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Background. More than 50% of multiple sclerosis patients experience falls associated with accumulating disability, bladder dysfunction, and imbalance. However, impact of psychoemotional factors, including depression, anxiety, and cognition, on the risk of falling has not been studied in Lithuania so far. Data on the influence of psychoemotional factors on the falls are also controversial. Materials and methods. The study was carried out from April 2018 to January 2019 at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Neurology Department. Inclusion criteria: remission of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, patients on disease-modifying treatment, EDSS s core from 0 to 6.5, absence of mobility impairment due to other conditions, absence of psychiatric comorbidity. A self-reported questionnaire about falls in past 6 months was provided for the participants. Neurological examination, EDSS assessment, and symbol digit modality test 342 (SDMT) were performed; anxiety and depression were rated using HAD scale, fatigue was rated using visual analog scale. Results. A total of 129 participants were emailed in the study: 40 (31.0%) men and 89 (69.0%) women, mean age 43.6±11.1 years. Falls were experienced by 42 (32.6%) patients. There was no significant difference between fallers and non-fallers by gender (p=0.678). Mean age in fallers was 44.6±11.4 years, in non-fallers - 41.7±11.6 years, p=0.185. Disease duration in fallers was 115.55±74.9 months, and in nonfallers - 100 .00± 72.2 months (p=0.291). EDSS s core was higher in patients who experienced falls lhan in those who did not (3.66± 1.4; 2.31±1.2, p<0.001). SDMT score did not differ significantly between the groups (45.0±12.8; 48.76±12.9; p=0.823); however, fallers had higher fatigue (5.81±2.3 ; 4.78±2.5; p=0.026), anxiety (9.36±8.8; 5.86±3.7; p=0.003), and depression (7.43±9.1; 3.33±3.4; p<0.001) levels. Falls were predicted by higher EDSS (Exp(B)=l.649; p=0.028) and higher depression scores (Exp(B)= 1.221; p=0.045). Conclusions. In our study, falls were experienced by one-third of the patients, they had higher disability. We found no impact of cognition on falls; however, fallers had higher anxiety, depression, and fatigue levels. It is important to take into account not only physical disability as a risk factor for falls in multiple sclerosis but also psychoemotional factors, and to apply individual preventive measures, regardless of the patients' age or disease duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing due to the aging of the population. As a result the economic burden of AD is increasing as well. Early diagnosis and timely interventions are needed in order to reduce the cost of care for patients with AD. Visuospatial perception has recently drawn attention as one of the earliest symptoms of AD that could be useful in early diagnosis of the disease. There are some aspects of visual cognition that have not been studied extensively in patients with AD. There are still some uncertainties regarding impairment in visuospatial functions in AD such as the exact nature of these symptoms and the time of on set in the course of the disease. Purpose of the study. To evaluate visual perception and susceptibility to optical illusions in patients with mild and moderate AD. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in the department of Neurology at Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos. We en rolled 23 patients with mild to moderate AD and 25 cognitively normal control subjects, matched for age, sex, level of education and type of occupation. Visual perception and susceptibility to optical illusions were assessed using a set of 32 pictures that were divided into six groups according to mechanisms of perception. Cognitive functions were assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results. Patients with AD were significantly less susceptible than control subjects to 2 out of 4 geometrical illusions (p<0.001). They were also less susceptible to 1 out of 3 colour illusions (p=0.046). De creased susceptibility to optical illusions was present in the stage of mild dementia (MMSE>20 pts.). Performance in embedded images tasks was significantly (p<0.05) worse in AD patients in 7 out of 8 cases. Patients with mild dementia were significantly worse than control subjects in evaluating 3 of these pictures. Patients with AD identified both possible meanings less frequently than control subjects in 1 out of 3 pictures of ambiguous figures (p=0.001). AD patients made significantly more mistakes than control subjects in 4 out of 8 optical paradoxes tasks (p 0.02 -- <0.001). Mild dementia patients' performance was significantly different from control group in 2 of these tasks. There were no significant differencies between patients with AD and control subjects in perception of motion illusions. Conclusions. Visual perception is impaired in AD. Deficits in visual perception occur early in the course of the disease. They are present in patients with mild dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Back ground. Sleep disturbances are among the most common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease having significant impact on the quality of life. There are many theories regarding pathogenesis of sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease, however, exact mechanisms are not yet known. Many factors such as severity of motor symptoms, depression, anxiety, urinary tract dysfunction, pain and dopaminergic medications are thought to be associated with sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease. It is not yet known which of them are the most important and whether their correction could have an impact on the quality of sleep. Patients and methods. The study was conducted in Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu klinikos. 60 patients with Parkinson's disease and 20 control subjects matched for age and sex were examined, excluding subjects with cognitive impairment, other disorders of CNS and severe comorbidities. Quality of sleep (Parkinson's disease sleep scale), day time sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale), cognitive functions (mini-mental state examination) and quality of life (PDQ-39 questionnaire) were examined for every subject. Severity of symptoms (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) and stage of disease (according to Hoehn-Yahr) were evaluated for patients with Parkinson's disease. Results. Patients with Parkinson's disease had significantly worse quality of sleep than controls (PDSS score 104.32±26.71 and 124.8±12.2 accordingly; p<0.001). Decrease in quality of sleep was present in mild PD (Hoehn-Yahr stages 1-2) when compared to control subjects (PDSS scores 124.8±12.2 and 110.77±26.17 accordingly; p=0.013). PDSS scores correlated with the Hoehn- Yahr stage of Parkinson's disease (R=-0.303; p=0.019). Rigidity had a weak correlation with the quality of sleep (R=-0.275; p=0.03). Tremor was not associated with it at all (R=-0.121; p=0.36). Quality of sleep was associated with depression (HADS-D score: R=-0.673; p<0.001) and anxiety (HADS-A score: R=-0.722; p<0.001). Patients on levodopa had a significantly worse quality of sleep than others (PDSS score 98.4±23.5 and 112.6±27.6 accordingly; p=0.036). PDSS score correlated with levodopa dose equivalent (R=-0.338; p=0.009). PDQ-39 score correlated with the quality of sleep (R=-0.661; p<0.001). Only 8 patients (13.33%) were taking medications for sleep disturbances. Conclusions. Patients with Parkinson's disease have significantly worse quality of sleep than control subjects. Quality of sleep decreases as the disease progresses. How ever sleep disturbances are present in the very early stages of Parkinson's disease. The correlation between quality of sleep and severity of motor symptoms is weak. Rigidity has the strongest connection with sleep disturbances. Quality of sleep is associated with depression and anxiety, however these associations alone cannot explain the presence of sleep disturbances. Quality of sleep shows positive correlation with quality of life. Sleep disturbances are not adequately treated in Parkinson's disease patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of age and breed on prostate hyperplasia in 126 of 1-17 years age purebreed (92) and mongrel dogs (34) were investigated. According age dogs were divided into 3 groups: – 1-5 years (Group 1), 6-10 years (Group 2) and > 10 years (Group 3). Our study have shown, that prostate hyperplasia macroscopicaly was detected in 95 dogs (75,4 %), and microscopicaly in 113 dogs (89,7%). However, only in sporadic cases clinical changes were observed (6,3%). Prostate enlargement was registered in 76,1% of pure breed dogs and in 73,5% of mongrel dogs (p>0,05). It was estimated, that in Groups 1-3 prostate enlargement statistically significantly correlated with increase of dogs age (p<0,05). Although, prostate weight and index has increased with dogs age. In Group 3 was registered 50% of cases of prostate hyperplasia and high prevalence of prostate atrophy. The cases of epithelial hyperplasia with dogs age have decreased and the oposite occurred in cases of epithelial cystic hyperplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]