Brain & development
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Brain & development · Jan 1984
Historical ArticleA quarter-century of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology.
The 25th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology held from July 7 until 9, 1983 marked the approach of a quarter of a century in the history of the Society. The Society was founded in July, 1961 and has now existed for a full 22 years with a total of 25 annual meetings held. ⋯ Apart from the annual general assembly, the Society's main activities include the publication of two official journals--"No To Hattatsu" and "Brain & Development" both bimonthly--the sponsorship of postgraduate seminars on child neurology every year and the organization of International Symposia on Developmental Disabilities on a biennial bases. This is a synopsis of the quarter-century history of our Society, with a tincture of a rather subjective, personal account, presenting the reasons that led to the foundation of the Society, the social background of the time, and the circumstances that surrounded the Society's foundation.
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Brain & development · Jan 1984
Amino acid metabolism in the brain with convulsive disorders. Part 3: Free amino acid patterns in cerebrospinal fluid in infants and children with convulsive disorders.
Free amino acid patterns of cerebrospinal fluid in infants and children with various types of convulsive disorders were compared with those in age-matched normal subjects. The total free amino levels in Lennox syndrome were higher than the normal values, and those in infantile spasms controlled by ACTH were higher than those in uncontrolled infantile spasms. ⋯ After the treatment, in tonic-clonic seizure, the levels of taurine, asparagine and glycine were increased, and in infantile spasms, those of asparagine, glutamine, glycine, alanine, phenylalanine, lysine and arginine were increased while that of taurine was decreased. These results suggest that each type of convulsive disorder shows the specific amino acid pattern, and the effects of anticonvulsants may be partially understood through the changes of the free amino acid patterns in the brain.
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Brain & development · Jan 1982
Case ReportsUnusual split of the spinal cord in a caudal regression syndrome with myelocystocele.
Report of a newborn infant with a caudal regression syndrome and a large myelocystocele. A small part of the transitional zone between the normal spinal cord and the myelocystocele displayed a triploid cord in cross sections, suggesting a kind of "triastematomyelia," which was, however, finally considered rather to represent a special form of diastematomyelia than a true threefold split of the spinal cord. The probable pathogenetic background of the condition is discussed.
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Brain & development · Jan 1982
Pharmacological in-vitro studies in malignant hyperthermia in childhood.
In 91 children the caffeine-halothane test was performed according to the technique used by Britt et al and Kalow et al. The muscles investigated, 12 mm long and 2 to 3 mm in diameter, showed concentration dependent contractures to caffeine and a distinct potentiation after adding halothane. Compared to adults children above the age of 2 show a higher range for caffeine-induced contractures but infants below this age responded the strongest in range and average. ⋯ Out of 22 patients being possibly MH susceptible [9] or having survived an anaesthetic complication [13] 4 showed decreased caffeine thresholds and increased contractures to caffeine plus halothane which is in accordance with MH susceptibility. Basically the pharmacological in-vitro test may reveal false negative results due to diseased muscle fibres or a shifted sensitivity of the contractile elements to calcium. Practically most important however is the inconvertible diagnosis of MH in a given patient, which in the very end will allow decision on the validity of the pharmacological test being used.