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Results for “sensory function”

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At least 1,603 records · Page 89Linked to original sources

PubMed2006

Sustained beneficial effects of intraprostatic botulinum toxin type A on lower urinary tract symptoms and quality of life in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To present a comprehensive experience with intraprostatic botulinum toxin-type A (BoNT-A) injection in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and to assess the efficacy on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life (QoL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 41 men (mean age 69.1 years, sd 7.1 ) with an International Prostate Symptom Score of > or = 8, peak flow rate of < 12 mL/s, and who were refractory to medical treatment were injected with BoNT-A (Botox, Allergan, Inc., CA, USA) at 100 U (21 men, for prostate volume < 30 mL) or 200 U (20, for prostate volume > 30 mL) into the prostate transperineally under transrectal ultrasonography guidance. Study exclusion criteria were confirmed or suspected malignancy, previous pelvic surgery or trauma and previous invasive treatment for BPH. The clinical effects were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: There were no significant local or systemic side-effects in any men. LUTS and QoL indices improved by > 30% in 31 of the 41 men (76%), and four of five men with urinary retention for > 1 month could void spontaneously at 1 week to 1 month after the BoNT-A injection. In 12 of 41 men (29%) there was no change in prostate volume, yet seven of these men still had a > 30% improvement in maximum flow rate, LUTS and QoL. The efficacy was sustained at 12 months. CONCLUSION: BoNT-A injected into the prostate is safe and effective for men with symptomatic BPH. The mechanisms of relief of symptoms might not depend totally on the volume shrinkage; the inhibitory effect on the smooth muscle tone and aberrant sensory function might also be important.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Brachial plexus block using electrolocation for pancarpal arthrodesis in a dog.

Conduction blockade was achieved at the brachial plexus of a dog undergoing surgery for pancarpal arthrodesis. The lidocaine/bupivacaine mixture used was the sole analgesic treatment applied during surgery and for 3 hours post-operatively. Location of the plexus brachialis was facilitated using a nerve stimulator. A low volume of lidocaine and bupivacaine (0.26 mL kg(-1)) resulted in successful blockade, which was evident from stable cardiorespiratory variables at low end-tidal (1.3-1.4%) isoflurane concentrations. Pain scoring and examination of motor and sensory function indicated adequate pain relief for 7 hours. While localization of the plexus brachialis can be performed 'blindly', electrolocation improves the success rate for less experienced anaesthetists.

Anesthetics, Local↗

PubMed1977

Recovery after electrical injury.

A 14-month-old boy was seen following an accidental electrical injury received from a faulty domestic appliance. After initially showing marked clinical and electroencephalographic signs of cerebral damage, after one month there was a dramatic and continued improvement in both motor and sensory function. The importance of prolonged and optimistic resuscitation is stressed.

Electric Injuries↗

PubMed1992

Obstetrical medication and the newborn infant. II: The influence of meperidine (pethidine) on visual behaviour.

The visual fixation of two groups of healthy newborn infants was tested at a mean age of three days. Mothers of the infants in one group received a single dose of meperidine (pethidine) during labour and delivery; those in the second group received no medication. Unlike infants of mothers who received a single dose of alphaprodine hydrochloride in a previous study, there were no differences between the groups in the present study. Moreover, longer drug-to-delivery intervals did not appear to potentiate the effects of meperidine. A single dose of meperidine appears to have few effects on neonates' sensory functioning, which is contrary to other reports.

Alphaprodine↗

PubMed1994

Sensory deficit in the hands of children with cerebral palsy: a new look at assessment and prevalence.

The sensory function of the hand was assessed in 55 children with cerebral palsy (CP) and 15 control children with lower-limb involvement after poliomyelitis by testing stereognosis and two-point discrimination. A 0 to 10 per cent error in the post-polio group defined normal limits, according to which 51 per cent of the CP group showed impairment on one or both of the tests. These results confirm those of studies carried out 30 to 40 years ago, and draw attention to a neglected aspect of CP in which the possibility of therapeutic intervention has yet to be adequately explored.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Tactile recognition in infantile nephropathic cystinosis.

