Coordination Disturbances Research Articles

Effect of mutation-induced excess brain concentration of intermediates of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism on stress resistance of courtship behavior and communicative sound production in male Drosophila melanogaster

The resistance of courtship behavior and communicative sound production to heat shock (37 degrees C, 30 min) was studied in wild-type Canton S (CS) male Drosophila melanogaster and males of two strains with defects in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism (KPTM) caused by mutations cinnabar (block at the level of kynurenine-3-hydroxylase leading to accumulation of kynurenic acid, a neuroprotective metabolite, in the brain) and cardinal (block at the level of phenoxazinone synthetase causing accumulation of 3-hydroxykynurenine, an oxidative stress generator, in the brain). Males of each strain were divided into four groups. Males from control groups were not exposed to heat shock. The other groups were exposed to heat shock at the late embryonic/early larval (the first instar) developmental stage, when mushroom bodies are formed (HS1 groups); at the prepupal stage, when the brain central complex develops (HS2 groups); or at the imago stage 1 h before the experiment (HS groups). All males were tested at an age of five days. Virgin and fertilized five-day-old CS females served as courtship objects. The courtship behavior and singing of control CS and cinnabar males were similar. Control cardinal males also had high motivation, but their courtship efficiency was lower because of less precise movements (wing vibration was often not accompanied by sound production) and hyperexcitability. Exposure of first-instar larvae to heat shock had almost no effect on behavior or singing of adult males of any strain. In cardinal males exposed to heat shock at the prepupal stage or, especially, at the imago stage 1 h before the test (the HS2 and HS groups), courtship was strongly impaired, and various distortions appeared in their sound signals, which indicated disturbance of coordination between elements of the song center and their interaction with pacemakers. These effects were much milder or absent altogether in HS2 and HS wild-type males and, especially, cinnabar males. Thus, permanent excess of 3-hydroxykynurenine in the male brain dramatically decreased their stress resistance. In contrast, excess of kynurenic acid alleviated the consequences of stress.

Correlation between the parameters of contingent negative variation and characteristics of variational pulsometry in Parkinsonian patients

In patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD), we analyzed correlations between the parameters of contingent negative variation (CNV) and data of variational pulsometry (according to the measurements of R-R ECG intervals). Studies were carried out on 35 patients (group PD), 49 to 74 years old, with the stage of disease of 1.5 to 3.0 according to the Hoehn-Yahr international classification. In the course of CNV recording (i.e., in the state of a certain functional loading), we observed significant negative correlations between the integral magnitude (area) of this potential and indices of variational pulsometry (RMSSD, SDNN, C. var, and HF) that characterize the intensity of parasympathetic (respiratory) influences on the cardiovascular system. In the control group, such correlations were absent. We found significant correlations between the autonomic balance, CNV magnitude, and stage of PD reflecting the level of generalization of the pathological process. In the subgroup of patients with the PD stage 1.5 to 2.0, significant changes in the mean values of indices of parasympathetic influences during recording of the CNV were not observed, while in another subgroup (the PD stage 2.5 to 3.0), these values increased significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). If the estimates of the PD stage were low, the CNV area demonstrated greater values (P < 0.01). The disturbance of coordination of muscle-to-muscle interactions in the PD group is, probably, an important factor responsible for parasympathetic dysregulation and suppression of the CNV generation. We found positive correlation between the intensity of parasympathetic influences in the course of CNV recording and the level of postural disorders (r = 0.37, P < 0.05). On the contrary, the CNV magnitude demonstrated a negative correlation with the intensity of these disorders (r = −0.36, P < 0.05), as well as with the level of postural instability (r = −0.55, P < 0.001). We hypothesize that alterations of the autonomic balance and the activity of those cerebral structures, which are responsible for the motor readiness, result, to a significant extent, from weakening of the activity of the noradrenergic system due to degenerative processes developing in cells of the locus coeruleus. The impairment of the latter structure, together with degeneration of neurons of the substantia nigra and a decrease in the level of nigro-striatal dopamine, underlies the pathomorphological pattern of PD.

