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Biomedical subjects

R Sandyk

Publications and source records attributed to R Sandyk.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Reversal of micrographia in Parkinson's disease by application of picoTesla range magnetic fields.

Micrographia, a common and often early sign of Parkinson's disease (PD), is a sensitive clinical marker of the severity of bradykinesia and rigidity in the disease. As micrographia may be reversed by treatment with dopaminergic drugs and may emerge during therapy with neuroleptic agents, it is thought to reflect striatal dopaminergic deficiency. It has been reported recently that external application of picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) produced a dramatic improvement in the motor symptoms of PD suggesting that these weak MF enhance striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. In the present communication, we present a 61 year old patient with PD in whom picoTesla range MF attenuated the severity of bradykinesia and rigidity, improved postural stability, and rapidly reversed the micrographia within 30 minutes after termination of treatment. In contrast, sham (placebo) MF did not influence the severity of the motor symptoms of the disease or the associated micrographia. This report demonstrates the antiParkinsonian effect of picoTesla range MF and highlights the unique efficacy of these weak MF in the therapy of Parkinsonism.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed1994

Further observations on the effects of external picoTesla range magnetic fields on visual memory and visuospatial functions in multiple sclerosis.

The occurrence of cognitive deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been recognized since 1877 when Charcot first observed "enfeeblement of memory" in his patients and subsequently Gowers (1893) described "failure of memory." The presence of cognitive deficits in MS may be a major cause of disability which is often severe enough to preclude employment. Impairment of memory including visual memory is one of the most common features of the dementia of MS and may be evident in early stages of the disease. Disturbances of visuospatial and visuomotor functions are also commonly encountered in MS patients reflecting the multiplicity of lesion sites in the disease. Recently, I have reported that treatment with magnetic fields (MF) in the picoTesla range is an efficacious modality in the management of MS and have demonstrated improvement in visuospatial functions with this treatment modality. In the present communication I present four additional patients with MS in whom application of these extremely weak MF produced an improvement in visual memory as well as visuospatial and visuomotor functions. The data presented demonstrate the unique efficacy of this treatment modality in reversing some of the cognitive deficits associated with MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Rapid normalization of visual evoked potentials by picoTesla range magnetic fields in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis.

This communication concerns a 55 year old woman with a 5 year history of chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in whom a single external application of extremely low magnetic fields (MF) (7.5 picoTesla; 5 Hz frequency) of 20 minutes duration resulted in a rapid improvement in symptoms including vision, cerebellar symptomatology (ataxia and dysarthria), bladder functions, mood, sleep, cognitive functions and fatigue. Improvement in the patient's symptoms was associated with normalization of the pretreatment abnormal visual evoked potential (VEP) latencies within 24 hours after magnetic treatment. The rapid normalization of the VEP latencies suggests that recovery did not occur as a result of remyelination but probably was related to enhancement of neurotransmitter functions. MF have been shown to alter cellular calcium metabolism which may facilitate axonal conduction in demyelinating plaques. Furthermore, as MF affects the release of the pineal gland's principal hormone, melatonin, which influences the release of monoamines, it is also hypothesized that the effects of picoTesla MF in MS are partly mediated by the pineal gland which has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of MS (Sandyk, 1992 a).

Brain↗
PubMed1994

Improvement by picoTesla range magnetic fields of perceptual-motor performance and visual memory in a patient with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis.

The occurrence of cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS) has been recognized since 1877 when Charcot first observed "enfeeblement of memory." It is now recognized that visuoperceptive and visuomotor deficits commonly occur in MS patients particularly in those with a chronic progressive course of the disease. Using various drawing tests as markers of constructional performance, we reported recently that treatment with picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) rapidly improved visuoperceptive and constructional abilities in patients with MS. We now report a 58 year old man with a 37 year history of chronic progressive MS in whom external application of MF in the picoTesla range produced rapid improvement of neurologic symptoms including walking, balance, sensory symptoms, and bladder functions. The patient's recovery was associated with a significant improvement in perceptual-motor functions as demonstrated on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure and the Trail Making tests. Specifically, the patient demonstrated a 41% improvement over pretest values on copying the Complex figure and a 72% improvement in recall of the figure immediately after MF treatment. A further 4% improvement on copying the figure and a 27% improvement on recall was demonstrated 24 hours later. On the Trail Making test the patient demonstrated an overall improvement of 39% in Part A of the test and a 24% improvement in Part B of the test 24 hours after application of MF. These findings confirm the beneficial effects of picoTesla range MF in the treatment of MS and demonstrate the unique efficacy of this treatment modality in improving some of the cognitive deficits of the disease.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1994

Naltrexone attenuates the antiparkinsonian effects of picoTesla range magnetic fields.

