Sporadic choreas: analysis of a general hospital series.

The incidence of sporadic chorea among general hospital admissions is unknown, and the relation of clinical manifestations and etiological factors to neuroimaging findings has been little investigated in this condition. We reviewed the 7,829 cases admitted to the neurology departments of two general hospitals over 3.25 years and identified 23 (8 male and 15 female) cases of apparently sporadic chorea.

Peripheral neuropathy in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinaemia.

A case of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinaemia complicated by a subacute peripheral neuropathy is described. Clinically the neuropathy was mainly motor, but pain and paraesthesiae in the legs were also present. Sural nerve biopsy indicated decreased numbers of myelinated fibres, mainly the largest, without actual signs of degeneration or regeneration.

Effect of anticholinergic drugs on gastro-intestinal absorption of L-dopa in rats and in man.

Plasma L-DOPA levels in rats receiving L-DOPA by the oral route were decreased by the concomitant administration of trihexyphenidyl. Following systemic L-DOPA administration no differences were observed between control and trihexyphenidyl-treated rats. Effects similar to those of trihexyphenidyl were observed with atropine.

Alcoholic neuropathy. An electron-microscopic study.

The sural nerves of 6 patients with different signs of alcoholic neuropathy were studied qualitatively and quantitatively by electron microscopy. Myelinated and unmyelinated fibres showed degenerative changes of the Wallerian type. Concomitant involvement of the myelin appears to be secondary to axonal lesions.