Molecular pathogenesis in sporadic head and neck paraganglioma.

Hypothesis: Similar to familial tumors, sporadic head and neck paragangliomas are associated with chromosomal deletions at either 11q13 or 11q22-23.

Background: Familial paragangliomas are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern with genomic imprinting of the maternal allele. Genetic studies of familial paragangliomas have localized the causative genetic defect to two separate loci: 11q13.

Familial paragangliomas: the emerging impact of molecular genetics on evaluation and management.

Hypothesis: Advancements in molecular genetics has direct impact on the evaluation and management of patients and family members with familial paragangliomas (FP).

Background: Familial paragangliomas. in contrast to sporadic cases, are commonly multiple, bilateral, and present at an earlier age.

Germline screening of the NF-2 gene in families with unilateral vestibular schwannoma.

Vestibular schwannoma may present clinically in two forms: sporadic unilateral or hereditary bilateral. Familial transmission of vestibular schwannoma is known to occur only in neurofibromatosis type II (NF-2). We have previously described the clinical characteristics of unilateral vestibular schwannoma presenting in families, in the absence of ther criteria necessary for the diagnosis of NF-2.

Familial occurrence of unilateral vestibular schwannoma.

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) may present clinically in one of two forms: sporadic unilateral or hereditary bilateral. Almost all cases of familial transmission have been associated with the diagnosis of neurofibromatosis type II (NF-2). In this report, we describe nine families (18 individuals) presenting with unilateral VS without evidence of NF-2.

Efficacy of antimigrainous therapy in the treatment of migraine-associated dizziness.

Objective: To assess the effects of antimigrainous therapy on migraine-associated dizziness/vertigo. We hypothesized that a medication's ability to ameliorate dizziness/vertigo in this patient population would be directly correlated with its efficacy in improving headache symptoms.

Study Design: Patient survey.

Expression of immunoregulatory cytokines during acute and chronic middle ear immune response.

In both patients and experimental animals, immunoglobulin G (IgG) has been found to dominate acute otitis media with effusion (OME), whereas IgA tends to be present in chronic but not in acute OME. To determine whether local immunoregulation could account for this difference, the expression of cytokines associated with the production of different antibody isotypes was investigated in experimental acute and chronic OME. Mice were systemically immunized and then challenged transtympanically, once to produce an acute OME or once per week for 6 weeks to produce chronic OME.