Kampo medicine and Muro disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex): Postscript and Historical Footnote.

Western Pacific Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinsonism-dementia Complex (ALS/PDC) is a disappearing neurodegenerative disease in three former high-incidence foci of the U.S. territory of Guam, Papua-Indonesia (New Guinea) and Kii Peninsula, Honshu Island, Japan (Muro disease). We report additional data that associate medicinal use of cycad seed to Muro disease in the southern Kozagawa focus of ALS/PDC. In the other two ALS/PDC-affected populations, cycad seed was used as a traditional topical medicine in New Guinea and Guam and, additionally, for food on Guam.

Kampo medicine and Muro disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex).

Western Pacific Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinsonism-dementia Complex (ALS/PDC) is a disappearing neurodegenerative disease in three former high-incidence foci of Guam-USA, Papua-Indonesia and Kii Peninsula, Honshu Island, Japan. The latter includes two distinct ALS/PDC-affected regions (Hohara and Kozagawa), where the disorder is known as Muro disease. In Hohara, oral exposure to plant (cycad) neurotoxins used in traditional medical practice has been linked previously to Muro disease. We report new observations that link Kampo medicine to Muro disease in the southern Kozagawa focus. Oral exposure to cycad seed toxins is associated with all three foci of Western Pacific ALS/PDC.

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability during trigger point acupuncture.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify changes in the cardiovascular autonomic nervous system function due to trigger point acupuncture, we evaluated differences in responses between acupuncture at trigger points and those at other sites using spectral analysis of heart rate variability. METHODS: Subjects were 35 healthy men. Before measurements began the subjects were assigned to a trigger point acupuncture or control group based on the presence/absence of referred pain on applying pressure to a taut band within the right tibialis anterior muscle. The measurements were conducted in a room with a temperature of 25°C, with subjects in a long sitting position after 10 min rest. Acupuncture needles were retained for 10 min at two sites on the right tibialis anterior muscle. ECG was performed simultaneously with measurements of blood pressure and the respiratory cycle. Based on the R-R interval on the ECG, frequency analysis was performed, low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) components were extracted and the ratio of LF to HF components (LF/HF) was evaluated. RESULTS: The trigger point acupuncture group showed a transient decrease in heart rate and an increase in the HF component but no significant changes in LF/HF. In the control group, no significant changes were observed in heart rate, the HF component or LF/HF. There were no consistent changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressure in either group. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that acupuncture stimulation of trigger points of the tibialis anterior muscle transiently increases parasympathetic nerve activity.

Excitability of spinal neural function during motor imagery in Parkinson's disease.

the median nerve at the wrist in subjects during two motor imagery conditions: holding and not holding the sensor of a pinch meter between the thumb and index finger. Our aim was to determine whether mental simulation without the muscle contraction associated with motion can increase the excitability of spinal neural function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). F-waves of the left thenar muscles were examined in 10 patients with PD under resting, holding and motor imagery conditions. For the holding condition, the subjects held the sensor of the pinch meter between their thumb and index finger. For the motor imagery conditions, the subjects were asked to imagine a 50% maximal voluntary isometric contraction holding and not holding the sensor of the pinch meter between their thumb and index finger (motor imagery "with"/"without sensor"). Persistence during motor imagery under the "with sensor" condition increased significantly compared with persistence during resting (n=10, z=2.2509, p=0.0244, Wilcoxon test). The F/M amplitude ratio during motor imagery under the "with sensor" condition increased significantly compared with that during resting (n=10, z=2.1915, p=0.0284, Wilcoxon test). Excitability of spinal neural function during motor imagery in Parkinson's disease Motor imagery under the "with the sensor" condition increased excitability of the spinal neural output to the thenar muscles. Because excitability of the spinal neural output to the thenar muscles during motor imagery "with the sensor" was significantly higher than that during resting, we suggest that movement preparation for a motor imagery task is important in patients with PD.