title: Sympathetic iris function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Autonomic fibres are generally regarded as being spared in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Anatomical studies have cast some doubt upon this hypothesis. The present study describes the pupillary responses to tyramine, a norepinephrine releaser, and to phenylephrine, a directly acting sympathomimetic, in 11 patients with ALS and matched controls. Patients and controls showed a similar sensitivity to sympathomimetic agents, and our results lend some support to the hypothesis that sympathetic functions are not involved in ALS.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014439:Tyramine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010656:Phenylephrine; D014439:Tyramine