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Biomedical subjects

L Ayuso-Peralta

Publications and source records attributed to L Ayuso-Peralta.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Tau protein concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis.

UNLABELLED: FUNDAMENTALS AND OBJECTIVE: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the prototype of demyelinating disease, but recently, it has been shown that the existence of axonal lesions contribute to irreversible central nervous system damage in this disease. Tau proteins are considered to be important for maintaining the stability of axonal microtubules involved in the mediation of fast axonal transport of synaptic constituents. There have been reports of increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau concentrations in patients with MS, and it has been suggested that this could be a marker of axonal damage. The objective of the present study was to elucidate whether CSF tau levels could be a marker of MS activity. PATIENT AND METHODS: We measured tau concentrations in the CSF of 20 patients with MS (nine in the first, seven in the second, one in the fourth exacerbation, and three patients with chronic progressive course) and 32 age- and sex-matched controls, using a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. RESULTS: The CSF tau concentrations of patients with MS did not differ from those of controls, and they were not correlated with age at onset and duration of the disease. CONCLUSION: CSF tau concentrations are not a marker of MS activity.

Adult↗

Cerebral lymphoma presenting as a leukoencephalopathy.

Cerebral lymphoma is infrequent in immunocompetent patients. This tumour usually appears on CT and MRI as a single lesion or as multiple lesions with mass effect and homogeneous enhancement after contrast administration. A patient is described with a cerebral lymphoma, confirmed by histopathological examination, who presented as a progressive leukoencephalopathy.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Symptomatic orthostatic tremor in pontine lesions.

Orthostatic tremor (OT) is a rare movement disorder that consists of involuntary shaking of the legs and trunk present only on standing. Although the origin and the mechanism of this condition are not well understood, the neurophysiologic abnormalities and PET studies suggest a central origin. We describe the clinical and radiologic features of two patients with symptomatic OT and associated pontine lesions, and conclude that OT may arise from dysfunction of the cerebellum or related pontine structures.

Female↗

Plasma levels of inorganic sulfates in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Some investigators reported pharmacogenetic differences in the metabolism of sulfur-containing drugs and lower plasma sulfate levels in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with controls. However, other group did not confirm these findings. We studied the plasma levels of sulfate by indirect atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 55 PD patients and 57 age and sex-matched controls. The plasma sulfate levels did not differ significantly between PD patients and control groups (mean +/- SEM 73 +/- 8 and 75 +/- 7 mg/l, respectively). They were not influenced by antiparkinsonian drugs and they did not correlate with age at onset, duration, Hoehn & Yahr staging or activities of daily living subscale of the Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale. There was a low but significant correlation of plasma sulfate levels with motor examination (r = -0.39, p < 0.05) and total score (r = -0.33, p < 0.05) of this scale in the PD group. These data suggest that plasma sulfate levels are apparently unrelated with the risk for PD.

Aged↗

Serum and urinary manganese levels in patients with Parkinson's disease.

To elucidate the possible role of manganese in the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared serum levels of manganese, and 24-h manganese excretion by urine in 29 PD patients and in 27 matched controls. We also measured chromium and cobalt in the same samples. All these values did not differ significantly between the groups, they were not influenced by antiparkinsonian drugs, and they did not correlate with age, age at onset and duration of the PD, scores of the Unified PD Rating Scale or the Hoehn & Yahr staging in the PD group. These results might suggest that serum levels and urinary excretion of manganese are apparently unrelated to the risk of developing PD.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Plasma levels of nitrates in patients with Parkinson's disease.

It has been suggested that nitric oxide (NO) could be implicated in the neuronal degeneration of substantia nigra compacta in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). To ascertain the possible role of NO as risk factor for PD, we studied the plasma levels of nitrate (oxidation product that provides an indirect estimation of NO), in 68 PD patients and 68 matched-controls. The plasma levels of nitrate did not differ significantly between PD patient and control groups (44.5 +/- 2.46 and 44.8 +/- 2.67 mumol/l, respectively). They were not influenced by antiparkinsonian drug and they did not correlate with age at onset, duration, scores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating scales and Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group. These data suggest that plasma levels of nitrate are apparently unrelated to the risk for PD.

Aged↗

Peripheral iron metabolism in patients with Parkinson's disease.

To elucidate the possible role of peripheral metabolism of iron in the risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared serum levels of iron, transferrin and ferritin, and 24-h iron excretion in urine after a single intramuscular dose of 1 mg/kg desferrioxamine, in 68 PD patients and their spouses as the control group. All these values did not differ significantly between the groups, they were not influenced by antiparkinsonian therapy, and they did not correlate with age, age at onset and duration of the disease, scores of the Unified PD Rating Scale or the Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group, with the exception of the 24-h urinary iron excretion with the duration of the disease (r = 0.32, p < 0.05). These results suggest that peripheral metabolism of iron is apparently unrelated to the risk of developing PD.

Aged↗

Parkinsonism unmasked by verapamil.

We report the case of a 55-year-old man who had a parkinsonian syndrome unresponsive to levodopa for 5 years and had been taking verapamil during the past 8 years. Parkinsonian signs improved markedly after withdrawal of verapamil, suggesting its role in unmasking the parkinsonism. To our knowledge, this side effect of verapamil has not been described previously.

Antiparkinson Agents↗