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Biomedical subjects

A Padovani

Publications and source records attributed to A Padovani.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Release from proactive interference in early Alzheimer's disease.

The study analyses the performance of 22 mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients on the Release from Proactive Interference (RPI) paradigm with the aim to investigate the relationship of RPI with frontal function. Twenty-one normal elderly subjects, age and education matched, constituted the control group. Patients with AD were found to recall less words on each trial of the RPI than did the controls. The analysis of Proactive Interference (PI) and Release from PI, in AD patients, by using Anova (trial x group), showed a significant effect of trial and group but not a group by trial interaction. These results indicate a similarity between the performance of AD patients and normal controls on the Release from Proactive Interference paradigm. Despite the similar pattern of performance, AD patients were significantly inferior to normal controls with regard to global performance level. The AD patients' scores on "frontal lobe" tests were correlated with an index of RPI (shift condition index). The only significant result was with the number of categories on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, suggesting a weak correlation between RPI and "frontal lobe" function.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Semantic memory in Alzheimer's disease: an analysis of category fluency.

In order to study the strategies of access to semantic knowledge and the status of semantic representation, we analyzed the performance in a semantic fluency task (Animal naming) of 70 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), including 40 mild AD patients and 30 moderate-severe AD patients, and 35 matched elderly normal control subjects. The total amount of words produced, their lexical frequency, the number and type of errors, as well as the presence and the type of clusters of related animal names were recorded. AD patients produced less animal exemplars than controls. In addition to a lower total number of clusters, the AD patients showed a strong limitation in clusters' selection, producing a limited number of different clusters. While normal subjects produced several different clusters, only farm animals were clustered by AD patients. When the total amount of words was considered, the mean lexical frequency was higher in the AD group. On the other hand, the words produced within clusters were comparable to terms of lexical frequency and number. These data confirm the impairment of AD patients in category fluency tasks, and suggest a degradation of semantic knowledge as the most likely underlying mechanism.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Patterns of neuropsychological impairment in mild dementia: a comparison between Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia.

The objective was to investigate the clinical and psychometric differences between patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and patients with multi-infarct dementia (MID), matched for age, sex, education, and severity. Sixteen patients with DAT, 16 patients with MID, and 30 healthy individuals, were drawn from a longitudinal study on aging and dementia. Subjects with medical or previous mental disorders were excluded. DAT and controls with focal brain abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were excluded. Diagnosis of dementia was carried out according to DSM-III-R criteria. Dementia severity was staged using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, and only patients with a score of 0.5-1 on CDR were studied. The main outcome measures were quantitative clinical scales of the assessment of global mental status, depression and anxiety, as well as a wide battery of neuropsychological tests for the evaluation of executive/conceptual functions and memory, as well as attention verbal ability, and visuospatial skill functions. The performance of demented patients compared to normal controls was affected on all measurements except for depression and anxiety. DAT patients showed compared to MID patients a greater extent of impairment on tasks assessing verbal comprehension and memory while MID patients were more significantly impaired on measures of frontal lobe functioning. Clinically matched DAT and MID patients show a differential pattern of neuropsychological impairment when studied in an early stage of dementia and with a mild degree of severity. Such patterns might be of value for the development of clinical diagnostic criteria.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Delusions and dementia: clinical and CT correlates.

INTRODUCTION: Delusions occur frequently during the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and multi-infarct dementia (MID). Their clinical significance and their relationship with progression of disease and involvement of selected cerebral areas are still unclear. The aim of the study was to determine the clinical and CT correlates of delusions in patients with dementia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A series of 67 probable AD and 32 MID patients, underwent computed tomographic scans, psychometric tests, neurologic and psychiatric examination, and blood and serum tests. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were found to have delusions during the clinical evaluation. Delusional patients showed a significantly higher age when compared with non-delusional patients. The results of a multiple logistic regression (with stepwise deletion of the redundant variables) of the CT lesions on the presence of delusions, showed that only the presence of isolated white matter lesions in the frontal lobes were significantly related to the occurrence of delusions (Exp B = 3.42; Beta = 1.2; S.E. = 0.6; Sig T = 0.04). Frontal white matter changes were significantly related to delusions when a multiple regression analysis, entering age and total number of lesions at CT scans, was carried out. CONCLUSIONS: We found that focal lesions in the frontal areas were the only variable that appeared to be significantly and independently associated with delusional disorders.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Bolus vs. continuous hepatic arterial infusion of cisplatin plus intravenous 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy for unresectable colorectal metastases.

