Substance P-like immunoreactivity in human cerebrospinal fluid

In a study to elucidate molecular mechanisms in pain, substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) was measured in lumbar CSF from 75 patients with lower back pain. Two samples – one before and one after lidocaine treatment – were obtained from each patient, and total SP-LI was measured in unfractionated (no HPLC) samples. SP-LI data were separated into three categories: placebo responders, pharmacological responders, and pharmacological non-responders. A significant difference was observed between the total SP-LI measurement of first and second samples of pharmacological non-responders. Distribution of SP-LI immunoreactive molecular species in two CSF patient samples (no ODS) was analyzed with a combination of reversed phase (RP) HPLC and RIA. Immunoreactivity in collected HPLC fractions was measured at calibrated retention times of synthetic SP-sulfoxide (SP-O), SP, and SP_5–11. Qualitative and quantitative differences in those HPLC-RIA metabolic profiles were observed within and between those two patients' samples. These data indicate that the type and amount of SP metabolism and SP precursor-processing differs in CSF between these two representative patients and within the short amount of time elapsed between acquiring these two samples.     

Non-invasive dynamic assessment of the elasticity of intracranial structures

The dynamics of the speed of transcranial propagation of ultrasonic impulses has been established in humans. The possibility of detecting the changes in mechanical state of intracranial structures by dynamic measurement of the time of transcranial propagation of ultrasonic impulses (TUPT) has been ascertained for 10 healthy persons and 11 patients with different neurological pathology. The cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) was simultaneously monitored for 4 of the patients. Spontaneous fluctuations in TUPT and the changes caused by jugular veins, inferior vena cava compression, hyperventilation and temporary retention of breathing were detected for all investigated subjects. Spontaneous TUPT changes in the range of 0.25-0.85 x 10(-4) of initial mean value, which are related with cardiac and respiratory cycles, have been found in healthy persons while in patients they ranged from 0.07 x 10(-4) to 4.5 x 10(-4) of mean time. In healthy persons bilateral jugular vein compression leads to a decrease in TUPT by 1.8-3.0 x 10(-4), while the compression of inferior vena cava gives an increase in TUPT by 1.6-2.6 x 10(-4). Changes in TUPT during these maneuvers in neurological patients were found to be of different amplitude and direction. The rise of CSFP by 8.4-20.2 mmHg (mean 12.4 mmHg) was observed in 4 investigated patients during the compression of jugular veins or during the inferior vena cava compression, while the changes in TUPT obtained during each of such maneuvers were of opposite character. The results suggest that dynamic evaluation of acoustic impedance of intracranial system reflects the changes in the mechanical state of brain parenchyma.     

Eye movement quantitative evaluation before and after high-dose 6-methylprednisolone in multiple sclerosis

We studied saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements in 24 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis during disease worsening, before and after high-dose 6-methylprednisolone infusions. Quantitative evaluation of saccades was based on amplitude/duration and amplitude/peak velocity relationships, precision (i.e. the ratio of actual to desired saccade amplitude) and the latency, whereas smooth pursuit eye movements were studied using target velocity/performance index relationship. At basal recordings, 22/24 (91.7%) of the patients showed at lest one abnormality. Eleven of the 24 patients (45.8%) showed modification of one or several parameters: improvement in 6 patients, worsening in 2, coexistence of both trends in 3. Latency improvement was the only significant modification when patients were considered as a group. Neurophysiological modifications did not correspond to clinical changes.     

Bowel visualization during indium-111-labelled diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid cisternography due to massive cerebrospinal fluid leak

We report a case of massive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage where the tracer injected intra-thecally for radionuclide cisternography was later visualized in the bowel as well as the nasopharynx. We discuss the potential implications of this finding in patients with CSF leaks. A brief review of the diagnosis of CSF leaks is included.     

Diffusion‐Weighted MRI in Creutzfeldt‐Jakob Disease: A Better Diagnostic Marker Than CSF Protein 14‐3‐3?

Two middle-aged patients presented with rapidly progressive dementia and ataxia, nonspecific electroencephalography findings, and negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein 14-3-3. Both patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans that demonstrated abnormalities on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences, and both were later confirmed to have Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. (CJD) by tissue examination. Because a recent position paper from the American Academy of Neurology characterized CSF protein 14-3-3 as a gold standard for clinically diagnosing CJD, the authors reviewed studies of CJD in which DWI-MRI imaging and CSF protein 14-3-3 studies were both performed. Among 19 reported cases of CJD with DWI-MRI lesions, CSF protein 14-3-3 was negative in 6 cases and positive in 2 others. The authors' findings suggest that multifocal cortical and subcortical hyperintensities confined to gray matter regions in DWI-MRI may be a more useful noninvasive diagnostic marker for CJD than CSF protein 14-3-3. These observations provide a compelling rationale for a prospective comparative study.     

