Endocrine Abstracts

A 56 year old female presents with the rare association of primary hyperaldosteronism with primary hyperparathyroidism and prolactinoma. The association of primary hyperaldosteronism and other endocrinopathies has only rarely been reported. There have been three case reports meeting diagnostic criteria for MEN 1 with aldosterone secreting adrenal adenomas. In all three the other endocrinopathies were pituitary adenomas and hyperparathyroidism.The case p...

Studies show men and women differ in their aptitude towards different cognitive tests, which may be attributable to hormonal differences. It has also been postulated that oestrogen has disease-assuaging properties in some mental illness. The aim of this study was to assess the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) as a tool for measuring cognitive differences between the sexes.A total of 43 volunteers, 20 women and 22 men, aged bet...

Background: The 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) is recommended as a first-line test for the investigation of Cushing Syndrome. Measurement of dexamethasone alongside cortisol in a 9am serum sample has been credited with improving diagnostic sensitivity of the test. Previous studies have also looked at the utility of salivary dexamethasone and have observed poor correlation with serum dexamethasone. Herein we introduce the concept of measuring 11-dehydrode...

The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the effect exogenous of 17-β-estradiol propionate (E2) on working memory as assessed by the novel object recognition (NOR) paradigm following intermittent or delayed E2 regimens.15 rats were ovariectomised under anaesthesia and were divided into 3 groups namely: (1) vehicle (2) intermittent E2 dosing weeks 1–6 and 13–18, with no treatment weeks 7–12 and (3) delayed (no treatment in weeks 1&...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of estradiol ± different progestogens on body weight in ovariectomised mature female hooded-Lister rats.35 rats were ovariectomised under anaesthesia; following a recovery period animals were divided into 2 groups namely: (1) intermittent hormone dosing weeks 1–6 and 13–18, with no treatment weeks 7–12 and (2) delayed (no treatment in weeks 1–12) hormone treatment dosing weeks 13&...

Prostaglandin E (EP) receptors have been characterised in human myometrium from non-pregnant and pregnant (non-labouring) donors (Senior et al. 1991; 1993). However. the response to PGE2 in tissue taken at labour has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to compare myogenic activity and the effects of PGE2 in myometrium from donors at different stages of the menstrual cycle and at pregnancy (labouring and non-labouring).<p cla...

Novel object discrimination is a widely used ethologically relevant working memory task. However, there is little information regarding gender differences in performance of this test. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of male and female rats in this task following increasing intertrial intervals.Subjects were 24 female and 24 male adult hooded-Lister rats (250±10 g) group housed under standard laboratory conditions. Testing consis...

Introduction: Alternative biofluids such as sweat, which can be obtained non-invasively and present a simpler matrix composition than serum/plasma or urine, may be useful for monitoring biomarkers. The long-term sampling with patches either on the chest or back can be conveniently used under both rest and exercise conditions to provide an integrated response of free biomarkers over the course of a day. The smaller sample volumes generated by sweat collection can be convenientl...

Background: Female sex steroids influence learning and memory and the neurobiology of brain regions involved in memory processing such as the hippocampus. Pregnancy allows overriding of regulatory feedback loops leading to substantial elevation of endogenous serum hormone levels, depending on concentration; oestradiol can be either neurologically protective or toxic. This investigation aimed to increase understanding of the influence of sex steroids on memory and attention dur...

Background: The influence of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is not limited to reproduction. Female sex steroids influence learning and memory and the neurobiology of brain regions involved in memory processing such as the hippocampus. Pregnancy allows overriding of regulatory feedback loops leading to elevation of endogenous serum hormone levels, depending on concentration; oestradiol can be either neurologically protective or toxic. This investigation aims to increas...