Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “PYRAMIDAL TRACT”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,747 records · Page 97Linked to original sources

[Isolated abducens nerve palsy caused by pontine infarction].

An 82-year-old hypertensive man suddenly developed diplopia during right lateral gaze. Neurological examination revealed right isolated abducens nerve palsy without any other findings. By cranial CT scan, a low density area over the posterior limb of right internal capsule and tortuosity of basilar artery were noted. 3 months later, his symptom disappeared and then he was well in next 2 years til he felt diplopia during left lateral gaze. On this time he showed left isolated abducens nerve palsy. Though cranial CT scan failed to find out new abnormality, T2-weighted cranial MRI disclosed high intensity spot over left pontine base located between medial lemniscus and pyramidal tract, which was supposed to coincide to fascicle of left abducens nerve Three months later, he recovered in the same manner as 2 years before. Hemilateral isolated abducens nerve palsy may be caused by many origins, but pontine infarct was not detected so much in pre-MRI era. Being the long-term prognosis of the lacunar infarction not satisfactory, it is important for the cases of isolated abducens palsy to ascertain whether there is pontine small infarction or not. So in these cases, precise examination including MRI should be needed.

Abducens Nerve↗

Relationship between neurological diseases due to aluminium load, especially amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and magnesium status.

The correlation between kinetic metal behaviour and the degenerative process in the central nervous system (CNS) tissues of magnesium (Mg) deprived animals was examined, with particular reference to the levels and ratios of Mg, calcium (Ca), and aluminium (Al). Al content in the CNS tissue was high in the groups fed low Mg and low Mg + low Ca diets, as well as those supplemented with Al. In the group given a normal Mg, normal Ca with high Al diet, Al content in the CNS tissue showed no difference compared with that of the control group, although the concentration of Al in the serum was high. It was observed that Al content tended to rise with an increase in the Mg/Ca ratio in the CNS tissue. There was neither atrophy nor degeneration of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord, nor demyelination of the pyramidal tract, which are characteristic of the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The cell body, nucleus, and nucleolus of the spinal neurones, however, appeared to diminish in size in the groups fed a low Mg diet and low Mg, low Ca with surplus Al diet. On the basis of these findings, it is speculated that Mg depletion, by increasing the Ca/Mg ratio in the CNS tissues, accelerates the uptake of Al into the brain, and this may later be involved in the development of the degenerative process.

Aluminum↗

[Buddha sign].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Disease↗

[Bulbovascular compression by megadolichobasilar artery manifested as neurogenic and refractory hypertension].

A 37-year-old man with juvenile and refractory hypertension was admitted to our hospital for progressive left hearing loss, vertigo, and dizziness. Neurological examination revealed left hearing loss and exaggerated deep tendon reflexes and vestibular dysfunction. MRI and cerebral angiography disclosed megadolichobasilar artery (MDBA). Moreover, modified MR cisternography at the medulla disclosed marked compression and deformity of the left rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) by the dolichoectatic right vertebral artery. In the literatures, bulbovascular compression has been reported in 4 among 9 patients with MDBA (including the present patient), for whom MRI of the medulla was presented. All 4 patients suffered from hypertension, and at least 3 of them showed juvenile and refractory hypertension. Ipsilateral pyramidal tract disturbance (Opalski syndrome) was observed in 3 patients. Considering the recent concept that the cardiovascular center can be localized at the RVLM, juvenile and refractory hypertension, and possibly Opalski syndrome in the present patient can be attributed to bulbovascular compression by MDBA. In the patients with MDBA and hypertension or Opalski syndrome, MR cisternography of the medulla is warranted to evaluate compression by MDBA.

Adult↗

[Primary progressive multiple sclerosis as a differential diagnosis of ALS: a case report].

A 44-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of a five year history of chronic progressive gait disturbance. Neurological examination revealed mild weakness and atrophy of the upper extremities, but severe of the lower ones, and without sphincter disturbance or apparent sensory impairment. Hyperreflexia and positive pathological reflexes of the lower extremities were apparent. EMG showed a reinnervation pattern and decreased number of motor units in the extremities, suggesting ALS. However, multiple plaques on the head and spinal MRI, a prolonged central conduction time of MEP and SEP, a delayed P100 latency of VEP, and a increased IgG index in the CSF indicated primary progressive type multiple sclerosis. After receiving steroid pulse therapy, the weakness of the lower extremities showed slight improvement. Diffuse inflammation in the spinal cord involving not only the pyramidal tract but also the anterior horn cells/intramedullary ventral roots explained the ALS-like clinical picture.