Progressive myelopathy due to meningeal thickening in shunted patients: description of a novel entity and the role of surgery

INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord compression due to meningeal thickening is a rare occurrence in shunted patients. Because of the long delay to clinical onset, this complication has not been identified as yet. AIMS: We report on nine cases of shunt-related progressive myelopathy due to meningeal thickening (SPMMT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed our database of shunted children, for cases having developed progressive tetraparesis due to cervical meningeal thickening. RESULTS: We identified nine observations of SPMMT, eight of these with hydrocephalus due to neonatal meningitis; the last case had Dandy-Walker malformation shunted at birth and suffered postoperative meningitis. The age of clinical onset of myelopathy was between 6 and 20 years (median 12.8). All patients presented with slowly progressive walking difficulties with falls and no spinal pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed typically a thickened dura mater with collapse of the arachnoid space, compensatory expansion of the epidural fat, and T2 hyperintensity in the spinal cord. We operated on seven patients for surgical decompression and arachnoidolysis: One died postoperatively because of shunt malfunction, and two others died later of complications of tetraplegia. Three patients were aggravated after surgery, three experienced partial improvement, but one of these subsequently deteriorated again. CONCLUSION: SPMMT appears to be a novel and well-defined clinical and pathological entity; its pathological and radiological features are stereotyped; however, the diagnosis is delayed because of the slow pace of the disease. Although surgical decompression may be the only option, its results were poor in our experience; earlier surgery might improve this grim prognosis.     

Lymphocyte subclasses and function in patients with optic neuritis in childhood with special reference to multiple sclerosis

Ten patients with childhood optic neuritis (5 with a single attack of ON and 5 with later MS) were studied at various stages of the disease. Lymphocyte count and function were analysed in the peripheral blood of all patients, 3 repeatedly, and in one they were also analysed in the CSF. T-lymphocytes counts were normal in all but 2 MS cases who had high counts. In acute stages the T4/T8 ratio were high in 1/3 determinations, in recovery low in 2/2 determinations, and in stable stages normal in 6/8 determinations. Lymphocyte function, measured by PHA, ConA and PWM stimulation, was normal in all but one. One patient showed significantly higher T-cell percentages and a high number of stimulated lymphocytes in CSF but a lower count of suppressor cells than in the blood. We found no abnormalities specific to MS nor to childhood MS or to disease activity stage. Rather than peripheral blood, it would seem more worthwhile to study CSF to clarify the pathogenesis of ON and MS.     

Neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluid reflect pathological activity

The excitatory transmitters glutamate and aspartate become toxic whenever their extracellular levels are increased because of neuronal, glial and endothelial impairment. Taurine, a volume-regulating amino acid, is released upon excitotoxin-induced cell swelling. Our aim was to investigate if glutamate and aspartate in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reveal neuropathology in neurological patients, and if taurine unmasks glutamate-mediated toxicity. Glutamate and aspartate are doubled in viral meningitis, acute multiple sclerosis (MS) and myelopathy compared with control subjects and patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy. These levels do not coincide with a disturbed blood–brain barrier, as estimated by the albumin ratio, are independent of their precursors (glutamine, asparagine) and are not associated with cell lysis. Taurine is significantly increased in meninigitis, acute MS, and myelopathy, suggesting glutamate-mediated toxicity. Analysis of transmitters in lumbar CSF can be used to identify patients with cerebral and spinal pathology who might benefit from specific receptor-modulating agents.     

脑型肌酸激酶同功酶在脑血管病中的意义 Ⅱ.急性脑血管病患者血清和脑脊液中CKBB变化及与CT片上病损大小的关系

用改良的ELISA检测25例正常对照组和32例急性脑血管病患者的血清和脑脊液(CSF)中的脑型肌酸激酶同功酶BB(creatine kinase isoenzyme BB)浓度。32例急性脑血管病患者CSF CKBB平均水平为16.62±8.3ng/ml,明显高于对照组(7.5—4.8ng/ml)。发病24h内CSFCKBB轻微增高,24～48h达高峰,以后下降,7天左右尚未恢复正常。病初CSF CKBB水平明显高于恢复期。9例高血压性脑出血的血肿出血量(按CT片上血肿大小计算)与患者CSF CKBB有密切关系(r=0.8127,P<0.01)。血肿体积(X)与CSF CKBB浓度(y)的回归方程y—7.945±0.872X。     

Relative risks of ventriculostomy infection and morbidity

Summary Ventricular catheter placement is a common procedure for the management of increased intracranial pressure. Hypotheses regarding the etiology of infection of catheters center on two alternative assumptions: 1) contamination leading to infection occurs at the time of catheter insertion, implying that catheter duration has minimal effect on infection risk; and 2) infection of catheters derives from catheter contamination after insertion, suggesting that duration of catheter use may significantly affect infection risk.We have studied the relative complication rate of ventricular catheter insertions using a retrospective approach (n=161 patients and 253 catheter insertion procedures). The overall infection rate was 4.1%, but the daily infection hazard increased exponentially with time, to a maximum daily rate of 10.3% by day 6 of catheter insertion. This increasing risk appears most consistent with the second hypothesis. The risk of non-infectious complications was 5.6%, including hemorrhagic occurrences and misplacement severe enough to require a new catheter insertion. The daily hazard of infection approximately equalled the non-infectious risk of routine catheter replacement by day 5.Additional prospective data on the daily risk of CSF infection and the appropriateness of antibiotic prophylaxis either at the time of ventricular catheter insertion or continued through the catheter's-presence may be required to both definitively identify which hypothesis of infection risk is correct and whether antibiotics can significantly ameliorate this risk.