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Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol. 31: 151-173 (Volume publication date July 2008)
Many major human neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), display axonal pathologies including abnormal accumulations of proteins and organelles.
Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol. 31: 219-245 (Volume publication date July 2008)
A task set is a configuration of cognitive processes that is actively maintained for subsequent task performance. Single-unit and brain-imaging studies have identified the neural correlates for task sets in the prefrontal cortex.
Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol. 31: 175-193 (Volume publication date July 2008)
Immunotherapeutic strategies to combat neurodegenerative disorders have galvanized the scientific community since the first dramatic successes in mouse models recreating aspects of Alzheimer disease (AD) were reported.
Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol. 31: 47-67 (Volume publication date July 2008)
Dendritic spines are the primary recipients of excitatory input in the central nervous system. They provide biochemical compartments that locally control the signaling mechanisms at individual synapses.
Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol. 31: 535-561 (Volume publication date July 2008)
Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are highly specialized glial cells that wrap axons with a multilayered myelin membrane for rapid impulse conduction.
Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol. 31: 1-24 (Volume publication date July 2008)
The nervous systems of most vertebrates include both the cerebellum and structures that are architecturally similar to the cerebellum. The cerebellum-like structures are sensory structures that receive input from the periphery in their deep layers and parallel fiber input in their molecular layers.
J Med Genet. Published Online First: 23 September 2008. doi:10.1136/jmg.2008.061002
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a bypass reentrant tachycardia that results from an abnormal connection between the atria and ventricles. Mutations in PRKAG2 have been described in patients with familial WPW syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
The 2007 Cochrane review of therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy (NE) indicates a significant reduction in adverse outcome. UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines are awaited.
Adenovirus-mediated gene therapies against brain tumors have been limited by the difficulty in tracking glioma cells infiltrating the brain parenchyma. Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSC) are particularly attractive cells for clinical use in cell-based therapies.
Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a key enzyme in mammalian polyamine biosynthesis that is up-regulated in various types of cancer. We previously showed that treating human neuroblastoma (NB) cells with the ODC inhibitor {alpha}-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) depleted polyamine pools and induced G1 cell cycle arrest without causing apoptosis.
To assess the range and severity of brain involvement, as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, in 27 patients with mutations in POMT1 (4), POMT2 (9), POMGnT1 (7), Fukutin (4), or LARGE (3), responsible for muscular dystrophies with abnormal glycosylation of dystroglycan (dystroglycanopathies).
Clinical magnetic resonance studies show delayed and ongoing neurodegeneration after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI), but the mechanisms and timing of this neurodegeneration remain unclear.
Braak and colleagues have proposed that, within the central nervous system, Parkinson's disease (PD) begins as a synucleinopathy in nondopaminergic structures of the lower brainstem or in the olfactory bulb.
Oxygen toxicity has been identified as a risk factor for adverse neurological outcome in survivors of preterm birth. In infant rodent brains, hyperoxia induces disseminated apoptotic neurodegeneration.
British Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 22, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 729 - 738
Trigeminal schwannomas are the second most common intracranial schwannoma. They may occur sporadically or in association with neurofibromatosis type 2.
British Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 22, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 739 - 746
Recently, the Surgical Trial in IntraCerebral Haemorrhage (STICH) was unable to show an overall benefit from 'early surgery' compared with a policy of 'initial conservative treatment'.
British Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 22, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 790 - 792
Intrasacral schwannoma is a very rare lesion. We report here three cases of intrasacral schwannoma originating within the sacrum and discuss their clinical presentation, diagnosis and management. Complete excision would appear to be the treatment of choice, but conservative treatment is an option provided the tumour causes no serious symptoms.
British Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 22, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 801 - 804
Subarachnoid haemorrhage due to intracranial non-traumatic dissecting aneurysms is rare. Most of the published reports refer to dissecting aneurysms in the vertebrobasilar territory.
British Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 22, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 774 - 775
Endoscopic third-ventriculostomy followed by removal of multiple cisternal cysts was performed in a patient with hydrocephalus secondary to cisternal cysticercosis.
British Journal of Neurosurgery, Volume 22, Issue 6 December 2008 , pages 778 - 780
We report a new case of skull base chondrosarcoma in Maffucci's syndrome. Maffucci's syndrome combining enchondromatosis with cutaneous haemangioma is rarely associated with chondrosarcoma.
Neuron, Volume 60, Issue 5, 748-766, 10 December 2008
Mitochondrial electron transport generates the ATP that is essential for the excitability and survival of neurons, and the protein phosphorylation reactions that mediate synaptic signaling and related long-term changes in neuronal structure and function.
Neuron, Volume 60, Issue 5, 890-903, 10 December 2008
The thalamo-cortical pathway is the crucial sensory gateway into the cerebral cortex. We aimed to determine the nature of the tactile information encoded by neurons in the whisker somatosensory relay nucleus (VPm).
Neuron, Volume 60, Issue 5, 788-802, 10 December 2008
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is accompanied by dendritic spine growth and changes in the composition of the postsynaptic density (PSD). We find that activity-dependent growth of apical spines of CA1 pyramidal neurons is accompanied by destabilization of the PSD that results in transient loss and rapid replacement of PSD-95 and SHANK2.
Neuron, Volume 60, Issue 5, 846-860, 10 December 2008
Controversy revolves around the differential contribution of NR2A- and NR2B-containing NMDA receptors, which coexist in principal forebrain neurons, to synaptic plasticity and learning in the adult brain.
Neuron, Volume 60, Issue 5, 731-732, 10 December 2008
p25/Cdk5 dysregulation may contribute to neurodegeneration. In this issue of Neuron, Kim et al. show that cdk5 inactivates HDAC-1, leading to cell cycle deregulation and DNA damage accumulation.