Adult↗

[A case of Brown-Vialetto-van Laere (BVVL) syndrome in Japan].

Here we report a sixty-year-old woman of Brown-Vialetto-van Laere (BVVL) syndrome in Japan. She had sensorineural deafness, weakness and atrophy of her extremities from 15 years of age. Her neurological symptoms slowly progressed. She first visited our hospital in 1993 when she was 49 years old. At that time, she had distal muscle weakness and atrophy of the four extremities and bulbar palsy. Deep tendon reflexes were absent and the plantar toe reflex was flexor. EMG revealed neurogenic changes and the nerve conduction studied were normal. The vital capacity was marked decreased. On August 10, 2003, she was admitted to our hospital because of CO2 narcosis. She had III, VII, X, XI, XII cranial nerve palsy, distal muscle weakness and atrophy of the four extremities. From her neurological symptoms and signs, we made a diagnosis of BVVL syndrome. MRI revealed no high signal in pyramidal tract by FLAIR image. ABR showed no response, and VEP demonstrated delay of the P100. She was intubated, and was attached to a respirator to improve her CO2 narcosis. After treatment she improved and did not need to be assisted by a respirator during daytime. During night time, she had apnea, and her blood gas showed the retention of CO2, and she still required the respiratory assistance during her sleep. This is the first report of BVVL syndrome in Japanese literature.

Bulbar Palsy, Progressive↗

[Comparative assessment of clinical features and imaging findings for patients with vascular parkinsonism and idiopathic Parkinson's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences of clinical features and imaging findings between vascular parkinsonism (VP) and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). METHOD: The clinical features and imaging findings from 54 patients with VP and 53 patients with PD were compared. RESULTS: The main clinical manifestations of patients with VP were hemiplegia, rigidity and bulbar palsy with obviously pyramidal tract system damage and less rest tremor. Patients with PD showed remarkable tremor-cogwheel rigidity. In the aspect of imageology, there were obvious imaging changes in patients with VP, mainly manifested lacunar infarction located in unilateral or bilateral basal ganglia and white matter of frontal lobe. Furthermore, some ischemic changes could be seen in the cerebral peduncle and lateral cerebral ventricle. In patients with PD, ischemic changes were invisible. As to the therapeutic effect to the anti-Parkinson's disease, patients with PD showed better effect than VP patients. CONCLUSION: As a self-sustaining clinical syndrome, the clinical manifestations and imaging findings in patients with VP are different from those with PD.

Aged↗

Clawed toes deformity due to spasticity of the extensor digitorum muscle. A case report.

Spasticity is a characteristic and early component of the lesions of the pyramidal tract of demyelinising diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and is included in the chief neurological scales to evaluate this disease. We report the case of a woman with a clawed toes deformity caused by spasticity of the extensor digitorum (longus and brevis) muscles.

Journal Article↗

[A septated syringomyelia with a dramatic clinical course in a young patient with MELAS; a case report].

This is a report of a young girl who showed a recurrence of acute worsening and remission of neurological manifestations, with consistent MRI demonstration of transaxial septated syrinxes in the cervical and the lumbar spinal cord in addition to a tight filum terminale. This 8 year-old girl had developed normally since her birth until August 1989 when she developed a gait disturbance. This worsened acutely on January 1, 1990, with the additional manifestation of a urinary bladder disturbance. General examination failed to show any abnormality or scoliosis. Neurologic examination revealed a monoparesis of the right lower extremity with muscle atrophy and pyramidal tract sign. Fecal constipation and urinary retention were noted. The MRI T1 weighted sagittal image demonstrated an incontinuous low intensity signal in the C1-C7 as well as in the T12-L2 without swelling of the cord. The axial image clearly demonstrated the septations in the syrinx which looked like eye glasses. No definite Gd enhancement was demonstrated. Chiari malformation was not associated, but the tethered cord was well identified. With the administration of steroid, she showed a marked improvement of neurological manifestations. She was able to urinate without difficulty and also walk by herself. For one month thereafter she remained well with minor neurological deficits until she developed a worsening of the gait disturbance with a newly manifested weakness of the left upper extremity. Sensory impairment was also demonstrated below L3. In contrast to the worsening of the clinical symptoms, no definite change in the abnormalities found by MRI was noted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acidosis, Lactic↗

[Minamata disease: a neuropathological viewpoint].

