Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Musolino.
We describe four migraine patients who developed an ischemic stroke during their typical migraine attacks. Cerebral infarction as a possible complication of migraine without aura is discussed. We propose a review of the migraine stroke definition of the International Headache Society.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Cat-eye syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly involving the kidney. It is rarely reported in literature, while renal function has never been studied up to now. Shown here are the morphofunctional renal alterations observed in a female patient affected by cat-eye syndrome.
The authors report their data on the behaviour of serum aluminium registered at a 10 year interval among a population of haemodialyzed patients. Improved knowledge of the toxic role of aluminium and of the sources of pollution in dialyzed patients seems to relegate the neurologic toxicity of aluminium to a historical aspect.
A patient presenting complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE) had a clinical history and neurological picture on admission that mimicked a cerebrovascular insult. On admission she was confused and totally unresponsive to verbal stimuli. EEG showed high voltage paroxysmal activity on the left hemisphere, prominent on the temporoccipital leads and tending to spread to the opposite regions. Intravenous diazepam led to resolution of the clinical and EEG picture within 24 hours, only a medium voltage slow wave focus being present on the left temporal regions. CPSE should be considered whenever a prolonged impairment of consciousness is present. Only accurate EEG recordings permit correct diagnosis in doubtful cases.
A 16-year-old patient presenting with complex partial seizures occurring in the transition from a REM period to wakefulness is described. His baseline EEG showed generalized and symmetrical slow spike and wave complexes, on a normal background activity, activated by NREM sleep. Polygraphic and videotape recordings, carried out for several nights, showed that after nearly each REM period, he would wake up briefly, presenting eye blinking followed by a burst of generalized hypersynchronous theta to start his seizures. These were characterized by moaning and autoaggressive behaviour, the ictal EEG showing generalized slow spike and wave complexes in the midst of several movement artifacts. At the end of each fit he fell back to REM sleep. Carbamazepine treatment completely resolved his symptoms, with full normalization of EEG activity.
Clinical and biological findings likely to constitute prognostic factors were analyzed in a retrospective survey of 22 cases of tuberculous meningitis. In particular, associations between clinical and biological findings (clinical grade on admission, normal and abnormal CSF protein and glucose values) and outcome of illness were sought. On admission 16 patients had altered consciousness, 11 hemiparesis and 7 sixth cranial nerve paresis. Meningeal signs were present in all subjects. 7 had a positive culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 9 patients recovered completely, 7 had serious late sequelae, 6 died. Prognosis appeared to be correlated to neurological status at admission.
An epidemiological investigation of 41 subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis observed in the Province of Messina during 1976-1985 was performed. The incidence was 0.61/100,000 and the prevalence 2.48/100,000 inhabitants. The illness was found to be prevalent in males. The atrophic type occurred in 17 subjects, the bulbar type in 23 cases and the pseudo-polyneuritic form in only one patient. The mean age on the onset was 57.29 +/- 10.55 years. The duration of the illness was significantly higher in patients with atrophic type (p less than 0.01). No significant difference between occupation and development of the disease was found. Among all patients 12.19% presented evidence of trauma, but traumatic events were equally present in a control group.
14 male Wistar rats were studied, before and after pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) 20 mg/kg i.p., since a petit mal-like electroclinical pattern, either spontaneous or PTZ-induced was recently described in a breeding station where this strain is raised. In particular, surface EEG, muscular, respiratory and cardiac activities were recorded in order to detect possible clinical-electroencephalographic correlations. Spontaneous epileptic phenomena were never observed. In all the animals PTZ-induced short, usually generalized and synchronous spike wave discharges often concomitant with rhythmic twitches of the vibrissae. Epileptic bursts were related to arousal level, disappearing during motor behavior and arousing stimuli. Moreover individual discharges could be interrupted by a sudden noise. Photosensitivity was not present. Muscular tone and autonomic functions were not affected. The features of PTZ-induced generalized nonconvulsive seizures in rats are compared to those of cat penicillin epilepsy and human petit mal.
A battery of cardiovascular reflex tests were performed on 20 patients with chronic renal failure on intermittent haemodialysis, to assess occurrence of parasympathetic and sympathetic abnormalities. Using age-adjusted confidence limits, elderly uraemics showed more extensive parasympathetic and sympathetic dysfunction than middle-aged patients. The results suggest that the autonomic nervous system in the elderly is more susceptible to uraemic toxins than in the middle aged. This should lead to better preventive and therapeutic strategies for older uraemics.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The effects of Na-penicillin G (1,000,000 I.U./kg i.v.) were studied in 28 rabbits implanted with surface and deep electrodes in the medial (mT) and lateral (lT) nuclei of the thalamus and in the cornu Ammonis dorsalis (CAd). Attention was focused on interictal spike activity, cortical spindle activity and spikes-spindles relationship. A multifocal interictal EEG pattern, represented by cortical and thalamic spikes, was observed in 20 animals. A clear association between cortical spikes and spindles occurred almost constantly. Moreover a statistically significant increase in the average duration of spindles without changes in the average frequency was noticed. Seizure discharges had always a focal start and secondary generalization. The EEG features of parenteral penicillin epilepsy in the rabbit appeared to be more similar to those of the rat than to those of the cat. The spindle activity changes and the paroxysmal spike activity can be interpreted as two independent penicillin induced features appearing during raised cortical excitability periods.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The clinical, neuropathological and ultrastructural features of a case of Kufs disease (Meyer basal ganglia form) are reported. In the present case, besides the typical lesions of Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinosis, and increased iron reaction at pallidonigral level was detected histochemically. The significance of the last finding is discussed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The effects of non-convulsive doses of i.v. penicillin (1.100.000/1.300.000 I.U./Kg) on the ECoG of rabbits was studied. A tendency to an increase in spindling activity together with the presence of characteristic penicillin spikes, polyspikes and spike and wave complexes often preceding or intermixed to the spindling activity, was the most prominent finding. These data indicate that spindles and penicillin induced spikes show a straight correlation and seem consistent with the hypothesis that spindles have a facilitant effect on epileptic discharges.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.