Homocysteine as a Predictor Tool in Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive and irreversible disease which affects the central nervous system (CNS) with still unknown etiology. Our study aimes to establish the homocysteine pattern that can predict the MS diseases progression and to identify a potential disease progression marker that can be easy to perform and non-invasive, in order to predict the diseases outcome. In order to achieve this goal, we included 10 adult RRMS subjects, 10 adult SPMS subjects and 10 age-matched healthy subjects. The homocysteine plasma level was measured using automated latex enhanced immunoassay and the cobalamin and folate measurements were performed using automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). HCR was calculated by dividing the homocysteine plasma level by cobalamin plasma level. We found that the homocysteine level in plasma of both RRMS patients and SPMS group are significantly increased compared with the control group. There is a significantly higher concentration of homocysteine in SPMS group compared with the RRMS group. In addition, the HCR is significantly increased in SPMS compared with the RRMS group and is a very good index of disease severity.

Functional Recovery in Parkinson's Disease: Current State and Future Perspective.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most frequent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting not only the motor function but also limiting the autonomy of affected people. In the last decade, the physical exercises of different intensities carried out by kinetic therapeutic activities, by robotic technologies or with the participation of sensory cues, have become increasingly appreciated in the management of Parkinson's disease impairments. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the impact of physical exercises with and without physical devices on the motor and cognitive variables of PD patients. In order to achieve our objectives, we performed a systematic review of available original articles based on the impact of kinetic therapeutic activity. Through the search strategy, we selected original papers that were laboriously processed using characteristics related to physical therapy, or the tools used in physiological and psychological rehabilitation strategies for PD patients. In this study, we presented the most current intervention techniques in the rehabilitation programs of patients with Parkinson's disease, namely the use of assisted devices, virtual imagery or the performing of physical therapies that have the capacity to improve walking deficits, tremor and bradykinesia, to reduce freezing episodes of gait and postural instability, or to improve motor and cognitive functions.

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Interdependence in Multiple Sclerosis.

The study aims to explore the oxidative status related to inflammation in peripheral blood of stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with low disability. In this study, 31 people were included and divided into two groups: an MS group in which 16 relapsing-remitting MS patients with a low disability level (age 38.9 ± 7.08, EDSS median 2.5) were included and a control group that contains 15 healthy volunteers of similar age to the MS group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl level (PCO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as oxidative stress markers, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were analyzed in the peripheral blood sample of the healthy and the MS patients to establish the oxidative stress/inflammatory level using conventional plasma markers. In this study, we showed that the pro-inflammatory status of the relapse-remitting stage of diseases can be easily and accurately appreciated by NLR. An increased NLR is associated with a decreased antioxidant capacity, even in the early stage of neuronal damage. Oxidative stress associated with inflammation aggravates the functional outcome, potentiates neuronal damage, and can accelerate the progression of the disease.