Behavioural Neurology - Volume 5, issue 2

Authors: Meudell, P.R.

Article Type: Review Article

Abstract: A brief review of the literature on retrograde amnesia in Korsakoff's syndrome is presented. Various explanations of the phenomenon are discussed including the notions that it results from the effects of “state-dependency”, that it occurs as a result of a progressive learning problem and that it arises through a failure in contextual processing. None of these hypotheses can satisfactorily account for the length and temporal gradient of alcoholic amnesics retrograde amnesia. Although some evidence points towards the hypothesis that anterograde and retrograde amnesia might result from separate and independent impairments, this view is presently unproven and leaves open what causes …the form and duration of Korsakoffs retrograde amnesia. Show more

Keywords: Korsakoff, Memory, Retrograde amnesia

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5201

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 67-74, 1992

Authors: Seiler, S. | Perleth, B. | Gasser, T. | Ulm, G. | Oertel, W.H. | Ellgring, H.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In this study, the influence of partnership on depression and coping with Parkinson's disease has been investigated. Twenty-three single female patients, 46 married patients (23 female, 23 male) with unimpaired partnership and 42 patients (21 female, 21 male) whose partnership had worsened since the onset of disease, were compared with regard to depression and self reported extent of psychosocial distress. Single female patients tended to have higher depression scores than patients in a stable partnership, especially in items concerning personal worthlessness and senselessness of life. Patients differed in the extent of distress concerning social behavior, psychological problems/anxiety and efficiency. Within …the group of single female patients two subgroups emerged: (1) patients with low extent of distress in all aspects; (2) patients who were highly distressed by psychological problems and physical disability but weakly distressed from social interaction. Male and female patients living in a stable partnership reported only a generally low to moderate extent of distress. More than half of the male and female patients who reported an impairment of their relationship also had scores of moderate to severe depression. These patients also had the highest extent of distress in each of the aspects assessed. The results are discussed with regard to possible interactive effects of the disease, quality of the partnership and availability of coping strategies. Show more

Keywords: Depression, Parkinson's disease, Partnership, Psychological distress

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5202

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 75-81, 1992

Authors: Fernandez, W. | Stern, G. | Lees, A.J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Thirty patients with Parkinson's disease experiencing hallucinations during long-term treatment were compared with 20 parkinsonian patients without hallucinations. No differences were found in the duration of disease, L-dopa treatment or disease severity between the two groups. The hallucinators however, were significantly older and more cognitively impaired. Visual hallucinations occurring only during “off periods of immobility” were relatively common and improved concurrently with parkinsonian disabilities after L-dopa. Although visual hallucinations were commonest auditory hallucinations occurred in one third of the hallucinators.

Keywords: Hallucinations, Parkinson's disease

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5203

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 83-86, 1992

Authors: Ferrer, I.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Dementia of frontal lobe type may precede motor signs in a number of adult patients with amyotrophy. Neuropathological studies have shown neuron loss, spongiosis and gliosis mainly in layers II and III of the frontal and temporal lobes, together with myelin pallor of the subcortical white matter. Golgi studies revealed loss of dendritic spines on the apical dendrite of layer III pyramidal neurons, decreased numbers of dendrites, amputation and tortuosities of dendrites, and distal and proximal dendritic swellings and enlargements. Calbindin D-28K immunocytochemistry revealed a marked decrease in the number of cortical immunoreactive neurons and loss of immunoreactivity in dendrites …of the remaining cells. These features indicate that pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons in layers II and III are severely damaged, and suggest that cortical processing is seriously impaired in patients with frontal lobe type dementia. Show more

Keywords: Amyotrophy, Calbindin, Calcium binding protein, Cerebral cortex, Cortical processing, Dementia, Frontal lobe, Golgi method, Motor neuron disease

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5204

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 87-96, 1992

Authors: Lapierre, D. | Braun, C.M.J. | Le Pailleur, L.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Marked WISC-R verbal-performance discrepancy commonly leads to the assumption that such children have brain pathology or cognitive disorders. Children without brain dysfunction may also exhibit wide discrepancy, but a discrepancy score of 30 is assumed to occur in only 2% of the population. The actual investigation presents an 11-year-old child showing a 54-point discrepancy between the two scales of the WISC-R. Results of wide ranging testing and other considerations strongly suggested that this child didn't manifest any kind of brain dysfunction. It was concluded that the particular academic environment of the child, an alternative school, exerted a very strong influence …on her results on the WISC-R. This conclusion is furthermore supported by the results of a follow-up evaluation, done 1 year after the child has been transferred to a traditional school, which revealed a WISC-R verbal-performance discrepancy of only 12 points. Show more

