A precursor to the treatment of Dorstenia (Moraceœ) for the floras of Cameroun and Gabon : corrections and additions

Volume: 3Start Page: 313End Page: 31

Presymptomatische detectie van de ziekte van Parkinson

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive degeneration of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. More than half of these neurons are lost in a presymptomatic phase of an estimated 4-6 years duration. It is obvious that any type of treatment aimed at slowing down the disease process should preferably be applied in this presymptomatic phase. Presymptomatic detection of PD has therefore become an important goal. In a recent study in a population of 361 asymptomatic first degree relatives of PD patients, we were able to demonstrate that presymptomatic detection is possible by means of a combination of three olfactory processing tasks and [123I]β-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanning of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. These results are a first step towards the development of a screening strategy that may be applied in the general population. Impairments of olfactory function, however, are not specific to PD but are also associated with other neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease) and certain lifestyle characteristics (e.g. smoking). In the next few years our research efforts will focus on two different approaches to develop a more specific screening strategy. First, olfactory processing tasks will be combined with tasks aimed at detecting subtle (visuo)motor disturbances and early cognitive impairments. In parallel, an effort will be made to define disease-specific patterns of olfactory dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders

Presymptomatische detectie van de ziekte van Parkinson

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive degeneration of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. More than half of these neurons are lost in a presymptomatic phase of an estimated 4-6 years duration. It is obvious that any type of treatment aimed at slowing down the disease process should preferably be applied in this presymptomatic phase. Presymptomatic detection of PD has therefore become an important goal. In a recent study in a population of 361 asymptomatic first degree relatives of PD patients, we were able to demonstrate that presymptomatic detection is possible by means of a combination of three olfactory processing tasks and [123l] beta-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanning of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. These results are a first step towards the development of a screening strategy that may be applied in the general population. Impairments of olfactory function, however, are not specific to PD but are also associated with other neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease) and certain lifestyle characteristics (e.g. smoking). In the next few years our research efforts will focus on two different approaches to develop a more specific screening strategy. First, olfactory processing tasks will be combined with tasks aimed at detecting subtle (visuo)motor disturbances and early cognitive impairments. In parallel, an effort will be made to define disease-specific patterns of olfactory dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorder

Does olanzapine inhibit the psychomimetic effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol?

Stress-related psychiatric disorders across the life spa

Subclinical dopaminergic dysfunction in asymptomatic Parkinson's disease patients' relatives with a decreased sense of smell

By the time a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) is made, a significant loss of dopaminergic neurons has already occurred. Identifying patients in the period between the presumed onset of dopaminergic cell loss and the appearance of clinical parkinsonism may be of major importance in the development of effective neuroprotective treatment strategies. In an effort to develop a feasible strategy to detect preclinical PD, a combination of olfactory processing tasks, including odor detection, odor identification, and odor discrimination was used to select groups of hyposmic and normosmic individuals from a total of 250 relatives (parents, siblings, or children) of subjects with PD. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]beta-CIT as a dopamine transporter ligand was used to assess nigrostriatal dopaminergic function in 25 hyposmic and 23 normosmic relatives of PD patients. An abnormal reduction in striatal dopamine transporter binding was found in 4 out of 25 hyposmic relatives of PD patients, two of whom subsequently developed clinical parkinsonism, and in none of the 23 normosmic relatives. These observations demonstrate that subclinical reductions in dopamine transporter binding can be detected in asymptomatic relatives of sporadic PD patients by means of [123I]beta-CIT and SPECT. The results further indicate that olfactory deficits may precede clinical motor signs in P

Schizophrenic patients without neuropsychological deficits: subgroup, disease severity or cognitive compensation?

Some schizophrenic patients do not show clinically relevant cognitive deficits. The question remains whether this represents the existence of an etiologically different subgroup, a general effect of disease severity or whether their cognitive deficits do not reach a clinical threshold due to a greater cognitive compensation ('brain reserve') capacity. A group of 23 out of 118 first onset patients was identified as cognitively normal (CN). The cognitive profile of these patients was compared with that of 45 healthy controls. Next these patients were compared with the cognitively impaired (CI) patients on obstetric complications (OCs), premorbid adjustment, age at onset, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ratings, social functioning and substance abuse. In addition both groups were compared on intelligence and educational level as indirect indicators of cognitive compensation capacity. There were no differences in OCs, premorbid adjustment, age at onset, psychopathology or substance abuse between the two patient groups. There was a significant difference in social functioning, which is a consequence rather than a cause of cognitive deficits. However, the CN patients scored significantly higher on measures of intelligence and educational level than the CI patients. This suggests that a difference in cognitive compensation capacity could explain the existence of a CN patient grou

Association between early and three month cognitive outcome after off-pump and on-pump coronary bypass surgery

Objective: To describe the association between cognitive outcome in the first postoperative week and that at three months after both off-pump and on-pump coronary bypass surgery, and to make a direct comparison of early cognitive outcome after off-pump versus on-pump surgery. Design: Randomised trial with an additional prediction study within the two randomised groups. Setting: Three centres for heart surgery in the Netherlands. Patients: 281 patients, mean age 61 years. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to off-pump or on-pump coronary bypass surgery. Main outcome measures: Cognitive outcome, assessed by psychologists who administered neuropsychological tests one day before and four days and three months after surgery. A logistic regression model was used to study the predictive association between early cognitive outcome, together with eight clinical variables, and cognitive outcome after three months. Results: Cognitive outcome in the first week after surgery was determined for 219 patients and was a predictor of cognitive decline after three months. This association was stronger in on-pump patients (odds ratio (OR) 5.24, p < 0.01) than in off-pump patients (OR 1.80, p  =  0.23). Early decline was present in 54 patients (49%) after off-pump surgery and 61 patients (57%) after on-pump surgery (OR 0.73, p  =  0.25). Conclusions: In patients undergoing first time coronary bypass surgery, early cognitive decline predicts cognitive outcome after three months. Early cognitive decline is not significantly influenced by the use of cardiopulmonary bypass

Caregiver burden in recent-onset schizophrenia and spectrum disorders: The influence of symptoms and personality traits

Earlier studies that used two symptom dimensions indicate that the caregiver burden for patients with schizophrenia is significantly determined by their negative symptoms. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between symptom severity in recent-onset schizophrenia and caregiver burden in a more differentiated way (i.e., five-symptom dimensions). Based on previous research, which shows that patients' personality traits influence the course of schizophrenia, we theorize that personality traits could also influence caregiver burden. So far, this hypothesis has never been studied. Therefore, the second purpose of a-Lis study is to examine whether patients' personality traits would contribute to caregiver burden. The results of this study showed that the disorganization symptom component was the predicting variable of the subscales supervision, tension, urging, distress, and the overall amount of caregiver burden in a linear regression analysis. Personality traits of patients played no substantial role in caregiver burden. These findings suggest that psychoeducational programs should address the severity of disorganization symptoms to reduce caregiver burden in the early phase of schizophreni