| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
WATANABE Yasuyoshi Osaka City University, Medical School, Professor, 大学院・医学研究科, 教授 (40144399)
KIRIIKE Nobuo Osaka City University, Medical School, Professor, 大学院・医学研究科, 教授 (60094471)
ZHU Bao-Li Osaka City University, Medical School, Assistant Professor, 大学院・医学研究科, 講師 (30305619)
ISHIKAWA Takaki Osaka City University, Medical School, Assistant Researcher, 大学院・医学研究科, 助手 (50381984)
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| Research Abstract |
To establish a procedure to assess the magnitude of traumatic stress to the central nervous system, findings in neuropathology, biochemistry, physiology and psychology/psychiatry were comprehensively analyzed in medicolegal autopsy cases.
(1)Immunohistochemistry : Ubiquitin (Ub)- and S-100-immunoreactivities in the brain were examined in relation to the cause of death. The inclusion-type Ub-index in the pigmented nigral neurons and granular 'dot-like' positivity in the descending tracts of the crus cerebri in the midbrain were significantly high for strangulation and fire fatalities in adult subjects, and were low for fatal methamphetamine (MA) abuse, suggesting overexcitement of extrapyramidal and pyramidal tract neurons, respectively (possible neuronal stress marker). The diffuse type Ub-index in the nigral neurons was high in drowning, and a mild increase was observed in aspiration, fire fatalities, hyperthermia and MA abuse (possible marker for metabolic stress). For the periaqueduc
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tal gray matter neurons, a higher Ub-positivity was observed in fire fatalities, hyperthermia, acute MA fatality, delayed head injury deaths, blunt injuries and saltwater drowning (possible marker for painful/metabolic stress or fatal neuronal degeneration). Neuronal S-100-immunoreactivity in the cerebrum was frequently found in fire fatality ; this finding may be used as an indication of acute stress reaction.
(2)Neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluid : Serotonin and adrenaline were relatively high in hyperthermia and fatal MA abuse, and noradrenaline was also increased in hyperthermia. Dopamine showed a higher level for fatal drug intoxication other than MA fatality.
(3)Psychological intensity of traumatic stress : Statistical analyses using a questionnaire on surviving family members, assisted by an interview, suggested that the psychological reactions may depend on multiple factors including tragedy of events, personal relationship of the survivors, and socio-economical situation. However, the main reaction may be similar to grief, different from the posttraumatic stress disorder of surviving victims. Less
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