[Clinical survey on neuropathic pain in neurological outpatient department].

OBJECTIVE: To survey the features and its impact of neuropathic pain in neurological outpatients. METHODS: A total of 106 patients with neuropathic pain were selected from Neurology Clinic of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University. General status instrument, SF-36 Quality of Life Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were used in the survey. RESULTS: Trigeminal neuralgia (23.6%), nerve root pain (21.7%), and post-herpetic neuralgia (13.2%) were the most common causes of neuropathic pain. The sequence of impairments in life quality of the patients was role-physical (21.2), bodily pain (39.9), role-emotional (41.2), general health (50.0), physical functioning (55.1), vitality (60.0), mental health (68.5), and social functioning (70.9). Pearson correlation coefficients were statistically significant between bodily pain and other dimensions of life quality (P<0.05). Western medication (45.3%) was the most common treatment adopted by physicians. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of neuropathic pain is common in elderly patients. The three major types of neuropathic pain seriously affect the quality of life in patients. Although western medicine is the first choice of treatment, clinical drug selection should be standardized with efforts of both doctors and patients.

[A study of microPET for assessing regional cerebral glucose metabolism and the expression of dopamine receptor type 2 in a rat model of Parkinson's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To employ (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) and (3-N-[(11)C] methylspiperone)(11)C-NMSP microPET to assess the changes of regional cerebral glucose metabolism and the expression of dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD(2)) in a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: A hemiparkinsonian model was established in rats by unilateral pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). At 2 weeks after 6-OHDA insult, (18)F-FDG and (11)C-NMSP microPET scan were performed to compare the differences of regional cerebral glucose metabolism and the expression of DRD(2) between the PD and control groups respectively. The immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase in two groups. RESULTS: In the PD model, the glucose metabolism rates were 88.2% ± 2.2%, 94.5% ± 4.5% and 96.2% ± 5.8% respectively, in right striatum, hippocampus and sensorimotor cortex. And they were significantly lower than those in the control group [92.7% ± 2.8% (P < 0.01), 98.9% ± 3.9% (P < 0.01) & 102.8% ± 2.1% (P < 0.01)]. The expression of DRD(2) in right striatum was significantly higher in the PD group than that in the control group (112.9% ± 9.0% vs 102.3% ± 1.4%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In the PD rats, glucose metabolism decreases in injured side striatum, hippocampus and sensorimotor cortex while and the expression of DRD(2) increases in injured side striatum.(18)F-FDG and (11)C-NMSP microPET can effectively assess the regional cerebral glucose metabolism and the expression of DRD(2) in PD. They may serve as effective molecular imaging tools for an early diagnosis of PD.

[Study of brainstem auditory evoked potentials and its correlation with pontine volume in olivopontocerebellar atrophy].

AIM: To investigate the change of latency and interpeak latency of each component of BAEP (brainstem auditory evoked potential, BAEP) and its correlation with PV/PFV (pontine volume/posterior fossa volume, PV/PFV) ratio in OPCA (olivopontocerebellar atrophy, OPCA). METHODS: We used Keypoint EMG/EP to determine waves I PL (peak latency, PL), III PL, V PL and I - III IPL (interpeak latency, IPL), III - V IPL, I - V IPL and used 1.5TMR 3D volume rendering software to determine PV (pontine volume, PV), CV(cerebellar volume, CV) and PFV (posterior fossa volume,PFV). Then calculated PV/PFV ratio, CV/PFV ratio and PV/ CV ratio in OPCA group and control group. RESULTS: Compared with control group, in OPCA group wave IIII PL, I - III IPL were significantly elongated (P < 0.05), III - V IPL was significantly shorten (P < 0.05), PV/PFV ratio was significantly decreased (P < 0.01); there was a positive correlation between III-V IPL and PV/PFV ratio (r = 0.83, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In patients with OPCA, III PL, I - III IPL of BAEP were elongated and III - V IPL of BAEP was shorten. III - V IPL became shorter when the volume of pontine decreased.