Full Issue

Abstract

The combined issue (Numbers 1–2–3–4) of Volume 12 of the International Journal of Neurology (1977) was dedicated to the basal ganglia. It brought together a broad collection of experimental, clinical, and neurochemical studies examining the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of this fundamental system in motor control, behavior, and cognition.

The volume opened with studies on behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of the basal ganglia, including the role of these structures in aggressive behavior (Andy, Giurintano, and Laing), and the activation of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway within the limbic striatum (Stevens). Anatomical contributions explored olfactory and anterior perforated substance pathways in primates (Helmer, Van Hoesen, and Rosene) and the organization of basal ganglia circuits regulating mental activity (Hassler).

Experimental works analyzed the effects of basal ganglia lesions on muscle spindle activity (McKeough and Gilman), the significance of extrapyramidal discharges for rotational movements (Augustine and Crosby), and pharmacological modulation of hyperkinetic models (Langlais, Huang, and Gabay). Maiti and Snider demonstrated the influence of cerebellar stimulation on caudate spindle activity and seizures, highlighting intersystemic connections.

Biochemical and clinical studies focused on Parkinson’s disease and extrapyramidal disorders, covering platelet monoamine oxidase variations under L-DOPA treatment (Zeller et al.), pathophysiology of long-term L-DOPA side effects (Barbeau), amino acid concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (Lakke and Teelken), and the importance of neurotransmitters beyond dopamine (Agnoli, Casacchia, and Fazio). Longitudinal observations on Parkinsonism progression during chronic L-DOPA therapy (Sweet and McDowell) complemented neuropharmacological analyses of basal ganglia organization (Pycock, Tarsy, and Marsden) and nigrostriatal connectivity studies (Frigyesi, Szabo, and Grimm).

The issue concluded with Robert R. Young’s review on the differential diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, along with essays on teaching neurology (Netsky), medical history (Sournia), “On Vacation” by Víctor Soriano, news, and book reviews.

This comprehensive volume offered one of the most complete mid-20th-century syntheses on the structure, chemistry, and clinical implications of the basal ganglia, linking experimental neurobiology to therapeutic neurology and behavioral science.