56P Society Proceedings

100 units. The following parameters of SSR have been considered: induced depolarization of striatal cells was largely mediated by an
latency at the onset (hand and foot), hand-foot difference in latency, influx of sodium ions as a consequence of the blockade of the Na+/K+
peak-to-peak amplitude (hand and foot), ratio in amplitude between ATP-dependent pump and the opening of sodium channels. By using
hand and foot responses. The results obtained in baseline conditions antagonists for the excitatory amino acids (APV, CNQX) it was
and after Bo-NT therapy are reported in the following table: (Baseline, observed that neither the membrane hyperpolarization or the mem-
after Bo-NT, Student’s t test) latency (hand) (I .3 + 0.2 ms, 1.5 + 0.6 brane depolarization were dependent on the release of endogenous
ms, N.S.), latency (foot) (2.1 + 0.3 ms, 2 + 0.3 ms, N.S.), latency amino acids. The dopaminergic cells were more resistant to hypoxia
(hand/foot difference) (0.7 + 0.3 ms, 0.7 + 0.3 ms, N.S.), amplitude than the striatal neurons. This is in accordance with clinical evidence
(hand) (0.9 + 0.7 mV, 1.3 + 0.9 mV, N.S.), amplitude (foot) showing the particular vulnerability of striatal cells to hypoxia and
(0.7 + 1.1 mV, 0.7 + 1 mV, N.S.), amplitude (hand/foot ratio) ischemia.
(3.1 + 2.9, 3.5 + 3.3, N.S.). In conclusion Bo-NT therapy did not induce
significant alterations in sympathetic skin response. 7. Execution of differently programmed motor programmed
motor sequences. - A. Curra, M. Modugno, R. Agosino, G.W.
5. Electrophysiological studies in mild idiopathic carpal tunnel Manfredi, N. Accornero, A. Berardelli (Neurological Depart-
syndrome: follow-up. - P. Girlanda, A. Quartarone, G. Pic- ment, University “La Sapienza” of Rome)
ciolo, V. Macaione, S. Sinicropi, C. Nicolosi, C. Messina
(Institute of Neurological and Neurosurgical Sciences, Uni- Parkinsonian patients are slower than normal subjects in executing
versity of Messina, Italy) sequential arm movements and show a progressive slowing as the se-
quence is completed. In this study the utilization of advance informa-
We have already used an electrophysiological protocol including tion to perform motor sequences has been studied in 10 normal and 3
the assessment of the ortbodromic sensory conduction velocity of me- parkinsonian subjects. The kinematics of the hand was monitored using
dian nerve along the carpal tunnel, the comparison of median and ulnar a TV image processor which detected the position of a reflective
sensory conduction between ring linger and wrist, the short segment marker placed on the second finger of the subject (ELITE System,
incremental median sensory nerve conduction across the carpal tunnel BTS). Subjects performed sequences following visual targets on a
recording from the 3rd digit (‘inching test’), and the study of the refrac- screen. In the KNOWN sequences all the targets were displayed on the
tory period of transmission (RPT) in 20 patients with mild CTS (37 screen before a verbal starting signal (pre-programmed). In the
symptomatic hands) with a distal motor latency of median nerve lower UNKNOWN sequences the targets were displayed consecutively after
than 4 ms and in 20 control subjects. Combining the different tech- the starting signal (not-pre-programmed). (1) Patients were slower than
niques we could reach an overall sensitivity of 83%. We tested the controls in executing both UNKNOWN and KNOWN sequences; (2)
patients again 2 years after the first examination to obtain history and both groups were faster in performing the KNOWN sequences, but MT
clinical updating and electrophysiological data including distal motor reduction was significantly shorter in patients; (3) a progressive slow-
latency (MAP-DL) of median nerve and a sensory conduction study ing of MT as the sequences were completed, was present in both groups
between the 3rd finger and wrist (SCV-3rdF-W). Sixteen patients (30 during the UNKNOWN task, but only in the patients during the
symptomatic hands) underwent the follow-up examination. Three pa- KNOWN task. These results support the hypothesis that parkinsonians
tients had been treated surgically with complete recovery and 8 hands have more difficulties in executing movements that need to be pro-
had received local injection of steroids with transient benefit; 33% of grammed in advance than stimulus-response movements.
hands which were abnormal at the first electrophysiological study
showed a MAP-DL higher than 4 ms at the follow-up examination and 8. Coherence and power spectral analysis in simple and complex
70% of hands revealed abnormal SCV-3rdF-W. No hand was normal at finger movements. - P. Manganotti, C. Toro, L. Leocani, P.
the first control revealed electrophysiological abnormalities at the fol- Zhuang, M. Hallett (NfH Bethesda, MD)
low-up. Also statistical comparisons concerning clinical score and
electrophysiological findings showed that the group of hands positive The sensorimotor cortical activation during movement was studied
at the first electrophysiological control presented a clear-cut worsening electrophysiologically in 7 right handed subjects using the coherence
at the follow-up while the group of hands negative at the first examina- and power spectral analysis techniques. The motor task involved four
tion remained unmodified. Therefore the electrodiagnostic protocol that finger movement sequences of increasing complexity, Movements were
we used in mild CTS revealed not only a high sensitivity but also a metronome paced at a rate of 2 Hz. Sequences were performed in 2
good specificity. trials of 120 linger movements each. Coherence and power spectral
analysis were computed within alpha and beta frequency bands for 29
6. Electrophysiological responses of basal ganglia neurons to 02 scalp EEG channels. Both hands showed coherence increase and power
deprivation: an in vitro study. - G. Bernardi, N.B. Mercuri, P. decrease over central and frontal scalp electrodes within and across
Calahresi (Neurological Clinic University Tor Vergata, Rome) hemispheres during finger sequences compared to rest. Also coherence
decreases were observed across posterior scalp electrodes. In both fre-
In this work we employed intracellular electrophysiological tech- quency bands, coherence increases and the power decreases were
niques to examine the effects of hypoxia on rat mesencephalic dopa- greater for sequences of higher complexity. These findings suggest that
minergic and striatal medium spiny cells maintained in vitro. Hypoxia more complex tasks require higher levels of local cortical activation
was caused by changing the perfusing solution saturated with 95% and the establishment of broader functional connections over the sen-
02/S% CO2 with one gassed with N2 95%/CO2 5%. Both mesen- sorimotor areas.
cephalic and striatal cells readily responded to the hypoxic stimulus
within l-2 min, but the membrane changes were different. In fact, it 9. Computerized chromatic visual field analysis in M.S. - N.
was observed that the dopaminergic cells were mainly hyperpolarized Accorneroa S. Rinalduzzi”, M. Filippp’, E. Millefiorini”, L.
while the striatal neurons were depolarized. The two responses were Capitaniob,’ G.C. Filligoib (aDipartimento di Scienze Neu-
associated with a decrease in apparent input resistance. Under voltage rologiche. bDip Infocom Universita “La Sapienza” Rome)
clamp conditions, the membrane hyperpolatization of the dopaminergic
neurons was due to an outward current while the membrane depolar- A software procedure running on a PC with standard peripherals has
zation of striatal cells was due to an inward current. The cellular re- been developed in order to define chromatic perception extension in the
sponses to hypoxia in the dopaminergic cells were largely mediated by central visual field (40 X 24). Accuracy and rapidity appear the major
an increase in potassium conductance. On the contrary the hypoxia- features. Sensitivity of the test is also high since mild chromatic visual