Effect of dopamine denervation and dopamine agonist administration on serine phosphorylation of striatal NMDA receptor subunits

Sensitization of striatal N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the response alterations associated with dopaminomimetic treatment of parkinsonian animals and patients. To determine whether serine phosphorylation of NMDA receptor subunits by activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein-kinase II (CaMKII) contributes to this process, we examined the effects of unilateral nigrostriatal ablation with 6-hydroxydopamine and subsequent treatment with levodopa, SKF 38393 (D1-preferring dopamine agonist), or quinpirole (D2-preferring agonist) on motor responses and phosphorylation states. Three weeks of twice-daily levodopa administration to rats shortened the duration of their rotational response to levodopa or SKF 38393 challenge, but prolonged the duration of quinpirole-induced rotation. At the same time, levodopa treatment elevated serine phosphorylation of striatal NR2A (p<0.02), but not that of NR2B subunits, without associated changes in subunit protein levels. Chronic treatment with SKF 38393 increased NR2A (p<0.0001) but decreased NR2B (p<0.004) serine phosphorylation. In contrast, chronic quinpirole treatment had no effect on NR2A but increased NR2B phosphorylation (p<0.0001). The acute intrastriatal injection of the CaMKII inhibitor KN93 (1.0 micrograms) not only normalized the levodopa-induced motor response alterations but also attenuated the D1 and D2 receptor-mediated serine phosphorylation of NR2A and NR2B subunits, respectively (p<0.02). These results suggest that a CaMKII-mediated rise in serine phosphorylation of NMDA receptor subunits induced by intermittent stimulation of D1 or D2 dopaminergic receptors contributes to the apparent enhancement in striatal NMDA receptor sensitivity and thus to the dopaminergic response plasticity in levodopa-treated parkinsonian rats.     

Neurological prognosis correlated with variations over time in the number of subependymal nodules in tuberous sclerosis

In tuberous sclerosis (TS), brain CT reveals subependymal nodules, cortical tubers and white matter lesions. This study is a retrospective analysis of the relationship between the variations over time in the number of subependymal nodules and the clinical course in cases of tuberous sclerosis. Twenty-four children with tuberous sclerosis, who attended the National Children's Hospital as outpatients, were followed by means of brain CT examinations for 7 years and 1 month on average. Cranial MRI was also performed in 22 cases. Brain CT disclosed subependymal nodules already in early infancy. In almost all cases, the number of subependymal nodules gradually increased with age, especially around the frontal horn of the lateral ventricle. The increase stopped at around age 10. The cases with five or more subependymal nodules at the initial or subsequent CT examination (17 patients; Group A) exhibited a significantly greater number of cortical tubers than those with less than five (five patients; Group B) and had white matter lesions unlike Group B. In addition, the number of cases with either infantile spasms or mental retardation was significantly higher in Group A than Group B (P<0.005). In conclusion, the number of ventricular subependymal nodules may allow prediction of the severity of the cerebral dysfunction in TS. Our results suggest that its variation may reflect the degree of the embryologic disorder when neuronal cells grow in the early gestational period.     

Selective drawing disorders after right subcortical stroke: a neuropsychological premorbid and follow-up case study

We report the case of a patient affected by a subcortical lesion of the right non-dominant hemisphere, and demonstrate that he had selective constructional disorders by comparing his post-stroke performances with those assessed 18 months before the stroke. A detailed analysis was made of the visuospatial, perceptual, representational and executive competences involved in drawing tasks at one, two and six months post-stroke. Neuropsychological follow-up revealed the progressive recovery of all visuospatial abilities. This study provides some interpretative elements for constructional disorders and, in particular, for the closing-in phenomenon observed only during the subacute phase.

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Sommario Descriviamo un paziente affetto da una lesione sottocorticale dell'emisfero destro. Le prestazioni del paziente dopo l'ictus cerebrale, confrontate con quelle osservate prima dell'evento patologico, hanno dimostrato la presenza di selettivi disturbi costruttivi. Abbiamo effettuato un approfondito esame delle prestazioni costruttive, con prove visuospaziali che esplorano i livelli percettivo, rappresentazionale ed esecutivo, esaminando il paziente fino a sei mesi dopo l'ictus. Il follow-up neuropsicologico ha dimostrato un progressivo recupero di tutte le competenze visuospaziali. Questo studio fornisce dunque alcuni elementi interpretativi per i disordini costruttivi ed, in particolare, per il fenomeno del closing-in osservato nelle prime fasi dello studio longitudinale.

