Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2020
Use of MRI to predict symptomatic haemorrhagic transformation after thrombolysis for cerebral ischaemia.
Predictors of symptomatic haemorrhagic transformation (s-HT) of cerebral ischaemia after intravenous recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (rt-PA) were identified in studies using CT scans. We evaluated whether MRI can identify other predictors. ⋯ Although the volume of DWI abnormality predicts s-HT, other imaging characteristics that can only be assessed with MRI were not significantly associated with s-HT. Trial registration number NCT01614080.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2020
Targeting the centromedian thalamic nucleus for deep brain stimulation.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the centromedian thalamic nucleus (CM) is an emerging treatment for multiple brain diseases, including the drug-resistant epilepsy Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). We aimed to improve neurosurgical targeting of the CM by: (1) developing a structural MRI approach for CM visualisation, (2) identifying the CM's neurophysiological characteristics using microelectrode recordings (MERs) and (3) mapping connectivity from CM-DBS sites using functional MRI (fMRI). ⋯ In the largest clinical trial of DBS undertaken in patients with LGS to date, we show that accurate targeting of the CM is achievable using 3T MP2RAGE MRI. Intraoperative MERs may provide additional localising features in some cases; however, their utility is limited by interpatient variability. Therapeutic effects of CM-DBS may be mediated via connectivity with brain networks that support diverse arousal, cognitive and sensorimotor processes.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2020
Primary lateral sclerosis: consensus diagnostic criteria.
Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the adult motor system. Characterised by a slowly progressive upper motor neuron syndrome, the diagnosis is clinical, after exclusion of structural, neurodegenerative and metabolic mimics. ⋯ Current diagnostic criteria for PLS may be a barrier to therapeutic development, requiring long delays between symptom onset and formal diagnosis. While new technologies sensitive to both upper and lower motor neuron involvement may ultimately resolve controversies in the diagnosis of PLS, we present updated consensus diagnostic criteria with the aim of reducing diagnostic delay, optimising therapeutic trial design and catalysing the development of disease-modifying therapy.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2020
Brain iron deposition is linked with cognitive severity in Parkinson's disease.
Dementia is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) but measures that track cognitive change in PD are lacking. Brain tissue iron accumulates with age and co-localises with pathological proteins linked to PD dementia such as amyloid. We used quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to detect changes related to cognitive change in PD. ⋯ Brain tissue iron, measured using QSM, can track cognitive involvement in PD. This may be useful to detect signs of early cognitive change to stratify groups for clinical trials and monitor disease progression.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2020
Distinct influence of different vascular risk factors on white matter brain lesions in multiple sclerosis.
To determine if vascular risk factor (VRF), that is, smoking, arterial hypertension (HT), dyslipidaemia and diabetes, have an effect on multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology as measured by MS typical brain lesions, we have compared brain MRIs from patients with MS with and without VRF age-matched and sex-matched. ⋯ Individual VRF appear to affect MS-specific lesions differently. An increase in MS lesions was mainly seen in smokers; however, this VRF is most likely to be present from onset of MS, and other VRF effects may be partly mitigated by treatment. Our findings support that treating VRF and cessation of smoking may be important in the management of MS.