1/13. Electrophysiological confirmation of the zona incerta as a target for surgical treatment of disabling involuntary arm movements in multiple sclerosis: use of local field potentials.Lesioning or chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus ventralis intermedius results in abolition of tremor in the contralateral limbs in Parkinson's disease (PD) and also in essential tremor. Recently, chronic DBS of the subthalamic nucleus has also proved to be very effective in reducing contralateral limb tremor in PD. These targets have been less effective in controlling the complex limb tremor often seen in multiple sclerosis (MS). Consequently, other targets have been sought in cases of MS with tremor. We describe a patient with MS with disabling proximal and distal involuntary arm movements in whom we were able to obtain sustained control of contralateral arm tremor and achieve functional improvement of the affected arm by chronic DBS of the region of the zona incerta. We also highlight the important role played by local field potentials recorded from the brain, with simultaneous recording of corresponding EMGs, in target localisation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/13. multiple sclerosis and oral care.multiple sclerosis is a complex neurological condition affecting sensory and motor nerve transmission. Its progression and symptoms are unpredictable and vary from person to person as well as over time. Common early symptoms include visual disturbances, facial pain or trigeminal neuralgia and paraesthesia or numbness of feet, legs, hands and arms. These, plus symptoms of spasticity, spasms, tremor, fatigue, depression and progressive disability, impact on the individual's ability to maintain oral health, cope with dental treatment and access dental services. Also, many of the medications used in the symptomatic management of the condition have the potential to cause dry mouth and associated oral disease. There is no cure for multiple sclerosis, and treatment focuses on prevention of disability and maintenance of quality of life. Increasingly a multi-disciplinary team approach is used where the individual, if appropriate his/her carer, and the specialist nurse are key figures. The dental team plays an essential role in ensuring that oral health impacts positively on general health.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/13. A clinical and pathological study of a Japanese case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinsonism-dementia Complex with family history.This report concerns a Japanese family with neuropathological findings consistent with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex (ALS/PDC) in the Island of guam. The proband was a 68-year-old woman with an 8-year history of parkinsonism which was followed by psychiatric symptoms and neurogenic amyotrophy 5 years after the onset. She had a family history of parkinsonism associated with dementia in all of her three siblings. They grew up in the Hobara village, a focus of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Kii Peninsula of japan in their childhood. Their parents were not consanguineous nor natives of the Kii Peninsula. The brain weight was 1040 g and there were mild frontal lobe atrophy, moderate atrophy of pes hippocampi, decoloration of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus, and atrophy of the anterior root of the spinal cord. The microscopic examinations revealed degeneration of CA1 portion of the hippocampus to the parahippocampus gyrus, substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and spinal anterior horn with Bunina bodies. The spinal pyramidal tracts also mildly degenerated. neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) were observed in the cerebral cortex, especially in the cortices from hippocampus to lateral occipitotemporal gyri, basal nucleus of Mynert, basal ganglia, thalamus, substantia nigra and widespread regions of the central nervous system through the brainstem to spinal cord including the nucleus of Onufrowitcz. In spite of a small amount of the senile plaques in the cerebral cortex and lewy bodies in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus, abundant NFT were distributed mainly in the third layer of the cerebral cortex, which is the characteristic feature of ALS/PDC. Thus, this was likely to be an ALS/PDC case outside the guam Island. A tau mutation was not found on dna analysis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.4keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/13. Improvement of upper limb ataxia and intention tremor allowing cessation of thalamic electrostimulation after four years.A 34-year-old female patient suffering from multiple sclerosis was treated with thalamic electrostimulation for right dominant brachial ataxia and intention tremor. At the end of the fourth year, the energy of the battery of the impulse generator was depleted. However, the patient was able to use her hands without major impairment with the stimulator OFF; due to a stable reduction of the degree of ataxia and intention tremor. The opposite thalamus received an electrode that was never activated because of a permanent thalamotomy effect. Thus, it can be concluded that restoration of function by means of deep brain stimulation might have been beneficial towards achieving a reorganization and stabilization of subcortico-cortical and cerebellar circuitry, supporting the process of self-repair in this patient with a less aggressive course of multiple sclerosis. However, scientific proof has yet to be found. This exceptional observation emphasizes the need for longterm studies.