Parental recognition of developmental abnormalities in autism.

In order to identify factors associated with the early detection and referral of children with pervasive developmental disorders, a sample of 82 consecutive referrals to an outpatient diagnostic service was studied. All children were thoroughly assessed with the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI), standardized psychological tests and direct observations. Data from the ADI on the first symptoms to arouse parental concern and on the first professional advice sought were analyzed.

Sensory neural conduction of median nerve from digits and palm stimulation in carpal tunnel syndrome.

The median sensory nerve conduction between ring finger and wrist is a suitable parameter for early detection of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), although shorter segments of median nerve have also been proposed for the same goal. In order to assess the relative diagnostic value of the sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) of the third palmar branch versus the SNCV of the second palmar branch, generally performed until now, we studied 62 patients with typical signs and symptoms of CTS. The following parameters were evaluated by surface recording: orthodromic SNCVs in digit-wrist segments for median (index = M2, third = M3 and ring = M4 fingers), ulnar (fourth = U4 finger) and radial (thumb = R1) nerves; SNCVs in palm-wrist segments by surface bipolar stimulation at each metacarpo-phalangeal interspace (second = P2 and third = P3 for the median nerve and fourth = P4 for the ulnar nerve); and distal motor latencies of the median and ulnar nerves.

[Memory changes in herpes virus encephalitis: report of a case].

A case of Herpes Simplex Encephalitis with a benign course was present in a 66-year-old patient. A year after the acute phase of the illness, the patient continued to suffer from inability to fix verbal material in memory. During the acute phase, cerebral NMR revealed a large evolving lesion in the right temporal region, and an old lesion located in the same region of the opposite hemisphere.

Botulinum A toxin treatment for eyelid spasm, spasmodic torticollis and apraxia of eyelid opening.

Botulinum-A toxin (botAtox) was used in the treatment of blepharospasm (BS), idiopathic hemifacial spasm (HFS), idiopathic spasmodic torticollis (ST) and apraxia of eyelid opening (AEO). The injection of 7.5-30 U botAtox per eye spread over 3 or 4 sites in the palpebral part of orbicularis palpebrae (OP) reduced palpebral spasm in 12/13 cases of BS and in 7/8 cases of HFS.

Prognostic value of early somatosensory evoked potentials during carotid surgery: relationship with electroencephalogram, stump pressure and clinical outcome.

The authors have reported on the prognostic value of continuous monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) in a survey of 25 patients who underwent carotid surgery. SEP recordings were correlated with the EEG, stump pressure (SP) values and clinical outcome. A non-cephalic reference was used for SEP recordings to allow the analysis of both subcortical and cortical components.