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S J Huber

Publications and source records attributed to S J Huber.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Influence of dopamine and disease severity on primitive reflexes in Parkinson's disease.

Several primitive reflexes are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but can also be noted in patients who have diffuse cerebral degeneration. The glabellar response is present in virtually all patients with PD and this reflex has been of theoretical interest in PD. It has been suggested that the glabellar response is related to inhibition via dopamine pathways. We examined changes in several primitive reflexes as a function of the plasma dopamine level and the severity of PD. The probability of observing these reflexes did not vary with dopamine levels, but the corneomandibular and palmomental reflexes were significantly more likely to be present in patients with advanced disease. Our findings confirm that primitive reflexes are prominent in PD and suggest that they may be secondary to extrapyramidal disease.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Neuropsychological impairments associated with severity of Parkinson's disease.

Intellectual impairment and disease severity tend to parallel one another in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but the pattern of development of the neuropsychological impairments contributing to the overall intellectual decline is unknown. This problem was addressed by comparing neuropsychological performance in the early and later stages of PD. Impairment of recent memory, impairment of cognition, and somatic features of depression were seen early and worsened with more advanced disease. Impairment of visuospatial skills, remote memory, language, and mood were observed only in the later stages of PD. These findings suggest that neuropsychological impairments do not develop in a uniform manner with progression of PD.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Dose-dependent memory impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Variation in plasma dopamine level between the time of original learning and subsequent memory retrieval causes a state-dependent memory impairment in Parkinson's disease. The occurrence of this phenomenon is not related to either progression of disease or duration of therapy, but is more likely to occur with high-dosage levels of levodopa-carbidopa.

Carbidopa↗
PubMed1989

Tremor disorders of aging: diagnosis and management.

Tremor disorders are commonly encountered in the elderly. Physiological tremor is present in all of us and may be enhanced by drugs or other circumstances to cause symptomatic dysfunction. Essential tremor consists of postural and kinetic tremors which may involve the hands, head, and voice. Approximately 50% of cases are hereditary. Significant disability may occur. Propranolol and primidone provide effective treatment for some patients. The tremor of Parkinson's disease occurs in resting and postural positions. Treatment with levodopa usually reduces the tremor. Anticholinergics may also decrease tremor but often cause mental side effects in the elderly. Disturbances of the cerebellum may cause a kinetic tremor of the extremities or shakiness of the trunk. Tremors may also occur on a psychogenic basis. Proper classification of tremor disorder will lead to appropriate diagnosis and, often, effective treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical correlations in multiple sclerosis.

We examined the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cerebral findings and clinical evaluations in 66 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). MRI observations included total number and location of lesions visualized, degree of periventricular involvement, degree of degeneration of the corpus callosum, and extent of generalized parenchymal atrophy. Overall physical disability was evaluated by the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and individual symptoms were rated according to the Kurtzke Functional Systems (FS) scale. Our results suggest that MRI brain abnormalities are significantly related to the overall severity of disease, but MRI is not particularly useful to predict the presence or absence of individual symptoms. These findings do suggest that the MRI may provide useful information to monitor clinical progression of patients with MS, but the lesions visualized need not always be symptomatic nor are we sure that all symptomatic lesions, particularly in the spinal cord and optic nerves, will be visualized.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The naming disorder of dementia of Alzheimer type.

We studied the characteristics of the naming disorder of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) in 20 patients, who were divided on the basis of Mini-Mental State scores into a mild and a moderate-severe group. Our results confirmed the presence of a progressive anomia which was sensitive both to word frequency and to image quality. Although DAT patients as a group made a similar proportion of perceptual-recognition and aphasic errors as did our age and education-matched controls, evidence was obtained that suggested that variations in the character of the anomia exist among individual DAT patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Relationship of motor symptoms, intellectual impairment, and depression in Parkinson's disease.

The relationship between severity of disease, intellectual impairment, and depression was examined in 50 patients with Parkinson's disease. A significant correlation between severity of disease and intellectual impairment suggests that both may result from the same subcortical lesions. Depression was not significantly related either to severity of disease or to intellectual impairment. This suggests that the relationship between severity of disease and intellectual impairment was not an artifact of increasing depression. Severity of rigidity and of bradykinesia did predict severity of intellectual decline, but severity of tremor predicted better intellectual status. Patients with a predominance of tremor may have a more benign clinical course as well as better intellectual function than patients with a predominance of rigidity and bradykinesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Efficacy of alprazolam for essential tremor.

The effect of alprazolam on essential tremor was examined by a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study of 24 patients. Results indicated that patients treated with alprazolam had significant improvement in tremor. Transient mild fatigue or sedation in 50% of patients was the primary side effect. Alprazolam may provide therapeutic benefit, especially in patients who require only intermittent therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of dementia in multiple sclerosis.