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.4keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/13. Trembling chin--a report of this inheritable dominant character in a four-generation Canadian family.Trembling chin is an unusual, benign, dominant trait. We describe the condition in a four-generation Canadian family. Investigations, which included E.E.G., electromyograph and facial nerve conductance studies on affected and unaffected individuals, were normal. Premature hearing loss, present in all affected members of this family over age 50, strongly suggests an association of trembling chin with otosclerosis. The merits of early diagnosis and preventive treatment for otosclerosis in persons affected by trembling chin are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.4keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/13. Tetrahydrocannabinol for tremor in multiple sclerosis.Based on one patient's enthusiastic report, eight patients with multiple sclerosis, seriously disabled with tremor and ataxia, were given oral tetrahydrocannabinol. Two demonstrated improved motor coordination.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/13. Treatment of action tremor in multiple sclerosis with isoniazid.Four patients with disabling action tremor in the setting of MS were treated with isoniazid (800 to 1200 mg per day). All patients showed significant improvement of the tremor, allowing more functional use of their extremities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only medical treatment for this type of tremor.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.8keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/13. multiple sclerosis. Oligodendrocyte survival and proliferation in an active established lesion.Oligodendrocytes have been studied ultrastructurally in relationship to areas of active demyelination in multiple sclerosis. The tissue came from a central nervous system plaque sampled at biopsy during a neurosurgical procedure to correct severe intention tremor in a case of chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. cells interpreted as oligodendrocytes were abundant within the demyelinated zone, were easily identifiable, and sometimes occurred as nests of cells suggestive of proliferation. Oligodendrocytes were also common within areas of active demyelination where numerous macrophages displayed active phagocytosis of myelin. These oligodendrocytes were paler and perhaps represented residual, surviving cells. In the relatively normal white matter adjacent to the plaque, increased numbers of oligodendrocytes occurred in association with remyelination. In the demyelinated zone, the astrocyte:macrophage:oligodendrocyte ratio was 1:2.25:4.5; within the region of ongoing demyelination, 1:4:4; and in the adjacent white matter, 1:0.1:2.1. On the basis of an apparent proliferation and survival of oligodendrocytes, the findings support the notions that there is no selective depletion of oligodendrocytes either during or shortly following central nervous system demyelination in multiple sclerosis, and that the myelin sheath is the primary target.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.4keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/13. Chronic electrical stimulation of the VL-VPL complex and of the pallidum in the treatment of movement disorders: personal experience since 1982.Since 1982, we have been able to control involuntary movements associated with deaf-ferentation by means of chronic electrical stimulation of the thalamic sensory nucleus through implanted programmable neuropacemakers. Since 1987, we have been using the same system with electrodes chronically implanted in the VL for treating selected cases of tremor due to Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and in cases of essential tremor. In our series of 60 patients, suppression of tremor was achieved in almost all cases; however, due to dysarthria in 30% of the cases (cases after previous thalamotomy in the other side or with bilateral stimulation), the amplitude of stimulation was corrected and thus some tremor was still observed. The rigidity of parkinsonism was in all cases improved. One case of hemiballism was perfectly controlled with the same technique. Finally, 3 cases of Parkinson's disease with severe hypokinesia, speech and gait disturbances, and on-off phenomenon have been globally improved by a bilateral chronic stimulation of the pallidum.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/13. Weak electromagnetic fields attenuate tremor in multiple sclerosis.It has been estimated that about 75% of patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) have tremor which can be exceedingly disabling. The most common tremor observed in patients with MS is a cerebellar intention tremor ('kinetic tremor') although postural tremor ('static tremor') is also common and often extremely incapacitating. Currently there is no effective medical treatment for the tremor of MS which, in some severe cases, may be abolished by stereotactic thalamotomy. It was reported recently that extracranial application of brief AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the picotesla (pT) range produced improvement in motor and cognitive functions in patients with MS. The present communication concerns three MS patients with a chronic progressive course of the disease (mean age: 39.3 /- 8.3 years; mean duration of illness: 11.3 /- 3.2 years) in whom brief external applications of pulsed EMFs of 7.5 pT intensity reduced intention and postural tremors resulting in significant functional improvement. The report suggests that these extremely low intensity EMFs are beneficial also in the treatment of tremors in MS and that this treatment may serve as an alternative method to stereotactic thalamotomy in the management of tremor in MS. The mechanisms by which EMFs attenuate the tremors of MS are complex and are thought to involve augmentation of GABA and serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission in the cerebellum and its outflow tracts.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = sclerosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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