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Biomedical subjects

R Musolino

Publications and source records attributed to R Musolino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Complex partial status epilepticus simulating an ischemic insult: case report.

A patient presenting complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE) had a clinical history and neurological picture on admission that mimicked a cerebrovascular insult. On admission she was confused and totally unresponsive to verbal stimuli. EEG showed high voltage paroxysmal activity on the left hemisphere, prominent on the temporoccipital leads and tending to spread to the opposite regions. Intravenous diazepam led to resolution of the clinical and EEG picture within 24 hours, only a medium voltage slow wave focus being present on the left temporal regions. CPSE should be considered whenever a prolonged impairment of consciousness is present. Only accurate EEG recordings permit correct diagnosis in doubtful cases.

Brain Ischemia

Nocturnal complex partial seizures precipitated by REM sleep. A case report.

A 16-year-old patient presenting with complex partial seizures occurring in the transition from a REM period to wakefulness is described. His baseline EEG showed generalized and symmetrical slow spike and wave complexes, on a normal background activity, activated by NREM sleep. Polygraphic and videotape recordings, carried out for several nights, showed that after nearly each REM period, he would wake up briefly, presenting eye blinking followed by a burst of generalized hypersynchronous theta to start his seizures. These were characterized by moaning and autoaggressive behaviour, the ictal EEG showing generalized slow spike and wave complexes in the midst of several movement artifacts. At the end of each fit he fell back to REM sleep. Carbamazepine treatment completely resolved his symptoms, with full normalization of EEG activity.

Adolescent

Tuberculous meningitis: a retrospective survey of 22 cases.

Clinical and biological findings likely to constitute prognostic factors were analyzed in a retrospective survey of 22 cases of tuberculous meningitis. In particular, associations between clinical and biological findings (clinical grade on admission, normal and abnormal CSF protein and glucose values) and outcome of illness were sought. On admission 16 patients had altered consciousness, 11 hemiparesis and 7 sixth cranial nerve paresis. Meningeal signs were present in all subjects. 7 had a positive culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 9 patients recovered completely, 7 had serious late sequelae, 6 died. Prognosis appeared to be correlated to neurological status at admission.

Adolescent

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: an epidemiological study in the Province of Messina, Italy, 1976-1985.

An epidemiological investigation of 41 subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis observed in the Province of Messina during 1976-1985 was performed. The incidence was 0.61/100,000 and the prevalence 2.48/100,000 inhabitants. The illness was found to be prevalent in males. The atrophic type occurred in 17 subjects, the bulbar type in 23 cases and the pseudo-polyneuritic form in only one patient. The mean age on the onset was 57.29 +/- 10.55 years. The duration of the illness was significantly higher in patients with atrophic type (p less than 0.01). No significant difference between occupation and development of the disease was found. Among all patients 12.19% presented evidence of trauma, but traumatic events were equally present in a control group.

Age Factors

Pentylenetetrazol-induced spike wave discharges in rats: a polygraphic study.

14 male Wistar rats were studied, before and after pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) 20 mg/kg i.p., since a petit mal-like electroclinical pattern, either spontaneous or PTZ-induced was recently described in a breeding station where this strain is raised. In particular, surface EEG, muscular, respiratory and cardiac activities were recorded in order to detect possible clinical-electroencephalographic correlations. Spontaneous epileptic phenomena were never observed. In all the animals PTZ-induced short, usually generalized and synchronous spike wave discharges often concomitant with rhythmic twitches of the vibrissae. Epileptic bursts were related to arousal level, disappearing during motor behavior and arousing stimuli. Moreover individual discharges could be interrupted by a sudden noise. Photosensitivity was not present. Muscular tone and autonomic functions were not affected. The features of PTZ-induced generalized nonconvulsive seizures in rats are compared to those of cat penicillin epilepsy and human petit mal.

Animals

Occurrence of uraemic autonomic dysfunction in relation to age.

A battery of cardiovascular reflex tests were performed on 20 patients with chronic renal failure on intermittent haemodialysis, to assess occurrence of parasympathetic and sympathetic abnormalities. Using age-adjusted confidence limits, elderly uraemics showed more extensive parasympathetic and sympathetic dysfunction than middle-aged patients. The results suggest that the autonomic nervous system in the elderly is more susceptible to uraemic toxins than in the middle aged. This should lead to better preventive and therapeutic strategies for older uraemics.

Adult

Interictal EEG pattern in rabbit penicillin epilepsy.

The effects of Na-penicillin G (1,000,000 I.U./kg i.v.) were studied in 28 rabbits implanted with surface and deep electrodes in the medial (mT) and lateral (lT) nuclei of the thalamus and in the cornu Ammonis dorsalis (CAd). Attention was focused on interictal spike activity, cortical spindle activity and spikes-spindles relationship. A multifocal interictal EEG pattern, represented by cortical and thalamic spikes, was observed in 20 animals. A clear association between cortical spikes and spindles occurred almost constantly. Moreover a statistically significant increase in the average duration of spindles without changes in the average frequency was noticed. Seizure discharges had always a focal start and secondary generalization. The EEG features of parenteral penicillin epilepsy in the rabbit appeared to be more similar to those of the rat than to those of the cat. The spindle activity changes and the paroxysmal spike activity can be interpreted as two independent penicillin induced features appearing during raised cortical excitability periods.

Action Potentials

A case of Kufs disease with abnormal pallidonigral iron deposit.

The clinical, neuropathological and ultrastructural features of a case of Kufs disease (Meyer basal ganglia form) are reported. In the present case, besides the typical lesions of Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinosis, and increased iron reaction at pallidonigral level was detected histochemically. The significance of the last finding is discussed.

Adult

Cefazolin experimental epilepsy: the effects of diazepam on the interictal ECoG.

Diazepam i.v. injected at the dose of 5 mg/Kg on a group of 14 Rhode-Island-Red chicks was able to antagonize and prevent the interictal EEG pattern induced by cefazolin i.v. Since cefazolin epilepsy is most probably dependent on a receptorial antagonism with GABA, these data seem to confirm the GABA-ergic nature of cefazolin epilepsy.

Animals

[Phasic activity in rats].

At the central level, in the rat, phasic activity has been recorded during paradoxical sleep and in acute conditions after injection of reserpine or parachlorophenylalanine. At the external level, during paradoxical sleep, the extraocular muscles lateral rectus, superior rectus and superior oblique are activated in both plastic and tonic manners. The muscles of the whiskers are also activated; these muscular activations are more often than not synchronous with the eye movements (80%). The time distribution of these ocular movements is homogenous. Reserpine induces phasic muscular activations of the extraocular muscles.

Animals