scholarly journals Does the Somatosensory Temporal Discrimination Threshold Change over Time in Focal Dystonia?

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella Conte ◽  
Gina Ferrazzano ◽  
Daniele Belvisi ◽  
Nicoletta Manzo ◽  
Antonio Suppa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Cervical Dystonia ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Discrimination Threshold ◽  
Focal Dystonia ◽  
Inhibitory Interneurons ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Over Time

Background. The somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is defined as the shortest interval at which an individual recognizes two stimuli as asynchronous. Some evidence suggests that STDT depends on cortical inhibitory interneurons in the basal ganglia and in primary somatosensory cortex. Several studies have reported that the STDT in patients with dystonia is abnormal. No longitudinal studies have yet investigated whether STDT values in different forms of focal dystonia change during the course of the disease.Methods. We designed a follow-up study on 25 patients with dystonia (15 with blepharospasm and 10 with cervical dystonia) who were tested twice: upon enrolment and 8 years later. STDT values from dystonic patients at the baseline were also compared with those from a group of 30 age-matched healthy subjects.Results. Our findings show that the abnormally high STDT values observed in patients with focal dystonia remained unchanged at the 8-year follow-up assessment whereas disease severity worsened.Conclusions. Our observation that STDT abnormalities in dystonia remain unmodified during the course of the disease suggests that the altered activity of inhibitory interneurons—either at cortical or at subcortical level—responsible for the increased STDT does not deteriorate as the disease progresses.

Changes in DNA methylation persist over time in males with severe alcohol use disorder—A longitudinal follow‐up study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soundarya Soundararajan ◽  
Arpana Agrawal ◽  
Meera Purushottam ◽  
Shravanthi Daphne Anand ◽  
Bhagyalakshmi Shankarappa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorder ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Over Time

scholarly journals Human Milk Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 089033442110301
Author(s):  
Hannah G. Juncker ◽  
M. Romijn ◽  
Veerle N. Loth ◽  
Tom G. Caniels ◽  
Christianne J.M. de Groot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Milk ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Immunoglobulin A ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Lactating Mothers ◽  
Milk Antibodies ◽  
Over Time

Background: Human milk contains antibodies against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) following Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). These antibodies may serve as protection against COVID-19 in infants. However, the evolution of these human milk antibodies over time is unclear. Research Aim: To elucidate the evolution of immunoglobulin A (IgA) against SARS-CoV-2 in human milk after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This longitudinal follow-up study included lactating mothers ( N = 24) who had participated in the COVID MILK study. To assess the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, serum and human milk samples were collected 14–143 days after the onset of clinical symptoms related to COVID-19. Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay was used to detect antibodies against the ectodomain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Results: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies remain present up to 5 months (143 days) in human milk after onset of COVID-19 symptoms. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 IgA in human milk seems to gradually decrease over time. Conclusion: Human milk from SARS-CoV-2 convalescent lactating mothers contains specific IgA antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein up to at least 5 months post-infection. Passive viral immunity can be transferred via human milk and may serve as protection for infants against COVID-19. Dutch Trial Register on May 1st, 2020, number: NL 8575, URL: https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8575 .

scholarly journals Diagnostic Evaluation of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT in Parkinsonism

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-36
Author(s):  
Zahra Babaei Aghdam ◽  
Safa Najmi Tabrizi ◽  
Amin Arasteh ◽  
Mohammad Khalafi ◽  
Morteza Ghojazadeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Test Evaluation ◽  
Diagnostic Test Evaluation ◽  
Uptake Pattern ◽  
Spect Images

Background Parkinsonism as a group of movement disorders, exhibit similar clinical presentation. Therefore, clinically differentiating these diseases is difficult. We investigated the diagnostic value of 99m Tc-TRODAT-1 SPECT in this setting. Due to the fact that this modality has some limitations in imaging small organs like the sub-regions of basal ganglia, we also evaluated the use of anatomical MR imaging along with functional SPECT imaging in parkinsonism. Methods This follow-up diagnostic test evaluation study was performed with 40 patients with the clinical presentation of parkinsonism, and 10 healthy subjects as controls. After administration of the radiopharmaceutical, SPECT images were acquired, then co-registered on MRI. Uptake values were evaluated in basal ganglia semi-quantitatively. Results In this study, 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT was able to differentiate essential tremor and healthy subjects from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) with a sensitivity of 76.47% and specificity of 100% at a cut-off of 0.53; however, findings were not significant in differentiation of PD from PSP (p ˃0.05), and the results were similar in SPECT and co-registered MRI/SPECT images. In evaluation of the uptake pattern in basal ganglia, the lateralization of decreased uptake was only seen in PD; and in PSP, the dysfunction was bilateral in all patients. Conclusion 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT is sensitive and specific in diagnosing basal ganglia dysfunction; however, 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT alone or co-registration on MRI are not adequate in differentiation of the etiologies of basal ganglia dysfunction.

