N. Specchio
University of Bari
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Featured researches published by N. Specchio.
Epilepsy Research | 2006
Luigi M. Specchio; Antonio Gambardella; Anna Teresa Giallonardo; Roberto Michelucci; N. Specchio; G. Boero; Angela La Neve
PURPOSE Patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) may be resistant or show adverse effects to valproate. We present a multicenter, prospective, long-term, open-label study evaluating the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in JME. METHODS Patients with newly diagnosed (10) or resistant/intolerant to previous AEDs JME (38) were enrolled. After a 8 week baseline period, levetiracetam was titrated in 2 weeks to 500 mg b.i.d. and then increased up to 3000 mg/day according to the patients response. Efficacy parameters were: number of seizure-free patients, number of days with myoclonus (DWM), and monthly frequency of generalised tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures. Adverse events were recorded. RESULTS The overall mean dose of levetiracetam was 2208 mg/day. The mean study period was 19 (range 0.3-38) months. Five patients dropped out. 11/38 (28.9%) patients with add-on treatment and 5/10 (50%) newly diagnosed patients were seizure-free for a mean period of 17.2 (+/-8.8) months. Eighteen patients (37.5%) were without myoclonia, and 35 (72.9%) had no GTC seizures over the study period. The mean monthly frequency of DWM and of GTC seizures in the entire group was significantly reduced after levetiracetam. Five patients complained of side effects. CONCLUSIONS This open-label study suggests levetiracetam may be effective and well tolerated in resistant cases of JME or may become a reasonable alternative to valproate in newly diagnosed patients.
Movement Disorders | 2004
Marina de Tommaso; N. Specchio; Vittorio Sciruicchio; Olimpia Difruscolo; Luigi M. Specchio
To evaluate the efficacy of rivastigmine on motor and cognitive impairment in Huntingtons disease (HD), we carried out a prospective, open‐label, randomized, controlled study. Twenty‐one HD patients were enrolled: 14 were randomly sorted into medication and 7 to no‐treatment groups. Clinical and demographic features were similar between groups. After 8 months, an efficacy evaluation was carried out to compare the two groups. The improvement of cholinergic transmission in HD patients seemed to have a slight effect in ameliorating cognitive performance and slowing motor deterioration.
Epilepsia | 2005
Dorit Mimrod; Luigi M. Specchio; Malka Britzi; Emilio Perucca; N. Specchio; Angela La Neve; Stefan Soback; René H. Levy; G. Gatti; Dennis R. Doose; Bruce E. Maryanoff; Meir Bialer
Summary: Purpose: To compare the influence of enzyme‐inducing comedication and valproic acid (VPA) on topiramate (TPM) pharmacokinetics and metabolism at steady state.
Journal of the Neurological Sciences | 2007
Marina de Tommaso; Olimpia Difruscolo; Vittorio Sciruicchio; N. Specchio; Paolo Livrea
The contingent negative variation (CNV) is a neurophysiological pattern related to planning of external - paced, voluntary movements. The aim of the study, was to examine the CNV in a cohort of mild demented and non-medicated HD patients, evaluating the CNV amplitude modifications in the light of clinical features and performing Low Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA) analysis in order to show the CNV multiple generators. Fourteen HD patients and 25 sex and age-matched controls were studied. All subjects were evaluated by the motor section of UHDRS, MMSE and WAIS. The CNV was recorded by 19 scalp electrodes, with a red light flash as visual warning stimulus (S1), followed by a blue light flash (S2) after a fixed interval of 3 s. The amplitude of early CNV was significantly reduced in HD, compared to controls: the amplitude reduction was significantly correlated with the bradikinesia score. LORETA analysis of early CNV significantly discriminated patients from controls, for a prevalent activation of the posterior part of anterior cingulate cortex in HD. An abnormal activation of the associative cortex devoted to the processing of attention preceding voluntary movement may be supposed in HD, probably mediated by the altered basal ganglia modulation.
Bollettino - Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia | 1997
Luigi Maria Specchio; A. La Neve; A. Spinelli; C. Gneri; R. Galli; L. Tramacere; N. Specchio; A. Iudice; L. Murri
Bollettino - Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia | 2005
G. Boero; N. Specchio; A. Gambardella; A. T. Giallonardo; Roberto Michelucci; C. Di Bonaventura; A. La Neve; L. M. Specchio
Bollettino - Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia | 2005
A. La Neve; P. D'Alessandro; G. Boero; N. Specchio; M. Stuppiello; A. Papantonio; A. De Palo; G. De Agazio; T. Francavilla; M. Ladogana; Ettore Beghi; L. M. Specchio
Bollettino - Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia | 2004
A. La Neve; G. Boero; M. Stuppiello; A. Papantonio; N. Specchio; P. D'Alessandro; A. De Palo; G. De Agazio; M. Plantamura; M. Santosabato; T. Francavilla; S. Ottaviano; L. M. Specchio
Bollettino - Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia | 2003
A. La Neve; N. Specchio; G. Boero; G. De Agazio; A. De Palo; Luigi M. Specchio
Bollettino - Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia | 2003
G. Boero; Graziella Bogliun; A. Del Felice; B. Frigeni; A. De Palo; G. De Agazio; N. Specchio; A. La Neve; M. Radaelli; Ettore Beghi; Luigi M. Specchio