Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2019
Immediate verbal recall and familial dementia risk: population-based study of over 4000 twins.
To investigate the effect of familial risk for dementia on verbal learning by comparing cognitively healthy twins who had demented co-twins with cognitively healthy twins who had cognitively healthy co-twins. ⋯ The results demonstrate that familial risk for dementia is reflected in the IR performance of cognitively healthy older persons. The finding of poorer IR performance in non-affected siblings compared with the general population, together with substantial heritability of IR, supports IR as a useful endophenotype for molecular genetic studies of dementia.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2019
Case ReportsUnilateral pallidal stimulation for disabling dystonia due to Rasmussen's disease.
To describe an adult patient with Rasmussen's disease with focal dystonia as the most disabling symptom and the good response to unilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS). ⋯ Rasmussen's disease may be difficult to diagnose in adult patients. Associated movement disorders may be more disabling than seizures. Focal dystonia may be treated successfully with DBS.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2019
Association between alcohol exposure and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Euro-MOTOR study.
Several studies focused on the association between alcohol consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although with inconsistent findings. Antioxidants may play a role since lyophilised red wine was found to prolong SOD1 mice lifespan. The aim of this international population-based case-control study performed in Ireland, The Netherlands and Italy was to assess the role of alcohol, and red wine in particular, in developing ALS. ⋯ With few exceptions, no significant association was found between alcohol consumption and ALS. The study of the association between alcohol and ALS requires a thorough exploration, especially considering the role of different type of alcoholic beverages.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2019
Surgery in patients with childhood-onset epilepsy: analysis of complications and predictive risk factors for a severely complicated course.
To compare the occurrence of surgery-related complications in patients with childhood-onset focal epilepsy operated on in the paediatric or in the adult age. To investigate risk factors for surgery-related complications in the whole cohort, with special attention to age at surgery and severe morbidity. ⋯ Surgery for childhood-onset focal epilepsy provides excellent results on seizures and an acceptable safety profile at any age. Nevertheless, our results suggest that increasing age at surgery is associated with an increase in odds of developing severe surgery-related complications. These findings support the recommendation that children with drug-resistant, symptomatic (or presumed symptomatic) focal epilepsy should be referred for a surgical evaluation as early as possible after seizure onset.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2019
Learning ability correlates with brain atrophy and disability progression in RRMS.
To assess the prognostic value of practice effect on Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) in multiple sclerosis. ⋯ Short-term practice effects on PASAT are related to brain volume, disease severity and age and have clinically meaningful prognostic implications. High learners benefited more from fingolimod treatment.