Gait analysis in cerebral palsy patients--correlations between disorders of muscle coordination and gait abnormalities

Electromyographic and gait investigations of 35 patients and 32 healthy persons were evaluated in order to get hints upon the origin of anomalous movements of the pelvis and the spine with following results: a. The amount of the spine motions of CP-patients is significantly greater than that of health persons. The motions of the pelvis of the patients also seems to be greater, but there is no significance. b. The average electromyographical activity of the hip abductors of CP-patients is not remarkably diminished, that of the hip adductors is not increased. We also found no signs of an atrophy of the hip adductors or a hypertrophy of the hip adductors. c. There is no correlation between the disturbances of coordination of the entire lower leg measured by electromyography and the amount of the pathologic motions. d. We found a distinct correlation between the disturbances especially of the hip ab- and adductors and the amount of the pathologic motions. This amount is the smaller, the worse is the coordination of these two groups of muscles. The topics a-c do not allow to find the origin of the Duchenne- and Trendelenburg limpings of CP-patients, topic d also gives explanation of this fact. In opposition we may suppose here that the bad timing of the coordination resp. the corresponding permanent electrical activity of the hip ab- and adductors has a stabilizing influence upon the pelvis and the spine. As the most probable origin of the increased Duchenne limping we not suppose the increased motions of the stance phase. Our following investigations will deal with this hypothesis.

Principals of surgical treatment of paresis due to damage to the central nervous system (author's transl)

In pareses due to cerebral affections there is a sensomotoric disturbance of coordination and function which usually leads to typical contractions. The aim of treatment consists primarily in the creation or restitution of the greatest possible degree of dynamic equilibrium in unequally affected musculature. In addition to detonization of the spastically hypertonic muscles this also includes the elimination of deformities which disturb function. Only by detailed analysis of neuro-orthopedic findings can adequate conditions be created for the comprehensive therapeutic measures to be taken. For optimal surgical results not only accurate and detailed indication are required, but also specifically oriented preoperative and postoperative physiotherapy and ergotherapy.

Temporal processing dysfunction in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia may be associated with a fundamental disturbance in the temporal coordination of information processing in the brain, leading to classic symptoms of schizophrenia such as thought disorder and disorganized and contextually inappropriate behavior. Despite the growing interest and centrality of time-dependent conceptualizations of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, there remains a paucity of research directly examining overt timing performance in the disorder. Accordingly, the present study investigated timing in schizophrenia using a well-established task of time perception. Twenty-three individuals with schizophrenia and 22 non-psychiatric control participants completed a temporal bisection task, which required participants to make temporal judgments about auditory and visually presented durations ranging from 300 to 600 ms. Both schizophrenia and control groups displayed greater visual compared to auditory timing variability, with no difference between groups in the visual modality. However, individuals with schizophrenia exhibited less temporal precision than controls in the perception of auditory durations. These findings correlated with parameter estimates obtained from a quantitative model of time estimation, and provide evidence of a fundamental deficit in temporal auditory precision in schizophrenia.

Traumatic brain injuries: Forensic and expertise aspects

Traumatic brain injuries have major socio-economic importance due to their frequency, high mortality and serious consequences. According to their nature the consequences of these injuries may be classified as neurological, psychiatric and esthetic. Various lesions of brain structures cause neurological consequences such as disturbance of motor functions, sensibility, coordination or involuntary movements, speech disturbances and other deviations, as well as epilepsy. Psychiatric consequences include cognitive deficit, emotional disturbances and behavior disturbances. CRIMINAL-LEGAL ASPECT OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND LITIGATION: Criminal-legal aspect of traumatic brain injuries expertise understands the qualification of these injuries as mild, serious and qualified serious body injuries as well as the expertise about the mechanisms of their occurrence. Litigation expertise includes the estimation of pain, fear, diminished, i.e. lost vital activity and disability, esthetic marring, and psychological suffer based on the diminished general vital activity and esthetic marring. Evaluation of consequences of traumatic brain injuries should be performed only when it can be positively confirmed that they are permanent, i.e. at least one year after the injury. Expertise of these injuries is interdisciplinary. Among clinical doctors the most competent medical expert is the one who is in charge for diagnostics and injury treatment, with the recommendation to avoid, if possible, the doctor who conducted treatment. For the estimation of general vital activity, the neurological consequences, pain and esthetic marring expertise, the most competent doctors are neurosurgeon and neurologist. Psychological psychiatric consequences and fear expertise have to be performed by the psychiatrist. Specialists of forensic medicine contribute with knowledge of criminal low and legal expertise.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN CHILDREN: A REVIEW OF CLINICAL AND PARACLINICAL FEATURES IN 26 CASES

