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Biomedical subjects

D Kömpf

Publications and source records attributed to D Kömpf.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

[Polyneuropathies in old age].

70 patients were examined in a prospective study to clarify causes of polyneuropathies becoming manifest beyond the age of 60. 29 patients (41.4%) had mixed symmetrical sensorimotor polyneuropathy and 21 (30%) symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy. Peripheral neurological deficits were asymmetrically distributed in 20 patients (28.6%). Polyneuropathy was monocausal in 31 patients (44.3%), whereas a variety of pathogenetic factors was found in 29 patients (41.4%). Aetiology remained undetermined in 10 patients (14.3%). The causes of polyneuropathies differ markedly in elderly patients from those found in studies not restricted to specific age groups. Insufficient gastrointestinal absorption, in particular, appears to be a prominent pathogenetic factor, more often than even diabetes mellitus (n = 39, corresponding to 55.7%). However, diabetes was the underlying pathogenetic factor in 90% of patients with asymmetrically distributed polyneuropathies. In spite of this, multifactorial pathogenesis in the elderly would require a search for causes other than diabetes even in asymmetrically distributed polyneuropathies.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

[Erythema chronicum migrans with Bannwarth syndrome (Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth meningopolyneuritis)].

A 54-year-old male had erythema chronicum migrans (ECM), lymphocytic meningitis, and intense pain radiating along the distribution of the corresponding dermatomal segments. Neurologic involvement, described as Bannwarth syndrome or meningopolyneuritis Garin-Bujadoux-Bannwarth, is a typical late manifestation of ECM infection and requires high-dose intravenous penicillin therapy.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1983

[Palinopsia (visual preservation) and cerebral polyopia--clinical analysis and computed tomographic findings].

The positive visual phenomena of palinopsia and cerebral diplopia/polyopia have only rarely been recorded. The complex phenomenology (visual/oculomotor) is described based on two cases with right occipital infarcts and a review of the literature. In each case demonstrated CT revealed a small area of decreased density confined to the border region of the right area striata causing homonymous field defects. The phenomena are discussed in the light of what is known about visual after-images and hallucinations. The underlying neural mechanisms are still unknown; a defective cortical visual information processing is suggested.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

[Sural neurography: comparative study in stimulation with surface and needle electrodes].

In 30 healthy volunteers aged 18-30 (ma 13, fem 17) the suralis nerve conduction velocity, the orthodromic NAP-duration and -amplitude were determined using both surface (SE) and needle (NE) stimulating electrodes (lateral malleolus); unipolar needle recording electrodes (sura), however, were used in all trials. Skin temperature was in between 31 and 34 degrees C (mean value 32, 14 degrees C); in each case nerve conduction velocity (NCV) was calculated up to 35 degrees C with 2 m/s per degree of deviation. Both the conduction velocity (SE: 56,78 +/- 6,1 m/s, NE: 53,27 +/- 4,8 m/s) and the NAP-amplitude (SE: 27,3 microV, NE: 12,21 microV) mean values were significantly higher when stimulating with surface electrodes (SE) than with needle electrodes (NE). The normal mean value of NAP-duration, however, was 1,3 ms using either technique. On the base of a linear regression line sensory nerve conduction velocity values with needle electrodes (NE-SNCV) can be transferred into sensory nerve conduction velocity values with surface electrodes (SE-SNCV) by the following formula: NE-SNCV = 26,57 + 0,47 . SE-SNCV.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Direction-changing spontaneous nystagmus with simultaneous change in pupil diameter and eyelid interspace. Oculopupillomotor syndrome in blindness due to dysgenesis mesodermalis iridis et corneae Rieger].

Case report on a 47-year-old man who got blind during the last 10 years because of dysgenesis mesodermalis iridis et corneae Rieger. The patient showed an oculopupillomotor syndrome consisting of direction-changing spontaneous nystagmus and simultaneous changes of pupil diameter and eyelid interspace. The specific modification of direction, form, frequency, and amplitude of nystagmus under central influences such as emotional excitement, change of gaze, eye closure, head tilt, and other vestibular stimuli was registered electronystagmographically and is described in this paper. The unique oculomotor disturbance is compared pathogenetically with periodic oculomotor phenomena such as periodic alternating nystagmus, other types of direction-changing nystagmus, and uninhibited oculomotoricity of the blind. Loss of cerebellar inhibition mechanisms in the central pathogenesis of this syndrome is discussed hypothetically.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Vigilance and spontaneous nystagmus. An electronystagmographic study (author's transl)].

To clarify the effects of enforced mental alertness upon spontaneous nystagmus (SPN), the ENG curves of 105 patients were studied. During examination for SPN the recordings were done under three test conditions: I: Patients instructed to "just relax" II: Mental activity alerted by silent mental arithmetics III. Recording after finishing the mental tasks Using seven indices of SPN intensity, mental arithmetics caused a significant improvement in six. The Total Amplitude proved to be the most sensible parameter; there was still a significant improvement even after solving the tasks (test cond. III). A significantly higher rate of improvement has been found in patients with a faint SPN while relaxed, i.e. there was a negative correlation between intensity of SPN and the rate of activation. Patients together with directional prepoderance (DP) had a significantly more intensive SPN than patients without DP or a slight DP only, while there was no difference in the rates of activation in both groups. Central or peripheral lesions did not cause a difference in SPN activation rates. The results give further evidence to the considerable influence of mental alertenes upon SPN; the assumption of a fictitious absolute limit between physiologic and pathologic SPN seems questionable. Mental arithmetics proved to be appropriate to maintain vigilance at a high level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

[Studies on the psychopathology of adults with 4-5 c/s EEG rhythm (author's transl)].

