Patología neurológica del anciano: las alteraciones cognitivas. / Aged neurological patology: The cognitive alterations

Este trabajo revisa los aspectos cognitivos de dos cuadros fundamentales en la neuropatología del anciano: la `confusión mental' o delirio y las demencias. De ambas se examina la psicopatología, la clínica y el diagnóstico diferencial y los factores causales. En el caso de la `confusión mental' se examina las fases de la terapéutica; y en las demencias la fisiopatología y la biología molecular, con especial énfasis en los desarrollos recientes

Manifestaciones neuropsiquiátricas en el SIDA / Neuropsychiatric manifestacions in AIDS

Este trabajo aborda en apretada síntesis, las características principales del virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, así como los criterios diagnósticos del SIDA. Se hace especial énfasis en el cuadro clínico neuropsiquiátrico de esta enfermedad, que se supone debido al ataque del virus a la neurología, órgano diana en el sistema nervioso central, además del conocido linfocito T4, en el tejido sanguíneo

Manifestaciones neuropsiquiátricas en el SIDA / Neuropsychiatric manifestacions in AIDS

Este trabajo aborda en apretada síntesis, las características principales del virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, así como los criterios diagnósticos del SIDA. Se hace especial énfasis en el cuadro clínico neuropsiquiátrico de esta enfermedad, que se supone debido al ataque del virus a la neurología, órgano diana en el sistema nervioso central, además del conocido linfocito T4, en el tejido sanguíneo

Endocardite aguda com múltiplas lesöes neurológicas: correlaçäo clínica e anatomopatológica / Acute endocarditis with multiple neurologic lesions: clinical and anatomopathological correlations

É apresentado o caso de um menino de 10 anos, com um furúnculo de nádega que, embora tenha regredido, deixou, como seqüela, endocardite de evoluçäo fatal. A endocardite, neste caso, exteriorizou-se clinicamente por lesäo neurológica de meningoencefalite purulenta e lesöes de vasculite periférica, sendo inicialmente interpretada como meningococcemia. O estudo ecocardiográfico näo mostrou vegetaçäo e a presença de derrame pericárdico dificultou-nos a ausculta de sopro, no entanto, as lesöes de vasculite e o envolvimento neurológico indicava-nos a presença de endocardite. A evoluçäo tormentosa à rotura de aneurismas micótico, mostra-nos a atual importância dos distúrbios neurológicos como causa de morte nas endocardites infecciosas. A presença de múltiplas lesöes neurológicas (meningite, hemorragia subaracnóidea, múltiplos aneurismas micóticos e importantes áreas de hemorragias ao lado de extenso abscesso fronto-parietal direito) evidenciam a magnitude e gravidade de tais situaçöes clínicas. A correlaçäo dos aspectos clínico-patológicos ajuda-nos a compreender a poatogenia e a severidade destas sombrias situaçöes; além da importância da sua correta interpretaçäo

Tromboembolismo pulmonar en pacientes neurológicos: correlación clinocopatológica / Pulonary thromboembolism in neurologic patients: clinicopathologic correlation

Se realiza un estudio de 543 autopsias y se seleccionan los casos de tromboembolismo pulmonar (TEP) los que resultaron ser 42. Se informa que la localización más frecuente de los trombos ocurrió al nivel de las arterias pulmonares de mediano y de pequeño calibre y afectó a ambos pulmones. Se señala que la morbilidad fue del 7,7

y fue la causa directa de la muerte en el 2,5

que es una cifra menor que la informada en otras series. Se logra un alto índice de sospecha en el diagnóstico clínico (47,0

) (AU)

Tromboembolismo pulmonar en pacientes neurológicos: correlación clinocopatológica / Pulmonary thromboembolism in neurologic patients: clinicopathologic correlation

Se realiza un estudio de 543 autopsias y se seleccionan los casos de tromboembolismo pulmonar (TEP) los que resultaron ser 42. Se informa que la localización más frecuente de los trombos ocurrió al nivel de las arterias pulmonares de mediano y de pequeño calibre y afectó a ambos pulmones. Se señala que la morbilidad fue del 7,7% y fue la causa directa de la muerte en el 2,5% que es una cifra menor que la informada en otras series. Se logra un alto índice de sospecha en el diagnóstico clínico (47,0%)

[Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in a case of facial myokymia with multiple sclerosis].

