Episodic cervical dystonia associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux. A case of adult-onset Sandifer syndrome

Sandifer syndrome is a dystonic movement disorder described in children with severe gastro-oesophageal reflux. We now report a patient who had the features of Sandifer syndrome first developing in adult life. Onset of dystonic episodes followed closely the occurrence of a Bell's palsy, while symptoms of peptic oesophagitis had been present for several months beforehand. Successful symptomatic treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux was accompanied by cessation of the dystonic episodes. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms of the abnormal movements in Sandifer syndrome are discussed.

Multiple infarcts in a patient with cerebral phaeohyphomycosis: CT and MRI

Phaeohyphomycosis is an uncommon disorder caused by a variety of saprophytic fungi having distinctive morphologic features. Central nervous system infection typically occurs in the absence of predisposing factors and usually manifest symptoms and signs of abscess formation. We describe an otherwise healthy young man whose presentation with cerebral phaeohyphomycosis was subacute meningitis and stroke. Neuroimaging studies revealed multiple parenchymal lesions having the characteristics of recent infarcts; several vascular territories were involved. The nature of these lesions was confirmed histologically at autopsy. To our knowledge, such radiologic appearances have not previously been reported in this condition.

Expertise and performance on the emotional Stroop task

40 undergraduate students participated in an emotional Stroop task to test the hypothesis that individuals with high interest in and formal knowledge of interpersonal relationships will react with significantly longer latencies to social-related threat words than individuals without such an interest or formal knowledge. The results did not support the hypothesis; however, an association between interference scores and order of card presentation was found.