Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · May 2005
Progression of structural neuropathology in preclinical Huntington's disease: a tensor based morphometry study.
Regional cerebral atrophy occurs in carriers of the Huntington's disease (HD) gene mutation before clinical diagnosis is possible. The current inability to reliably measure progression of pathology in this preclinical phase impedes development of therapies to delay clinical onset. We hypothesised that longitudinal statistical imaging would detect progression of structural pathology in preclinical carriers of the HD gene mutation, in the absence of measurable clinical change. ⋯ While these results are consistent with previous cross sectional pathologic and morphometric studies, significant progression of atrophy in HD before the onset of significant clinical decline is now demonstrable with longitudinal statistical imaging. Such measures could be used to assess the efficacy of potential disease modifying drugs in slowing the progression of pathology before confirmed clinical onset of HD.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2005
Predictors and prognosis of refractory status epilepticus treated in a neurological intensive care unit.
To assess risk factors and prognosis in patients with refractory status epilepticus (RSE). ⋯ SE treated in the NICU is frequently refractory to first line anticonvulsant drugs. Encephalitis is a predictor for RSE, which is associated with markedly poor outcome, in particular, the development of post-SE symptomatic epilepsy. Thus prevention of this most severe form of SE should be the primary target of treatment of SE.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2005
Internal jugular vein valve incompetence and intracranial venous anatomy in transient global amnesia.
Recently a causal relation between internal jugular vein valve incompetence (IJVVI) and transient global amnesia (TGA) has been suggested. IJVVI is postulated to provoke a transient mesiotemporal ischaemia by venous congestion. This mechanism requires a patent venous pathway from the affected IJV through the transverse sinus, confluens, straight sinus (SS), vein of Galen into the basal vein of Rosenthal and the internal cerebral veins. ⋯ Our study confirms the significantly higher prevalence of IJVVI in TGA patients. However, no specific IJVVI related intracranial venous drainage patterns could be found to further support the hypothesis of a direct causal relation between IJVVI and TGA.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2005
The effect of subthalamic nucleus stimulation on kinaesthesia in Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is accompanied by deficits in passive motion and limb position sense. ⋯ STN-DBS improves kinaesthesic deficits in Parkinson's disease, but does not lead to a full recovery of proprioceptive function.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Apr 2005
A failure to communicate: patients with cerebral aneurysms and vascular neurosurgeons.
To assess communication between vascular neurosurgeons and their patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms about treatment options and expected outcomes. ⋯ Following consultation with a vascular neurosurgeon, many patients with cerebral aneurysms have an inaccurate understanding of their aneurysm treatment plan and an exaggerated sense of the risks of aneurysmal disease and treatment.