We studied a new method of treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with autologous mesenchymal stem cells. Autologous mesenchymal stem cells were injected intravenously (intact cells) or via lumbar puncture (cells committed to neuronal differentiation). Evaluation of the results of cell therapy after 12-month follow-up revealed slowing down of the disease progression in 10 patients in comparison with the control group consisting of 15 patients. The cell therapy was safe for the patients.
Among non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a number of specific visual disturbances. This review describes the main visual problems associated with PD, referring to their basic anatomical aspects and pathophysiological mechanisms. A wide range of visual disorders includes changes in color vision and contrast sensitivity, change in the electrophysiological properties of the retina due to the insufficiency of the retinal dopaminergic system, features of visual field defects, visuospatial and visuoperceptual impairments. The use of modern electrophysiological, neurophysiological, psychophysiological and other research methods makes it possible to comprehensively assess the state of all parts of the visual analyzer from the retina to the higher cortical centers in patients with PD. The article discusses controversial questions about the relationship between changes in color vision, a decrease in the level of contrast sensitivity and severity of motor disorders in Parkinson's disease. Finally, we discuss the advantages of using threshold and blue-yellow perimetry as more sensitive methods in detecting visual field defects in patients with PD.
Keywords:
Higher levels of anxiety and depression in patients with dystonia compared to the control groups were identified. The level of anxiety and depression was not correlated with disease severity. Personality profile study confirmed the high level of anxiety in patients with dystonia and additionally showed increased emotional instability and poor emotional control. Intellectual personality characteristics of patients with dystonia had no differences compared to the control groups. An analysis of socio-psychological characteristics of personality in patients with dystonia and GFS showed restricted interpersonal and social communications since the motor defect noticeable to others leads to severe social exclusion and the desire for self-isolation.
An increased level of awaketime and a significant decrease in amount of deep sleep and REM sleep were revealed in ALS patients. Sleep breathing disorders are found significantly more often in ALS patients, mainly as alveolar hypoventilation syndrome and less frequently as obstructive sleep apnea. The lower level of mean and minimum blood oxygen saturation and increased respiratory rate were detected. These changes are possibly due to the presence of restrictive respiratory disorders. These disturbances reduce the total duration of sleep, destroy it's structure, exerting a direct influence on the life quality in ALS patients, disrupting their domestic and social activity, contributing to the development of neuropsychological and behavioral disorders.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.