We describe a case of post-secondary vaccination encephalitis in a smallpox vaccine recipient and discuss detection of intrathecal antibody to vaccinia virus as a potential diagnostic test.
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are predisposed to stroke, especially as the estimated glomerular filtration rate decreases. This update reviews the pathologic mechanisms particular to this stroke population.
A 13-year-old girl presented with refractory seizures since the age of 5 years. Clinical exam and MRI studies were normal. Ictal EEG discharges suggested possible left posterior quadrant distribution but were not well localized with standard methods.
A rare case involving multiple intracranial aneurysms with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in a child, accompanied by unilateral fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) of the renal artery, is reported.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine. 33(12):841-844, December 2008
We prospectively evaluated consecutive cases of acute cerebellar ataxia in children to identify brain perfusion SPECT features associated with acute cerebellar ataxia and to correlate the brain SPECT findings to clinical severity and prognosis.
Journal of Neurotrauma. November 1, 2008, 25(11): 1335-1342
The purpose of the present study is to identify otherwise occult white matter abnormalities in patients suffering persistent cognitive impairment due to mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Journal of Neurotrauma. November 1, 2008, 25(11): 1273-1301
With the resurgence of clinical trials in spinal cord injury (SCI), there is intense interest in whether the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) standards are sensitive enough to discriminate neurological recovery.
American Journal of Epidemiology 2008 168(12):1381-1388
Dietary iron is the most important source of iron stores. Several case-control studies have described the association of high dietary iron and Parkinson's disease, but prospective data are lacking.
Journal of Neurotrauma. November 1, 2008, 25(11): 1343-1345
Generalized whole brain volume loss has been well documented in moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), as has diffuse cerebral atrophy based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumetric methods where white matter may be more selectively affected than gray matter.
Restorative therapies aim to improve behavioral outcome after stroke by promoting repair and restoration. Measures of CNS injury and function might be useful to evaluate such therapies in a clinical trial, for example, by optimizing patient selection or treatment dose.
Revascularization therapies for acute stroke patients aim to rescue the ischemic penumbra by restoring the patency of the occluded artery ("recanalization") and the downstream capillary blood flow ("reperfusion").
Acute ischemic stroke results from an abrupt interruption of focal cerebral blood flow. In the majority of cases, this interruption is caused by an acute thromboembolism.
Systemic administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) remains the fastest way to initiate treatment for acute ischemic stroke. The presence of a proximal arterial occlusion should not be viewed as an insurmountable predictor of tPA failure.
Abundant preclinical studies have identified multiple mechanisms of ischemic brain injury and have provided proof of principle that strategies designed to counter these mechanisms can protect the ischemic brain.
Prevention of a first stroke is an important strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with cerebrovascular disease. In this discussion, we review challenges to development of clinical trials for prevention of a first stroke.
Vascular Health and Risk Management Issue: ON-LINE EARLY
Blood pressure (BP) measurements provide information regarding risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, but only in a specific artery. Arterial stiffness (AS) can be determined by measurement of arterial pulse wave velocity (APWV).
Journal of Child Neurology 2008, doi:10.1177/0883073808325650
For patients with diffuse pontine glioma, our institution offers local radiotherapy and supportive care only. The prognosis and do-not-resuscitate orders are discussed upfront with patients' parents.
Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Volume 68, Issue 8 2008 , pages 759 - 766
The aims of this study were to assess the occurrence of osteoporosis and fracture rate in Norwegian postmenopausal women with epilepsy using antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and to investigate how AEDs may affect bone health.
We performed brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to evaluate computer-assisted automated discrimination of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) from other types of dementia using the easy Z-score imaging system (eZIS).
Over the past 20 years, an estimated $1 billion has been spent in research and development of stroke therapeutics; however, this huge investment has failed to produce a clinically efficacious drug with the exception of the thrombolytic agent Activase (tPA).
Vascular cognitive impairment is a term used to describe a heterogeneous group of diseases, including large vessel disease with strategic single and multiple strokes and small vessel disease with progressive damage to the deep white matter.
Brain arteriovenous malformations cause intracranial hemorrhage. Molecular characterization of lesional tissue implicates angiogenic (vascular endothelial growth factor, ANG-2, matrix metalloproteinase-9) and inflammatory (cytokines and chemokines) pathways, but the pathogenesis remain obscure and medical therapy is lacking.
Familial aggregation of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) indicates a genetic role in the pathogenesis of this disease. Despite a number of reported susceptibility loci, no disease-causing gene variants have been identified.
We discuss the mechanisms of action underlying the beneficial effects of treating ischemic stroke in the rodent with exogenously administered cells. The essential hypothesis proposed is that the administered cells enhance recovery of neurological function by stimulating the production of restorative factors by parenchymal cells.
Although many potential therapeutics have improved motor and cognitive function in animal models of experimental stroke, very few have been found to have similar beneficial effects in clinical trials.
CADASIL is an early onset small vessel disease and genetic variant of pure subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD). The condition has been invaluable in defining the profile and neuroimaging correlates of cognitive deficits in pure SIVD.
Iron resulting from hemoglobin degradation is linked to delayed neuronal injury after intracerebral hemorrhage. Extensive preclinical investigations indicate that the iron chelator, deferoxamine mesylate, is effective in limiting hemoglobin- and iron-mediated neurotoxicity.
Stroke remains a significant clinical unmet condition, with only 3% of ischemic patient population benefiting from the thrombolytic drug tissue plasminogen activator largely because of the drug's narrow 3-hour therapeutic window. Extending the stroke therapeutic window will greatly impact on treatment, care, and management of patients.
Most strokes are covert and observed incidentally on brain scans, but their presence increases risk of overt stroke and dementia. Amyloid angiopathy, associated with Alzheimer Disease (AD) causes stroke, and when even small strokes coexist with AD, they lower the threshold for dementia.
