Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0026838 (spasticity)
 6,471 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In an attempt to assess quantitatively the effects of selective dorsal rhizotomy on ambulatory patients with cerebral palsy, instrumental gait analysis was used to document and compare changes following surgery. Stride characteristics, dynamic surface electromyography, foot-floor contact patterns and motion of the thigh, knee and ankle were analysed. 14 patients (seven independent ambulators, seven using assistive devices) aged between 4.6 and 23.5 years were tested before surgery and again six to 14 months later. After surgery, the seven independent walkers retained the same level of function and one of the assisted walkers had progressed to independent walking, but the other six still used the same device as before surgery. Selective dorsal rhizotomy reduces spasticity and improves gait dynamics, but does not change patterns of muscle activation during walking.
Dev Med Child Neurol 1990 Dec
PMID:Instrumented gait analysis after selective dorsal rhizotomy. 228 2

The incidence of inguinal hernia among 247 children with cerebral palsy was ascertained. During the first year of life, 20 of the 153 boys developed hernia, as did one of the 94 girls. Among boys with birthweights of 1000 to 2000g the incidence was 31 per cent, which is twice the rate for normal children. The incidence among boys with birthweights greater than 2000g was 8 per cent. A comparison group could not be found, but this incidence appears to be excessive, considering the reported normal incidence of 1 to 4 per cent in boys. The authors recommend routine examination for inguinal hernia, particularly for boys with birthweights less than 2000g and with spastic tetraplegia. Conversely, one should be alert to the possibility of concurrent spasticity in preterm males with inguinal hernia.
Dev Med Child Neurol 1990 Dec
PMID:Incidence of inguinal hernia in children with congenital cerebral palsy. 228 4

Dantrolene sodium is a drug used in the treatment of spasticity and malignant hyperthermia. It is known to have a myorelaxant effect related to inhibition of the "release" of calcium by the sarcoplasmic reticulum of striated skeletal muscle. A direct cardiac effect which has only recently been suspected was demonstrated in vitro on isolated preparations of sheep Purkinje fibres and ventricular myocardium. Dantrolene caused a spectacular lengthening of the duration of the action potential of Purkinje fibres. This could be due either to an action on the slow calcium current or to stimulation of an ingoing sodium current sensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX). This effect on the cardiac action potentials could explain the antiarrhythmic properties of dantrolene sodium during attacks of malignant hyperthermia.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1985 Dec
PMID:[In vitro electrophysiological effects of sodium dantrolene on isolated preparations of Purkinje fibers and ventricular myocardium of sheep]. 242 77

This study examined the reported association between cerebral palsy and cryptorchidism. A comparison was made among 25 boys with cerebral palsy under the age of 2 years and 6 months, 25 boys with cerebral palsy aged between 5 and 10 years, and age-matched controls. The testes remained in the same position with age in boys with cerebral palsy, whereas in normal children the testes were slightly lower initially (P less than .005) and became lower still with growth (P less than .001). This result, taken in conjunction with previous studies, casts doubts on the theories of early damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis as the cause of maldescent in cerebral palsy. It is postulated that any apparent increase in cryptorchidism in older patients with cerebral palsy may be caused by spasticity of the cremaster muscle leading to pathologic retraction of the testis out of the scrotum.
J Pediatr Surg 1989 Dec
PMID:The relationship between cerebral palsy and cryptorchidism. 257 33

1. The effects of spinal and brain lesions on autogenetic inhibition from contraction receptors were studied in the decerebrate cat. Inhibitory feedback gain was estimated by measuring the effect of tension perturbations on reflex contractions of the soleus muscle. Tendon vibration was used to clamp the firing rate of primary spindle afferents, to prevent spindle unloading from disfacilitating the reflex contraction. In addition, secondary spindle afferents could be selectively excited by stimulating fusimotor fibres during muscle vibration. 2. Following an acute contralateral or bilateral dorsal transection of the spinal cord at L3, the vibration reflex tension fell by between 50 and 74% in three decerebrate animals. This was accompanied by a variable increase in inhibitory feedback, ranging between 180 and 360%. 3. In two animals, selective stimulation of fusimotor fibres supplying soleus muscle was without effect in the presence of muscle vibration both before and after the spinal lesion. In the third animal, a small and variable reduction in tension could be obtained only after the lesion, implying that an inhibitory pathway from homonymous secondary spindle afferents to alpha-motoneurones was released. 4. In a separate series of experiments, contralateral cerebral lesions were made 2-12 months prior to the acute inhibitory feedback measurement. Inhibitory feedback gain was increased, on average twofold in decerebrate animals with chronic cerebral lesions, when compared to control decerebrate animals. 5. Selective stimulation of fusimotor fibres to excite spindle secondary afferents was uniformly without effect in decerebrate animals with chronic cerebral lesions. In one animal spinal transection had only a minor effect on extensor tone and on inhibitory feedback gain, in contrast to the control decerebrate cats. 6. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the use of animals with spinal and supraspinal lesions as models of spasticity.
J Physiol 1989 Dec
PMID:The effects of lesions on autogenetic inhibition in the decerebrate cat. 262 45