Objective sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of central nervous system (CNS) that is increasingly being recognized as a disease affecting children. However, the clinical features of childhood MS at onset have been rarely reported from Asia. Materials & Methods This report presents a retrospective chart review of 26 patients with MS (20 females and 6 males), with an onset age of MS of less than 16 years, in the south of Iran between March 2001and November 2007; it documents researchers’ experiences Results ratio was 3:1. Mean age in females was higher than males (13 vs.12.16).The disease was highly variable in onset presentation; the most common initial symptoms were limb weakness, disequilibrium, and diplopia. Three patients had a positive family history of MS in their first degree relatives. VEP was abnormal in 9 of 19(47%). MRI demonstrated multiple plaques in the brain in 24(92%) cases. Relapse remitting MS was a dominant pattern noticed in 23(88%) cases. Conclusionin childhood, is not as rare as commonly believed; although its diagnosis is essentially a clinical one, paraclinical investigations are of great value in the identification of demyelinating disorders in childhood. The disease, as it occurs in children, does not appear to differ clinically from the disease as observed in adults. If pediatricians should confront a child showing evidence of scattered neurological deficits that remit, particularly weakness, disturbance of vision and co-ordination, they need to consider the possibility of MS.

Lingual kinematics and coordination in speech‐disordered children exhibiting differentiated versus undifferentiated lingual gestures

Electropalatographic investigations have revealed that a proportion of children with articulation/phonological disorders exhibit undifferentiated lingual gestures, whereby the whole of the tongue contacts the palate simultaneously during lingual consonant production. These undifferentiated lingual gestures have been interpreted to reflect a 'motor constraint', with the tongue tip and body incapable of operating independently. The present study aimed to provide further insight into the speech motor control abilities of children with articulation/phonological disorders by using electromagnetic articulography to track the movements (velocity, acceleration, distance, duration) of, and the coordination between, the tongue tip and tongue body during lingual consonant production. Comparisons were made between two children with persistent articulation/phonological disorders who exhibited differentiated electropalatographic gestures (9.58 and 10 years), one child with persistent articulation/phonological disorder who demonstrated undifferentiated lingual gestures (11 years), and a group of four control children (mean age=10.98 years, standard deviation=0.48). The children were asked to read aloud single-syllable words containing word-initial /t, s, k/ consonants, with tongue tip and tongue body movements recorded using the electromagnetic articulography AG200 system (Carstens Medizinelektronik GmbH, Germany). Kinematic analysis revealed increased kinematic values for /s/ for the two children with articulation/phonological disorders and differentiated electropalatographic gestures compared with the control group. One of these children also exhibited increased /k/ duration. Reduced acceleration was exhibited by one child with differentiated electropalatographic gestures during /t/ production, and by the child with undifferentiated lingual gestures during /k/. Regarding coordination, lag times between the tongue tip and body were variable between and within children. Spatial contribution to consonant production discriminated between the children with differentiated electropalatographic gestures and undifferentiated lingual gestures, with excessive movement of the tongue body exhibited for alveolar consonants by the child with undifferentiated lingual gestures. All three of the children with articulation/phonological disorders demonstrated aberrant lingual kinematics. The child who exhibited undifferentiated lingual gestures further exhibited excess tongue body movement during alveolar consonants, suggestive of poor motor control, an immature or deviant bracing system, and/or a compensatory mechanism to counteract potential disturbances in tongue tip fine motor control. Electromagnetic articulography provided a means of examining speech motor control deficits, including disturbances in tongue movement and coordination, in children with articulation/phonological disorders.

