Back to the future: 30th anniversary of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.
Authors: Pozzi NG, Pacchetti C
PMID: 28380317 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Functional Neurology)
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Recent advances in the molecular genetics of frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
Authors: Rainero I, Rubino E, Michelerio A, D'Agata F, Gentile S, Pinessi L
Abstract
The term frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) describes a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders associated with deposition of misfolded proteins in the frontal and temporal lobes. Up to 40% of FTLD patients reports a family history of neurodegeneration, and approximately 1/3 of familial cases shows an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance of the phenotype. Over the past two decades, several causative and susceptibility genes for FTLD have been discovered, supporting the notion that genetic factors are important c...
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
The coefficient of friction in Parkinson's disease gait.
In conclusion, the patients' COFs exhibited patterns that were different from those of the control group. Moreover, during the loading response phase, these differences were well-correlated with the Timed Up and Go Test scale data; Timed Up and Go Test data can be used to identify the risk of falls among PD patients.
PMID: 28380319 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Functional Neurology)
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Reappraisal of the F/M amplitude ratio in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Authors: Ginanneschi F, Mondelli M, Aretini A, Rossi A
Abstract
The F-wave/M-wave amplitude (F/M-amp) ratio has been shown to be increased in peripheral neuropathies, provided the maximum M-wave is relatively preserved. Reduced M-wave amplitudes and central facilitation of antidromically-induced reactivation of the anterior horn cells' axon hillocks (F-wave) are believed to contribute to higher F/M-amp ratios. The present study was undertaken to re-evaluate mechanisms responsible for higher F/M-amp ratios in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We enrolled 232 cases affected by CTS and 108 controls. Fand M-wave a...
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Gait analysis and clinical correlations in early Parkinson's disease.
Authors: Pistacchi M, Gioulis M, Sanson F, De Giovannini E, Filippi G, Rossetto F, Zambito Marsala S
Abstract
The aim of our study was to identify and quantify spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters obtained by 3D gait analysis (GA) in a group of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients compared with healthy subjects in order to investigate whether early PD patients could present an abnormal gait pattern. Forty-four patients affected by early-stage PD compared with a control group were analyzed. All participants were evaluated with 3D GA in the gait laboratory. The greatest significance in temporal paramete...
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Vitamin D in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Authors: Libonati L, Onesti E, Gori MC, Ceccanti M, Cambieri C, Fabbri A, Frasca V, Inghilleri M
Abstract
Vitamin D supplementation has been proposed as a potential treatment to delay amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression. The aims of this study were to compare retrospectively vitamin D blood levels in ALS patients with those in healthy subjects; to correlate vitamin D blood levels with clinical functions in patients; and to evaluate whether administration of vitamin D could modify the clinical progression of the disease. Vitamin D blood levels were evaluated in 57ALS patients and in 57 healthy s...
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
A retrospective analysis of 254 acute stroke cases admitted to two university hospitals in Beirut: classification and associated factors.
Authors: Lahoud N, Abbas MH, Salameh P, Saleh N, Abes S, Hosseini H, Gebeily S
Abstract
Lebanon is a developing country where the prevalence of stroke subtypes and their correlation with risk factors have not been studied, even though stroke management is an ongoing major national healthcare challenge. In a retrospective study conducted in two university hospitals, data were collected on all stroke cases admitted in 2012 and 2013. Ischemic strokes were then classified according to a modified TOAST classification. A total of 254 inpatients (mean age 68.41 years ±13.34, 55.1% males) was included in the stud...
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
A 15-year epileptogenic period after perinatal brain injury.
We report the case of a young patient who presented stroke-related seizures in the neonatal period and then developed focal symptomatic epilepsy at 15 years of age, and in whom the epileptic focus was found to co-localize with the site of his ischemic brain lesion. Such a prolonged silent period before onset of remote symptomatic epilepsy has not previously been reported. This case suggests that newborns with seizures due to a neonatal stroke are at higher risk of epilepsy and that the epileptogenic process in these subjects can last longer than a decade.
PMID: 28380324 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Functional Neurology)
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
In the face of pain there are no heroes. An open letter to the members of the European Parliament about ensuring in the whole Europe high quality care, research, equitable employment opportunities, and socio-economic support for Cluster Headache (CH) pati.
Authors: Rossi P, Craven A, De La Torra ER
PMID: 28380325 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Functional Neurology)
Source: Functional Neurology - April 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
The challenge of in vivo tissue characterization, connectivity and big data.
Authors: Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott C
PMID: 28072379 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Functional Neurology)
Source: Functional Neurology - January 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Network functional connectivity and whole-brain functional connectomics to investigate cognitive decline in neurodegenerative conditions.
Authors: Dipasquale O, Cercignani M
Abstract
Non-invasive mapping of brain functional connectivity (FC) has played a fundamental role in neuroscience, and numerous scientists have been fascinated by its ability to reveal the brain's intricate morphology and functional properties. In recent years, two different techniques have been developed that are able to explore FC in pathophysiological conditions and to provide simple and non-invasive biomarkers for the detection of disease onset, severity and progression. These techniques are independent component analysis, which allows a network-based functional expl...
Source: Functional Neurology - January 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative dementias.
Authors: Del Sole A, Malaspina S, Magenta Biasina A
Abstract
Neuroimaging, both with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), has gained a pivotal role in the diagnosis of primary neurodegenerative diseases. These two techniques are used as biomarkers of both pathology and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to differentiate AD from other neurodegenerative diseases. MRI is able to identify structural changes including patterns of atrophy characterizing neurodegenerative diseases, and to distinguish these from other causes of cognitive impairment, e.g. infarcts, space...
Source: Functional Neurology - January 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Modeling white matter microstructure.
Authors: Duval T, Stikov N, Cohen-Adad J
Abstract
Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging can be combined with advanced biophysical models to measure microstructural features of white matter. Non-invasive microstructural imaging has the potential to revolutionize neuroscience, and acquiring these measures in clinically feasible times would greatly improve patient monitoring and clinical studies of drug efficacy. However, a good understanding of microstructural imaging techniques is essential to set realistic expectations and to prevent over-interpretation of results. This review explains the methodology be...
Source: Functional Neurology - January 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Reconstructing contralateral fiber tracts: methodological aspects of cerebello-thalamocortical pathway reconstruction.
Authors: Palesi F, Tournier JD, Calamante F, Muhlert N, Castellazzi G, Chard D, D'Angelo E, Wheeler-Kingshott CG
Abstract
The identification of pathways connecting the cerebral cortex with subcortical structures is critical to understanding how large-scale brain networks operate. The cerebellum, for example, is known to project numerous axonal bundles to thecerebral cortex passing through the thalamus. This paper focuses on the technical details of cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathway reconstruction using advanced diffusion MRI techniques in humans in vivo. Pathways reconstructed using seed/target placement ...
Source: Functional Neurology - January 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
Impact of cerebellar atrophy on cortical gray matter and cerebellar peduncles as assessed by voxel-based morphometry and high angular resolution diffusion imaging.
We examined a cohort of patients suffering from cerebellar atrophy resulting in ataxia, with two main objectives: first to investigate which regions of the cerebrum were affected by the cerebellar degeneration, and second to assess whether diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) metrics within the medial (MCP) and superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP) - namely fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) - could be used as a biomarker in patients with this condition. Structural and dMRI data of seven patients with cerebellar atrophy (2 with spinocerebellar atrophy type 2, 1 with Friedreich's ataxia, 4 with idiop...
Source: Functional Neurology - January 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Funct Neurol Source Type: research
