[Endorphins and neurotensin in Huntington chorea]. / Endorfiny i neirotenzin pri khoree Gentingtona.

Concentration of alpha-endorphin, beta-endorphin, gamma-endorphin and neurotensin in blood and beta-endorphin in cerebrospinal fluid of 48 patients with various forms of Huntington's disease was measured. Two modifications of immunoassay were used. The level of all neuropeptides studied was significantly decreased. Patients with a kinetiko-rigid form of the disease showed a two-fold lowering in beta-endorphin levels in cerebrospinal fluid in comparison with patients with the classic form. The relationships between these findings and clinical-biochemical characteristics of Huntington's disease are discussed.

[Status of hypothalamic dopamine receptors in spinocerebellar degenerations]. / Sostoianie dofaminovykh retseptorov gipotalamusa pri spinotserebelliarnykh degeneratsiiakh.

The sensitivity of hypothalamic dopaminergic D2-receptors was studied in 52 patients with various spinocerebellar degenerations (SCD). Radioimmunoassay of blood prolactin enabled the state of these receptors to be evaluated before and after loading with D2-receptor agonist (bromocriptine) and antagonist (metoclopramide). In all forms of SCD, the rate of blood prolactin decrease in response to bromocriptine, was significantly lower than control values, which demonstrated the lower sensitivity of D2-receptors in the hypothalamic tubero-infundibular region to agonists. Metoclopramide caused a higher increase in blood prolactin levels than in the controls. The findings suggest that the state of the receptors was altered in SCD patients. A relationship between the impairments found and the clinical and morphological manifestations of different SCD forms is discussed.

[Effect of carnosine and its derivatives on ADP-induced human platelet aggregation]. / Vliianie karnozina i ego proizvodnykh na ADF-indutsiruemuiu agregatsiiu trombotsitov cheloveka.

ADP-induced aggregation of thrombocytes was studied in patients with cerebrovascular impairments as well as after treatment with carnosine and its native derivatives; these drugs proved to be modulators of the cell aggregation. Carnosine decreased the rate of thrombocyte aggregation in patients with high index of aggregation and exhibited the proaggregation activity in patients with low rate of aggregation. The antiaggregation activity of the preparations studied, used at physiological concentrations 3.5 mM, was increased as follows: carnosine (17%) < histidine < acetyl anserine < ophidine < anserine (35%). Application of carnosine and its native derivatives may be promising and effective in correction of thrombocyte functional properties in patients with cerebrovascular impairments.

[Clinical and blood rheologic effects of ticlid in patients with cerebrovascular diseases]. / Klinicheskie i gemoreologicheskie éffekty tiklida u bol'nykh tserebrovaskuliarnymi zabolevaniiami.

Clinical efficacy of tiklid in a dose 500 mg/day and its action on platelet vascular hemostasis were evaluated in 24 patients with cerebrovascular diseases. A 15-day tiklid course promoted a regress in some subjective symptoms (headache, vertigo, walking instability, photopsias, etc.), the objective neurological status being unchanged. Tiklid had a positive influence on some rheological parameters and platelet vascular hemostasis. ADP-induced platelet aggregation, blood fibrinogen levels got reduced. The platelets sensitivity to antiaggregation agent PgI2 in vitro arose. Antiaggregation potential of the vascular wall returned to normal in 33% of patients with initially low or inverse response.