Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 2019
Observational StudyNeurochemical correlates of functional decline in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
To determine whether proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) can detect neurochemical changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) associated with heterogeneous functional decline. ⋯ Neurochemical changes in motor areas of the brain are associated with functional decline in corresponding body regions. 1H-MRS was a better predictor of study withdrawal due to ALS progression than ALSFRS-R.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 2019
Yield of peripheral sodium channels gene screening in pure small fibre neuropathy.
Neuropathic pain is common in peripheral neuropathy. Recent genetic studies have linked pathogenic voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) variants to human pain disorders. Our aims are to determine the frequency of SCN9A, SCN10A and SCN11A variants in patients with pure small fibre neuropathy (SFN), analyse their clinical features and provide a rationale for genetic screening. ⋯ (Potentially) pathogenic VGSC variants are present in 11.6% of patients with pure SFN. Therefore, genetic screening of SCN9A, SCN10A and SCN11A should be considered in patients with pure SFN, independently of clinical features or underlying conditions.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 2019
Impact of infarct location on functional outcome following endovascular therapy for stroke.
The relationship between stroke topography (ie, the regions damaged by the infarct) and functional outcome can aid clinicians in their decision-making at the acute and later stages. However, the side (left or right) of the stroke may also influence the identification of clinically relevant regions. We sought to determine which brain regions are associated with good functional outcome at 3 months in patients with left-sided and right-sided stroke treated by endovascular treatment using the diffusion-weighted imaging-Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (DWI-ASPECTS). ⋯ Cortical non-motors areas related to outcome differed between left-sided and right-sided strokes. This difference might reflect the specialisation of the dominant and non-dominant hemispheres for language and attention, respectively. These results may influence decision-making at the acute and later stages.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Mar 2019
Letter Randomized Controlled TrialExternal counterpulsation enhances neuroplasticity to promote stroke recovery.
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Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary disorder that typically manifests in adulthood with a combination of motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems. The pathology is caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene which results in the production of an abnormal protein, mutant huntingtin (mHtt). This protein is ubiquitously expressed and known to confer toxicity to multiple cell types. We have recently reported that HD brains are also characterised by vascular abnormalities, which include changes in blood vessel density/diameter as well as increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage. ⋯ Taken together, our results provide a better understanding for the impact of mHtt on platelet function.