Acta Neurologica Scandinavica

Nikoskelainen, E.; Nikoskelainen, J.; Salmi, A. A.; Halonen, P. E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01374.xpmid: 165652

ABSTRACT Virus antibody levels in serum specimens taken in acute and convalescent phases from 77 patients with optic neuritis were tested by measles hemagglutination inhibition (HI), measles hemolysis inhibition (HLI), rubella HI, parainfluenza‐1 HI, Epstein‐Barr immuno‐fluorescence (IF), and against 11 other viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae with the complement fixation (CF) technique. The virus antibody levels were indicated to be usually very stable, and a fourfold change in virus antibody levels was demonstrated in only eight patients. The virus antibody levels were compared with specimens from two carefully selected control groups. The first control group consisted of 71 healthy persons matched in age, sex and place of residence with the patients with optic neuritis. The other control group consisted of 58 patients with various neurological diseases other than multiple sclerosis (MS) or infectious diseases of the central nervous system. The patients with optic neuritis had significantly higher measles antibody titres than the two control groups in both measles HI and measles HLI tests. Also in 33 patients with optic neuritis of unknown cause, the measles antibody levels were higher than in the control groups. On the other hand, various other antibody tests showed no statistically significant differences between patients with optic neuritis and the control groups.

Nikoskelainen, E.; Nikoskelainen, J.; Salmi, A. A.; Halonen, P. E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01375.xpmid: 165653

ABSTRACT Virus antibody levels were studied in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 58 patients with optic neuritis and 58 control patients with no indication of multiple sclerosis (MS) or infectious disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). The specimens were tested against three different structural components of measles virus with measles hemagglutination inhibition (HI), measles hemolysis inhibition (HLI) and gel precipitation (GP) tests. Measles antibodies occurred in 62 per cent of CSF specimens from patients with optic neuritis, and 21 per cent of the controls. In the specimens from patients with optic neuritis, the positive rate figures were: for rubella HI test 35, parainfluenza‐1 HI 16, and Epstein‐Barr virus immunofuorescence (IF) 53 per cent. The frequencies in the control group were 10, 10 and 26 per cent, respectively. Serum/CSF antibody ratios below 80 occurred in measles tests in 45 per cent of patients with optic neuritis and 16 per cent of the control group. Some patients with optic neuritis (but none from the control group) had a reduced serum/CSF antibody ratio in more than one measles antibody test. The patients with optic neuritis had a higher frequency of low serum/CSF albumin ratios indicating blood brain barrier damage. There were, however, several patients with a normal serum/CSF albumin ratio but low serum/CSF immunoglobulin G and measles antibody ratios. This supports the hypothesis that local production of measles antibodies takes place in CNS in some patients with optic neuritis as well as in MS patients. The CSF specimens were further tested against 12 other viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae complement fixation, but there were no positive specimens. New CSF specimens were taken from five patients during optic neuritis, and from seven patients later on during the follow‐up because of the appearance of new neurological symptoms. There were no changes in virus antibody levels, except for two patients with an increase of measles virus antibody titres.

Iivanainen, Matti

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01376.xpmid: 1130168

ABSTRACT To evaluate diagnostic and aetiological clues for diffuse cerebral atrophy, the statistical correlations between 35 pneumoencephalographic and 97 clinical variables in 268 patients were analysed. Each case of diffuse cerebral atrophy was originally of unknown cause, and all had pneumoencephalography. Ventricular diffuse atrophy correlated positively with psychic and co‐ordinative impairment and dysarthria, and cortical diffuse cerebral atrophy with psychic impairment (P < 0.01 to 0.001). There was a close correlation (P < 0.001) of cortical diffuse cerebral atrophy with use of vibrating tools at work. Psychic impairment combined with co‐ordinative dysfunction and dysarthria is an unspecific syndrome, but should make one think of diffuse cerebral atrophy. Arteriosclerosis, abuse of alcohol, and vibrating tools at work appear to have aetiological significance for some types of diffuse cerebral atrophy. Thus the number of patients with idiopathic diffuse cerebral atrophy may rapidly decline.

Cabral, R.; Scott, D. F.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01377.xpmid: 1130169

ABSTRACT While alpha rhythm asymmetry among normals is thoroughly documented, the significance of this finding in patients is not well known. The occurrence of alpha amplitude asymmetry in 82 clinical referrals of neuropsychiatric patients was studied in this research. Two separate means of quantifying the alpha asymmetry were used: The first by visual inspection; and the second by measurement in a standard manner. A handedness questionnaire was administered and indicated that 77 of the sample were right‐and five were left‐handed patients. By measurement, the mean overall differences in the alpha amplitude between the hemisphere was small (4 per cent) and non‐significant. Seventeen patients showed a differnce of 15 per cent or greater, and in two the difference reached 33 per cent. It was concluded that alpha asymmetry must be interpreted with care because it was found that there was an association between left‐temporal abnormalities and ipsilateral alpha enhancement, and the greater degrees of asymmetry were found in normal EEGs.

Jonsson, Bengt; Ladd, Herbert; Afzelius‐frisk, Ingrid; Lindberg‐broman, Ann‐Marie

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01378.xpmid: N/A

ABSTRACT The effect of a new peripherally acting muscle relaxant drug, Dantrium®, on spasticity was tested on 11 hemiplegic patients. The effect was evaluated both with regular clinical examination and with electromyographic technique. The latter concerned a quantitative analysis of the patients’voluntary control of fine neuromuscular activity both with and without the drug. The results indicated that spasticity was initially markedly reduced in the majority of the patients without, however, meaningfully increasing the daily‐living functions of the patients. After a few months, the medication could be discontinued without any immediate increase in the spasticity. No severe side‐effects were noted. In some cases, the medication had to be discontinued due to marked tiredness. Electromyographically, it was found that the ability of the patients to control fine neuromuscular activity with the paretic muscles was increased significantly with Dantrium, indicating that the reduction of the spasticity increased the ability for fine control of the muscles.

Ekbom, Karl

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01379.xpmid: 1130171

ABSTRACT An account is given of a form of hereditary, cerebellar ataxia and photomyoclonus. Eight cases from 5 generations were affected. The disease seemed to be transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. The age at onset usually varied between 35 to 40 years. The symptoms and signs consisted of a cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria and intention tremor. There was no nystagmus. All patients exhibited photomyoclonus and were extremely sensitive to photic stimuli. Other signs were dementia, kyphosis, pes cavus and lipoma localized in the nape of the neck, shoulders and back. Two patients had a partial syndrome with photomyoclonus and skeletal deformities. None of the patients suffered from epilepsy. In one case, histopathological examinations revealed atrophy within the cerebellar cortex, dentate nucleus and the posterior columns of the spinal cord. It is concluded that this syndrome belongs to a group of hereditary ataxias and myoclonus, and differs from myoclonic cerebellar dyssynergia (Ramsay Hunt) and also from a variety of familial myoclonus and ataxia (Gilbert et al. 1963).

Schreiner, A.; Hopen, G.; Skrede, S.

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1975.tb01380.xpmid: N/A

ABSTRACT Two sisters, aged 38 and 32, suffering from cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis are described. The most important clinical findings were xanthomas, central nervous affection with motor and mental dysfunction, EEG changes and juvenile cataract. The diagnosis was established by the demonstration of increased amounts of cholestanol in serum. Both sisters had amenorrhea, and their excretion of dehydroepiandrosterone in the urine was increased. Inthe elder sister, the levels of urinary 17‐keto steroids, androsterone and estradiol were also increased. Other unusual features of the disease in the elder sister were hyper‐prebeta‐lipoproteinemia and serum cholesterol in the higher normal range.