The use of sensory rhizotomy has long been used for the treatment of spasticity. This review outlines the historical development of this treatment, the current surgical technique, and its physiologic rationale. Patient selection, postoperative treatment, and complications are also discussed.
Childs Nerv Syst 1989 Dec
PMID:Selective posterior rhizotomy for the treatment of spasticity: a review. 238 71

Is characterized by several various signs. One of these, spasticity, involves a velocity dependent increase in muscle stiffness during stretch and by hyperactive tendon jerks. When intense, spasticity impedes residual strength in antagonistic muscles and interferes with attempts to move, especially if complicated by clonus and/or spasms. Assessment of spasticity is multifactorial and implies clinical as well as instrumental methods. The pathophysiological mechanisms responsive for the hyperexcitability of the myotatic reflex can be studied by methods of clinical neurophysiology. It appears that there are various factors involved at the spinal level, involving reduction in both pre- and post-synaptic inhibitions. Although spasticity is not responsible for the major part of the disability imposed by upper motor neurone syndrome, it should be reduced. The therapeutic methods are medical, surgical or from physical medicine. In many cases, the results have been validated by blind studies. As paresis is the most disabling effect, it would be worthwhile to develop drugs able to reduce spasticity and increase muscle strength at the same time. Recent trials suggest than TRH-T may be effective in this regard.
Recenti Prog Med 1989 Dec
PMID:[Pyramidal syndrome: its physiopathology and treatment]. 269 2

A 42-year-old woman with progressive myelopathy and mononeuritis multiplex is reported. The neurological examination on admission revealed hyperreflexia of the four extremities with pathological reflexes and moderate muscle weakness of the lower extremities with spasticity. Sensory disturbance was distributed on the areas of the bilateral lateral cutaneous femoral, the superficial peroneal and sural nerves. The antibody to HTLV-I in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid was more than 8192X and 512X, respectively. No sensory potential was recorded in the sensory conduction study of bilateral lateral femoral cutaneous nerves. Corticosteroid therapy caused a marked improvement of the sensory and urinary disturbances and had a slight effect on the spastic gait. Our nerve conduction study found small sensory potentials with normal conduction velocities in the bilateral lateral femoral cutaneous nerves. These results suggested the presence of an axonal degeneration in the peripheral nerves in this case. There have been no reports in the literature regarding a case of HAM with mononeuritis multiplex.
J UOEH 1988 Dec 01
PMID:[A case of HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM) complicated by mononeuritis multiplex]. 285 Jun 2

A survey of the literature of neurological manifestations associated with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) shows a broad disease spectrum affecting approximately one third of the patients in large hospital series. The complications include focal cerebral lesions caused by abscesses, lymphomas, leucoencephalopathy or infarcts as well as encephalitis, meningitis and myelitis. Most opportunistic infections of the central nervous system presumably are caused by toxoplasma gondii, cytomegalovirus and cryptococcus neoformans. One tenth of all patients have neurological disease as their initial symptom of AIDS. The diagnosis should always be considered in patients at risk and in males with an unusual neurological history or with a peculiar CT scan of the brain. Besides the opportunistic complications of AIDS, LAV/HTLV-III itself probably attacks the nervous system and gives rise to concomitant lesions of the long tracts of the spinal cord with ataxia, paresis and spasticity and to subacute encephalopathy and peripheral nerve abnormalities as well.
Acta Neurol Scand 1986 Dec
PMID:Neurological complications and concomitants of AIDS. 303 38

When neurologic recovery has plateaued following traumatic brain injury, careful assessment is needed prior to making surgical decisions to correct residual limb deformities. Sufficient cognition to follow simple commands, cooperate with postoperative therapy, and benefit from improved function is essential. Sensation must also be intact. Motor control of the extremity can be evaluated by clinical examination supplemented by nerve blocks to relieve spasticity in antagonistic muscle groups. Dynamic electromyography is frequently required for surgical decision making. Hand placement may be deterred by spasticity of the brachioradialis, biceps, and brachialis muscles. Active finger extension may be masked by spastic flexors. In the lower extremity, knee flexion may be blocked during the preswing period by inappropriate firing of one or more components of the quadriceps. The equinovarus deformity of the foot is the result of spasticity of the gastrocsoleus muscles, the toe flexors, and the tibialis anterior.
Orthop Rev 1988 Dec
PMID:Surgical decision making for residual limb deformities following traumatic brain injury. 306 32


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