Development of sensory, motor and behavioral deficits in the murine model of Sanfilippo syndrome type B.

BackgroundMucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIB (Sanfilippo Syndrome type B) is caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (Naglu). Children with MPS IIIB develop disturbances of sleep, activity levels, coordination, vision, hearing, and mental functioning culminating in early death. The murine model of MPS IIIB demonstrates lysosomal distention in multiple tissues, a shortened life span, and behavioral changes.Principal FindingsTo more thoroughly assess MPS IIIB in mice, alterations in circadian rhythm, activity level, motor function, vision, and hearing were tested. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) developed pathologic changes and locomotor analysis showed that MPS IIIB mice start their daily activity later and have a lower proportion of activity during the night than wild-type controls. Rotarod assessment of motor function revealed a progressive inability to coordinate movement in a rocking paradigm. Purkinje cell counts were significantly reduced in the MPS IIIB animals compared to age matched controls. By electroretinography (ERG), MPS IIIB mice had a progressive decrease in the amplitude of the dark-adapted b-wave response. Corresponding pathology revealed shortening of the outer segments, thinning of the outer nuclear layer, and inclusions in the retinal pigmented epithelium. Auditory-evoked brainstem responses (ABR) demonstrated progressive hearing deficits consistent with the observed loss of hair cells in the inner ear and histologic abnormalities in the middle ear.Conclusions/SignificanceThe mouse model of MPS IIIB has several quantifiable phenotypic alterations and is similar to the human disease. These physiologic and histologic changes provide insights into the progression of this disease and will serve as important parameters when evaluating various therapies.

Behavioral impairments of the aging rat

Several disturbances occurring during aging of humans and rodents alike stem from changes in sensory and motor functions. Using a battery of behavioral tests we have studied alterations in performance with advancing age in female and male rats of some frequently used strains. In parallel, we collected survival and body weight data. The median survival age was similar for female and male Sprague–Dawley rats, inbred female Lewis and outbred male Wistar rats (29–30 months). In contrast, male Fisher 344 had a significantly shorter median life span. During aging there is a gradual decline in locomotor activity and explorative behavior while disturbances of coordination and balance first became evident at more advanced age. In old age, also weight carrying capacity, limb movement and temperature threshold were impaired. While whole body weight continues to increase over the better part of a rats' life span, the behavioral changes in old age associated with a decrease in both total body weight and muscle mass. Dietary restriction increases median life span expectancy; retards the pace of behavioral aging and impedes sarcopenia. Housing in enriched environment did not improve the scoring in the behavioral tests but tended to increase median life span. Finally, there was an agreement between behavioral data collected from longitudinal age-cohorts and those obtained from multiple age-cohorts.

Corrective effect of flavonoid-containing preparation extralife on the development of Parkinson’s syndrome

Oral administration of flavonoid-containing preparation Extralife (daily dose 40 mg/kg) to animals with modeled Parkinson's syndrome considerably improved their survival and the main diagnostic and nosological parameters characterizing the state of locomotor functions. The preparation decreased animal mortality, rigidity, disturbances in dynamic muscular work and coordination of movements, and reduced oligokinesia. Experimental data confirm the involvement of mitochondrial enzyme complex I dysfunction in the pathogenesis of the disease and showed the possibility of by-passing this site of the respiratory chain with Extralife.

Dynamic Tendon Transfer for Claw Hand Deformity

In low median-ulnar nerve palsy, the complete loss of intrinsic motor muscles (interosseous, lumbrical, thenar, and hypothenar muscles) produces a claw hand deformity. The net effects of intrinsic muscle loss include the disturbance of precision and fine motor coordination, diminished muscle volume, severe impairment of power pinch and grasp, and creation of posture deformity to the index, middle, ring, and little fingers. We describe a 29-year-old man suffering low median-nerve and ulnar-nerve palsy with claw hand deformity. We corrected the claw hand deformity using free tendon grafts to transfer the flexion tension of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon unit to the metacarpophalangeal joints.

