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CURRENT SCIENCE REVIEWS By Joe Bruman February 00 Page 1 of 2 Hallett M et al; Neur 1999;53:1910-1921: Turorial and historical review of various surgical techniques for use in treatment of PD. Samii A et al; Neur 1999;53:2097-2102: Positron-emission tomography (PET) studies of parkinsonism associated with mutation in the a-synuclein gene show a pattern indistinguishable from idiopathic PD. Pal P et al; Neur 2000;54:244-247: Three-fourths of PD patients drool saliva, not from excess secretion but from failure to swallow. Authors reduced salivation by intraparotid injections of botulism toxin A. Nutt J, Carter J; Neur 2000;54:247-250: L-dopa has two therapeutic effects with different time courses. The short-duration response (SDR) follows plasma concentration within hours, while long-duration response (LDR) requires several days for changes to appear. In 7 subjects who quit L-dopa for 3 days, apomorphine infusion kept the subjects "on", suggesting that LDR doesn't depend on dopamine storage. Olanow C et al; Neur 2000;54:274-277: The report of "sleep attacks" that led to driving accidents (CSR JUL 99) prompted a batch of critics, most of whom seem reluctant to accept that the sudden blackouts differ from the familiar drowsiness caused by many PD drugs. Letters are 5 con, 1 pro, and 1 neutral (suggests similar blackout from Permax). Obeso J et al; J Neur N'surg Psych 2000;68:122-123: Exchange over recent paper (CSR MAY 99) about deep-brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus for levodopa-induced dyskinesia. J Neur N'surg Psych 2000;68 (full-page ad for UK): The long-lasting dopamine agonist cabergoline (Cabaser) taken only once a day can relieve fluctuating symptoms of PD. It is sold in the U.S. as Dostinex, but only for treatment of hyperprolactinemia, a disorder of the pituitary gland. York M et al; Brain 1999;122:2209-2220: They reviewed 10 different studies of neuropsychological outcome following unilateral pallidotomy, finding general areement that the procedure is safe and effective, with relatively few cognitive changes, but complain about quality of the studies. Kampoliti K; Clin Neuropharm 1999;22:318-326: Reviews effects of estrogen on dopamineregic movement control, but with no specific conclusions. Narabayashi H et al; Clin Neuropharm 1999;22:340-346: Double-blind controlled safety study on 50 PD patients of the new MAO-B inhibitor lazabemide (Ro19-6327) showed no significant effect on heart rhythm, possible minor orthostatic hypotension. Contin M et al; Clin Neuropharm 1999;22:356-358: In 8 patients with fluctuating-stage PD, they compared a new dispersible formulation of levodopa/benserazide (Madopar) with the standard tablets, but found no important differences. CURRENT SCIENCE REVIEWS By Joe Bruman February 00 page 2 of 2 Latchman D, Coffin S; Mov Disord 2000;15:9-17: They discuss the use and choice of different viral vectors for delivery of modified genes in treatment of PD. Chaudhuri K et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:18-23: Ongoing study since 1995 shows, even after excluding multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), that prevalence of atypical, sporadic, L-dopa-resistant PD is 3- to 4-fold greater among Afro-Caribbean or Indian immigrants to the UK than among the remainder population. Bandmann O et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:30-35: They refine and confirm their earlier report of association between familial PD and a certain mutant of the gene for N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2). Fung V et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:48-55: Detailed study in 20 patients of PD-related rigidity suggests that clinical rating scales should include separate scores for resting and activated rigidity. Martinez-Martin P et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:65-70: Applying several standard rating scales in 4-month followup of 11 advanced-PD pallidotomy recipients, they find significantly improved quality of life. Stocchi F et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:71-76: An instrumented study of anorectal function in 17 PD patients and 16 with multiple system atrophy (MSA) showed similar abnormality in straining pattern and anal tone. Raethjen J et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:84-94: Against the conventional belief that tremor in PD or ET is governed by a single oscillating circuit, an instrumented study of 22 PD and 28 ET patients shows that there are multiple oscillators. Oliveri R et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:127-131: They checked 135 PD patients and 202 normal controls for four different polymorphisms (mutations) of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene and found that two of them are associated with PD. Shulman L et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:132-135: Motor symptoms of a PD patient significantly worsened during her pregnancy, and 15 months after a normal full-term delivery had not returned to former baseline scores. Hariz M et al; Mov Disord 2000;15:136-139: Bilateral deep-brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in a PD patient with cognitive impairment improved motor symptoms, but cognition, speech, and drooling, even with stimulation off, got worse. Di Rocco A, Werner P; Ann Neur 2000;47:136: Questions earlier report (CSR AUG 99) about effect of long-term levodopa use upon dopamine receptor distribution. -- J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5013