SPECT脑血流显像在原发性癫痫致痫灶术前定位中的价值

本文对34例原发性癫痫进行了致痫灶定位研究。使用SPECT脑血流显像及埋藏硬脑膜下条片状电极描记ECoG。定位脑皮质致痫灶。34例中,30例SPECT定位与电极定位相符合,符合率为88.24％,提示SPECT脑血流显像对原发性癫痫手术前致痫灶的定位诊断具有一定价值。     

在偶极子定位下显微手术治疗难治性癫痫30例临床分析

目的探讨偶极子定位方法在药物难治性癫痫术前致痫灶定位研究中的作用和准确性。方法对30例药物难治性癫痫患者的致痫灶进行术前偶极子定位,术中以皮层及深部电极加以验证,依据验证结果比较继发性癫痫和原发性癫痫偶极子定位的准确性,并对病灶、致痫灶进行手术处理,术后随访并分别比较继发性癫痫和原发性癫痫的手术治疗效果。结果偶极子对继发性癫痫致痫灶定位的准确性要高于原发性癫痫,经卡方检验,x±s=12.470,P=0.001统计学有显著性差异;两者的治疗结果,P=0.143差异没有显著性。结论偶极子定位是一种无创性的致痫灶定位方法,对继发性癫痫术前致痫灶定位准确,手术效果满意;对原发性癫痫或致痫灶多发、弥散,偶极子定位技术存在一定的局限性。     

癫痫致痫灶、病理灶的定位研究进展

在癫痫发病机制中,关于神经元异常放电起源需区分致痫灶和病理灶这两个概念。国内外许多学者对癫痫致痫灶和病理灶的定位诊断进行了大量的研究,证实脑电图、磁共振、放射性核素显像、脑磁图在癫痫的定位诊断中有重要价值,这些方法的综合应用能提高致痫灶、病理灶定位的准确性,临床中可根据实际情况合理选择。     

脑磁图在癫痫外科中的临床应用

术前准确的致痫灶定位,是癫痫外科治疗的关键,近几年来发展起来的脑磁图(ＭＥＧ)致痫灶定位技术,能将捕促到的瞬时磁信号与三维ＭＲＩ解剖图融合,从而精确确定致痫灶的解剖部位,有极高的时间和空间分辨率,同时由于磁信号穿过头皮及颅骨等解剖结构时不会发生畸变,所以ＭＥＧ定位致痫灶较其它功能检查具有更高的准确性。ＭＥＧ检查的阳性率明显高于ＥＥＧ/ＶＥＥＧ和ＰＥＴ/ＳＰＥＣＴ,且与Ｅｏ有极高的符合率,同时它在致痫灶功能区定位和癫痫术后复发再次手术前评估方面有重要意义。     

顽固性癫痫的精确定位和微创手术治疗

目的 提高药物难治性癫痫的致痫灶精确定位和外科治疗水平。方法 综合应用三维痫灶精确定位诊疗计划系统及影像学检查对185例顽固性癫痫患进行术前、术中致痫灶三维精确定位，采用癫痫外科微创手术技术(神经导航技术、多处软膜下扇形横切、胼胝体潜行切开等技术)毁损致痫灶、阻断致痫网以治疗药物难治性癫痫。结果 将术前“偶极子”系统定位结果与术中64导皮层电极及8导深部电极检测结果相比较，证实该定位系统定位准确可靠；必要的影像学检查有助于痫灶定性定位诊断及治疗方案设计；随访疗效评估显效率达到87，0％，总有效率达到94，6％，术后正常神经功能保持良好，无明显后遗症。结论 综合应用三维痫灶精确定位诊疗计划系统和影象学检查定位及癫痫外科微创手术技术是外科治疗顽固性癫痫的较好方法。     