Pharmacological activities investigation of crude extracts and fractions from Qualea grandiflora Mart.

This study investigates pharmacological activities of crude hydroalcoholic extract and fractions of Qualea grandiflora Mart. leaves employing different experimental models using mice. The treatment with crude hydroalcoholic extract (EH) in a dose of 500 mg/kg, i.p. caused: signs of central nervous system depressant action in the Hippocratic screening test, confirmed by the potentiation of sodium pentobarbital sleeping time. Increasing in the latency time of hot plate assay that indicate an analgesic effect; significantly delaying of the onset of clonic PTZ convulsions, increasing in the time for death, suppressing of the tonic PTZ convulsion, and decreasing of severity and number of convulsions. The median lethal dose of EH was 1.321 mg/kg. The convulsions induced by PTZ, ethyl ether fraction (300 mg/kg, i.p.) was more active in increasing the latency time for first convulsion, moreover, the hexane fraction, at the same dose, was more active in increasing the time for death and/or avoiding the death. Both did not cause disturbance in motor coordination at the dose of 500 mg/kg, assessed by rotarod test. These results suggest that the crude extract of leaves of Qualea grandiflora Mart. has a central nervous system depressant action, an analgesic effect and behave as a potential anticonvulsant.

Gastrobiliary motility is not coordinated in patients with non‐ulcer dyspepsia of normal gastric emptying time: Simultaneous sonographic study

Disorders of the motor function of the upper gastrointestinal tract have been implicated in the pathogenesis of non-ulcer dyspepsia. Approximately 50% of patients with abdominal symptoms (without ulcer) have normal gastric emptying. Apart from gastric emptying, other mechanisms are very important in the etiology of non-ulcer dyspepsia. Gastric emptying and gallbladder motility were simultaneously investigated in 16 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia and in 15 healthy controls. Fasting blood samples were taken, and pepsinogen levels were assayed. Gastric emptying time, fasting antral diameter, and post-prandial antral diameter were not significantly different between the patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia and the controls. Fasting gallbladder volume, the time required to reach minimal gallbladder residual volume, minimal gallbladder residual volume, and the serum levels of pepsinogen were not significantly different. Simple linear regression was used to summarize the relationship between gastric emptying time and time required to reach minimal gallbladder residual volume. In the controls, the gastric emptying time and time required to reach minimal gallbladder residual volume were linearly related. However, in the patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia, they were not related. These observations suggest that disturbance of coordination between gastric emptying and gallbladder emptying is a cause of the symptoms of non-ulcer dyspepsia.

New Understanding of Central and Peripheral Interaction between Bladder and Sphincter Function

The lower urinary tract provides two functional modes of operation, the storage of urine over several hours and periodical micturition without residual urine. For appropriate urine storage and voluntary controlled voiding at socially accepted circumstances precise steering mechanisms are necessary which basically rely on the neuronal interaction of somatic and autonomic pathways in the peripheral and central nervous system. In normal condition, a close connection between afferent and efferent, spinal and supraspinal as well as somatic and autonomic pathways ensures a coordinated activation and deactivation of reflex pathways thus promoting continence during the storage phase and successful micturition. If neurological lesion damages pathways involved in lower urinary tract control, disturbance of interaction and coordination may occur and phenomenons like detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia may lead to impaired function of the entire urinary tract.

Effects of sertraline on kinematical aspects of hand movements in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder*

Movement disorders like disturbances of fine motor coordination are a frequent phenomenon in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (1). Our aim was to investigate changes of hand motor dysfunction in OCD patients under the influence of ten-week treatment with sertraline and behaviour therapy.

