Central mechanisms of controlled-release metoprolol in migraine: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

beta-Blockers are widely used in the prophylaxis of migraine and have been described as very effective drugs in many studies. Some investigators have demonstrated that the clinical improvement of migraine corresponds to the normalization of the contingent negative variation (CNV), a slow cortical potential measuring cortical information processing. However, most of these studies have contained a variety of methodological pitfalls, which we attempted to address in the current study.

Relationship between precipitating agents and neurophysiological abnormalities in migraine.

The particular mechanisms of migraine anticipation by different precipitating agents are still unknown. The contingent negative variation (CNV) was recorded in the premenstrual and ovulation phases of the cycle in both rest and stress conditions in 17 migraine and 15 healthy women. In migraineurs a significant increase of amplitude of the initial CNV component in the premenstrual phase compared with ovulation was observed.

Neurophysiological reactivity before a migraine attack.

Migraine patients are characterized by increased amplitudes and reduced habituation of the contingent negative variation (CNV) response, especially before a migraine attack. As shown previously, migraine provoking and precipitating agents can cause CNV abnormalities. However, it is unclear whether the temporal relation to the migraine attack determines how the brain reacts to a migraine precipitant.

[Evaluation of myocardial perfusion in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in comparison with clinical and echocardiographic data].

Aim: To study peculiarities of myocardial perfusion in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP) in correlation with clinical and echocardiographic data.

Material And Methods: 62 patients with HCMP (23 females and 39 males, mean age 44.4 +/- 11.

[Psychological factors of chronic pain].

To investigate psychological factors, involved in formation of chronic algesic syndrome, 70 patients (50 women, 20 men, mean age--33.5 years) with panic disorder (PD) were examined. The patients were divided into 3 groups: with PD combined with chronic ache (CA) (26 patients); with PD combined with episodical ache (EA) (19 cases); PD without ache (25 individuals).