Erythrocytes catechol-o-methyl transferase activity is up-regulated after a 3-month treatment by entacapone in parkinsonian patients.

Objectives: Entacapone is a highly potent, reversible, peripherally acting catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitor that is used as an adjunct to L-dopa in the treatment of patients with Parkinson disease (PD). Nevertheless, the consequence of the long-lasting inhibition of COMT by entacapone has never been investigated. We assessed the variation of the soluble red blood cell (S-RBC)-COMT activity after 3 months of chronic treatment by entacapone.

Hypertrophic remodeling and increased arterial stiffness in patients with intracranial aneurysms.

Objective: Because an underlying arteriopathy might contribute to the development of intracranial aneurysms (IAs), we assessed the elastic properties of proximal conduit arteries in patients with IA.

Methods: In 27 patients with previous ruptured IA and 27 control subjects matched for age, gender and BMI, we determined arterial pressure, internal diameter, intima-media thickness (IMT), circumferential wall stress (CWS) and elastic modulus (wall stiffness) in common carotid arteries using applanation tonometry and echotracking. Moreover, carotid augmentation index (AIx, arterial wave reflections) and carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV, aortic stiffness) were assessed.

Microsubthalamotomy effect at day 3: screening for determinants.

A microsubthalamotomy (mSTN) effect has been frequently reported after implantation that improves Parkinson's motor disability. It is usually believed that mSTN effect reflects the post-traumatic tissue reaction within the STN. However, it has never, to our knowledge, been reported whether pre and intraoperative factors could predict this mSTN effect.

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease: usefulness of intraoperative radiological guidance. The Stereoplan.

Background: In our stereotactic procedure, intraoperative radiological documentation of electrode localization is performed using the Stereoplan. The aim of the study was to evaluate its accuracy.

Patients And Methods: Data of 20 consecutive patients, treated for Parkinson's disease by implantation of deep brain stimulators into the subthalamic nucleus, were collected prospectively.

Microsubthalamotomy: an immediate predictor of long-term subthalamic stimulation efficacy in Parkinson disease.

A microsubthalamotomy (mSTN) effect is commonly described after implantation that improves Parkinson's motor disability and is considered to be an obvious sign of good placement of the definitive electrode within the subthalamic nucleus (STN). There has been no formal study, however, demonstrating whether this mSTN effect can predict the long-term efficacy of STN stimulation in Parkinson Disease. The mSTN effect was defined by the percentage improvement of unified parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS III) baseline score assessed the third day morning following STN implantation, after at least a 12 hour withdrawal of dopaminergic treatment and before the programmable pulse generator was switched on.

Movement disorders and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: a review.

Movement disorders are reported in a significant number of patients within the course of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Although myoclonus is more frequent, dystonia, choreoathetosis, tremor, hemiballismus, and atypical parkinsonian syndromes have also been reported. In this review, we report the principal movement disorders associated with CJD and evaluate their correlations with neuroradiological and neuropathological findings that could in fact suggest a basal ganglia dysfunction.

Association of the protein C promoter CG haplotype and the factor II G20210A mutation is a risk factor for cerebral venous thrombosis.

The factor II G20210A mutation and estrogen treatment are described as risk factors for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). We evaluated these known risk factors in a population of CVT patients and investigated the role of a combination of two polymorphisms in the promoter of the protein C gene (PC promoter CG haplotype), newly described as risk factors for deep venous thrombosis. A retrospective population of 26 CVT patients was compared with a control group of 84 healthy volunteers.