Whipple's disease: a continuous challenge

Whipple's disease is a rare disease with protean clinical manifestations, often mimicking those of other pathological conditions. We describe two new cases, one admitted to hospital only after Giardia lamblia infestation had drawn attention to gut symptoms, and the other who was treated for a long time with steroids for suspected Horton's arteritis. Once again, we stress the importance of bearing this polymorph disease in mind, especially in older people.

Brain slow potentials and hypnosis

Contingent negative variation behavior was studied in 12 voluntary normal subjects in basal conditions and in the hypnotic trance state under different emotional suggestions. A CNV voltage decrease and the appearance of a PINV were observed in the hypnotic state. Furthermore 12 nonhypnotizable control subjects were tested under the same experimental conditions and no CNV modification was found.

[Slow cerebral potentials after administration of flunitrazepam to subjects with sleep disorders]

12 patients admitted for neurological diseases and suffering from sleep disturbances, were given Flunitrazepam and placebo (double blind test) in a single evening dose of 1 and 2 mg. Morning recordings of the expectation wave according to G. Walter's technique did not reveal significant changes in wave morphology, amplitude and latency. The psychophysical conditions of patients and their reaction times did not differ after Flunitrazepam and placebo. The research shows, on the one hand the value of the electrophysiological investigation method and, on the other, the absence of residual effects in the morning after Flunitrazepam administration.

A longitudinal CNV study in a group of five bipolar cyclothymic patients

The authors carried out a longitudinal study in five subjects with bipolar cyclothymic psychosis, recording contingent negative variations in the same patients in the different phases of illness and under normal clinical conditions. An average voltage decrease was found in the depressive phases and a more conspicuous decrease in the manic phases. Furthermore, an evident postimperative negative variation was present in four subjects during the manic phase. The authors set forth tentative psychological and neurophysiological interpretation of their results.

A CNV study in a group of patients with traumatic head injuries

CNVs were studied in a group of 27 subjects with traumatic head injuries followed by protracted coma. Before CNV recording, all patients were subjected to Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale and to Benton's visual retention test. The findings were compared with those obtained from 80 normal subjects. A statistically significant decrease was observed in the CNV area in the group with traumatic lesions. No correlation could be found between CNV parameters and the results of the mental tests. In 7 of the subjects who presented the highest percentage of errors in Benton's test, a large post-imperative negative variation was observed.