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Biomedical subjects

M Devic

Publications and source records attributed to M Devic.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Plasma cells in cerebrospinal fluid and multiple sclerosis: diagnostic yield and clinicobiological correlations.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytocentrifugation was performed for plasma cells' demonstration in parallel with white cell count (WCC) and quantitative protein assays. Over a 5-year period, 154 consecutive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were studied and compared to 28 other inflammatory neurological disease, 85 non-inflammatory neurological disease and 29 non-neurological disease cases. CSF cytology was easy to perform, gave definitive results within 2 h and was abnormal in 80 MS patients, 26 of whom had a normal WCC. Its sensitivity in MS was 0.57, i.e. higher than for WCC (0.45) but lower than for IgG index (0.70) and IgG synthesis rate (0.71). Its specificity was 0.86, not significantly different from specificity of WCC, IgG index and IgG synthesis rate. Plasma cells demonstration in MS CSF was neither a disease activity nor a prognosis marker. It was significantly correlated with pleiocytosis and intrathecal IgG synthesis. If these morphologically defined plasma cells are actual B cells, they could represent circulating individuals of the lymphocyte clones active in MS plaques and have a pathogenetic significance.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Oligoclonal "fingerprint" of CSF IgG in multiple sclerosis patients is not modified following intrathecal administration of natural beta-interferon.

The IgG pattern in CSF was studied in 11 patients with multiple sclerosis who exhibited an oligoclonal banding upon thin-layer polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing followed by silver stain of unconcentrated CSF. Each patient received beta-interferon intrathecally during a 2 month period. No modification was observed over a 6 month period. In addition, the oligoclonal pattern was remarkably unique for each individual representing a typical "fingerprint" which allowed the identification of any single CSF.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
PubMed1986

[Paralysis of downward gaze and chronic global amnesia as a result of a bilateral thalamo-subthalamic lesion].

A 47 year-old male was found in coma and upon awakening 36 hours later, he showed a selective paralysis of downward gaze and convergence associated to an intellectual impairment. He was euphoric, unconcerned, poorly attentive, and had a severe amnesia for both anterograde and retrograde material. CT scan and NMR demonstrated a bilateral lacunar lesion of thalamic and subthalamic paramedian region. Over the 5 years follow-up, behavioral, personality and amnestic changes remained. On the other hand, supranuclear gaze paralysis improved as documented by EOG recordings with persisting limitations in voluntary down movements amplitude and dramatic reduction of fast components velocity.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1986

[Thalamic dementia after a unilateral hemorrhagic lesion of the right pulvinar].

A 68 year-old man with a history of right thalamic hemorrhage demonstrated radiologically in the pulvinar and posterior portion of the dorsomedian nucleus developed a clinical picture of severe physical sequelae associated with major affective, behavioral and psychic disorders. Affective manifestations were a permanent anxiety-depression state contrasting with indifference to his surroundings. Behavioral changes included marked apathy, inertness and hypersomnia, together with occasional clastic agitated episodes and verbal and gestural stereotypies and soliloquies. Psychic sequelae were psychotic in nature: depersonalization crises, delusions of persecution, multisensorial hallucinations and absurd acts.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Cloning of the human glucocorticoid receptor cDNA.

We show that the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR), isolated from the breast cancer cell line MCF-7, has an apparent molecular weight identical to that of rat liver GR (94 kDa) and reacts with antibodies raised against the latter. These antibodies were used to clone cDNA sequences corresponding to the human GR from a lambda gt11 expression library constructed using MCF-7 poly(A)+ RNA. Three non-homologous cDNA clones with inserts of 125, 220 and 350 bp, which express epitopes recognised by the rat liver GR antibodies, were isolated. Rat liver GR antibodies, immunopurified using the immobilised purified beta-galactosidase fusion proteins, detect partially purified rat liver and human GRs on Western blots. In addition, these antibodies immuno-adsorb rat liver and human GRs affinity-labelled with [3H] triamcinolone acetonide. Northern blot analysis, using all three cDNA probes, reveals the presence of a major MCF-7 poly(A)+ RNA species of approximately 7 kb.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1985

Control of psbA gene expression: in mature Spirodela chloroplasts light regulation of 32-kd protein synthesis is independent of transcript level.

