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Biomedical subjects

J M Rabey

Publications and source records attributed to J M Rabey.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Plasma dopamine beta hydroxylase (D.B.H.) activity in Parkinsonian patients under L-dopa, and 2-bromo-alpha-ergocriptine loading.

Dopamine-Beta-Hydroxylase (D.B.H.)-activity was measured in the plasma of untreated Parkinsonian patients, after tretment with L-dopa and 2-Bromo-alpha-ergocriptine. The findings were compared to the D.B.H.-activity of a matched healthy control group. After L-dopa loading D.B.H.-activity decreased in the Parkinsonian patients by 27.6 +/- 3.1% compared to 16.2 +/- 3.3% (p less than 0.02) in the control group. After 2-Bromo-alpha-ergocriptine laoding the decrease in D.B.H.-activity was 32.6 +/- 4.4% in the parkinsonian patients, and 158 +/- 4.9% (p less than 0.02) in the control group. This reduced D.H.B.-activity after L-dopa loading may reflect an impairment, in the Parkinsonian patients' ability to metaoblize L-dopa. The reduced D.B.H.-activity after treatment with 2-Bromo-alpha-ergocriptine may be explained by a pronounced antagonistic influence of 2-Bromo-alpha-ergocriptine on the presynaptic dopamine receptors, suggesting that presynaptic dopaminergic receptors are involved in Parkinson's disease.

Bromocriptine↗
PubMed1979

Detrusor hyperreflexia in multiple sclerosis. Alleviation by a combination of imipramine and propantheline, a clinico-laboratory study.

16 patients with multiple sclerosis, complaining of urgency, frequency and urge incontinence were studied urologically. They all suffered from detrusor hyperreflexia. We managed to improve this disturbance by lowering the parasympathetic tone and at the same time increasing the sympathetic tone of the urinary outlet, using a combination of imipramine and propantheline. The subjective clinical alleviation was also corroborated by cystomanometry and urethral pressure profile before and after treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Myoclonic attacks induced by L-dopa and bromocryptin in Parkinson patients: a sleep EEG study.

Six patients with Parkinson's disease developed nocturnal myoclonic attacks after prolongued treatment with L-Dopa which were electroencephalographically recorded. These symptoms persisted after treatment with 2 bromo-alpha-ergocryptin (Bromocryptin), a dopamine receptor agonist, which was substituted for L-Dopa. Bromocryptin is known to have no pre- or postsynaptic effect on serotonin metabolism. It is proposed that these myoclonic phenomena are the expression of the hypersensitivity of denervated catecholamine receptors in the brainstem to the stimulation of L-Dopa and Bromocryptin. This thesis differs with previous suggestions that serotonin plays a major role in the genesis of myoclonic seizures in Parkinsonian patients treated with L-Dopa.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Kleine-Levin syndrome with periodic apnea during hypersomnic stages--E.E.G. study.

A 33 year old male, suffering from Kleine-Levine syndrome associated with periods of apnea during the hypersomnic attacks, is reported. Ventilatory studies negate the Pickwickian syndrome. The E.E.G.'s recorded during the hypersomnic attacks and the apneic periods showed a direct correlation between high-voltage delta waves paroxysmal E.E.G. activity, and apneic period. Medications known to improve Kleine-Levin syndrome, in our case, had no effect upon the clinical hypersomnic and apnea periods, nor on the correlatives E.E.G.'s pattern and spirometric studies. Theoretical considerations let us assume that these paroxysmal E.E.G. patterns associated with apnea are NRem-sleep serotonin dependent, and have an inhibitory influence on the respiratory centers, by alternating the equilibrium between the catecholamines and acetylcholine activities.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

L-tryptophan administration in L-dopa-induced hallucinations in elderly Parkinsonian patients.

L-tryptophan (L-T) was added at a dose of 150-450 mg daily to eight Parkinsonian patients who developed visual hallucinations with paranoidal features under L-dopa (L-D) treatment (112.5-75 mg daily) in combination with alpha-methyldopa hydrazine (12.5-75 mg daily). In six patients L-T ameliorated the symptomatology by arresting the visual paranoidal hallucinations or diminishing their frequency and relieving the psychomotor agitation. As a 'side effect', L-T produced new 'pleasurable', 'LSD-like' visual images in three patients. In two patients, in whom L-T did not affect the mental disturbances, amelioration was obtained only by phenothiazines. Theoretical considerations on the role of dopamine in the genesis of visual hallucinations and mental disturbances emphasizes the benefit of L-T administration in this 'organomental' syndrome.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Ophthalmoplegic migraine: amelioration by Flufenamic acid, a prostaglandin inhibitor.

It was recently suggested that prostaglandins' release (especially PGE1 and PGF2alpha) play a key role in the development of the migrainous attack. Based on this hypothesis a therapeutic trial with flufenamic acid (a prostaglandin inhibitor of the fenamates group) was conducted during 1 year in 5 patients suffering from recurrent ophthalmoplegic migraine. We treated 25 migrainous attacks; in 22 of them the patients reported marked alleviation of the headaches and only in two occasions a partial third nerve palsy accompanied the attack.

Adolescent↗