Evidence for impaired visual context processing in schizotypy with thought disorder

Visual context processing was examined in relation to schizotypy in a large nonclinical university population. Schizotypal status was assessed with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) [Schizophr. Bull. 17 (1991) 555]. Schizotypal ( n=32) and non-schizotypal ( n=37) subjects were tested on a contour integration task (where context processing is necessary for good performance) and a visual size perception task (where context processing impairs accurate performance). In addition, a short form of the Thought Disorder Index (TDI) [Psychol. Assess. 5 (1993) 75] was administered to 28 schizotypal subjects. Thought disordered schizotypal subjects showed significantly impaired performance on the contour integration task but more accurate performance on the visual size perception task. These results support the hypothesis that deficits in visual context processing are the manifestation of a larger disturbance of cognitive coordination in schizotypy and schizophrenia.

Muscle biopsy investigations on neuromuscular insufficiency of the rotator cuff: a contribution to the functional impingement of the shoulder joint

The possibility that functional impingement results from muscular imbalance has been discussed. This study investigates whether disturbance of muscular coordination is reflected in a shift in the balance of fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibers, as fast-twitch fibers enable a rapid reaction or contraction and slow-twitch fibers enable slow contractions and sustained performance. The supraspinatus and deltoid muscles in 37 patients with a supraspinatus syndrome and partial or complete rupture of the rotator cuff underwent biopsy. All three groups of patients showed a reduction in size, increased variability, and change in the frequency distribution of fiber cross sections. The fast-twitch fibers were especially affected. These findings were confirmed objectively by morphometric measurements. It might be concluded from the changes mentioned above that disturbance in coordination of the musculature can cause a functional impingement. We term this neuromuscular insufficiency of the rotator cuff. The mechanical factors relating to subacromial impingement may only have a role in promoting its manifestation by restricting the compensatory range of the joint.

Temporal perception and organisation, neuronal synchronisation and schizophrenia

Basic perceptual or motor skills involving the central nervous system as well as the subjective present require the orderly temporal organization of internal and external information. Current research in schizophrenia increasingly centers on the accompanying neurocognitive deficits with frequent reports of altered temporal processes. There has been, however, less explicit research on the basic phenomenon of temporal order. Using concrete operationalized neuropsychological procedures the present study addressed the question whether chronic schizophrenic patients (28 medicated as well as 7 unmedicated) differ in their ability to correctly judge the temporal order of visual or acoustic stimuli when compared with a healthy control group (n = 26). Within this context we found a significant impairment in basal temporal perception among patients. Moderating variables such as medication, attention deficits or the effects of motivation as an essential explanatory factor for this finding could be excluded by statistical analysis. Instead, our findings point to a fundamental disturbance in the temporal coordination of neuronal network functions in association with schizophrenic psychoses. Within this context neurophysiological, neurochemical, neuroanatomical and neuropsychological overlapping of schizophrenia and temporal perception are being presented along with a discussion of the hypothesis that disturbances in neuronal synchronization and in timing processes at different levels are of essence and a possible underlying substrate in the schizophrenic spectrum.

Preliminary observation with dronabinol in patients with intractable pruritus secondary to cholestatic liver disease

Pruritus due to cholestatic liver disease can be particularly difficult to manage and frequently is intractable to a variety of medical therapies. The aim of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-9-THC) for intractable cholestatic related pruritus (ICRP) that has failed conventional (and unconventional) remedies. Three patients were evaluated for plasmapheresis because of ICRP. All 3 patients had previously been extensively treated with standard therapies for ICRP including: diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, cholestyramine, rifampicin, phenobarbital, doxepin, naltrexone, UV therapy, and topical lotions. Even multiple courses of plasmapheresis were performed without any benefit for the intractable pruritus. All patients reported significant decreases in their quality of life, including lack of sleep, depression, inability to work, and suicidal ideations. All patients were started on 5 mg of Δ-9-THC (Marinol) at bedtime. All 3 patients reported a decrease in pruritus, marked improvement in sleep, and eventually were able to return to work. Resolution of depression occurred in two of three. Side effects related to the drug include one patient experiencing a disturbance in coordination. Marinol dosage was decreased to 2.5 mg in this patient with resolution of symptoms. The duration of antipruritic effect is approximately 4–6 hrs in all three patients suggesting the need for more frequent dosing. Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol may be an effective alternative in patients with intractable cholestatic pruritus.