Aim of this study was to investigate a) if through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) it was possible to reveal cerebral alterations in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM); b) if there was any correlation with hypoglycemic episodes, glycometabolic control, microvascular alterations and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. For this purpose ten ID-DM patients under treatment with human insulin, aged 19-30 yr with the disease, the duration being from 1 to 19 yr, were investigated by MRI using a Philips Gyroscan. Spin Echo sequences were used with images in T1 T2 in sagittal and axial planes. To measure the ventricular dilatation the cerebroventricular index (CVI) was evaluated. The MRI has put in evidence in 7/10 patients a dilatation in the lateral ventricles and subarachnoidal spaces of the cerebral vault and the cerebellum clearly due to cerebral atrophy. The CVI mean values (34.78 +/- 2.92) were statistically (p < 0.001) higher in diabetic patients respect to control subjects (CVI mean values 27.5 +/- 1.58). These alterations did not present clear correlations with the degree of glycometabolic control, duration of disease, number of symptomatic hypoglycemic episodes and threshold for hypoglycemic symptoms, retinal microvascular alterations, microalbuminuria, diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The clinical or functional relevance of CVI changes and the exact pathogenic mechanism remains to be clarified.

There have been only few studies of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) type 2. We investigated 20 SCA2 patients, from 11 Sicilian families, and 20 age-matched control subjects using MRI. Our data confirm that olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) is the typical pattern in SCA2. We found no significant correlation between infratentorial atrophy, disease duration, or the number of CAG repeats in our SCA2 patients, but there was supratentorial atrophy in 12 patients, with a significant correlation between supratentorial atrophy and disease duration. OPCA appears to represent the "core" of the SCA2: however, central nervous system involvement is not limited to pontocerebellar structures. We therefore consider central nervous system degeneration in SCA2 as a widespread atrophy. MRI is helpful in diagnosing SCA, but it is not diagnostic in the absence of clinical and molecular studies. We suggest that serial MRI may play a role in evaluating "in vivo" the progressive steps of neurodegeneration in SCA2, for a better comprehension of the pathophysiology of this disorder.

In this group of women increased post-load plasma glucose and impaired β-cell function assessed during GDM pregnancy predict long-term post-partum AGM, while insulin sensitivity measured at the same time does not.

We report a case of isolated left peripheral hypoglossal nerve palsy caused by neurovascular compression associated with essential arterial hypertension. MR and MR-angiography revealed an anomalous course of the left vertebral artery and left PICA. A similar case, without arterial hypertension, was reported by Rollnik et Al.According to Jannetta's hypothesis neurovascular compression of the brain stem may cause essential arterial hypertension. To our knowledge no other similar case of peripheral hypoglossal palsy and arterial hypertension caused by neurovascular compression has been reported.The possible role of neurovascular compression in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension is briefly discussed.Paralisi periferica isolata del nervo ipoglosso associata ad ipertensione arteriosa da conflitto neurovascolare RIASSUNTO-Gli autori riportano un caso di paralisi isolata delt'ipoglosso sinistro da compressione neurovascolare associata ad ipertensione arteriosa essenziale.Lo studio RM, ed angio-RM, ha evidenziato un anomalo decorso delt'arteria vertebrate sinistra e delta PICA omolaterale.Viene brevemente discusso it possibile ruolo delta compressione neurovascolare nelta patogenesi delt'ipertensione arteriosa essenziale.