scholarly journals Measurement & Analysis of the Temporal Discrimination Threshold Applied to Cervical Dystonia

10.3791/56310 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca B Beck ◽  
Eavan M McGovern ◽  
John S Butler ◽  
Dorina Birsanu ◽  
Brendan Quinlivan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Dystonia ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Discrimination Threshold

scholarly journals Botulinum Toxin Effects on Sensorimotor Integration in Focal Dystonias

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 277
Author(s):  
Maria Ilenia De Bartolo ◽  
Nicoletta Manzo ◽  
Gina Ferrazzano ◽  
Viola Baione ◽  
Daniele Belvisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Botulinum Toxin ◽  
Sensorimotor Integration ◽  
Index Finger ◽  
Botulinum Toxin A ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Discrimination Threshold ◽  
Focal Dystonia ◽  
Movement Execution ◽  
Proprioceptive Input ◽  
Hand Dystonia

(1) Background: In dystonia, the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is abnormally increased at rest and higher and longer-lasting during movement execution in comparison with healthy subjects (HS), suggesting an abnormal sensorimotor integration. These abnormalities are thought to depend on abnormal proprioceptive input coming from dystonic muscles. Since Botulinum toxin-A (BT-A) reduces proprioceptive input in the injected muscles, our study investigated the effects of BT-A on STDT tested at rest and during voluntary movement execution in patients with focal dystonia. (2) Methods: We enrolled 35 patients with focal dystonia: 14 patients with cervical dystonia (CD), 11 patients with blepharospasm (BSP), and 10 patients with focal hand dystonia (FHD); and 12 age-matched HS. STDT tested by delivering paired stimuli was measured in all subjects at rest and during index finger abductions. (3) Results: Patients with dystonia had higher STDT values at rest and during movement execution than HS. While BT-A did not modify STDT at rest, it reduced the abnormal values of STDT during movement in CD and FHD patients, but not in BSP patients. (4) Conclusions: BT-A improved abnormal sensorimotor integration in CD and FHD, most likely by decreasing the overflow of proprioceptive signaling from muscle dystonic activity to the thalamus.

scholarly journals Temporal discrimination threshold and blink reflex recovery cycle in cervical dystonia – two sides of the same coin?

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 4-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Junker ◽  
Theresa Paulus ◽  
Valerie Brandt ◽  
Anne Weissbach ◽  
Sinem Tunc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Dystonia ◽  
Temporal Discrimination ◽  
Blink Reflex ◽  
Discrimination Threshold ◽  
Recovery Cycle ◽  
Two Sides

scholarly journals Racial Attitudes among South African Young Adults: A Four-year Follow-up Study

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy B. Smith ◽  
Christopher R. Stones ◽  
Anthony Naidoo
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Racial Attitudes ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
The Many ◽  
Democratic Elections ◽  
Over Time

The many social changes that have occurred in South Africa since the first democratic elections in 1994 warrant that careful scrutiny be given to the racial attitudes of South Africa's young adults. Their degree of acceptance of the doctrine of deracialisation and reconciliation represents a hope or a warning about the possibility of a stable future. A follow-up study was thus carried out in order to update data collected in 1995, with the hypothesis that, over time, greater acceptance of other racial groups would be reported. In this follow-up study, the authors examined differences among a new sample of 122 Xhosa-speaking Black, 73 so-called coloured, and 234 English-speaking White young adults. Data were collected using a questionnaire that assessed aspects of these groups' perceptions of themselves (identities) and their attitudes toward other racial groups (their prejudice). Statistical significance was found between groups and over time across measures.

How Quality Improvement Interventions for Depression Affect Stigma Concerns Over Time: A Nine-Year Follow-Up Study

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Klap ◽  
Lingqi Tang ◽  
Terry Schell ◽  
Naihua Duan ◽  
Kenneth Wells ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Improvement Interventions ◽  
Quality Improvement Interventions ◽  
Over Time
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