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Query: UMLS:C0013421 (dystonia)
 8,418 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Animal data indicate that serotonin (5-HT) is a major neurotransmitter involved in the control of numerous central nervous system functions including mood, aggression, pain, anxiety, sleep, memory, eating behavior, addictive behavior, temperature control, endocrine regulation, and motor behavior. Moreover, there is evidence that abnormalities of 5-HT functions are related to the pathophysiology of diverse neurological conditions including Parkinson's disease, tardive dyskinesia, akathisia, dystonia, Huntington's disease, familial tremor, restless legs syndrome, myoclonus, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, and dementia. The psychiatric disorders of schizophrenia, mania, depression, aggressive and self-injurious behavior, obsessive compulsive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, substance abuse, hypersexuality, anxiety disorders, bulimia, childhood hyperactivity, and behavioral disorders in geriatric patients have been linked to impaired central 5-HT functions. Tryptophan, the natural amino acid precursor in 5-HT biosynthesis, increases 5-HT synthesis in the brain and, therefore, may stimulate 5-HT release and function. Since it is a natural constituent of the diet, tryptophan should have low toxicity and produce few side effects. Based on these advantages, dietary tryptophan supplementation has been used in the management of neuropsychiatric disorders with variable success. This review summarizes current clinical use of tryptophan supplementation in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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PMID:L-tryptophan in neuropsychiatric disorders: a review. 130 30

Wakefulness and sleep are antagonistic states competing for the domain of brain activity. Non-REM sleep and REM sleep are different states of being, sustained by activity in brainstem nuclei, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and thalamus. Such complex phenomenology is subject to many alterations grouped in the new International Classification of Sleep Disorders. The insomnias are the result of interacting psychosocial, psychophysiologic, neurodevelopmental, and medical factors. Proper perspective of each factor provides the clinical strategies to approach medically the symptom-complex of insomnia. The most common cause of daytime hypersomnia is chronic sleep deprivation. Obstructive sleep apnea responds to nasal CPAP, but the failure rate approaches 30%. In intolerant patients BiPAP and surgical remedies should be considered. Motor and behavioral abnormalities of sleep may be linked to REM sleep as in the REM sleep behavior disorder. Paroxysmal nocturnal dystonia and nocturnal wanderings may be associated with epilepsy. Intrusions of one state of being (wakefulness, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep) into another result in mixed, poorly defined, or only partially developed states. Dissociation of states may be responsible for confusional arousals, hallucinations, and cateplexy. Senile degeneration of the suprachiasmatic nuclei may underlie the circadian rhythm changes in old age and the "sundown" syndrome in demented patients. Misalignment of the hypothalamic pacemaker causes dysregulation of sleep-related physiologic and behavioral variables. Exposure to bright light retrains the pacemaker in night-shift workers, transmeridian travelers, and in patients with seasonal affective syndrome. Benzodiazepine compounds are very effective hypnotics, but should be used sparingly in the elderly to avoid falls, memory lapses, and aggravation of a preexisting sleep apnea syndrome. Sleep laboratory evaluations are indicated in patients with hypersomnia, suspected sleep apnea syndrome, motor-behavioral disorders of sleep, and in many individuals complaining of insomnia.
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PMID:Update on disorders of sleep and the sleep--wake cycle. 160 36

Acquired movement disorders in children can present a diagnostic dilemma. Chorea, dystonia, and atypical seizures must be distinguished from simple or complex tics. The combination of chronic motor and vocal tics, Tourette syndrome, may in some children be associated with thought and behavioral disorders, sleep disturbances, headaches, and school difficulties (e.g., attention deficit disorder). The increasing numbers of children recognized as having Tourette syndrome, its broadening clinical spectrum and frequent familial nature are detailed in this review.
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PMID:Diagnosis of Tourette syndrome in childhood. The need for heightened awareness. 346 98

