Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A H Rajput

Publications and source records attributed to A H Rajput.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Oxygen free radical producing activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Oxygen free radicals (OFRs) have been suggested in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). These free radicals exert their cytotoxic effect by peroxidation of lipid membrane resulting in the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA). Polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte is one of the major sources of OFR. However, the oxygen free radical producing activity of PMN leukocytes in patients with PD is not known. We therefore studied the oxygen free radical producing activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and MDA levels in the serum of healthy subjects and in patients with Parkinson's disease. The oxygen free radical producing activity of PMN leukocytes in blood and the MDA content in serum were significantly higher in patients with Parkinson's disease than in healthy subjects. These results indicate a possible role of oxygen free radicals in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Serum antioxidant enzyme activity in Parkinson's disease.

The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx; EC 1.11.1.9), the enzymes that metabolize the superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, respectively, were measured in serum from healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The activities of SOD and GSHPx in patients with PD were higher than those in normal healthy individuals. These results suggest that the increased activities of these enzymes could be due to oxidative stress in the initial stages of this disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Frequency and cause of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson syndrome (PS) is a common disorder in the North American population. The annual incidence rate is 20.5/100,000 population and the mean survival after onset is approximately 12.3 years. The estimated prevalence rate is about 300/100,000 population. The incidence and prevalence rates rise with advancing age. Both the widespread use of levodopa and the improved health care in general have increased the longevity in PS. The survival in PS from the time of the first clinic visit is still significantly shorter when compared with the regional age and sex matched population. The cause of IPD may be related to some environmental factor(s)--most likely a toxin. Genetic factors are not the cause but in some families, may predispose to IPD.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

National conference on Parkinson's disease.

A National Conference on Parkinson's disease was held on September 7th-8th, 1990 in Victoria, British Columbia. The scientific program included 11 formal presentations, 10 small group workshops and video presentations of interesting examples of movement disorders. The subjects discussed ranged from epidemiology and etiology to current and possible future modes of management of Parkinson's disease.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

Accuracy of clinical diagnosis in parkinsonism--a prospective study.

Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's syndrome (PS) is reasonably easy in most cases but the distinction between different variants of PS may be difficult in early cases. The correct diagnosis is not only important for counselling and management of patients but also in conducting pharmacological and epidemiological studies. There is very little critical literature on the pathological verification of the clinical diagnosis in PS. We report our 22 years experience to address that issue. Between 1968 and 1990, 65 PS patients came to autopsy. Complete data are available in 59 (M-50, F-19) cases. The initial diagnosis made by a qualified neurologist was idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) in 43 cases. Of those 28 (65%) had Lewy body pathology. After a mean duration of 12 years the final diagnosis was IPD in 41 cases which was confirmed in 31 (76%). The IPD could not be clinically distinguished from cases with severe substantia nigra neuronal loss without inclusions or from those with neurofibrillary tangle inclusions and neuronal loss at the anatomical sites typically involved in IPD. All progressive supra-nuclear palsy, olivopontocerebellar atrophy, Jakob-Creutzfeldt's disease and the majority of the multiple system atrophy cases were diagnosed correctly during life. The correct clinical diagnosis in most non-IPD variants of PS was possible within 5 years of onset (range: 2 months to 18 years). We recommend that studies aimed at including only the IPD cases restrict the enrollment to those cases that have had PS motor manifestations for five years or longer duration.

Brain↗
PubMed1991

Occurrence of resting tremor in Parkinson's disease.

Several previous studies have noted that resting tremor (RT) is absent in 10% to 30% of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) patients. We report our 22-year observations in 47 pathologically verified parkinsonian patients. In all the IPD cases with median follow-up of 3.7 years, RT was noted on at least one evaluation. Among other parkinsonian syndrome variants characterized by widespread subcortical pathology with median follow-up of 2.86 years, RT was seen in 31% of the cases. Our data indicate that the sites typically involved in IPD are sufficient to produce RT.

Female↗
PubMed1991

Clinicopathologic observations in essential tremor: report of six cases.

Essential tremor (ET) is the most common pathologic tremor, but only eight cases have been studied pathologically. We report detailed clinical and neuropathologic studies of six additional patients. We did not find any neuropathologic lesions that might be specific for ET. Moreover, there were no abnormalities of the substantia nigra consistent with Parkinson's disease. The neuropathologic substrate of ET remains unknown.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Use and abuse of drugs in the elderly.

1. Study of 100 patients admitted to the Geriatric Assessment Unit, to evaluate the appropriateness of drug therapy in the elderly. 2. Average patient took 5.15 drugs at admission and 3.67 drugs at discharge. 3. Inaccurate dosages found in 14%, drug-drug interaction in 31%, drug contraindications were evident in 23% and at least one unnecessary drug was prescribed in 39% patients at admission. 4. At discharge, 8% cases had potential drug-drug interaction and 2% received unnecessary drugs.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Levodopa efficacy and pathological basis of Parkinson syndrome.

Levodopa is the most effective drug for symptomatic control of Parkinson syndrome (PS). We report a 22-year clinicopathological study of 59 PS cases. Of the entire group, 37 (63%) had an adequate trial on levodopa. Some improvement was noted on that drug in 24 (65%) cases. Improvement was seen in 94% of idiopathic Parkinson's disease cases as well as in all cases in which the pathology was characterized by neuronal loss in the substantia nigra without Lewy body inclusions. Improvement was also noted in 60% of patients with the dual pathology of idiopathic Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, and in one-third of early multiple system atrophy cases. We conclude that improvement on levodopa is a strong indication that the pathological basis of the parkinsonism is the damage to substantia nigra neurons. A favorable response to levodopa, however, is not an indication of idiopathic (Lewy body) Parkinson's disease.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Age, environments, and the number of substantia nigra neurons.