Minamata disease (methylmercury poisoning) was first officially discovered around Minamata Bay in the Kumamoto Prefecture on May 1st, 1956. This year, a commemoration marking fifty years since this discovery of Minamata disease will be held in Minamata City. Over the years, new facts have gradually surfaced, especially after 1995, with the resolution of the political problems surrounding Minamata disease. For example, it was recently reported that large amounts of methylmercury were generated by the chemical processes of the Chisso acetaldehyde plant and later dumped directly into Minamata Bay. This report revealed the August 1951 switch from using manganese dioxide to ferric sulfide as a reaction promoter to maintain the activity of the Hg catalyst. As a result of this switch, the amount of methylmercury generated in the process rapidly increased. Thus, the true cause of the acute onset of Minamata disease in patients with a high-dose contamination of methylmercury was made clear. The severe contamination by methylmercury continued until 1968, when the plant finally stopped discharging its waste water into Minamata Bay. In 1996, the National Institute for Minamata Disease started an experimental study of methylmercury poisoning using the common marmoset. Results from this study showed that the lesions characteristic of the central nervous system in cases of acute methylmercury poisoning were promoted by brain edema, while those of the peripheral nerves were caused by axonal degeneration. Peripheral nerves were regenerated in two animals after two and a half years. Lesions characteristic of Minamata disease are systematically found throughout the nervous system. These lesions are found in the calcarine areas of occipital lobes, the pre- and post-central lobes, and the temporal transverse gyri. Milder and more diffuse lesions are also found in the cerebrum, where secondary degeneration of the central parts of white matter and internal sagittal stratum are due to primary damage of neurons. Purkinje and granular cells decrease in number in the cerebellum depending on the dose of methylmercury and the duration of methylmercury exposure. In the spinal cord, there is no primary change, but secondary degeneration is found on pyramidal tracts due to damage of the motor neurons of the precentral cortices. Additionally, secondary degeneration of Goll's tract is seen due to the primary degeneration of sensory nerve fibers including ganglion cells, sciatic nerves, and sural nerves. The experiments on the methylmercury-treated common marmosets provided every feature of pathological change found in the nervous system in human autopsy cases, depending on the dose of methylmercury.

Adult↗

[Striatal involvement on MRI in adrenomyeloneuropathy].

Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), a clinical variant of child adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), is an adult-onset progressive disorder which presents spastic paraparesis with peripheral nerve involvement and affects mainly the pyramidal tracts from the brainstem to the spinal cord. We report a case of AMN in which serial MRI showed unusual development of areas of high signal in the right striatum. The patient was in good health until the age of 12, when he began to lose his hair. At age 25 he started to have progressive gait disturbance and erectile impotence. In his first admission to our hospital at age 33, he showed diffuse baldness. He was intelligent but childish. His cranial nerves were normal. Muscle strength was weak (3-4/5) in the lower extremities. Deep tendon reflexes were hyperactive in the lower extremities while normal in the upper extremities. Babinski signs were elicited bilaterally. Pinprick and vibratory sensation was impaired in the lower legs. Proprioceptive sensations were normal. Co-ordination was intact. There were urinary incontinence and impairment of erection with preserved libido and ejaculation. Routine laboratory data including hematological studies, serum chemistry and urinalysis were all normal except for mild hyperlipidemia. Serum cortisol response to ACTH was low and serum levels of very long chain fatty acids were increased. Nerve conduction studies were abnormal and consistent with peripheral polyneuropathy. A biopsy specimen of left sural nerve revealed a mild loss of myelinated fibers with thinning of the myelin. These findings and the clinical features confirmed the diagnosis of AMN. MRI in SE2000/40 scans at age 34 disclosed areas of high signal in the bilateral internal capsules.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenoleukodystrophy↗

[An autopsied case of schizophrenic patient who died from heat stroke].

A male residual schizophrenic out-patient of 65 years old had presented "heat stroke" and died in progressive course of 7 months. His mental condition had been stable and he had kept good drug compliance. In some summer day, he presented high fever and confusion, followed by convulsion. He showed over 40 degrees C high temperature (max 42 degrees C) for about 6 hours. After 10 day's high serum CPK, he gradually presented severe muscle atrophy (proximal dominant), flaccid quadriplegia and brain atrophy (especially in cerebellum). He died from pneumonia. His brain weight was 1,350g. Neuropathological study showed severe loss of Purkinje cell with gliosis. Neurons in dentate nucleus ware entirely lost and a great amount of fatty macrophages were present around the dentate nucleus. Fatty macrophages were observed from cerebellum to red nucleus through superior cerebellar peduncle. These findings have been known as findings of heat stroke. Addition to these findings, this case presented a neuronal loss in the substantita nigra and in the anterior horn of spinal cord and the degeneration of bilateral pyramidal tract. These findings have not been thus far reported, so this case is thought to be the valuable case on considering the variation of neuropathology of "heat stroke".

