Biomedical subjects
R Marttila
Publications and source records attributed to R Marttila.
[Infrequent causes of cerebral ischemic disease].
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Immunoglobulin G antibodies to herpes simplex type 1 virus detected by radioimmunoassay in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with schizophrenia.
Serum and CSF specimens from 16 schizophrenic patients and 18 nonpsychiatric controls were tested by radioimmunoassay for immunoglobulin G antibody of capsid, envelope and excreted antigens of herpes simplex type 1 virus. There were no significant differences in the antibody levels between the schizophrenic patients and the controls. The etiological role of viruses and virus-like agents in schizophrenia and some methodological aspects are discussed.
Brain dopamine receptor stimulation and the relief of Parkinsonism: relationship between bromocriptine and levodopa.
The relationship between dopamine receptor stimulation by bromocriptine or levodopa and the relief of parkinsonism was studied in 24 patients with Parkinson disease. Bromocriptine, 30 mg daily for 20 weeks, elicited an improvement in the parkinsonian clinical features, but this was less than the subsequent improvement with levodopa and benserazide, 800 mg and 200 mg daily, respectively. There was a negative correlation between the pretreatment severity of the disease or changes in cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid (HVA) and improvement in parkinsonian disability during bromocriptine treatment. Futhermore, it was found that clinical improvement and HVA responses in the cerebrospinal fluid after dopamine receptor stimulation by bromocriptine may predict the clinical response to levodopa.
Cephalic motor responses in brain death.
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Brain dopamine turnover and the relief of parkinsonism.
The relationship between dopamine receptor activation and the relief of parkinsonian clinical features was studied in 40 patients with Parkinson's disease. Treatment with dopamine receptor agonists, piribedil or bromocriptine, decreased significantly both the basal level and probenecid-induced accumulations of homovanillic acid (HVA) in the CSF. But there were no changes in the concentrations of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). Correlation analyses showed that patients who improved with both the dopamine agonists used had significantly lower probenecid response of HVA in the CSF and a less severe disease condition than those without beneficial effect. This relationship between dopamine receptor activation and improvement of parkinsonian disability suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of dopamine receptor agonists depends on the functional capacity of brain dopaminergic mechanisms.
Brain dopamine turnover and the relief of parkinsonism.
Levodopa alone or combined with a decarboxylase inhibitor elevated the concentration of homovanillic acid (HVA) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This increase correlated significantly with the dose of the drug but not with the clinical improvement, although some correlations with clinical side effects were evident. Nevertheless, the concentrations of HVA in the CSF during combined treatment were considerably lower than with therapeutically equivalent doses of levodopa alone. Obviously, a part of the HVA found in the CSF during levodopa treatment originates from the capillary walls. Treatment with dopamine receptor agonists, Piribedil or Bromocriptine decreased significantly both the basal level and probenecid- induced accumulations of HVA and CSF. But there were no changes in concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). Correlation analyses showed that patients who improved with both dopamine agonists used had significantly lower probenecid response of HVA in the CSF and less severe disease than those without beneficial effect. This relationship between dopamine receptor activation and improvement of parkinsonian disability suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of dopamine receptor agonists depends on the functional capacity of brain dopaminergic mechanisms.
[Latency of herpes simplex virus].
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[Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The 1st cases diagnosed in Finland].
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[Essential tremor].
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[Differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease].
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Levodopa alone and in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor benserazide (Madopar) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: A controlled clinical trial.
A combination of levodopa and the extracerebrally acting decarboxylase inhibitor benserazide (ratio 4:1) (Madopar), was compared with levodopa alone in a controlled double-blind clinical multicenter trial on 94 patients with Parkinson's disease. During 4 months of therapy levodopa + benserazide proved superior to levodopa on several accounts. Nausea and vomiting occurred with statistically significant less severity and frequency. Clinical improvement expressed through improvement in Webster rating occurred sooner and was all together greater. The treatment schedules did not differ with regard to other side effects, in particular involuntary movements and reduction in supine blood pressure. Neither treatment seemed to influence liver function, renal function and hematological parameters.
Dopaminergic agonist effects on Parkinsonian clinical features and brain monamine metabolism.
The effect of a new dopaminergic agonist, piribedil, was studied in 16 patients with Parkinson's disease and compared with placebo and L-DOPA. Piribedil appeared to have a moderate therapeutic effect that was significantly less than that of L-DOPA. Tremor appeared to be the main clinical feature to benefit. Nausea, vomiting, and somnolence were most frequent during the buildup of treatment and confusion and hallucinations during long-term treatment. Piribedil caused a significant decrease in probenecid-induced accumulation of HVA in the CSF, suggesting reduced turnover of endogenous dopamine in the brain. There was a significant relationship between dopamine receptor activation by piribedil and improvement of parkinsonian disability.