BACKGROUND Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is characterized by a transient decrease in ejection fraction and a reversible left ventricular dysfunction. The pathophysiology of TC is not completely understood. Heterogeneous and multifactorial mechanisms are involved: drugs, emotional and physical stress, genetic and hormonal factors. CASE PRESENTATION A 17 year-old male with metastatic pancreatic...

Background: Chronic posttraumatic brain injury (TBI) pituitary dysfunction is not a novel concept; nonetheless, it has become increasingly common as result of increased exposure to its causes, namely traffic accidents, sports-related injuries, falls, and injuries sustained during conflicts. The goal this study was identify patterns following severe traumatic injury. Methodology: A cross‑section...

The opiate antagonist naloxone precipitates withdrawal when given either 15 minutes after or 1 minute before a single injection of morphine in drug-naïve mice. We propose that withdrawal signs arise from a synergistic mixture of excitatory influences that are direct (agonistic action on nonspecific opiate receptors) and indirect (sensory and affective disorders, stress, hormonal and neurotransm...

Diabetic retinopathy has traditionally been viewed as a metabolite-driven, occlusive vasculopathy that affects both retinal microvascular haemodynamics and stricture; analogies to cholesterol-driven occlusive atherosclerosis of the macrovascular circulation were drawn. However this paradigm may no longer be appropriate. Recent evidence suggests that diabetic retinopathy from the beginning is th...

The relationship between aging and daily "circadian" behavior in humans is bidirectional: on the one hand, dysfunction of circadian clocks promotes age-related maladies; on the other, aging per se leads to changes and disruption in circadian behavior and physiology. For the latter case, recent research suggests that changes to both homeostatic and circadian sleep regulatory mechanisms may play ...

Thyroid disorders are more frequently observed in diabetic patients. These conditions have been shown to be mainly of autoimmune origin and all of them may lead to hormonal imbalance. Especially strong links exist between autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) and type 1 diabetes. Importantly, both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can adversely affect metabolic control of diabetes. These recommen...

Ascher's syndrome consists of double lip, blepharochalasis and sometimes non-toxic thyroid enlargement. It is a rare, benign, rarely reported, and sometimes misdiagnosed condition that most often affects patients under 20 years old. The etiology remains unknown, although factors such as trauma, hormonal dysfunction and heredity have been suggested. Treatment based on surgical intervention is in...

A 36-year-old man presented with exertional dyspnoea and chest pain. He also had sexual dysfunction with poorly developed secondary sex characteristics. Echocardiography and thorough cardiac evaluation revealed obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Hormonal profile suggested primary hypogonadism and cytogenetics report suggested a karyotype, 47, XXY, in all counted cells, consistent with the...

A plethora of in vitro and in vivo studies have supported the neuroprotective role of estrogens and their impact on the neurotransmitter systems implicated in cognition. Recent hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) trials in non-demented postmenopausal women suggest a temporary positive effect (notably on verbal memory), and four meta-analyses converge to suggest a possible protective effect in re...