Spirodela oligorrhiza plants were used to study direct effects of light on plastid gene expression uncoupled from sequential chloroplast-developmental processes. Specific transcript levels were analysed using chloroplast, gene-fragment probes. Protein synthesis in vivo and in vitro was also measured. In tissue with mature chloroplasts, light/dark regimes had no substantial effect on transcript levels of the psbA gene coding for the 32-kd protein. However, under the same conditions, synthesis of the protein itself was dramatically affected. We conclude that in mature chloroplasts synthesis of 32-kd protein is regulated mainly at a translational level. Transcript levels of the rbcL gene, coding for the large subunit of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase, were somewhat sensitive to light/dark effects, although not to the same degree as was synthesis of the protein. We conclude that translational events and transcript levels are involved in regulating synthesis of this polypeptide. Carbon deprivation in the dark reduced psbA and rbcL transcript levels appreciably below those found in non-starved, dark-grown tissue. This suggests that starvation and dark effects must be experimentally separated from each other for valid conclusions to be drawn about light/dark regulation of chloroplast gene expression.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

[Parkinson's disease. Retrospective study of 302 clinical case records].

This retrospective study of the case-records of 302 patients with Parkinson's disease shows that the condition begins earlier in males and that loss of weight during the first years of the disease is of poor prognosis. It also provides some arguments in favour of low-dosage L-dopa and suggests that no time should be wasted in administering this treatment.

Female↗
PubMed1984

[Neuropathy with contractures evoking the stiff-man syndrome. Latent solitary plasmacytoma].

A further case of apparently primary sensorimotor neuropathy is reported. The patient, a 31-year-old man, developed the syndrome after a 4-year history of a solitary vertebral plasmocytoma revealed by post mortem examination. Circulating monoclonal immunoglobulin and specific anomalies on nerve biopsy were absent. The condition became progressively worse, with initial and predominant autonomic nervous system anomalies. After 3 years, contractures of the limbs and paravertebral muscles, with painful paroxysmal attacks suggestive of the stiff-man syndrome appeared. Pathology confirmed the severity of the root lesions with diffusion to the cranial nerves. Reflex tests could not be conducted but the semiologic characteristics and the efficacity of baclofen were distinctive of continuous muscle fiber activities reported in some peripheral neuropathies. This case was comparable to some reported ones of interneuron rigidity.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Course of obstructions of the carotid artery in the neck. 69 cases].

This study involved 69 patients with occlusion of the internal carotid artery in the neck confirmed by angiography. Ten patients were operated upon and 59 were treated medically. The clinical course was roughly the same in both group. Of the 62 patients who survived the initial stroke, 50 could be followed-up for a mean period of 57 months at the end of which 12% had died, 16% remained with a major degree of functional impairment and 72% had little or no residual symptoms. All but one deaths were of non-vascular origin. New cerebral vascular accidents occurred in 16% of the cases, always in the territory of the occluded artery. The long-term benefits of surgical cerebral revascularisation are discussed in the light of these findings.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗
PubMed1983

[Utilization behavior during the course of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy].

A particular semiologic feature of a case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy was the existence of utilization behavior as described by Lhermitte. The affection developed in a patient with myeloid leukemia treated by cytotoxic drugs. Multifocal low density areas were shown by CT Scan examination. The course of the disease was not altered by isoprinozine therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Familial paroxysmal ataxia responsive to acetazolamide].

From their early twenties, a 56 year-old french woman and her 33 year-old son suffered from paroxysmal attacks of gait ataxia, incoordination of both hands, dysarthria and nystagmus. These attacks lasted from one to three hours and occurred at the rate of one to seven per week. On examination between attacks, there was only a bilateral horizontal and upward-beating gaze nystagmus. This was documented by E.O.G. Biological investigations were normal with the exception of a mild elevation of glucose blood level. Treatment with acetazolamide 250 mg daily, completely abolished the attacks in both patients. These cases meet the criteria of familial paroxysmal ataxia, a disorder only described in the United States up to the present. Although rare, this disease should be recognized because of its dramatic response to acetazolamide.

Acetazolamide↗
PubMed1983

[Study of 213 cases of multiple sclerosis treated with azathioprine from 1967- to 1982].

