[INTRODUCTION - Wilson’s disease is a rare genetic disease of copper metabolism. Nearly, 300 patients in Hungary suffering from Wilson’s disease CASE - 25-year-old male patients were examined because of because speech impairment and ocular symptoms. The increase in blood copper and ceruloplasmin and point mutations in the ATP7B proven confirmed the diagnosis of Wilson’s disease. DISCUSSION - In diagnosis of rare disease is not easy because of the variety of symptoms and the high costs of genetic testing, we would like to draw the attention to it.]

[Wilson’s disease is an autosomal recessive disease with toxic copper accumulation caused by the mutation of the ATP7B gene in chromosome 13. The estimated prevalence of the disease is 2-3 / 100000. Early diagnosis is important because the treatment may stop the progression and could result regression or it can prevent the clinical manifestation of the disease. In our case study we describe how difficult could be to diagnose the disease, the role of the family physician in the preparation for liver transplantation and in the follow-up care. This case is an example demonstrating that Wilson's disease is often diagnosed only years after the appearance of the first symptom. We review the most important literature data on Wilson’s disease. ]

[Background and purpose - Hypothalamic dopamine (DA), the physiological regulator of pituitary prolactin (PRL) secretion, is synthesized in the neuroendocrine DAergic neurons that projects to the median eminence and the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary gland. The rate-limiting step of DA biosynthesis is catalyzed by the phosphorylated, therefore activated, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) that produces L-3,4-dihydroxy- phenylalanine from tyrosine. The aims of our present study were to investigate 1. the effect of local inhibition of the DA biosynthesis in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus on PRL release, and to get 2. some information whether the phosphorylated TH is the target of enzyme inhibition or not. Methods - A TH inhibitor, α-methyl-p-tyrosine was injected either intracerebro-ventricularly or into the arcuate nucleus of freely moving rats and plasma PRL concentration was measured. Immunohistochemistry, using antibodies raised against to native as well as phosphorylated TH were used to compare their distributions in the arcuate nucleus-median eminence region. Results - Intracerebro-ventricular administration of α-methyl-p-tyrosine has no effect, unlike the intra-arcuatus injection of enzyme inhibitor resulted in a slight but significant elevation in plasma PRL. Parallel with this, the level of DA and DOPAC were reduced in the neurointermediate lobe while no change in norepinephrine concentration can be detected indicating a reduced biosynthesis of dopamine following TH inhibition. On the other hand, systematic application of the α-methyl-p-tyrosine that inhibits TH activity located in DA terminals of the median eminence and the neurointermediate lobe, resulted in the most significant elevation of PRL. Conclusion - Our results suggest that α-methyl-p-tyrosine administered close to the neuroendocrine DAergic neurons was able to inhibit only a small proportion of the TH. Moreover, it also indicate that the majority of the activated TH can be found in the axon terminals of DAergic neurons, therefore, the DA released into the pituitary portal circulation is synthesized at this site.]

[Alcoholic and drug induced liver diseases, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatitis C and B chronic hepatitis, autoimmune diseases (primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis) and metabolic disorders (hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease) are the main chronic liver diseases. Authors summarize, based on the latest literature data, the medications of chronic liver diseases, emphasizing the treatment of the everyday practice. Natural and synthetic antioxidants are approved for the treatment of chronic alcoholic liver diseases besides abstinence, with diet of adequate quality and quantity. Nucleoside analogues (lamivudin) are recommended for the first-line therapy of the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Interferon is presently considered the optimal treatment for only certain patients. Interferon and ribavirin combined therapy is well-established in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Ursodeoxycholic acid is the beneficial treatment option for primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Prednisolon and azathioprine constitute the basic therapy of autoimmune hepatitis. Presumably, in the future, new strategies based on immunosuppressive combinations will play a crucial role. The chelating deferoxamine has less important part in the treatment of hemochromatosis. D-penicillamine still plays principle role in the medication of Wilson's disease.]