Diplopia due to a neurovascular compression.

A 36-year-old female patient presented to our clinic with a two months history of diplopia and dizziness. The symptoms appeared gradually and increased in frequency and intensity. She had no significant medical history and she did not take any medication. A full ophthalmological consult was performed, which revealed restricted ocular motility in the left eye (LE), in left gaze. Otherwise, the examination showed no pathological findings: best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) both eyes (OU) 1 (Snellen chart), normal slit lamp examination and pupillary reflexes, normal intraocular pressure (IOP) and fundus aspect. Diplopia tests revealed a horizontal diplopia, exacerbated in left gaze. Sixth nerve palsy suspicion was raised and the patient was directed to the neurology department. Following magnetic resonance imaging, with angiographic sequence, a complex intracerebral vascular malformation that interacted with the cranial nerves and determined horizontal diplopia, was found. For a correct diagnosis, we needed a good collaboration between various medical specialties, especially ophthalmology and neurology, because patients with diplopia often present for the first time at the ophthalmologist. Abbreviations: BCVA = best corrected visual acuity, IOP = intraocular pressure, LE = left eye, RE = right eye.

Plasma hsa-mir-19b is a potential LevoDopa therapy marker.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder among the elderly, the diagnostic and prognostic of which is based mostly on clinical signs. LevoDopa replacement is the gold standard therapy for PD, as it ameliorates the motor symptoms. However, it does not affect the progression of the disease and its long-term use triggers severe complications. There are no bona fide biomarkers for monitoring the patients' response to LevoDopa and predicting the efficacy of levodopa treatment. Here, we have combined qPCR microRNA array screening with analysis of validated miRs in naïve versus Levodopa-treated PD patients. We have identified plasma miR-19b as a possible biomarker for LevoDopa therapy and validated this result in human differentiated dopaminergic neurons exposed to LevoDopa. In silico analysis suggests that the LevoDopa-induced miR-19b regulates ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis.