Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0030567 (Parkinson's disease)
 63,064 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) has been shown to have cholinergic connections with the thalamus and basal ganglia. The ability of various doses of the excitotoxins (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) (AMPA), folate, ibotenate, kainate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), quinolinate and quisqualate to make lesions in the PPTg was examined, with particular reference to their ability to destroy cholinergic neurons identified using choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunohistochemistry. All of the toxins induced convulsive activity on recovery from surgical anesthesia and all except folate made lesions in the PPTg and surrounding structures. The size of the lesions was computed following examination of Cresyl violet stained sections. The largest lesions were made by kainate = AMPA greater than NMDA = ibotenate greater than quisqualate = quinolinate. All of the toxins destroyed cholinergic neurons, higher doses producing greater loss than lower. The ratio of cholinergic cell loss to general neuronal loss (assessed by Cresyl violet staining) was also computed, revealing marked differences between the toxins. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences between excitotoxins in terms of this ratio, but these were accounted for by the low dose of quinolinate (24 nmol) producing a significantly greater ratio of damage (12.18:1) than every other toxin. (Next highest ratio: quisqualate 60 nmol, 6.22:1.) Between the other toxins (kainate, AMPA, ibotenate, quisqualate, NMDA and the high dose of quinolinate) there were no statistically significant differences. Intense calcium deposits (stained by Alizarin red) were found frequently and often defined the borders of the lesion. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry revealed axons running below and into the area of lesioned tissue suggesting strongly that fibers were undamaged by the lesions. We conclude that in the PPTg, different excitotoxins make discriminably different lesions, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Unlike excitotoxic lesions in the basal forebrain quinolinate, not quisqualate, made the most selective lesions of cholinergic neurons and, unlike excitotoxic lesions in the septal nuclei, non-myelinated fibers were spared by ibotenate. The implications of these data for research into brainstem mechanisms of Parkinson's disease are discussed.
 ...
PMID:Excitotoxic lesions of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus of the rat. I. Comparison of the effects of various excitotoxins, with particular reference to the loss of immunohistochemically identified cholinergic neurons. 138 12

Pergolide mesylate ((8 beta)-8-[(methylthio)methyl]-6-propylergoline monomethanesulfonate, LY 127809, CAS 66104-23-2) is a novel and potent dopamine agonist marketed for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The potential secondary pharmacological effects of this agent on the gastrointestinal and renal systems, as well as effects on local anesthesia, hemolysis, platelet aggregation, circulating blood glucose, primary antibody production, and the acute inflammatory response were examined. Pergolide exhibited significant pharmacological effects in gastrointestinal, renal and anti-inflammatory tests at high oral doses. Pergolide was essentially inactive in blood hemolysis, platelet aggregation, primary antibody production and local anesthesia testing. In summary, these studies confirm the pharmacological selectivity of pergolide, and indicate a low potential for secondary pharmacological side effects upon the functions tested at clinically relevant doses.
 ...
PMID:General pharmacology of pergolide in animals. 2nd communication: gastrointestinal, renal and miscellaneous studies. 141 52

Spinal anesthesia was given to a patient with right femur fracture and Parkinson's disease (PD). Although sufficient analgesia was obtained up to L1 level after spinal anesthesia, the muscular rigidity remained. Furthermore, tremor of the upper extremities continued. After administering dantrolene sodium (DT) intravenously, these untoward features were abolished. These findings suggest that DT abolishes rigidity and tremor in PD, and is useful for the management of anesthesia for a patient with PD.
 ...
PMID:[Rigidity abolished by intravenous dantrolene in a patient with Parkinson's disease under spinal anesthesia]. 156 May 88

A patient with Parkinson's disease had severe levodopa-associated leg pain in a beginning-of-dose and peak-dose pattern. Local anesthetic block of the lumbar sympathetic chain or differential epidural block did not alter the pain. Spinal anesthesia abolished the pain. We postulate that levodopa-associated pain in Parkinson's disease either originates in or is mediated by spinal cord dopaminergic systems.
 ...
PMID:Evidence for the role of spinal cord systems in Parkinson's disease-associated pain. 232 8

The incidence and some risk factors of Parkinson's disease were investigated in a study performed in The Netherlands. The study was based on a disease register of the Sentinel Stations, which provide a complete ascertainment of new patients with Parkinson's disease in 60 general practices in The Netherlands. The incidence rate of Parkinson's disease in The Netherlands is estimated to be 11/100,000 person-years for men and 12/100,000 person-years for women. Risk factors for Parkinson's disease were investigated in a case-control study in which 86 cases, with the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease confirmed by a neurologist, were compared with 172 reference subjects, matched for age and gender. Cigarette smoking was associated with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease (relative risk 0.6, 95% confidence interval 0.3-1.0). No association was observed between Parkinson's disease and severe head trauma with loss of consciousness, or surgery with total anaesthesia.
 ...
PMID:Incidence and risk factors of Parkinson's disease in The Netherlands. 258 99

