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Biomedical subjects

A Arrigo

Publications and source records attributed to A Arrigo.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Electrophysiological study on jaw-opening reflex recorded from digastric muscle in Parkinson's disease and primary cranial dystonias.

We investigated digastric reflex excitability in normals and in patients with extrapyramidal disorders such as primary cranial dystonias and Parkinson's disease. Relationships between exteroceptive suppression of masseter muscle and digastric reflex were also investigated in some cases. Digastric reflex hyperexcitability was observed in dystonic patients when compared to normals and parkinsonian patients. Furthermore, some patients with cranial dystonia presented absence of exteroceptive suppression reflex in masseter muscle with enlarged digastric response. These results indicate hyperexcitability of the digastric reflex and abnormal agonist-antagonist muscle co-contraction in chewing reflexes of patients with cranial dystonias. This shows that digastric reflex is an important electrophysiological investigation to explore the physiopathological mechanisms of primary cranial dystonias.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of primary headache related to work activity in a group of hospital workers undergoing periodic visits (D. Lgs. 626/94 s.s.m. ed i.)].

Since headache is one of the most frequent complaints in clinical practice, its burden in terms of the both social cost and individual sufference is considerable. Headache is a frequent cause of absence from work and decreased productivity; it is therefore clear that investigating its possible relationship with working conditions represents a topic of increasing interest for the scientific community. This study was aimed at identifying specific occupational factors able to modify the prevalence of headache in a population of hospital workers undergoing periodic examinations. It was indeed suspected that the hospital environment could be per se a predisposing factor for headache onset, due to the considerable impact of stress on such working environment. The results obtained suggest that specific occupational conditions such as shift work and P.C. use may play an important role in headache development even in the presence of a wide number of professional risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Local venous lactate changes and spectral analysis of surface EMG during fatiguing isometric efforts in intrinsic hand muscles.

In this study relationships between local venous lactate concentrations and power spectrum changes in surface EMG due to fatiguing isometric contractions were investigated. Two different isometric efforts of the opponents pollicis muscle, 25% and 50% of maximum voluntary contraction, were examined. In 25% of maximum voluntary contraction no changes in local venous lactate were observed, whereas mean power frequency values of surface EMG shifted significantly towards lower frequencies. On the contrary, in 50% of maximum voluntary contraction lactate significantly increased and was related to the mean power frequency shifts of the surface EMG. These data suggest that lactate plays a role in muscle fatigue only in a limited intensity range of isometric muscle contractions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Imitating gesture learning in apraxic patients.

The authors studied a group of patients with ideomotor apraxia (IMA) to verify if these patients had some difficulties in gesture learning task in respect to non-apraxic patients and normal control subjects. The results show that learning difficulties are present in patients with IMA. Apraxic patients are not able to perform the gestures in the testing situation and non in everyday life; this fact would demonstrate that the motor pattern still exists in these patients but is inaccessible unless elicited by a strong stimulation.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Surface EMG evaluation of quadriceps femoris muscle in hemiplegic patients.

The method applied consists of evaluating the power spectra of the electromyographic (EMG) surface signal obtained during maximal isometric effort of the quadriceps femoris muscle. In hemiplegic patients it is possible to observe a particular frequency distribution towards the lowest values of the range considered. This trend might be accounted for by the morphological and enzyme- histochemical studies on the quadriceps femoris showing a selective atrophy of type 2 fibers. During rehabilitation treatment, however, it is imperative to consider parameters such as muscle strength changes and frequency values preferentially activated during the isometric effort (time-course). Observation of the pattern of the power spectra time-course therefore seems to contribute to a better view of the rehabilitation strategies suitable for exploiting the residual motor abilities.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Experimental EMG-anatomopathological study of rabbits treated with Cialit grafts for the repair of sciatic nerve loss of substance].

The sciatic nerves of 10 rabbits of the New Zealand strain were cut and isolated in the latero-posterior region of the thigh under general anesthesia. Immediate homograft technique was used in animals. The maximal motor conduction velocity of the sciatic nerve was measured in all the animals before the cutting of the nerve. Long-term EMG and anatomo-pathological controls were carried out. The results obtained are discussed. Further research will be continued by applying new techniques and new EMG parameters as well as more sophisticated anatomo-pathological techniques.

Animals↗