同步EEG-功能性MRI对颞叶癫痫致痫灶的定位作用

目的 探讨同步EEG-功能性MRI(fMRI)对颞叶癫痫致痫灶的定位作用.方法 对17例症状性颞叶癫痫患者进行同步EEG-fMRI检查.对EEG出现痫样放电时的fMRI数据进行分析,将痫样放电导致的脑组织血氧水平依赖信号改变区域叠加在MRI图像上,确定癫痫灶的位置;并与手术中脑皮质电极和深部电极EEG确定的致痫灶位置进行比较.结果 10例患者同步EEG-fMRI与皮质电极和深部电极EEG确定的致痫灶的位置和范围完全相同;另外7例患者同步EEG-fMRI确定的致痫灶中心位置与皮质电极和深部电极EEG相同,但范围比后者显示的扩大.癫痫灶切除术后14例发作控制,3例发作频率明显降低.结论 同步EEG-fMRI对颞叶癫痫致痫灶的定位准确,无创伤性;对手术定位具有可靠的指导作用.     

多模态评估在癫痫外科中的应用进展

外科手术是治疗癫痫的有效方法。成功的癫痫手术离不开对致痫灶的准确定位，尤其是 接近功能区的病灶。目前综合应用多模态的神经成像及电生理技术，研究癫痫放电的产生、播散的机 制和致痫灶的定位，对癫痫患者的评估、治疗及预后等都具有重要的意义。现就多模态评估技术在癫 痫外科中的应用及进展进行阐述，并就当前存在的问题进行讨论。     

癫痫灶精确定位和外科治疗方法治疗顽固性癫痫

目的探索顽固性癫痫的致痫灶精确定位和外科治疗方法.方法综合应用癫痫定位系统(三维痫灶精确定位诊疗计划系统)及影象学检查对74例顽固性癫痫患者进行术前、术中致痫灶三维精确定位,采用癫痫外科综合手术方案切除致痫灶、阻断致痫网.结果术中64导皮层电极及8导深部电极检测证实癫痫定位系统定位准确可靠,随访疗效评估显效率达到86.7%,总有效率达到94.6%,术后正常神经功能保持良好,无明显后遗症.结论综合应用癫痫定位系统和影象学定位及癫痫外科综合治疗方式是外科治疗顽固性癫痫的较好方法.     

颅内电极在功能区癫痫治疗中的应用

目的 探讨颅内电极在功能区癫痫治疗中致痫灶定位及功能区定位中的作用.方法 回顾性分析经我科治疗的涉及功能区的癫痫患者34例,经颅内电极植入明确致痫灶后,均行皮层电刺激定位功能区,根据致痫灶与功能区关系图决定治疗方案.结果 致痫灶与中央前后回相邻者10例,术中行单纯致痫灶切除术;与中央前后回部分重叠者14例,术中行非功能区致痫灶切除,功能区致痫灶皮层电凝热灼术;完全位于中央前后回皮层区域内者5例,术中行单纯皮层电凝热灼术.术后癫痫发作较术前明显减少,无明显术后功能缺失.结论 颅内电极植入是定位功能区癫痫致痫灶及功能区的有效方法.     

精确定位和外科治疗顽固性癫痫

目的：探索顽固性癫痫的致痫灶精确定位和外科治疗方法。方法：综合应用癫痫定位系统（三维痫灶精确定位诊疗计划系统）及影象学检查对74例顽固性癫痫患者进行术前、术中致痫灶三维精确定位、采用癫痫外科综合手术方案切除致痫灶、阻断致痫网。结果：术中64导皮层电极及8层深部电极检测证实癫痫定位系统定位准确可靠,随访疗效评估显效率达到86．7％,总有效率达到94．6％,术后正常神经功能保持良好,无明显后遗症。结论：综合应用癫痫定位系统和影象学定位及癫痫外科治疗方式是外科治疗顽固性癫痫的较好方法。     

Neuroimaging in epilepsy in tropics

Epilepsy is a major public health problem in many tropical countries. Also, some of the tropical diseases are major contributors to the higher prevalence of epilepsy in these countries. The etiologic factors responsible for epilepsy in these countries are quite different from those in the developed world. This article discusses the etiologic factors and neuroimaging of epilepsy in light of the conditions in these tropical countries.     

