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Biomedical subjects

F Tagliavini

Publications and source records attributed to F Tagliavini.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

The basal nucleus of Meynert in idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

The basal nucleus of Meynert (bnM) was examined in 6 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and in 5 age-matched controls. The histopathological study was followed by a quantitative analysis of the magnocellular population of the nucleus, with the determination of the number of neurons and their nucleolar volume. In Parkinson's disease, there was a neuronal loss ranging from 29.9% to 68.3% (mean 45.8%) and numerous surviving cells containing Lewy inclusion bodies. The percentage loss of cells did not display a significant correlation with the age of the patients, the duration of the illness, the mental state or the drug regime. On the other hand, no significant differences in nucleolar volume of bnM neurons were detected between patients and controls. The damage of the basal nucleus of Meynert in Parkinson's disease is less severe than that generally observed in Alzheimer's disease, and is slightly more pronounced than that reported for progressive supranuclear palsy.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

On the variability of the human flocculus and paraflocculus accessorius.

42 human cerebelli were examined macroscopically in order to ascertain the general morphological, conformation of the flocculus and accessory paraflocculus, as well as their variability. The flocculus had a mean number of 14.2 +/- 0.3 (s.e.) folia and 7.0 +/- 0.4 (s.e.) subfolia arranged in a rosette-like cluster of relatively constant shape. The coefficient of variability of the number of folia and subfolia was respectively 22.1% and 47.4%. The accessory paraflocculus had a mean number of 4.2 +/- 0.2 (s.e.) folia and 2.0 +/- 0.2 (s.e.) subfolia, with a variability coefficient of respectively 50.2% and 102.8% which was more than double that of the flocculus. In fact the conformation of the accessory paraflocculus varied from a single small flattened lamella to a rosette-like cluster of folia similar in shape and size to those of the flocculus. There was no correlation between the variability of the flocculus and accessory paraflocculus. The possible reason for this marked variability is discussed in the light of the phylogenetic evolution of the structures examined.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Neuronal loss in the basal nucleus of Meynert in progressive supranuclear palsy.

A morphometric study of the basal nucleus of Meynert (bnM) has been performed in a 70-year-old man with a 4-year history of pathologically confirmed progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). An important neuronal loss (52%) was demonstrated in the bnM. This finding has not been previously documented with morphometric methods in PSP, but the involvement of the bnM is well known in other related conditions, i.e., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson-dementia complex of Guam. Our findings yield support to the view that the involvement of the bnM, a nucleus with complex connections with various subcortical structures and diffuse cholinergic projections on the neocortex, could play an important role in the physiopatholog of subcortical dementia.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Basal nucleus of Meynert. A neuropathological study in Alzheimer's disease, simple senile dementia, Pick's disease and Huntington's chorea.

The basal nucleus of Meynert (bnM) was examined in 9 patients with Alzheimer's disease--4 presenile and 5 senile cases--in 3 patients with simple senile dementia, 5 with Pick's disease, 5 with Huntington's chorea and 5 non-demented controls. The histopathological study was followed by a quantitative analysis of the magnocellular population of neurons and by the determination of their nucleolar volume. In Alzheimer's disease there was a neuronal loss ranging from 44 to 76%, which was negatively correlated with both the age at onset and age at death of the patients. Numerous surviving cells showed neurofibrillary tangles, and in 3 cases senile plaques were present. The nucleolar volume of the large neurons was significantly reduced and the percentage reduction correlated with the percentage loss of cells. In contrast, the bnM was relatively unaffected in the other disorders considered. The involvement of bnM in Alzheimer's disease confirms the previous neuropathological observations, providing further evidence that it constitutes a constant anatomical feature of this disorder. The extent of the damage is age-dependent. The sparing of the bnM in simple senile dementia suggests that it may be a different nosological entity from late onset Alzheimer's disease and this may constitute a simple criterion for distinguishing between the two forms of dementia on an anatomical basis.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Megalencephaly with formation of Rosenthal fibers in symmetric subependymal gliomatous proliferations: clinicopathologic report.

Clinical and neuropathologic observations are reported concerning a girl with retarded psychomotor development accompanied with a steady increase in the volume of the cranium and brain, tetraparesis, and a serious epileptic syndrome resulting in death at the age of 13 years. The neuropathologic study revealed a marked megalencephaly and the presence of two bilateral and symmetric areas of atypical glial proliferation, corresponding with the optostriatal groove, with endoventricular protrusion: in this region the histologic findings gave evidence of a tapetum of Rosenthal fibers. Discussion is focused on the observed neuropathologic aspects in relation to the various diagnostic hypotheses: Alexander's disease, primary megalencephaly associated with astrocytomas or reactive gliosis, or megalencephaly associated with subependymal hamartomas.

Brain↗
PubMed1982

Anderson-Fabry's disease: neuropathological and neurochemical investigation.

A clinical, neuropathological and neurochemical study of a case of Anderson-Fabry's disease is described. The clinical course mainly consisted of repeated ictus with major involvement of the CNS. The neuropathological examination is dominated by severe alterations in the cerebral vessels due to glycolipid deposits on the walls, with reduction or occlusion of the lumen. This is correlated with secondary ischaemic foci scattered throughout the cortex as well as through the white matter. In addition, the cells of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, basal ganglia, amygdala, cerebellar and olivary nuclei show a marked accumulation of lipofuscin. Biochemical examination reveals a threefold increase in galactolipids due to the specific alpha-galactosidase deficiency. Cholesterol is reduced secondarily to ischaemic myelin damage. Glycosaminoglycans uronic acid is increased in cytosol and membrane-bound fractions which could be related to reactive gliosis. Glycoprotein sugars show a decrease in N-acetyl-neuraminic acid and fucose as well as an increase in hexosamines and hexoses in membrane-bound fraction, while in cytosol fraction all sugars are increased. This suggests that the alpha-galactosidase deficiency can alter not only the glycolipid but also the glycoprotein metabolism, resulting in a higher presence of hexosamines and hexoses-rich glycoproteins.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1981

Progressive supranuclear palsy in the course of subclavian steal syndrome.

A 70-year-old man manifested during four years a progressive clinical picture consisting in palsy of gaze, axial rigidity, disorders of standing and gait, dysarthria, dysphagia. Neuroradiological investigations demonstrated proximal thrombosis of the left subclavian artery with subclavian steal. At necropsy, degenerative changes in several areas of the basal ganglia and brain stem, with presence of globose neurofibrillary tangles, were found, consistently with the pathologic pattern of the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). The association of PSP and subclavian steal syndrome has not been previously reported, to our knowledge. We hypothesize that chronic ischemia, due to subclavian steal syndrome, in the vertebral basilar system and its watershed versus carotid system may have favoured the appearance, in these same areas, of the changes of the PSP.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Meningiomas. A light and electron microscopy study.

A morphological and ultrastructural study was undertaken from a personal series of meningiomas. Especially the fine structure of the tumour has been described by the electron microscopic study of 16 meningotheliomatous and 4 fibroblastic meningiomas. In all cases, it was possible to distinguish certain cells with epithelial features such as desmosomes, microfilaments and interdigitating extensions. Also the cytological patterns of fibroblastic meningiomas usually were similar to the meningotheliomatous type, anyhow the intercellular space between the interdigitating extensions of adjacent cells was occupied by collagen-fibers. At present, it has been impossible to demonstrate the capability of the tumour cells to synthetize collagen. Since the tumour cells of both the meningiomas are substantially similar to the subarachnoid space meningocyte, it is concluded that the neoplasm rises from a cell with double potentiality for fibroblastic and epithelial differentiation.

Female↗
PubMed1981

"Thalamic" dementia in herpes encephalitis: clinico-pathological report.

