Twenty-seven of eighty-eight (30.7%) Parkinsonian patients on chronic levodopa or levodopa/carbidopa therapy developed drug related dream phenomena. The patients reported three separate types of new dreams which we have classified as vivid dreams, night terrors and nightmares. These dreams are correlated to the duration of levodopa therapy although the mechanism of their production is unclear.

No abstract

Twenty-five Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients were studied by brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) with increased stimulus rate (ISR) and compared to a control age and hearing matched group. A second comparison was made between L-dopa-treated and untreated PD patients. The results of the study suggest that there is subclinical involvement of the auditory brainstem in PD patients, possibly due to the dopamine influence upon the blood vessels. Our results also indicate that dopamine is probably not involved in the synaptic transmission along the auditory pathway of the brainstem.

SYNOPSISAuditory brainstem evoked potentials (ABEP's) using the routine 10 per second click rate, and also a 55 per second stimulus rate, were studied in 17 migraine patients between and during attacks, and in 20 normal subjects. Only in the "migraine during attack" group did the increased stimulus rate change the ABEP's. Similar changes with increased stimulus rates may be seen in situations of ischemic synaptic dysfunction. Thus, our data support a vascular pathogenesis of migraine.

SUMMARY A 58 year old woman presenting with abdominal distress and a neuropsychiatric disturbance with evidence of focal neurological deficit is described. A diagnosis of pancreatic encephalopathy was made, and the patient was treated accordingly with pancreatic anti-enzymes. A survey of the literature is presented.The syndrome of pancreatic encephalopathy was first described by Rothermich and von Haam in 1941and Vogel (1950, 1951a investigated the pathogenesis of this condition. A few cases have been published, but the pathophysiology of the disease has not been completely elucidated. Because of the high mortality and the therapeutic value of the anti-enzymes, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. CASE REPORTA 58 year old woman was admitted as an emergency case to the surgical department, complaining of severe abdominal pain, nausea, and constipation. The onset of pain was sudden, 12 hours before admission. It was localized to the upper abdomen, and accompanied by vomiting. From her previous history it emerged that she was suffering from latent diabetes. Thirteen years before admission she had undergone gynaecological surgery for a prolapse of the vaginal vault, and three years before admission she had undergone an appendicectomy.On physical examination there was tenderness to palpation in the periumbilical area but the abdomen was soft, and active peristaltic sounds were audible. No other physical signs were elicited. The day after admission the patient became confused and afterwards stopped talking entirely. Straight radiographs of the abdomen, as well as an electrocardiogram, were within normal limits.The haemoglobin level was 13-4 g/100 ml., a leucocyte count was 24,000/c.mm, plasma glucose was 95 mg/100 ml. and urea 43 mg/100 ml. Plasma sodium level was 134 m-equiv/l.; chlorides were 98 m-equiv/l. The CO2 combining power was 20 volumes; plasma potassium 4-8 m-equiv/l.; cholesterol 285 mg/100 ml. The thymol turbidity was 1 u.; transaminase 21 u.; alkaline phosphatase 1-7 Bodansky units. Plasma calcium was not estimated. The (Fig. 1).The patient's condition deteriorated into a state of akinetic mutism with incontinence of faeces and urine. Re-examination showed no progression of the slight right hemiparesis described above. However, tenderness of the skull on the left side, and a palmomental reflex on the right side had appeared. The aphasia remained unchanged.A left carotid angiogram revealed a considerable deviation of the anterior cerebral artery from left to 'Trasylol, Bayer.