Keywords: Academic achievement, Clinical neuropsychology, EEG, Learning disabilities, VIQ-PIQ, WISC-R

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5205

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 97-106, 1992

Authors: Carasso, R.L. | Mostofsky, D.I. | Yehuda, S.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: It has been well established that serious consequences may result from allowing seizures to continue. The opportunities for early interruption of seizures by medication is often restricted to medical personnel, leaving non-trained bystanders unable to intervene. We were able to interrupt seizures (including status epilepticus) by application of painful dorsiflexion. The mode of action that enables pain to elevate the seizure threshold remains to be elucidated, although the phenomenon is consistent with earlier laboratory studies in experimental epilepsy. The technique may be recommended as an effective and easily learned procedure that may have wide applicability.

Keywords: Convulsions, Dorsiflexion, Fits, Pain, Seizure interruption

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5206

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 107-111, 1992

Authors: Willison, J.R. | Warrington, E.K.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We describe a patient (R.S.) who after a bout of probable TB exhibited an unusual pattern of response retardation, although given time he was able to score at a satisfactory level. He was strikingly slow to initiate speaking and to carry out higher level cognitive tasks, at a time when he could complete a variety of psychomotor activities at normal speed. He showed many similarities with patients previously described as having subcortical dementia. The selective preservation of psychomotor responding in the context of his gross bradyphrenia, however, was unexpected.

Keywords: Bradyphrenia, Psychomotor abilities, Subcortical dementia

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5207

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 113-116, 1992

Authors: Kazui, S. | Sawada, T. | Tanabe, H. | Inoue, N.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We describe a patient with a cerebral infarction localized mainly in the left posterior frontal and anterior parietal subcortices who experienced a Broca's aphasia which evolved into a conduction aphasia. Such a rare recovery pattern of aphasia appeared to result from amelioration of the damage to the left precentral gyrus.

Keywords: Arcuate fasciculus, Broca's aphasia, Conduction aphasia, Precentral gyrus

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5208

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 117-120, 1992

Authors: Jibiki, I. | Yamaguchi, N.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: A right-handed male patient with probable herpes simplex encephalitis is presented because of the rarity of the clinicial picture. Brain X-ray CT scans showed lesions located in the bilateral fronto-temporal regions primarily involving the left lower temporal lobe. The clinical picture following the acute phase of the disease was characterized by specific emotional and behavioral disorders, i.e. oral tendency, hyperactivity, thoughtless talkativeness, random speech and exhilaration, which were partly compatible with the Klüver-Bucy syndrome. Furthermore, this case was characterized by Gogi (word-meaning) aphasia-like transcortical sensory aphasia and neologism produced saliently when naming objects and peculiar neologistic kanji processing in writing …to dictation and oral reading. Both the neologism and neologistic kanji processing varied in quantity in parallel with the specific emotional and behavioral disorders. The relationships of these clinical features to lesional sites demonstrated by X-ray CT are discussed. Show more

Keywords: Aphasia, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Herpes simplex encephalitis, Klüver-Bucy syndrome, Neologism

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5209

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 121-127, 1992

Authors: Baumgartner, R.W. | Landis, T. | Regard, M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Depression has recently been associated with lesions in the CNS, particularly with large infarctions in the cerebral hemispheres. We report a patient in whom two episodes of acute depression were related to relapsing paramedian thalamic infarctions, which were accompanied by additional transient mild neuropsychological deficits, hypersomnia and a discrete sensory disturbance of the left face. Thalamic infarctions have been shown to mimic a variety of higher functional deficits, such as aphasias, apraxias and attentional disorders, traditionally associated with hemispheric strokes. We conjecture that the paramedian thalamic infarctions observed in our patient have in a similar manner been responsible for the …transient depression. Show more

Keywords: Depression, Infarction, Stroke, Thalamus

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5210

Citation: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 129-132, 1992