Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2004
Comparative StudyAltered cerebellar functional connectivity mediates potential adaptive plasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis.
The cerebellum is of potential interest for understanding adaptive responses in motor control in patients with multiple sclerosis because of the high intrinsic synaptic plasticity of this brain region. ⋯ Changes in apparent cerebellar-neocortical functional connectivity may mediate potentially adaptive changes in brain motor control in patients with multiple sclerosis. Similar changes in the cerebellum and premotor cortex have been reported in the healthy brain during motor learning, suggesting that common mechanisms may contribute to normal motor learning and motor recovery after injury from multiple sclerosis.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2004
Comparative StudySporadic inclusion body myositis: morphology, regeneration, and cytoskeletal structure of muscle fibres.
To characterise morphological abnormalities in relation to muscle fibre type in sporadic inclusion body myositis (s-IBM). ⋯ There are extensive morphological and morphometric alterations in s-IBM, affecting different muscle fibre types in different ways. The cytoskeletal structure of type I and II muscle fibres remains unaffected in different stages of the disease.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2004
Is variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in young children misdiagnosed as Alpers' syndrome? An analysis of a national surveillance study.
There has been concern that children with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) might be misdiagnosed as cases of Alpers' syndrome, as a spongiform degeneration of the brain is seen in both conditions. ⋯ The results show that Alpers' syndrome is rare and it is unlikely that vCJD cases are being misdiagnosed as Alpers' syndrome.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2004
Case ReportsDNA end labelling (TUNEL) in a 3 year old girl with Leigh syndrome and prevalent cortical involvement.
Neuropathological study of a 3 1/2 year old girl with familial Leigh syndrome who also harboured a rare ATPase gene mutation disclosed extensive and unusual lesions in the cerebral cortex, despite a typical histological pattern. Early lesions in the periacqueductal grey matter of the brainstem, characterised by capillary congestion and initial regressive neuronal changes, were also observed, along with TUNEL reactive neuronal cells showing morphological signs typical of apoptosis in cortical areas with neuronal cell loss. The finding of lesions in atypical brain areas and for the first time, very early regressive neuronal phenomena, suggest that early changes in crucial brain areas may have been a cause of death. The abundance of TUNEL positive nuclei in cortical areas in the present case suggests that the apoptosis may be involved in the mechanism of neuronal death in Leigh syndrome.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2004
Dura-arachnoid lesions produced by 22 gauge Quincke spinal needles during a lumbar puncture.
The dural and arachnoid hole caused by lumbar puncture needles is a determining factor in triggering headaches. The aim of this study is to assess the dimensions and morphological features of the dura mater and arachnoids when they are punctured by a 22 gauge Quincke needle having its bevel either in the parallel or in the transverse position. ⋯ It is believed that the reported lower frequency of postdural puncture headache when the needle is inserted parallel to the cord axis should be explained by some other factors besides the size of the dura-arachnoid injury.