Acta Neurologica Scandinavica

Bjerrum, O. W.; Lage, S.; Hansen, O. E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07851.xpmid: 3538752

ABSTRACT— This study introduces an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for measurement of beta‐2‐microglobulin in human cerebrospinal fluid. The concentration of beta‐2‐microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid correlated with the age (p < 0.001) of a control group of 40 subjects, probably reflecting age‐related processes in the central nervous system. The reference interval of beta‐2‐microglobulin was considered to be 0.62‐3.28 mg/1. Results obtained with various CNS disorders demonstrated that estimation of beta‐2‐microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid add diagnostic information. The concentration of beta‐2‐microglobulin may increase without simultaneous aberrations in the content of protein, glucose and white blood cells.

Gilhus, N. E.; Matre, R.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07852.xpmid: 3491486

ABSTRACT— Immunological effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) were examined by studying 10 previously untreated epileptic patients before and during CBZ therapy. The mean number of leukocytes were reduced from 7020/mm3 to 5500/mm3, whereas no significant changes in the proportion of active and total T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, Fcγ receptor‐ and C3b receptor‐positive cells, and phagocytizing cells were observed in peripheral blood. Mononuclear blood cells were stimulated to the same extent before and during CBZ treatment by the mitogens PHA, ConA and PWM. Accordingly, the mild IgA and IgM reducing effect of CBZ previously reported was not paralleled by changes in the mononuclear blood cells as examined in this study.

Selmaj, K.; Renkawek, K.; Alam, R.; Kida, E.; Maszewska, M.; Rozniecki, J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07853.xpmid: 3788480

ABSTRACT— Supernatants of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), containing lymphokines, isolated from MS patients and healthy subjects were tested for demyelinating activity in organotypic culture of the rat cerebellum. PBL were isolated on Ficoll‐paque gradient and cultures in RPMI 1640 medium for 72 h with or without phytohemagglutinin and Concanavalin A. Both stimulated and unstimulated PBL supernatants from NIS patients consistently demyelinated cerebellum cultures. The supernatants of unstimulated PBL from healthy subjects did not produce demyelination, however, slight effect was present in the cultures treated with PBL stimulated supernatants. The results indicate that lymphokines might be involved in demyelination in MS.

Motomura, N.; Yamadori, A.; Mori, E.; Ogura, J.; Sakai, T.; Sawada, T.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07854.xpmid: 3788481

ABSTRACT— In a series of 33 cases of thalamic hemorrhage, unilateral spatial neglect (USN) was found in 11 patients all of whom had right‐sided lesions. An analysis of results suggests that the posteromedial portion of the thalamus plays an important role in the pathogenesis of USN and that extensive lesions beyond the thalamus involving nearby structures may be necessary to cause persistent USN.

Larsson, H.; Frederiksen, J.; Stigsby, B.; Olesen, J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07855.xpmid: 3788482

ABSTRACT— The value of flight of colours (FOC), i.e. the succession of coloured afterimages following light stimulation, in diagnosing and following visual impairment was evaluated in 65 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous optimistic reports of the use of a pocket flashlight (PFL) method could not be confirmed, and are ascribed to inadequate methods. An electronic flashlight (EFL) method developed by us, proved a significantly better diagnostic tool (61% abnormal versus 18% abnormal). The EFL method was diagnostically less sensitive than pattern reversal visual evoked potential (PR‐VEP) (80% abnormal). It did, however, add to PR‐VEP by diagnosing 16 eyes with normal PR‐VEP latency. The EFL method reflected the degree of degenerative changes in the central visual pathways and may be of value in following the disease activity in MS. The potential of the EFL method may be further improved by proposed modifications.

