Quantitative NMR analysis of L-Dopa in seeds from two varieties of Mucuna pruriens.

Introduction: L-Dopa, a key neurotransmitter used to treat neural disorders such as Parkinson's disease, is found in the seeds of the genus Mucuna at a sufficient concentration for possible commercial use.

Objective: To develop a simple and reliable method to extract L-Dopa from M. pruriens seeds in an aqueous medium and then quantitate this compound using a H qNMR method (internal standard); and also to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of this method with an NMR calibration curve.

Hereditary early-onset Parkinson's disease caused by mutations in PINK1.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. We previously mapped a locus for a rare familial form of PD to chromosome 1p36 (PARK6). Here we show that mutations in PINK1 (PTEN-induced kinase 1) are associated with PARK6.

Alanyl-aminopeptidase activity decrease in cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer patients.

We analyzed the amino acid concentrations and aminopeptidase activities in plasma and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of Alzheimer patients. Correlations were calculated between these parameters and the degree of cognitive impairment, duration of the disease and age. In comparison with a control group, no changes were found in the levels of amino acids in CSF or plasma of Alzheimer patients.

Acute meningoencephalitis as the sole manifestation of Q fever.

The case of a 25-year old man who presented with meningoencephalitis as the sole clinical manifestation of Q fever is described. Serological studies revealed the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. The patient responded favourably to a ten-day course of i.

[Hematological, biochemical and electroneurophysiological changes in asymptomatic drinkers: a sensitivity study].

An electro-neuro-physiological, biochemical and hematological study was carried out in 3 groups of non-symptomatic drinkers: those in group A had a daily alcohol intake of less than 40 grams of alcohol; group B had a daily intake of between 40 and 80 grams of alcohol and those in group C had an intake greater than 80 grams of alcohol per day. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that all the parameters evaluated show quicker alterations when the intake of ethanol is chronic. Electroneuro-physiological parameters were less sensitive than the following indexes: VCM, GGT, GOT, GPT.

[The neurophysiological study of diabetic polyneuritis. Apropos 100 cases].

Alterations in nervous transmission might be an early feature of diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy, even in the subclinical stage. We performed a study on 100 diabetic patients. Those with possible endogenous or exogenous causes of neuropathy were not included.

[Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of familial Parkinson disease].

We have studied 44 patients diagnosed of idiopathic Parkinson disease included in our database of rigid-akinetic syndromes. We have compared their demographic, environmental and clinical features with the ones that presented a group on 22 patients diagnosed of idiopathic Parkinson disease and had some first degree relatives with the same disease. Patients with familial Parkinson disease are distinguished from the ones that suffer from sporadic Parkinson disease because of an early start, greater consanguinity rate and greater frequency of a similar disease in their parents.

New parameters in the radioanatomy of the deep cerebral venous system. Angiographic classification of intracranial tumors with respect to the phleboaxial line.

The usually observed modifications of the deep phlebogram in the entire pathological series are: transmedial displacement of the internal cerebral vein (more or less evident but always significant), straightening of the superior arch of the internal cerebral vein, an important ventricular dilatation in most cases. The most reliable parameters are: Fisher's bisecting line and two of the parameters proposed by the author's: Monro-Phleboaxial-Line and Monro-Glabella-Bregma-Angle.

[Normal and pathologic semiology of the anterior choroidal artery].

In the normal individual, the anterior choroidal artery (ACA) has a rather fixed angiographic trajectory, but in patients with intracranial tumors it almost invariably has a modified course, the nature of the modification being dependent on the topography of the lesion. Authors employ the parameters used up through the present for objectivating the course of the anterior choroidal artery, and add others of theirs own, especially in regard to the relative location of various points on the vessel (rather than their isolated positions). A total of 28 measurements were taken for each of the 132 angiographic series studied: 31 normal individuals and 101 with diverse intracranial lesions.