Sleep disorders occur in 74-98% of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), adversely affecting their quality of life. Sleep disruption takes the form of sleep fragmentation with frequent and prolonged awakenings and daytime sleepiness. Nocturia, difficulty in turning over in bed, painful leg cramps, vivid dreams/nightmares, back pain, limb/facial dystonia and leg jerks are the main causes of nocturnal awakening in PD patients. Sleep disturbance gradually worsens with disease progression, suggesting that it is related to the severity of the disease. Sleep disturbances may be generally considered as part of the normal aging process, being more common in the elderly. However, no significant associations between sleep disturbances and either age or disease duration was found in a survey of 100 PD patients. Disturbed sleep maintenance in PD patients was more severe than in age-matched controls, and nocturnal awakening was frequently caused by nocturia, pain, stiffness and difficulty in turning over in bed. Sleep disturbance is also a complication of chronic levodopa therapy. Recent data suggest that controlled-release levodopa is less likely to cause nocturnal symptoms than standard levodopa, particularly in mild-to-moderate disease. Depression, which is common in PD patients, contributes to sleep disturbance but has a lesser influence than the disease process itself. Hypnotic and sedative agents, as well as anti-depressants if required, are useful in ameliorating sleep disturbances in PD patients; intranasal desmopressin appears to be effective in reducing nocturia.
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PMID:Sleep disorder related to Parkinson's disease. 911 82

The nature of sleep is one of the major sources of dissatisfaction with the quality of life among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Difficult sleep maintenance (light and fragmented sleep) and difficulties with sleep initiation are the earliest and most frequent sleep disorders observed in these patients. Sleep disorders are also common in the normal elderly population, suggesting that normal aging may play a role in the etiology of sleep disorders in PD. Factor et al. examined the frequency of various sleep disorders in PD and compared them to those of normal elderly subjects. Sleep fragmentation and spontaneous daytime dozing occurred much more frequently in PD patients than in controls. Sleep fragmentation in PD may be due to an increased skeletal muscle activity, disturbed breathing and REM/non-REM variations of the dopaminergic receptor sensitivity. In parkinsonian patients who developed motor fluctuations (on-off phenomenon, wearing-off) during the day, other common sleep-related motor complaints including nocturnal akinesia, dystonia and painful cramps are observed. In a double-blind cross-over study, we compared the efficacy of a single dose of a chronic release formulation of levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet CR) with that of a placebo in improving sleep-related motor disturbances in a group of 40 fluctuating PD patients. Sinemet CR significantly improved nocturnal akinesia and increased the hours of sleep in this group of patients. Initiation and maintenance of sleep are problems that may not be solved with antiparkinsonian treatment.
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PMID:Sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease. 961 17

Autogenic Training - Qualitative Meta-Analysis of Controlled Clinical Studies and Relation to NaturopathyAutogenic training is a relaxation technique based on autosuggestions and practice in the perception of 'natural' relaxating processes of the body with an increasing calm basic attitude. The psycho-physiological changes that occur after periodical exercises can be explained by a plausible model which has been empirically proved in many of its aspects. With regard to methodological aspects the present study deals with the qualitative meta-analysis of 64 controlled clinical studies from 1952 to 1997. The clinical effect of autogenic training on the main symptoms as exclusive or at least central psychotherapeutic intervention (partly in combination with a somatic basic therapy) was evaluated. It was proved that autogenic training has positive effects on psychosomatic disorders (hypertension, asthma, intestinal diseases, 'vegetative dystonia', glaucoma, atopic eczema), on preparation for childbirth, sleep disorders and anxiety disorders. A positive effect can also be expected in case of headaches and Raynaud's disease, however, other relaxation techniques seem to be superior in these cases. Moreover, positive effects on the mood (e. g. depressive symptoms) and the general subjective condition (e. g. 'quality of life') have been proved by many studies. Hence indications can be derived according to the basic rules of evidence-based medicine. Nevertheless there are contraindications, for instance regarding exogenous, acute schizophrenic or affective psychosis. Beyond that the preparedness to therapy of many patients can be improved if the therapeutic offers are enlarged by autogenic training as a 'low level' offer. Autogenic training is an effective and useful component of preventive, rehabilitative or therapeutic interventions and can last but not least be part of therapeutic interventions which include naturopathy.
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PMID:Autogenes Training - Qualitative Meta-Analyse kontrollierter klinischer Studien und Beziehungen zur Naturheilkunde. 989 18

