Pentosan polysulfate treatment ameliorates motor function with increased serum soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in HTLV-1-associated neurologic disease.

The main therapeutic strategy against human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) characterized by lower extremity motor dysfunction is immunomodulatory treatment, with drugs such as corticosteroid hormone and interferon-α, at present. However, there are many issues in long-term treatment with these drugs, such as insufficient effects and various side effects. We now urgently need to develop other therapeutic strategies.

Efficacy of prosultiamine treatment in patients with human T lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: results from an open-label clinical trial.

Background: Human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic myelopathy characterized by motor dysfunction of the lower extremities and urinary disturbance. Immunomodulatory treatments are the main strategy for HAM/TSP, but several issues are associated with long-term treatment. We conducted a clinical trial with prosultiamine (which has apoptotic activity against HTLV-I-infected cells) as a novel therapy in HAM/TSP patients.

Anhedonia in Japanese patients with Parkinson's disease: analysis using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale.

Background: Anhedonia, a lowered ability to experience physical or social pleasure, has recently been recognized as a non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To identify the frequency of anhedonia and the factors influencing hedonic tone in Japanese patients with Parkinson's disease.

Patients And Methods: We recruited 86 consecutive outpatients with a clinical diagnosis of PD attending two Japanese hospitals (one university hospital and one community hospital) in February 2010.

Two different clinical phenotypes of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with a M232R substitution.

Objective: To describe the clinical features of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with a substitution of arginine for methionine (M232R substitution) at codon 232 (CJD232) of the prion protein gene (PRNP).

Patients And Methods: We evaluated the clinical and laboratory features of 20 CJD232 patients: age of onset, initial symptoms, duration until becoming akinetic and mute, duration until occurrence of periodic sharp and wave complexes on EEG (PSWC), MRI findings, and the presence of CSF 14-3-3 protein. Immunohistochemically, prion protein (PrP) deposition was studied.

[Serial diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) in a patient with sporadic Creuztfeldt-Jakob disease].

Serial DWIs were performed in a patient with CJD who developed symptoms acutely and progressed rapidly. DWI discloed an increased signal in the frontal and parietal inner cortical areas, and in the caudate nuclei and putamina 20 days after the onset of symptoms. T2-weighted images showed only signal abnormality in the caudate nuclei and putamina, but not in the cerebral cortex.