BACKGROUND: To evaluate usefulness of cerebrospinal aspartate aminotransferase(AST) as a biologic marker for differentiation of Alzheimer's disease(AD) and Vascular dementia(VD) METHODS: A consecutive series of patients who met either the criteria of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association(NINCDSADRDA) for probable AD or National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences(NINDS-AIREN) criteria for porbable VD were included in the study. Enzymatic determinations in cere brospinal fluid of aspartate aminotransferase in cerebrospinal fluid of aspartate aminotransferase and serologic analysis of apolipoprotein E were performed in 17 patients with AD and in 15 patients with VD. And we compared CSF AST of AD with that of VD. RESULTS: We found no difference of CSF AST concentration between patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Cerebrospinal AST activity also did not correlate with K-MMSE score, serum AST activity, Functional inde-pence measure(FIM) as a ADL(Activity of daily living), and presence of Apolipoprotein E4 allele in AD. Only serum AST of VD shows correlation with CSF AST. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that cerebrospinal AST concentration is not useful maker for differentiation between AD and VD.
Alleles ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Apolipoprotein E4 ; Apolipoproteins ; Aspartate Aminotransferases* ; Aspartic Acid* ; Biomarkers ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Dementia, Vascular* ; Humans ; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

The Pisa syndrome is a rare extrapyramidal side effect caused by neuroleptic treatment. Its characteristics are the twist-ing and bending to one side of the upper thorax, the neck, and the head. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of Pisa syndrome in risperidone therapy. We report four male patients with Pisa syndrome in risperidone therapy. Significant points to be noted here are the absence of any extrapyramidal symptoms prior to risperidone therapy, occur-rence in risperidone therapy with small dosages, and delayed spontaneous recovery on discontinuation of risperidone.
Head ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Risperidone* ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Vascular dementia is common cause of dementia, second to the dementia of Alzheimer desease. However in Asia and many developing countries, the incidence of vascular dementia exceeds that of Alzheimer's disease. Though many stroke-related factors related the nature of vascular injury, e.g. infarction and hemorrhage, have not assessed yet. Clarifying the difference of electroencephalograpy and clinical prognosis between infarction and hemorrhage, the aim of this study was to elucidate the role of nature of vascular injury. METHODS: to reduce confounding factors, the study population was restricted to the patients of single hemispheric striatocapsular infarction and hemorrhage saving cortex. On admission, we checked the KMMSE and FIM scores and using quantified EEG, we analyzed occipital peak frequency and the relative background alpha, theta and delta spectra power taken from 16 derivations by averaging twenty-2 -sec epoch in infarction, hemorrhage patients and elderly controls. After 6 months follow up, we compare the MMSE, FIM score between infarction and hemorrhage group. RESULTS: 1) Compared with infarction group, hemorrhage groups had a significantly bilateral lower occipital peak freqauency and background bilateral alpha spectra power. 2) In hemorrhage group, there is lower tendency in K-MMSE after 6 month follow up compared to infarction group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that hemorrhage show more bilateral electrophysiological dysfunction than infarction group and possible grave prognosis for vascular dementia compared to infarction group.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Asia ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular ; Developing Countries ; Electroencephalography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction* ; Prognosis* ; Vascular System Injuries

Ewing's sarcoma had never been described as a primary tumor outside bone, although other malignant skeletal tumors, such as osteogenic sarcoma & chondrosarcoma, are known to arise from extraskeletal soft tissues. In 1975, Angervall & F.M. Enzinger reported 39 cases of small, round or oval cell sarcomas occuring in the soft tissues and considered histologically indistinguishable from Ewing's sarcoma of bone. Recently, We experienced one case of extraskeletal neoplasm resembling Ewing's sarcoma of bone which it was located deeply in the calf area of young female patient and the case review has been followed until the death, approxlmately 10.5 months after removal.
Chondrosarcoma ; Female ; Humans ; Osteosarcoma ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Ewing

The Pisa syndrome is a rare extrapyramidal side effect caused by neuroleptic treatment and its characteristics are twisting and bending to one side of the upper thorax, the neck and the head. When its chatacteristics show both sides, we call it 'Metronome Pisa syndrome'. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman who suffered Metronome Pisa syndrome following risperidone therapy. Risperidone therapy in old ages should be cautious even if its dosage is minimal.
Female ; Head ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Risperidone* ; Thorax