Nineteen subjects (10 males and 9 females, aged between 18 and 61 years) with an occipital 4-5 c/s EEG rhythm were tested using a multidimensional psychological test program. The program consisted of the IST of Amthauer, the Raven Test, the German version of the MMPI ("MMPI Saarbrücken"), the Cattell 16-PF-questionnaire, Brickenkamp's d2-Test, and a test battery for psychomotor impairment. A group of normal persons with a regular alpha EEG, matched according to sex and age, was used to provide test norms for the 4-5 c/s EEG group. No difference in intelligence was found, but statistically significant differences were found in some personality traits in the MMPI and the 16-PF-questionnaire. Taking into consideration that the 4-5 c/s EEG group of the study is a subjective sample not randomly selected, this study showed that the male subjects with a 4-5 c/s rhythm as more sensitive, more tender and gentle, more anxious, and less tolerant of stress when compared with the control group; in terms of sex-specific personality traits, they tend to show more female features. Furthermore, the clinical observations of the psychological test date are discussed, i.e., that the subjects with 4-5 c/s rhythms suffer more frequently from functional somatic complaints (observed in 13 cases: 9 with neurovegetative disturbances, 4 with psychosomatic diseases) and/or show psychopathological features (observed in 12 cases: 8 with abnormal personality traits, 4 with neurotic personality development).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Downward gaze in monkeys: stimulation and lesion studies.

Ten monkeys were stimulated unilaterally and bilaterally through bipolar electrodes placed stereotactically on each side of the midline under light barbiturate anaesthesia. Bilateral simultaneous stimulation elicited straight downward binocular movements from a core of tissue about 40 mm3 on each side which included the fields of Forel, zona incerta, subthalamic nucleus, oral pole of the red nucleus, fasciculus retroflexus and 'area tegmentalis'. Unilateral stimulation of the same points yielded downward eye movements in only 25 per cent of the instances. Upward deviation of the globes could be elicited by bilateral stimulation of tissue located more caudal, ventral and medial than that from which downward movements were obtained. Bilateral electrolytic lesions within the region outlined above caused significant defects in downward gaze both in saccadic and slow pursuit binocular movements. Passive bending of the head backwards, however, resulted in downward deviation of the globes (oculocephalic reflex). Optokinetic nystagmus and after-nystagmus downward were abolished. Oblique (45 degrees) optokinetic stimulation elicited a perverted response in the horizontal plane. Vestibulo-ocular reflexes elicited by bilateral warm irrigation of both ear canals with the monkey in the erect position, or by turning the animal while lying on one side, caused a strong tonic deviation upward with absence of nystagmus downward. Some of these monkeys showed additional alterations in upward gaze but they were less severe in intensity and duration than those of downward gaze. All eye deviations in the horizontal plane were consistently normal. Recovery occurred in all types of vertical binocular movements except in the rapid motions (saccades and quick phases of nystagmus) below the horizontal meridian. A unilateral lesion had no effect. The minimal damage producing downward gaze defects was about 1.7 mm in diameter, cetred in the prerubral fields, rostral and medial to the red nuclei with minimal involvement of the oral pole of these structures. The nuclei of Cajal, Darkschewitsch and interstitialis of the posterior commissure, as well as the fasciculus retroflexus and the posterior commissure, were spared by this lesion. The so-called rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus and the nucleus campi Foreli appear to be destroyed. These structures are known to receive an input from the paramedian pontine reticular formation and project on to the oculomotor nerve nucleus. These results demonstrate that the prerubral fields contain structures which are critical for rapid eye movements downward, and therefore an isolated downward gaze palsy is a strong indicator of a bilateral lesion of this zone. The findings in the few reported cases with this sign and available pathological analysis suggest that our conclusions from the experimental monkey apply to man as well. The concept of bilateral innervation for vertical eye movements is amply confirmed for the downward vectors...

Animals↗
PubMed1977

[Malignant degeneration in a parapontine epidermoid (author's transl)].

A case of malignant degeneration in a right parapontine epidermoid cyst giving rise to leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in a 57 year old woman is presented. The malignant tissue had infiltrated the right cerebellar hemisphere and produced a symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia, a change in the psychological state of the patient, and an acute conus and cauda syndrome following metastasis implantation. Only eight unequivocal previous reports of malignant transformation of intracranial epidermoid cyst have been reported in the literature with metastases in four.

Arachnoid↗
PubMed1977

Transitory impairment of vision after light head trauma in childhood.

From a group of 101 children, eleven (10.9 p.c. ranging in age from 4--12) reported transient visual disturbances such as blurred vision, grey vision or photopsias immediately after a light head trauma. As to the origin of these impediments all evidence points to the occipital areas. Oculopupillary defects or pathological nystagmus phenomena were in no case associated. The frequency of pathological EEG recording over the occipital area was statistically significant (chi-quadrat = 4.27; p less than or equal to 0.05). The pathogenetic mechanism may be explained by means of a local oedematous reaction.

Adolescent↗