大鼠癫痫持续状态黑质－腹侧被盖区多巴胺的组织化学研究

本实验用荧光组化技术及记录显微自动曝光时间方法研究了马桑内酯所致的Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠癫痫持续状态黑质－腹侧被盖区多巴胺含量的变化。结果显示癫痫发作高峰组（１０只）和发作后组（８只）该区多巴胺含量明显低于对照组（１０只）和发作前组（１０只）。由于多巴胺是一种抑制性神经递质，它的减少可能表明抑制作用的下降对癫痫的发作有一定的调控作用。     

Rapidly progressive parkinsonism in a self-reported user of ecstasy and other drugs.

A 38-year-old man developed parkinsonism that progressed to Hoehn and Yahr stage 5 within 4 years of onset. Response to ropinirole deteriorated, levodopa was not tolerated, and subthalamic nucleus stimulation has provided only partial relief of symptoms. He reported heavy use of Ecstasy through most of his twenties and thirties. His neurological problems may be unrelated to his drug use, but it is also possible they represent an idiosyncratic reaction.     

Suggestive linkage to chromosome 19 in a large Cuban family with late‐onset Parkinson's disease

The identification of disease genes using family‐based approaches has provided important insights into the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) demonstrating the importance of genetic studies on monogenic forms of the disease. We studied a large Cuban family with typical, late‐onset PD and probable autosomal dominant inheritance. Mean age at onset was 61.2 years (±12.53, 45–76). Other phenotypes such as essential tremor and atypical parkinsonism were observed in this family. We carried out a genome‐wide scan and linkage analyses. The genetic data were analyzed using a conservative model in which only patients with clinically definite or likely PD were considered affected, other phenotypes were regarded as “unknown.” Multipoint analyses yielded a maximum LOD of 2.26 between markers D19S221 and D19S840. Haplotype analysis showed a region on chromosome 19 shared by six of seven PD patients. The essential tremor phenotype and the atypical parkinsonism do not segregate with this haplotype, suggesting a different etiology. Our findings suggest the presence of a novel locus for PD on chromosome 19p13.3–q12. We propose that an oligogenic model with moderate contribution of two or three genes rather than a “pure” monogenic model might explain better the wide range in age at onset, the reduced penetrance and the phenotypical variability observed in PD families. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society     

内蒙古啮齿动物分布聚类区初步探讨

本文将内蒙古５５种啮齿动物在本自治区８个动物地理省中的有或无分布作为二元属性，表征动物地理省间种类组成的相似性用联合系数表示，并以类平均法进行聚类。根据聚类结果，讨论了分布聚类与动物地理区划的关系。     

Nasal septum lesions caused by chromium exposure among chromium electroplating workers

A chromium electroplating worker, suffering from epistaxis during work, was found to have nasal septum perforation. To determine the etiology and prevalence of nasal septum lesions, we conducted a survey of seven chromium electroplating factories and examined 79 workers. Forty workers from three aluminum electroplating factories were also enrolled as the reference group. Subjects were thoroughly examined by an otolaryngologist and each of them provided a blood and urine sample. A questionnaire interview regarding symptoms of the upper respiratory tract, past medical history, life style, and work history was also conducted. Air chromium concentrations were measured by taking area samples for 4–6 hours. Based on field observation and chromium measurements, we divided chromium electroplating into three different exposure zones: workers directly dealing with electroplating tanks (n = 31), other process workers (n = 29), and office workers and drivers (n = 19). Among the 79 chromium electroplating workers, there were 16 cases of nasal septum perforation, and 42 with either scar formation or ulceration; 10 chromium electroplating workers developed skin ulcers after performing chrome plating. No workers from aluminum electroplating factories had any nasal septum or skin abnormalities. There was a consistent trend between the degree of chromium exposure and the signs and symptoms related to the nose, throat, and skin. Immediate improvement of occupational hygiene is warranted.     

Delayed sleep phase syndrome: A placebo-controlled cross-over study on the effects of melatonin administered five hours before the individual dim light melatonin onset

In a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study, 30 patients with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) were included, of whom 25 finished the study. Melatonin 5 mg was administered during two weeks in a double-blind setting and two weeks in an open setting successively or interrupted by two weeks of placebo. The study's impact was assessed by measurements of the 24-h curves of endogenous melatonin production and rectal temperature (n=14), polysomnography (n=22), actigraphy (n=13), sleep log (n=22), and subjective sleep quality (n=25). Mean dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) (±SD), before treatment, occurred at 23.17 hours (±138 min). Melatonin was administered five hours before the individual DLMO. After treatment, the onset of the nocturnal melatonin profile was significantly advanced by approximately 1.5 hour. Body temperature trough did not advance significantly. During melatonin use, actigraphy showed a significant advance of sleep onset and polysomnography, a significant decreased sleep latency. Sleep architecture was not influenced. During melatonin treatment patients felt significantly more refreshed in the morning. These results show that analysis of DLMO of patients suffering from DSPS is important both for diagnosis and therapy. These results are discussed in terms of the biochemistry of the pineal.     