A 59-year-old female of facial myokymia with multiple sclerosis was reported. In this case, facial myokymia appeared at the same time as the first attack of multiple sclerosis, in association with paroxysmal pain and desesthesia of the neck, painful tonic seizures of the right upper and lower extremities and cervical transverse myelopathy. The facial myokymia consisted of grossly visible, continuous, fine and worm-like movement, which often began in the area of the left orbicularis oculi and spread to the other facial muscles on one side. Electromyographic studies revealed grouping of motor units and continuous spontaneous rhythmic discharges in the left orbicularis oris suggesting facial myokymia, but there were no abnormalities on voluntary contraction. Sometimes doublet or multiplet patterns occurred while at other times the bursts were of single motor potential. The respective frequencies were 3-4/sec and 40-50/sec. There was no evidence of fibrillation. The facial myokymia disappeared after 4-8 weeks of administration of prednisolone and did not recur. In the remission stage after disappearance of the facial myokymia, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging by the inversion recovery method demonstrated low intensity demyelinated plaque in the left lateral tegmentum of the inferior pons, which was responsible for the facial myokymia, but X-ray computed tomography revealed no pathological findings. The demyelinated plaque demonstrated by NMR imaging seemed to be located in the infranuclear area of the facial nerve nucleus and to involve the intramedurally root.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. I. Pathophysiology and clinical manifestations.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is an uncommon, life-threatening disorder that affects older children and adolescents as well as adults. A variety of theories have been proposed to explain its clinical and pathologic manifestations, but the pathophysiology remains poorly understood. It is not even clear whether this disease primarily affects the endothelial cell, the platelet, or both. Most patients have no discernable predisposition to this disease. Our failure to define the pathophysiology of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura adequately has hampered our ability to design rational and consistently successful therapy. The present knowledge of this pathophysiology is discussed in detail. The high mortality of this disease necessitates rapid diagnosis so that therapy can be instituted as quickly as possible. The clinical manifestations and diagnostic criteria of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura are therefore reviewed.

Choriocarcinoma in Jamaica.

Fifty-two cases of choriocarcinoma were recorded in the Jamaica Cancer Registry for the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, giving an incidence of 1:7,384 live births. This is intermediate between figures reported for Western metropolitan populations and for Far Eastern countries. Clinicopathological studies on 26 cases treated at the University Hospital in Jamaica revealed that 65% followed either normal pregnancy or abortion. Choriocarcinoma following a normal pregnancy or occurring without a previous history of pregnancy carried a poorer prognosis than those with a preceding hydatidiform mole. Many patients had primary neurological manifestations. The overall prognosis was poor due to late presentation with disseminated metastases. Of the 26 patients, 15 died of the disease within two years and only six appeared for a six-year follow-up.

Choriocarcinoma in Jamaica

Fifty-two cases of choriocarcinoma were recorded in the Jamaica Cancer Registry for the parishes of Kingston and St.Andrew, giving an incidence of 1:7,384 live births. This is intermediate between figures reported for Western metropolitan populations and for Far Eastern countries. Clinicopathological studies on 26 cases treated at the University Hospital in Jamaica revealed that 65 percent followed either normal pregnancy or abortion. Choriocarcinoma following a normal pregnancy or occurring without a previous history of pregnancy carried a poorer prognosis than those with a preceding hydatidiform mole. Many patients had primary neurological manifestations. The overall prognosis was poor due to late presentation with disseminated metastases. Of the 26 patients, 15 died of the disease within two years and only six appeared for a six-year follow-up (AU)