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Biomedical subjects

A Heick

Publications and source records attributed to A Heick.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Chlamydia pneumoniae-associated ADEM.

Inflammatory demyelinating diseases are a common cause of neurologic disability in young adults, and usually the cause is unknown. We describe a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. An 18-year-old previously healthy women, with a one-week history of coryzal illness, was admitted because of progressive headache, dizziness, and a left-sided hemiparesis. MR imaging of the brain and brainstem showed typical signs of ADEM. The diagnosis was established by PCR Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA positivity in a tracheal swab and by increasing titres of Chlamydia IgM antibody. The patient was treated with doxycycline and steroids and recovered completely. Apart from therapeutic implications, this case may contribute to our understanding of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Diabolic hiccup].

Hiccup is a brief involuntary inspiratory movement followed by glottal closure. Transitory hiccup is usually caused by epigastric irritation. Rarely, hiccup may last for a long time, and is known as diabolic hiccup. A case is described of diabolic hiccup due to a unilateral lesion of nucleus tractus solitarius in the brainstem. This probably resulted in release of inhibition of the hiccup reflex. Therapeutic suggestions in diabolic hiccup are chlorpromazine, baclofen, valproate and nifedipine.

Baclofen↗
PubMed1996

The thalamic commissure in generalized epilepsy.

In selected patients callosotomy usually dramatically improves disabling generalized epilepsy, but it also may be without any effect. This paradox might be due to the anatomical variability of the thalamic commissure, which interconnects thalamic nuclei essential to the dynamics of seizures. The commissure may be as thick as a finger or absent.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Juvenile avascular necrosis of the odontoid process. A review on the etiology of os odontoideum and absentia odontoidei.

Os odontoideum (OO) and absentia odontoidei (AO) are rare conditions, which mainly are of interest because they may cause atlanto-axial instability. Traditionally they are considered to be congenital lesions. However, during the latest decades a number of acquired cases have been reported. Presently it is generally believed that the two conditions may exist in both a congenital and an acquired version. A review of the literature about OO fails to disclose any solid evidence in support of the classical theory of congenitality. It is concluded that OO and AO are diseases of childhood and adolescence. They are probably always acquired, and result from avascular necrosis of the odontoid process during the growth process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Localized cranial hyperostosis of meningiomas: a result of neoplastic enzymatic activity?

Cranial hyperostosis is a common secondary manifestation of intracranial meningiomas. This may occur with or without neoplastic invasion, apart or even remote from the growth. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) is one of many enzymes produced by meningiomas and is known to possess indirect ossifying properties. Meningiomatous cranial hyperostosis could possibly be mediated by a humoral mechanism. This hypothesis was tested using chemical and histochemical determination of the occurrence of the enzyme in a series of hyperostosing and non-hyperostosing meningiomas. In the hyperostosing type the content of AP was in average more than three times as high as in the non-hyperostosing type. The results thus are in favour of the induction hypothesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Calcium binding protein (calbindin-D28k) and glutamate decarboxylase gene expression after kindling induced seizures.

In order to determine whether calcium binding protein (calbindin-D28k or CaBP) and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) may be involved in the process underlying the generation of seizure activity, changes in CaBP protein and mRNA and in GAD mRNA were examined in the kindling model of epilepsy. Following amygdaloid (AK) and commissure (CK) kindling significant decreases in the concentration of CaBP of 20% and 30%, respectively, were specifically observed in the hippocampal formation. However, using a cDNA specific to mammalian CaBP, Northern analysis of poly(A+) RNA and slot blot analysis of total RNA revealed no changes in the levels of CaBP mRNA in hippocampus, subcortical area (including amygdala, substantia nigra and striatum) or cerebellum of rats sacrificed 30 min, 1 h, 6 h or 24 h after the last kindled seizure. Similarly when these blots were reprobed with a cDNA specific to mammalian GAD, no changes in GAD gene expression were observed. However, fos gene expression was markedly enhanced at 1 h after seizure. We also tested whether changes in CaBP or GAD mRNA could be detected at any of the various stages of the kindling process. Slot blot analysis of cortex, subcortical structures and hippocampus revealed no changes in CaBP or GAD mRNA during the course of commissure kindling. In situ hybridization studies with GAD and CaBP 35S-labeled antisense probes also indicated no obvious changes upon visual analysis of autoradiographs. However, when silver grains were counted, significant changes in GAD mRNA in individual cells in hippocampus and substantia nigra were noted after kindling induced epilepsy. Our results indicate that, unlike fos gene expression, prominent alterations in GAD and CaBP mRNA in gross brain regions (as measured by slot blot and Northern blot analyses) are not observed in the kindling process. However, our in situ hybridization studies suggest that changes in GAD mRNA in individual cells may be involved in the process underlying kindling induced seizure activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Is diathermy safe in women with copper-bearing IUDs?

Ultrasound and short-wave diathermy are widely used in physiotherapy to induce heating of deep tissues, since this causes a concomitant increase in local blood flow. A metallic implant in the treated field is generally regarded as a contra-indication to diathermy because of the risk of thermodamage to surrounding tissues. It is not certain, however, if copperbearing IUDs contain sufficient metal as to constitute a risk. In order to exclude the possibility that diathermy might lead to intra-uterine burns in women using copperbearing IUDs a technique was devised of measuring temperatures in the copper wire of an IUD in situ during short-wave an ultrasonic therapy. The results indicate diathermy to be perfectly safe in women whit copper-bearing IUDs.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1987

Dilatation of pupils in a 'top of the basilar' stroke. Case report.

A case is presented of a 'top of the basilar' stroke followed by a well circumscribed midbrain lesion mainly involving the parenchyma around both third nerve nuclear complexes. Prominent clinical features were: third nerve paralysis including huge pupils unresponsive to light, transient unconsciousness, and slight cerebellar dyscoordination.

Adult↗