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Biomedical subjects

V Meininger

Publications and source records attributed to V Meininger.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

[L-Methionine treatment of Parkinson's disease: preliminary results].

Eleven patients with previously untreated Parkinson's disease were treated with L-Methionine for periods from 2 weeks to 6 months. The treatment was well supported and good improvement in clinical signs, particularly akinesia and rigidity, appeared within approximately three weeks, the effect on tremor being less marked. Therapeutic effects were similar to those observed with L-dopa treatment. Correlation of clinical effects with a marked increase in the number of 3H-Spiroperidol binding sites (Bmax) to lymphocytes was noted. This therapeutic effect suggests the role played by modifications of membrane fluidity on dopaminergic receptors, both lymphocytic and striatal, in the etiology of Parkinson's disease, and opens up new therapeutic possibilities in this disease.

Aged↗

Postnatal modifications of the dendritic tree of cells in the inferior colliculus of the cat. A quantitative Golgi analysis.

Postnatal modifications of dendrites have been quantitatively studied by network analysis of the dendritic tree in the two central nuclei of the inferior colliculus in the cat. This analysis revealed cells with two types of branching patterns suggesting two different modes of growth. The predominant pattern is characterized by dichotomous branching on random segments (DR cells). However, a purely collateral branching pattern is particular to certain cells (CB cells). These two branching patterns were found in both nuclei of the IC in adult and young cats, but the exact significance of these two cell types remains unclear. The dendritic trees of cells in kittens differed from those of the adult cat. Also, the types of modification were different in the two functionally distinct nuclei of the inferior colliculus that we studied. The most dramatic modifications were observed in the dendritic tree of DR cells in the central nucleus, which receives fibers from the auditory nuclei in the brainstem. Two parameters were modified: the mean number of terminal segments and the mean total length of segments. Both parameters increased in the sagittal plane and decreased in the frontal plane. These modifications indicate a reorientation of the dendritic tree in the sagittal plane, along the incoming axons from the auditory nuclei. As these afferents become functionally mature only after birth, this spatial remodeling of the dendrites seems closely related to functional maturation of secondary auditory axons. In the dorsomedial nucleus that receives fibers from the auditory cortices, the dendritic tree of DR cells also undergoes spatial reorientation. This is more evident in the horizontal plane and with respect to the incoming axons. Our results suggest that the characteristic orientation of the dendritic tree of cells observed in the inferior colliculus of the adult cat is established only after the first postnatal weeks. This orientation seems to result from an active process of remodeling concomitant with the functional maturation of afferents, a fact already established for various cell types in the nervous system.

Afferent Pathways↗

[Dopaminergic receptors on lymphocytes in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (author's transl)].

(3H) spiroperidol binding has been measured in lymphocytes from patients with Parkinson's disease and age matched healthy volunteers. A dramatic decrease (73 p. 100) in the number of binding sites Bmax without any variation of the affinity KD has been observed in untreated Parkinsonian patients. This decrease in Bmax is linearly correlated with the degree of disability of the Parkinsonian patients (r = 0.891, p less than 0.001). This decrease appeared to be relatively selective since no variation was observed with patients suffering of other neurological disorders. The possible relationships with the number of striatal dopamine receptors are discussed. With levodopa therapy, Bmax had the same mean value as in control subjects. This result means that levodopa induces an increase in lymphocyte binding sites and in five patients this increase could be observed by study before and during drug administration. In some severely disabled patients who had received levodopa for several years, Bmax was found much lower or higher than the mean value, which may suggest different interpretations of drug unefficiency.

Adult↗

[Organization of pectoral muscle motor neurons in the rat. Contribution to the study of the axillary arch (Achselbogen)].

In spite of their role of the forelimb activity, the organization of the mammalian pectoral muscles remains unclear. In order to get more information, we have studied, qualitatively and quantitatively, the motor pools of the various pectoral muscles in the rat (musculus pectoralis major, musculus pectoralis minor and musculus panniculus carnosus). The method applied was the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase by the peripheral nerves supplying the various muscles. The results provided the precise localization within the ventral horn of the motor neurons from the pectoral muscles which were all in the most ventral part of the gray matter. Three distinct motor pools were observed, which confirms the functional identity of each muscle. The motor neurons of m. panniculus carnosus exhibited some particularities. They were 4 times more numerous than those from m. pectoralis major, they occupied the whole ventral edge of the ventral horn, from its medial part to its lateral tip. The cell size was different from that of the other muscles. These results were discussed, according to the role of this muscle, which links the forelimb to the whole trunk. In mammals, m. panniculus carnosus constitutes, with musculus latissimus dorsi, the axillary arch (Achselbogen). A small area of overlapping between the motor pools of these two muscles was observed. It was suggested that the muscular fibers from the axillary arch were innervated by the same, well-defined spinal area, independent of the muscle from which they originate.

