assessment of frontal and temporal lobe functions in some idiopathic generalized epileptic syndromes and seizures

This study was conducted to evaluate some psychometric parameters in patients with idiopathic epilepsy. It was carried out on 2 groups: group 1 was subdivided into a: 40 patients with idiopathic generalized epileptic syndromes, b: 10 patients with idiopathic epilepsies not fulfilling the criteria of syndromic classification. Group 2 [control group] 20 healthy persons. The 2 groups were subjected to full clinical examination, EEG examination, neuroimaging and certain psychometric tests concerned in the assessment of frontal and temporal lobe functions. There was significant decline in language and normal performance in trail making test. While the temporal functions showed significant decline in general and visual memory and delay recall. This study may suggest that idiopathic generalized epilepsy is not uniformly benign condition

Peripheral nerve affection in patients with hyperlipidemia: a clinical and electrophysiological study

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a common genetic disorder, in its heterozygous form occur in 1:500 of the general population. Peripheral neuropathy has been reported with this disorder, some related it to the use of lipid-lowering agents [statins], others related it to the disease itself. This study was conducted on 3 groups of patients: 1[st] group; 15 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia receiving statins for variable durations, 2[nd] group: 15 newly diagnosed patients with familial hypercholesterolemia not receiving statins, and a 3[rd] group: 15 healthy matching controls. None of the subjects in the 3 groups had any disease causing peripheral neuropathy e.g. diabetes mellitus, renal failure, alcohol abuse... etc. All patients and controls were subjected to nerve conduction studies in both lower limbs; sensory and motor. None of the patients or controls had symptoms or signs of peripheral neuropathy. Electrophysiohgical studies didn't show any abnormalities in 2[nd] group and controls. In patients taking statins, 3 patients had neurophysiological evidence of sensory axonal neuropathy. The results of the present study support the previous reports that statins could be a cause of sensory polyneuropathy. Further investigations are recommended to determine which patient should discontinue statin treatment and identify other treatment options

role of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase activity, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde and vitamin E in Parkinson's disease

The aim of the present work was to study the role of NADH dehydrogenase enzyme [complex I] activity, nitric oxide [NO], malondialdehyde [MDA] and vitamin E [vit. E] in the etiogenesis of Parkinson's disease [PD]. This study included 20 PD patients [group I] and 20 healthy subjects [group II]. Mitochondria from platelets were isolated to detect complex I activity. Plasma nitrite and nitrate together with their platelets homogenate levels were estimated. Plasma and platelets homogenate MDA, and plasma vit. E levels were also measured. The results of the present work showed: -Significant decrease of complex I activity [n mol/min/mg protein] as compared to healthy control subjects [t=4.03, p<0.001]. -Non-significant difference between the 2 studied groups as regard plasma nitrite and nitrate and their platelets homogenate levels [micro mol/L] [P>0.05]. -Non-significant difference between the 2 groups as regard the level of MDA in both plasma [n mol/L] and platelets homogenate [n mol/mg protein] [p>0.05]. -Significant increase of plasma vit. E level [ng/ml] in group I as compared to group II [t=3.6, p<0.001]. Age, age at onset and sex of PD patients showed non-significant correlation with complex I activity, plasma nitrate, plasma and platelets MDA and plasma vit. E [p>0.05]. However, plasma nitrite levels showed significant correlation with age [r=0.467, p<0.05]. These results suggest that complex I defect is a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of PD, To be considered as a biochemical marker, it should be measured repeatedly to detect progressive decrease in activity. Nitrite, nitrate, MDA and vit. E are apparently not related to the risk for PD