No effective therapy is available for treating intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). One of several key components of brain damage after ICH is the neurotoxicity of blood products.
The fundamental premise of neuroprotection has historically focused on the prevention of neuronal death. However, despite tremendous advances in the molecular biology of intraneuronal mechanisms and pathways, a clinically effective neuroprotectant does not yet exist.
The field of ischemic stroke genetics is moving beyond candidate gene studies into the realm of genomewide association studies. Such studies have resulted in discoveries in diverse, complex disorders.
Brain pericytes are intimately associated with capillary endothelial cells, separated only by basement membrane. Pericyte research has been hampered by absence of pericyte-specific immunochemical markers.
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States, and yet no definitive interventions can drive the nervous system beyond its measurable but often limited spontaneous recovery.
We outline recent findings from rodent models of cortical stroke of how experiences interact with postinjury events to influence synaptic connectivity and functional outcome. We focus on upper extremity function.
Neuroprotective therapies have so far failed to provide improved neurological function and outcome after stroke. A recent focus on multimodal therapies, including the combination of neuroprotective medications with hypothermia, opens a promising new treatment strategy.
Ischemic injury is traditionally viewed from an axiomatic perspective of neuronal loss. Yet the ischemic infarct encompasses all cell types, including astrocytes. This review will discuss the idea that astrocytes play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of ischemic neuronal death.
Despite recent advances in the treatment of patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage, morbidity and mortality rates have failed to improve significantly. Although this was often blamed on vasospasm, is it time to consider alternative etiologies?
Aging, Alzheimer disease, and hypertension, major determinants of cognitive dysfunction, are associated with profound alterations in the structure and function of cerebral blood vessels.
Systemic administration of cytosine-guanine (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotides provides neuroprotection against subsequent cerebral ischemic injury. We examined the genomic response of leukocytes and brain cells after ischemia in the context of CpG preconditioning.
Laboratory experiments conducted since the 1940s show that amphetamine combined with task-relevant experience improves postbrain injury behavioral outcomes. Several small clinical trials evaluated the approach as a means of improving poststroke recovery.
Cardioembolic stroke generally results in more severe disability, since it typically has a larger ischemic area than the other types of ischemic stroke.
Kin recognition, an evolutionary phenomenon ubiquitous among phyla, is thought to promote an individual's genes by facilitating nepotism and avoidance of inbreeding.
Editors of scientific journals are ethically bound to provide a fair and impartial peer-review process and to protect the rights of contributing authors to publish research results.
We explored the relationship between structural neuroimaging-based indices of cerebral integrity and executive control function (ECF) in two groups of healthy subjects: A maturing group (33 subjects; 19-29 years) and a senescing group (38 adults; 30-90 years).
Irish Journal of Medical Science 0021-1265 (Print) 10.1007/BF02947639
The treatment of primary proliferative polycythaemia (polycythaemia rubra vera) may include radioactive phosphorus (P32) in conjunction with venesection.
Medical Oncology 1357-0560 (Print) 10.1007/BF02987750
Between January 1982 and January 1990,120 newly diagnosed pediatric patients were treated at The Chaim Sheba Medical Center. Sixty three (52.5%) tumors arose in the posterior fossa and 57 (47.5%) appeared supratentorially.
Irish Journal of Medical Science 0021-1265 (Print) 10.1007/BF02967089
It is believed that free radical formation and subsequent oxidative damage in the form of lipid peroxidation may be a factor in the cerebral damage secondary to the ischaemia of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is the major endotoxin signalling receptor of the innate immune system and is required for efficient recognition of bacterial infections. Here, we analysed a possible association between the TLR4 variant Asp299Gly and disease outcome in children with invasive meningococcal disease.
Arch Dis Child. Published Online First: 26 November 2008. doi:10.1136/adc.2008.145235
Hypopituitarism is an important consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Growth monitoring can be used as an indicator of pituitary function in children. A retrospective audit of case notes of 123 children, who required intensive care unit admission with TBI found that only 71 (33%) of 212 attendances in 38 of 85 children followed up had documented height and weight measurements.
Current Medical Research and Opinion, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2008 , pp. 3463-3477(15)
Although epilepsy is relatively common, only a limited number of specialized epilepsy centers exist in the United States. Therefore, epilepsy diagnosis and management frequently occur in the community setting.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis First Published on: 04 December 2008
Our objective was to investigate the association between senataxin mutations and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Chinese patients. DNA from 45 sporadic ALS patients was screened for mutations in senataxin using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis First Published on: 04 December 2008
We investigated the safety and efficacy of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in 13 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Five-day administration of 2 µg/kg once a day was followed by a six-month observation period.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis First Published on: 04 December 2008
Our objective was to investigate grey matter (GM) contraction in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using tensor based morphometry (TBM). Using a 1.5 Tesla scanner, T1-weighted MRI scans were obtained at baseline and at follow-up (mean interval, 9 months) from 16 ALS and 10 controls. Standard TBM procedures in Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM2) were used for image processing and statistical analyses.
Activated protein C (APC), a protease with anticoagulant and cytoprotective activities, protects neurons and endothelium from ischemic injury. Drotrecogin-alfa activated, a hyperanticoagulant form of human recombinant APC, is currently being studied in patients with ischemic stroke.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica Published Online: 3 Dec 2008
Although basilar artery atherosclerotic disease (BAD) is frequent in patients with pontine base infarction, it remains unknown whether BAD is related to the lesion size or clinical outcome.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica Published Online: 3 Dec 2008
To explore the seasonality in the incidence of spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) in relation to the known risk factors in a population-based cohort.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics December 2008 Volume 2, Number 6
Venous sinus thrombosis is a rare entity that usually arises secondary to underlying thrombophilia, neoplasm, head injury, or infection. Tympanic infection accounts for the majority of infectious etiologies, and the sigmoid sinus becomes the likely anatomical site of thrombosis.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics December 2008 Volume 2, Number 6
Meningiomas represent the most common benign intracranial neoplasm in adults, with a considerably lower incidence in children. The authors present the case of an intracranial meningioma with invasion of, and intraluminal extension into, the transverse and sigmoid sinuses, jugular bulb, and internal jugular vein, resulting in venous occlusion in a 14-year-old girl.
