Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a common neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tonic and clonic contractions of the muscles innervated by the facial nerve. We aimed to describe clinical features, common antecedents, triggers and relieving factors in patients with hemifacial spasm to study the correlation of hypertension and HFS, and to compare clinical features of primary and secondary cases of HFS. The data for the study were collected prospectively on a predesigned and pre-tested format at the first attendance in all consecutive HFS patients attending the movement disorders clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital in India. The demographic profile, HFS symptoms, antecedent illnesses and neurological examination were recorded and analyzed. Muscle power in individual muscles innervated by the facial nerve was tested carefully before botulinum toxin injection. Hemifacial spasm occurred in 7.14% (n = 582) of 8,151 cases registered at the movement disorders clinic from 1993 to 2010. Data of 321 patients were complete and were included in the study. Females constituted 49.22% (n = 158). The mean age the patients was 46.02 ± 11.82 years; ipsilateral ear clicking was observed in 22.74% cases. The most common aggravating factor was stress (44.86%), while the most common relieving factor was sleep (44.24%). Two hundred fifty-two patients (78.5%) had primary HFS. The severity of spasm correlated significantly with disease duration (p < 0.001) and weakness of facial muscles (p < 0.001). We did not observe any correlation between HFS on the left side and hypertension, as has been reported earlier. This is one of the largest studies of HFS patients and the only one that prospectively assesses patients with HFS clinically on their first visit. Interesting observations of this study are lack of female preponderance, presence of clicking in the ipsilateral ear and facial weakness even prior to botulinum toxin injection.
This review focuses on saccadic eye movement research in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Results from various studies related to Parkinson disease and saccades have been discussed in terms of various saccadic parameters like latency, amplitude, velocity and gain. Neural circuitry of saccadic eye movements and cognitive processes and it's relation with altered saccadic performance in Parkinson disease has been discussed here. This article also covers various research paradigms commonly used to study saccades. Effects of medication on saccadic parameters in PD patients have also been discussed along with the effects of deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus on saccadic performance in PD patients. Literature review was done using online Pubmed search engine and National Medical Library.
Plumbago zeylanica root has been used traditionally to treat various body ailments including liver diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of standardized methanolic extract of Plumbago zeylanica root on paracetamol, CCl 4 and alcohol induced hepatic injuries in rats and its possible mechanism(s) of hepatoprotection. Administration of hepatotoxicants like paracetamol (3 g kgto Wistar albino rats (180-240 g of either sex, n = 8) caused significant increase in serum ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin; tissue lipid peroxidation, nitrite/nitrate, collagen; and decrease in tissue GSH and SOD levels. The liver histopathology revealed central vein dilation, infiltration and fatty degeneration in hepatotoxicant control groups. Pretreatment with methanolic extract of Plumbago zeylanica (100, 200 and 400 mg kg −1 ) and silymarin (50 mg kg −1 ) as standard significantly reversed these toxic changes dose dependently, as compared to hepatotoxicant control. The results in present study suggested that Plumbago zeylanica root possesses marked hepatoprotective potential through its oxidative, inflammatory and fibrotic effects against experimentally induced liver toxicity. These findings support and extend the rational basis for the use of this plant as hepatoprotective in traditional and folk-lore medicine.
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