Absence of the lateral and third ventricles associated with holoprosencephaly / 대한해부학회지

We describe a 6-month-old boy suffering from motor and mental retardation. All radiological features were suggestive of holoprosencephaly with no identifiable lateral or third ventricles and fusion of the thalami.

Increased Laterality of the Thalamus in Children and Adolescents with Asperger's Disorder: An MRI and Proton Spectroscopy Study

OBJECTIVE: Thalamic abnormalities have been reported in people with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) including Asperger's Disorder (ASP). The aim of the present study was to compare the volume and volume fraction of the thalamus and the metabolite concentrations in children and adolescents with ASP using the magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Additionally, the relationships between thalamic abnormalities and clinical features were examined. METHODS: Volume and volume fractional and metabolic measurements of bilateral thalamus were collected from 15 boys with ASP with a total IQ over 70 (age range 7-18 years, mean age 11.6+/-3.79 years), and 15 healthy controls matching age, sex and IQ. The thalamic volumes, hemisphere volumes and total brain volumes (TBV) were estimated using the stereological methods on magnetic resonance images. Chemical metabolites of thalamus were evaluated by 1H spectroscopy. RESULTS: No differences in thalamic volumes, volume fractions and metabolites were observed between the groups. There were significant correlation between thalamic volume and total brain volume in both groups. The ASP group showed a significant left-minus-right thalamus difference as well as a significantly greater laterality index. In addition, a significant correlation between the laterality index and Autism Behavior Checklist language scores was observed. CONCLUSION: Findings from this investigation point to a significant increase in laterality of the thalamus and a relationship with language problems in individuals with ASP. Our findings suggest that thalamic abnormalities may be related to mild language problems observed in ASP.

Increased Laterality of the Thalamus in Children and Adolescents with Asperger's Disorder: An MRI and Proton Spectroscopy Study

OBJECTIVE: Thalamic abnormalities have been reported in people with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) including Asperger's Disorder (ASP). The aim of the present study was to compare the volume and volume fraction of the thalamus and the metabolite concentrations in children and adolescents with ASP using the magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Additionally, the relationships between thalamic abnormalities and clinical features were examined. METHODS: Volume and volume fractional and metabolic measurements of bilateral thalamus were collected from 15 boys with ASP with a total IQ over 70 (age range 7-18 years, mean age 11.6+/-3.79 years), and 15 healthy controls matching age, sex and IQ. The thalamic volumes, hemisphere volumes and total brain volumes (TBV) were estimated using the stereological methods on magnetic resonance images. Chemical metabolites of thalamus were evaluated by 1H spectroscopy. RESULTS: No differences in thalamic volumes, volume fractions and metabolites were observed between the groups. There were significant correlation between thalamic volume and total brain volume in both groups. The ASP group showed a significant left-minus-right thalamus difference as well as a significantly greater laterality index. In addition, a significant correlation between the laterality index and Autism Behavior Checklist language scores was observed. CONCLUSION: Findings from this investigation point to a significant increase in laterality of the thalamus and a relationship with language problems in individuals with ASP. Our findings suggest that thalamic abnormalities may be related to mild language problems observed in ASP.

Axon Count and Sympathetic Skin Responses in Lumbosacral Radiculopathy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Electrodiagnostic studies can be used to confirm the diagnosis of lumbosacral radiculopathies, but more sensitive diagnostic methods are often needed to measure the ensuing motor neuronal loss and sympathetic failure. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with lumbar radiculopathy and 30 controls were investigated using nerve conduction studies, motor unit number estimation (MUNE), testing of the sympathetic skin response (SSR), quantitative electromyography (QEMG), and magnetic resonance myelography (MRM). RESULTS: Using QEMG as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of MUNE for the abductor hallucis longus muscle were 71.4% and 70%, respectively. While they were 75% and 68.8%, respectively, when used MRM as gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of MUNE for the extensor digitorum brevis muscle were 100% and 84.1%, respectively, when the peroneal motor amplitude as the gold standard. The SSR latency was slightly longer in the patients than in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: MUNE is a simple and sensitive test for evaluating autonomic function and for diagnosing lumbosacral radiculopathy in patients. MUNE could be used routinely as a guide for the rehabilitation of patients with radiculopathies. SSR measurements may reveal subtle sympathetic abnormalities in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy.

effect of unilateral partial edentulism to muscle thickness

Teeth and muscles play a very important role for occlusal equilibrium and function. When tooth loss begins, it may also affect the function of the muscle tissues. The thickness of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were measured bilaterally in 30 healthy fully dentate adults and in 30 unilateral edentulous patients by using ultrasonographic imaging. All scans were carried out by the same radiologist to eliminate the inter-observer difference, using a real time scanner [Toshiba SSA- 270 A Japan]. A 7.5 MHz linear transducer was used. The transducer was held against the cheek with light pressure. The effect of age, sex, duration of the partial edentulism, unilateral chewing habits of the individuals to the muscle thickness were also evaluated. In all subjects, facial proportion index was also determined. No study has been found in the literature concerning the masticatory muscle thickness in unilateral partial edentulous patients. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to compare and establish the differences of the muscle thicknesses between dentate and edentulous sides in unilateral partial edentulous patients with ultrasonography and to test whether the variation in the thickness of the muscle is related to the variation in the facial morphology using the facial proportional indices in the study groups. In the present study, ultrasonography revealed a large variation in the thicknesses of the masseter and temporalis muscles in experimental and control groups, during both relaxed and contracted conditions. The thicknesses of the muscles in females during both relaxed and contracted conditions were less than those in males in both control and experimental groups. In experimental group, a high negative correlation was found between the thickness of the masseter muscle and Facial proportion Index [FPI] in females, however, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference in males. Also, a high negative correlation was found in control group, especially in females. There was no statistically significant relationship between thicknesses of the muscles and age of the subjects in both groups. There was no statistically significant relationship between unilateral chewing habits and muscle thickness. In this study, the duration of partial edentulism did not affect the thickness of the muscles. Further research is required to study muscular atrophy for comparison with total edentulism