癫痫与抑郁关系的研究进展

抑郁是癫痫患者中常见的精神障碍,严重地影响了患者的生活质量。传统的观点认为癫痫患者因为存在着诸多社会学问题易出现抑郁倾向,癫痫和抑郁是单向的联系,但大量的研究已经证明癫痫和抑郁之间存在双向的联系,一种异常状态的存在可能易转化为另一种异常状态的发展。癫痫和抑郁存在着共同的发病机制。本文主要就癫痫和抑郁的双向联系以及抗抑郁药物在癫痫患者中的应用进行阐述。     

Sudanophilic lipid accumulation in astrocytes in periventricular leukomalacia in monkeys

Summary Sudanophilic lipid accumulation is a characteristic feature of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) of infants. At least two types of lipid-containing cells have been identified, one being the macrophage, the other the pre-myelin glial cell. A third type of lipid-containing cell has been seen in two monkeys with spontaneous PVL. Electron microscopically this cell appears to be an astrocyte. This probably represents a reaction of the astrocyte to hypoxia and may be the equivalent of the hypertrophic astrocytes found in human infants.Supported in part by NIH grant HDO 8633 and the Regional Primate Research Center Grant RR-00166     

Increase in cathepsin D activity in rat brain in aging

Cathepsin D-like activity in homogenates of five brain areas of 3-month-old and 24-month-old Fischer 344 rats was measured. With hemoglobin as substrate at pH 3.2, more than 90% of the activity was inhibited by pepstatin. In each area studied, activity was more than twice as high in the old rat brain: 140-160% higher in the cortex, cerebellum, pons-medulla, and striatum and 90-100% higher in the hippocampus and spinal cord. The greatly increased metabolic capacity in the absence of an increase in protein turnover may have a role in age-related pathological degeneration in the brain.     

Gender in Voice Perception in Autism

Deficits in the perception of social stimuli may contribute to the characteristic impairments in social interaction in high functioning autism (HFA). Although the cortical processing of voice is abnormal in HFA, it is unclear whether this gives rise to impairments in the perception of voice gender. About 20 children with HFA and 20 matched controls were presented with voice fragments that were parametrically morphed in gender. No differences were found in the perception of gender between the two groups of participants, but response times differed significantly. The results suggest that the perception of voice gender is not impaired in HFA, which is consistent with behavioral findings of an unimpaired voice-based identification of age and identity by individuals with autism. The differences in response times suggest that individuals with HFA use different perceptual approaches from those used by typically developing individuals.     

Increase in noradrenaline-synthesizing enzyme activity in medulla oblongata in Parkinson's disease

Summary Dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH), the noradrenaline-synthesizing enzyme, and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT), the adrenaline-synthesizing enzyme, were assayed in 18 areas of brain stem in eight cases of parkinsonian syndromes and of four age- and postmortem delay-matched controls. Dissection was performed by the punch technique and enzyme activities assayed by radiometric methods. No significant change was found for PNMT activity. DBH activity was significantly increased in the A2-C2 area of the medulla oblongata (including the nucleus tractus solitarius) in the cases of Parkinson's disease.The A2-C2 area is known to be implicated in the control of blood pressure in rats. These findings are discussed in relation to orthostatic hypotension and the influence ofl-dopa therapy.Supported by grants from INSERM ATP 657897, ATP 8179113, CRL 79-1-356-6, DGRST (80 E 0882), FRMF, and Sandoz-France France     

Changes in parasympathetic system in medulla oblongata in male pigs in the course of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy

Background

Autonomic imbalance constituting a fundamental feature of heart failure (HF) has been assessed mainly at the periphery. Changes in the functioning of autonomic centers in the brain remain unclear. We investigated the molecular elements of parasympathetic system, i.e. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and enzymes metabolizing acetylcholine (acetylcholinesterase, AChE, choline acetyltransferase, ChAT) in medulla oblongata (MO) of male pigs with chronic tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy.

