Objective To compare the incidence rate of non-motor symptoms including constipation, depression,REM sleep disorder(RBD)in patients with Parkinson′s disease(PD)and essential tremor(ET). Methods Sixty patients with PD and 40 patients with ET treated in the department of neurology of Tianjin People′s Hospital from October 2015 to June 2016 were enrolled in the study.The clinical data were recorded.The incidence rates of constipation,depression,REM sleep disorder in PD patients and ET patients were compared in order to analyze the correlation among HY staging and the duration of constipation,depression and RBD in PD patients.Results The incidence rates of constipation,depression,REM sleep disorder in PD group were significantly higher than those in ET group(88.3%(53/60)vs.10.0%(4/40); 61.7%(37/60) vs.27.5%(11/40),51.7%(31/60)vs.7.5%(3/40)),the differences were statistically significant(χ2=60.08,11.22,20.86,P<0.05).Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the HY staging of patients with PD was related to the duration of constipation,the duration of depression and the duration of RBD(r=0.570,0.369,0.439,P<0.01).Conclusion The degree of correlation between constipation and HY staging is relatively high in PD patients.PD patients with constipation,depression,REM sleep disorder can provide reference for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ET patients.

Objective To investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of two iron-related genes Transferrin (Tf) 258G/S and Transferrin receptor (TfR) 82S/G and Parkinson's disease (PD) in north and northwest China.Methods Polymerase chain reaction and restrict on fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to analyze the genotypes and allele frequency distributions of Tf258G/S and TfR 82S/G in 61 north china PD patient group and 70 randomly selected locally healthy control subjects,and in 56 northwest China PD patient group and 70 randomly selected locally healthy control subjects.Results (1) In allelic and genotypic distributions of Tf258 G/S,the allele G and genotype GS in two PD patient groups were both significantly higher than those in corresponding controls (P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between the two PD patient groups,or between the two controls (P＞0.05).(2) There were no significant differences in allelic and genotypic distributions of TfR 82S/G between the two PD patient groups,or between the two controls (P＞0.05).Conclusions There might be association of Tf 258 G/S gene polymorphism with north and northwest China PD patients;the allele G and genotype GS might increase susceptibility to PD.No association of TfR 82S/G gene polymorphism with north and northwest China PD patients is noted.

Wavelet entropy is a quantitative index to describe the complexity of signals. Continuous wavelet transform method was employed to analyze the spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of mild, moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and normal elderly control people in this study. Wavelet power spectrums of EEG signals were calculated based on wavelet coefficients. Wavelet entropies of mild, moderate and severe AD patients were compared with those of normal controls. The correlation analysis between wavelet entropy and MMSE score was carried out. There existed significant difference on wavelet entropy among mild, moderate, severe AD patients and normal controls (P<0.01). Group comparisons showed that wavelet entropy for mild, moderate, severe AD patients was significantly lower than that for normal controls, which was related to the narrow distribution of their wavelet power spectrums. The statistical difference was significant (P<0.05). Further studies showed that the wavelet entropy of EEG and the MMSE score were significantly correlated (r= 0. 601-0. 799, P<0.01). Wavelet entropy is a quantitative indicator describing the complexity of EEG signals. Wavelet entropy is likely to be an electrophysiological index for AD diagnosis and severity assessment.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; diagnosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Electroencephalography ; Entropy ; Humans ; Wavelet Analysis

