Biomedical subjects

F Girotti

Publications and source records attributed to F Girotti.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed1980

Oculomotor abnormalities in patients with lesions involving the tectal region.

An analysis of ocular movements was performed in four patients with retraction nystagmus and paralysis of the upward gaze. The clinical and radiological data indicate that the lesion were relatively limited to the most rostral and dorsal portion of the mesencephalon. The electrooculographic examination disclosed not otherwise obvious abnormalities of horizontal ocular movements. The most prominent defect was a tendency to perform hypometric saccades followed by multiple corrective movements. This tendency was particularly evident in saccadic movements toward a light spot unexpectedly displaced in the visual field of the subject. It is suggested that lesions responsible for retraction nystagmus can also affect the visuomotor integration mechanisms; the foveation of the target is then obtained through a typical modification of the motor strategy.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Effects of DA agonist in Huntington disease hyperkinesia.

Apomorphine, bromocryptine, lysuride, diazepam and cyproheptadine were administered to 11 patients with Huntington's disease (HD). The evaluation of the pharmacologic activity of different drugs on abnormal involuntary movements (AIM) was determined by means of an arbitrary clinical method. Apomorphine, diazepam and cyproheptadine succeeded in improving the AIM, while bromocryptine and lysuride did not modify the clinical pattern or provoked (bromocryptine) a worsening in some patients. The growth hormone (GH) responses to apomorphine and bromocryptine were determined in 6 patients. The relationship between clinical, endocrine results and pharmacologic action of apomorphine is discussed, suggesting that the reducing effect of apomorphine on AIM of HD may be due to its sedative action.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Failure of MIF-I to affect behavioral responses in patients with Parkinson's diseases under L-dopa therapy.

In eight subjects with Parkinson's disease under an optimal daily dose of L-dopa, acute administration of MIF-I (200 mg i.v.) did not ameliorate either the total disability score or the intellectual test PM 38 when evaluated in comparison with the effect induced by acute administration of a placebo. Also concomitant evaluation of the effect of MIF-I on the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones which are under dopaminergic control i.e., growth hormone and prolactin, did not reveal any potentiation of the L-dopa-induced stimulus.

Aged↗

PubMed1979

Alterations of ocular motility in cerebellar pathology. An electro-oculographic study.

Saccadic as well as smooth pursuit movements were studied by means of electro-oculograms in a group of 14 patients affected by cerebellar diseases. Ten patients had cerebellar atrophies, and four had undergone surgery for cerebellar tumors. Loss of gain of the pursuit system and metric alteration of saccades were the most striking abnormalities observed. Dysmetria was shown to be related to the amplitude of the movement and to the sector of the perimeter within which the movement occurs (movements occurring in the more eccentric sector were more disturbed). A tendency to produce saccades slower than normal was noted in patients affected by olivopontocerebellar atrophy. The clinical and pathophysiological significance of this finding is discussed with particular reference to Wadia-Swaami hereditary ataxia.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Oculomotor disorders in Huntington's chorea.

Electro-oculographic recordings were obtained from 11 patients with Huntington's disease. Significant reduction of saccadic velocity was constantly found. In all the patients vertical saccades were much more impaired than horizontal. When present, vertical saccades showed long latency, low amplitude, low velocity, and disturbances related to blinking. Following movements were jerky, and ability to perform repeated rhythmic movements was impaired. These results are in agreement with previous observations and underline the selective defect of rapid movements as a characteristic feature of Huntington's disease. Further, they suggest a possible correlation between the difficulty in performing repeated ocular movements and the impaired execution of gestural sequences involving a succession of different fundamental movements.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

2-dimethylaminoethanol (Deanol) in Huntington's chorea.

A double-blind crossover trial with 2-dimethylaminoethanol (Deanol), a possible precursor of brain acetylcholine, was carried out in nine patients with Huntington's chorea. It was found to be ineffective in inducing any alteration in hyperkinesia.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1978

Comparative neuropsychological study of the changes in different programmed activities in subjects with frontal or retro-rolandic lesions or with Huntington's chorea.

