http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/787

RTM: Hetle & Eltervaag:
abstract: aspartame brain damage in mice 2.5.2 rmforall

For thesis in Norwegian, mailed by regular mail, contact:
Anne Værnes <anne.varnes@...>

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Aspartame (ASM) is a product that was originally made for
diabetics, but today ASM is widely used by healthy people
as an artificial sweetener in many food products.

Purpose: The main goal with this research was to see whether ASM was
harmful to brain cells (cerebellar granule cells).
We wanted to check if the damage to the neurons is connected to
the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptors on these cells.

Procedure: Brain cells from 7 day old mice were used. They were
cultured in 24 well dishes, and different quantities of ASM were added.
After 7 days, the cultures were analysed by two different tests:
Lactate dehydrogenases (LDH) test, which gives a picture of cell death
(LDH leakage to the medium in which the cells were cultured).
3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromid (MTT) test,
which can be used to analyse mitochondrial activity in living cells.
To test whether the NMDA-receptor was involved in the damage done by
ASM, the receptor was blocked by
(±)-2-amino-5 phosphonopentanocid (AP5).

Results: Our results showed damage/cell death from an added quantity
of 0,06 mg/ml ASM each day for 4 days.
As a comparison there is 0,24 mg/ml ASM in Cola Light.
MTT- and LDH-tests showed damage to the neurons at an added quantity of
1.5 and 3.00 mg/ml ASM after 22 hours of incubation.
The results also show that ASM is in part acting through the
NMDA-receptor because AP5 reduced or
blocked the damage to the granule cells.

Conclusion: In light of these results, our conclusion is that in order
to be on the safe side, it should be warned against use of ASM
as a food additive, maybe especially in products consumed by children,
because NMDA-receptors and the synapses involved
also are connected to learning.
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http://www.dagbladet.no/print/?/dinside/2001/12/17/301529.html
[A major newspaper in Norway]

[Photo caption]
FARLIG FOR HJERNEN?
Medisinstudent Elisabeth Hetle (32) har sluttet å drikke lettbrus, mens
medstudent Arnstein Eltervaag (40) aldri har drukket lettbrus.

I edited this into a fairly accurate English version:

[Caption for photo]
DANGER FOR BRAIN?
Medical student Elisabeth Hetle (32) has stopped using aspartame diet
sodas, while fellow student Arnstein Eltervaag (40) has never used them.

You can also read this article at: [article on newspage]
http://www.dagbladet.no/dinside/2001/12/17/301529.html
Dagbladet © 2001:

hetle@... eltervaa@...
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Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 21:15:20 -0500
To: "aspartame@onelist.com" <aspartame@onelist.com>
From: Betty Martini <Mission-Possible-USA@...>
Subject: For Global Release: Norway Study Connects Aspartame with
Brain Destruction. Now accepting histories for CLASS ACTION in U.S.
Contact Betty Martini, 770 242-2599, http://www.dorway.com

Medical faculty at Norway Technical Scientific University released the
report of this study in Norway yesterday and today in the Danish BT
Newspaper:

Kan søtingsstoff vera skadeleg?
Lightprodukter, der indeholder sødestoffet aspartam,
mistænkes for at dræbe hjerneceller. Det er særligt de områder i
hjernen, som bruges ved indlæring, der påvirkes, og derfor bør særligt
børn undgå lightprodukter. Det er konklusionen i en hovedopgave fra det
medicinske fakultet ved Norges teknisk-naturvidenskabelige universitet.
M. Ebdrup, B.T., 13

TRANSLATION :
Light products containing the sweetener aspartame, is suspected of
killing brain cells. Especially the areas in the brain
used for learning are being affected,
and therefore especially kids should avoid light products.
That is the conclusion in a main assignment from the medical
faculty at Norway technical-scientific University.
M. Ebdrup, B.T., 13
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NTNU: Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet:
[English] Norwegian University of Science and Technology
NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
Phone.: +47 73595000, Fax: +47 73595310

http://www.ntnu.no/indexe.php
Creative, Constructive, Critical:
These are the keywords in our
strategy. As the name states the
Norwegian University of Science and
Technology, NTNU, is a centre for
technological education and research
in Norway, with a solid foundation in
the natural sciences.
This tradition is interwoven with
broadly based expertise in the
classical university disciplines of the
humanities, medicine and the social sciences.
At the same time, NTNU offers the
widest range of education in art
subjects; music, the visual arts and
architecture, of all the universities in Norway.
At NTNU we strive to encourage soaring imagination and restless
curiosity. Our ambition is to promote a creative interplay between all
forms of human intellectual activities, the arts,
the natural and social sciences, and technology.
Our interdisciplinary efforts are inspired by the consummate
Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci,
who unified areas of study previously seen as distinct.
NTNU is an institution that provides stimulating challenges for those
who want to explore new approaches. NTNU is about leading the field.

Faculty of Medicine: http://www.medisin.ntnu.no/eng/
The faculty does research in all the medical disciplines: basal,
paraclinical and clinical subjects. Medical technology is an important
area of cooperation for the faculty.
Academic posts: 146. Doctoral students: 77.

Besøksadresse: Olav Kyrres g. 3, Medisinsk teknisk forskningssenter
Postadresse: Medisinsk teknisk forskningssenter, N-7489 Trondheim
Tlf.: 73 59 88 59, faks: 73 59 88 65, E-post: dmf-post@...
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