Frederiksen, J.; Larsson, H.; Olesen, J.; Stigsby, B.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07856.xpmid: 3788483

ABSTRACT— A study of colour vision (CV) in 65 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), (30 patients had had previous optic neuritis) and 51 controls was carried out with Ishihara's pseudoisochromatic plates (1‐test), Farnsworth's panel D‐15 test (F‐test), and Lanthony's desaturated 15‐hue test (L‐test). CV defects were classified as to type and severity. Error scorings were calculated by Bowman's computerized method and our own simple proposal for scoring, which was found of equal value. Results were compared with pattern‐reversal (black/white) visual evoked potentials (PR‐VEP) (80% of eyes abnormal). The I‐test (56% of eyes abnormal) was a more sensitive indicator of demyelination than the I‐test (47%) and F‐test (26%). In 14 eyes CV defects (10 blue‐yellow, 4 red‐green) were only revealed with the L‐test. Abnormal CV, mostly blue‐yellow defects, occurred in 16 patients (19 eyes) having normal VEP latencies; 29 patients were re‐tested within one week. It is proposed that the performance of the I‐test, which showed the highest reproducibility, could be improved by adding more cards, particularly blue‐yellow, to the test.

Era, P.; Jokela, J.; Suominen, H.; Heikkinen, E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07857.xpmid: 3788484

ABSTRACT— As a part of a larger gerontological research project vibrotactile thresholds on the inner malleolus of the ankle were studied in 355 men aged 31–35, 51–55 and 71–75 years. The groups studied were random samples of men living in the town of Jyväskylä in Finland in the year 1981. The thresholds were assessed at three frequencies: 50 Hz, 100 Hz and 250 Hz. The thresholds were associated with age at all frequencies, the means of the threshold values being significantly higher in the older age groups. Within the age groups the thresholds correlated positively with height. In addition, reaction and movement time, leg extension velocity, and postural sway were associated with the thresholds. Neither general health status nor occupational or educational background, or living habits had significant influence on the thresholds within the age groups. The results suggest that the elevation of vibrotactile thresholds is an inherent manifestation of aging in the nervous system. In addition to age, the height of the respondents is among the factors that should be taken into account when interindividual comparisons are made, if the measurement is on distal parts of the body.

Ingvar‐Maeder, M.; Regli., F.; Steck, A.J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07858.xpmid: 3788485

ABSTRACT— We have investigated serum from 16 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 15 patients with other neurological diseases (OND) for antibodies which react with skeletal muscle derived antigens. Two different preparations of skeletal muscle antigens were used: i) proteins released from rat diaphragm in organ culture and ii) proteins obtained from a muscle homogenate. We also compared antigen preparations from denervated and non‐denervated muscles. A rabbit anti‐serum reacted strongly with three proteins in both types of protein preparation, but none of these proteins were specific to denervated muscle. None of the 16 ALS sera could be shown to react with protein antigens from any of the muscle preparations. One of the ALS patients had an IgG lambda monoclonal protein in the setting of a multiple myeloma. This monoclonal protein did not react with protein antigen from rat muscle, human grey or white matter.

Gandolfo, C.; Moretti, C.; Dall'Agata, D.; Primavera, A.; Brusa, G.; Loeb., C.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07859.xpmid: 3788486

ABSTRACT— A follow‐up study of 107 patients with lacunar syndromes has been performed using the analysis of the survival curves and the recurrence curves for new focal cerebrovascular acute episodes. At the end of the 7th year of follow‐up, the survival rate of lacunar patients was 479 per 1000, lower than the survival rate of the normal population matched for sex and age (755 per 1000). A more severe prognosis was observed in subjects over 65 years of age, in patients with pseudobulbar syndrome, hypertension and higher degree of disability. The average recurrence rate for new cerebrovascular episodes was 4.74 per 100 patient‐years, much lower than that in survivors from cerebral infarction.

Rossini, P. M.; Gigli, G. L.; Zarola, F.; Marciani, M. G.; Caramia, M.; Bernardi, G.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1986.tb07860.xpmid: 3788487

ABSTRACT— Scalp‐SEPs to peroneal nerve stimulation were abnormal in a patient with an intradural meningeoma which was compressing the antero‐lateral quadrant of the 1st and, partly, the 2nd cervical myelomers. In contrast, spine and scalp‐SEPs were symmetrically normal during the sural, median and ulnar nerve stimulation of either side. On surgery, it was observed that the tumor had left the dorsal columns (DCs) almost unaffected. It is argued, in agreement with the bulk of experimental evidence, that in humans the scalp‐SEPs to lower mixed nerve stimulation are also mediated, at the rostral cord level, by fast‐propagating tracts ascending outside the DCs.