Objective To investigate the brain glucose metabolism in different stage of mixed-type multiple system atrophy (MSA).Methods Forty-six MSA patients with cerebellar or Parkinsonian symptoms and 18 healthy controls with similar age as patients were included.According to the disease duration,the patients were divided into three groups: group 1 (≤ 12 months,n=14),group 2 (13-24 months,n=13),group 3 (≥ 25 months,n =19).All patients and controls underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT brain imaging.To compare metabolic distributions between different groups,SPM 8 software and two-sample t test were used for image data analysis.When P＜0.005,the result was considered statistically significant.Results At the level of P＜0.005,the hypometabolism in group 1 (all t＞3.49) was identified in the frontal lobe,lateral temporal lobe,insula lobe,anterior cingulate cortex,caudate nucleus and anterior cerebellar hemisphere.The regions of hypometabolism extended to posterolateral putamen and part of posterior cerebellar hemisphere in group 2 (all t＞3.21).In group 3,the whole parts of putamen and cerebellar hemisphere were involved as hypometabolism (all t＞4.08).In addition to the hypometabolism regions,there were also stabled hypermetabolism regions mainly in the parietal lobe,medial temporal lobe and the thalamus in all patient groups (all t＞3.27 in group 1,all t＞3.02 in group 2,all t＞3.30 in group 3).Conclusions Disease duration is closely related to the FDG metabolism in the MSA patients.Frontal lobe,lateral temporal lobe,anterior cingulate cortex and caudate nucleus can be involved at early stage of the disease.Putaminal hypometabolism begins in its posterolateral part.Cerebellar hypometabolism occurs early at its anterior part.Besides,thalamus shows hypermetabolism in the whole duration.18F-FDG metabolic changes of brain can reflect the development of mixed-type MSA.

Wavelet entropy,as a powerful quantitative parameter to measure the ordering/disordering level of multi-scale dynamical behavior for nonlinear signals,provides information of complex degree in nonlinear dynamical process.Recently,the wavelet entropy is attracting more and more attention in electroencephalogram (EEG) signal analysis,which is employed by domestic and overseas scholars to investigate the complex degree of EEG,evoked potential and event-related potential,and to profoundly reveal the dynamic mechanism of physiological electrical activity in the brain.It is mainly used in the research of perception,cognitive activity,dynamic observation of epileptic EEG signals,sleeping,internet addiction and rehabilitation of brain after injury.Not only can the wavelet entropy represent the dynamic evolution process of the frequency synchronization for stimulated EEG signals,but also distinguish the states before and after epileptic seizure,as well as to deepen the understanding of brain dynamics mechanism.The wavelet entropy is becoming a new tool for investigating cognition and exhibits a good application prospect in EEG signal analysis.

Objective To investigate the interactive mechanism of dopamine and α-synuclein in SH-SY5Y cells,and to explore their effects on Parkinson's disease (PD).Methods The concentration of exogenous dopamine was definited by MTT method.The effect of exogenous dopamine on the expressions of α-synuclein and caspase-3 active fragments and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were detected by Western blot and commercial kit.Recombinant plasmid of wild-type α-synuclein was transfected into SH-SY5Y cells.Level changes in dopamine concentration,MDA content and expression of caspase-3 active fragment were observed.Furthermore,the effect of GBR12935,an inhibitor of dopamine transporter,on these outcomes were detected.Results Intracellular dopamine concentration was increased by 16 folds in SH-SY5Y cells which were added 300 umol/L exogenous dopamine for 24 hours as compared with blank controls (t=7.32,P＜0.01).Expressions of α-synuclein and caspase-3 active fragments and MDA content were increased in exogenous dopamine treated group as compared with blank controls (t=4.92,17.14,6.55,all P＜0.01).Intracellular dopamine concentration,MDA content and expression of caspase-3 active fragment were increased in SH-SY5Y cells transfected with recombinant plasmid of wild-type α-synuclein as compared with SH-SY5Y cells transfected with empty plasmid (F =32.97.107.80,55.54,all P＜0.01),whlie these increases could be partially inhibited by GBR12935.Conclusions Dopamine promotes the expression of α-synuclein,while over-expressed α-synuclein increases intracellular dopamine concentration,which forms a vicious cycle of cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells.

Objective To study the regional cerebral glucose utilization with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET and to investigate the correlation between cerebral glucose metabolism and the clinical characteristic of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).Methods A total of 13 patients with PSP and 30 matched healthy controls were performed 18F-FDG PET imaging at rest state.Visual inspection and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) were used to investigate regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc).Results Based on the visual inspection,PET imaging in the PSP patients showed that the focal hypometabolic areas mainly included the bilateral frontal cortex,midbrain and subcortical structures.Compared to the controls,voxel-based analysis showed that the regional glucose metabolism decreased in bilateral superior,middle frontal gyrus,cingulate gyrus,midbrain and subcortical structures including basal ganglion and thalamus,which were consisted with the clinical characteristics,such as vertical gaze palsy,pseudobulbar palsy,postural instability,axial rigidity,dementia and so on.Conclusion 18 F-FDG PET imaging is helpful for the early diagnosis of PSP.

