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Biomedical subjects

C Hommet

Publications and source records attributed to C Hommet.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Neuropsychologic and adaptive functioning in adolescents and young adults shunted for congenital hydrocephalus.

The major aim of this study was to assess whether the syndrome of nonverbal learning disabilities described in hydrocephalic children is observed in adulthood. Eleven adults shunted for congenital hydrocephalus related to spina bifida and eight adults shunted for hydrocephalus related to aqueductal stenosis were administered an extensive neuropsychologic battery to investigate discrepancies between verbal and visuospatial cognition, verbal and visuospatial long-term memory, and psycho-social adaptive abilities. The results showed no discrepancies between Wechsler Performance IQ or Verbal IQ in either hydrocephalic group. Nevertheless, the subjects with spina bifida appeared more cognitively impaired than the subjects with aqueductal stenosis, who performed normally on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. Memory assessment using Signoret's Memory Battery revealed no discrepancy between verbal and visuospatial memory in the hydrocephalic group. Nevertheless, the subjects with spina bifida had poorer verbal and visuospatial memory performance than the subjects with aqueductal stenosis. There were no differences on the Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scale between subjects with spina bifida and those with aqueductal stenosis in autonomy, socialization, and daily living skills. These results suggest that shunted congenital hydrocephalus is not characterized by nonverbal learning disabilities syndrome in adolescence or in adulthood.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Hemianopsia related to dissection of the internal carotid artery.

Spontaneous dissection of the internal carotid artery is typically associated with cerebral vascular infarction along the anterior and middle cerebral distribution, whereas occipital infarction is usually related to posterior circulation abnormalities. Hemianopsia with occipital infarction related to carotid artery dissection has therefore rarely been reported. A 40-year-old woman in whom acute-onset hemianopsia developed, related to occipital infarction secondary to internal artery dissection, is described. This atypical association is explained by anatomic variations of the posterior part of the circle of Willis. Neuroimages showed occipital infarction related to internal carotid artery dissection associated with hypoplasia of the proximal portion of the cerebral posterior artery (P1). The anatomic correlation of this atypical association and a review of the literature are presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Reading ability and processing in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy.

We analysed the reading abilities and processing of 21 children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), 11 matched children suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and 42 children receiving normal education. The principal result observed was that the DMD children exhibited a reading age which was significantly lower than the SMA children compared with their chronological age. These learning disabilities were not related to a deficit in non-verbal performance intelligence, but psycholinguistic evaluation showed a deficit in verbal intelligence, especially in the Similarities and Arithmetic WISC-R subtests, in phonological abilities, oral word repetition, and in digit span score. The results for the DMD children were heterogeneous, and ranged from normal to greater or lesser involvement. In an attempt to clarify the nature of this reading impairment in DMD children, the three groups (DMD, SMA, and normal control children) were tested by reading aloud a list of single words and non-words. The DMD children were significantly impaired in reading non-words, suggesting reading disability similar to dysphonetic dyslexia, the most frequent subtype of developmental dyslexia. These results are discussed in the light of psychometric data available for our DMD population and in the light of previous studies. The practical consequences of diagnosis on rehabilitation are very important. The precise description of the cognitive deficits seen in DMD is of value for future clinical and genetic studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Comparison of three fat suppression sequences for the detection of vertebral detection. Turbo STIR, phase contrast gradient-echo, and MISTEC-Chopper after gadolinium injection].