Aged↗

Parry-Romberg syndrome with a clinically silent white matter lesion.

We performed a detailed neuroimaging study in a patient with Parry-Romberg syndrome. Proton MR spectroscopy demonstrated normal spectral patterns, though conventional MR imaging revealed high-intensity areas in the entire white matter in the left hemisphere. Single-photon emission tomography showed increased perfusion in the cortex of the affected hemisphere. Pyramidal tracts and optic radiations were preserved on diffusion tensor tractography. We will correlate these neuroimaging findings with normal psychomotor development in our patient.

Brain Diseases↗

[Symptomatic adrenoleukodystrophy heterozygote with fluctuated neurological symptoms--a case report].

We report a patient with symptomatic adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) heterozygote, a 57-year-old female, who manifested fluctuated neurological symptoms. She is a mother of the patient with adrenoleukomyeloneuropathy associated with hypoparathyroidism and cerebral calcification. The heterozygote of ALD was diagnosed by elevated levels of very long chain fatty acids in her plasma and erythrocyte membranes. At age 51, she had a disturbance of consciousness, which subsided two months later. Neurologically, bilateral pyramidal tract signs were noted. CT revealed low-density areas in the white matter neighboring the bilateral anterior horns of lateral ventricles and small calcification in the basal ganglia. Four years later, her neurological manifestations including gait disturbance and mental deterioration subacutely progressed. MRI (T2-weighted image) showed diffuse high intensity areas in the cerebral white matter. Adrenal insufficiency, hypoparathyroidism and peripheral neuropathy were not detected. It has been reported that some ALD heterozygotes developed neurological symptoms, which resembled those of the patients with adrenomyeloneuropathy. The presented patient manifested neurological symptoms with fluctuation, which was not common clinical course in the heterozygotes of ALD. On the differential diagnosis of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular disease or other cerebral white matter diseases, it is important to consider the possibility of ALD heterozygotes.

Adrenoleukodystrophy↗

[A case of Fahr's disease associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis].

We studied a case of Fahr's disease type idiopathic intracerebral calcification (Fahr's disease) associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The patient was a 15-year-old male with a chief complaint of gait disturbance. His family members had no similar signs and symptoms. His parents had no consanguinity. He was born with the normal perinatal course at 1967. He had repeated episodes of convulsive attacks during fever elevation from 2 years and 8 months to 9 years of age. Morning stiffness of bilateral hands, and pernio in the auricles, fingers, planta, and toes had occurred in every winter, since 6 years old. Swelling and pain of the bilateral knee and foot joints appeared, making ambulation difficult in 1983 (15 years old), and the patient was admitted to our hospital in July, the same year. On admission, congenital anomalies such as epicanthus and high-arched palate were noted, and swelling, deformation and contracture of limb joints, and Raynaud phenomenon were shown. His ocular fundus showed no arteriosclerotic change. He didn't have Albright's sign. Mild mental retardation and bilateral pyramidal tract signs were noted, but extrapyramidal tract and cerebellar signs, and sensory disturbance were absent. Laboratory findings exhibited markedly elevated ESR, positive CRP, RA, and antinuclear antibody. The levels of serum Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone were normal. Peripheral blood study showed microcytic and hypochromic anemia. Anti-DNA antibody was negative. Ellsworth-Howard test was positive. Elevated antibody titer to toxoplasma, rubella virus, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus were not proven. He had no chromosomal change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Juvenile segmental muscular atrophy.

Unilateral upper limb atrophy is a rare entity that has been described mainly in Asia. Isolated cases were reported in the Western countries but never in the Middle East. Herein, we review the literature and describe two illustrative cases which presented typically with brachial atrophy of insidious onset. No involvement of cranial nerves, pyramidal tracts or sensory system occurred over a period of several years. The clinical and EMG features were consistent with a localized anterior horn cell lesion in the cervical spinal cord. The neuroimaging studies (CT, myelography, MRI) were normal. The benign outcome of this entity underscores the importance of its recognition.

Adolescent↗

Hemichorea-hemiballism and anosognosia following a contralateral infarction of the caudate nucleus and anterior limb of the internal capsule.

The authors describe a patient who experienced the sudden occurrence of hemicorea-hemiballism on the left side of the body and the contemporary agnosia of it. An unenhanced CT-scan disclosed an ischemic lesion involving the head of the caudate nucleus and of the anterior limb of the internal capsule of the contralateral hemisphere. The authors discuss the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms explaining the rare association of these two symptoms and suggest that the involvement of the pyramidal tract in the internal capsule usually does not allow hyperkinesis to manifest itself.

Aged↗