Eaily performed tests for showing alterations in organization of programmed activities were given to 20 patients with frontal lesions, 23 with retro-rolandic lesions and 17 with Huntington's Chorea. Normal scores were determined in a group of 24 patients without any symptoms of cerebral pathology. The results showed that frontally lesioned patients and those with Huntington's Chorea have similar patterns of disorganization in reproduction of gestures, drawing and rhythmic sound sequences. The data seem to indicate that a major difficulty of these patients lies in faulty "recall" of the original model. Retrorolandic patients do not show this difference in response to the differents tests, but have problems in simultaneous organization of visual and auditory information. These results support the hypothesis of LURIA that the frontal lobes regulate programmed motor activity.

Brain Diseases↗

PubMed1977

Bromocriptine alone or associated with L-dopa plus benserazide in Parkinson's disease.

Twenty-six patients affected by Parkinson's disease were treated with a 2-Br-alpha-ergocriptine (CB 154): 14 cases were given CB 154 alone, and 12 were given CB 154 along with L-dopa plus benserazide (Madopar). Both CB 154 and combined therapy (CB 154+Madopar) induced a significant improvement in total disability score, tremor, rigidity, akinesia, self-sufficiency, and some motor performance tests (dynamic tests). No significant difference was found between results obtained with CB 154 therapy and with Madopar treatment, while the improvement induced by combined therapy (CB 154+Madopar) was significantly higher than that obtained by Madopar alone. The averse reactions caused by CB 154 alone or associated with Madopar are similar to those observed during other dopaminergic treatment. CB 154 alone or combined with Madopar appears to be a useful advance in the management of Parkinson's disease.

Aged↗

PubMed1977

Biochemical aspects of Huntington's chorea.

Fifteen patients affected by Huntington's chorea were divided into two groups, 'slow' and 'fast', according to IQ scores on the Wechsler-Bellevue scale, and scores on some motor performance tests. A possible correlation was looked for between some biochemical data (cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5HIAA) levels, plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), dopamine (DA) uptake by platelets), and clinical data (duration of illness, severity of symptoms, age of patients, IQ scores, 'slow' and 'fast' groups). The CSF, HVA, and 5HIAA levels were found to be significantly lowered in comparison with normal controls. DBH activity and DA uptake by platelets did not differ significantly from normal subjects. Treatment with haloperidol in all patients and with dipropylacetic acid in three patients did not appear to modify the CSF, HVA, and 5HIAA concentrations, the plasma DBH activity, or the DA uptake. There were no significant differences in the CSF, HVA, and 5HIAA contents between the two groups of patients, and there was no correlation between biochemical data and clinical features.

Adult↗

PubMed1977

Pharmacology of Huntington's chorea. Personal experience.

Dipropylacetic acid (DPA), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), physostigmine, CB 154 and butyrophenones were administered to 26 patients affected by Huntington's chorea. The evaluation of the pharmacologic activity of the different drugs was determined by means of some clinical parameters and motor performance tests. Butyrophenones succeeded to ameliorate the hyperkinesias and the motor dexterity, CB 154 provoked a worsening of the motor signs of the disorder, while DPA, GABA and physostigmine did not modify the clinical pattern. The relationship between these results and the Hungtington's chorea physiopathology is discussed and a hypersensitivity of DA receptors is suggested.

Acetates↗

PubMed1976

Study of the excitability cycle of the blink reflex in Huntington's chorea.

The trigemino-facial reflex was studied in 7 patients affected by Huntington's chorea and in 10 patients affected by Parkinson's disease. The results show a different behavior of the habituation phenomenon in the two groups of patients: it is enhanced in the choreic and abolished in the parkinsonian patients. The main changes concern the time course of the second phase (the first inhibitory phase) of the reflex excitability cycle, in fact, the inhibitory phase appears very pronounced and prolonged in huntingtonian patients and reduced or abolished in parkinsonian patients. Some pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the control of the trigeminofacial reflex excitability are discussed with particular regard to the role of the hemispheric structures.

Adult↗

PubMed1974