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Functional movement disorders: phenotypes, neurobiological markers, pathophysiological mechanisms
Forejtová, Zuzana ; Serranová, Tereza (advisor) ; Kališová, Lucie (referee) ; Bočková, Martina (referee)
Functional Movement Disorders (FMD), also known as conversion, psychogenic, or dissociative motor disorders, are complex and clinically heterogeneous group of diseases. In addition to motor symptoms, FMD are manifested by a number of comorbid non-motor symptoms. Despite the potential reversibility, these disorders still have an unfavourable prognosis and are associated with a low quality of life. Regardless of the growing interest of both clinical and research communities over the last two decades, this issue remains insufficiently understood in many aspects. The aim of the presented studies was to fill some gaps in the knowledge of neurophysiological and clinical correlates in FMD. The first of the presented studies explored the robust neurophysiological phenomenon of prepulse inhibition (PPI) in FMD. The alteration in PPI, along with previous findings of a reduced PPI in other functional syndromes, supported a possible unified pathophysiology across functional neurological and somatic syndromes with implications for diagnostic classification and development of novel biomarkers and treatments. These results are in line with the differentiation FMD from feigned or malingered phenomena. The aim of the second study was to explore the relationship between common motor, non-motor symptoms and...
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Úleková reakce u osob s latentní toxoplasmosou
Příplatová, Lenka ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Havlíček, Jan (referee)
Possible connection between latent toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia is a very interesting and medically important topic. In this thesis I tried to map current state of knowledge in the interdisciplinary research of schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii and their possible connections as well as to show differences in responses between Toxoplasma-positive and Toxoplasma-negative subjects using simple computer-administered tests of prepulse inhibition of startle reaction (PPI). Such differences would suggest another similarity between schizophrenia patients and subjects with latent toxoplasmosis as the sensorimotor gating responsible for PPI was found to be disrupted in schizophrenia patients. Side goal of the study was to test newly developed PC software for testing PPI and to determine its applicability in further research. Subjects for the tests were recruited among adepts of professional military service; 409 subjects completed the test of acoustic PPI and 276 subjects completed the test of visual PPI. All the subjects were tested on presence of specific anti-Toxoplasma IgG in their blood serum. Both tests revealed significant (p<0.001) differences between responses on prepulse-preceded stimuli and plain stimuli without prepulse, no significant results were, however, gained for the effects of latent...
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