Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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Sensory tricks are various manoeuvres that can ameliorate dystonia. Common characteristics are well known, but their variety is wide, sensory stimulation is not necessarily the critical feature, and their physiology is unknown. To enumerate the various forms of sensory tricks and describe their nature, research findings and theories that may elucidate their neurophysiologic mechanism, we reviewed the literature pertaining to sensory tricks, including variants like motor tricks, imaginary tricks, forcible tricks and reverse sensory tricks. ⋯ We highlight neurophysiologic evidence suggesting that sensory tricks work by decreasing abnormal facilitation. We tie this with established dystonia pathogenesis and postulate that sensory tricks decrease abnormally increased facilitation to inhibition ratios in the dystonic brain. It appears worthwhile for patients to search for possible sensory tricks.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2014
Controlled Clinical TrialFetal striatal grafting slows motor and cognitive decline of Huntington's disease.
To assess the clinical effect of caudate-putaminal transplantation of fetal striatal tissue in Huntington's disease (HD). ⋯ Grafted patients experienced a milder clinical course with less pronounced motor/cognitive decline and associated brain metabolism improvement. Life-time follow-up may ultimately clarify whether transplantation permanently modifies the natural course of the disease, allowing longer sojourn time at less severe clinical stage, and improvement of overall survival.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2014
Comparative StudyComparison of activities of daily living impairments in Parkinson's disease patients as defined by the Pill Questionnaire and assessments by neurologists.
To compare the clinical judgment of experienced neurologists after interviewing Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their caregivers with the use of the Pill Questionnaire to determine the presence of impairments on activities of daily living (ADL). ⋯ A comprehensive interview is essential to determine the presence of ADL impairment in PD patients, especially in patients with early PD.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2014
Usefulness of frataxin immunoassays for the diagnosis of Friedreich ataxia.
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in the frataxin (FXN) gene, resulting in reduced expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease has led to a growing need for informative biomarkers to assess disease progression and response to therapeutic intervention. ⋯ Frataxin measurements from peripheral tissues can be used to identify FRDA patients and carriers. While multiple cell types and assays may be useful for diagnostic purposes, each assay and cell type used has its advantages and disadvantages depending on study design and scope.
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While cognition can be affected during sensorimotor multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, the relevance of isolated cognitive relapses (ICRs ie, those occurring in absence of new sensorimotor symptoms) remain poorly characterised. Here, we decided to explore the relationship between ICR, subjective evaluation of cognitive performance and long-term cognitive decline in a group of subjects with relapsing-remitting MS. ⋯ We showed that ICRs were not associated with changes in mood, fatigue levels or cognitive performance self-evaluations. Our study introduces an operational definition of ICRs and suggests to their role as a factor for cognitive decline in MS.