UNLABELLED: A multicenter, randomized Phase 2 study that compared patients, affected by colorectal liver metastases, who received intrahepatic arterial infusion with two different schedules of cisplatin, bolus vs. continuous infusion, and systemic 5-fluorouracil. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to validate results of a previous Phase 2 trial on bolus cisplatin intrahepatic arterial infusion, which reported a 47 percent response rate and a 32 percent 4-year survival rate for Gennari's Stage 2 patients, with a high rate of neurologic, gastrointestinal, and hematologic toxicity. METHODS: One hundred nine patients were randomized in a Phase 2 study to receive cisplatin intrahepatic arterial infusion (24 mg/m2/day, 1-->5, bolus vs. continuous infusion) and systemic intravenous 5-fluorouracil (250, 375, or 500 mg/m2/day, 1-->5; escalating doses, respectively, at cycles I, II, III, and VI). To avoid neurotoxicity a maximum of six cycles was administered. RESULTS: Preliminary results for the 78 evaluable patients are similar to those of the previous study: response rate 46 percent and at a median follow-up of 16.5 months, the overall survival was 16.5 months, with 45 percent of the patients who received more than 3 cycles alive at 3 years. Toxicity, evaluable in 99 patients, showed a decreased incidence of neurotoxicity and a tolerable gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicity, lower in the cisplatin continuous infusion arm. CONCLUSION: This study clearly shows that cisplatin intrahepatic arterial infusion is able to provide a good palliative effect with a tolerable toxicity.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1994

Motor recovery after early brain damage. A case of brain plasticity.

BACKGROUND: Motor recovery is remarkable when the brain is damaged early in life. We describe a case of early damage to the right hemisphere with remarkable reorganization and plastic functional changes, studied by computed neuroimaging. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 31-year-old man had a left-sided hemiplegia at the age of 12, followed by good motor recovery despite a large right cortical-subcortical lesion. Single-photon emission computed tomography with motor activation study showed cerebral blood flow increase in the left premotor and sensorimotor cortices irrespective of the hand he was moving, without flow changes in the right hemisphere. CONCLUSIONS: A remarkable reorganization and plastic brain functional changes occurred in a patient after early diffuse damage of the right hemisphere. The study points to a potential role of ipsilateral cortical efferent pathways in subserving hand movements after early cerebral damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Mesial temporal cortex hypoperfusion is associated with depression in subcortical stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate local cerebral blood flow changes in patients with depression after a subcortical stroke. METHODS: Clinical and neuropsychological assessments were performed in 15 patients with a single subcortical lesion. Depression was assessed by DSM-III-R. In addition, the Hamilton Rating Scale for depression, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Beck scale were administered to each patient. Single-photon emission-computed tomography study was performed with 99mTc hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime. RESULTS: In all patients cortical regions ipsilateral to subcortical lesions were significantly less perfused than the contralateral cortex. Cerebral blood flow values were significantly lower in depressed patients (n = 8) than in nondepressed patients (n = 7) only in the mesial temporal cortex of the affected hemisphere. Cerebral blood flow values in the mesial temporal cortex of the affected hemisphere significantly correlated with the severity of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Temporal lobe hypoperfusion may reflect a dysfunction of the limbic system, suggesting that this location may be critical for the occurrence of depressive symptoms in patients with subcortical stroke.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Bacterial vaginosis. Prevention of recurrence].

