First stages towards the establishment of Brazilian neurology faculties / Primeiros passos das escolas de neurologia do Brasil

ABSTRACT The establishment of modern medicine in Brazil was marked by the arrival of the Portuguese Court in 1808, when the Bahia and Rio de Janeiro Faculties of Medicine were founded. The French School of Medicine exerted a strong influence on Brazilian medicine and on the main pioneers of Brazilian neurology. The elite of "Parisian neurology" trained students and doctors from around the world, and were mentors to the pioneers of Brazilian neurology in the early 20th century. In this article, the authors review the origins of neurology faculties in Brazilian medicine and the main pioneers of Brazilian neurology. Neurology is certainly a continuously changing field and has always adapted to new advances and discoveries, and it is an honor for the authors to pay homage to their pioneers.

RESUMO O estabelecimento da medicina moderna no Brasil foi marcado pela chegada da corte portuguesa em 1808, quando foram fundadas as faculdades de medicina da Bahia e do Rio de Janeiro. A Escola Francesa de Medicina exerceu forte influência na Medicina Brasileira e nos principais pioneiros da Neurologia Brasileira. A elite da "Neurologia parisiense", treinou estudantes e médicos de todo o mundo e foram os mentores dos pioneiros da neurologia brasileira no início do século XX. Neste texto, os autores revisam as origens das faculdades de Neurologia na Medicina Brasileira e os principais pioneiros da Neurologia Brasileira. A neurologia é certamente um campo em constante mudança e sempre se adaptou a novos avanços e descobertas, e é uma honra para os autores homenagear seus pioneiros.

First stages towards the establishment of Brazilian neurology faculties.

OBJECTIVE: The establishment of modern medicine in Brazil was marked by the arrival of the Portuguese Court in 1808, when the Bahia and Rio de Janeiro Faculties of Medicine were founded. METHODS: The French School of Medicine exerted a strong influence on Brazilian medicine and on the main pioneers of Brazilian neurology. The elite of "Parisian neurology" trained students and doctors from around the world, and were mentors to the pioneers of Brazilian neurology in the early 20th century. CONCLUSION: In this article, the authors review the origins of neurology faculties in Brazilian medicine and the main pioneers of Brazilian neurology. RESULTS: Neurology is certainly a continuously changing field and has always adapted to new advances and discoveries, and it is an honor for the authors to pay homage to their pioneers.

Brief considerations on the dispensation profile of the botulinum toxin type A by the Brazilian Unified Health System for treatment of dystonias: Datasus data.

Botulinum toxin injections are the most effective approach for the treatment of focal dystonia. Despite growing demand and clinical indications over the years, there are few reports or publications of its use and benefit to patients seen at the Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS (Unified Health System). Analyzing the Datasus data (Unified Health System Information Department of Brazilian Ministry of Health), it was noticed that in Brazil the percentage of dystonic patient benefited from this procedure is still low. We therefore suggest some strategies to increase the dispensation of the toxin by the Brazilian Unified Health system for the dystonic patients.

Restless legs syndrome in Parkinson's disease: clinical characteristics and biochemical correlations / Síndrome das pernas inquietas na doença de Parkinson: características clínicas e correlações bioquímicas

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder that responds to dopaminergic drugs, indicating a common pathophysiology with Parkinson's disease (PD). The prevalence of RLS was estimated in a group of PD patients and its clinical and biochemical characteristics were analysed. Forty-eight patients with PD were evaluated into two groups, with and without RLS. Clinical characteristics assessed in both groups were age, gender, duration of PD, Hoehn and Yahr, and Schwab and England scales. Laboratory variables such as hemoglobin, s-iron, s-ferritin and creatinine were obtained. The prevalence of RLS was 18.75 percent. No significant differences regarding clinical variables and biochemical parameters were observed. The high prevalence of RLS found in PD patients suggests the concept of a common etiological link and it seems that secondary causes did not play a central role in the pathophysiology of RLS in this group of parkinsonian patients.

A síndrome das pernas inquietas (SPI) é um distúrbio sensitivo-motor que responde aos agentes dopaminérgicos, demonstrando uma possível semelhança fisiopatológica com a doença de Parkinson (DP). Foi avaliada a prevalência da SPI em um grupo de pacientes com DP e suas características clínicas e laboratoriais. Quarenta e oito pacientes diagnosticados com DP foram divididos em dois grupos: com e sem SPI. Características clínicas como idade, sexo, duração da DP, escalas de Hoehn e Yahr, e Schwab e England e achados bioquímicos como hemoglobina, ferro sérico, ferritina sérica e creatinina foram obtidos. A freqüência da SPI foi de 18,75 por cento. Não se observaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas quanto às características clínicas e aos achados bioquímicos. A alta prevalência de SPI encontrada em pacientes com DP sugere associação entre essas duas doenças. É provável que causas secundárias não exerçam papel central na fisiopatologia da SPI nesse grupo de pacientes parkinsonianos.

Restless legs syndrome in Parkinson's disease: clinical characteristics and biochemical correlations.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder that responds to dopaminergic drugs, indicating a common pathophysiology with Parkinson's disease (PD). The prevalence of RLS was estimated in a group of PD patients and its clinical and biochemical characteristics were analysed. Forty-eight patients with PD were evaluated into two groups, with and without RLS. Clinical characteristics assessed in both groups were age, gender, duration of PD, Hoehn and Yahr, and Schwab and England scales. Laboratory variables such as hemoglobin, s-iron, s-ferritin and creatinine were obtained. The prevalence of RLS was 18.75%. No significant differences regarding clinical variables and biochemical parameters were observed. The high prevalence of RLS found in PD patients suggests the concept of a common etiological link and it seems that secondary causes did not play a central role in the pathophysiology of RLS in this group of parkinsonian patients.

Depression in Parkinson's disease: study of 60 cases.

Depression is very frequent in Parkinson's disease (PD) and largely unrecognized by neurologists, emphasizing the need of an approach to psychiatric symptoms by non psychiatrists in order to ensure an early diagnosis of depression in PD; clinical characteristics and the prevalence rate of depression in PD were evaluated and the relationship of depression in PD with other variables were determined. Sixty PD subjects, who fulfilled the clinical criteria for primary PD, 56.6% males, age range from 44 to 85 years old, in different stages of the disease were investigated. All subjects were submitted to the UPDRS-III, V and VI, Clinical Interview Schedule and the Hamilton depression scale. A significant correlation was found between depression and UPDRS-III, V and VI, anxiety and irritability. The frequency of depression in PD in this study was nearly 40% possessing specific features. Structured interviews and evaluation scales are essential for an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of depression in PD.