Animals↗

[Neuropathological study of adult intracranial hemorrhage. III. Analysis of 107 meningeal hemorrhages due to rupture of arterial aneurysms].

The findings in 107 pathological studies of meningeal hemorrhages due to rupture of arterial saccular aneurysms are reported. There were 62 women (58 p. 100) and 45 men (42 p. 100). Mean age was 56, lower in men (53) than in women (58). 45 aneurysms of the Anterior Communicating Artery, 26 of the Middle Cerebral Artery, 15 of the Internal Carotid Artery, 10 of the Anterior Cerebral Artery, 1 of the Anterior Choroidal Artery and 10 of the Posterior System were studied. These ruptured aneurysms were compared to 31 non ruptured ones. Mean size of the ruptured aneurysms was 10, 62 mm, not statistically different from that of non ruptured aneurysms (9, 05 mm). Multiple aneurysms represent 10 p. 100 of the whole ruptured aneurysms population. They affected mostly the Middle Cerebral Artery. High blood pressure had been present in 56/107 cases of ruptured aneurysms (52 p. 100). The prevalence of high blood pressure in patients with ruptured aneurysms (men: 60 p. 100 between 35 and 49, 63 p. 100 between 50 and 64; women: 31 p. 100 between 35 and 49, 54 p. 100 between 50 and 64) was statistically higher than in the same age and sex ranges of the general French population. The other causes of bleeding were rare: 4 liver cirrhosis (2 of the patients were also hypertensive) and 5 anticoagulant therapies (2 of which were also associated with high blood pressure). Intracerebral hematomas were found in 43 cases (40 p. 100): 39 lobar, more frequent in the frontal (26) than in the temporal (13) lobes, due mainly to Anterior Communicating Artery and Anterior Cerebral Artery aneurysms; very few were in the basal ganglia (3) or brainstem (I). Intraventricular hemorrhage was found in 39 cases (36 p. 100). Forty (37 p. 100) cerebral infarcts had occurred. They were located in the territory of the same artery in 20 cases (19 p. 100), in a different territory in 11 cases (10 p. 100), in both in 9 cases (8. p. 100).

Adult↗

[Neuropathological study of adult intracranial hemorrhage. General data in 500 cases].

The systematic pathological study of 500 patients with intracranial hemorrhages (ICH) [341 (68 P. 100) CEREBRAL HEMORRHAGES (C.H.); 119 (24 p. 100) meningeal hemorrhages (M.H.); 39 (7,8 p. 100) subdural hematomas (S.H.) and, at last, one extradural hematoma] has been practiced. Those cases were issued primarily from neurological and, at a lesser degree, from neurosurgical departments. Etiological data, complications, associated findings and causes of death have been analysed. High blood pressure is the main etiological factor in C.H. This is confirmed by the statistical comparison between the incidence of this factor in our material and in the whole French population. However, nearly 50 p. 100 of ICH occuring in normotensive patients are C.H. The incidence of cirrhosis is much higher in our study than in other reports from the literature. The frequently associated high blood pressure does not seem to enhance the incidence of CH in patients with liver cirrhosis. Although this last factor can be found alone, its real etiological importance in CH cannot be assessed on account of the lack of data concerning the incidence of liver cirrhosis in the French population. The incidence of anticoagulant therapy is high in S.H. On the contrary, this factor does not seem to enhance the risk of high blood pressure induced C.H. The traumatic etiology of S.H. is significantly higher than the anticoagulant therapy etiology which, however, is very high in our study.

Adult↗

[Contribution to anatomical and clinical studies of avoidance phenomena (author's transl)].