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the main cause of vaginitis. The condition is characterised by an abundant and odorous vaginal loss, but more than half the patients with demonstrable signs of BV do not report symptoms at all. Gardnerella vaginalis (Gv) is often associated with BV, but it is not the sole factor responsible, as is shown by the fact that it can be isolated in the vagina of women withBV. In 1992 and 1993, 2630 patients, 1460 of them gynaecological and 1170 obstetric, were admitted to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic of Parma University. Amsel criteria were adopted for diagnosing BV. Cases of BV were treated with 5 mg/die 2% clindamycin vaginal cream for 7 days. In the event of recurrences, 250 mg tablets of metronidazol were added: 8 tablets in 4 administrations in a single day, treatment also being extended to the partner. Patients admitted in 1993 received a protocol of hygienic and behavioural standards, stress being laid on prophylaxisa measures even after the end of therapy. BV proved to be present in 12.3% of cases, of whom only half were symptomatic. The situation was practically stationary if the 2 years are considered separately. Recurrences of symptomatic bacterial vaginosis were 15% in the absence of protocol application and 8.3% after the protocol. Recurrences were less frequent in the asymptomatic forms. Compared to the total number od cases of BV, recurrences were significantly low (12.1% p < 0.001).

Female↗
PubMed1993

Unilateral neglect restricted to visual imagery.

Disorders in perceiving and exploring the visual space contralateral to a brain lesion have been frequently described. Many patients with hemi-neglect for extrapersonal space also show neglect in a representational domain when the task requires imagining a well-known piazza from a given vantage point or comparing two visual images. Cognitive and psychophysiological studies show a functional parallelism between the perceptual and imaginative domain, indicating that spatial perception and imagery share the same neural substrata. Here we describe a patient with a persistent disorder in visual imagery for familiar piazzas in the absence of any neglect for stimuli located in a far or near space or on his own body. Contrary to previous cases involving imagery disorders, computerized tomography scans showed a lesion confined to the right frontal lobe, suggesting the role of the frontal lobe in some specific types of mental imagery.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1993

Delusions in Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms such as delusions and misidentifications have been reported in dementia ranging from 10% to 73% in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and up to 40% in multi-infarct dementia (MID) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate in 61 AD and 31 MID patients both the frequency and the content of delusions during the course of illness and to evaluate the relationship between these and both functional and mental decline. The results indicated that delusion experiences had occurred in 45% of AD patients and in 38% of MID patients, occurring most frequently during the first year of illness. Patients who experienced psychiatric symptoms showed higher mini mental state examination scores and were less impaired in functional disability measures. With regard to the content, no significant differences were observed between AD and MID patients; 53% of psychotic symptoms were found to be paranoid delusions while 47% were misidentification delusions.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Reversed laterality of cerebral functions in a non-right-hander: neuropsychological and spect findings in a case of 'atypical' dominance.

A 54-year-old non-right-handed man with positive familial sinistrality showed a pure right hemisphere syndrome following a left hemisphere stroke. Severe right side hemineglect, transcortical motor dysprosodia, spatial dysgraphia and visuo-constructive impairments were observed. At no time were the expected left hemisphere abnormalities such as aphasia, alexia, right-left disorientation or finger agnosia noted. A left fronto-temporal subcortical lesion was documented on CT scan. A Tc-99m HM-PAO SPECT study revealed no cerebral blood flow changes in the right hemisphere while in the left hemisphere a fronto-temporo-parietal cerebral blood flow reduction was evident. This case of a complete reversed laterality of cognitive functions argues for a distinction to be made between 'anomalous' cerebral dominance and 'atypical' cerebral dominance.

Brain↗
PubMed1992

Depression in the early phase of MS: influence of functional disability, cognitive impairment and brain abnormalities.

