Effects of dopaminergic medications on psychosis and motor function in dementia with Lewy bodies

Dopaminergic treatment in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) requires balancing risk of worsened psychosis and potential motor benefit. We assessed the effects of increased dopaminergic medication on psychosis and motor function in DLB. We studied 19 subjects fulfilling probable DLB Consensus criteria before and after increased dopaminergic medications. Standard clinical measures included: Thought Disorder score from the Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part I, total motor score (UPDRS Part III), and Hoehn–Yahr (H&Y) stage. Motor benefit defined as >10% improvement over baseline UPDRS Part III score, occurred in only one‐third of subjects. In this group, worsened hallucinations or psychosis developed in one‐third. Considering motor benefit without exacerbation of psychosis as our aim, only 4 DLB subjects (22%) achieved this goal. Our results suggest that dopaminergic medications have limited benefit in DLB because of the low likelihood of motor improvement and the risk of psychosis exacerbation. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society     

Association of <Emphasis Type="Italic">RGS4</Emphasis> variants with schizotypy and cognitive endophenotypes at the population level

Background  

While association studies on schizophrenia show conflicting results regarding the importance of the regulator of the G-protein signaling 4 (RGS4) gene, recent work suggests that RGS4 may impact on the structural and functional integrity of the prefrontal cortex. We aimed to study associations of common RGS4 variants with prefrontal dependent cognitive performance and schizotypy endophenotypes at the population level.     

Osteosarcoma: use of MR imaging and MR spectroscopy in clinical decision making

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed on 14 patients with histologically proved osteosarcoma (mean age, 14.4 years). There was excellent correlation of intramedullary tumor extent as determined with MR imaging and pathologic examination (r = 99%). This was facilitated by the presence of a chemical shift artifact at the tumor-marrow interface on the T1-weighted images. The correlation between CT and pathologic findings was not as good (r = 84%). In a single patient, however, a 10-cm length of sclerotic bone was incorrectly interpreted as being tumor. If this case is excluded, the correlation between CT and pathologic findings improves significantly (r = 96%). T2-weighted images were optimal in demonstrating soft-tissue bulk and breach of the epiphysis or cortex. Vascular involvement was also readily defined. The T2 value of the tumor soft-tissue component decreased in patients who were deemed to have responded well to therapy. Two patients with very high T2 values after chemotherapy developed wide-spread metastatic disease and died. Phosphorus-31 MR spectroscopy of five patients with osteosarcoma showed elevated levels of phosphomonoesters (PMEs), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and phosphodiesters (PDEs). PME and PDE peak areas decreased in three patients after chemotherapy, while Pi peak areas increased.     

Carotid artery: percutaneous transbrachial selective arteriography with a 4-F catheter

Bilateral selective common carotid artery catheterization was attempted in 72 patients by means of percutaneous placement of a 4-F catheter from a right brachial artery puncture site in the antecubital fossa. The success rate was high (95.8%) and the complication rate low (6.9%), and there were no instances of brachial artery spasm or thrombosis. The experience, while small, suggests that selective common carotid arteriography can be done safely and efficaciously from the right brachial artery approach.     

Tooth loss and dental caries in Dutch adults

As part of a nationwide dental survey in 1986 a caries study was executed in 3526 adults, aged 15-74 yr, living in 40 residential areas in The Netherlands. Marked differences were found between the social classes distinguished (more edentates in the lower classes) and between the different regions. It is supposed that these differences reflect the lack of dental manpower in the past.     

Objective and subjective need for cosmetic dentistry in the Dutch adult population

In order to assess the objective and subjective need for cosmetic dentistry in the Dutch adult population in 1986 a stratified sample of 2784 dentate persons, aged 15-74 yr, participated in the study. The aesthetics of anterior teeth and first premolars in the maxillary mandibular arch were determined by dental examiners as well as by the examinees. According to the dental examiners 16-63% of the people in the age range from 15 to 74 yr were in need of cosmetic dental care. Based on the patient's opinion (subjective need) these percentages varied between 18 and 40% in the different age groups. The discrepancy between the objective and subjective assessment in the percentage of people in need of cosmetic dental care increased with age.     

Migraine-associated vertigo

A retrospective analysis was performed on consecutive series of 363 patients presenting with vertigo; 32% had migraine. Of the 224 patients with no pathology other than migraine or vestibular dysfunction, migraineurs had a significantly higher prevalence of normal, central, and combined central and peripheral vestibular dysfunction compared to non-migraineurs. The combination of central and peripheral vestibular signs was a feature of migraine with aura. The results support the hypothesis that migraine-associated vertigo is a diagnostic entity.     

Isolation and characterization of murine cell surface components. I. Purification of milligram quantities of Thy-1.1

The Thy-l.1 molecule was isolated from the BW5147 murine lymphoblastoid cell line. The initial step in purification was the preparation of a crude plasma membrane fraction followed by acetone precipitation. The acetone pellet was solubilized using deoxycholate (DOC) and Thy-1.1 was purified by use of a Lens culinaris lectin affinity column and an AcA-34 gel filtration column. The purified glycoprotein with Thy-1.1 activity had a mol wt of approximately 25,000 daltons. The isolation of this molecule was effected by detecting Thy-I activity utilizing rabbit anti- mouse brain serum tested on rat thymocytes. Congenic anti-Thy-l.1 serum was ineffective in detecting Thy-l.1 after DOC solubilization. An antiserum prepared in rabbits to the purified Thy-1.1 was found to be cytotoxic to mouse and rat thymocytes. The cytotoxic activity of this antisera could be completely absorbed with AKR/Jax brain and thymus but was not absorbed by liver. In addition, AKR/Jax thymocytes totally absorbed all cytotoxic activity of the rabbit anti-purified Thy-1 serum for BW5147 cells suggesting that the cell line shares identical specificities with normal thymocytes. The purified Thy-1.1 molecule was able to totally absorb the cytotoxic activity of mouse congenic anti-Thy-1. These studies serve as a model for the isolation of other murine lymphoid cell surface components in quantities for detailed structural and functional analysis.