[Transient global amnesia--possible aetiopathogenetic mechanisms]. / Tranzitorna globalna amnezija--moguci etipatogenetski mehanizmi.

Transient global amnesia is a clinically well defined syndrome, characterized by transient isolated epizodes of confusion with inability to acquire new data, repetitive quieries, retrograde amnesia and absence of other neurologic symptoms or signs. Eighteen patients who presented at admission the clinical picture of transient global amnesia were, after the examination, classified in three groups: patients with symptoms or signs of transitory focal ischemia, migraine group, and miscellaneous group. The transitory global amnesia in patients suffering from atherosclerotic changes of the vascular system is usually the first manifestation of transitory ischaemic attack pointing to the vascular insufficiency of the posterior cerebral regions as the cause of attack. The typical transient global amnesia is not a rare phenomenon, but it supposes the existence of the precipitating factors. Although its "pure" form is usually benign, the appearance of other factors such as cerebral neoplasms, involved in the aetiology of transient global amnesia, requires the complete clinical examination of each individual with these symptoms.

Serum and CSF immunological findings in ALS.

Serum and CSF immunological findings were analysed in 37 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS patients had significantly higher mean values of serum IgG and complement component C4 and significantly lower mean value of total haemolytic titre of complement (THC) compared with normal controls. Incidence of immune complexes (ICs) was significantly higher in sera of ALS patients than in normal controls. There was no significant difference regarding mean serum levels of IgM, IgA, and complement components C3 and Factor B between patients and controls. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage was found in 46% of patients. Intrathecal IgG synthesis was detected in six patients (16%). These results support the hypothesis of immune system involvement in ALS.