OBJECTIVES: Assess three fat suppression sequences used to search for spinal metastases: TurboSTIR, phase contrast gradient-echo, and MISTEC-Chopper after gadolinium injection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 10 patients with primary neoplasia. MIR sequences acquired (1 Tesla) were TurboSTIR, T1 spin-echo with and without gadolinium injection, phase contrast gradient-echo and M-Chop after gadolinium injection. Signal intensity in normal bone marrow, metastatic tissue, and subcutaneous fat as well as background noise was measured. Signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio was determined. Lesion borders, artefacts, and extent of detected lesions were determined quantitatively. Bone marrow signal intensity was also recorded. RESULTS: S/N ratio was best with gradient-echo which identified well the borders of lesions within the hemopoietic marrow. For lesions located in high-fat marrow (as in post-radiation marrow), the high intensity signal of the lesion confounded with the fat signal. TurboSTIR gave effective fat signal suppression and was particularly useful for yellow marrow, less so for red marrow. This technique confounded cell proliferation with perilesional edema (enlarging lesion extention). In one case, this sequence did not detect a small lesion visible with the two other sequences. This sequence was sensitive to artefacts (especially vascular artefacts) which can produce false nodular images. M-Chop gave good suppression of vertebral fat tissue (better for yellow marrow) but subjective detection of lesions was more difficult. CONCLUSION: The phase contrast gradient-echo sequence after gadlinium injection appeared to be the best sequence excepting cases of post-trauma (radiotherapy or chemotherapy) fat transformation of the marrow where the TurboSTIR sequence could be preferred.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1998

[Anticonvulsants can aggravate idiopathic generalized epilepsy].

Antiepileptic drugs can sometimes worsen idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Relevant data are based on empirical experience of epileptologists and on few published case-reports according to the suspected drug with serious methodological limitations. Some animal models of epileptic syndromes such as genetic models of absence seizures in rat seem to be helpful for understanding the possible mechanisms underlying drug-induced syndrome aggravation. Adequate epileptic syndrome diagnosis is needed before starting antiepileptic drug.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Sleep and the epilepsies.

To review the numerous works concerning sleep and epilepsy, this review considers the effects of sleep, firstly on seizures and secondly on paroxysmal interictal EEG activity (PA), in the different types of epilepsy according to the International League against Epilepsy classification. Apart from the exceptions of the definite nocturnal preponderance of seizures in idiopathic rolandic epilepsy and of the mostly nocturnal occurrence of seizures in some types of familial or sporadic frontal-lobe epilepsy, assessing a seizure according to the time of day it occurs is of no diagnostic or predictive value. In generalised idiopathic epilepsy, as in partial symptomatic or cryptogenic epilepsy, only about 20% of the patients had a sleep increase in PA. This percentage is higher (75%) in idiopathic partial epilepsy. Stereoelectroencephalography demonstrates a relative stability of spiking within the focus across the states of vigilance and an increase in transmitted discharges during stages 3 and 4. In the Landau and Kleffner syndrome, as in the syndromes of continuous spike-waves during sleep, there is a huge, unexplained increase in PA during sleep. The neuropsychological consequences of this PA have some relationship with their localisation and the patient's age at the time of occurrence. Sleep PA has also been reported in several groups of non-epileptic subjects. As regards the effect of epilepsy on sleep, sleep may be lighter and abnormally discontinuous in the absence of seizures, particularly in temporal-lobe epilepsy.

Epilepsy↗
PubMed1997

[Indications for emergency EEG. Focal neurologic deficits and partial epileptic seizures in adults].

A focal neurological deficit is defined as the clinical expression of a structural or functional, transient or permanent abnormality that can be ascribed to a particular brain region. In that context, the indications of an EEG as part of the emergency management may be summarized as follows: i) The EEG in not indicated for the diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic management of transient ischemic attacks (TIA) or migraine; ii) The possible prognostic value of EEG during the acute phase of stroke has not yet been validated; iii) In partial epileptic seizures, especially complex partial epilepsy, the EEG is useful but not always indispensable for diagnosis. Its therapeutical and prognostic implications are still uncertain. Lastly, EEG is an absolute indication as part of the emergency management of focal deficits in a febrile context, where its diagnostic and prognostic value are unequaled.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Paraneoplastic encephalomyeloneuritis with anti-Hu antibodies and cancer of the rectum].

We report the case of a 62-year-old man affected by anti-Hu-associated paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis. The underlying tumor was a neuroendocrine cancer of the rectum expressing Hu antigen. The neurologic presentation was limited to moderate sensitive neuropathy associated with two complex partial seizures (dreamy state) without any further signs of limbic encephalopathy. A paraneoplastic etiology should be considered in patients with moderate symptomatology. Paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis with anti-Hu antibodies is not always associated with small-cell lung cancer.

Antibodies↗