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Biomedical subjects

E Sinforiani

Publications and source records attributed to E Sinforiani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Peripheral proteasome and caspase activity in Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: Defects of the ubiquitin-proteasome (UP) system, a multicatalytic complex degrading polyubiquitinated proteins, may intervene in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by intracellular formation of protein aggregates such as Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer disease (AD) by inducing proapoptotic conditions. METHODS: The authors measured the activity of proteolytic UP core, proteasome 20S, and of proapoptotic caspase-3 and -9 in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of PD and AD patients to establish whether changes in these systems are detectable peripherally. RESULTS: Proteasome 20S activity was reduced in PBLs of treated PD patients vs healthy controls (mean +/- SEM: 1.0 +/- 0.1 vs 2.3 +/- 0.2 nmol 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (AMC)/10(6) cells, p < 0.001), whereas marked increases in caspase-3 activity (1370 +/- 153 vs 586 +/- 104 pmol AMC/10(6) cells, p < 0.001) and caspase-9 activity (873 +/- 86 vs 304 +/- 27 U/10(6) cells, p < 0.001) were found. Increased caspase-9 activity was also detected in PBLs of untreated PD patients (900 +/- 193 U/10(6) cells). PD duration and severity (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score) were inversely correlated with proteasome 20S activity and directly correlated with caspase-3 activity. An inverse correlation was also observed in PD patients between caspase-3 activity and proteasome 20S activity. No significant changes in proteasome 20S or caspase activity or correlations between biochemical and clinical variables were found in patients with AD. CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in proteasome activity, possibly related to caspase activation, is detectable in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with Parkinson disease but not patients with Alzheimer disease, suggesting that these variables may be considered for the development of peripheral biomarkers of Parkinson disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Non-convulsive status epilepticus and generalised tonic-clonic seizures persisting in old age in a patient with idiopathic generalised epilepsy: a long-term observation.

Persisting non-convulsive status epilepticus in a man with idiopathic generalised epilepsy is reported. After a first generalised tonic/clonic seizure on awakening one day at the age of 20, the patient experienced rare non-convulsive status epilepticus until the age of 73, when the frequency of the episodes increased, in spite of the initiation of treatment with antiepileptic drugs. No significant cognitive decline was documented when the patient was 83. The existence of such conditions in the context of idiopathic generalised epilepsy shows the problems of syndromic diagnosis and of age dependency of some epileptic phenomena over the course of life with potential bidirectional influences between epileptic manifestations and senile processes.

Aged, 80 and over↗
PubMed2006

Estrogen receptor alpha and APOEepsilon4 polymorphisms interact to increase risk for sporadic AD in Italian females.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects both sexes, with a higher prevalence in women. Declining estrogen levels after menopause may render estrogen target neurons in the brain more susceptible to age or disease-related processes such as AD. To investigate the role of two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the first intron of the ER-alpha gene, denominated PvuII and XbaI, and their interaction with the known AD susceptibility gene APOE, we examined 131 patients with sporadic AD and 109 healthy control subjects. In multinomial logistic regression analysis, a significantly increased risk of sporadic AD because of interaction between the ER-alpha p allele and APOE epsilon4 allele was observed in women, taking subjects who had neither the p allele nor epsilon4 as reference [odds ratio (OR) 7.24; 95% CI, 2.22-23.60]. For women carrying the ER-alpha x allele together with APOE epsilon4, the risk of sporadic AD was similarly elevated (OR 8.33; 95% CI, 1.73-40.06). The data suggest that the p and x alleles of polymorphic ER-alpha gene interact synergistically with the APOE epsilon4 allele to increase the risk of AD in women but not in men in this Italian cohort.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Headache attributed to infection: observations on the IHS classification (ICHD-II).

The aim of this study was to revise some topics in the chapter "Headache attributed to infections" in the last International Headache Society (IHS) classification. The authors searched for original studies and reviews about headache associated with infections. A checklist was submitted to 15 neurologists to quantify the relevance, comprehensibility and coherence between definitions, criteria and comments for each paragraph. The following paragraphs were fully discussed: (1) headache attributed to lymphocytic meningitis. This topic, being rather heterogeneous, should be divided into different subgroups; (2) headache attributed to HIV/AIDS. Distinctive features are not specified and diagnostic criteria are rather confusing; and (3) chronic post-infection headache. Diagnostic criteria should be reconsidered as the symptom "pain" is not the main diagnostic criterion. The authors propose the revision of three paragraphs of the new IHS classification to better define the most likely headache profile in specific CNS infections. The authors also underline the need to plan further ad hoc prospective studies.

Headache↗
PubMed2004

Cognitive rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease.

