Mihai Ioan Botez
Encyclopedia
Mihai Ioan Botez was a neurologist trained at the Romanian School of Neurology
founded by Gheorghe Marinescu
.
Academic life=
Dr M.I.Botez immigrated to Canada in the 1970s and became professor of neurology
at the Université de Montréal
.
and thiamine
on the central nervous system
, relevant for restless legs syndrome
, epilepsy
, polyneuropathy
,and chronic fatigue syndrome
.
These articles demonstrated the use of B vitamins in the treatment of neurologic symptoms.
on cognition
, including patients with spinocerebellar ataxia
, Friedreich's ataxia
, and mice with spontaneous mutations causing cerebellar damage, such as GRID2
-Lc Lurcher.
These articles demonstrated the role of the cerebellum in neuropsychology
.
and Tomas A Reader of the Université de Montréal
, Botez obtained measures of brain concentrations of neurotransmitters such as biogenic amine
metabolites of dopamine
, norepinephrine
, and serotonin
in patients, as well as concentrations and receptor density of these neurotransmitters and glutamic acid
in mouse brain, he and his co-workers in neurochemistry
provided vital cues to underlying neurochemical abnormalities in patients with B vitamin anomalies and patients with cerebellar atrophy. Such studies lead to successful trials with amantadine
, a substance facilitating dopamine
transmission, to ameliorate reaction times in cerebellar atrophy, as well as respiratory failure.
External links=
Romanian School of Neurology
The Romanian School of Neurology influenced a great share of Romanian and foreignneurologists, descending from a group of Gheorghe Marinescu's co-workers at the Neurological Department of the Colentina Hospital at the Bucharest University...
founded by Gheorghe Marinescu
Gheorghe Marinescu
Gheorghe Marinescu was a Romanian neurologist, founder of the Romanian School of Neurology.After the attendance of Medicine at the Bucharest University, Marinescu received most of his medical education as preparator at the laboratory of histology at the Brâncoveanu Hospital and as assistant at...
.
Academic life=
Dr M.I.Botez immigrated to Canada in the 1970s and became professor of neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
.
Behavioral neurology
Botez became a proficient researcher in several fields of behavioral neurology in both human and animal subjects.Folic acid
In the 1970s, Botez' main research subject was the effects of folic acidFolic acid
Folic acid and folate , as well as pteroyl-L-glutamic acid, pteroyl-L-glutamate, and pteroylmonoglutamic acid are forms of the water-soluble vitamin B9...
and thiamine
Thiamine
Thiamine or thiamin or vitamin B1 , named as the "thio-vitamine" is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. First named aneurin for the detrimental neurological effects if not present in the diet, it was eventually assigned the generic descriptor name vitamin B1. Its phosphate derivatives are...
on the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
, relevant for restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome or Willis-Ekbom disease is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can affect the arms, torso, and even phantom limbs...
, epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, polyneuropathy
Polyneuropathy
Polyneuropathy is a neurological disorder that occurs when many peripheral nerves throughout the body malfunction simultaneously. It may be acute and appear without warning, or chronic and develop gradually over a longer period of time. Many polyneuropathies have both motor and sensory...
,and chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...
.
These articles demonstrated the use of B vitamins in the treatment of neurologic symptoms.
Cerebellum
In the 1980s, Botez pioneered studies on the effects of lesions to the cerebellumCerebellum
The cerebellum is a region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control. It may also be involved in some cognitive functions such as attention and language, and in regulating fear and pleasure responses, but its movement-related functions are the most solidly established...
on cognition
Cognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
, including patients with spinocerebellar ataxia
Spinocerebellar ataxia
Spinocerebellar ataxia is a progressive, degenerative, genetic disease with multiple types, each of which could be considered a disease in its own right.-Classification:...
, Friedreich's ataxia
Friedreich's ataxia
Friedreich's ataxia is an inherited disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system, resulting in symptoms ranging from gait disturbance to speech problems; it can also lead to heart disease and diabetes....
, and mice with spontaneous mutations causing cerebellar damage, such as GRID2
GRID2
Glutamate receptor, ionotropic, delta 2, also known as GluD2, GluRδ2, or δ2, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GRID2 gene....
-Lc Lurcher.
These articles demonstrated the role of the cerebellum in neuropsychology
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and behaviors. The term neuropsychology has been applied to lesion studies in humans and animals. It has also been applied to efforts to record electrical activity from individual cells in...
.
Neurochemistry
Together with neurochemists Simon N Young of the Allan Memorial InstituteAllan Memorial Institute
The Allan Memorial Institute , located in Montreal, Quebec, houses the Psychiatry Department of the Royal Victoria Hospital, part of the McGill University Health Centre. Although currently a respected psychiatric hospital, the institute is known for its role in the Project MKULTRA by the CIA...
and Tomas A Reader of the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, Botez obtained measures of brain concentrations of neurotransmitters such as biogenic amine
Biogenic amine
-Examples:Some prominent examples of biogenic amines include:* Histamine - a substance derived from the amino acid histidine that acts as a neurotransmitter mediating arousal and attention, as well as a pro-inflammatory signal released from mast cells in response to allergic reactions or tissue...
metabolites of dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
, norepinephrine
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is the US name for noradrenaline , a catecholamine with multiple roles including as a hormone and a neurotransmitter...
, and serotonin
Serotonin
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Biochemically derived from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and in the central nervous system of animals including humans...
in patients, as well as concentrations and receptor density of these neurotransmitters and glutamic acid
Glutamic acid
Glutamic acid is one of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids, and its codons are GAA and GAG. It is a non-essential amino acid. The carboxylate anions and salts of glutamic acid are known as glutamates...
in mouse brain, he and his co-workers in neurochemistry
Neurochemistry
Neurochemistry is the specific study of neurochemicals, which include neurotransmitters and other molecules such as neuro-active drugs that influence neuron function. This principle closely examines the manner in which these neurochemicals influence the network of neural operation...
provided vital cues to underlying neurochemical abnormalities in patients with B vitamin anomalies and patients with cerebellar atrophy. Such studies lead to successful trials with amantadine
Amantadine
Amantadine is the organic compound known formally as 1-adamantylamine or 1-aminoadamantane. The molecule consists of adamantane backbone that has an amino group substituted at one of the four methyne positions. This pharmaceutical is sold under the name Symmetrel for use both as an antiviral and an...
, a substance facilitating dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
transmission, to ameliorate reaction times in cerebellar atrophy, as well as respiratory failure.
External links=