Parkinson's Disease Symptoms Associated with Developing On-State Axial Symptoms Early after Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation.

Background: The relationship between axial symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is still unclear. Purpose: We searched for particular clinical characteristics before STN-DBS linked to on-state axial problems after surgery. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed baseline motor, emotional and cognitive features from PD patients with early axial symptoms (within 4 years after STN-DBS) and late axial symptoms (after 4 years).

Continuous Subcutaneous Apomorphine Infusion before Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation: A Prospective, Comparative Study in 20 Patients.

Background: Studies comparing the clinical efficacy of apomorphine infusion (APO) with subsequent subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in advanced Parkinson's disease (aPD) are currently lacking. Retrospective data have shown that patients treated with APO are usually older, have a more prolonged disease, and a more severe phenotype.

Objective: To compare the benefit of APO with that of STN-DBS on motor, non-motor, cognitive, and quality of life in the same patient when given sequentially.

Obestatin signalling counteracts glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy via NEDD4/KLF15 axis.

Background: A therapeutic approach for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy should be based on the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms determining the unbalance between anabolic and catabolic processes and how to re-establish this balance. Here, we investigated whether the obestatin/GPR39 system, an autocrine signalling system acting on myogenesis and with anabolic effects on the skeletal muscle, could protect against chronic glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy.

Methods: In this study, we used an in vivo model of muscle atrophy induced by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone to examine the liaison molecules that define the interaction between the glucocorticoid receptor and the obestatin/GPR39 systems.

Concurrent Akt, ERK1/2 and AMPK Activation by Obestatin Inhibits Apoptotic Signaling Cascades on Nutrient-Deprived PC12 Cells.

Targeting apoptosis in the ischemic penumbra is a rational therapeutic approach for restricting cerebral infarct volume after clinical stroke. The present work explored the capability of the obestatin peptide, as a novel approach to inhibit apoptotic signaling cascades on PC12 cells. According to the results, obestatin treatment significantly reduced nutrient deprivation-induced apoptotic cell death.

Continuous subcutaneous apomorphine in advanced Parkinson's disease patients treated with deep brain stimulation.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, sometimes, it is not sufficient to adequately control motor symptoms. We describe our experience with continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (APO) in patients with DBS.