Methods

The mRNA levels of AChE, ChAT, α7nAChR and X-box binding protein 1 (spliced form, XBP1s) in MO were analyzed using qPCR, AChE and ChAT activities using spectrophotometry, proteasome activity using fluorometry, and the protein level of α7nAChR using Western blotting.

Results

The development of systolic HF was accompanied by an increase in circulating catecholamines, a decrease in the AChE and α7nAChR mRNA in MO, an increase in AChE activity (all p < 0.05), and no change in either the mRNA or activity of ChAT. Both circulating catecholamine levels and AChE activity were inversely related to systolic function of left myocardial ventricle (p < 0.05). The level of α7nAChR protein in MO and its cytoplasmatic fraction were higher in pigs with moderate and severe HF as compared to the other animals (p < 0.01). There was no difference in proteasome activity in MO between diseased and healthy animals, whereas the XBP1s mRNA decreased during HF progression (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Molecular elements of parasympathetic system are changed within the medulla oblongata during the progression of systolic non-ischemic heart failure in male pigs, indicating a functional link between MO and heart in HF.     

Issues in evaluation of cognition in the elderly in developing countries

Background:

Developing regions of the world host the majority of elderly subjects who are at risk for dementia. Reliable epidemiological data from these countries is invaluable in tackling this global problem. Scarcity of such data in literature is largely attributable to problems that are unique to developing communities worldwide.

Objective:

To classify and describe the problems that interfere with the collection of reliable epidemiological data on cognitive impairment in the elderly in developing communities, and to suggest practical solutions for some of them.

Methods:

Inferring from the experiences of a large, ongoing, population-based study on the cognitive impairments in the elderly in South India and from the review of literature.

Conclusion:

A fatalistic attitude regarding aging in the communities, significant heterogeneity in educational abilities and activities of daily living, high illiteracy among rural subjects, and lack of an organized health care system and updated demographic figures are some of the major factors that contribute to technical, namely, methodology-related problems and practical, namely, subject-related problems in such epidemiological studies.     

Suicide in the elderly in Austria

In most countries men and women have the highest suicide rates in age groups over 60 years. We investigated suicide rates for the elderly in Austria, a country with one of the highest suicide rates in the world, for the period 1980–1991, using data from the Federal Statistical Division. Suicide rates remained stable over the last decade at a very high level. The mean rate for men was 85.2, for women 28.6/100 000. In men and women rates rise with age. The mean rate of men rises from 51.2 (60–64 years) to 117.3/100 000 (over 85 years); in women there is an increase from 21.4 (60–64 years) to 32.8/100 000 (over 85 years). We did not confirm findings in other countries, where suicide rates have increased in recent years.     

Characteristics of nociceptors in the periodontium--an in vitro study in rats

Recent studies have indicated that nociceptors can be classified into various types according to their physiological properties. These studies have clarified that the frequency distribution of various nociceptor types is different among body sites and animal species. In the present study, we investigated the physiological properties of rat's periodontal nociceptors in an in vitro jaw-nerve preparation. Responses were recorded from functional single filaments in the inferior alveolar nerve. To determine the nociceptor type, calibrated von Frey filaments, heat, and bradykinin (BK) stimuli were used. We found five subtypes of nociceptors in the periodontal ligaments of the lower incisor: Adelta-high threshold mechanonociceptors (Adelta-HTM, n=28), Adelta-mechanoheat nociceptors (Adelta-MH, n=6), Adelta-polymodal nociceptors (Adelta-POLY, n=26), C-high threshold mechanonociceptors (C-HTM, n=3) and C-polymodal nociceptors (C-POLY, n=4). Most nociceptors were Adelta-innervated, while only a small number of C-innervated nociceptors were found. The present results suggest that periodontal nociceptors transmit mainly fast pain, and may thus play a role in rapid detection of injure-related stimuli during mastication.