Plasma profiles of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, growth hormone and prolactin in patients with untreated Parkinson's disease.

Plasma profiles of prolactin, growth hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol were evaluated in a group of untreated patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and a group of healthy age-matched controls. Plasma integrated concentrations of all hormones except prolactin were significantly lower in the patients as compared with the controls; however, prolactin nocturnal peak concentration was significantly elevated in the patients; nocturnal growth hormone levels were significantly reduced in the Parkinson group; ACTH and cortisol plasma concentrations were also consistently lower during most of the day in the patients with Parkinson's disease. These data confirm the presence of a hypothalamic disturbance in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, which can affect pituitary function.

Neuroendocrine markers in aging brain: clinical and neurobiological significance of dexamethasone suppression test.

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) is commonly accepted as an indicator of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning in clinical practice. In this study, DST was carried out in a geriatric population composed of patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT), stroke and age-matched controls. The stress state of the subjects was also functionally assessed by the Symptoms Rating Test (SRT). The results disclosed no significant differences in basal cortisol levels in the three groups. A positive correlation between age and log-transformed basal cortisol levels was found in the entire population as well as in each group. After dexamethasone administration, 20% of controls, 49% of DAT patients, and 48% of stroke patients were non-suppressors. At 8.00 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. after dexamethasone, cortisol levels were significantly lower (p less than 0.02) in controls than in pathological groups. A significant positive correlation between age and symptoms of depression and anxiety was found. One-third of stroke patients showing lesions in the right hemisphere were non-suppressors, and presented mostly subcortical infarcts, while 1/4 of them had depressive disorders. This study demonstrated a progressive increase in basal cortisol levels and depressive symptoms with age, a poor diagnostic value of DST in age-related pathological conditions such as DAT and stroke, and the role of these cerebral pathologies in amplifying the neuroendocrine dysregulation due to the ageing process itself. DST is a useful biological marker for disclosing the vulnerability of the ageing brain, but it has no diagnostic value.

[Visualization of carotid and femoral atherosclerotic lesions using autologous lipoprotein reinjection containing apo-B marked with 131I: preliminary data]. / Visualizzazione delle lesioni aterosclerotiche del distretto carotideo e femorale mediante reiniezione di lipoproteine autologhe contenenti apo-B marcate con 131I: dati preliminari.

Atherosclerotic lesions can be detected by several methods, such as angiography, B-mode ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance. Radioisotopic techniques, recently introduced by using radiolabelled platelets and LDL (low-density lipoproteins), can give more informations about the "metabolic activity" of atherosclerotic lesions. The aim of this study was to detect atherosclerotic lesions in 7 hyperlipemic patients using autologous apo-B containing lipoproteins labelled with 131I in order to evaluate different functional patterns of these lesions. Carotid and femoral accumulations of this radiocompound were detected in the majority of patients. The method appears promising for evaluating the "in vivo" relationships between lipoproteins, which are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and the vessel wall.