Effects of azathioprine, 150 mg per day on average, were studied in 213 patients with multiple sclerosis. Thirty-eight case reports were excluded from the final analysis due to lack of continuous treatment (22 cases) or of complete data (16 cases). The 175 patients followed up regularly for a mean of 10 years had received the drug for from 6 months to 15 years (mean approximately 4 years). The treatment was generally well tolerated and there were no irreversible side effects. Results for the different parameters studied, when compared with those in untreated controls, showed the following features: for patients with the remittent form of MS: a statistically significant increase in cases showing no further progression, a reduced frequency of attacks (increased during spontaneous evolution of the affection), a significantly lower incidence of cases that became progressive in nature, and a general improvement in disability score at the end of follow-up. The course of the disease appeared to be more severe before treatment than in untreated cases. In patients with the progressive form of MS (47 cases) the ratio of total disability scores to number of years of observation was reduced in treated when compared with control patients, whereas this ratio was similar in both groups before treatment. General improvement in scores was therefore definitely related to treatment. These findings are in agreement with those of our 1978 study (Aimard, Confavreux et al.) and of others using the same protocol (Oger et al., and Rosen).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Azathioprine↗
PubMed1982

Course of visual evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis: electroclinical correlations and pathophysiological considerations in 25 patients.

Twenty-five MS patients had VEPs recorded at 1-year interval. Abnormal VEPs were observed at least once in 21 patients. They were the only means of assessing the lesional dissemination in nine patients. Their contribution in the diagnostic classification is such that the proportion of "definite" cases rises from 44 to 80% of the 25 cases. The degree of abnormality of the VEPs had no relation to the disability status or to the whole severity of the disease. The main feature was the variability of the VEP latencies at a 1-year interval: they seem to follow the remittent progressive course of the disease whether visual pathways are clinically affected or not. These results are interpreted in light of the pathophysiological data of the disease. In the cases with improvement of normalization of the second VEPs, in plaque edema may be an important mechanism, sometimes free of demyelination so that perfect restitutio ad integrum may occur.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Silver stain of unconcentrated cerebrospinal fluid. Preliminary results in multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases].

The authors present a new technique for the analysis of the cerebro spinal fluid (C.S.F.) proteins: silver stain after isoelectric focusing with possibility of immunofixation. This technique is simple and results are obtained after six hours only after sample deposition. If immunofixation is used a further 24 hours washing is necessary. It is highly sensitive and bands containing 25 ng of proteins can be clearly distinguished so that small volumes (10 microl. at mean) of unconcentrated C.S.F. can be used. With this technique abnormal distinct bands of IgG specificity are seen in the majority of central and peripheral nervous system inflammatory disorders. No distribution of these bands, particularly in the more cathodal zone, seems to be specific of any disease including multiple sclerosis (M.S.). The abnormal IgG bands in M.S.C.S.F. seem to have their counterpart in the serum. These results need further verification. The usefulness of this technique for research purposes is stressed. The protein pattern obtained must be interpreted in the light of the concepts of genetic polymorphism, microheterogeneity and heterogeneous mode of antibody production.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins↗
PubMed1981

[Course of visual evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis. Electro-clinical correlations and pathophysiological considerations in 25 patients (author's transl)].

25 Multiple Sclerosis patients had Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) recorded at a one year interval. Abnormal VEPs were observed at least once in 21 patients. They were the only means to assess the lesional dissemination in 9 patients. Their contribution in the diagnostic classification is such that the proportion of "definite" cases rises from 44 to 80 per cent of the 25 cases. The degree of abnormality of the VEPs had no relation to the disability status and the whole severity of the disease. The main feature ws the variability of the VEP latencies at a one year interval: they seem to follow the remittent progressive course of the disease, whether visual pathways are clinically affected or not. These results are interpreted in the light of the pathophysiological data of the disease. In the cases with improvement or normalisation of the second VEPs, "en plaque" edema may be an important mechanism, sometimes free of demyelination so that true restitutio ad integrum may occur.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Spatial disorientation. Report of 5 cases (author's transl)].

Five observations characterized by an isolated topographical disorientation without any intellectual impairment are reported. One was associated to a topographical confabulation. Aetiological data and clinical associations are discussed. In three cases, the site of lesion, as indicated by surgery and CT Scan, involves the posterior part of the right hemisphere. The occurrence of this syndrome may be ascribed to three possible factors: amnesia (topographical amnesia) agnosia (topographical agnosia) and apraxia.

Aged↗