Extracranial treatment with magnetic fields (MF) in the picoTesla range has been shown an efficacious treatment modality in the management of Parkinsonism. The mechanisms by which such extremely weak MF improve Parkinsonian symptoms are unknown. As the pineal gland has been shown to function as a "magnetosensor" and since exposure to various intensities of MF disrupts melatonin secretion, it has been proposed that the beneficial effects of MF in Parkinsonism are partly mediated through the actions of pineal melatonin. Animal studies indicate that externally applied MF also influence the activity of the opioid peptides which have been implicated in a broad range of pathological conditions including Parkinsonism. To explore whether the beneficial effects of MF in Parkinsonism involve the mediation of the opioid systems and following informed consent, we administered the opiate receptor antagonist naltrexone (50 mg, P.O.) to a Parkinsonian patient after he showed improvement of symptoms with application of MF. Results of the trial showed that naltrexone partially reversed the antiparkinsonian effects of MF thus suggesting that opioid peptides are involved in mediating the clinical effects of these extremely weak MF in Parkinsonism. These results also suggest that intact opioid systems may be required for a full expression of the antiparkinsonian effect of picoTesla range MF.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Improvement in word-fluency performance in patients with multiple sclerosis by electromagnetic fields.

Impairment of cognitive functions is well recognized in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), especially those with a chronic progressive course. In fact, MS has been considered a type of "subcortical dementia" in which cognitive and behavioral abnormalities resemble those observed in patients with frontal lobe syndrome. Patients with frontal lobe syndrome are known to exhibit diverse cognitive and behavioral abnormalities which include, among others, diminished spontaneity of speech with difficulties producing appropriate words and phrases. It has been reported recently that extracranial application of extremely weak electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the picotesla range produced improvement in motor and cognitive functions in patients with MS. The present report concerns three women with MS (mean age: 44.3 +/- 8.5 yrs; mean duration of illness: 18.3 +/- 3.5 yrs), two with chronic progressive course and the third with a relapsing-remitting course in whom the Thurstone Word-Fluency Test, a reputed test of frontal lobe function, was administered prior to and following a series of 4 to 5 treatment sessions with EMF. Prior to the initiation of treatment with EMF all patients demonstrated word fluency performance which was well below age and sex-matched normal controls of similar level of education (mean output of MS patients was 42.6 +/- 1.1 words vs. 79.0 +/- 6.2 words of the controls). A series of treatments with EMF produced a 100% increase in word output within a short period of time (mean: 83.3 +/- 14.0 words). These findings suggest that this treatment modality improves frontal lobe functions in patients with MS and corroborate previous reports indicating beneficial effects of EMF on cognitive functions in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A drug naive parkinsonian patient successfully treated with weak electromagnetic fields.

Brief cerebral application of picotesla (pT) electromagnetic fields (EMF) has been demonstrated an efficacious, revolutionary treatment modality for the therapy of Parkinson's disease (PD) with clinical benefits being evident in all motor aspects of the disease as well as in nonmotor symptoms such as mood, sleep, pain, sexual dysfunction, autonomic regulation and cognitive functions. Since treatment with pT EMF has involved PD patients who were treated with dopaminergic agents at the time they received EMF there may have been a synergistic interaction between dopaminergic drugs and EMF. The present communication concerns a 49-year-old male Parkinsonian patient with stage 3 disability on the Hoehn and Yahr scale (1967) who, in response to brief extracranial applications of pT EMF, demonstrated a marked improvement in motor, depressive symptomatology and cognitive functions and was classified as stage 1 several weeks later. This case is remarkable in that the patient did not receive treatment with dopaminergic drugs prior to or during the course of EMF therapy. It suggests that (a) pT range EMF may be efficacious as a monotherapy for PD and should be considered also as a treatment modality for de novo diagnosed patients, and (b) application of these EMF improves Parkinsonism by a mechanism which involves, among others, augmentation of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission.

