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This study investigated event-related oscillations associated with a Simon task in 11 Parkinson's disease patients, 11 age-matched, and 11 young participants. During this task, participants respond faster when the relative spatial positions of stimulus and response match (no response conflict exists) than when they do not match (response conflict exists). An increased response conflict (increase in reaction times known as Simon effect) was found in elderly control and Parkinson's patients compared with young participants. Group and condition differences were found in the delta and theta frequency range, which may reflect that Parkinson's patients and matched controls use different cognitive strategies for stimulus-response processing than young controls and neurophysiological correlates of such strategy are deficient in patients compared with age-matched controls.

Purpose: Cognitive disorders are common in MS patients without any generally recommended treatment. Recent brain imaging studies show considerable neuroplasticity for cognitive tasks in MS patients, but also brain atrophy already early in the disease progression. We explored the benefits of a home-based cognitive training program for memory and working memory functions in relapsing-remitting MS patients controlling for whole brain and central brain atrophy as covariates., Methods: Using a single-blinded controlled study design, 42 patients were randomised into a treatment group and a control group. Home based computer training focusing on memory and working memory was started at least 4 weeks after the discontinuation of methylprednisolone treatment and lasted for 6 weeks. Two weeks later the patients were re-investigated for their clinical and cognitive performance. We assessed also quality of life (QoL), depression and fatigue using self-rating scales., Results: Training had no effect on the neurological status and on QoL or fatigue. However, the treatment group showed better verbal learning, long-delay verbal memory performance, and working memory performance. The impact of treatment on long-delay verbal memory performance was independent from the extent of brain atrophy, whereas for the other findings brain atrophy played a significant role., Conclusions: An intensive home-based cognitive training program is suitable to improve the cognitive performance of MS patients. The impact of brain atrophy on rehabilitation outcome may differ for cognitive functions.

Objective: To assess whole brain and central brain atrophy as well as their differential relation to memory, cognitive performance, fatigue, depression and quality of life in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)., Methods: A 3D flow compensated gradient recalled T1-weighted MRI was acquired in 45 RRMS patients. An automated analysis tool was used to calculate brain parenchymal fraction (BPF) and ventricular brain fraction (VF). All patients were assessed with neuropsychological tests focusing on memory and self-rating scales for depression, fatigue and quality of life. Age corrected partial correlations between brain atrophy, motor performance, psychological scales and test scores were calculated., Results: BPF correlated moderately (0.3 < or = r < 0.5) with duration of symptoms and disease, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the upper extremity motor performance, and with mental aspects of quality of life. VF correlated moderately with EDSS, upper and lower extremity motor performance and memory functions. Neither BPF nor VF correlated with fatigue and depression. Results of several cognitive tests correlated moderately with depression and fatigue, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) showing the largest correlation., Conclusions: Memory performance shows a correlation with relative ventricular size in RRMS patients, indicating the strategic location of the ventricle system along the structures of the limbic system and its vulnerability in MS. The PASAT and several other cognitive tests show moderate correlations with depression and fatigue, arguing for an inter relation between the cognitive functioning and the emotional state of patients. However, this relation is independent of measurable brain atrophy.

Murine lymphocytic choriomeningitis is a T-cell-mediated pathologic immune phenomenon. The name of this experimental illness was derived from the principal histopathologic alterations of the central nervous system (CNS) of adult mice infected intracerebrally with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, i.e., lymphocytic infiltrations of plexus choroidei and meninges. The general assumption that the main event in the pathogenesis is damage to virus-infected target cells by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes is plausible but direct evidence is scarce. We have studied the ultrastructural alterations of both types of cells that are thought to participate in this immunopathologic interaction. Lymphocytes with signs of T-cell transformation were first evident on day 4 after infection. One day later, lymphoblasts, often extending uropods and containing cytoplasmic dense and compound multivesicular bodies, predominated. They were sometimes seen in intimate contact with connective tissue cells of the leptomeninx and epithelial cells of the choroid plexuses which were shown to be infected by immunofluorescence procedure. Lymphoblasts occasionally invaginated the cytoplasm of the putative target cells with cytoplasmic processes, and were even found inside the latter, exhibiting the phenomenon of emperipolesis. Lymphocytic transformation was at its maximum 6 days after infection. At this time, individual leptomeningeal cells and groups of plexus epithelial cells showed signs of cytolysis, and in a few instances these damaged cells were in close spatial association with lymphoblasts. Similar observations have been reported by others who studied the interaction between cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and their appropriate targeted cells in vitro. We interpret our findings as providing direct evidence for the assumption that one link in the chain of events leading to the cerebral form of lymphocytic choriomeningitis of the mouse is damage to virus-infected leptomeningeal and plexus cells by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.

CCT was performed in 14 children/adolescents with juvenile ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) at different stages of the disease. CCT was normal in 7 patients; mildly abnormal in 3, clearly abnormal in another 3 and severely abnormal in 1 patient. Characteristic findings were symmetrical enlargement of subarachnoid spaces and of the lateral and third ventricles. White matter showed no changes in density. In later stages also the fourth ventricle was enlarged and cerebellar atrophy was seen. CCT findings were not closely correlated with onset and/or severity of the neurological abnormalities. CCT findings were positively correlated with age of the patients: CCT was usually normal if patients were less than 10 years old, and usually abnormal if patients were more than 14 years old.