Erhard N. Forensic determination of intravitam hanging based on quantitative estimation of glucocorticoid steroidogenesis in adrenal glands

The subject matter of this thesis is complex determination of intravitam hanging based on quantitative content of steroid hormones cortisol and cortisone, their precursors cholesterol and its esters, as well as based on changes in delipidization and lipidation processes in adrenal cortex. The paper deals with the complex of histological changes and biochemical parameters in adrenal tissue according to different degrees of alcohol intoxication. It is found out that in case of hanging the quantitative content on cortisol, cortisone and cholesterol grows and the amount of cholesterol esters as well as cholesterol esters/cholesterol ratio reduces in the tissue of adrenal glands. It is proven that in hanging delipidization increases but lipidation and lipidation/delipidization ratio decrease in adrenal tissue. It is determined that in case of hanging the tissue of adrenal glands with severe alcohol intoxication shows significant growth of cortisone and cholesterol but reduction of cholesterol esters, delipidization also decreases accompanied by asynchronous lipidation slowdown if compared with mild and moderate alcohol intoxication. It is also proven that the degree of alcohol intoxication does not influence any changes of cortisol content or those of cholesterol esters/cholesterol and lipidation/delipidization ratios. Qualitative criteria for statistical verification of the diagnosis of hanging have been developed.