Previous studies have demonstrated that individuals with cystinosis, an inherited metabolic disorder, have difficulty processing visual information, and may be selectively impaired in the ability to mentally rotate figures, despite having normal IQs and normal primary sensory function. In our novel task-the 'Black Box'-subjects identified objects solely by feeling the contours. Twenty-three subjects with cystinosis, aged 4 to 34 years, were individually matched with controls on age, sex, handedness, and test form. Subjects with cystinosis performed significantly worse in identifying objects than did controls. In addition, when only subjects over 7 years of age were included, those with cystinosis took significantly longer to correctly identify objects than did controls. Our findings suggest that individuals with cystinosis have difficulty with tactile recognition of common objects. These results support the hypothesis that a genetic disorder may have specific behavioral correlates.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Effects of stress and shock anticipation on prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex.

The effects of shock anticipation and attention to external stimuli on prepulse inhibition (PPI) were compared. In the threat-of-shock experiment, acoustic startle stimuli were presented with and without prepulses when aversive shocks were or were not anticipated. In the control experiment, startle and prepulse stimuli were delivered during periods with attended or ignored external stimuli. In the threat-of-shock experiment, startle was potentiated (fear-potentiated startle) and PPI was increased by shock anticipation. A gradual reduction in the overall PPI throughout the experiment was also found. In the control experiment, only PPI was increased in the attend condition. The PPI level remained constant throughout the experiment. The increase in PPI in the threat and attend conditions may have resulted from an increase in the general level of alertness that facilitated the processing of the prepulse. The gradual decrease in PPI in the threat experiment was hypothesized to result from a progressive deficit in sensory functioning due to the stressful nature of repeated shock anticipation.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed2006

Onychocosmeceuticals.

The nail is the largest skin appendage. In addition to its important physiological and sensory functions, it is also of great esthetic importance. Complaints of brittle or soft nails are frequent, particularly among women. Innumerable preparations claiming to improve the nail quality are being sold; however, most have no proven beneficial effect. Also, surgery cannot enhance nail quality but improve shape and size abnormalities.

Beauty↗

PubMed1993

The effects of streptomycin/lidocaine block on trigeminal neuralgia: a double blind crossover placebo controlled study.

This study investigated the long term effect of a peripheral sensory block using streptomycin sulphate on trigeminal neuralgia. A total of twenty subjects, thirteen with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) and seven with traumatic trigeminal neuralgia (TTN) were studied. A double-blind placebo controlled randomized design was used. After the clinical assessment subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 1 g of streptomycin with 3 ml 2% lidocaine, or 3 ml lidocaine alone. The injections were performed adjacent to the branches that served the painful site. These were intraoral injections, more specifically infraorbital and inferior alveolar blocks. Patients received five blocks of either streptomycin/lidocaine or lidocaine alone for a period of five consecutive weeks. On the sixth week they were crossed over. Measures of pain intensity and pain frequency were used to assess treatment outcome. Patients also recorded their side-effects. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the treatment outcomes between the active and placebo groups. There was no statistically significant differences in the treatment outcomes regarding frequency and intensity of pain attacks. The sensory function of the treated nerves was also not affected. Side effects including facial swelling and pain were a common finding in the patients receiving streptomycin. This study demonstrated no beneficial effects of streptomycin blockade for idiopathic and traumatic trigeminal neuralgia.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Motor and sensory impairments in children with intractable epilepsy.

During a 3-year period (1988-1991), 72 children with severe intractable epilepsy were studied. A standardized protocol for assessment of motor and sensory function was designed for school age children. Function was quantified on a 4-point scale on 47 items, including gross motor function, balance, coordination, strength, range of motion (ROM), velocity, fine motor function, sensation, perception, and neurologic tests. Classification of handicaps according to World Health Organization (WHO) definitions was performed. Videotape documentation completed the assessment. Evaluation of treatment services showed that provision of rehabilitation services had been insufficient and provided only for children with additional major movement disorders, mainly cerebral palsy (CP) cases. To minimize the handicap in children with severe epilepsy, it is essential to clarify the total sensorimotor impairment pattern, including balance, coordination, and perceptual capacity. Impairments in these functions are, as shown in this study, frequent and exist independent of major disabilities such as mental retardation or cerebral palsy. When several neuroimpairments were identified, a multiplicative rather than an additive effect on the total handicap was evident.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

The importance of oral health in the older patient.

