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G Testa

Publications and source records attributed to G Testa.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Automatic recognition of spike-wave discharges in dynamic EEG].

A computerized system for automatic recognition of spike and wave discharges (SWDs), recorded by ambulatory EEG, is described. Four parameters were sequentially considered for detecting SWDs: amplitude, frequency, rhythmicity and second derivative of the EEG epochs to be evaluated. With this system the computer was able to recognize in 20 patients 95% +/- 4.7 of SWDs visually detected, while the percentage of the SWDs as compared with the total number of "discharges" found by the computer was 82.4% +/- 15.5.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Convulsive episodes caused by a suspension of lorazepam].

Seven cases of convulsive seizure occurring after abrupt withdrawal of Lorazepam in non epileptic patients are reported. Five ot of them had an important cerebral damage occurred in perinatal period. All patients, before withdrawal, had been taking Lorazepam, 5-15 mg/day, for at least six months. It is stressed that in similar cases there is no need to start an anticonvulsive therapy because usually there is not a spontaneous recurrence of convulsive seizures. It is suggested that withdrawal of long term treatments with high doses of benzodiazepines be accomplished carefully and very slowly especially in patients with a previous cerebral damage.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Use of substances modifying serotonin metabolism in the treatment of narco-cataplexy (considerations on 5 cases)].

The AA., after a critical analysis of the new proposed treatments for the narco-cataplexy, report their experience about the therapeutic possibilities of this syndrome with particular manipulations of cerebral serotonin (5-HT). In 5 patients they tried to act on the two sides of the sleeping-waking cycle by using a diurnal administration of Methysergide (5-HT inhibitor) and an evening loading of L-Tryptophan combined with Benserazide (dopa-decarboxilase inhibitor). The immediate and long term results on the nercoleptic as well as cataplectic symptoms can be considered good. Conversely treatments with Clomipramine alone exerted poor beneficial effects in these patients. The AA. discuss the physiopathogenetic mechanisms which are thought to be involved in this disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Some new cases of congenital human African trypanosomiasis (T. gambiense) (author's transl)].

The authors report three cases of congenital transmission of T. gambiense. In two cases, the parasite has been found in the blood of the umbilical cord. In the third case, it has been found twenty hours after birth in the peripherical blood of a new born child whose mother was affected by trypanosomiasis. They report also two cases of pregnant mothers with sleeping sickness, whose children were born-unaffected by the disease. The authors believe that the placental transmission of the human african trypanosomiasis is more frequent than thought.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hematic radio-immunologic monitoring of clonazepam: clinical-pharmacological evaluations in a group of epileptic patients].

In a group of 22 epileptic patients under treatment with clonazepam (CNP) it has been evaluated the serum levels of CNP in a seried way for a period of several months, by a radio-immunological technique. Except for one patient, all the others were under politherapy. On the basis of the data obtained from this study we tried to evaluate the pharmachological action of CNP. Even if we found a good clinical efficacy of CNP with therapeutic ranges (from 19,57 +/- 10,98 ng/ml up to 60,16 +/- 31,18 ng/ml) we didn't find any correlation between the oral dose and serum level, taking into account also other parameters such as sex, pound and age. The Authors discuss the possible factors which may be thought involved in this lacking correlation.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Possible activating effect of subnarcotic doses of some anaesthetic drugs in clinical electroencephalography (author's transl)].

The use of subnarcotic doses of anaesthetic agents has been proposed, in the last few years, as a practical method for enhancing EEG activities in epileptic patients. Barbiturates such as Evipan or Brietal were used in the present study. Both electrographic and clinical effects occurred not only with the intravenous administration fo Brietal and Evipan but also with Althesin (a new non-barbiturate drug), in two groups of suspected and confirmed epileptics having either a normal or specific EEG pattern. These results were then compared with a normal control group. In a high percentage of instances all these drugs were found to induce either focal or generalized increase of epileptiform activities, as well as the appearance of latent epileptic abnormalities. The AA. stress the advantages these new techniques as ascreening method in suspected epilepsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Instrumental diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: correlation between electrophysiologic and cerebrospinal fluid findings].

Since a few years the technique of evoked potentials (PE), both visual (VERs) and acoustic (BAERs), of the encephalic trunk has been introduced in the diagnosis of SM. The electrophysiologic data thus obtained are usefully completed by liquor's ones, often allowing a precocious diagnosis of this disease. In this work the authors compare the results of liquor analyses (dosage of the relation IgG/total proteins; electrophoretic research of Oligoclonic Bands) with those of the PE in 28 patients with suspect SM. The high positive percentages of BAERs (78.8%) and of VERs (90%) in certain multiple scleroses, as well as in suspect multiple scleroses (53.6% and 82.1% respectively), prove the high sensibility of these techniques. The positive percentages of liquor analysis appear to be slightly inferior as to those of evoked potentials, even if these differences are not statistically significant. Besides the authors noticed a high degree of accordance between PE and liquor anomalies (in the cases of defined SM the patients with altered liquor presented at least an altered PE).

Brain Stem↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effects of phosphatidylserine in an experimental model of generalized epilepsy].

The possible antiepileptic activity of PS has been tested in a model of generalized epilepsy induced by penicillin in the cat. In acute experiments, topical application to the cortex of PS (from 20 mg/ml to 50 mg/ml) produced a reverse in the polarity of the spike and wave complex and, sometimes, a decrease in the voltage as well as a morphological deformation of s-w bursts. Chronic intraperitoneal administration of PS induced a decrease of the epileptic burst frequency. The effect was already apparent after 14 days and of greater extent after 21 days. Finally the antiepileptic effect of 0,2-0,5 mg/Kg diazepam, given in a single dose during the maximal epileptic activity resulted markedly reinforced in animals chronically treated with PS.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Lafora disease complicating myoclonus epilepsy. Report of 3 cases].

We studied four patients affected by progressive myoclonic epilepsy: three patients had the clinical features of Lafora's disease while the fourth was affected by a Lundborg's type of myoclonic epilepsy. In all above cases we found no specific electroencephalographic records of Lafora's disease; muscle histochemistry was useful for the diagnosis and the demonstration of PAS positive and NADH-TR positive Lafora's bodies. The Authors discuss the nosographic situation of Lafora's body disease among the progressive myoclonic epilepsies.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Primidone kinetics and analysis of its interactions with the major antiepileptic drugs].

In 5 volunteers, after single oral administration of 10 mg/Kg of primidone (PRM) plasmatic concentration of the drug has been monitored during 24 hours. PRM plasma half life was found longer than in previous reports. It was however confirmed that its metabolite phenobarbital (PB) is not present in the blood for at least 48 hours. Moreover 166 patients under long term PRM treatment were investigated as to the influence of phenytoin (DPH) and carbamazepine (CBZ) on the PB serum levels. It was found that patients in therapy with PRM + DPH showed a better relationship between PRM oral dose and PB plasma level and also between oral dose and plasma level of DPH than in patients in monotherapy with PRM or DPH, whereas these effects were not evident in patients taking PB + DPH.

Administration, Oral↗