Parkinsonism, premature menopause, and mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma mutations: clinical and molecular genetic study.

Background: Mutations in the gene encoding mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (POLG), the enzyme that synthesises mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), have been associated with a mitochondrial disease-autosomal dominant or recessive progressive external ophthalmoplegia-and multiple deletions of mtDNA. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also suspected to participate in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. However, no primary gene defects affecting mitochondrial proteins causing mendelian transmission of parkinsonism have been characterised.

Effect of epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs on male reproductive health.

Background: Men with epilepsy have reduced fertility, and antiepileptic drugs may affect semen quality. Moreover, animal studies suggest that valproate (VPA) may be associated with testicular atrophy.

Objective: To evaluate reproductive function in men with epilepsy.

Tolfenamic acid rapid release versus sumatriptan in the acute treatment of migraine: comparable effect in a double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group study.

The efficacy and safety of tolfenamic acid and oral sumatriptan in the acute treatment of migraine was studied at five neurological centers in Finland. One hundred forty-one patients experiencing 289 migraine attacks, fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for migraine with or without aura as defined by the International Headache Society, were randomized. For first attacks, 77% of patients receiving tolfenamic acid experienced a reduction of the initial severe or moderate headache to mild or no headache after 2 hours, as compared to 79% in the sumatriptan group and 29% in the placebo group.

Carbonic anhydrase II in the cerebrospinal fluid: its value as a disease marker.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) II is the predominant CA isoenzyme in the brain of mammals. We have recently developed a dual-label time-resolved immunofluorometric assay to quantify minute amounts of CA I and II in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The present study was aimed at elucidating the clinical value of such measurements in the case of neurological disorders.

The relation of essential tremor to Parkinson's disease.

To test the alleged genetic linkage between essential tremor and Parkinson's disease, the relatives of patients with essential tremor were examined to see whether Parkinson's disease occurred more frequently than expected. There was no increase of Parkinson's disease in the essential tremor families. It is concluded that essential tremor and Parkinson's disease are genetically independent diseases.

Alcohol consumption of patients with essential tremor.

Most patients with essential tremor experience a transient improvement after ingesting a small amount of alcohol. It has been accordingly suggested that essential tremor patients may have an increased risk of developing alcoholism. In this study, the frequency and amount of alcohol intake of essential tremor patients were found to be largely similar to the drinking habits of a control sample from the general population.

Essential tremor in a Finnish population.

A two-phase epidemiological study of essential tremor was carried out by investigating a rural population aged over 40 years in 2 municipalities in southwestern Finland. In the first phase, the subjects answered a questionnaire as to whether they had experienced tremor during the month preceding the inquiry. In the second phase, the persons who had tremor often or fairly often, were examined clinically.

Antibodies against herpes simplex virus type 1 subunit antigens in patients with trigeminal neuralgia and controls.

Serum IgG antibody levels against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 subunit (capsid, envelope, and excreted) antigens detected with radioimmunoassay were compared in 25 patients with trigeminal neuralgia and their age- and sex-matched controls. No significant differences were found between the patients and controls, either in the distribution of the antibody titers or in the mean titers against any of the subunit antigens tested. In 6 patients HSV antibody titers were tested before and after trigeminal root section; no significant changes were observed.

Parkinson's disease treated with Sinemet or Madopar. A controlled multicenter trial.

92 patients with Parkinson's disease not previously treated with levodopa were considered as eligible for this triple-blind trial. Patients were allocated at random to treatment with either levodopa + benserazide ratio 4:1 (Madopar) or levodopa + carbidopa ratio 10:1 (Sinemet) using dosage schedules recommended by the manufacturers which they had to adhere to for 6 months. Unless prohibitive side-effects occurred daily maximum dosage of 800 mg levodopa + 200 mg benserazide respectively 1,500 mg levodopa + 150 mg carbidopa were obtained after 6 weeks and 3 weeks, respectively.

L-Tryptophan administration in man: effects on gonadotrophin, growth hormone and cortisol secretion and on sexual motivation.

Long-lasting administration of L-tryptophan in neurologic patients caused a slight reduction of plasma luteinizing hormone levels without modifications of sexual motivation. Plasma follicle stimulating hormone concentrations were not altered by L-tryptophan. Short-lasting loading of L-tryptophan caused a statistically significant increase of plasma growth hormone levels, and a fall of plasma cortisol values in neurologic patients without neuroendocrine disorders.