Oral health is important to general health because stomatologic disease affects more than the mouth. Increasing preservation of teeth among present and future cohorts of older people has increased their risk for serious disease from oral pathogens. The intent of this paper is twofold: first, to alert non-dental health personnel to the significance of oral health and oral disease in the older adult; and second, to recruit the assistance of non-dental professionals in helping patients to achieve and maintain an optimal oral condition. Normative aging processes alone have little effect on the oral cavity, but common disease processes affecting oral health include tooth loss, dental caries, periodontal diseases, and oral mucosal diseases (including candidiasis and squamous cell carcinoma). Systemic diseases and their treatments frequently affect salivary, oral motor, and oral sensory functions. As a result of bacteremia or aspiration of oral contents, organisms of oral origin can be responsible for serious nonstomatological infections. Clinicians caring for older people need to recognize the importance of stomatological health, include an oral component in the multidisciplinary geriatric assessment, support the education of patients on aspects of dental health, and advocate the expansion of personal and public oral health benefits for older adults.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Relation of occupational stress to the age at onset of Huntington's disease.

Two hypotheses were tested to determine whether occupational stress was related to the age at onset of Huntington's disease. Using case material drawn from four kindreds in southern Norway, occupations of affected persons were graded into three categories according to their degree of physical stress. Adjusting for the effects of related factors, grade of stress was found to be a significant contributor to the variation in onset age. Minor and severe stress were associated with earlier onset ages than moderate stress; the difference between minor and moderate grades was 9 years. The results are interpreted as conforming to the psychosocial concept of Levi, whereby both under- and overstimulation of sensory functions are more stressful and more potent precipitants of illness than intermediate levels of stimulation.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1990

Spinal arteriovenous malformations: neurological aspects and results of embolization.

Twenty consecutive patients with spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) were found to have either a progressive, remitting or remitting-progressive course of disease. A characteristic progressive neurological decline was observed in 11 patients with dural fistulas and a similar decline was seen in 5 of the 9 patients with intradural AVMs. In addition to paraparesis and mixed sensory disorder, which ascended to a level of about T10, areas with spared sensation were occasionally found below this level. All cases with this progressive longitudinal myelopathy showed radiological evidence of a dilated medullary venous plexus. All patients were treated by embolization with only a low frequency of complications. Follow-up data verified a significant improvement of motor and sensory function, mainly during the first year after embolization. Cases with progressive neurological decline (dural and intradural AVMs) stopped deteriorating or improved and cases with a history of acute incidents (intradural AVMs) probably run less risk of acute deterioration.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Lactate/H+ transport in skeletal muscle from spinal-cord-injured patients.

In order to evaluate the effect of prolonged muscle inactivity on sarcolemmal lactate/H+ transport in humans, the lactate/H+ transport capacity was determined in the thigh muscle of spinal-cord-injured (SCI) individuals. The lactate transport rate was measured in sarcolemmal giant vesicles produced by collagenase treatment of muscle biopsies obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle. Six SCI subjects with total loss of motor and sensory functions of their lower limbs participated in the study. The duration of the injury ranged from 2 to 15 years. The total lactate transport rate in the muscle of SCI patients was 46.5 +/- 2.6 pmol.cm-2.s-1 (mean +/- SEM), which corresponds to a 17% lower (P < 0.05) transport rate than that found in healthy, untrained subjects. The estimated carrier-mediated lactate/H+ transport capacity was approximately 26% lower in the SCI patients than in healthy, untrained subjects. The observed muscle lactate/H+ transport capacity of SCI individuals is in accordance with a positive correlation between the capacity of the lactate/H+ transporters and the percentage occurrence of slow-twitch fibres in a muscle, although there seems to be a wide range of transport capacities within each fibre type. The present results show that the sarcolemmal lactate/H+ transport capacity is lower in SCI individuals than in normally physically active subjects, which indicates that prolonged muscle inactivity reduces the lactate/H+ transport capacity of human muscle.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

A hitchhiker's guide to behavioral analysis in laboratory rodents.