High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the 80-200 Hz range can be recorded from normal hippocampus and parahippocampal structures of humans and animals. They are believed to reflect inhibitory field potentials, which facilitate information transfer by synchronizing neuronal activity over long distances.
In the present study we decided to investigate whether physical exercise protects against the electrographic, oxidative, and neurochemical alterations induced by subthreshold to severe convulsive doses of pentyltetrazole (PTZ).
We conducted a video-polygraphic study of myoclonic seizures (MS) in different epileptic syndromes to clarify semiologic and electroencephalography (EEG) differences among them.
Frequent epileptic seizures or prolonged seizure activity (status epilepticus, SE) is known to increase the brain expression of drug efflux transporter genes and proteins, such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and members of the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) family, which might reduce brain levels of antiepileptic drugs and, therefore, be involved in drug resistance. However, the time course of alterations in Pgp or MRPs after seizures or SE is only incompletely known.
Cardiac changes may occasionally occur during vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) used in epileptic patients. As they can be potentially life-threatening, it is important to detect them, and this is why an intraoperative test is performed during the implantation.
Southern Medical Journal. 101(12):1255-1257, December 2008
A 50-year-old man presented with progressive visual loss, headache, and two days of confusion. A computed tomography of his head suggested subarachnoid hemorrhage with accompanying right parietal ischemic infarction.
Child's Nervous System 0256-7040 (Print) 10.1007/s00381-008-0770-x
Inadvertent adjustments and malfunctions of programmable valves have been reported in cases in which patients have encountered powerful electromagnetic fields such as those involved in magnetic resonance imaging, but the potential effects of magnetic toys on programmable valves are not well known.
Child's Nervous System 0256-7040 (Print) 10.1007/s00381-008-0751-0
Brain abscess in infants is extremely rare in the developed world. Often, these children have a predisposing history and are infected with certain bacterial aetiology.
Child's Nervous System 0256-7040 (Print) 10.1007/s00381-008-0752-z
The aim of this study is to assess the changes of brain tissue oxygen levels in children during the first 24 h following head injury and its correlation with changes of intracranial pressure and clinical outcome.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis First Published on: 05 December 2008
We have performed a systematic review to summarize current knowledge concerning factors related to survival in ALS and to evaluate the implications of these data for clinical trials design. The median survival time from onset to death ranges from 20 to 48 months, but 10-20% of ALS patients have a survival longer than 10 years.
Mild parkinsonian signs (MPS) are a marker of incident dementia. They have been linked with cerebrovascular disease, which can be evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Also, if MPS are a marker for developing Alzheimer-type changes, hippocampal volume on MRI might be diminished in individuals with MPS.
Although a majority of patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) progress to Alzheimer disease, the natural history of nonamnestic MCI (naMCI) is less clear.
Pathological gambling (PG) may develop in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) during dopamine replacement therapy, but the underlying neural correlates are still unclear.
Semantic dementia is a syndrome within the spectrum of frontotemporal lobar degenerations characterized by fluent progressive aphasia (particularly anomia) and loss of word meaning.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) is an emerging technique of noninvasive brain stimulation that has been found useful in examining cortical function in healthy subjects and in facilitating treatments of various neurologic disorders.
A 56-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with new onset of tonic-clonic seizures. She had no significant medical or drug history. Results of the physical examination were normal, with no neurocognitive impairment.
Autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features (ADPEAF) is an idiopathic focal epilepsy syndrome with auditory symptoms or receptive aphasia as major ictal manifestations, frequently associated with mutations in the leucine-rich, glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) gene.
Spinal Cord advance online publication 9 December 2008; doi: 10.1038/sc.2008.153
To study the manifestation of spasticity in daily life of the patients with spinal cord injury, their perception of spasticity and spasticity-related discomfort.
Spinal Cord advance online publication 9 December 2008; doi: 10.1038/sc.2008.155
Some studies have made use of the antioxidative capabilities of high doses of vitamins C and E with the aim of neutralizing the noxious effects of free radicals following spinal cord lesion.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 2 - 4, January 2009
In 2002, the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (now known as the European Medicines Agency; EMEA) belatedly accepted the evidence of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke trial in 1995.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 14 - 15, January 2009
Paediatric neurology is sometimes regarded as a sub-speciality that involves diagnosis of rare disorders but specialists are rarely able to provide curative treatment. Neurological disorders in children are common, particularly in developing countries where these conditions cause substantial mortality and long-term morbidity.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 10 - 12, January 2009
The commentary on epilepsy in last year's Round-up started by stating that "the evidence base that underpins the pharmacological management of the epilepsies is not earth shattering".
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 110 - 124, January 2009
Brain injury in premature infants is of enormous public health importance because of the large number of such infants who survive with serious neurodevelopmental disability, including major cognitive deficits and motor disability.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 94 - 109, January 2009
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; motor neuron disease) is a relentlessly progressive disorder. After half a century of trials, only one drug with modest disease-modifying potency-riluzole-has been developed.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Page 31, January 2009
Despite considerable research and the introduction of new therapies, long-term positive outcomes for patients with brain tumours are rare, and most patients experience a recurrence or progression of their cancer irrespective of the intervention.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Page 1, January 2009
Following more than 4 years of campaigning by researchers, clinicians, patients, and The ALS Association , the ALS Registry Act was signed into US law in October, 2008. The legislation requires the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) to establish a national registry to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other motor neuron diseases by 2011.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Page 34, January 2009
Vladimir Hachinski, a pioneer in stroke and vascular dementia, found his calling as a neurologist fortuitously. During a residency in internal medicine, Donald Baxter, one of his mentors, asked his opinion on a complex neurological case.
