Annals of neurology
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It has been suggested that migraine is caused by neural dysfunction without involvement of vasodilatation. Because dismissal of vascular mechanisms seemed premature, we examined diameter of extra- and intracranial vessels in migraine without aura patients. ⋯ These data show that migraine without aura is associated with dilatation of extra- and intracerebral arteries and that the headache location is associated with the location of the vasodilatation. Furthermore, contraction of extracerebral and not intracerebral arteries is associated with amelioration of headache. Collectively, these data suggest that vasodilatation and perivascular release of vasoactive substances is an integral mechanism of migraine pathophysiology.
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Annals of neurology · Apr 2011
Disparities in stroke incidence contributing to disparities in stroke mortality.
While black-white and regional disparities in U.S. stroke mortality rates are well documented, the contribution of disparities in stroke incidence is unknown. We provide national estimates of stroke incidence by race and region, contrasting these to publicly available stroke mortality data. ⋯ National patterns of black-white and regional differences in stroke incidence are similar to those for stroke mortality; however, the magnitude of differences in incidence appear smaller.
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Annals of neurology · Apr 2011
Editorial CommentThe vascular theory of migraine: leave it or love it?
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Annals of neurology · Mar 2011
Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for Parkinson disease diagnosis and progression.
There is a clear need to develop biomarkers for Parkinson disease (PD) diagnosis, differential diagnosis of Parkinsonian disorders, and monitoring disease progression. We and others have demonstrated that a decrease in DJ-1 and/or α-synuclein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a potential index for Parkinson disease diagnosis, but not for PD severity. ⋯ We have demonstrated that this panel of 7 CSF proteins could aid in Parkinson disease diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and correlation with disease severity and progression.