The circulating level of leptin and blood pressure in patients with multiple system atrophy.

Patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) frequently exhibit orthostatic hypotension (OH). Leptin, an adipose-derived hormone, contributes to the sympathetic control of blood pressure (BP), and loss of leptin may cause OH. We aimed to clarify the relationship between leptin and OH in MSA.

Abnormal ghrelin secretion contributes to gastrointestinal symptoms in multiple system atrophy patients.

Patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) often have evidence of compromised gastrointestinal motility. Ghrelin is a gut hormone that influences gastrointestinal motility in humans. The aim of this study was to determine whether ghrelin secretion is affected in MSA patients, and to investigate the relation between ghrelin secretion and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Anti-NMDA-receptor antibody detected in encephalitis, schizophrenia, and narcolepsy with psychotic features.

Background: Causative role of encephalitis in major psychotic features, dyskinesias (particularly orofacial), seizures, and autonomic and respiratory changes has been recently emphasized. These symptoms often occur in young females with ovarian teratomas and are frequently associated with serum and CSF autoantibodies to the NMDA receptor (NMDAR).

Methods: The study included a total of 61 patients from age 15 to 61 and was carried out between January 1, 2005, and Dec 31, 2010.

[Patient with limbic encephalitis associated with anti-voltage-gated potassium channel antibodies who presented with insomnia and hand tremor].

A 65-year-old man presented with bilateral postural hand tremor (3 Hz) followed by memory impairment, which improved spontaneously after admission to our hospital. Two weeks after admission, he had another bout of memory impairment and complained of insomnia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a signal intensity change in the medial part of the right temporal lobe, which suggested limbic encephalitis (LE).