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Introduction: Dystonia is a syndrome characterized by sustained muscle contractions frequently causing twisting and repetitive movements of the relative part of the body or abnormal postures. The precise pathophysiology of idiopathic dystonia is still unclear. Systematic investigation of involuntary movements characterized by constant laterality of posture and motion has not yet been done. The aim of our study was to determine the symmetry of the density of dopamine D2 receptors with 123I-IBZM SPECT in relation to the head rotation in patients suffering from unilateral or lateralized dystonia. Methods: Seventeen patients with a clinical diagnosis of cervical dystonia participated in our study. There were 11 men and 6 women. The mean age was 48 years (25 to 64). Structural lesions of the brain were excluded by CT or MRI. The dopamine D2 receptor ligand used was 123I-IBZM. Imaging was performed with a dual-head SPECT gamma camera. We quantified the area as well as radioactivity accumulation within the striatum and its symmetry using five different methods. We assessed reliability by intraobserver and interobserver (2 readers) variability as well as methodological variability. Results: From all the tested methods used for symmetry/asymmetry of 123I-IBZM uptake evaluation in striatum no one is more reproducible than the others including the most simple visual assessment. The correspondence with clinical findings was better for quantitative methods. In our study in 13 of 17 patients with (rotational) cervical dystonia the dopamine D2 receptors density predominated in the striatum ipsilateral to the rotation of the head. Conclusions: The asymmetric accumulation of dopamine D2 receptors corresponding to the side of motor and postural asymmetry supports the view that the direction of circling behavior in animals and the direction of cervical dystonia in human beings might be predisposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Transfusiology & Haematology Today / Transfuze a Hematologie Dnes is the property of Czech Medical Association of JE Purkyne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tests of postural rotational laterality were carried out in 63 patients suffering from torticollis (53) or torsion dystonia with torticollis (10) and in 33 normal subjects. There was a correlation between the predominant direction of postural functions and the direction of the rotatory component of torticollis. Torticollis and torsion dystonia may be due to the release of a postural rotational laterality in pre-disposed subjects and not to a presumed asymmetric lesion of the brain-stem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background It is difficult to repair nerve if proximal stump is unavailable or autogenous nerve grafts are insufficient for reconstructing extensive nerve damage. Therefore, alternative methods have been developed, including lateral anastomosis based on axons' ability to send out collateral sprouts into denervated nerve. The different capacity of a sensory or motor axon to send a sprout is controversial and may be controlled by cytokines and/or neurotrophic factors like ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). The aim of the present study was to quantitatively assess collateral sprouts sent out by intact motor and sensory axons in the end-to-side neurorrhaphy model following intrathecal administration of CNTF in comparison with phosphate buffered saline (vehiculum) and Cerebrolysin. The distal stump of rat transected musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) was attached in an end-to-side fashion with ulnar nerve. CNTF, Cerebrolysin and vehiculum were administered intrathecally for 2 weeks, and all animals were allowed to survive for 2 months from operation. Numbers of spinal motor and dorsal root ganglia neurons were estimated following their retrograde labeling by Fluoro-Ruby and Fluoro-Emerald applied to ulnar and musculocutaneous nerve, respectively. Reinnervation of biceps brachii muscles was assessed by electromyography, behavioral test, and diameter and myelin sheath thickness of regenerated axons. Results Vehiculum or Cerebrolysin administration resulted in significantly higher numbers of myelinated axons regenerated into the MCN stumps compared with CNTF treatment. By contrast, the mean diameter of the myelinated axons and their myelin sheath thickness in the cases of Cerebrolysin- or CNTF-treated animals were larger than were those for rats treated with vehiculum. CNTF treatment significantly increased the percentage of motoneurons contributing to reinnervation of the MCN stumps (to 17.1%) when compared with vehiculum or Cerebrolysin treatments (at 9.9 or 9.6%, respectively). Reduced numbers of myelinated axons and simultaneously increased numbers of motoneurons contributing to reinnervation of the MCN improved functional reinnervation of the biceps brachii muscle after CNTF treatment. Conclusion The present experimental study confirms end-to-side neurorrhaphy as an alternative method for reconstructing severed peripheral nerves. CNTF promotes motor reinnervation of the MCN stump after its end-to-side neurorrhaphy with ulnar nerve and improves functional recovery of the biceps brachii muscle.