Neurological soft signs in schizophrenia: Assessment and correlates

A German version of the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) was administered to 143 schizophrenic patients, 45 of them being severly chronic and disabled. Seventy-eight alcohol-dependent inpatients and 57 healthy volunteers were tested as control groups. Neurological soft signs (NSS) were rated with convincing agreement. Schizophrenic patients are more impaired on all scales than healthy controls. The chronic, severly disabled schizophrenic patients are more impaired compared with the main group of schizophrenic patients and both control groups. A significant patients and alcohol-dependent patients was only found for the subscale Motor Coordination. Compared with healthy controls the alcohol-dependent patients show a higher NES total score. The NES total score was related to the relative width of the third ventricle. Total score and subscales were correlated consistently with the level of cognitive functioning as measured by the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices and various neuropsychological tests presumably sensitive to dysfunctions of the prefrontal cortex. The NSS were related to positive as well as to negative symptoms, the correlations with negative symptoms being confined to items of Cognitive Disorganization. This close association of psychomotor and cognitive dysfunctions may be seen as related to the frequently discussed dysfunctions of the prefrontal cortex or the neurointegrative deficit postulated by Meehl.     

Specific staining of the axon membrane at nodes of Ranvier with ferric ion and ferrocyanide

Ferric ion and ferrocyanide were used as stains for light and electron microscopy of peripheral nerves. In rat sciatic nerves, it was found that ferric ion preferentially binds to the cytoplasmic surface of the axon membrane at nodes of Ranvier but not at internodal regions. In myelinated axons in the electric organ of the gymnotid fish, Sternarchus albifrons, the small excitable nodes are similarly stained, but the larger inexcitable nodes are not stained by ferric ion. Staining of the inner surface of the nodal membrane appears to be related to a structural specialization of this membrane, rather than accessibility to stain. Our data thus show a chemical differentiation of the inner surface of the axon membrane between nodes and internodes in normal peripheral nerve fibers and between the inner surface of the axon membrane at active nodes, inactive nodes, and the internodes in the Sternarchus electrocyte axons.     

威斯康星卡片分类测验用于注意缺陷多动障碍的meta分析

目的　分析注意缺陷多动障碍 (ADHD)患儿与正常儿童在威斯康星卡片分类测验 (WCST)中各指标成绩的差异。方法　复习国外 14篇有关文献 ,对ADHD患儿和正常儿童WCST的 4个指标 (持续性错误数、分类完成数、非持续性错误数和持续性反应数 )进行meta分析。结果　ADHD和正常对照组在WCST的持续性错误数、完成分类数和非持续性错误数的成绩差异有统计学意义 ,且可靠性较好。两组的持续性反应数也有统计学意义 ,但其可靠性较差。ADHD患儿的平均持续错误数比正常儿童高 0 4 6倍标准差。正常儿童的平均完成分类数比ADHD组高 0 37倍标准差。ADHD患儿的平均非持续性错误数比正常儿童高 0 37倍标准差。ADHD患儿的平均持续性反应数比正常儿童高 0 30倍标准差。 4个指标的效应尺度均在小至中的范围。结论　WCST值得推广应用于ADHD患儿 ,较敏感的指标包括持续性错误数、完成分类数和非持续性错误数。ADHD患儿可能存在前额叶功能缺陷。     

Thyroid function in a population of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

To determine the prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities and generalized resistance to thyroid hormone in a population of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as compared to reference ranges determined from a control population and hence to determine if routine thyroid hormone screening in children with non-familial ADHD is indicated.

Method:

Children attending the State Child Development Centre in Perth, Western Australia with ADHD, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) provided the study population. The control population consisted of 353 normal children with a history of allergy in whom radioallergosorbent (RAST) testing was being performed.

Results:

The prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in the study population was 2.3% (95% CI 0.6%, 5.7%). There were no cases of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. The prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in the general population of children and adolescents has been reported to vary between 1 and 3.7%.

Conclusion:

Routine thyroid hormone screening is not indicated in children with non-familial ADHD.     

Disentangling the Overlap between Tourette's Disorder and ADHD

Objective : To identify similarities and differences in neuropsychiatric correlates in children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) and those with ADHD. Method : The sample consisted of children with Tourette's syndrome with ADHD( N = 79), children with Tourette's syndrome without ADHD ( N = 18), children with ADHD ( N = 563), psychiatrically referred children ( N = 212), and healthy controls ( N = 140). Results: Disorders specifically associated with Tourette's syndrome were obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and simple phobias. Rates of other disorders, including other disruptive behavioral, mood, and anxiety disorders, neuropsychologic correlates, and social and school functioning were indistinguishable in children with Tourette's and ADHD. However, children with Tourette's syndrome plus ADHD had more additional comorbid disorders overall and lower psychosocial function than children with ADHD. Conclusions: These findings confirm previously noted associations between Tourette's syndrome and OCD but suggest that disruptive behavioral, mood, and anxiety disorders as well as cognitive dysfunctions may be accounted for by comorbidity with ADHD. However, Tourette's syndrome plus ADHD appears to be a more severe condition than ADHD alone.     