Age-related changes in cortical porosity of the midshaft of the human femur

Complete cross-sections from the femoral midshaft of 180 individuals of known height and weight, aged 21–97 y, from a modern Australian population were examined using automatic video image analysis to quantify total subperiosteal porosity (TSPP). More specifically, the aim was to investigate whether age changes were similar in both sexes in (1) total subperiosteal area (TSPA), cortical area (CA) and medullary area (MA), (2) intracortical porosity (ICP), and (3) the respective contributions to TSPP made by MA and intracortical void area (ICVA). Our findings indicated that both sexes showed a significantly greater height normalised TSPA in the 70s as compared with the 20s. Males had consistently larger bones with a greater height normalised CA. In both sexes CA showed a tendency to increase till the 7th decade and then to decline, more so in females. MA approximately trebled in females and doubled in males over the age range studied. Although ICP also increased, from 4–6% in young adults to over 9% in the elderly, it showed a significant difference between the sexes only in the 3rd decade, being greater in males at this stage. By contrast, TSPP became significantly greater in females (from that recorded in the 3rd decade) by the time they reached the 50s, while in males this did not occur till the 80s. It increased from ∼25% in young adults of both sexes to ∼50% in females and ∼37% in males in their 80s. However, in the elderly there was great variability in both sexes in the appearance of bones from individuals of similar chronological age. Some bones differed little from those in younger subjects, others showed greatly increased ICP, still others displayed reduced cortical widths with low ICP. The femoral midshaft resembles other skeletal sites in that age changes in TSPP are more marked in females than males.     

Postictal Language Dysfunction in Patients with Right or Bilateral Hemispheric Language Localization

Summary: Purpose : As shown previously, when temporal lobe complex partial seizures (TLCPS) originate from the language dominant hemisphere, patients cannot read a test phrase correctly within 60 s of the end of the ictal discharge. We wished to assess whether postictal language testing results discordant with this pattern identified patients with non-left (right hemisphere or mixed) language dominance.
Methods : Since 1988, all patients undergoing video/EEG monitoring at our institution have been given a test phrase to read aloud as soon as a seizure is detected. Inclusion criteria for this study were (a) postictal language testing within 60 s of seizure end for at least one TLCPS, (b) >90% seizure reduction after anterior temporal lobectomy with 2-year minimum follow- follow- up, and (c) language localization by either intracarotid amobarbital test (IAT) or direct electrical stimulation of left hemisphere cortex.
Results : Two hundred twenty-four seizures in 64 patients were analyzed. Discordant postictal language patterns were noted in 10 of 11 patients with IAT documented non-left language dominance and in 15 of 53 with left dominance (p = 0.006; sensitivity 90.9%, specificity 71.7%).
Conclusions : Postictal language testing accurately identifies patients with non-left language dominance and may be useful in selecting appropriate patients for IAT.     

Internal and external information processing by lateral hypothalamic glucose-sensitive and insensitive neurons during bar press feeding in the monkey

Single neuron activities in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) were recorded during bar press feeding task in the monkey. First registered neurons were sorted into 2 groups, glucose-sensitive (GS) and glucose-insensitive (GIS) neurons, depending on their glucose sensitivity. Then firing variations to feeding, electrophoretically applied catecholamines and opiate, and to odor and taste stimuli were investigated. GS neurons responded to dopamine, noradrenaline and morphine more often than GIS neurons. In feeding task GS neurons responded during bar press (BP) and reward (RW) periods with long-lasting inhibition of firing and at cue tone (CT) with transient inhibition, while GIS neurons responded during BP and RW periods mainly with excitation and at cue light (CL) with excitation. A majority of GS neurons responded to both odor and taste stimuli more often than GIS neurons. Data suggest that these two kinds of neurons in the LHA may be involved in different functional aspects of feeding: GS neurons, mainly in internal information processing and reward mechanism, and GIS neurons, in external information processing and motor aspects.