Pathomorphological changes in hyaline cartilage during focal persistent infection.

We studied morphological changes in hyaline cartilages of different localization in adult male rabbits with focal persistent infection produced by Staphylococcus aureus strain 209. Local chronic inflammation produced systemic atrophic and degenerative changes in the cartilage tissue. The severity of pathological changes depended on genetically determined repair and metabolic activity of the cartilage tissue.

[Clinico-immunological comparisons in cerebral arachnoiditis].

106 patients with cerebral arachnoiditis diagnosed according to pneumoencephalographic and computer-tomographic findings were studied. 65 patients had clinical signs of progredient disease (lability and an increase of neurologic symptoms). In 41 patients clinical pattern was stable during several years.

[The pathogenetic mechanisms of the development of experimental allergic polyradiculoneuritis].

Biochemical, immune and morphological changes in peripheral nervous system at different stages of experimental allergic polyradiculoneuritis were studied in 102 rabbits as indicated by total lipids, cholesterol, phospholipids and their fractions, diene conjugates of spinal ganglions, cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral roots, trigeminal ganglions and nerve trunks of extremities. It was found out, that derangement of lipid metabolism in spinal ganglions and nerve roots is the primary phase in the development of the disease. Those could be seen as early as the experiment day 6.

[Neuropsychological syndromes in hereditary neuromuscular pathology].

Clinical and experimental psychological studies (MMPI, Eisenks's questionnaire, methods by Luria and Kraepelin, types of attitude toward disease) carried out in 157 adults and children with progressive myodystrophies and amyotrophies revealed alterations in the neuropsychic sphere in 134 patients (85%). In the structure of borderline disorders, depressive disturbances prevailed (54.5%), and the asthenic and psychopathlike symptomatology could be seen.

[Chronic infections and osteochondrosis of the spine].

Out of 144 patients suffering from cervical osteochondrosis, single or multiple foci of chronic infection (ENT infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis, ect.) were found in 99. All of them had various combinations of symptoms indicating lesions of the radices spinales, cervical spine, insufficient circulation in the vertebrobasilar area.

[Diphtheria polyneuropathy in adults].

Neurological manifestations of diphtheria have been studied in 32 adults. The main syndromes of peripheral nervous system damage of diphtheria etiology are presented. The pathogenic mechanisms of the development of neurological complications and the efficacy of multiple-modality restorative therapy were considered.

[Activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase in the cerebrospinal fluid in various forms of cerebral arachnoiditis].

Measurement of activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGTF) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed a sharp elevation in the cytosis and activity of GGTF in the ventricular portion of the CSF, which points to dystrophic changes in nerve cells and damage of their membranes and, consequently, to an increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Determination of GGTF activity in the CSF may be recommended as a supplemental method of the differential diagnosis of cerebral meningites.

[Etiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture and treatment of spastic torticollis and other extrapyramidal hyperkinesis].

The history, clinical picture and non-specific parameters of the restorative process were studied in 28 patients with spastic torticollis and in 7 patients with other extrapyramidal hyperkineses (EH). It was found that one of the most frequent causes of these disorders is a chronic encephalitis or the infectious-allergic process in the brain with the predominant damage to a number of extrapyramidal formations. The most optimum and effective method of EH therapy is repeated courses of dexamethasone treatment in combination with antibiotics, B and C vitamins and vasodilating drugs.

[Cerebral arachnoiditis].

An examination of 200 patients with cerebral arachnoiditis has shown that the meningeal adhesions and cysts revealed on pneumoencephalography may be consequences of current or terminated chronic leptomeningitis and chorioependimitis. Characteristic of current inflammatory process are variability and progress of the neurological symptoms, increase of cytosis and, sometimes, of protein content in the CSF, as well as some hematological signs of an inflammation, such as relative lymphocytosis, positive test for the C-reactive protein, and dysproteinemia. Such a differentiation of cerebral arachnoiditis has enabled the authors to choose more rational therapeutic measures and to give an adequate evaluation of their efficacy.

[Etiology and pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis].

The features of the clinical picture and pathomorphology are analysed in 23 patients with disseminated sclerosis (in the acute, subacute and chronic phases). A clinico-anatomical observation of a subacute development of disseminated sclerosis is described in detail. Certain arguments distinguishing the subacute form of disseminated sclerosis of an infectious allergic nature are given (the traits of the clinical picture, morphological changes in the nervous system in the form of combined micronecrosis, pericellular oedema, different degrees of lymphocyte infiltration, extensive areas with accumulated oligodendroglia or fibrillar astrocytes with fresh and old foci of demyelinization).

[Pathogenetic mechanisms of tick-borne encephalitis].

The main cause of progressive forms of tickborne encephalitis is a prolonged persistence of certain viral strains in the brain. Although there are no virals with a selective capability to lead only to an acute or chronic encephalitis, nevertheless in the epidemiological process there is a selection of virals capable of bringing on chronic forms of the disease. In cases of an incapacity of immunological factors bor a defence during the initial phase of the infectious process there may be prerequisites to a fixation of the virals in the brain and a chronic development of the neuroinfections.