Association between Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and the Cholinergic Ascending Reticular System in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) may occur because of dysfunction on the brain areas in controlling wakefulness; however, the pathophysiology of EDS in PD has not been completely clarified. The Pb component of a middle-latency auditory evoked response (MLR) is generated from the cholinergic ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) projecting to the auditory cortex via the thalamus. We examined the association between EDS and the Pb component in patients with PD.

Pramipexole-induced antecollis in patients with Parkinson's disease: Two cases and literature review.

Antecollis is considered to be relatively rare in Parkinson's disease (PD). Few cases of dopamine agonist-induce antecollis in PD have been reported. We described literature review of 12 PD patients including our 2 cases with pramipexole (PPX)-induced antecollis.

Event-Related Synchronization and Desynchronization of High-Frequency Electroencephalographic Activity during a Visual Go/No-Go Paradigm.

Objective: High-frequency electroencephalography (EEG) activity has been observed in association with cognitive processing, including stimulus perception, consciousness and selective attention, in humans. The aim of this study was to compare visual-motor integrated processing between execution and inhibition of a motor response using event-related synchronization (ERS) and desynchronization (ERD) in the 15- to 80-Hz range and to investigate a relationship between event-related potentials (ERPs) and ERS/ERD in 10 normal young subjects.

Methods: EEGs were recorded from 21 scalp sites during a visual go/no-go paradigm.

[A double-blind comparative study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NerBloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB) administered in a single dose to patients with cervical dystonia].

We conducted a single-dose, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-response study of NerBloc®(rimabotulinumtoxinB) in patients with cervical dystonia (placebo, 2,500 U, 5,000 U, 10,000 U). The primary endpoint, the change in Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS)-total score at 4 weeks post dose from baseline, showed a significant improvement in all treatment groups (2,500 U, 5,000 U, 10,000 U) compared with the placebo group. As for the secondary endpoints, the change of TWSTRS subscales, severity, disability and pain scores, at 4 weeks post dose in 10,000 U group, showed a significant improvement compared with the placebo group, however, no significant differences were observed between 2,500 U or 5,000 U and placebo group.

Adversive seizures associated with periodic lateralised epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) after left orbital contusion.

We report a patient who presented with adversive seizures associated with periodic lateralised epileptiform discharges (PLEDs), a month after head trauma. The PLEDs predominantly involving the left frontal contacts became more frequent at the onset of adversive seizures during EEG. Brain MRI demonstrated a contusion scar in the left orbital cortex with reduced diffusion, not only around this orbital lesion but also in the ipsilateral anteromedial thalamus.

Cardiac sympathetic degeneration correlates with olfactory function in Parkinson's disease.

Autonomic and olfactory dysfunctions are considered markers for preclinical diagnosis in Parkinson's disease (PD), because pathological changes in these systems can start before motor symptoms develop. We investigated whether cardiac sympathetic function and olfactory function are associated in PD. Participants comprised 40 nondemented patients with idiopathic PD, and age-matched controls.

Effects of incense on brain function: evaluation using electroencephalograms and event-related potentials.

To evaluate the effect of the odor of incense on brain activity, electroencephalograms (EEGs) and event-related potentials (ERPs) in a push/wait paradigm were recorded in 10 healthy adults (aged 23-39 years) with normal olfactory function. EEG was recorded from 21 electrodes on the scalp, according to the International 10-20 system, and EEG power spectra were calculated by fast Fourier transform for 3 min before and during odor presentation. ERPs were recorded from 15 electrodes on the scalp before, during and after exposure to incense with intervals of 10 min.

[Inter-rater reliability while using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) in patients with cervical dystonia].

We examined the inter-rater reliability for the evaluation of patients with cervical dystonia by using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) (translated into Japanese). The TWSTRS is a rating scale that assesses patients with cervical dystonia by grading their symptoms on a subscale of severity, disability, and pain. This study used to TWSTRS-severity scores to examine the inter-rater reliability among 27 evaluators (neurologists) by using videotaped images of 2 patients.

Smell identification in Japanese Parkinson's disease patients: using the odor stick identification test for Japanese subjects.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to clarify the olfactory functions of Japanese patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) using the odor stick identification test for Japanese (OSIT-J).

Methods: Fifty-four non-demented IPD patients (33 men and 21 women), ranging in age from 43 to 81 years (69.7+/-8.

[Stiff-person syndrome with elevated anti-Epstein-Barr virus antibody].

Stiff-person syndrome, a relatively rare disease with a poor prognosis, presents as muscle stiffness, rigidity, and spasm. We reported a patient with this syndrome who was treated successfully. The patient was a 56-year-old Japanese man with respiratory infection-like prodromal symptoms.

[Current status and prospects of medical therapy for dystonia].

The goal of medical therapy for primary dystonia is conservative. While botulinum toxin (BTX) therapy is a first choice for blepharospasm and cervical dystonia, medical therapy is selected as such for other types of dystonia. As oral medications, trihexyphenidyl and benzodiazepines are most frequently used.

Arterial hypertension in patients with left primary hemifacial spasm is associated with neurovascular compression of the left rostral ventrolateral medulla.

The aim of the study was to clarify the relationship between neurovascular compression of the rostral ventrolateral medulla and arterial hypertension in patients with primary hemifacial spasm. We enrolled 82 patients with primary hemifacial spasm and 82 age- and sex-matched magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) controls of the posterior cranial fossa. Neurovascular compression of the rostral ventrolateral medulla was assessed by MRI, and its association with arterial hypertension was investigated.