Affect↗
PubMed1994

Reversal of visuospatial hemi-inattention in patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis by treatment with weak electromagnetic fields.

The occurrence of cognitive impairment including visuoperceptive and visuospatial deficits have long been recognized to occur in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) particularly among patients with a chronic progressive course. In MS visuospatial and visuoperceptive deficits have been attributed to the presence of diffuse demyelinating plaques which "disconnect" the brainstem reticular formation and other subcortical structures involved in attention and arousal from cortical areas thus causing a state of hypoarousal. It has been reported recently that brief external applications of alternating pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the picotesla (pT) range intensity improved visuoperceptive and visuospatial functions in MS patients. The present communication concerns three female patients with chronic progressive course of MS (mean age: 52.3 +/- 2.0 yrs; mean duration of illness: 17.6 +/- 10.2 yrs) who, on tests of free drawings, demonstrated visuospatial hemi-inattention as a feature of more global cognitive deterioration. In all patients brief applications of EMFs rapidly reversed this cognitive deficit. These findings support prior observations demonstrating that pT EMFs may bring about reversal of certain cognitive deficits in MS patients which, to my knowledge, remain unaffected by any other treatment modality.

Attention↗
PubMed1994

Weak electromagnetic fields attenuate tremor in multiple sclerosis.

It has been estimated that about 75% of patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) have tremor which can be exceedingly disabling. The most common tremor observed in patients with MS is a cerebellar intention tremor ('kinetic tremor') although postural tremor ('static tremor') is also common and often extremely incapacitating. Currently there is no effective medical treatment for the tremor of MS which, in some severe cases, may be abolished by stereotactic thalamotomy. It was reported recently that extracranial application of brief AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the picotesla (pT) range produced improvement in motor and cognitive functions in patients with MS. The present communication concerns three MS patients with a chronic progressive course of the disease (mean age: 39.3 +/- 8.3 years; mean duration of illness: 11.3 +/- 3.2 years) in whom brief external applications of pulsed EMFs of 7.5 pT intensity reduced intention and postural tremors resulting in significant functional improvement. The report suggests that these extremely low intensity EMFs are beneficial also in the treatment of tremors in MS and that this treatment may serve as an alternative method to stereotactic thalamotomy in the management of tremor in MS. The mechanisms by which EMFs attenuate the tremors of MS are complex and are thought to involve augmentation of GABA and serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission in the cerebellum and its outflow tracts.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Paroxysmal itching in multiple sclerosis during treatment with external magnetic fields.

Paroxysmal attacks of itching constitute a rare sensory symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). It is generally thought that paroxysmal itching, a form of subthreshold pain sensation, is caused by transversely spreading ephaptic activation (i.e., activation via an artificial synapse) of axons within a partially demyelinated lesion in fiber tracts in the CNS, most commonly in the spinal cord. In MS, attacks of paroxysmal itching have been reported to occur either as the initial symptom of the disease or at the onset of an acute relapse. I present two female MS patients aged 36 and 40 years in whom paroxysmal itching was a prominent sensory symptom which occurred at the onset of treatment with external picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) and coincident with the process of neurologic recovery. This report suggests that picoTesla range MF may cause activation of neuronal transmission along partially demyelinated axons of pain conduction in the spinal cord. The occurrence of rapid neurologic recovery with initiation of treatment with MF supports the notion that impaired synaptic conductivity rather than demyelination underlies some of the neurologic deficits of MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Successful treatment of respiratory dyskinesia with picoTesla range magnetic fields.

Respiratory dyskinesia, a syndrome characterized by an irregular respiratory rate, tachypnea, and grunting, is a serious complication of chronic neuroleptic therapy. It frequently occurs in elderly women and is commonly associated with clinical features of Tardive dyskinesia (TD). Respiratory dyskinesia initially was considered to be a rare complication of chronic neuroleptic treatment, but more recent reports indicate that respiratory abnormalities are common in patients treated with antipsychotic medications. The appropriate management of patients with respiratory dyskinesia has not been determined as the underlying pathophysiology is incompletely understood. We present a schizophrenic patient on long term antipsychotic therapy who presented with respiratory dyskinesia associated with symptoms of TD and tardive Tourette's syndrome which emerged coincident with an abrupt withdrawal of neuroleptic therapy. In this patient, external application of picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF) produced rapid attenuation in the severity of respiratory and motor dyskinesias. As the pineal gland is considered a magnetosensor and since exposure of experimental animals and humans to external MF alters melatonin secretion, we then propose that the beneficial effects of MF involve the mediation of the pineal gland which has been implicated previously in the pathophysiology of drug-induced movement disorders including TD.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Reversal of a visuoconstructional deficit in Parkinson's disease by application of external magnetic fields: a report of five cases.

