Suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by the encephalitogenic peptide, in solution or bound to liposomes

We have investigated the ability of liposome-bound encephalitogenic peptide to suppress experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the guinea pig. EAE was induced by challenge with the encephalitogenic peptide, residues 113-122 of human myelin basic protein (MBP) in complete Freund's adjuvant. The peptide was acylated with stearic acid in order to anchor it to the lipid bilayer. The liposomal-bound peptide effectively suppressed clinical signs of EAE at relatively low doses, when given subcutaneously or intraperitoneally without incomplete Freund's adjuvant, several days after challenge. In vitro proliferation of lymphocytes from treated, protected animals in response to the peptide was greatly decreased but that to the purified protein derivative of tuberculin antigen was not, indicating an antigen-specific effect. However, histological signs of EAE were not reduced. The free peptide in solution was somewhat less effective when given intraperitoneally but was as or nearly as effective as liposome-bound peptide when given subcutaneously. Binding to liposomes may decrease the rate of clearance or degradation of the peptide when given intraperitoneally.     

''Gender gap'' in multiple sclerosis: magnetic resonance imaging evidence

The authors evaluated the gender difference in the magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of the lesions occurring in the brain of 413 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Men had fewer contrast-enhancing lesions (P = 0.01), but a higher proportion of lesions evolving into 'black holes' (P = 0.001), when compared with women. Thus, our data indicate that men with MS are prone to develop less inflammatory, but more destructive lesions than women. This study results provides support for a modulation of the MS pathological changes by gender.     

经颅多普勒超声诊断糖尿病性脑血管病变

目的:研究经颅多普勒超声检查对诊断糖尿病性脑血管病的价值。材料与方法:39例糖尿病患者进行经颅多普勒超声检查。结果:89.7％患者表现有脉动指数增高等脑动脉硬化的脑血液动力学改变。结论:经颅多普勒超声检查对诊断糖尿病性脑血管病有重要价值。     

环孢菌素治疗用激素类药无效的多发性硬化

目的探讨环孢菌素（ＣｓＡ）治疗用激素类无效的多发性硬化（ＭＳ）的效果。方法对激素等治疗５个月以上病情无明显好转或仍在加重的１０例ＭＳ，用ＣｓＡ５ｍｇ·ｋｇ－１·ｄ－１，疗程至少２个月，然后根据病情逐渐减量，最后小剂量维持用药。统计各个治疗期及最后随访（６～３２个月后）的扩充致残量表（ＥＤＳＳ）评分和脑ＭＲＩ病灶数。结果激素治疗前后ＥＤＳＳ差异无显著性意义（Ｐ＞０．２０）；ＣｓＡ足量治疗使ＥＤＳＳ评分下降及脑ＭＲＩ病灶数减少（Ｐ＜０．０５）；最后随访ＥＤＳＳ评分进一步下降（Ｐ＜０．０１），其中４例复查了ＭＲＩ，３例病灶数进一步减少。ＣｓＡ治疗未见严重毒副作用。结论ＣｓＡ可治疗用激素类无效的ＭＳ。     

动脉硬化性脑白质病的CT表现与临床分析

目的 :探讨动脉硬化性脑白质病的临床与CT表现特点。方法 :收集 10 0例动脉硬化性脑白质病的临床与CT资料进行综合分析。结果 :10 0例的CT表现为 :弥漫性脑白质低密度改变 ,主要分布在双侧脑室旁及半卵圆中心白质区 ,病灶多呈条带状及月晕状。合并脑萎缩 90例 ;脑梗塞 76例 ,其中 2 5例有大的梗塞灶 ,其余为腔隙性梗塞 ;脑出血 9例 ,其中位于壳核 5例 ,丘脑 3例 ,小脑 1例 ;有 15例伴发基底节区软化灶。增强扫描 8例 ,显示病灶无明显增强。结论 :动脉硬化性脑白质病是发生于老年人的缺血性脑血管病 ,高血压动脉硬化是其主要发病因素。     

