Electroencephalographic changes in patients with herpes zoster

EEGs of 42 patients with herpes zoster and 6 with herpes zoster-associated encephalitis were studied to characterize the nature and prevalence of EEG abnormalities in apparently uncomplicated herpes zoster. Thirty-one percent of herpes zoster patients had EEG changes with reduced rhythm frequency ranging from 7 to 2 Hz activity. Frontotemporal localization was observed in 54% of the abnormal EEGs. When compared to EEG in herpes zoster associated encephalitis, the findings were qualitatively the same, but tended to be more severe in the encephalitis cases. No effect of acyclovir on the EEG could be demonstrated.     

Changes in the Eeg Background Activity of Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia During Cytotoxic Therapy

Thirteen children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were investigated before and during cytotoxic therapy. EEG findings were correlated with the clinical course and the therapy protocol and compared with normal data obtained from 295 healthy children. Frequency analysis of the background activity of the EEG revealed an initial slowing of the background activity prior to therapy and further slowing each time a combination of vincristine (VCR), daunorubicine (DAU) or adriblastine (ADR), prednisone (FRED), and L-asparaginase (L-ASP) was administered. The slowing of the background activity correlated only with the administration of these drugs. DAU, ADR, and FRED are not known to influence the EEG; therefore, VCR and L-ASP remain the primary candidates responsible for the central nervous system alteration.     

Identifying the affected hemisphere by 1H-MR spectroscopy in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and no pathological findings in high resolution MRI

Up to 30% of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) remain without remarkable changes in MRI. In this study we investigated the role of (1)H-MR spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) in lateralizing the affected hemisphere in the mentioned patient group. Twenty-two consecutive patients diagnosed with TLE were investigated by high resolution MRI and (1)H-MRS. We examined the incidence and diagnostic accuracy of temporal metabolite alterations determined by Linear Combination of Model Spectra (L C Model) via water reference. Metabolite values of each hemisphere of TLE patients were compared with healthy controls. Results of metabolite alterations were related to intensive video EEG focus localization. Reduction of N-acetylaspartate + N-acetylaspartyl-glutamate (tNAA) in the affected hemisphere revealed identification in six of nine patients (66%) with unilateral TLE. Group comparison revealed a significant reduction of tNAA (6.1+/-0.8*) in the involved temporal lobe compared with controls (6.67+/-0.4*, P=0.026). Choline levels were significantly increased in the affected hemisphere (1.42+/-0.17*) compared with healthy controls (1.22+/-0.17*, P=0.035). The results of our study show that (1)H-MRS is able to identify the affected hemisphere of MRI negative TLE patients and can be used as an additive tool in multimodal focus localization.     

电针对沙鼠急性脑缺血再灌注后神经原损伤的保护作用

本实验利用沙鼠急性脑缺血再灌注模型，研究电针对脑缺血及再灌注各期脑电活动的影响及组织病理学的改变。结果表明：缺血１０ｍｌｎ，脑电幅度受到严重抑制，甚至变平坦，总功率大大下降，再灌注后总功率难以恢复，在１２０ｍｉｎ时仅恢复到缺血前的２７．３９±１１．３１％，以后即不再进一步恢复，电针组动物缺血１０ｍｉｎ再灌注后，脑电的恢复明显比对照组快，１２０ｍｉｎ时恢复至缺血前的７１．４５±１６．４６％（Ｐ＜０．０１），２４０ｍｉｎ时继续恢复至缺血前的７５．２７±１８．４３％。同时电针能明显减轻缺血１０ｍｉｎ后再灌注２４小时的神经原缺血性损伤。结果提示：电针对急性脑缺血引起的神经原损伤具有保护作用，并能促进脑功能的恢复。     

Nocturnal sleep in huntington's disease

Summary Nocturnal sleep was studied in 16 inpatients with Huntington's disease. In comparison with healthy controls, patients exhibited a disturbed sleep pattern with increased sleep onset latency, reduced sleep efficiency, frequent nocturnal awakenings, more time spent awake and less slow wave sleep. These abnormalities correlated in part with duration of illness, severity of clinical symptoms, and degree of atrophy of the caudate nucleus. Patients showed an increased density of sleep spindles.     

原发全身性癫痫遗传流行病学研究

本文报道１００例原发全身性癫痫家系的遗传流行病学研究结果。先证者一级亲属患病率为６．８６％，二级亲属为１．０３％；分别是对照组一级亲属的１３．８３倍和２．０８倍。原发全身性癫痫的遗传度为：一级亲属０．７５２１±０．０６７８，二级亲属０．３５９２±０．０７４６；加权平均０．５７４３±０．０５０２。说明遗传因素起重要作用。发病年龄影响因素分析表明：原发全身性癫痫有一定年龄依从性。ＥＥＧ家系分析显示，该型癫痫一级亲属癫痫样放电明显高于对照组一级亲属，提示癫痫样放电的遗传倾向。     

Topographical distribution of absolute alpha-power in the EEG and psychopathology in schizophrenic outpatients

In 36 schizophrenic outpatients (Research Diagnostic Criteria) under neuroleptic maintenance treatment the EEG was recorded under resting conditions. The absolute alpha-power (7.5-13 Hz) was estimated by Fast Fourier Transform as the mean of 300 2-second epochs for the leads F3/A1, F4/A2, 01/A2 and 02/A2. Two lateralization quotients (anterior, posterior) and two anteriorization quotients (left, right) were calculated from the absolute alpha-power. Clinical status was assessed cross-sectionally with BRPS, GAS and CGI. The main findings are: 1) A linear relationship between the left/right ratio of absolute alpha-power over posterior regions and anxiety/depression--the more the alpha-power is left-lateralized, the higher the anxiety/depression score; 2) a curvilinear, inverted U-shaped relationship between the left/right ratio of absolute alpha-power over posterior regions and the score of schizophrenia-specific symptomatology; 3) the amount of daily neuroleptic dose (mgCPZ) has no impact on EEG-parameters. Results are discussed with respect to hemisphere asymmetry models of psychopathology.     

Bipolar affective disorder. II. EEG, neuropsychological, and clinical correlates of CT abnormality

Since the clinical significance of CT abnormalities found in bipolar patients remains obscure, we studied 26 DSM-III bipolar patients who had specific CT abnormalities (third ventricle enlargement, and hyperdensity of the caudate, thalamus, anterior frontal white matter, and right temporal lobe) on numerous parameters such as EEG, the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery, premorbid personality adjustment, family history of affective disorder, positive and negative symptoms, employment history, and response to lithium carbonate treatment. None of these measures could differentiate between the CT abnormal and CT normal subgroups. The implications of these findings are discussed.