1. During the course of stereotaxic thalamotomy for 56 cases with tremor mainly due to Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, extracellular recordings were made from the thalamic ventralis intermedius (Vim) nucleus under local anesthesia. These procedures have been justified as an essential technique to achieve the best therapeutic results by a selective coagulation. These physiological observations provide important information about the functional organization of the ventrolateral thalamic mass in humans. 2. Using Leksell's stereotaxic apparatus, a pair of semimicroelectrodes was introduced simultaneously to the thalamic ventral lateral region from the prefrontal area. The Vim nucleus was identified tentatively by characteristic high background activity which contrasted to that found in its rostral part and by superimposed large amplitude spontaneously active units. 3. In this high activity zone, 135 units (approximately 1/5 of the recorded units) responded to natural stimulation applied to contralateral body parts. Among them, approximately 90% responded to a passive or active movement of a joint. Several lines of evidence suggested that probably muscle receptors were responsible. 4. The rest of units (approximately 10%) responded to light touch applied to contralateral skin surface. Convergent responses between kinesthetic and tactile units were never encountered. Also, kinesthetic and tactile neurons were geographically separated. The latter were found always at the end of our oblique trajectory, following the kinesthetic neurons. 5. Neurons with sensory responses were clustered mostly within the confines of the Vim nucleus, probably extending caudally to the ventrocaudalis externus anterior of Hassler. Evidence for a somatotopic representation in the Vim nucleus was obtained. 6. Electrical stimulation of the appropriate peripheral nerve produced responses of the same thalamic unit(s) that responded to natural stimulation. The latency to upper limb nerve stimulation was between approximately 10 and 20 ms. It was almost fixed in a given case. 7. It is concluded that the Vim nucleus receives kinesthetic afferent input from the contralateral body parts (mainly from the muscle receptor) and may be concerned with muscle sense. This may explain why a small, selective coagulation of the physiologically identified Vim has such a constant effect on several different kinds of tremor.
 ...
PMID:Further physiological observations on the ventralis intermedius neurons in the human thalamus. 270 95

One hundred patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and five patients with progressive supranuclear palsy were questioned about the frequency, circumstances, and consequences of falling. Parkinsonian symptoms were scored using the unified rating scale. Thirty-eight percent of parkinsonian patients fell, and 13% fell more than once a week. Broken bones (13%), hospitalization (18%), confinement to wheelchair (3%), and fear of walking occurred. Postural hypotension was uncommon and did not correlate to falling. Sensory loss, dementia, heart disease, and the use of antihypertensive medications were not related to falling. Falling did correlate with postural instability, bradykinesia, and rigidity but not with tremor. Falling was also related to age and duration of disease. The frequency of falling was correlated only to the severity of one parkinsonian symptom, postural instability. Progressive supranuclear palsy patients fell often and had marked postural instability. Factor analysis of parkinsonian characteristics yielded three groups, with tremor being an independent symptom. Frequent fallers and postural instability were not changed by dopaminergic therapy. Some fallers with gait difficulties and bradykinesia were improved with levodopa. Physical therapy was also of benefit to some patients. It is concluded that falling is a common problem in PD and may cause serious disability. Falling may be related to all the major motor signs except for tremor. Frequent falling is caused by postural instability, which is not reversible with dopaminergic therapy.
 ...
PMID:Falls and Parkinson's disease. 272 Jul

For comparison, the concentrations of homovanillic acid (HVA) and leucine-enkephalin (LEK) in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) before and after treatment with madopar were determined 19 patients, suffering from common surgical diseases, who had CSF withdrawn by lumbar punctures for spinal anesthesia, served as controls. HVA was estimated by fluorescence scanning after polyamide thin-layer chromatography. LEK was measured with radio-immuno-assay. The mean concentration of HVA from 22 patients before madopar treatment (0.085 +/- 0.011 mg/L, means +/- S means) was significantly lower than the control mean value (0.264 +/- 0.022 mg/L) (P less than 0.001); while that of LEK from 25 patients before treatment (197.01 +/- 12.96mg/L, means +/- S means) was significantly higher than the control mean value (88.79 +/- 8.66mg/L) (P less than 0.001). Treatment with madopar increased the concentration of HVA (0.222 +/- 0.032mg/L) (P less than 0.001) but exhibited no significant effect on the levels of LEK. It is confirmed that there is a reduction of HVA in CSF in Parkinsonian patients. The results suggest that an increase of enkephalin in the brain seems to play some role in the pathogenesis of PD, but why madopar could not significantly alter the LEK level in CSF awaits further studies.
 ...
PMID:[The concentration of homovanillic acid and leucine-enkephalin in the lumbar CSF of patients with Parkinson's disease before and after madopar treatment]. 279 64

Hip fractures in patients with Parkinson's syndrome present a continuing challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. Sixty-two consecutive such patients have been reviewed. With or without operation, there was very high rate of mortality (31%) and complications. However, the functional results, the ability to walk, progression of the disability, and the quality of life were significantly better after operation. The results suggest that operation is the preferable solution for these patients. They require, however, much more particular care than other patients with hip fractures. This includes adequate adjusted antiparkinson medication, appropriate anesthesia with special attention to adequate ventilation and postoperative analgesia, more intensive respiratory and functional physiotherapy, very meticulous nursing care, and a relatively extended period of preventive antibiotics.
 ...
PMID:Hip fractures in patients with Parkinson's syndrome. 682 45

The article reviews the problems involved in perioperative care of patients suffering from myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease as well as diseases associated with seizures or convulsions. The pros and cons of the various methods of anaesthesia are described. The problems associated with the anaesthesiological care of psychiatric patients are explained particularly regarding interactions between neuroleptics and narcosis. General rules preference of a specific method of anaesthesia in neurological and psychiatric patients do not exist.
 ...
PMID:[Anesthesia in patients with neurologic and psychiatric diseases]. 689 Jul 78


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>