Folia psychiatrica et neurologica japonica最新文献

In order to study the relationship between seizures and the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) neural system, immunoreactive TRH (IR-TRH) and TRH receptor binding activity were determined by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures and amygdaloid (AM) kindling. IR-TRH markedly increased in the septum 40 and 150 seconds after the PTZ injection. A significant increase in the IR-TRH concentrations was also noted in the hippocampus and thalamus/midbrain 40 and 150 seconds after the PTZ injection, respectively. However, no significant changes were observed in the TRH receptor binding before, during or after the PTZ-induced seizures. In addition, a lasting change in the striatal TRH receptors after AM kindling as well as a transient IR-TRH increase in the limbic structures were seen 48 hours after Am-kindled convulsions. TRH and its analog (DN-1417) inhibited PTZ-induced generalized seizures dose-dependently. These findings indicate the involvement of the TRH neural system in seizure mechanisms, and suggest that endogenous TRH may be an antiepileptic substance in the brain.

Deposits of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis in two cases were studied using the electron microscopy. The structure most frequently observed in both cases was a curvilinear body containing fingerprint patterns. Other structures, such as the granular pattern, zebra body-like structure and vacuole, were also observed less frequently. A loose pattern, which had an intermediate curvature between the fingerprint pattern and curvilinear body, was found for the first time. They might play an important role on the morphogenesis in the deposit of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis.

This is a report on the ultrastructural finding of the olivary hypertrophy in a case with palatal myoclonus. By light microscopy two types of neuronal changes were observed in the inferior olivary nucleus, i.e. the central chromatolysis and cytoplasmic vacuolation. Both types were also recognized by electron microscopy and the cytoplasmic vascuolation was identified as the vesiculated endoplasmic reticulum. In the reactive astrocytes, mitochondria were strikingly proliferated.

A total of 202 nonepileptic patients (120 males and 82 females) who exhibited spike abnormalities at least twice in their EEG examinations were studied. The incidence of spike abnormalities among nonepileptic patients was 8.1% (847/10,473). The majority (90%) were under age 19. Headache, dizziness and vomiting, and abdominal pain were more frequently observed compared with controls. Mild paroxysmal EEG abnormalities such as diffuse irregular slow wave bursts with spike (27%), positive spikes (25%) or small spike (8.4%) were commonly detected. In three patients who developed epileptic seizures during the follow-up period, more specific EEG abnormalities were often exhibited. Other factors like the age at onset before 9, characteristic clinical symptoms or a positive family history of seizures were confirmed to be necessary for the manifestation of clinical seizures.

Two additional cases of Capgras syndrome were reported. In these schizophrenic patients, the abrupt hatred against family members seemed to contribute largely to the genesis of the syndrome in addition to delusional background. At the same time, the importance of delusional retrospective interpretation in these patients as well as in the previously reported case was discussed.

This is a report on six psychiatric patients who indulged in excessive ingestion of water and subsequently developed tonic-clonic seizures in the course of the underlying mental disorders. On the basis of the DSM-III criteria, they were diagnosed as follows: schizophrenic disorder, 4; schizo-affective disorder, 1; borderline personality disorder, 1. The levels of serum electrolytes were estimated during five episodes of seizures in three patients. Hyponatremia was a consistent finding (serum sodium: mean = 120.6 mEq/liter). Plasma osmolality and plasma levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP) were determined during two episodes in two patients. The inappropriately high circulating levels of AVP relative to plasma hypoosmolality were documented. However, the response to the overnight fluid deprivation and acute water load during the period of no seizures in two patients revealed no evidence of the persistent SIADH, suggesting the temporal association of hyponatremic encephalopathy with inappropriate AVP secretion. It is not conclusive whether the transient SIADH is the cause or the consequence of hyponatremic encephalopathy, although a delusion or an auditory hallucination could play a critical role in drinking water excessively in three patients.