Pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy: A new look at ammonia

Metabolic Brain Disease

Volumn 17, Issue 4, 2002, Pages 221-227

  Butterworth, Roger F ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MONTREAL   (Canada)

Author keywords

Acute liver failure; Alzheimer Type II astrocytosis; Ammonia; Brain edema; Glutamine; Hepatic encephalopathy; Neuropathology

Indexed keywords

AMMONIA; ANTIBIOTIC AGENT; BENZODIAZEPINE RECEPTOR; DISACCHARIDE; GLIAL FIBRILLARY ACIDIC PROTEIN; GLUTAMATE TRANSPORTER; GLUTAMINE; ORNITHINE ASPARTATE;

ALZHEIMER DISEASE; AMMONIA BLOOD LEVEL; ARTERIAL BLOOD; ASTROCYTE; ASTROCYTOSIS; BRAIN EDEMA; BRAIN HERNIA; CELL SWELLING; CONFERENCE PAPER; DISEASE SEVERITY; GENE EXPRESSION; HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY; HUMAN; HYPERAMMONEMIA; INDUCED HYPOTHERMIA; LIVER FAILURE; NERVE CELL LESION; PATHOPHYSIOLOGY; POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY; PROTON NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE;

AMMONIA; BRAIN; HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY; HUMANS; LIVER FAILURE;

EID: 0036988606     PISSN: 08857490     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1023/A:1021989230535     Document Type: Conference Paper

References (32)