Thirty-two patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis were evaluated with neuropsychological procedures and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Neuropsychological evaluation included assessment of language, memory, cognition, visuospatial skills, and depression. Significant impairment in any three areas, compatible with diagnosis of a dementia syndrome, was observed in 28% of these patients, and lesser or no cognitive impairment characterized the remaining patients. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate the number and distribution of lesions as well as the presence of cerebral atrophy and atrophy of specific anatomic structures such as the corpus callosum. Results suggest that neither the number of lesions, the distribution of lesions, nor the extent of generalized cerebral atrophy was significantly greater in demented compared with non-demented patients. The primary finding was that atrophy of the corpus callosum was significantly more extensive on MRI scans in demented patients. Although the callosum itself may not be implicated directly in the pathogenesis of dementia, the presence of callosal atrophy on MRI scans should alert the physician to the possible occurrence of dementia in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Atmospheric transport of atrazine: a simple device for its detection.

Thin-layer chromatography plates were exposed at three different locations in Bavaria for 3-week periods during the growing season of maize. The adsorption of traces of atrazine was detected by thin-layer chromatography, GC-MS, and by an enzyme immunoassay. It was restricted to the sowing season, which coincides with the application of atrazine. The herbicide could not be detected after this time. The simplicity of the adsorption device, combined with a serological assay, render this procedure suitable for detecting airborne organic pollutants.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1987

Professional prophylaxis and its effect on the periodontium of full-banded orthodontic patients.

The effect of professional prophylaxis on the periodontium was studied in 14 adolescent orthodontic patients while under active treatment using a split-mouth experimental design. A full-banded appliance was used on all of the patients. The following variables were examined: plaque registration, gingival index, gingival migration, and width of the attached gingiva. Professional rubber-cup prophylaxis was performed on the test side of all patients together with reinforced oral hygiene instruction on a monthly basis. Measurements for the plaque registration, gingival index, gingival migration, and the width of the attached gingiva were recorded at the initial visit (baseline records), the 6-month evaluation, and the 10-month evaluation. Monthly registrations were completed for the plaque deposits and gingival inflammation at each of the 11 visits. All measurements were taken at the midfacial surface of the selected teeth. Four conclusions can be drawn from the findings of this study: the presence of an orthodontic appliance did not result in an increase of plaque accumulation or gingival inflammation for the full-banded orthodontic patient; monthly oral hygiene instruction was effective in significantly reducing the amount of visible plaque and gingival inflammation; monthly rubber-cup prophylaxis had a significant effect in reducing the gingival enlargement routinely associated with a fixed orthodontic appliance; and the width of attached gingiva showed no significant change throughout the course of the study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Memory impairment associated with progression of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's Disease (HD) has been described as one example of a "subcortical" dementia, characterized by slowed cognitive processing and impairment of memory. We examined the relationship between slowed cognitive processing and memory impairment as a function of disease progression in patients with HD. Results from three experiments suggest that in the early stages of HD there is slowed cognition with intact memory acquisition and retrieval processes. In later stages, cognition is further slowed and specific impairments of memory become evident. Thus, memory impairment in HD would appear to change qualitatively with progression of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Fluctuations in plasma dopamine level impair memory in Parkinson's disease.

We found a causal relationship between variation in plasma dopamine level and memory impairment in Parkinson's disease. If the level of dopamine was changed between the time of original learning and a later time of attempted memory retrieval, memory performance was impaired when compared with a maintenance of similar dopamine levels on both occasions. The absolute level of dopamine did not influence memory performance. Side-effects of levodopa-carbidopa therapy include variation in dopamine level, parkinsonian symptoms, and possibly "state-dependent" impairment of memory.

Carbidopa↗
PubMed1987

Depression in patients with dementia of Alzheimer type.

Depression in dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) has classically been considered to diminish as the disorder progresses. Using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination to gauge the severity of depression and dementia, respectively, the authors found that the magnitude of depression did not differ as a function of disease severity in patients with DAT. The use of appropriate antidepressant therapy is therefore encouraged at any stage of disease in these patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Cortical vs subcortical dementia. Neuropsychological differences.

The distinction between cortical and subcortical syndromes of dementia is controversial. Clinical reports suggest that subcortical syndromes (eg, Parkinson's disease) involve less severe intellectual and memory dysfunction and lack the aphasia, agnosia, and apraxia typical of the cortical dementias (eg, dementia of the Alzheimer type). A recent neuropsychological investigation using a standardized procedure failed to confirm the distinction. We examined patients with Alzheimer's disease, patients with Parkinson's disease, and normal controls by using a neuropsychological procedure specifically designed to quantitatively evaluate the proposed clinical differences. The results differentiated these dementia syndromes, and the pattern of performance was consistent with the cortical-subcortical hypothesis.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Dementia in Parkinson's disease.

Estimates of the prevalence of dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) vary considerably. Dementia in PD has been linked to a visuospatial disturbance, impairment of memory, and depression. Previous research suggests that visuospatial deficits and depression do not vary with severity of intellectual decline and thus are not useful measures to distinguish demented from nondemented patients. We examined immediate, recent, and remote memory in patients with PD and found that unlike visuospatial performance and depression, a qualitatively distinct pattern emerged, which did vary with severity of intellectual decline.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Relationship between primitive reflexes and severity in Parkinson's disease.

The reliability of primitive reflexes as monitors of dementia, depression, and severity of Parkinson's disease were studied. The results indicated that the proportion of certain reflexes increased with severity of disease and cognitive impairment, but no relationship was seen between any of the reflexes and degree of depression.

Adult↗