A rehabilitation program of 6 weeks, including both motor and cognitive training, was applied to 20 patients affected by Parkinson's disease (PD) in the early stages, presenting with mild cognitive deficits, but no dementia. Cognitive rehabilitation has been performed by utilizing a software elaborated for neuropsychological training (TNP). At the end of the scheduled sessions, the patients showed a significant improvement at verbal fluency, logic memory and Raven's matrices tests, as compared to baseline. These results remained stable over the time. We hypothesize that rehabilitative training exerts its positive effects by reinforcing cognitive strategies, in particular, by enhancing frontal function, which are typically impaired in PD, and suggests that this instrument could be implemented in nonpharmacological treatment of this pathology.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Subcortical dementia associated with striking enlargement of the Virchow-Robin spaces and transneural degeneration of the left mammillo-thalamic tract.

We report a case of subcortical dementia in a 68-year-old woman. MR examination of the patient's brain revealed two types of alterations as a possible cause of the dementia, both anomalous in respect of their entity and incidence: the first was a striking enlargement of the Virchow-Robin spaces, and the second an anterograde transneural degeneration of the left mammillo-thalamic tract and mammillary body secondary to a lacunar infarction of the ipsilateral anterior thalamus.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Memory functioning at menopause: impact of age in ovariectomized women.

Estrogens are known to act selectively on some components of memory, exerting beneficial effects on cognitive performances. However, there are few data on the long-term effect of the lack of estrogen in postmenopausal women. Therefore, we investigated attentive and verbal memory performances in physiological and surgical menopause, drawing attention to the impact of age at menopause, and we compared a well-known aging and estrogen-dependent index, the entity of bone mass loss to memory functioning. No significant differences were found in the mean scores of attentive and psychomotor performances between physiological and surgical menopause, whereas a lower number of recalled words (recency effect = PS2) was found in surgical menopause (p < 0.001) in comparison to physiological menopause. In addition, both the age at the time of ovariectomy (r = 0.47; p = 0. 014) and the years since surgery (r = -0.64; p = 0.000) correlated to short-term verbal memory performance (PS2) with better scores when surgery occurred later in women's lives. Surgical menopause is able to affect short-term verbal memory more than physiological menopause and seems to represent a critical negative event within the female brain, in particular when it occurs prematurely.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The role of morpho-volumetric and memory correlations in the diagnosis of early Alzheimer dementia.

The aim of the present study was to assess selective atrophy of the temporal lobe and amygdala in the early stages of Alzheimer dementia (AD). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements and the presence of highsignal lesions (HSL) were analysed in 31 patients with mild to moderate probable AD and 22 controls. In the AD group, MRI findings were compared with cognitive variables and specific features of memory functions. Alzheimer patients showed a significant reduction in volumetric measurement compared with controls in the total volume (P < 0.01), temporal lobe (P < 0.01) and amygdala (P < 0.05). The temporal lobe/brain volume ratio was also significantly reduced in AD subjects (P < 0.05). Atrophy of temporal structures was significantly related to the degree of episodic and semantic memory impairment according to a material-specific effect. No significant correlations between amygdala and cognitive variables were found. The results of our study confirm the usefulness of measures of temporal lobe atrophy assessed with MRI in the diagnosis of AD. In contrast, HSL are relatively common in AD patients (12/31 cases) and were not related to volumetric findings, severity of dementia or functional disability.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Neurophysiological and neuropsychological monitoring of fatigue during extreme environmental and driving conditions.

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the modifications of neurophysiological and neuropsychological variables during extreme environmental and driving conditions. Eight subjects (four drivers and four passengers) were evaluated while driving a four wheels drive across the Big West Algerian Erg. The following procedures were carried out in basal conditions and at the end of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th day of driving: surface EMG of masseter and cervical para-spinal muscles during maximum isometric contraction lasting 12 sec; test of simple visual and acoustic reaction times, Cancellation test, Trial Making test. As from the second day, the drivers used appropriate dental plates. In the drivers, EMG spectrum analysis revealed a significant decrease in mean frequency values at the end of the 1st day. This finding was more relevant in masseter muscles. No significant fatigue phenomena were detected on the subsequent controls. On the contrary, the passengers showed a decrease in mean EMG frequency values. No significant modifications in the cognitive variables were detected at the end of the 1st day (initial response to stress), whereas a progressive worsening was observed in the subsequent evaluations. EMG fatigue of masseter muscles seems to be more related to psychic stress. The beneficial effects of the dental plates were also confirmed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Longitudinal neuropsychological evaluation of HIV-infected intravenous drug users.

The present study aimed to describe the cognitive status of a group of HIV-positive asymptomatic intravenous drug users (IVDU) and changes which occurred over a 12-month follow-up period. Forty-two HIV positive IVDU were selected and matched for age, sex, educational level and pattern of drug abuse with 39 seronegative IVDU controls. Baseline and follow-up evaluation included neuropsychological tests exploring attention, language, memory, logic and visuomotor abilities, biological markers and clinical parameters. About one-third of both seropositive and seronegative subjects showed at baseline slight cognitive deficits, which did not change during the follow-up period.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1994

Cognitive and neuroradiological findings in congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Nineteen patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) aged over 16 years were given a neuropsychological evaluation; no significant differences with individually matched normal controls were detected. CAH subjects, however, revealed slightly higher IQs with respect to the expected distribution. No significant learning disabilities could be detected. Fifteen patients underwent nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); 4 subjects showed small areas of increased signal intensity in the white matter, without prevalence of side; this finding did not correlate with clinical and cognitive characteristics. The results are discussed in the light of possible hormonal influences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Reaction time responses in parkinsonian and hemiparkinsonian patients.

