Encephalopathy and Nitrogen Metabolism in Liver Failure contains research reports and state-of-the-art reviews that were presented at the 11th International Symposium on Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nitrogen Metabolism in relation to liver disease, that was held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands from 30 May to 1 June, 2002. Themes covered include the metabolism of ammonia and amino acids in relation to liver disease, the assessment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), minimal HE, animal models of HE, neuropsychiatric dysfunction in patients with chronic liver disease, the pathogenesis of HE, the astrocyte in liver disease, acute liver failure and cerebral edema, treatment of HE and artificial liver support systems. This volume provides an indispensable source of important new research findings and ideas for clinicians and biomedical scientists working in the field of HE and nitrogen metabolism in relation to liver disease.

InhaltsangabePreface; E.A. Jones, A.J. Meijer, R.A.F.M. Chamuleau. Acknowledgements. Part 1: Nitrogen metabolism in relation to liver disease. 1. Novel aspects of nitrogen metabolism in liver disease; D. Häussinger, et al. 2. The interorgan exchange of amino acids and ammonia and the effect of plasmapheresis in acute liver failure; J.O. Clemmesen, et al. 3. Metabolic consequences of an upper gastro-intestinal bleed in patients with cirrhosis; S.W.M. Olde Damink, et al. 4. Citrin deficiency; T. Saheki, et al. Part 2: Assessment of overt and minimal hepatic encephalopathy. 5. Assessment of hepatic encephalopathy; K. Weissenborn. 6. Evaluation of mental state in a clinical trial of MARS for patients with acute hepatic encephalopathy: comparison of two scales; J. Vaquero, et al. 7. Relationship between minimal hepatic encephalopathy and extrapyramidal signs in cirrhotic patients; R. Jover, et al. 8. Evaluation of visual focus in cirrhotic patients; S. Schiff, et al. 9. Detection of minimal hepatic encephalopathy: EEG spectral analysis vs. cognitive evoked potentials; P. Valenti, et al. 10. Analysis of critical flicker frequency threshold in hepatic encephalopathy: dynamics and cortical activations; G. Kircheis, et al. 11. Cortical origin of mini-asterixis in hepatic encephalopathy; L. Timmermann, et al. 12. Imaging studies in hepatic encephalopathy; B. Ahl, et al. 13. Subclinical and overt hepatic encephalopathy - etection and treatment control by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS); H.G. Hass, et al. Part 3: Animal models of acute liver failure.14. Long-term observations on rats with thioacetamide-induced hepatic failure; W. Hilgier, et al. 15. Reversal of Fischer's ratio in an anaesthetised porcine model of acute liver failure; K.J. Dabos, et al. Part 4: Neuropsychiatric dysfunction in chronic liver disease. 16. Experience with neuropsychiatric complications of interferon-based therapy for chronic viral hepatitis; K.D. Mullen. 17. Cognitive effects of long-term interferon treatment for chronic viral hepatitis; E. De Toni, et al. 18. Is fatigue of cholestasis mediated by altered central serotoninergic neurotransmission? T. Çelik, et al. 19. Reduced pallidal magnetisation transfer ratios are associated with fatigue in pre-cirrhotic patients with primary biliary cirrhosis; D.M. Forton, et al. Part 5: Pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy. 20. Pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy; K.D. Mullen. 21. Effect of blood plasma components from patients with hepatic encephalopathy on electrophysiological activity of primary frontal cortex networks in vitro; J. Loock, et al. 22. Hyperammonemia and liver failure alter signal transduction associated with glutamate receptors and modulation of guanylate cyclase by nitric oxide; R. Corbalán, et al. 23. Increased cerebral and peripheral vasodilation, and whole body nitric oxide production after insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portal-systemic stent in patients with cirrhosis; R. Jalan, et al. 24. Concomitant changes in melatonin metabolism and in hypothalamic histamine in rats with a portacaval anastomosis; V. Lozeva-Thomas, et al. 25. Brain energy metabolism in acute liver failure: studies using NMR spectroscopy;