颞叶癫痫颅内EEG记录定位与海马病理变化的关系

目的探讨颞叶癫痫颅内EEG记录与颞叶海马病变程度的关系。方法视频EEG证实为颞叶癫痫并经MRI检查的病人序贯进入本研究,采用硬膜下电极及深部电极联合纪录,确定领先发作释放(initialictaldischarge,IID)部位。37例病人中,无或轻度海马萎缩(hippocampalatrophy,HA阴性组)27例,中至中度HA(HA阳性组)者10例。海马病理变化依据MRI检查的海马容积测量及术后组织病理学的海马硬化分级。结果本组HA阴性组27例病人中,9例病人IID广泛出现在海马区、内侧旧皮层及外侧新皮层;3例在海马区及内侧古皮层;14例完全出现在海马区以外的颞叶皮层;仅1例局限于海马区。在HA阳性组中,90%的病人IID局限于海马区(P<0.05),在25例低级别海马硬化(HS)中,IID局限于海马区显著低于12例HS高级别病人(P<0.05)。结论颞叶癫痫的抽搐发作放电定位与海马的病理变化存在着密切关系,无HA和低级别HS病人的IID多出现在海马、颞叶内侧皮层、颞叶新皮层的部位,而HA明显者和高级别的HS病人出现的IID往往仅局限于海马(HF)。     

在体磁共振波谱及扩散张力成像观察肌萎缩性侧索硬化的病理变化的研究

目的结合磁共振波谱成像(MRSI)以及扩散张力成像(DTI)技术及磁共振影像(MRI)对肌萎缩性侧索硬化(ALS)进行对照研究,评价MRSI、DTI、MRI在ALS诊断中的作用。方法采用MRSI、DTI及MRI技术对ALS患者及对照组进行扫描,观察沿皮质脊髓束(CST)走行区域包括中央前回皮层下(SWM)、半卵圆中心(CS)、侧脑室旁白质(PV)、内囊后肢(PIC)、大脑脚(CP)的各向异性比(FA)以及平均扩散率(MD),以及SWM、PV、PIC平面氮乙酰门冬胺酸(NAA)与肌酸(Cr)比值在对照组及ALS患者的改变,并比较不同扫描序列在ALS诊断的作用。结果ALS的总FA较对照组明显降低(P<0.001),在CST走行区的SWM、CS、PV和PIC平面,ALS组的FA较对照组明显降低(P<0.05),MD在ALS组有升高的趋势,但无统计学差异。ALS组的NAA/Cr较对照组明显降低(P<0.05),在SWM和PV平面ALS组的NAA/Cr较对照组降低明显(P<0.05)。对T1WI、T2WI与FLAIR序列判断结果显示,对照组与ALS组间MRI的表现无明显差异。结论MRSI与DTI结合能够早期定量探测ALS患者CST的轴索损伤,SWM、CS、PV和PIC平面的FA,在SWM和PV的NAA/Cr为有效的指标。ALS与对照组MRI的表现则无明显差异。     

Comparison of the growth hormone, IGF-1 and insulin in cerebrospinal fluid and serum between patients with motor neuron disease and healthy controls

Neurotrophic effects of the growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin on the central nervous system have become more apparent in the past decade. In this study, we measured serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of GH, IGF-1 and insulin in 35 patients with motor neuron disease (MND) [24 patients with definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 11 patients with progressive bulbar palsy] and in 40 healthy controls. Levels of serum concentrations of GH and IGF-1 did not significantly differ between the MND patient group and the healthy controls, while the level of insulin was significantly decreased ( P  = 0.0033) in the MND patient group. However, levels of all three examined parameters in CSF were significantly lower in the MND group than in the healthy controls with the statistical significance for IGF-1 and insulin of P  < 0.001. This finding has not been reported previously, and further investigations into its association with ALS should establish whether it can be used as an early marker of the disease, or whether it merely represents a consequence of ALS development.     

The basis for treatment in multiple sclerosis

Contemporary licensed treatments for multiple sclerosis fail to provide a solution for the disease because their effects are limited to a modest reduction in the frequency of new episodes. They do not reduce disability or materially influence the progressive phase of the disease. A contemporary strategy for management requires a more detailed analysis of the separate contributions to the clinical features and overall course made by inflammation, axonal injury, compensatory mechanisms, and remyelination. From this formulation emerges the need either for early and fully effective suppression of the inflammatory response, limiting the damage to all components of the axon-glial unit; or the development of strategies for axonal and myelin repair that solve the issues of controlled differentiation, delivery and timing of these cell and growth factor-based interventions.