The authors report 5 cases of avoiding phenomenon of the hand from parietal lesions. Four of these patients were operated for intractable epilepsy, from a parietal cortectomy that implicated a certain amount of white matter. The avoiding phenomena observed are analyzed as elementary motor perturbations rather than a disturbance of motor comportment. The authors distinguish two types of avoiding phenomena: 1--Avoiding phenomenon of dystonic type occurs during any motor activity and persists during all its development. It is probably related to the removal of the cortex of the post-central gyrus and of the anterior part of the superior parietal lobule; 2--The initial avoiding phenomenon is brief and occurs only at the beginning of the movements which implicate solely the upper limb; it seems related to the removal of the internal part of the superior parietal lobule that corresponds approximately to areas 5 and 7 from Brodmann. Some hypotheses are discussed concerning the possible physio-pathological mechanisms of these disturbances.

Adolescent↗

[Motoneural organisation of the anterior horn with respect to the peripheral nerves in the rat (as studied by the method of retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase)(author's transl)].

The motoneuronal organisation of the anterior horn with respect to the peripheral nerves, is still imprecise due to methodological problems. The chromatolytic and Golgi methods have furnished some fruitful but incomplete data. The retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase permits to obtain both the topography of cells and their dendritic tree. With such a method we studied the cervical enlargment of the rat's spinal cord. Each nerve is in relation with a column of motoneurons whose both the metameric extension and the exact topography in the anterior horn have been defined. An histogram of the cell volumes has been performed for some nerves. These data permit to discuss the possible significance of the topographical separation of the cells related to the girdle with those in relation with the distal part of the upper limb. The histogram shows that the small cells, claimed to be gamma motoneurons, are much more numerous than generally supposed. The significance of the dendritic tree, which seemed oriented selectively in the cranio-caudal axis, is discussed.

Animals↗

[Dendroarchitectonic study of the neurons of the corpus quadrigeminum superius in man].

Two different functional zones may be described in the superior colliculus. The superficial layers receive retinal and cortical fibers, the deep layers are a multimodal center and are implied in the oculo-motor control mechanisms. The aim of the present study has been to use network analysis in order to quantify the cell types of the deep layers of the superior colliculus in Man. 50 Golgi impregnated cell have been drawn in the three plans of space. Topological analysis permits to emphasize the existence of two different cell types: collaterally-branched cells or CB cells, and dichotomously-branched cells or DR cells. Quantitative analysis of the dendritic arcs has shown the spatial orientation of the dendritic tree. The proximal dendrites of DR cells are in the horizontal plane, the terminal dendrites are in the vertico-frontal plane. This difference seems to be due to different functional afferences.

Aged↗

[Intramedullary topography of the motor neurons of the brachial plexus of the rat. Preliminary study].

The exact localisation of the motor pools of anterior horn providing the different nerves of the brachial plexus remains unclear. The data obtained have been furnished by different methods: Nissl methods furnish cytoarchitectonic data -- Golgi methods furnish dendro-architectonic data. The topographical data were obtained by the chromatolytic modifications of the moto-neurons after a peripheral nerve injury. The recently used method of the retrograde transport of HRP permits to get information about the exact localisation and the dendritic extent of the neurons of a motor pool related to a particular nerve. We have studied the localisation of the nerves of the brachial plexus in the cervical enlargement of the spinal cord. We have determined the exact extent of the different motor pools in relation to each nerve. It seems that two different regions may be recognized in the anterior horn: a ventro lateral one in relation with the girdle muscles and a dorso lateral region related with the more distal muscles of the anterior limb.

Animals↗

Bilateral tactile aphasia: a tacto-verbal dysfunction.

Bilateral tactile aphasia was exhibited by a patient who was operated upon for a left parieto-occipital haematoma. Neuropsychological investigation established the following points: (1) the patient, in whom no expressive or receptive dysphasia could be found, misnamed objects when they were presented to him tactually, whereas he almost always gave the correct name when they were presented visually or auditorily; (2) the naming disturbance was identical when the object was presented to the left hand or to the right hand; (3) not only did the patient have no sensory deficit, but he could give unquestionable proof of correct tactile identification by using the objects presented to him tactually; (4) the defect appeared in the verbo-tactile as well as in the tacto-verbal direction; (5) it was not restricted to the name of the object since the patient was unable to describe, without making dysphasic errors, the morphology or usage of objects presented to him tactually; (6) the tacto-verbal dysfunction did not result from a tacto-visual impairment. Computerized tomography scans showed that: (1) there was no evidence suggesting a lesion of the right hemisphere, nor of the corpus callosum; (2) the left lesion involved the angular gyrus, the posterior part of the second temporal convolution, the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, the geniculostriate fibres and some fibres of the tapetum.

Agnosia↗