RESUMO
The subjective visual straight-ahead (SVA) was measured psychophysically before and during unilateral vibration of the posterior neck muscles in order to determine the particular contribution of neck muscle spindles to the perception of body orientation during ageing. We found a symmetrical increase of the vibration-induced displacement of the SVA with advancing age (R = +0.73, p < 0.01, n = 60) in 30 healthy subjects of different ages (range 20-81 years). These data indicate the cervical proprioceptive contribution to multisensory body orientation increases with ageing. One possible interpretation is that the sensorial weight of proprioception increases as the peripheral vestibular input decreases with advancing age, thereby substituting for the lack of vestibular function.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento/fisiologia , Músculos do Pescoço/fisiologia , Propriocepção/fisiologia , Percepção Espacial/fisiologia , Vibração , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Humanos , Modelos Lineares , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fusos Musculares/fisiologia , Estimulação Luminosa , Reflexo Vestíbulo-Ocular/fisiologia , Análise e Desempenho de Tarefas , Nervo Vestibular/fisiologiaRESUMO
Forty-eight patients with partial seizures were analysed during treatment with 1200 mg/d or more of carbamazepine (CBZ). Thirty-three were on monotherapy and fifteen on polytherapy. The other drugs were kept unchanged in the patients on polytherapy. The dose of CBZ was increased if no control was observed and the patient had no side effects. The doses used ranged between 1200 and 1900 mg/day (1200 mg/day, n = 18; 1300 mg/day, n = 1; 1400 mg/day, n = 7; 1600 mg/day, n = 9; 1700 mg/day, n = 4; 1800 mg/day, n = 8; 1900 mg/day, n = 1). Anticonvulsant plasma levels were taken to confirm patient compliance. The average plasma level was 9.6 ug/mL. The period of follow up varied from 3 to 96 months (M = 25.6). Seizure's control was observed in 7 (14.48%) patients taking 1200 mg/day and in 2 (4.16%) patients taking 1400 mg/day of CBZ. Thirty-nine patients did not show any control (81.21%). Ten patients (20.81%) had signs of intoxication. When patients have no improvement with 1400 mg/day, it is difficult to obtain any control despite the use of higher doses of CBZ, which frequently expose the patient to significant side effects.