Prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon in patients with migraine.

We assessed the prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in 111 migrainous patients and 111 controls matched for age and sex. While 29 (26%) of the 111 migrainous patients suffered from RP, its prevalence among the controls was seven (6%) of 111. Raynaud's phenomenon was diagnosed among 13 (33%) of 39 patients with classic migraine and 16 (22%) of 72 patients with common migraine. Drug treatment did not account for the different prevalence in the two groups. We conclude that RP occurs more frequently in patients suffering from migraine than in the non-migrainous population.

Neurological complications following rubella infection.

Neurological complications following rubella are only rarely encountered. However, in many cases severe neurological impairment may occur, leading to permanent disability. In a recent epidemic of rubella in Israel during the years 1978-1979, 20 patients with severe neurological complications have been seen. We report on 5 cases of which 3 are described in detail. Considering the efficacy of immunization against rubella, we suggest that in countries such as England and Israel in which periodic epidemics of rubella occur, a generalized plan of immunization should be undertaken during the first years of life. Such an approach will prevent the neurological complication of congenital, as well as acquired, rubella infection.

RO 15-1788 produces naloxone-reversible analgesia in the rat.

Intraperitoneal and intracerebroventricular administration of the benzodiazepine antagonist RO 15-1788 produced analgesia to both thermal and mechanical pain. This effect was reversed by pretreatment with the opioid antagonist naloxone but was unaffected by pretreatment with the benzodiazepine agonist midazolam. Furthermore, administration of the benzodiazepine antagonist RO 15-3505 was without analgesic effect. It is, therefore, proposed that the intrinsic action induced by RO 15-1788 is exerted via the indirect activation of endogenous opioid systems and that the observed effect is not due to the action of the antagonist on the benzodiazepine receptor.

Meningioma of the falx cerebri, optic atrophy, and erosion of the clinoids: coincidence or cause and effect.

The triad of meningioma of the falx cerebri, bilateral optic atrophy, and erosion of the clinoids appeared in a 33-year-old woman. The optic atrophy was the initial sign of the triad. The syndrome may be the result of several causes, but an elevation of intracranial pressure may be the common origin of the optic atrophy and erosion of the clinoids.

Analgesic and hyperalgesic effects of midazolam: dependence on route of administration.

The effects of intraperitoneal (IP) and lumbar intrathecal (IT) midazolam (MID) on nociception was studied in 38 male albino rats using the noxious tale-flick and hot-plate tests. Four groups received IP 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg MID or an equal volume of its vehicle benzyl alcohol 0.1 mg in 1 ml saline, while the other three groups received IT 10 and 100 micrograms MID or 0.5 microgram benzyl alcohol in 5 microliter saline. The two higher doses of IP MID produced statistically significant decrease of tale-flick latencies (P less than 0.005 and 0.05 at 10 and 100 mg/kg MID, respectively). This hyperalgesic effect could be seen, although the animals appeared highly sedated with reduced motor activity and relatively unresponsive to non-noxious stimuli. In contrast, IT injections of 10 micrograms MID produced moderate but statistically significant prolongation of tail-flick latencies (P less than 0.05) without noticeable change in motor activity. This analgesic effect could not be observed with the higher dose of IT MID until an hour after its administration. The almost complete immobility and ataxia seen after the high doses of IP and IT MID (animals lying on their sides) precluded reliable hot plate testing in these animals. Apparently part of the high IT dose of MID diffused into the brain, as observed after high-dose IP administration. We therefore propose that the analgesic effect of midazolam stems from its action at the spinal level, while its sedative and hyperalgesic effects are a function of its supraspinal action.

Computed axial tomography of brain in neuro-ocular Behçet's syndrome.

The case history of a 34-year-old male with a neuro-ocular Behçet and left sided hemiparesis is reported. On computerized tomography (CT) of the brain using contrast medium a homogeneous enhancement was seen. This conforms with the very few similar reported cases of Behçet's syndrome and is in discordance with the CT findings in cases of cerebral stroke. We conclude, therefore, that the appearance of a homogeneous enhancement on contrast CT can be of diagnostic value in neuro-Behçet.