The influence of ethnicity on the characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a local population study between Persians and Arabs.

Background: Based on previous studies, Iran is located in a low risk area in terms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to determine and compare the incidence, prevalence and demographic characteristics of MS in two ethnic groups of Persian and Arab over the period spanning 2009 in the Khuzestan province, in the Southwest of Iran.

Methods: A cross-sectional case register study was conducted between January and August 2009.

Lack of association between paraoxonase 1 Q192R polymorphism and multiple sclerosis in relapse phase: A case-control study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the serum activity of paraoxonase 1(PON1) and assess the distribution of PON1 polymorphisms in MS patients in the relapse phase.

Design And Methods: PON1 and arylesterase (ARE) serum activities were measured in two equal groups (each group 63 cases) of relapsing-remitting MS patients and healthy individuals.

Results: Mean values for serum PON1 and ARE activities were 90.

The effect of low-dose naltrexone on quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) may promote psychological well-being as well as generalized health especially in autoimmune disorders. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of LDN on the Quality of Life (QoL) of patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) using the scales and composite scores of the MSQoL-54 questionnaire.

Methods: A 17-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, crossover-design clinical trial was conducted in two universities.

Mutations in DCC cause congenital mirror movements.

Mirror movements are involuntary contralateral movements that mirror voluntary ones and are often associated with defects in midline crossing of the developing central nervous system. We studied two large families, one French Canadian and one Iranian, in which isolated congenital mirror movements were inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. We found that affected individuals carried protein-truncating mutations in DCC (deleted in colorectal carcinoma), a gene on chromosome 18q21.

Wallenberg syndrome as a sole presentation of celiac disease.

Celiac sprue is a gluten sensitive enteropathy in which there is a small bowel villous atrophy associated with gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. True prevalence is difficult to ascertain because many patients have atypical symptoms or none at all. Few children display CNS symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy and cerebellar ataxia.