Twenty-one normal subjects, 32 bilateral parkinsonian patients (BPs) and 29 hemiparkinsonian patients (HP) were submitted to separate or sequentially associated motor tasks that included simple reaction times (RT), choice RTs, directional RTs, and movement RTs. The results showed that simple RTs, directional RTs, and movement times (MT) were slower in BPs as compared to normal subjects; for choice RTs there was no difference. Response patterns were similar in normal controls and BPs. In both groups RTs became more prolonged as sequentially programmed operations increased. If movement occurred at the end of the sequence, they prolonged the RTs of the preceding operations, but MTs per se did not vary. In HPs the same results were observed on the "bad" hand side versus normal controls and versus the healthy side, but a significant statistical level was reached mainly when the "bad" hand was the right one.

Attention↗
PubMed1993

Three-year neuropsychological follow-up in a selected group of HIV-infected homosexual/bisexual men.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in cognition in a selected group of asymptomatic homosexual/bisexual men over a 3-year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty HIV-infected (Centers for Disease Control stage II) subjects and 60 controls (individually matched for age and years in education) were administered neuropsychological tests evaluating attention, language, memory, logic and visuo-motor abilities. None of the patients had a history of alcohol or drug abuse, and all received the baseline cognitive evaluation within 18-24 months of seroconversion. RESULTS: The HIV-infected subjects differed from controls in only one of the six memory tests (P < 0.01). Follow-up evaluation after 18 and 36 months (available for 51 and 36 subjects, respectively) demonstrated a significant deterioration in visuo-motor ability (P < 0.01) only in subjects who had progressed to AIDS, without signs or symptoms of central nervous system involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that cognitive alterations in asymptomatic stages of HIV infection are in most subjects minor and do not develop. Percentage rates of CD4 lymphocyte decline appear to be significantly related to deterioration in visuo-motor abilities.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Memory impairment in Cushing's disease.

In the present study the cognitive performance of 25 patients with Cushing's disease (CD) was extensively evaluated in comparison with normal control subjects, matched one by one. The results indicate a selective impairment of memory functions: the number of patients showing a significantly impaired mnesic performance increases with age. Moreover, the neuropsychological impairment tends to recover in those cases who underwent further controls after surgical treatment. The neuropsychological data are discussed in the light of recent evidence in the literature concerning the effects of adrenal steroids on the brain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The brain as a target for adrenocortical steroids: cognitive implications.

It is well established that a reciprocal control exists between the brain and glucocorticoid hormones. The brain regulates adrenocortical function via hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone-41 (CRH-41), glucocorticoids act at specific receptors in the hippocampus, thus promoting negative feedback mechanisms. Because the hippocampus is a major site for memory processes, a role for excessive/long-lasting plasma glucocorticoid levels has been suggested in conditions of mental impairment. Major depression, Cushing's disease, and dementia of the Alzheimer type are disorders which share hyperactivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as symptoms of cognitive decline. Although the mechanisms leading to hypercortisolemia appear to be different in each case, the neuropsychological features of these three disorders accord with the hypothesis of glucocorticoid-associated brain damage. It therefore is important to find pharmacological strategies that will avert or reduce these potential consequences on brain function.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1992

Slowly progressive aphasia: report of a case.

We report on the case of a 66-year-old right-handed woman, who shows the clinical and behavioral features of "slowly progressive aphasia" described by MESULAM. At the age of 63 the patient began to develop progressive disturbances of word fluency and naming. The neuropsychological examination revealed amnestic aphasia and a mild impairment of verbal memory. Neuroradiological findings demonstrated left temporo-parietal atrophy. A neuropsychological evaluation performed two years later showed a worsening of language disorders and only a slight compromission in other cognitive areas, while the activities of daily living and the occupational functioning remained unimpaired.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Monoamines and related metabolite levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with dementia of Alzheimer type. Influence of treatment with L-deprenyl.

An impairment of the monoaminergic systems has frequently been reported for Alzheimer's disease (AD) as well as an overactivity of cerebral monoamineoxidase B (MAO-B). L-deprenyl (LD), a selective and irreversible MAO-B inhibitor, has recently been proposed for the treatment of AD. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), dopamine (DA), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and homovanillic acid (HVA) were studied in 14 patients suffering from dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and in 14 controls. A three-month double-blind study comparing LD with placebo was carried out, in the DAT group, and the influence of the treatment on neurotransmitter levels and cognitive performance was evaluated. The basal study revealed a significant reduction in CSF NE and HVA levels in DAT patients when compared with controls; the treatment with LD determined a significant decrease in HVA levels only and, as to neuropsychological investigation, a global amelioration of cognitive performances.

Aged↗