Genes and environment are both essential and interdependent determinants of behavioral responses. Behavioral genetics focuses on the role of genes on behavior. In this article, we aim to provide a succinct, but comprehensive, overview of the different means through which behavioral analysis may be performed in rodents. We give general recommendations for planning and performing behavioral experiments in rats and mice, followed by brief descriptions of experimental paradigms most commonly used for the analysis of reflexes, sensory function, motor function and exploratory, social, emotional and cognitive behavior. We end with a discussion of some of the shortcomings of current concepts of genetic determinism and argue that the genetic basis of behavior should be analyzed in the context of environmental factors.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Hypolocomotion, anxiety and serotonin syndrome-like behavior contribute to the complex phenotype of serotonin transporter knockout mice.

Although mice with a targeted disruption of the serotonin transporter (SERT) have been studied extensively using various tests, their complex behavioral phenotype is not yet fully understood. Here we assess in detail the behavior of adult female SERT wild type (+/+), heterozygous (+/-) and knockout (-/-) mice on an isogenic C57BL/6J background subjected to a battery of behavioral paradigms. Overall, there were no differences in the ability to find food or a novel object, nest-building, self-grooming and its sequencing, and horizontal rod balancing, indicating unimpaired sensory functions, motor co-ordination and behavioral sequencing. In contrast, there were striking reductions in exploration and activity in novelty-based tests (novel object, sticky label and open field tests), accompanied by pronounced thigmotaxis, suggesting that combined hypolocomotion and anxiety (rather than purely anxiety) influence the SERT -/- behavioral phenotype. Social interaction behaviors were also markedly reduced. In addition, SERT -/- mice tended to move close to the ground, frequently displayed spontaneous Straub tail, tics, tremor and backward gait - a phenotype generally consistent with 'serotonin syndrome'-like behavior. In line with replicated evidence of much enhanced serotonin availability in SERT -/- mice, this serotonin syndrome-like state may represent a third factor contributing to their behavioral profile. An understanding of the emerging complexity of SERT -/- mouse behavior is crucial for a detailed dissection of their phenotype and for developing further neurobehavioral models using these mice.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Sleep exacerbation of persistent sexual arousal syndrome in a postmenopausal woman.

AIM: To investigate possible causes and treatment of persistent sexual arousal syndrome, which was exacerbated by sleep onset, in a postmenopausal subject. METHODS: A clinical examination and interviews with the patient to obtain her case history and follow-up of the effects of drug treatments. Pretreatment laboratory investigations monitored vaginal blood flow by photoplethysmography and heated electrode. Routine blood chemistry and endocrine assessments were undertaken. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of brain, pelvis, and spinal cord and genito-sensory neural analysis of clitoral and vaginal areas were performed. A selective internal iliac artery arteriogram was utilized to check the normality of the pelvic blood supply. RESULTS: Genitalia appeared normal and uncongested. No structural abnormalities were observed in the MRI scans. Hormonal levels and blood chemistry were commensurate with the subject's postmenopausal status. Basal vaginal blood flow (heat electrode) was within the range of normal premenopausal women and showed (photoplethysmography) normal vasomotion. On becoming drowsy and falling lightly asleep in the laboratory the vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) increased by 95% of the basal value and the low-amplitude VPAs were replaced by high-amplitude VPAs--all evidence of increased vaginal blood flow and congestion and confirming the subject's complaint of persistent sexual arousal during sleep. A simple cognitive task of repeatedly subtracting 7 from 500 out aloud did not hasten the reversion to the basal level. There was no evidence of malfunction of the brain, spinal cord, or pelvic area by MRI but genito-sensory analysis of the clitoral and vaginal area showed evidence of reduced sensory function. CONCLUSIONS: Of the treatments tried only risperidone has been effective allowing the subject to sleep throughout the night without disturbance and according to the subject has significantly reduced the aggravation of the arousal during the day.

Arousal↗

PubMed1992

Environmentally induced changes in sensory sensitivities.

For studying changes in the sensory sensitivities, psychophysical methods offer a variety of models. The psychophysical approach also holds for applications on indoor air quality. The human senses can be used for characterizing environments in terms of effects on health and comfort, and have been used by the WHO for determining recommended exposure limits. The use of psychophysical methods for air pollution applications is illustrated by two studies on effects on sensory functions in smokers and passive smokers. Olfactory as well as auditory effects were found. Furthermore, methodological findings are presented, such as obtaining information on detectability and perceived intensity in the very same estimation procedure. The results also demonstrate the need for calibrating scales with regard to individual scaling behavior in perceived intensity measurements as well as the capability of the master scale principle for performing such a calibration.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