The Lancet Neurology, Volume 8, Issue 1, Pages 19 - 21, January 2009
Important studies on CNS infections published in the past year have highlighted therapeutic advances and improved understanding of prognosis. Furthermore, the application of sophisticated molecular biological techniques has increased our knowledge of disease pathogenesis and helped to facilitate diagnosis.
General practitioners (GPs) can have a significant role to play in the management of individuals with long-term neurological conditions (LTNC). This paper looks at various roles and responsibilities of GPs in the management of these patients.
Journal of Perinatology advance online publication 4 December 2008; doi: 10.1038/jp.2008.195
In amplitude-integrated EEG, lead placement across the forehead is convenient, but this location has unknown effects on neonatal seizure (NS) detection sensitivity.
This study was performed to better understandpostoperative contralateral subdural effusion, an uncommon but serious complication secondary to decompressive craniectomy in patients with head trauma.
We describe the clinical course of an infant who presented with severe fetal anemia and fetal hydrops following congenital parvovirus B19 infection before 16 gestational weeks. The fetus was treated by cordocentesis and intrauterine transfusion at 18 weeks.
Kruppel-like factor 9 is a thyroid hormone-induced, immediate early gene implicated in neural development in vertebrates. We analyzed stressor and glucocorticoid-dependent regulation of KLF9 expression in the brain of the frog Xenopus laevis, and investigated a possible role for KLF9 in neuronal differentiation.
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 6 December 2008, pp. 1343-1350
Sleep disturbances in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities are common and have a profound effect on the quality of life of the child, as well as the entire family. Although interventions for sleep problems in these children often involve a combination of behavioral and pharmacologic strategies, the first line of treatment is the promotion of improved sleep habits or "hygiene."
Teleradiology in an emergency situation can be used to support rapid neurological decision-making when specialists are remote from the hospital concerned.
Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor commonly used for erectile dysfunction, may also have a beneficial therapeutic effect in the treatment of stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, dementia, learning, and neurodegenerative disorders by enhancing angiogenesis and neurogenesis.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica Published Online: 2 Dec 2008
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. There is evidence that oxidative stress is implicated in the pathophysiology of the neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS. Data from the literature suggests that the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) participates in pathological conditions, including oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.
Clobazam (CLB) has proven efficacy against multiple seizure types. Although available in many countries, it is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usage patterns, efficacy, tolerability, and 1-year retention of CLB in patients with refractory epilepsy seen at a tertiary US epilepsy center.
The pharmacological treatment of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) now includes the experimental use of controlled-release biocompatible compounds that deliver a desired drug locally into the subarachnoid space.
Monitoring of brain tissue oxygen tension is increasingly being used to monitor patients after severe traumatic brain injury and to guide therapies aimed at maintaining brain tissue oxygen tension above threshold levels.
A 49-year-old woman had developed weekly complex partial seizures consisting of nonverbal vocalization and unresponsiveness followed by laughter. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a round tumorous lesion at the posterior side of the right rectal gyrus and medial orbitofrontal gyrus.
A subarachnoid hemorrhage reduces patients' quality of life (QoL) in both the short and long term. Neurological problems alone cannot explain this reduction. We examined whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and fatigue provide an explanation.
The cause of perimesencephalic nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage remains unknown. We describe a patient in whom jugular venous occlusion preceded the occurrence of perimesencephalic nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
The aim of this study was to evaluate the robustness and zero-drift of an intracranial pressure sensor, Neurovent-P (Raumedic AG, Munchberg, Germany), when used in the clinical environment.
Interstitial infusion, a form of local delivery that bypasses the blood-brain barrier, has been shown to afford high regional concentrations of a therapeutic molecule while avoiding systemic exposure.
Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common form of intracranial hemorrhage with a substantial recurrence rate. We focused on determining independent predictors associated with the recurrence of CSDH.
Recanalization after coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms remains a limitation of this progressively accepted modality. The Matrix detachable bioabsorbable coil (Boston Scientific Neurovascular, Natick, MA) was developed to overcome this limitation.
In the past, several possible explanations for idiopathic subarachnoid hemorrhage (ISAH) have been proposed; however, neuroimaging studies have never provided conclusive data about the structural cause of the bleeding.
Tumor control, facial function preservation, and hearing preservation are important criteria for successful management of intracanalicular vestibular schwannomas, whether observation, microsurgery, or radiosurgery is chosen.
Perinidal high-signal-intensity changes on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging can be seen surrounding radiosurgically treated brain arteriovenous malformations (AVM).
The triad of acute spontaneous intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), hydrocephalus, and profound paraparesis in the absence of anterior cerebral artery vasospasm or ischemia has not been described previously.
To directly compare stem cells from the normal adult human brain (adult human neural stem cells [AHNSC]), Grade II astrocytomas (AC II), and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), with respect to proliferative and tumor-forming capacity and differentiation potential.
This article draws upon data generated from life history interviews with a small group of men who had experienced spinal cord injury (SCI) through playing sport and defined themselves as disabled.
This paper discusses the creative process of re-embodiment experienced by physically disabled adults who become wheelchair users. Interviews and observational data of adults (rehabilitation patients and persons living in the community) who use wheelchairs show how they redefine, re-examine or modify past experiences, abilities, lifestyles and habits in their efforts towards re-embodiment.