Visuoperceptive and visuomotor deficits are among the most frequently encountered abnormalities in neuropsychological testing of patients with Parkinson's disease, being present in up to 90% of cases. Clinically, the presence of visuoperceptive and visuomotor impairment may not be noted by Parkinsonian patients but may contribute to various functional disabilities including difficulties operating a vehicle, ambulating, and dressing. The present communication concerns five medicated Parkinsonian patients who responded to extracranial treatment with magnetic fields in the picotesia range intensity with improvement in motor, behavioral, and autonomic functions as well as visuoconstructional tasks as demonstrated on the Bicycle Drawing test. Specifically, prior to treatment with magnetic fields these patients failed to draw the spokes in the wheels of a bicycle that extended completely to the periphery of the rim. I considered this observation to reflect a specific visuoconstructional deficit inherent to the Parkinsonian disease process. This visuoconstructional impairment was reversed, however, by external applications of magnetic fields. The report supports prior observations demonstrating that picotesla range intensity magnetic fields may bring about reversal of specific cognitive deficits in Parkinsonian patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Relationship of nocturnal melatonin levels to duration and course of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common of the demyelinating diseases of the CNS. The clinical course and prognosis of the disease are variable. Characteristically, the illness tends to progress in a series of relapses and remissions. Over the years there is a tendency for the patient to enter a phase of slow and steady deterioration of neurologic function. In about 10%-20% of patients, the course of the disease is not punctuated by a fluctuating course, but rather by an inexorable progression from the onset. The pineal gland has been implicated recently in the pathogenesis and clinical course of MS. Since MS is generally a chronic progressive disorder, we predicted an association between duration of illness and the activity of the pineal gland. To investigate this hypothesis further, we studied nocturnal plasma melatonin levels in relation to duration of illness in a cohort of 32 MS patients (4 men, 28 women; mean age: 41.1 years; SD = 11.1; mean duration of illness: 13.1 years; SD = 12.4) randomly selected from consecutive hospital admissions to a Neurology service for exacerbation of symptoms. For the purpose of comparison, we also studied in the sample serum prolactin levels. The cohort included 7 patients in whom the duration of illness since onset of first neurological symptoms was < or = 5 years (mean: 3.0 years +/- 1.1) and a cohort of 25 patients in whom the duration of illness was > 5 years (mean: 15.6 years +/- 12.7).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The effects of picoTesla range magnetic fields on perceptual organization and visual memory in parkinsonism.

Drawing tasks, both free and copied, have achieved a central position in the neuropsychological evaluation of constructional abilities in brain injured patients. The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test was devised in early 1940s as a tool to investigate perceptual organization and visual memory. The Bicycle Drawing Test is used as a measure of mechanical reasoning as well as visuographic functioning. Recent reports have demonstrated that extracranial treatment with magnetic fields (MF) in the picoTesla range improves constructional abilities including visuoperceptive functions in Parkinsonian patients. To evaluate further the effects of these extremely weak MF on cognitive functions in Parkinsonism, I investigated in a 69 year old fully medicated Parkinsonian patient the influence of a single, extracranial application of MF on the patient's performance on the Complex Figure (copy and recall) as well as the Bicycle Drawing Test. Results of the trial showed that a 30 minute application of MF produced a dramatic improvement in the patient's ability to copy and recall the Complex Figure. This treatment was also associated with a marked improvement in the performance of bicycle drawing with reversal of the Parkinsonian micrographia. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that this treatment modality may reverse some of the cognitive impairments associated with Parkinsonism which usually are not improved by treatment with dopaminergic or anticholinergic medications.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Reversal of visual neglect in Parkinson's disease by treatment with picoTesla range magnetic fields.

