Post: 005608

Colosimo C. et al: Arch Neur 1995;58:294-298:
Combining postmortem pathology and retrospective clinical history of 16 patients, authors try to establish diagnostic distinction between PD and two of its numerous mimics, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). One prominent criterion is response to levodopa.

Colosimo C. et al: Lancet 1995;346:64:
Selegiline (Deprenyl) metabolizes to amphetamine and methamphetamiine. A champion boxer took it, on advice of his doctor, for its putative neuro-protective effect, and lost his title when the metabolites were found.

An International Conference:
in Munich discussed benefits of botulinum toxin against tremor and dystonia (muscle cramps).

European Neurological Society Meeting Highlights:
Progress in diagnostic criteria; cause of apoptosis (cell death); improvement in drug strategy; clozapine in psychosis; tolcapone reduces requirement for levodopa; the neuroleptic prothipendyl is comparable to clozapine in benefit, withoug the danger of anemia; amantadine acts otherwise than as dopamine agonist; progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are the most common of PD mis-diagnoses; olfactory deficit (anosmia) is common in PD; neuroprotection by selegiline (Deprenyl) still being studied.

Morens D. et al: Neur 1995;45:1041-1051:
Cigarette smokers are half as frequent among PD patients as in the general population, suggesting that tobacco (or craving for it) may confer some protection.

Zoldan J. et al: Neur 1995;45:1395-1308:
The 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron reduced PD drug-induced psychosis in 16 patients, without interference with levodopa or other adverse effects.

Bennett K. et al: Brain 1995;118:959-970:
Careful observation of arm control (as in drinking) by PD patients.

Burn D. et al: Brain 1995;118:951-958:
Distinction of PD from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and striatonigral degeneration by PET study in 21 assorted patients.

Cunnington R. et al: Brain 1995;118:935-950:
Abnormality of voluntary and internally directed mobility in PD.

Jahanshani M. et al: Brain 1995;118:913-933:
Examination by PET of PD brain activity during motion.

Peppe A. et al: Neur 1995;45:1144-1148:
Vision abnormality in PD.

Gorell J. et al: Neur 1995;45:1138-1143
Elevated iron in substantia nigra of PD patients, detectable by MRI scan, may have a contributing role in cell death.

Quattrone, A. et al: Ann Neur 1995;38:389-395:
Response to levodopa in PD has both a short-term and a long-term component. The short-duration response (SDR) lasts a few hours, the long-duration response (LDR) may take several days of dosage to appear and equally long to decline after dosage is interrupted. Authors tested motor function in 25 patients under varying interval regimens and found that the optimum strategy (most sparing of levodopa) depends on the patient.

Freeman, T. et al: Ann Neur 1995;38:379-388:
Authors report good tolerance and results in four bilateral fetal nigral transplants. They used cyclosporine to suppress immunity and PET fluorodopa scans to confirm the clinical findings.

Markopoulou, K. et al: Ann Neur 1995;38:373-378:
Authors report a family kindred of 98 people in 6 generations, of whom 16 people developed autosomal-dominant, levodopa-responsive parkinsonism.