs were extensively thick in young age but gradually decreased in size and cell number with age after 20-day age. SL layers were composed of mainly oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and immature cells of them. Morphological differences of SL in different breeds of pigs were not observed.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.132-135
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• 2013

We presented with a patient who showed injury of the cingulum and fornix by penetration of a foreign body into the brain on diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). A 63-year-old man suffered a brain injury by a part of a power saw blade that was suddenly detached from a power saw during work. A part of the power saw blade penetrated his right frontal skull and advanced to the right posterior horn of the lateral ventricle. This penetration caused traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe and intraventricular hemorrhage in the lateral ventricle. He underwent craniotomy and removal of intracranial foreign bodies (bony pieces and saw blade). The patient's Memory Assessment Scale scores were 74 (4%ile) for global memory, 78 (7%ile) for verbal memory, and 80 (9%ile) for visual memory. DTTs showed disruptions in the anterior portion of the fornical body, right fornical crus, the anterior portion of the right cingulum, and the middle portion of the left cingulum, compared to the control. It seems that the sustained memory impairment of this patient might be related to injury of the cingulum and fornix.