多巴胺转运体基因多态性与注意缺陷多动障碍的关联性研究

【目的】探讨多巴胺转运体(DAT1)基因3^ 端40bp可变数串联重复(variable number of tandem repeat，VNTR)多态性与注意缺陷多动障碍(attention deficit hyperactivity dimmer，ADHD)之间的关系。【方法】运用聚合酶连反应(PCR)和VNTR多态性分析技术对西安地区汉族人群中54例符合DSM-Ⅳ诊断标准的ADHD儿童和其父母进行DAT1基因3^ 端40bpVNTR多态性检测，采用基于单体型的单体型相对风险(haplotype-based haplotype relative risk，HHRR)和传递不平衡检验(trarksmission disequilibrium test，TDT)等统计方法进行ADHD与DAT1基因多态性的关联分析。【结果】①所测人群中DAT1的40bpVNTR多态性表现出7～11倍重复的5种等位基因，其中最常见的等位基因为10倍重复的480bp片段，占90．7％。共检出6种基因型，其中最常见的基因型为480bp／480bp，占82．1％。②对54个ADHD核心家系进行HHRR和TDT关联分析，未显示出ADHD和DAT1基因存在关联。【结论】在西安地区汉族人群中DAT1基因与ADHD之间无显著性关联，DAT1基因多态性中的10倍重复等位基因可能不是ADHD的遗传危险因素。     

注意力缺陷及注意缺陷多动障碍患儿局部脑血流灌注的研究

【目的】探讨注意缺陷／多动障碍(ADHD)各亚型局部脑血流(rCBF)特点以及与不同临床类型的关系。【方法】用单光子发射计算机断层扫描(SPECT)测定了40例ADHD患儿和11例正常儿童rCBF灌注情况。【结果】定性分析结果显示，ADHD患儿低疋BF灌注量的发生率(57．5％)高于正常儿童(9％)，低灌注部位涉及额叶、颞叶、枕叶和丘脑，以额叶发生率最高；伴有多动一冲动组低rCBF注量的发生率(66．7％)高于注意缺陷组(47．3％)，同时，伴有多动一冲动组中在所有疋BF降低的脑区中，左侧占14例次，右侧占10例次，左右侧rCBF差异有显著性。【结论】额叶rCBF降低与ADHD行为抑制缺陷相关，同时左侧脑区血流下降与病情的严重程度相关。     

固视野检查对甲状腺相关眼病眼外肌功能的测量分析

目的:探讨固视野检查对甲状腺相关眼病眼外肌功能测定的临床应用。方法:用视野弧计对甲状腺相关眼病患者进行固视野检查。结果:眼球运动不足为-4时,固视野在0°-15°之间:眼球运动不足为-3时,固视野在18°～28°之间;眼球运动不足为-2时,固视野在28°-38°之间;眼球运动不足为-1时,固视野在40°～43°之间;眼球运动正常时,固视野为45°～50°。结论:固视野检查对甲状腺相关眼病患者能准确而直观地显示各个方向眼球活动受限程度。     

Behavioral outcome including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/hyperactivity disorder and minor neurological signs in perinatal high-risk newborns at 4−6 years of age with relation to risk factors

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic problems with the criteria of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th edn, have been identified. The aim of this study was to clarify whether the minor neurological signs test (MNT) the authors had previously reported was a predictor for the criteria of ADHD or hyperactivity disorder (HD) in perinatal risk children at 4-6 years of age and what kind of risk factors related to MNT. METHODS: A total of 136 children discharged from neonatal intensive care units were examined at the age of 4-6 years by a developmental neuropediatrician using both MNT and diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV ADHD/ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th edn) HD. SPSS base and professional were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: On comparison of diagnostic criteria between ADHD (11.0%) and HD (27.5%), the incidence in the same subjects showed significant difference. MNT scores showed significant correlation with criteria of ADHD (P < 0.01) and HD (P < 0.05). Diagnostic validity of MNT for predicting ADHD was demonstrated with 78% sensitivity and 79% specificity. High positive rates on MNT did not show a significant difference between the very low birthweight (VLBW) and non-low birthweight (NLBW) groups. Behavioral outcome with relation to risk factors were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Apgar 5 in the NLBW group and toxemia of pregnancy and small for gestational age (SGA) in VLBW group were highly correlated with behavioral outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Minor neurological signs test score was a significant predictor for criteria of ADHD and HD. High incidences of positive MNT were suspected in not only VLBW children but also NLBW children and Apgar 5 in NLBW children and toxemia of pregnancy and SGA in VLBW children influenced behavioral outcome.