Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2003
Case ReportsAuditory disturbance as a prodrome of anterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction.
To investigate the clinical and radiological features of patients presenting with an acute auditory syndrome as a prodromal symptom of anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) infarction. ⋯ Acute auditory syndrome may be a warning sign of impending pontocerebellar infarction in the distribution of the AICA. The acute auditory syndrome preceding an AICA infarct may result from ischaemia of the inner ear or the vestibulocochlear nerve.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2003
MRI directed bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Bilateral chronic high frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has emerged as an appropriate therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease refractory to medical therapy. Advances in neuroimaging and neurophysiology have led to the development of varied targeting methods for the delivery of this treatment. Intraoperative neurophysiological and clinical monitoring is regarded by many to be mandatory for accurate STN localisation. We have examined efficacy of bilateral STN stimulation using a predominantly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-directed technique. ⋯ An MRI directed targeting method for implantation of DBS leads into the STN can be used safely and effectively, and results are comparable with studies using intraoperative microelectrode neurophysiological targeting. In addition, our method was associated with an efficient use of operating time, and without the necessary costs of microelectrode recording.
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The advent of molecular biology has changed the way in which neurological illnesses are classified, and the single genes causing a number of disorders have been identified. In addition, techniques such as linkage analysis and DNA sequencing have resulted in greater understanding of multi-gene diseases. This review covers some of the molecular tools and animal models used for genetic analysis and for DNA based diagnosis, and a brief survey of information available on the internet.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2003
ReviewIdiopathic intracranial hypertension: 12 cases treated by venous sinus stenting.
The high pressures documented in the intracranial venous sinuses in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) could be the result of focal stenotic lesions in the lateral sinuses obstructing cranial venous outflow. ⋯ The importance of venous sinus disease in the aetiology of IIH is probably underestimated. Lateral sinus stenting shows promise as an alternative treatment to neurosurgical intervention in intractable cases.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Dec 2003
Evaluation of the modifying effects of unfavourable genotypes on classical clinical risk factors for ischaemic stroke.
Ischaemic stroke is a frequent heterogeneous multifactorial disease that is affected by a number of genetic mutations and environmental factors. We hypothesised the clinical importance of the interactions between common, unfavourable genetic mutations and clinical risk factors in the development of ischaemic stroke. ⋯ In certain combinations, pairing of common unfavourable genetic factors, which alone confer only minor or non-significant risk, with clinical risk factors can greatly increase the susceptibility to ischaemic stroke.