title: Decreased cerebrospinal fluid levels of beta-endorphin in Japanese patients with Joseph disease.
abstract: We measured the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of beta-endorphin in 7 Japanese patients with Joseph disease and compared them with control values. The 7 patients included 4 with type I and 3 with type II disease; their mean age was 45.7 +/- 12.09 years. Diseased controls were matched in age to the patients studied. In these patients, CSF beta-endorphin level was significantly lower than in the controls (40% of normal values). An alteration in CSF beta-endorphin level may explain some of the neurological impairment found in Joseph disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuishi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagamitsu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwashita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D017827:Machado-Joseph Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D001615:beta-Endorphin