Herpes zoster (HZ) primary affections of the CNS are rare and, in most of the reported patients, are representing variously extended forms of ascending myelitis. Our examination concerns a man who at the age of 37 developed apathy after a feverish episode with iridocyclitis. Six months later an ophthalmic HZ was diagnosed and thenceforth the patient showed a dementia with Korsakow's syndrome, apathy and a right hemipalsy, and diplopia appeared; the later symptoms remitted after steroid therapy. Post-mortem examination revealed a slowly progressive encephalitis with symmetrical impairment of the anterior ventral, medial, and centrum medianum of the thalamus. The HZ origin of the lesions and the relation between their site and the peculiar form of dementia, to be ascribed to the "thalamic" ones, are discussed. A vasculitis process can be hypothesized considering both the symmetrical localisation and the microscopical aspects of the lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Fabry's disease and familial lymphedema. Description of 2 cases].

Two cases of Fabry's disease (FD) with lymphedema of the lower limbs are reported. On the basis of lymphographic investigations showing lymphatic aplasia, the hypothesis of an inborn error in the development of the lymphatic system of the lower limbs--Familial Lymphedema--controlled by a gene associated with FD gene on the same chromosome, is suggested.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Neo-antigenic expression in rheumatoid synovia?

CEA-like activity was found in eight synovial samples of ten rheumatoid patients and in two samples of patients with recurrent arthrosynovitis. No CEA-like activity was found instead in seven synovial samples of patients with gonarthrosis. The plasmatic values result always within normal range in the non-rheumatoid patients and high only in two cases of rheumatoid ones. Since enzymatic proteolysis induces a synovial CEA-like activity fall, the A.A. think that the antigenic determinants belong to a "protein" locally synthesized.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Orthochromatic leukodystrophy with pigmented glial cells. An adult case with clinical-anatomical study.

The case history is reported of a woman who died at the age of 36, at the conclusion of 11 years progressive neurological and psychiatric symptomatology. The anatomical and histological examination demonstrated an orthochromatic leukodystrophy with pigmented glial cells. Attention is drawn to the difficulty of finding these cells, which serve to differentiate between the unusual and the "simple" form of the disease. In the reported patient the pigmented cells were found around the vessels and only in specific cerebral locations. It is emphasized that the form is extremely rare (this is the tenth case so far reported). The significance of whether the iron content should be considered as an incidental or necessary finding is discussed. Systematic research for pigmented casts of this kind is taken to be important for all brains presenting a diffuse sclerosis after a protracted clinical course, mainly in adult patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Fabry's disease with familial lymphedema of the lower limbs. Case report and family study.

The case of a 49-year-old man with Fabry's disease (FD), confirmed by histopathological findings of kidney and skin biopsies and enzymatic studies, is reported. Clinical symptoms mainly consisted in severe neurological involvement, and in conspicuous lymphedema of the lower limbs. Two decreased brothers of the patient were also affected with symptons strongly suggesting FD, as well as the lymphedema of the lower limbs. On the basis of these data, the association of FD with familial lymphedema of the lower limbs is discussed: a lipid accumulation in the lymphatic as well as the blood vessel wall is proposed as a possible explanation; the hypothesis of an inborn error in the development of the lymphatic system, controlled by a gene closedly associated with the FD gene on the same chromosome can also be advanced.

Cerebroside-Sulfatase↗
PubMed1978

[Intracranial and spinal dermo-epidermoid tumours. Anatomoclinical study (author's transl)].

The authors review the previous report of intracranial or spinal dermo-epidermoid tumours, in concern with both nosographical and biological problems. They report their clinical and anatomical findings on a patient who presented the same tumours within the skull and in the vertebral canal. The authors underscore the rarity of such finding, the length of the course. albeit a few symptoms and no positive neuroradiological findings had been remarked, and the quite atypical eventual troubles.

Brain↗