     

Primary cranial vault lymphoma mimicking meningioma

Primary lymphomas of the cranial vault are rare; only six patients have been described in the literature. We report a 75-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital after a focal seizure. CT showed a homogeneous mass which, on contrast enhancement, was similar to a meningioma. The tumour was excised and found to be a centroblastic, centrocytic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Treatment was completed with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.     

Problems related to dorsal root entry zone lesions

Summary Several clinical problems related to the dorsal root entry zone lesions (DREZLs) in 15 patients with chronic pain are presented and discussed in terms of ratings of pain relief following surgery, development of sensory or motor weakness and postmortem histologies. Subjective pain relief exceeding 70% was achieved at around 2 weeks after the operations in most patients (13/15), and then decreased in some to 30 from 70% in the follow-up observations. Our new objective pain relief score was tested in these patients. A significant positive correlation between subjective pain relief and our objective pain relief scale was found, but some discrepancies between them were also found during the follow-up. Sensory loss, motor weakness, paraesthesia and a new pain were found as complications in 12, 7, 4 and 6 patients, respectively. Postmortem histological findings of the spinal cord in two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and uterine cancer, who received bilateral DREZLs twice and bilateral DREZLs plus commissural myelotomy, respectively, indicate that care should be taken to avoid extension of the coagulation beyond the dorsal horn.     

Suprasellar arachnoid cysts in children report of three cases

Summary Three cases of suprasellar arachnoid cysts in children are reported. Incidence, aetiology, pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, treatment, and other problems of these uncommon lesions are discussed.Communication presented at the XXXIst Meeting of the Portuguese-Spanish Neurosurgical Society. Santiago de Compostela, Spain. May 1979.     

老年颅脑损伤234例临床特点及诊治探讨

目的探讨老年颅脑损伤的临床特点和诊治经验.方法回顾性分析2 34例年龄大于6 0岁颅脑损伤患者的临床特点及诊治情况.结果存活109例,死亡125例,老年颅脑损伤其合并伤、合并症、并发症较多见.结论针对老年人颅脑损伤临床特点积极并重诊治处理颅脑损伤、合并伤及合并症,以期减少并发症,提高本类病人的治疗效果.     

菲立磁增强MRI对肝脏局灶性病变的诊断价值

目的:探讨菲立磁增强MRI检查在肝脏局灶性病变诊断中的应用价值.方法:对34例临床怀疑有肝脏占位性病变,行常规MR或CT检查诊断困难的患者行菲立磁增强MR检查.用定量的方法研究增强前后T1WI及T2WI图像上病灶信号强度的变化,采用配对t检验分析其变化的显著性.结果:增强后肝脏实质T2WI信号明显降低,良、恶性病变的信号变化不同.病变的检出量增加,显示更清楚.结论:菲立磁增强MR检查可明显提高肝脏局灶性病变的检出率及鉴别诊断的准确性.     

胃肠道交界性病变/肿瘤和相关病变的临床病理特点及其治疗原则

交界性病变／交界性肿瘤是目前诊断病理面临的最大难题之一。病理和临床医师应正确认识胃肠道的一些交界性病变／交界性肿瘤及相关病变如胃肠道间质瘤、胃肠道淋巴组织增生和粘膜相关淋巴组织淋巴瘤、免疫增生性小肠病、胃肠道腺瘤和阑尾类癌。     

EXPRESSION OF p16,CYCLIN D1 AND RB PROTEIN IN GASTRIC CARCINOMA AND PREMALIGNANT LESIONS

Gastric carcinoma is one of the most serious diseases in mankind. Its pathogenesis has not been understood very clearly. Recent researches suggested that oncogenes (such as cyclin D1), antioncogenes (ie., p16, Rb) and cell cycle played an important role in the pathogenesis of gastric carcinoma. But there are few reports about the relationship between these genes in gastric carcinoma and gastric premalignant lesions. In this study, we will discuss these problems. MATERIALS AND METHO…