[Neurocysticercosis in the State of Rio Grande do Norte: report of 8 cases]. / Neurocisticercose no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte: Relato de oito casos.

The authors present the study of eight patients with cysticercosis of the central nervous system observed in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. They comment about the frequency of the disease. Seizures were present in six patients and headache in four. The neurologic examination was abnormal in five patients. The diagnosis was based on computed tomography findings in seven patients, and on cerebrospinal fluid findings in three.

[Neurocysticercosis in Rio Grande do Norte before and after computed tomography: report of a case]. / A neurocisticercose no Rio Grande do Norte antes e depois da tomografia computadorizada: apresentação de um caso.

The authors emphasize the importance of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. Before CT, neurocysticercosis was considered rare in the Northeast Brazil. They reviewed fifteen cases diagnosed as neurocysticercosis by CT at the Institute of Radiology, in Natal. A case of neurocysticercosis diagnosed by CT and CSF is reported.

[Parkinson disease induced by flunarizine: report of a case]. / Parkinsonismo induzido pela flunarizina: a propósito de um caso.

The authors report the case of a female patient with parkinsonism induced by flunarizine, and refer the tremor to be of parkinsonian and also of wilsonian type. Cure was observed within three months, after withdrawal of flunarizine, and the use of L-dopa and biperiden.

A7445G mtDNA mutation present in a Portuguese family exhibiting hereditary deafness and palmoplantar keratoderma.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) A7445G point mutation has been shown to be responsible for familial nonepidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (NEPPK) associated with deafness without any additional features. To date, only a few cases have been described. We report a Portuguese pedigree presenting an inherited combination of NEPPK and sensorineural deafness compatible with maternal transmission. Clinical expression and age of onset of NEPPK and deafness were variable. Normal expression patterns of epidermal keratins and filaggrin, intercellular junction proteins including connexin 26, loricrin and cornified envelope proteins, were observed. Molecular analysis revealed that all the affected members, previously screened for Cx26 mutations with negative results, presented the mtDNA A7445G point mutation in the homoplasmic form. To our knowledge, this is the fifth family in whom inherited NEPPK and hearing loss are related to this mitochondrial mutation.