Despite governmental efforts and organizational initiatives, the number of disabled professionals in full-time employment is small, and the number of those occupying leadership positions remains even smaller. Past research into disability and employment has outlined a range of barriers that disabled people face in seeking and maintaining employment.
PEDIATRIC/CRANIOFACIAL
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 122(6):1827-1838, December 2008
The purpose of this project was to determine whether adult patients with frontal deformities caused by untreated craniosynostosis can undergo successful surgical correction.
The Surgeon - Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons at Edinburgh and Ireland December 2008 Vol 6 No 6
Neurosurgery has primarily been concerned with resective or ablative techniques for the accurate removal of pathological tissue with the minimal disruption of surrounding healthy neuronal matter.
Patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy have increased mortality compared with the general population, but patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy who meet criteria for surgery and who become seizure-free after anterior temporal lobe resection have reduced excess mortality vs those with persistent seizures.
Epilepsy, a recurrent seizure disorder affecting 1% of the population, can be genetic in origin and thereby affect multiple members in a family, or it can be sporadic. Many sporadic seizures come from a specific "focus" in the cortex.
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder, is in most cases due to a homozygous intronic expansion resulting in the loss of function of frataxin.
Neuron Neuron, Volume 60, Issue 4, 543-554, 26 November 2008
The dorsal striatum, which consists of the caudate and putamen, is the gateway to the basal ganglia. It receives convergent excitatory afferents from cortex and thalamus and forms the origin of the direct and indirect pathways, which are distinct basal ganglia circuits involved in motor control.
The aim of this nested analysis was to identify the major components of stroke centers and other facilities actually available for acute stroke patients in hospitals of Germany and Austria.
Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. 67(12):1159-1165, December 2008
Transactivation-responsive DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a component of pathological inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and several forms of sporadic and familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. 67(12):1187-1193, December 2008
Our previous studies implicated vitamin E deficiency as a risk factor for equine motor neuron disease, a possible model of human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and showed direct effects of this deficiency on brain vascular endothelium.
Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. 67(12):1194-1204, December 2008
Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) are World Health Organization Grade I gliomas; they most often affect children and young adults and occur in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
MRI permeability imaging is a promising approach to identify patients with acute ischemic stroke with an increased propensity for hemorrhagic transformation (HT). Permeability imaging provides direct visualization of blood-brain barrier derangements in ischemic fields.
Basilar artery (BA) dolichoectasia (dilatative arteriopathy) (BAD) causes arterial elongation and enlargement with subsequent hemodynamic changes leading to thrombosis, microembolization and brainstem compression.
Prior epidemiological work has shown higher mortality in ischemic stroke patients admitted on weekends, which has been termed the 'weekend effect'. Our aim was to assess stroke patient outcomes in order to determine the significance of the 'weekend effect' at 2 comprehensive stroke centers.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication after stroke. Application of low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) has been proven to be beneficial for the prevention of VTE in ischemic stroke patients.
To investigate the relationship between hyperlipidemia and platelet activation markers - platelet and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), and platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs) - in patients after ischemic stroke.
To determine whether the use of oral antithrombotic agents before the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) affects hematoma features and early patient outcome.
There is considerable debate regarding the efficacy of amphetamine to facilitate motor recovery after stroke or experimental brain injury. Different drug dosing and timing schedules and differing physical rehabilitation strategies may contribute to outcome variability.
The benefits of antihypertensive (AH) drugs on the risks of major cardiovascular outcomes have been demonstrated in clinical trials. However, approximately half of hypertensive patients do not adhere well to their prescribed AH therapy in actual practice.
In acute stroke patients, the presence of a hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign on unenhanced CT is a specific but insensitive indicator of acute thrombosis.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
Numerous nuanced approaches have been used to access posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms for microsurgical clipping. The authors report the case of a patient with a right vertebral artery (VA)-PICA aneurysm that was reached via a contralateral far-lateral approach.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
The extended transnasal approach, a recent surgical advancements for the ventral skull base, allows excellent midline access to and visibility of the anterior cranial fossa, which was previously thought to be approachable only via a transcranial route.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
Clival lesions pose significant challenges with regard to their surgical management. The expanded endoscopic endonasal (EEE) approach is a promising minimally invasive technique for lesions of the central skull base.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
The extradural temporopolar approach is used for enhanced exposure of the cavernous sinus and petroclival regions in the treatment of complex lesions not amenable to sole treatment via radiosurgical or endovascular methods.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
Encephaloceles are pathological herniations of brain parenchyma through congenital or acquired osseus-dural defects of the skull base or cranial vault. Although encephaloceles are known as rare conditions, several surgical reports and clinical series focusing on spontaneous encephaloceles of the temporal lobe may be found in the otological, maxillofacial, radiological, and neurosurgical literature.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
Cerebellar ptosis is a rare complication following Chiari malformation decompression, and generally is the result of a very large suboccipital craniectomy. This can lead to the descent of the cerebellum through the craniectomy defect, which in turn may result in cerebellar herniation through the surgical defect as well as the reestablishment of contact between the cerebellar tonsils and the brainstem.
This review describes the complex and often reciprocal relationship between sleep problems, neurological disorders and/or intellectual disability in children. The causes of Intellectual disability (ID) discussed in this review include those conditions present from or around the time of birth, although it also considers traumatic brain injuries occurring later in development.
In the process of establishing a methodology for individualized remediation programmes in children treated for cerebellar tumour, this study followed prospectively over 11 years a young child treated for a medulloblastoma at 18 months of age throughout the rehabilitation process.