Discontinuation syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that appear when a patient terminates long-term medication. We report 2 patients with Alzheimer's disease who developed significant behavioral disturbances after the cessation of cholinesterase inhibitors. Although the clinical profile of discontinuation syndrome in cholinesterase inhibitors are yet poorly defined, it may be of importance to consider this syndrome when patients develop significant behavioral disturbances after these agents are stopped, and if more severe reactions are expected, retrial of these agents may be prudent.
Alzheimer Disease ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors* ; Cholinesterases* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are less well-defined aspects of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We designed this study to explore the followings: 1) the clinical profiles of BPSD 2) the clustered-groups domains of the Korean-Neuropsychiatric Inventory (K-NPI) assessment of BPSD 3) the clinical characteristics of the clustered-groups of BPSD in patients with drug-naive probable AD. METHODS: Descriptive and cluster analyses of the 12 K-NPI domains were done in 220 patients with drug-naive probable AD. After clustering these domains, characteristics of these positive symptoms clustered-group of patients were compared with the negative symptoms groups of patients. RESULTS: The mean Korean-Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, and K-NPI scores were 15.0, 1.6, and 14.2, respectively. The CDR and K-MMSE scores correlated with total K-NPI scores, and depression was the most common symptom. According to cluster analysis, five major clusters were identified. Using the associated neuropsychological dysfunctions, characteristics of each group were defined. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the clustered-domains for K-NPI, and suggested the possible anatomical substrates for these groups in drug-naive AD patients. These attempts may clarify the complex and bizarre behavioral and psychological symptoms as more neurologically relevant symptoms.
Alzheimer Disease ; Cluster Analysis ; Dementia ; Deoxycytidine ; Depression ; Humans

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this paper was to investigate the utility of 18F-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2β-carboxymethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane (FP-CIT) positron emission tomography (PET) for evaluating the severity of Parkinson's disease (PD) according to various clinical stages, and to identify the relationship between the striatal substructure and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score, cognitive symptoms through 18F-FP-CIT PET. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 542 patients with various clinical stages of PD who underwent an 18F-FP-CIT PET at our clinics. The difference between the 18F-FP-CIT PET according to the Hoehn-Yahr stage, correlation between 18F-FP-CIT PET and the UPDRS III grouped motor items, and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) were investigated. RESULTS: As disease progressed, the right caudate and both the anterior putamen and caudate/putamen ratios exhibited a significantly lower uptake. The uptake of all striatal substructures was significantly correlated with the UPDRS total motor score. The right caudate nucleus was significantly related to both the UPDRS tremor items and the right UPDRS akinesia-rigidity items. The left caudate nucleus was related to both the UPDRS tremor items and UPDRS akinesia-rigidity items. The right anterior putamen was related to the axial items, right tremor and akinesia-rigidity items; while the left anterior putamen was related to the right tremor and right akinesia-rigidity items. Both of the posterior putamens were related to the axil items, left tremor and left akinesia rigidity items. K-MMSE was not significantly related to any striatal substructures. CONCLUSIONS: The UPDRS total motor score was significantly correlated with the uptake of all striatal substructures. However, the 18F-FPCIT uptake in specific striatal substructures was rather complexly correlated with the UPDRS motor grouped items and was not significantly related to K-MMSE. These results suggest the possibility of the complex pathophysiology of motor symptoms of PD and limitation of 18F-FPCIT PET for the evaluation of the severity of PD motor and cognitive symptoms.
Caudate Nucleus ; Electrons* ; Humans ; Neurobehavioral Manifestations* ; Parkinson Disease* ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Putamen ; Retrospective Studies ; Tremor

BACKGROUND: Wandering represents one of a major problem occurring in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). To find the disproportionate neuropsychological deficit and behavioral psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) of AD patients with wandering compared to AD patients without wandering, this study examined the set of neuropsychological tests and caregiver-administered neuropsychiatric inventory (CGA-NPI). METHODS: Psychotropic-naive (drug-naive) probable AD patients with wandering (64) and without wondering (278) were assessed with the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery, which included measures of memory, intelligence, and executive functioning. RESULTS: Patients with wandering had lower scores in the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure copy, Fist-edge-palm, Alternating hand movement tests compared to patients without wandering. The degree of wandering in AD patients was significantly related with CGA-NPI subdomains of aggression, disinhibition, depression, and delusions. CONCLUSION: This study showed that 1) AD patients with wandering have disproportionately cognitive deficit suggesting frontal and right parietal dysfunctions, 2) wanderings are related with specific BPSD. Considering these results, AD patients with wandering may have specific neuronal anatomic substrates related with pathology of Alzheimer.
Aggression ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Delusions ; Dementia ; Depression ; Hand ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; Neurons ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Pathology ; Rabeprazole ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether the four signs of Gerstmann syndrome are a cluster because the neuronal nets responsible for these symptoms are closer together, or because they shares a common networks. If the latter is correct, then with degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, each sign associated with Gerstmann syndrome should correlate with the other three signs more closely than they correlate with other cognitive dysfunctions. METHODS: Cluster and correlation analyses for various cognitive deficits including signs of Gerstmann syndrome were done among sixty-nine patients with probable Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS: The four signs of Gerstmann syndrome did not cluster together. With the exception of calculation and writing, other signs including right-left orientation and finger naming placed in other groups and did not significantly correlate each other. CONCLUSIONS: A detailed statistical analysis of the tetrad showed that Gerstmann syndrome was not attributable to a common neuronal network, and the phenomenological association of the four signs may be related to the anatomical proximity of the different networks mediating these functions.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Fingers ; Gerstmann Syndrome* ; Humans ; Negotiating ; Neurons ; Writing