Visual neglect and impairment in perceptual motor or visuospatial tasks are among the most frequently encountered abnormalities in neuropsychological testing of patients with Parkinson's disease, being present in up to 90% of patients. It has been proposed that neglect reflects an attentional-arousal deficit induced by lesions that interrupt a cortical-limbic-reticular loop. Recently, we have reported that application of extracranial magnetic fields (MF) in the picoTesla range was efficacious in reducing the severity of the motor disability of Parkinsonism as well as improving some of the cognitive abnormalities associated with the disease such as visuoperceptive deficits. We now present a 61 year old fully medicated Parkinsonian patient in whom rapid reversal of left visual neglect as well as improvement in visuoconstructional (drawing) performance was noted immediately after a single external application of MF. We propose that this effect was related to enhancement of directed attention through a mechanism involving an interaction between the pineal gland, which is considered a "magnetosensor," and the reticular formation which mediates arousal and attention. This report demonstrates the efficacy of extremely weak MF in reversing some of the cognitive abnormalities in Parkinsonism, notably neglect and visuoperceptive deficits, which contribute significantly to impairment of the patient's daily living activities.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

Multiple sclerosis: the role of the pineal gland in its timing of onset and risk of psychiatric illness.

The incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) is age-dependent being rare prior to age 10, unusual prior to age 15, with a peak in the mid 20s. It has been suggested, therefore, that the clinical manifestation of MS is dependent upon having passed the pubertal period. Since pineal melatonin secretion declines from childhood to puberty and as melatonin is an immunomodulator, we have proposed that the dramatic decline in melatonin secretion just prior to the onset of the physical manifestations of puberty may disrupt immune responses resulting in either reactivation of the infective agent or in an increased susceptibility to post-pubertal infection. The fall in melatonin secretion during pre-puberty may also increase the susceptibility of these patients to affective disorder which is associated with lower melatonin secretion and the presence of a phase-advance of their biological rhythms. We predicted, therefore, a higher incidence of affective disorder in patients with pubertal or post-pubertal onset of MS compared to those in whom the disease manifested later. To test this hypothesis, we studied the incidence of affective disorder in relation to age of onset of first neurological symptoms in 31 MS patients, 6 of whom manifested symptoms of MS prior to age 18 (mean = 16.8 years). All patients with pubertal onset MS and only 48% of the control group had an affective disorder. The pubertal onset patients also had a significantly lower nocturnal melatonin levels and a lower incidence of pineal calcification on CT scan. These findings thus support the hypothesis implicating the pineal gland in the timing of onset of MS and in the risk for the development of affective disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Aggressive behavior in schizophrenia: relationship to age of onset and cortical atrophy.

Aggressive behavior is a common feature of schizophrenia and is associated with the presence of 'soft' neurological signs. Since early age of onset of schizophrenia has been found to be associated with the negative syndrome, which according to Crow (1982) is related to structural brain abnormalities, I predicted that early age of onset may be a biological risk factor for aggressive behavior in the disease. To test this hypothesis, I investigated in 52 chronic institutionalized schizophrenic patients (mean age = 32.8 years; SD = 8.0), the association between age of onset of the disease and the severity of belligerent behavior. The age of onset was judged from the patient's histories as the age at which florid symptoms first emerged. Patients with early onset schizophrenia had a significantly higher belligerent score compared to those with later-onset schizophrenia (p < .05). These findings support the hypothesis of an association between early age of onset of schizophrenia and the risk of aggressive behavior and suggest, furthermore, that schizophrenic symptoms which emerge early may predict a higher risk of aggressive behavior. Furthermore, this study suggest that the neurochemical mechanisms which underlie the early emergence of symptoms may also predispose to aggressive behavior in schizophrenia. Specifically, since aggressive behavior has been linked to impairment of serotonergic (5-HT) functions, I propose that the timing of onset of schizophrenia may be partly associated with dysregulation of the 5-HT system. In a second study, I investigated whether schizophrenic patients with aggressive (suicide) behavior are characterized by more extensive brain damage and hence greater degree of cerebral atrophy on CT scan. The study, which involved 26 schizophrenic patients (mean age: 31.3 years; SD = 6.8), revealed that patients with aggressive behavior had a significantly greater degree of parieto-occipital atrophy on CT scan (p < .05). In contrast, ventricular size and prefrontal cortical atrophy did not distinguish aggressive from nonaggressive patients. These findings suggest that cortical atrophy may be a neuroradiological marker of aggressive behavior in schizophrenia.

Adult↗