Aspiration cytology of maxillary myxoma

Fine-needle aspiration was used to diagnose a case of maxillary myxoma. Abundant mucoid material was obtained. Microscopic examination showed three-dimensional fibrillary myxoid fragments entangling spindle-shaped, stellate, and fusiform cells with round to oval monomorphic nuclei. A striking feature was delicately branching capillaries. The diagnosis was subsequently con-finned on histology and histochemistry.     

Rare craniofacial clefts with duplication of alveolar arch

Summary A 16 year old girl presented with Tessier's No. 4 cleft on the right side coupled with No. 7 and No. 3 cleft on the left. Associated with this she had 6 molars in the left maxillary segment and a 7th unerupted one lying horizontally. Such a unique congenital anomaly has not been reported in literature until now.     

Comparative study of evoked electromyography and facial nerve latency test in the prognosis of idiopathic facial nerve palsy in childhood

We report our results from the application of evoked electromyography (EEMG) and facial nerve latency testing (FNLT) in 30 children aged 4–14 years with idiopathic facial palsy. Our aim was to define the value of these tests as prognostic tools in Bell's palsy. From the EEMG results we ascertained that, when the amplitude of the compound muscle action potential varied between 51% and 95% of the normal value, the neuronal damage is slight (neurapraxia). When the percentage value of muscle response decreases, the prognosis is worse. The results of the FNLT showed that, when the latency is within normal limits, the damage to the nerve is slight (neurapraxia). If the latency is prolonged, the prognosis is worse. Evaluation of our results and comparison with the index of facial nerve functional recovery showed that those two tests have a high percentage of correctness (100% for the EEMG and 96.7% for the FNLT) and a low percentage of error. We conclude that these tests are excellent for predicting the outcome of facial nerve palsy in childhood and we suggest that young patents undergo both so that the determination of the lesion may be as correct as possible.     

Fat injections for the correction of facial lipodistrophies: A preliminary report

We present our experience with fat injections in the treatment of two cases of facial lipodistrophies. The surgical technique as well as the followup of the two clinical cases are presented in order to evaluate the long post-operative results. Among the different techniques used by us for correcting the soft tissues of the facial contour, this has been by far the simpliest and easiest. We need longer followups and more clinical cases in order to point out some definite conclusions, however. Nevertheless, it is our impression in this preliminary report that this technique could have a place in the treatment of problems related to the soft tissues of the facial contour.     

Electrodermal Discrimination of Familiar and Unfamiliar Faces: A Methodology

A study is reported which establishes a methodology for investigating the hypothesis that prosopagnosic patients, who have lost the ability to recognize faces, may nonetheless demonstrate electrodermal discrimination of familiar versus unfamiliar facial stimuli. Skin conductance response (SCR) data were recorded while neurologically-intact, college-aged subjects viewed slides of 8 famous, highly familiar faces and 42 unfamiliar faces. The results showed that the familiar faces elicited, on the average, much larger SCRs than the unfamiliar faces. In addition, a second group of subjects rated the familiar faces as more “significant” than the unfamiliar ones, and it is concluded that highly familiar faces are potential signal stimuli. Also, because the paradigm involves few instructions and no overt behavioral response by the subject, this methodology could be readily adapted to investigations of prosopagnosic and other brain-damaged populations in which there is severe amnesia, aphasia, or apraxia.     

Facial affect recognition in the course of schizophrenia

Deficits in facial affect recognition have been shown repeatedly in schizophrenia. However, the stability of this deficit over time remains to be clarified. A total of 36 remitted, 32 acutely ill schizophrenic patients and 21 healthy volunteers participated in a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. All subjects were assessed twice within 4 weeks (acute schizophrenics and normal controls), or 12 weeks, respectively (remitted schizophrenics). Subjects had to identify six basic emotions from corresponding facial expressions shown as photographs on a video screen. Both acute and remitted schizophrenics demonstrated a stable deficit over time in facial affect recognition unrelated to psychopathology and medication. This suggests that deficits in facial affect recognition in schizophrenia reflect a trait-like, rather than a state-dependent, characteristic.     

Nonverbal expression of psychological states in psychiatric patients

Summary Nonverbal behavior, especially facial expression, appears as one of the most important means for communicating affective states. Studies on groups of psychiatric patients and control subjects are reported in which nonverbal behavior is analyzed from videotaped dialogues. Using a quantitative approach, results on facial behavior, speech, and gaze are described, which shed light on the expressive and communicative functions of nonverbal behavior. From longitudinal observations on depressed patients it emerged that individual-specific associations have to be taken into account for the relationship between expressive behavior and mood changes.The predominance of facial behavior in the speaker role of an individual found in patients and control groups points to the integrated communicative function of the verbal and nonverbal elements. However, recovered schizophrenic patients exhibited a dissociation of these elements. Implications for our understanding of nonverbal communications are discussed.     

Comparative anatomy of cutaneous muscles of the face

Comparative anatomical studies of monkeys, apes, and humans have clarified essential factors involved in the structure of the cutaneous muscles of the face. Among the finding are that the platysma muscle is a very important entity because it is the only muscle without any bony attachments. In addition, the platysma is a fan-shaped structure that has been divided artificially by classical anatomists into five elements. The parotid fascia forms part of this fan-shaped fibromuscular structure and is not of the deep fascia. As such, these findings require a revision of the classical anatomical concepts of the parotid space.     

Movement-related skin strain associated with goal-oriented lip actions

 It is generally accepted that sensory input contributes to the generation of natural movements. In most motor systems, muscle spindles, tendon organs, joint receptors, and cutaneous mechanoreceptors may provide proprioceptive information. However, the perioral area of the human face lacks muscle spindles, tendon organs, and joint receptors and is therefore a model system for the study of cutaneous afferent contributions to proprioception. This investigation examined a series of skin strains associated with lower-lip movements in human subjects to determine if such strains, which serve as stimuli for cutaneous mechanoreceptors, may underlie proprioception in the face. The results suggested that strains associated with lower-lip movements were of sufficient magnitude to elicit cutaneous mechanoreceptor discharge, as shown in recent human microneurographic studies. Further, the magnitude of multiple strains was predictive of lower-lip movement endpoints. These results highlight the potential importance of cutaneous mechanoreceptors as putative proprioceptors. Received: 16 February 1998 / Accepted: 26 May 1998     

Responsiveness of the Acne-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (Acne-QoL) to treatment for acne vulgaris in placebo-controlled clinical trials

The Acne-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (Acne-QoL) was developed to measure the impact of facial acne across four dimensions of patient quality of life. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the responsiveness of this instrument. Secondarily, this study provided an opportunity to extend the developer's psychometric validation. The Acne-QoL was utilized in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of the efficacy of Estrostep^® (norethindrone acetate/ethinyl estradiol) in the treatment of facial acne; a total of 296 Estrostep^® and 295 placebo patients were evaluated. The Acne-QoL was completed at the beginning, middle (cycle 3), and end (cycle 6) of the 6-month treatment period. The responsiveness of the Acne-QoL was demonstrated through its ability to detect both small (baseline to mid-study) and moderate (baseline to study end) treatment advantages for Estrostep^® patients. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the subscale structure, and internal consistency estimates were excellent. Convergent and discriminant validity were supported by correlations between Acne-QoL scores and clinical measures that were both in the direction and relative magnitude hypothesized. Finally, item response theory analyses confirmed that each item is highly related to its subscale's latent construct and that each subscale is sensitive across a broad range of the underlying continuum. The results of this evaluation confirm that the Acne-QoL is responsive, internally consistent, and valid.