The Paediatric Care and Needs Scale (PCANS) is a newly developed scale that assesses support needs following childhood acquired brain injury (ABI). It yields three measures of support: overall, extent and intensity. The developmental process of the PCANS is described and concurrent and construct validity examined.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics December 2008 Volume 2, Number 6
Because of the multiplicity and saltatory growth pattern associated with central nervous system hemangioblastomas in von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, resection of individual tumors is usually reserved until symptoms occur, to avoid unnecessary surgery over the lifetime of a patient.
Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research Published Online: 12 Nov 2008
Brain metastases are a common feature of malignant melanoma and are associated with poor prognosis. Melanotransferrin (MTf), one of several antigens associated with the surface of melanoma cells, has been demonstrated to promote cell invasion.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica Published Online: 1 Dec 2008
Stroke is the third most common cause of mortality and is one of the most common causes of morbidity in the world. Polyneuropathies and entrapment neuropathies are known as the complications of stroke.
Neurosurgical Focus December 2008 Volume 25, Number 6
The aim of this study was to describe the microsurgical anatomy of the orbitozygomatic craniotomy and its modifications, and detail the stepwise dissection of the temporalis fascia and muscle and explain the craniotomy techniques involved in these approaches.
Journal of Sexual Medicine Published Online: 19 Nov 2008
Sexual dysfunction is a frequent but neglected problem in Parkinson's disease (PD). Decreased sexual desire in PD correlates with reduced general satisfaction from life. Many variables might be related to the loss of libido in PD and they have not been carefully investigated yet.
American Journal of Forensic Medicine & Pathology. 29(4):334-336, December 2008
Missile injuries on the head are mostly due to firearms. Atypical missiles may be encountered in case of shrapnel of bomb explosions but rarely because of stones. The present case is a rare case where a stone propelled by the pressure from the rear wheel of a speeding truck on the highway, struck the head of a 7-year-old girl resulting in fatality.
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Volume 258, Supplement 5 / November, 2008 110-114
Neuroenhancement is a pharmacological attempt to increase cognitive performance in healthy humans. Strategies to improve learning and memory aim at plasticity pathways in the brain; phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as rolipram and NMDA-modulating drugs like donepezil and d-cycloserine have been tested in clinical trials.
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Volume 66, Number 6, December 2008 , pp. 861-865(5)
Seizures are a recognized complication of citalopram overdose. The present study sought to establish risk factors for seizures in this high-risk patient group, including stated dose ingested, co-ingested drugs or ethanol, and electrolyte disturbances.
Nutrition in Clinical Practice, Vol. 23, No. 6, 589-596 (2008)
Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in the world, with an estimated prevalence of 1% of the population. The highest incidence occurs in childhood and in the elderly, with lower levels in early adulthood.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis First Published on: 26 November 2008
Somatic mutations have been suggested as a cause of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). These mutations can be difficult to detect since they may involve only a small percentage of cells within the tissue, so we devised a method to detect low mutation levels in brain DNA. Different proportions of a known SOD1 mutation were prepared to determine the sensitivity of DHPLC.
To determine the relationship between the amount of intra-individual variability in measures of abilities and participation throughout the first 8 months of recovery from ABI and outcome scores at 1 year. Greater amounts of intra-individual variability throughout recovery are hypothesized to predict better outcome scores at 1 year.
Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder, with a variable reported prevalence ranging from 0.5 to 12 per 100,000. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of HSP and estimate the percentage of SPG4 mutations in the Estonian population.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative disease of motor neurons that causes progressive paralysis and eventually results in death from respiratory failure.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics December 2008 Volume 2, Number 6
In 2002, 'quick-brain' (QB) MR imaging (ultrafast spin echo T2-weighted imaging) was introduced as an alternative technique to CT scanning for assessing children with hydrocephalus.
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics December 2008 Volume 2, Number 6
Pediatric neurosurgeons frequently care for children with traumatic scalp and skull injury. Foreign objects are often observed on imaging and may influence the clinician's decision-making process.
Two strategies to manage symptom re-emergence due to wearing-off with conventional levodopa/dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor (DDCI) therapy were compared in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in this randomized, open-label trial.
The extent to which genetic effects on the different subtypes of small (SVD) and large vessel disease (LVD) ischaemic stroke differ remains controversial.
We report 5 of 75 (6.6%) patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) submitted to subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) who developed transient disabling dyskinesias immediately after surgery.
Variations in stroke onset are related to stroke type and severity. We evaluated the impact of hourly and daily stroke onset variations on the pattern of patient hospital referral and on the time interval from stroke onset to hospital admission and brain neuroimaging investigations.
The American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation jointly convened a task force to assess the state of knowledge about sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
Seizure-related spontaneous leaving behavior (LB) is an uncommonly reported phenomenon. The aim of this study was to determine its frequency, clinical significance, and especially its lateralizing value.
Recent evidence suggests that aberrant neuro/gliogenesis and/or inflammation play critical roles in epileptogenesis. Although the plastic and inflammatory changes have been described in the postseizure hippocampus, little data is available concerning extrahippocampal regions, notably in the piriform and entorhinal cortices, amygdala, and parts of the thalamus.
The inhibition of cholesterol synthesis with AY-9944 (AY) results in chronic recurrent atypical absence seizures in rodents. We hypothesized that cholesterol inhibition during the course of creating the AY model of atypical absence seizures results in an alteration of the entry of {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A and GABAB receptors into lipid rafts that contributes to epileptogenesis in this model.
To investigate the neurochemical pattern in patients with benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (BAFME/FAME), an inherited form of myoclonic epilepsy, by proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy (1H-MRS).
