Prevalence of headache in patients with Behçet's disease without overt neurological involvement

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the prevalence of headache and the frequency of different headache syndromes in patients with Behçet's Disease (BD) without neurological involvement and to investigate the relationship with other clinical, and behavioural variables. Twenty-seven BD patients and 27 control subjects underwent a validated semistructured questionnaire based on the International Headache Society criteria. Levels of anxiety and depression, disease activity, and current medication were collected. Headache occurred in 88.9% of BD patients. There was no difference in the prevalence of the different headache syndromes between BD patients and controls. Only migraine witho…

Effects of 8-OH-DPAT on open field performance of young and aged rats prenatally exposed to diazepam: a tool to rveal 5-HT1a receptor function

Central GABAergic and serotoninergic systems interact with one another and are implicated in controlling different behaviours. A gentle early long-lasting handling can prevent the deficits in locomotion and exploration in open field (O.F.) in 3-month-old male rats prenatally exposed to diazepam (DZ). Purpose of this study was to extend the research to older handled rats prenatally exposed to DZ and to assess the activity of 5-HT1A receptors (Rs), evaluating the performance in O.F. at 3 and 18 months of age following 8-OH-DPAT administration. A single daily s.c. injection of DZ (1.5 mg/kg) from gestation day 14 to gestation day 20 induced in aged, but not in young rats, a decrease in total d…

When the amnestic mild cognitive impairment disappears: characterisation of the memory profile

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Subjects affected by mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may improve during the observation period. This is the first study investigating qualitative features of memory deficits in subjects affected by reversible MCI [reversible cognitive impairment (RCI)]. METHODS: Baseline cognitive and memory performances of 18 subjects affected by amnestic MCI who had normalized cognitive performances at follow-ups were compared with those of 76 amnestic MCI subjects who still showed impaired cognitive performances at the 24-month follow-up (MCI) and with those of a group of 87 matched control subjects (normal controls). RESULTS: Compared with normal controls the memory deficit in the…

Oral health status and periodontitis in Alzheimer's disease patients: A case control Study in a Sicilian rural community

Aim. Dementia is a common disorder among the elderly. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. In addition to known risk factors (e.g. age and familiarity) of AD, recently it has been suggested a possible promoting role for chronic inflammatory infective diseases. Periodontal disease (PD) is a frequent chronic multi-bacterial infection involving the tissues supporting the teeth; in addition to promoting inflammation locally, the periodontal pathogens possess mechanisms able to influence the systemic balance of inflammatory mediators. Similarly to other systemic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal diseases and low birth weight), a possible link has be…

Characterization of MRSA from Palermo, Italy, and description of prevalent clones