The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, adverse effects, and dosage and administration of tolcapone are reviewed. Tolcapone is the first drug brought to market from the new class of selective and reversible inhibitors of catechol-O-methyltransferase. Tolcapone is indicated for use in the treatment of Parkinson's disease as an adjunct to levodopa-carbidopa therapy in patients who are experiencing fluctuations in symptoms and who are not responding to or are not appropriate candidates for other adjunctive therapies. The absolute bioavailability of tolcapone after an oral dose is about 65%. Clinical trials have demonstrated that tolcapone 50-200 mg three times daily reduces "off" time in patients refractory to levodopa-carbidopa, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores, and the dosage of levodopa-carbidopa required for symptom suppression. The most frequent adverse effects of tolcapone are dyskinesia, nausea, sleep disorders, dystonia, orthostatic hypotension, diarrhea, dizziness, and hallucinations; also, there is a potential for elevation of liver transaminase concentrations in the blood. To date, three deaths from fulminant hepatic failure in association with tolcapone have been reported. Extensive liver function testing is required of all patients before and during therapy. The recommended starting dosage is 100 mg orally three times daily as an adjunct to levodopacarbidopa therapy; a concurrent reduction in the levodopa dosage of about 30% is suggested. Patient response should be monitored carefully during the first three weeks of therapy; treatment should be discontinued in patients failing to respond during this initial use. Tolcapone is of benefit in fluctuating Parkinson's disease, but benefits must be carefully weighed against risks in individual patients.
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PMID:Tolcapone: a novel approach to Parkinson's disease. 1056 98

The paper presents an open noncomparative investigation of 36 patients with different manifestations of the syndrome of autonomic dystonia. 20 patients (group 1) had permanent autonomic disorder in context of generalyzed anxious disorders, 16 patients (group 2) had panic attacks. The examination was performed before and 4 weeks after monotherapy with xanax (1.5-2.5 mg/day). Clinical-neurologic study estimated both presence and a degree of manifestations of the syndrome of autonomic dysfunction, hyperventilatory syndrome and sleep disorders. Psychologic investigation included estimation of anxiety according to Spilberg's test, depression according to Beck's scale; SCL Scale was also used. Algesic syndrome was estimated by complex algesic questionnaire. Neurophysiologic study determined a contingent negative deviation and nociceptive flexory reflex. A positive therapeutic activity of xanax was established. The highest therapeutic effect was achieved in group 1 (83%) using lower doses (1.5 mg/day). In group 2 higher doses were needed (2.5 mg/day). In this case the effect was achieved in 83% of the cases, but full absence of panic attacks was observed only in 25% of the patients. Predictors of the drug's efficiency appeared to be short duration of the disease, slight manifestation of depression and absence of the algesic syndrome.
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PMID:[Therapy of autonomic disorders by xanax (alprazolam)]. 1066 83

The nature and nosology of nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia (NPD) have been controversial. Some authors consider it as a type of parasomnia, akin to night terrors and the official Classification of Sleep Disorder includes NPD within the parasomnias [1]. Others have opened for its epileptic nature, although mainly on circumstantial evidence. The location of the epileptogenic area has been so far unknown. A child with NPD was studied extensively, and in spite of normal scalp EEGs, all of his attacks were shown to originate from his right orbitofrontal cortex. Surgical ablation of an unsuspected cortical dysplastic lesion led to full control.
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PMID:Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia due to a subfrontal cortical dysplasia. 1093 66

High-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) was used to investigate the relationship of sleep disorders with motor handicap in PD. In 10 insomniac patients with PD, stimulation reduced nighttime akinesia by 60% and completely suppressed axial and early morning dystonia, but did not alleviate periodic leg movements (n = 3) or REM sleep behavior disorders (n = 5). Total sleep time increased by 47%; wakefulness after sleep onset decreased by 51 minutes. Insomnia in patients with PD may predominantly result from nighttime motor disability.
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PMID:Improvement of sleep architecture in PD with subthalamic nucleus stimulation. 1111 33


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