To determine whether TAR-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) immunoreactivity was present in brains of argyrophilic grain disease (AGD), we immunohistochemically examined 15 cases of AGD (mean age at death: 84 years) using a panel of anti-TDP-43 antibodies, including both phosphorylation-independent and -dependent ones.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
In this paper the authors' goal was to report on and examine (in the context of a large hospital with good endovascular intervention provisions) the activities of a neurosurgeon with a dedicated vascular interest in the era after the International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial in the United Kingdom.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Significant others (SOs), such as spouses and life partners, of patients who have survived subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can experience psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial disability. The cause of such symptoms has not been established.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Pathological extremes in cerebrovascular remodeling may contribute to basilar artery (BA) dolichoectasia and fusiform aneurysm development. Factors regulating cerebrovascular remodeling are poorly understood.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The authors report on a case of intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS)-guided stent angioplasty for iatrogenic extracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissection in a 49-year-old man after coil embolization for an unruptured aneurysm of the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of shunt infection in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) after converting an external ventricular drain (EVD) to a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt using the existing EVD site.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The clinical characteristics and overall outcome in patients with spontaneous isolated convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are not well described in the literature.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Poor outcome is common after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Clinical studies suggest that cerebral hypoxia after traumatic brain injury is associated with poor outcome. In this study we examined the relationship between brain oxygen tension (PbtO2) and death after aneurysmal SAH.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The management of non–life threatening spontaneous intraparenchymal hemorrhage with no obvious medical etiology in patients and the lack of findings on images has not been clearly defined. In general, the current practice is to treat these patients conservatively and repeat studies to rule out a treatable cause 6 weeks to 3 months later; more often than not these repeated studies fail to reveal any findings, and the patient is treated conservatively.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
In this study, the authors prospectively evaluated long-term psychosocial and neurocognitive performance in patients suffering from nonaneurysmal, nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and investigated the association between the APOE-4 genotype and outcome in these patients.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The authors report the de novo occurrence and treatment of an arteriovenous lesion within an anaplastic oligodendroglioma in a patient with previously unremarkable brain imaging. Intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are believed to be congenitally acquired lesions, and their association with brain neoplasms is extremely rare.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a noninflammatory and nonatheromatous arteriopathy that commonly affects the renal and cervical internal carotid arteries and sometimes the vertebral arteries (VAs). The association of FMD with intracranial aneurysms is widely known.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Inappropriate sudden blood pressure (BP) reductions may adversely affect cerebral perfusion. This study explores the effect of nicardipine on regional brain tissue O2 (PbtO2) during treatment of acute hypertensive emergencies.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Use of the Onyx liquid embolic system has become an option for treating dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) because of its advantageous nonadhesive and cohesive properties. However, the complication rates associated with the use of this system have not been reported. The authors present their initial experience of the risks related to transarterial embolization using this system.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Microarteriovenous malformations (micro-AVMs) are an uncommon subgroup of brain AVMs defined by a nidus measuring < 1 cm in diameter. The clinical features, angiographic characteristics, and outcomes in patients with micro-AVMs who had been treated endovascularly after presenting with hemorrhage were reviewed to identify common features affecting prognosis.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Pial arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are known as rare cerebrovascular lesions. They are composed of - 1 arterial feeding vessels and a single draining vein that usually has high perfusion pressure and generally occur in infants.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Patients with very large or giant unruptured intracranial aneurysms present with ischemic stroke and progressive disability. The aneurysm rupture risk in these patients is extreme-up to 50% in 5 years.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Cervical spinal cord stimulation (SCS) increases global cerebral blood flow (CBF) and ameliorates cerebral ischemia according to a number of experimental models as well as some anecdotal reports in humans.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
Clipping of complex cerebral aneurysms often requires temporary vessel occlusion. The risk of stroke, however, increases exponentially with occlusion time.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The angiographic appearance of an intracranial arterial occlusion is typically distinct from that of a saccular aneurysm, with only a few reported cases of occlusion simulating aneurysm.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The COL1A2 gene at 7q22.1 has been shown to be associated with familial intracranial aneurysms (IAs) in the Japanese population. In the present study, the authors investigated the correlation between the presence of the rs42524 polymorphism in COL1A2 and the occurrence of sporadic IAs in Chinese patients.
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The authors sought to determine frequency, risk factors, and impact on outcome of asymptomatic cerebral infarction due to vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
Journal of Neurosurgery December 2008 Volume 109, Number 6
The authors present a rare case of an infarction complication 15 days following acute intraventricular bleeding due to moyamoya disease. Before the infarction occurred, perfusion CT imaging disclosed early but reversible ischemic injury on the day of hemorrhage.
The aim of this study was to investigate motor unit (MU) characteristics of the biceps brachii in poststroke patients using high-density surface electromyography (sEMG). Eighteen chronic hemiparetic stroke patients took part.
Neurology Published online before print November 19, 2008, doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000333256.74903.94
To determine the involvement of the midbrain and hindbrain (MHB) in the groups of classic (cLIS), variant (vLIS), and cobblestone complex (CBSC) lissencephalies and to determine whether a correlation exists between the cerebral malformation and the MHB abnormalities.
To use a combined neurogenetic-neuroimaging approach to examine the functional consequences of preclinical dopaminergic nigrostriatal dysfunction in the human motor system.
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) typically presents with syncope, seizures, or sudden death. Patients with LQTS have been misdiagnosed with a seizure disorder or epilepsy and treated with antiepileptic drug (AED) medication.
The combination of early-onset, progressive parkinsonism with pyramidal tract signs has been known as pallido-pyramidal or parkinsonian-pyramidal syndrome since the first description by Davison in 1954.
A 70-year-old woman presented with confusion and hemianopia. A ring-enhancing lesion revealed on MRI (figure), thought to be suggestive of lymphoma or high-grade glioma, demonstrated demyelination on biopsy.
We performed a prospective study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in North Canterbury, New Zealand, from 1985 to 2006, to ascertain the incidence of ALS over that 22-year period, and to detect patterns of change in incidence.
To investigate the relationship between white matter tract integrity and language and memory performances in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
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