Objective To investigate clinical and imaging features of corticobasal degeneration syndrome (CBDS). MethodsA clinical, imaging and therapeutic analysis of 4 cases of clinically diagnosed with corticobasal degeneration was conducted. Results Asymmetric parkinsonism was the first symptom in all 4 cases who lacked of response to levodopa. Other symptoms including limb apraxia and anarthria occurred in all 4 cases,myoclonus occurred in three,dementia occurred in two,and involuntary movement occurred in one. All the patients had asymmetric frontoparietal cortical atrophy in the contralateral to the dominantly affected limbs on MRI.Asymmetric hypometabolism of the frontoparietal cortex and basal ganglia was observed on 18 F-FDG PET in all 4 cases.ConclusionsThe clinical features of CBDS are asymmetric parkinsonism,dementia,apraxia,anarthria,myoclonus,and involuntary movement.Brain MRI and 18 F-FDG PET are helpful to diagnosis of CBDS.There is no effective treatment for CBDS at this time.

Objective To investigate the association between polymorphisms in monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B)and early-onset Parkinson's disease(EOPD).Methods Polymerase chsin reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism was used to identify the genotypes of polymorphisms in MAO-B in 65 patients in EOPD group(early-onset age<50 years),60 in late-onset Parkinson's disease(LOPD) group(late-onset age≥160 years)and 66 healthy controls(<50 years).Results The frequency of AA genotype was higher in EOPD groups(49/65,75.4%)than in healthy controls(34/66,51.5%),and the difference between them was statistically significant(x2=8.075,P=0.018).The frequency of AA genotype between EOPD group and LOPD group,between LOPD group and healthy controls had no statistical significance.The frequency of AA genotype between male in EOPD group and male healthy controls,between female in EOPD group and female healthy controls had no statistical significance.The frequencies of AA genotype between male in EOPD group and LOPD group,between female in EOPD group and in LOPD group had no statistical significance.The frequency of AA genotype between male in LOPD group and in healthy controls,between female in LOPD group and female healthy controls had no statistical significance.The frequency of A alleles was higher in EOPD group(107/130,82.3%)than in healthy controls(87/132,65.9%)and the difierence between them was statistical significant(x2=9.165,P=0.002).The frequency of A allele between EOPD group and LOPD group,between LOPD group and healthy controls had no statistical significance. The frequency of A allele was higher in male EOPD group (60/70,85.7%) than in male healthy controls(51/72,70. 8% ), the difference between them was statistically significant (X2 =4. 606, P=0. 032) ;the frequency of A alleles was higher in female in EOPD group (47/60,78. 3% ) than in female healthy controls(36/60,60. 0% ), the difference between them was statistical significance( x2 =4. 728, P = 0. 030). The frequency of A alleles between male EOPD group and male LOPD group, between female EOPD group and female LOPD group had no statistical significance. The frequency of A allele between male LOPD group and male healthy controls, between female LOPD group and female healthy controls had no statistical significance. Conclusions The AA genotype of MAO-B is the risk factor of EOPD. The A allele of MAO-B is a risk factor of EOPD group for both male and female.

Objective To study the clinical and imaging characteristics as well as cerebrospinal fluid chan-gea(CSF) of spontaneous intracranial hypotensian syndrome (SIHS).Methods The clinical characteristics, CSF and imaging data of 13 patients diagnosed as SIHS were retrospectively analyzed.Results All the 13 patients had orthostatic headache accompaning one or more numerous symptoms including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diplopia and neck stiffness.All the patients had low CSF pressure,which was below 60 mm H2O and high CSF protein was in 5 patients, 8 had increased white cell counts and 9 had increased red cells counts;CT was performed in all patients.On CT scan the subdural effusion or small ventricles were compressed in 4 patients.MRI typically revealed diffused pachymeningeal enhancement in 2 patients;All the patients experienced relief of symptoms through conventional treatment.Conclusion Orthostatic headache is the most typical symptom in spontaneous intracranial hypotension syndrome and diffused pachymeuingeal enhancement is the most common imaging manifestation, and CSF hypovol-emia is the basis of pathophysiology of spontaneous intracranial hypotension syndrome.