Accelerated infarct development, cytogenesis and apoptosis following transient cerebral ischemia in aged rats.

Old age is associated with a deficient recovery from stroke, but the cellular mechanisms underlying such phenomena are poorly understood. To address this issue, focal cerebral ischemia was produced by reversible occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery in 3- and 20-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Aged rats showed a delayed and suboptimal functional recovery in the post-stroke period.

Spreading photoparoxysmal EEG response is associated with an abnormal cortical excitability pattern.

Photosensitivity or photoparoxysmal response (PPR) is a highly heritable electroencephalographic trait characterized by an abnormal cortical response to intermittent photic stimulation (IPS). In PPR-positive individuals, IPS induces spikes, spike-waves or intermittent slow waves. The PPR may be restricted to posterior visual areas (i.

A single dose of sulthiame induces a selective increase in resting motor threshold in human motor cortex: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study.

Sulthiame is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor that is widely used to treat partial and myoclonic seizures. In 11 healthy adults, we applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the primary motor cortex. Using a cross-over study design, we found that a single oral dose of sulthiame (5 mg/kg) produced a significant increase of resting motor threshold relative to placebo.

[The immunochemical indices of the structural damage to brain tissue at different periods of traumatic brain disease].

Interorganic and neurospecific liquor proteins were measured in brain injury patients using enzyme immunoassay and radioimmunoassay (maximum sensitivity 2.0 and 0.05-1 ng/ml, respectively).

[The characteristics of the immune status of patients with Alzheimer's disease].

Disorders seen in patients with Alzheimer's disease are also related to the pathology of immunity. In order to study it in a more detailed manner, some immunity parameters were examined in 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 15 patients with Huntington's chorea which may have similar mechanisms of immunologic defects, and 15 healthy donors. A study was also made of the capacity of peripheral blood lymphocytes to respond to polyclonal mitogens in blast transformation test and according to the production of immunoglobulins in vitro.

[The immunoenzyme analysis of the specific alpha2-glycoprotein in the brain in patients with neuropsychic diseases].

The authors have developed an enzyme immunoassay test system for measurements of the specific cerebral alpha 2-glycoprotein (alpha 2-GP), whose sensitivity limit is 0.8 ng/ml. Blood serum alpha 2-GP level is 7 ng/ml, cerebrospinal fluid level is 12.

[Specific brain antigens as the indicators of the blood-brain barrier permeability in Alzheimer's disease].

A study was made of the hypothesis of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and of the role it plays in the disease pathogenesis. Use was made of the enzyme immunoassay test systems to detect neurospecific proteins in the blood serum within the following sensitivity range: gliofibrillar acid protein 10 ng/ml, alpha 2-glycoprotein of the brain 0.9 ng/ml, alpha 1- and alpha 2-specific brain globulins 50 pg/ml.

[Neuropsychological disorders in vitamin B 12 deficiency].

Vitamin B12 deficiency is often attended by neuropsychic disorders. In the geriatric population, the level of vitamin B12 is mostly reduced. However, the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis are not completely specified.

[The characteristics of the familial polymorphism of Huntington's chorea].

Familial pleomorphism of Huntington's chorea (HC) was studied on the basis of examining the members of a large family (over 200 representatives) living in the Shamkhor District [correction of focus] of Azerbaijan, where the disease was diagnosed in 41 probands. The phenotype testing was performed with the aid of a standard map for assessing the neurological and neuropsychological status. The multidimensional statistical treatment made it possible to distinguish the four phenotypic groups: hyperkinetic, psychic, combined hyperkinetic and psychic, and akinetic-rigid.

[The preclinical DNA diagnosis of Huntington's chorea].

Presymptomatic DNA diagnosis of Huntington's chorea (HC) was made for two sons of a patient affected with the disease using amplification of the DNA fragment in the area of locus G 8 linked with HC gene. That fragment contains a polymorphous site in the area of restrictase recognition Hind III, being of information value as regards the family under examination. The familial analysis with the use of the DNA diagnosis data makes it possible to exclude the inheritance of HC gene for both the sons of the patient with a probability of 96%.

[Electrophysiologic analysis of the selectivity of action of anticholinesterase preparations in hereditary ataxias].

The selectivity of action of anticholinesterase drugs (ACE drugs) in hereditary ataxias was studied using methods of registration of short latent stem-induced potentials to acoustic stimulation and assessment of the parameters of visual motor coordination. The findings obtained show the involvement in the pathological process of the brain stem in hereditary ataxias and the heterogeneity of action of ACE drugs. Thus, amiridine acted predominantly on efferent while galanthamine on afferent conduction of impulses.