This study investigated the relationship between depression, physical disability, cognitive deficit and brain abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with early MS. Eighteen relapsing-remitting MS patients were evaluated: depression was diagnosed according to DSM-III R and measured by the MMPI depression subscale, physical disability was assessed by using the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and cognitive functions by means of an extensive neuropsychological test battery. A neuroradiologist blinded to clinical findings quantified cerebral lesion on MRI. Weighted brain area lesion score were developed according to number and size of cerebral lesions. On the basis of DSM-III criteria, six patients were classified as having major depression, seven patients had minor depression and five patients were without depressive symptoms. No significant differences were found among the three groups on both neuropsychological performances and weighted MRI lesion scores. However patients with major depression exhibit greater physical disability than the other MS subgroups. A significant correlation was found between MMPI depression subscale and physical disability. This study suggests that at least in the early phase of MS, depression appears more related to the physical disability than to the severity of pathological brain involvement.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Anterior corpus callosum atrophy and verbal fluency in multiple sclerosis.

To determine whether different portions of the corpus callosum (CC) are responsible for transferring the information of specific cognitive modalities, eighteen females with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) were studied using neuropsychological procedures and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Measures of both anterior and posterior CC areas were obtained in patients with MS as well as in eighteen age and sex matched healthy controls. MRI scans were additionally analyzed for each patient in order to evaluate the extent of demyelinating lesions in both periventricular and subcortical areas. Patients with MS exhibited a significant decrease in both the anterior and posterior CC areas compared with normal subjects. The results of statistical analysis showed that, even when the effect of demyelinating lesions was taken into account within a regression equation, the atrophy of anterior CC area strongly affected the performance on verbal fluency task. These data emphasize the importance of the anterior CC area for the interhemispheric transfer of cognitive information associated with verbal fluency.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Metastatic renal cell cancer treated with recombinant alpha 2a interferon and vinblastine.

42 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma were treated with a combination therapy with interferon alpha 2a (mean dosage 16 x 10(6) U i.m. 3 times/week) and vinblastine (0.1 mg/Kg every 21 days). 12 patients (28.5%) had a positive response. Of them 1 presented a complete response (2.38%), 5 a partial response (11.9%) and 6 a stable disease (14.2%). No significant side effects were observed apart from the flu-like syndrome (all patients) and a moderate leukopenia (45.2%). The median duration of responses was 10+ months (range 3-37 months). At 4-year follow-up the median survival time was 16.0 months (range 4-37 months).

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Assessment of peritoneal spread of tumor by scintigraphy. A case report.

A case of peritoneal scintigraphy performed in a patient eligible for peritoneal locoregional treatment with previous positioning of an implantable device is reported. The result of scintigraphy has played a major role in the diagnosis of adhesion and thus in the subsequent therapeutic approach. Indications for peritoneal scintigraphy in the preliminary stage of locoregional treatment by completely implantable devices, are also briefly discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

Alcohol impairs age-dependent adaptation of human lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptors.

Lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptor function and norepinephrine (NE) plasma concentration have been compared in normal subjects and in ethanol-addicted patients of different ages. Direct measurement of the density and properties of beta-adrenoceptors in membrane fractions was performed using the radioligand 125I-Iodocyanopindolol (ICYP). In normal subjects beta-receptor density decreased and norepinephrine plasma concentration increased with age. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between plasma norepinephrine and beta-receptor number. In ethanol-addicted patients the age-related modification in beta-receptor number and the correlation between plasma norepinephrine and beta-receptor density were lost, in spite of the fact that the increase of NE plasma concentration was still present. The ethanol-induced effects in lymphocyte beta-receptor may have consequences on immunological function and may be qualitatively similar to alterations in other tissues not routinely accessible in humans.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1985

[Effect of thymosin alpha 1 on prostaglandin release by murine lymphocytes].

The effects on PGE2 release by lymphocytes obtained from adult thymectomized mice and from normal mice, after incubation with Thymosin alpha 1, were studied. Splenocytes from Tx mice release PGE2 at short time of incubation (15') using 4 micrograms/ml of Thymosin alpha 1 and at longer time of incubation (60'-180' using 4-8 micrograms/ml of Thymosin alpha 1. On the other hand thymocytes release the highest amounts of PGE2 after longer time of incubation (60'-180'). However lymphocytes obtained from normal mice do not release PGE2 amounts comparable with that released by the control samples. This effect shows an interesting interaction between thymic hormones and PGs.

Animals↗