Post: 008367

Bredesen D.: Ann Neur 1995;38:839-851:
Comprehensive review of neural apoptosis, a mode of cell death in which the cell plays an active role in its own demise. Thought to be modulated by genetic anomaly, suggesting that possibly therapeutic intervention may be feasible (someday).

Remy P et al: Ann Neur 1995;38:954-956:
FD-PET study of 2 patients with Pallidopyramidal Disease, a rare childhood disease combining parkinsonian syndrome with pyramidal signs. Both showed marked dopaminergic denervation of the striatum, supporting reports that the disease responds to levodopa therapy.

Hulette C et al: Neur 1995;45:1991-1995:
The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) is a multicenter longitudinal study of AD. Of the first 78 cases studied postmortem, 16 showed concomitant PD pathology (nigral degeneration and Lewy bodies).

Eidelberg D et al: Neur 1995;45:1995-2004:
Early-stage PD in 10 patients was distinguished from normal by PET using F-fluorodeoxyglucose, rather than fluorodopa, as a marker to assess local metabolic rate for glucose. Metabolic brain imaging with FDG/PET may be useful in differential diagnosis of EPD.

Penn A et al: Neur 1995;45:2097-2099:
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy using radioactive P as marker was used to study mitochondrial function in resting arm muscle of PD patients. Although useful to detect mitochondrial disease, value of the technique for diagnosis of early-stage PD is inconclusive.

McCrank E: Neur 1995;45:2112:
A patient who at age 8 inhaled gasoline and was unconscious for 24 to 36 hours, recovered completely but at age 32 developed severe disabling parkinsonism. Others are investigating long-latency neurotoxicity as a cause of PD.

Science News: 6 Jan 1995, p.4 (news item):
Is there an inherited personality profile for PD? The article doesn't say so, but researchers think they have found the first gene for a specific trait, "novelty seeking". In an odd coincidence, this gene controls a variant of the dopamine receptor site D4, which is (I think) related to PD. Is there a real connection? Stay tuned.

Cochran J et al: JAMA 17 Jan 1996:
Restless leg syndrome in patients unresponsive to levodopa or clonazepam was successfully treated with gabapentin. Further trial is urged.

Ruottinen H, Rinne U: J Neur Neurosurg Psy 1996; 60:36-40:
A double-blind test of Entacapone, a 2nd-generation COMT inhibitor, found it prolonged the effect of levodopa and permitted reduction in dosage.

Salzman E: NEJM 1996;334:116-118:
A vascular surgeon reports coping with PD for 20 years after diagnosis (perhaps 40 years from earliest signs) and a physician's insight into progress of the disease, followed finally by a completely successful pallidotomy in August 1995.

Bennett D et al: NEJM 1996;334:71-76:
Authors sampled 467 residents over 65 in the area of East Boston, Mass. Parkinsonism was very common (52% in the group over 85) but the study did not distinguish PD from other conditions involving parkinsonism, such as AD, sub-cortical vascular disease, and MSA. During the mean follow-up period of 9.2 years, 78% of those with parkinsonism died, compared to 49% of the remainder. Adjusted for age and sex, the ratio was 2 to 1. Among the classic symptoms of bradykinesia, gait disturbance, rigidity, and tremor, gait disturbance was most prominently related to early mortality.

de Rijk M et al: Neur 1995;45:2143-2146:
A survey of nearly 7000 old people in Rotterdam confirmed that PD incidence increases markedly with age, reaching as high as 5% in the oldest cohort.

Wang S-J et al: Arch Neur 1996;53:66-71:
To test the hypothesis that Asians and blacks might have genetic protection against PD, authors surveyed nearly all people over 50 (3915) on the islet of Kinmen, off the coast of Taiwan. PD incidence was slightly lower than in more-developed countries, but much higher than in mainland China, suggesting that benetic factors are less important than other criteria.

Gai W et al: Brain 1995; 118:1447-1459:
Microscopic postmortem studies revealed ubiquitin (a protein which may bind to abnormal or damaged neurites) in cases of PD but not of AD, motor neuron disease, or MSA. The distinction may prove useful for research into the nature of PD.

Mattes J, Weintraub M: JAMA 17 Jan 1996; 182:
Doctors debate policy and legal liability for reporting patients having impaired ability to drive a car.