We examined forty-eight midbrain sections from normal brains containing SN at the level of the exiting fibers of the IIIrd cranial nerve. The cases were classified into two groups based on at least 80% life exposure to either rural or urban provincial environments, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed a lower SN neuron count in the rural group by age 20, although this difference was not statistically significant. There was a 34% decline in urban and a 17% decline in rural residents' neuron counts between ages 20 and 80. These results are consistent with our previous studies, which indicate a higher risk of PD in the Saskatchewan rural population. We believe that studies of environmental factors in early life will provide the most rewarding clues to the etiology of PD.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Parkinsonism and neurofibrillary tangle pathology in pigmented nuclei.

Four parkinsonian patients had neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal loss, and gliosis restricted to the substantia nigra and locus ceruleus. No Lewy body inclusions or other neuropathological changes accounting for parkinsonism were found in any of these patients. Their clinical features were characterized by an early age of onset, absence of dementia, absence of other neurological abnormalities, good response to drug therapy, and a long, slowly progressive course of illness. None of the patients had any history of encephalitis. These patients either represent a forme fruste of postencephalitic parkinsonism or a new entity thus far not described.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Regional metal concentrations in Parkinson's disease, other chronic neurological diseases, and control brains.

Metal deficiency or toxicity states have been recognized as a cause of several neurological disorders and are suspected in others. We analyzed four brain regions (frontal cortex, caudate nucleus, substantia nigra, and cerebellum) in 36 human brains for concentrations of 24 metals (Ag, Al, As, B, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Pb, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Se, Ti, V, W, Zn). Regional metal concentrations, measured using atomic absorption and atomic emission spectroscopy, were compared between 9 Parkinson's disease (PD) brains, 15 brains from patients with other chronic neurological diseases, and 12 control brains. No significant metal concentration differences were noted between brains from PD and other chronic neurologic disease. However, parkinsonian brains (PD and parkinsonism secondary to neurofibrillary tangle disease) showed lower concentrations of magnesium in the caudate nucleus and copper in the substantia nigra than control brains. These findings may represent an etiologically important clue to parkinsonism.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Hypersexuality with antiparkinsonian therapy.

Thirteen parkinsonian patients drawn from two large parkinsonism clinics experienced hypersexuality as a consequence of anti-parkinsonian therapy. The cases include only those whose sexual behavior on treatment became a concern to the patient's family or a social agency. The majority of patients were men and had a relatively early onset of parkinsonian symptomatology. There was no relation between functional improvement and increased sexuality. Most patients showed some element of dose dependency between antiparkinsonian drugs and the hypersexual behavior. Prior sexual profile included from no sexual outlet to hypersexuality. Neither the prior history of psychiatric illness nor brain damage predisposed to such response on treatment, and in most patients, it was not a part of hypomania or a more diffuse psychiatric disturbance. We propose that hypersexuality on antiparkinsonian drugs is consequent to inhibition of prolactin secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Recurrent spinal cord ischemia due to abdominal aortic aneurysm--a case report.

Ischemic spinal cord lesions with abdominal aortic aneurysm are rare and are usually characterized by a single catastrophic event. The authors report a seventy-five-year-old woman who, over a period of three years, had three attacks of acute neurologic deficit. The clinical features were those of bladder incontinence, a mixture of upper and lower motor neuron lower limb motor deficit, and patchy sensory loss with a sensory level at T10-12. Investigations revealed a large abdominal aortic aneurysm that had enlarged with time. This case, they believe, represents an example of recurrent ischemic myelopathy due to occlusion at the mouth of radicular arteries or recurrent embolic events in those vessels.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Neurological disorders and services in Saskatchewan--a report based on provincial health care records.

A study of neurological disorders and services is presented. The ten most common neurological diagnoses were headache, back disorders, neuropathy, cerebrovascular disease, dizziness/insomnia, myopathies, soft tissue disorder, intracranial injury, neurological symptoms (numbness, etc.), and Parkinson's disease. The pattern of diseases is similar to that reflected in the prevalence of those in the US. The annual beneficiary rate was 1.6% of the population, the median age was 45 years, and the majority (52%) served were females. There were 1.8 annual services per beneficiary and the median hospital stay was 9 days. Ambulatory care accounted for the majority (62%) of services and 64% of the inpatient services were delivered by neurosurgeons. The majority of the admissions (61%) and of the ambulatory services (55%) were provided in Regina.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Geography, drinking water chemistry, pesticides and herbicides and the etiology of Parkinson's disease.

In 1984 we made the first observation of a correlation between early age exposure to rural environment (and drinking well water) and development of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). These findings were subsequently confirmed elsewhere (Barbeau, 1985;25 Tanner, 1985). Analysis of all early age onset IPD (EPD) cases born and raised in Saskatchewan revealed that 20 of 22 had exclusively rural exposure during the first 15 years of life. This distribution was significantly different from the general population (p = 0.0141). Further study of the EPD group included sampling and metal analysis of childhood sources of drinking water in 18 cases and 36 age and sex-matched controls. Water collected from the two groups was analyzed for 23 metals (including 7 elements implicated in the etiology of IPD). There was no difference in the metal composition of the water between the two groups. Finally, a review of herbicide and pesticide use in Saskatchewan agriculture was undertaken to determine if there was an increased incidence of EPD following utilization of any particular chemical. No increase was found in the incidence of EPD with the introduction of any pesticide or herbicide, including Paraquat, for agricultural use. We conclude that there is a strong correlation between early age rural environmental exposure and development of IPD. We believe well water is a likely vehicle for the causal agent, but neither water metal concentration nor any of the herbicides and pesticides used in Saskatchewan agriculture are related to the cause.

Adult↗