Search results for "Central Nervous System Disease"

Type IV collagen and its degradation in paralyzed human muscle: Effect of functional electrical stimulation

2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) of paralyzed muscles on type IV collagen content and proteins involving its degradation, which is initiated by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 and regulated by their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs)-2 and -1. Ten SCI subjects participated in an 18-month program of functional electrical stimulation (FES) of their leg muscles. Needle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle before and at various times during the training period, and from able-bodied controls. Type IV collagen concentration was unaltered. ProMMP-2 level of SCI subjects before the training p…

Efavirenz and the CNS: what we already know and questions that need to be answered

2015

The NNRTI efavirenz has long been one of the most frequently employed antiretroviral drugs in the multidrug regimens used to treat HIV infection, in accordance with its well-demonstrated antiretroviral efficacy and favourable pharmacokinetics. However, growing concern about its adverse effects has sometimes led to efavirenz being replaced by other drugs in the initial treatment selection or to switching of therapy to efavirenz-free regimens in experienced patients. Neurological and neuropsychiatric reactions are the manifestations most frequently experienced by efavirenz-treated patients and range from transitory effects, such as nightmares, dizziness, insomnia, nervousness and lack of conc…

Neuronal injury in chronic CNS inflammation.

2010

Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system which is characterized by inflammatory demyelination and neurodegeneration. Neurological symptoms include sensory disturbances, optic neuritis, limb weakness, ataxia, bladder dysfunction, cognitive deficits and fatigue. Pathophysiology The inflammation process with MS is promoted by several inflammatory cytokines produced by the immune cells themselves and local resident cells like activated microglia. Consecutive damaging pathways involve the transmigration of activated B lymphocytes and plasma cells, which synthesize antibodies against the myelin sheath, boost the immune atta…

Multiple sclerosis patients show an increased spontaneous activity of their peripheral blood monocytes as measured by chemiluminescence

1983

I has been reported that myelin basic protein (BP) reacts extremely sensitively to peroxide, which is formed when monocytes/macrophages are stimulated to produce a "respiratory burst" (RB). We measured the RB activity by means of chemiluminescence in peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages (MO) of 17 MS patients, 5 patients with a viral infection of the CNS, and 14 control persons. The median of the spontaneous RB activity of MS patients compared with the median of our control group showed a highly significant increase (P = 0.0002). All MS patients examined possessed a clearly increased MO activity. The highest values, however, were found in MS patients in a bout (means = 315%, means = 296%)…

Dopamine Interaction with other Neurotransmitter Systems: Relevance in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of CNS Disorders

2010

A Pooled Analysis of Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields and Childhood Brain Tumors

2010

Pooled analyses may provide etiologic insight about associations between exposure and disease. In contrast to childhood leukemia, no pooled analyses of childhood brain tumors and exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) have been conducted. The authors carried out a pooled analysis based on primary data (1960–2001) from 10 studies of ELF-MF exposure and childhood brain tumors to assess whether the combined results, adjusted for potential confounding, indicated an association. The odds ratios for childhood brain tumors in ELF-MF exposure categories of 0.1–<0.2 μT, 0.2–<0.4 μT, and ≥0.4 μT were 0.95 (95% confidence interval: 0.65, 1.41), 0.70 (95% CI: 0.40, 1.22), and 1.1…

Early-onset ataxia with cardiomyopathy and retained tendon reflexes maps to the friedreich's ataxia locus on chromosome 9q

1995

Absence of lower limb tendon reflexes has been considered an essential diagnostic criterion for Friedreich's ataxia (FA). However, preservation of knee and ankle jerks has been reported in a few patients. Linkage analysis to FA locus (FRDA) on chromosome 9q13-21.1 was performed in 11 patients from 6 families with FA phenotype, including cardiomyopathy, but retained reflexes (FARR). A maximal lod score of 3.38 at recombination fraction theta equal to 0.00 was obtained demonstrating that FARR maps to the FRDA locus. These results suggest that FARR is a variant phenotype of FA.

Intramedullary spinal cord tumor presenting as the initial manifestation of metastatic colon cancer: case report and review of the literature

2007

Study design: Case reports and review of the literature. Objective: Intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ISCMs) are rare type of central nervous system (CNS) involvement of systemic malignant tumors. Since the advent of new neuroradiological techniques, their detection have become increasingly diagnosed in recent years and, although somewhat controversial, surgical treatment has been considered a valid option. Setting: Neurosurgical Clinic, Department of Clinic Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Italy. Method: The authors describe the case of a 61-year-old woman who was admitted presenting withprogres sive tetraplegia. Investigations revealed an intramedullary spinal cord lesion at the …

Autosomal recessive micrencephaly with simplified gyral pattern, abnormal myelination and arthrogryposis.

1999

The clinical courses, neuroimaging and muscle biopsy findings of two infants born to an inbred Arab family are described. They had a syndrome of micrencephaly with simplified gyral pattern, abnormal myelin formation and arthrogryposis. Increased variation of fiber size was seen in the muscle biopsy, creatine kinase, however was normal. Large areas of muscle were replaced by adipofibrous tissue. The infants had dysmorphic features consistent with the fetal akinesia/hypokinesia sequence. The abnormalities were suggestive of microlissencephaly probably associated with a dysgenetic process in the muscles. The syndrome showed an autosomal recessive inheritance.

2002

Summary Background. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been under dis- cussion as additional treatment option for malignant gliomas. How- ever, damage not only to tumour tissue but also to normal brain has been demonstrated. The mechanisms of this unwanted side eect have not yet been clearly identified. Spreading of photosensitiser with oedema after disruption of the blood-brain-barrier and poten- tial sensitisation of normal tissue has been foundpreviously. The present study investigates the time- and dose-dependency of normal tissue damage to photodynamic therapy using Photofrin II9 after disruption of the blood-brain-barrier. Methods. Male wistar rats anaesthetisedwith chloral hydrate were s…