1. Bélanger, M., Desjardins, P., Chatauret, N., and Butterworth, R.F. (2002). Loss of expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in acute hyperammonemia. Neurochem. Int. 41:155-160.
2. Butterworth, R.F. (1998). Alterations of neurotransmitter-related gene expression in human and experimental portal-systemic encephalopathy. Metab. Brain Dis. 13:339-347.
3. Butterworth, R.F., and Giguère, J.F. (1986). Cerebral amino acids in portal-systemic encephalopathy: Lack of evidence for altered GABA function. Metab. Brain Dis. 1:221-228.
4. Butterworth, R.E, Giguère, J.-F., Michaud, J., Lavoie, J., and Pomier Layrargues, G. (1987). Ammonia: Key factor in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. Neurochem. Pathol. 6:1-12.
5. Chan, H., and Butterworth, R.F. (1999). Evidence for an astrocytic glutamate transporter deficit in hepatic encephalopathy. Neurochem. Res. 24:1397-1401.
6. Clemmensen, J.O., Larsen, F.S., Kondrup, J., Hansen, B.A., and Ott, P. (1999). Cerebral herniation in patients with acute liver is correlated with arterial ammonia concentration. Hepatology 29:648-653.
7. Cooper, A.J.L., and Plum, F. (1987). Biochemistry and physiology of brain ammonia. Physiol. Rev. 67:40-519.
8. Dejong, C.H.C., Kampman, M.T., Deutz, N.E.P., and Soeters, P.B. (1992). Cerebral cortex ammonia and glutamine metabolism during liver insufficiency-induce hyperammonemia in the rat. J. Neurochem. 59:1071-1079.
9. Desjardins, P., Bandeira, P., Raghavendra Rao, V.K., and Butterworth, R.F. (1999). Portacaval anastomosis causes selective alterations of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor expression in rat brain and peripheral tissues. Neurochem Int. 35:293-299.
10. Gabuzda, G., Jr., Phillips, G.B., and Davidson, C.S. (1952). Reversible toxic manifestations in patients with cirrhosis of the liver given cation-exchange resins. N. Engl. J. Med. 246:124-130.
11. Gibson, G.E., Zimber, A., Krook, L., Richardson, E.P., Jr., and Visek, W.J. (1974). Brain histology and behaviour of mice injected with urease. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 33:201-211.
12. Giguère, J.F., and Butterworth, R.F. (1984). Amino acid changes in regions of the CNS in relation to function in experimental portal-systemic encephalopathy. Neurochem. Res. 9:1309-1321.
13. Gregorios, J.B., Mozes, L.W., Norenberg, L.O., ad Norenberg, M.D. (1985). Morphologic effects of ammonia on primary astrocyte cultures. I. Light microscopic studies. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 44:397-403.
14. Hahn, M., Massen, O., Nenki, M., and Pavlov, J. (1893). Die Ecksche Fistel zwischen der unteren Hohlvene und der Pfortader und ihre Folger fur den Organismus. Arch. Exp. Pathol. Pharmakol. 32:161-270.
15. Harper, C.G., and Butterworth, R.F. (1997). Nutritional and metabolic disorders. In: Graham, D.I. and Lantos, P.L. (eds.), Greenfield's Neuropathology, Arnold, London, UK, pp. 601-655.
16. Hindfelt, B., Plum, F., and Duffy, T.E. (1977). Effect of acute ammonia intoxication on cerebral metabolism in rats with portacaval shunts. J. Clin. Invest. 59:386-396.
17. Kato, M.D., Hughes, R.D., Keays, R.T., and Williams, R. (1992). Electron microscopic study of brain capillaries in cerebral edema from fulminant hepatic failure. Hepatology 15: 1060-1066.
18. Kendall, B. E., Kingsley, D.P.E., Leonard, J.V., Lingam, S., and Oberholzer, V. G. (1983). Neurological features and computed tomography of the brain in children with ornithine carbamoyl transferase deficiency. J. Neurol., Neurosurg. Psychiatry 46:28-34.
19. Kircheis, G., Nilius, R., Held, C., Berndt, H., Buchner, M., Gortelmeyer, R., et al. (1997). Therapeutic efficacy of L-ornithine-L-aspartate infusions in patients with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy: Results of a placebo-controlled, double-blind. Hepatology 25: 1351-1360.
20. Laubenberger, J., Haussinger, D., Boyer, S., Guffer, H., Henning, J., and Lange, M. (1997). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of brain in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with liver cirrhosis. Gastroenterology 112:1610-1616.
21. Lavoie, J., Giguère, J.F., Pomier Layrargues, G., and Butterworth, R.F. (1987). Amino acid changes in autopsied brain tissue from cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy. J. Neurochem. 49:692-697.
22. Lockwood, A.M., McDonald, J.M., and Rieman, R.E. (1979). The dynamics of ammonia metabolism in man: Effects of liver disease and hyperammonemia. J. Clin. Invest. 63:449-460.
23. Lockwood, A.H., Yap, E.W.H., and Wong, W.-H. (1991). Cerebral ammonia metabolism in patients with severe liver disease and minimal hepatic encephalopathy. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 11:337-341.
24. Matthews, S.A. (1922). Ammonia, a causative factor in meat poisoning in Eck fistula dogs. Am. J. Physiol. 59:459-460.
25. Norenberg, M.D. (1988). Hepatic encephalopathy: Studies with astrocyte cultures. In: Norenberg, M.D., Hertz, L., Schousboe, A. (eds.), The Biochemical Pathology of Astrocytes, Alan R. Liss, New York, pp. 451-464.
26. Rose, C., Michalak, A., Pannunzio, P., Therrien, G., Quack, G., Kircheis, G., et al. (1998). Orthinine-L-Aspartate in experimental portal-systemic encephalopathy: Therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action. Metab. Brain Dis. 13: 147-157.
27. Swain, M., Butterworth, R.F., and Blei, A.T. (1992). Ammonia and related amino acids in the pathogenesis of brain edema in acute ischemic liver failure in rats. Hepatology 15:449-453.
28. Swart, G. R., Van den Berg, J.W., Wattimena, J.L., Rietveld, T., Von Vuure, J.K., and Frenkel, M. (1988). Elevated protein requirement in cirrhosis of the liver investigated by whole body protein turnover studies. Clin. Sci. (Lond) 75:101-107.
29. Therrien, G., Rose. C., and Butterworth, R.F. (1995). Early loss of day-night rhythms following portacaval anastomosis in the rat. In: Capocaccia, L., Merli, M., and Riggio, O. (eds.), Advances in Hepatic Encephalopathy and Metabolic Nitrogen Exchange, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 304-307.
30. Traber, P.G., DalCanto, M., Ganger, D.R., and Blei, A.T. (1987). Electron microscopic evaluation of brain edema in rabbits with galactosamine-induced fulminant hepatic failure: Ultrastructure and integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Hepatology 7:1272-1277.
31. Wolpert, E., Phillips, S.F., and Summerskill, W.H. (1970). Ammonia production in the human colon: Effects of cleansing, neomycin and acetohydroxamic acid. N. Engl. J. Med. 283:159-164.
32. Zieve, L., Doizaki, W.M., and Zieve, F. (1974). Synergism between mercaptans and ammonia or fatty acids in the production of coma: A possible role for mercaptans in the pathogenesis of hepatic coma. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 83:16-28.