Kaori Itokawa

Effect of l-DOPA on nitric oxide production in striatum of freely mobile mice

In Parkinsons disease, nitric oxide (NO) and other free radicals are thought to be involved in neuronal degeneration. Furthermore, L-DOPA is suggested to have a cytotoxic action on dopaminergic neurons. We studied 24-h NO production and the effect of L-DOPA on this in freely mobile mice using in vivo microdialysis. A microdialysis probe was implanted into the right striatum 12 h before the experiment. This dialysis probe was perfused with Ringer solution for 100 min, then with 20, 50, or 100 nM L-DOPA for 20 min, and finally with Ringer solution. Dialysate fractions were collected every 20 min for 4 h. Production of nitrite and total NO were significantly higher during daytime than during nighttime. Nitrate production was increased significantly by L-DOPA. NO production in the striatum appears to exhibit a diurnal rhythm and to increase with exposure to L-DOPA.

Secondary SUNCT syndrome caused by viral meningitis

A 49-year-old male had been complaining of general fatigue since July 31, 2007. On August 3, he developed a headache in the forehead bilaterally, and he had a slight fever on the next day. At 3:00 a.m. on August 3, a stabbing pain lasting less than 3 seconds suddenly occurred on the right side of the forehead, cheek, and jaw. He felt pain while he was awake. The pain attacks occurred at least once every two or three minutes, and at most once every 10 seconds; attacks occurred with a frequency from 100 to 200 times per day. During the attacks, he showed dacryorrhea, swelling of the eyelids of the right eye, and rhinorrhea. The patient was not able to keep still because of his severe, stabbing headache. During the daytime of August 6, the pain moved to the right occipital and right upper auricular regions. The symptoms persisted, and he was admitted on August 7. His past history and family history were not contributory. The patient reported a stabbing headache in the right side of the forehead, cheek, and jaw, as well as in the upper auricular and occipital regions. On physical examination, Yasuo Ito Toshimasa Yamamoto Mikiko Ninomiya Yoshikazu Mizoi Kaori Itokawa Naotoshi Tamura Nobuo Araki Kunio Shimazu

A case of α-synuclein gene duplication presenting with head-shaking movements

PARK4 is a candidate locus for familial Parkinsons disease (PD), combined with multiplication of the α‐synuclein gene (SNCA). The eventual phenotype is dependent on the copy number of SNCA. Mutations in leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are also causative of parkinsonism. This report describes a man who presented at our hospital complaining of a stagger after running and difficulty in handling the mouse of a personal computer, having suffered tremors since his twenties. Nine months after treatment and discharge, he developed titubation and began to drag his right foot.

Dural arteriovenous fistula as a possible cause of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome: a case report.

THS is a syndrome of painful ophthalmoplegia due to nonspecific inflammation in the cavernous sinus. THS and dAVF in the cavernous sinus may show similar symptoms, but the etiologies seem to differ. Sugano et al. [1] reported a case of dAVF developing from THS, and discussed a possible role of inflammation in the development of dAVF. We report herein an additional case of dAVF in the cavernous sinus due to THS.

A case of sick sinus syndrome and autonomic failure with Parkinson's disease

Few case reports have described associations between autonomic failure and sick sinus syndrome.Only 1 report has presented the caseof a patient with pure autonomic failure accompanying sick sinus syndrome (Sakai et al., 1996), but electrophysiological studies (EPS) to evaluate sinus node function were not included. We therefore present herein thefirst case report of autonomic failure associated with Parkinsons disease and sick sinus syndrome, in which sinus node function was confirmed as normal by EPS.