Comparison of the Effect of Glutamate; Oxyferriscorbone and Deprenyl on Parkinsonian Syndrome

Background: Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) show a dramatic increase in their brain iron content has suggested the role of iron in degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons in PD. Several studies have described the association of high dietary iron and PD. However; the role of iron the pathogenesis of PD is still hotly debated. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of L-glutamate; oxyferriscorbone (OFC) and L-Deprenyl on parkinsonian syndrome (PS) in rats. Methods: This study was performed on 244 male non-strain rats (250-270g;-10 wk old). By intranigral bilateral administration of 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) (10?g/2?/l into each side) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (12?g/3?l; Sigma; into each side ) in rats was induced the dopamine deficient model of PS (DDPS) and the cholinergic model (ChPS) in rats produced by intracaudate injection of acetylcholine (5?g/2?l each side ) with neostigmine (1?g/1?l each side). These models were then used to investigate the effects of L-glutamate; OFC and L-Deprenyl on PS and the electric activity (EA) of the sensorimotor cortex; caudate nuclei; ventrolateral nuclei of the thalami; and substantia nigra in rats. Results: Intracaudate injection of L-glutamate (100?g/3?l; into each side) enhanced bradykinesia; rigidity and produced a weak tremor in the DDPS. This effect was more pronounced in ageing (12 months) rats and in some of them; we observed orofacial dyskinesia. In the ChPS; L-glutamate enhanced tremor and bradykinesia. The single and repeated injection of OFC (5; 7; 5; 15 and 20 mg/rat; intraperitioneally; i.p.) did not produce a statistically significant change of PS in both models. L-deprenyl (5; 10 and 20 mg/kg; i.p.) dose-dependently reduced bradykinesia and rigidity in the DDPS; whereas increased tremor and failed to decrease bradykinesia and rigidity in the ChPS. Conclusion: This study indicates that glutamate aggravates PS in both models. OFC does not have any effect on PS. Deprenyl has antiparkinsonian effect in the DDPS; but not in the ChPS

Disorders of the Basal Ganglia at the University Teaching Hospital; Lusaka

Objective: To determine the frequency of movement disorders among adult ethnic Zambians referred to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Lusaka; Zambia and logged as patients with primary neurological disorders. Background: The Human Genome Project data showed that humans are identical across 99.9of their genome. There is considerable evidence that despite being genetically identical; race and ethnicity appears to be an important factor in the prevalence and clinical characteristics of many; if not most; disorders. Literature review clearly shows that ethnicity has an essential role in the phenotypic expression of many movement disorders and their prevalence appears to be lowest amongst Africans. Patients and setting: Patients attending the neurology clinic and admitted to the UTH with various neurological disorders for 5 years (January 1999-January 2004) were analysed. We evaluated patients whose symptoms met the appropriate diagnostic criteria for movement disorders and experienced symptoms at least for three days. Results: Records were available for 4654 patients with various neurological disorders attending neurological clinic. Of the total number of patients seen; 163 (3.5) satisfied the criteria for movement disorders. The most frequent syndromes of the basal ganglia were: Parkinson's disease (31); tremor (24); chorea (20); and dystonia (16.5). Myoclonus; tic; tardive dyskinesia; and other movement disorders (8.5) were rare in adult Zambian patients. In 25 patients (11.3) akinetic-rigid syndromes and hyperkinetic movement disorders were manifestations of HIV/AIDS. Conclusions: Among patients referred for neurological services at Zambia's tertiary care teaching facility; movement disorders are relatively rare. Our study may seem to suggest that Parkinson's disease is one of the commonest movement disorders though further studies are needed to explore the role of genetics and ethnicity in the prevalence of these disorders. The presence of HIV/AIDS and its contribution to movement disorders needs to be studied further