Nō to shinkei = Brain and nerve
-
"Placebo" is Latin for "I shall please". The placebo effect has been widely documented by randomized placebo-controlled drug studies. One of the best examples of placebo effectiveness is that have been shown in clinical trials of anti-parkinsonian drugs. ⋯ Although both mechanisms may contribute to placebo effects, the placebo effect in PD may be attributed more to cognitive mechanisms such as expectation of improvement, because the placebo effect can be obtained in de novo PD patients. There have been accumulating findings that suggest a functional relationship between dopamine and the expectation of clinical improvement (reward). Further basic studies are required to clarify the complex link between dopamine and the reward system, but such findings will contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism underlying the placebo effect in PD.
-
Review Case Reports
[A rare case of aqueductal stenosis due to venous angioma].
Aqueductal stenosis is induced by widely various causes. These causes include congenital stenosis, tumor or inflammation. Among them vascular malformation is a very rare cause. ⋯ Although venous angioma is congenital, all five cases had been symptomatic at adult stage. Detailed evaluation of pre-and post-operative MRIs suggest that aqueductal stenosis induced enlargement of the lateral and third ventricles, which led narrowing of the suprachiasmatic cistern and the peri-mesencephalic cistern, and downward displacement of medulla and tonsil into the foramen magnum. As a result, hydrocephalus is aggravated gradually.