Quantitation of neuroreceptors: a need for better SPECT imaging.

Aim: Existing methods to determine the binding potential in brain receptor and transporter studies with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) show a marked dependence on the physical performance of the scanner and on the regions of interest (ROIs) drawn. We examined the influence of the physical performance on the binding potential.

Method: The authors tested three gamma cameras (single-, dual- and triple-head) and two reconstruction techniques (conventional filtered back-projection and iterative reconstruction method) to determine the binding potential in brain receptor studies.

Genetic and environmental factors associated with migraine in schoolchildren.

Objective: The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of migraine and headache in schoolchildren in the United Arab Emirates and to determine the genetic and environmental factors associated with these conditions.

Methods: A cross-sectional population study was performed from October 1995 to June 1996. Subjects were selected by a multistage stratified sampling procedure.

Striatal Dopamine transporter in Parkinson's disease: A Study With a New Radioligand, [(123)I]B-CIT-FP.

Six healthy controls and 12 patients with Parkinson's disease in different disability stages were studied with SPECT using [(123)I]-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodo-phenyl)-nortropane ([(123)I]beta-CIT-FP), a novel tracer, to label the striatal dopamine transporter. The mean uptake of [(123)I]beta-CIT-FP in the putamen was reduced to 60% of the control mean and to 80% of the average control value in the caudate nucleus. In patients with totally, or predominantly unilateral symptoms the reduction was greater on the side opposite to the predominant symptoms.

Antiplatelet therapy is effective in the prevention of stroke or death in women: subgroup analysis of the European Stroke Prevention Study (ESPS).

Previous stroke prevention studies have suggested that the efficacy of antiplatelet therapy may be less in women than in men. This however, could be due to the small number of women in these trials and the low incidence of cases among female subjects. The European Stroke Prevention Study was a multicenter trial comparing the effect of a combination of dipyridamole 75 mg t.

Lysosomal hydrolases in cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis patients. A follow-up study.

The change in activity of lysosomal hydrolases in the brain tissue of patients with demyelinating disease has been suggested to reflect the demyelination process. In this study we measured neutral proteinase (NP), acid proteinase (AP), and beta-glucuronidase (BG) activities in CSF of 32 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) (remitting, remitting and relapsing, or chronic progressive course of the disease), 62 controls, and 4 patients with chronic inflammatory disease of central nervous system (ID). Samples from MS patients were taken at different clinical conditions of the disease during the 22-month follow-up.

Cholesterol esterase activity in cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis patients.

Previous studies of brain tissue from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have shown that the amount of cholesterol esters increases and the level of cholesterol esterase (ChE) activity decreases compared to controls. In this study we present a simple method for measuring ChE activity at pH 7.2 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and CSF-ChE activity during the 18-month follow-up of 32 MS patients in remitting, remitting and relapsing, and chronic progressive courses of the disease.

The effect of sorbinil treatment on red cell sorbitol levels and clinical and electrophysiological parameters of diabetic neuropathy.

A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind cross-over study was conducted in order to examine the effect of an aldose reductase inhibitor, sorbinil (100 mg daily for 4 weeks), on red cell sorbitol concentration and clinical and electrophysiological parameters of diabetic neuropathy. A total of 31 diabetic patients with either clinically or electrophysiologically verified diabetic neuropathy were studied. Red cell sorbitol levels decreased significantly to the levels reported in non-diabetic subjects, but there were no significant changes in symptoms, signs, vibration perception thresholds or nerve conduction variables.

A method for chromatographic separation and fluorometric quantification of 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide-3'-phosphodiesterase reaction products.

A sensitive method for separation and fluorometric quantification of 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide-3'-phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.

Histamine and histamine-N-methyltransferase in the CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis.

The CSF of twenty-six patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and of twelve control persons was analysed for histamine and histamine-N-methyltransferase (HMT) activity. Both in patients with remitting and progressive type of disease the histamine level was about 60% higher than in the controls. On the other hand in both groups of patients the HMT activity was significantly lower (32% and 40% respectively) than that of controls.

Uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine by blood platelets in Huntington's chorea and Alzheimer type of presenile dementia.

Kinetics of 5-HT uptake by blood platelets was studied om eleven patients with Huntington's chorea and in ten patients with presenile dementia of Alzheimer type. In both groups of patients 5-HT uptake was unchanged in comparison to that of respective controls of the same age. The results do not confirm earlier reports of an increased 5-HT uptake by blood platelets in Huntington's chorea.

Side effects of sodium valproate during long-term treatment in epilepsy.

Side effects of sodium valproate during long-term treatment have been evaluated retrospectively in 55 patients suffering from refactory epilepsy. The side effects discovered in the study were slight and transient. In three of the 55 patients CNS side effects were noticed.