Neurosyphilis with dementia and bilateral hippocampal atrophy on brain magnetic resonance imaging

Background

This article reports a rare case of active neurosyphilis in a man with mild to moderate dementia and marked hippocampal atrophy, mimicking early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Few cases have so far described bilateral hippocampal atrophy mimicking Alzheimer’s disease in neurosyphilis.

Case presentation

The patient presented here is a 33 year old Bulgarian male, whose clinical features include progressive cognitive decline and behavioral changes over the last 18 months. Neuropsychological examination revealed mild to moderate dementia (Mini Mental State Examination score was 16/30) with impaired memory and attention, and executive dysfunction. Pyramidal, and extrapyramidal signs, as well as dysarthria and impairment in coordination, were documented. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed cortical atrophy with noticeable bilateral hippocampal atrophy. The diagnosis of active neurosyphilis was based on positive results of the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test/Treponema pallidum hemagglutination reactions in blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. In addition, cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis and elevated protein levels. High-dose intravenous penicillin therapy was administered. At 6 month follow up, improvements were noted clinically, on neuropsychological examinations, and in cerebrospinal fluid samples.

Conclusion

This case underlines the importance of early diagnosis of neurosyphilis. The results suggest that neurosyphilis should be considered when magnetic resonance imaging results indicate mesiotemporal abnormalities and hippocampal atrophy. Neurosyphilis is a treatable condition which requires early aggressive antibiotic therapy.

Antioxidant properties of galantamine hydrobromide

The antioxidant properties of galantamine hydrobromide ((4alpha,6beta)-4a,5,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-3-methoxy-11-methyl-6H-benzofuro[3a,3,2-ef][2]benzazepin-6-ol hydrobromide) were studied in vitro, using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and spectrophotometry. It was found that this compound was a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS). By comparing the antioxidant effects of galantamine ((4alpha,6beta)-4a,5,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-3-methoxy-11-methyl-6H-benzofuro[3a,3,2-ef][2]benzazepin-6-ol), galantamine hydrobromide, narwedine (4a,5,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-3-methoxy-11-methyl-6H-benzofuro[3a,3,2-ef][2]benzazepin-6-one), and narwedine hydrobromide it was found that the antioxidant activity depended on the enolic OH group in the molecule. The presence of a quaternary nitrogen in the compound increased the strength of the scavenging effect. It is proposed that the antioxidant properties observed in vitro may contribute to the therapeutical effect of galantamine hydrobromide on patients with brain degeneration.

Activation of the left medial temporal gyrus and adjacent brain areas during affective theory of mind processing correlates with trait schizotypy in a nonclinical population

Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, is associated with abnormal brain activation during theory of mind (ToM) processing. Researchers recently suggested that there is a continuum running from subclinical schizotypal personality traits to fully expressed schizophrenia symptoms. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether schizotypal personality traits in a nonclinical population are associated with atypical brain activation during ToM tasks. Our aim was to investigate correlations between fMRI brain activation during affective ToM (ToMA) and cognitive ToM (ToMC) tasks and scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and the Basic Empathy Scale in 39 healthy individuals. The total SPQ score positively correlated with brain activation during ToMA processing in clusters extending from the left medial temporal gyrus (MTG), lingual gyrus and fusiform gyrus to the parahippocampal gyrus (Brodmann area: 19). During ToMA processing, the right inferior occipital gyrus, right MTG, precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex negatively correlated with the emotional disconnection subscore and the total score of self-reported empathy. These posterior brain regions are known to be involved in memory and language, as well as in creative reasoning, in nonclinical individuals. Our findings highlight changes in brain processing associated with trait schizotypy in nonclinical individuals during ToMA but not ToMC processing.

Production of a baculovirus-derived gp50 protein and utilization in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the serodiagnosis of pseudorabies virus

The pseudorabies virus (PRV) gp50 envelope glycoprotein gene was cloned and expressed in a recombinant baculovirus. An anti-gp50 Mab (1842) recognized a protein of approximately 40 kDa in immunoblotting assays from infected insect cell lysates, while this product was not present in cells infected with wild-type baculovirus. The recombinant protein was purified by lectin affinity chromatography, utilizing lectins specific for O-linked oligosaccharides (Artocarpus integrifolia and Glycine max). Competitive (c) ELISAs, using either crude or lectin-purified antigen, were devised for the detection of antibodies to PRV in sera, and were capable of monitoring sero-conversion by day 14 post-infection. Furthermore, a specificity of 100% and sensitivity of 98% (crude lysate antigen) or 96% (lectin-purified antigen) was found for a panel of 80 swine sera, using the cELISA, as compared to a serum neutralization (SN) test. These studies demonstrated that recombinant PRV gp50 protein shows promise as a cELISA antigen, for serodetection of PRV.

Adsorption of ectyma contagiosum virus to cultured calf testis cells

The adsorption of ectyma contagiosum virus (ECV) to calf testis cells was examined by attachment of 3H-thymidine-labelled ECV to calf testis cell monolayers and endpoint titration. The adsorption rate for ECV was calculated to be 5 X 10(-7) cm3 X min-1 X cell-1. ECV absorption was almost complete within 30 min though never exceeded more than 70% of the virus input.

"The captain wanted to stay with the sinking … (can't say boat)": How hypomanic personality traits interfere with inhibitory control?

Inhibitory control, the ability to suppress or countermand an action or thought, is notably impaired in patients with bipolar disorder. However, the specific characteristics of this impairment and whether deficits can manifest prior to a formal bipolar disorder diagnosis or among individuals with subsyndromal symptoms are relatively unknown. Here we test whether healthy individuals exhibiting a higher level of hypomanic personality traits respond more rapidly, albeit with weaker inhibitory control. We evaluated 83 native French speakers using the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS) and administered the Hayling Sentence Completion Test for response inhibition and the Stroop Test for interference control. We found negative correlations between the HPS score and both the response initiation and response inhibition times on the Hayling Sentence Completion Test, but the scores did not affect accuracy. Regarding the Stroop Test, we observed a significant positive correlation between the scores for hypomanic personality traits and the number of errors on the color-word condition. Our findings demonstrate that a high level of hypomanic personality traits correlates with faster reaction times on response inhibition tasks and higher error rates on interference tasks. This underlines the importance of distinguishing between inhibitory control concepts when examining the risks of bipolar disorder.

Impact of hypomanic personality traits on brain functional connectivity during a dynamic theory-of-mind task

Hypomanic personality traits are present in the general population and represent a risk factor for developing bipolar disorder. This personality style, notably its social component, is linked to difficulties in theory of mind (i.e., ability to infer mental states). Exploring the neural correlates of mental states' inference in individuals with these personality traits can provide meaningful insights into the development of bipolar disorder. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the potential impact of hypomanic traits on brain activation and task-based connectivity strength during a dynamic theory of mind task in a nonclinical population. A total of 52 nonclinical participants were recruited, and hypomanic traits were assessed with the Hypomanic Personality Scale. The severity of hypomanic traits was positively associated with right middle and inferior frontal gyri activations (in high vs. low inference in nonemotional condition and emotion vs. no emotion in high inference, respectively). It was also associated with stronger connectivity between the salience network (i.e., bilateral putamen and pallidum) and bilateral superior temporal gyri (high inference in nonemotional condition), and between cerebellar and temporal areas (high inference in emotional condition). These changes may either reflect adaptations or differential processing, and further studies are therefore mandatory.