Neurophysiologie clinique = Clinical neurophysiology
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To investigate the value of electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) measurement at penile level using Sudoscan® for the diagnosis of neurogenic impotence in diabetics. ⋯ Erectile dysfunction is common in diabetic men, but the diagnosis of a neurogenic origin is challenging. This study showed that ESC measurement using Sudoscan® is feasible and more sensitive than SSR recordings to show penile sympathetic innervation impairment. This new test should be further studied to better define its diagnostic accuracy and clinical correlates.
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Seizures are common in critically ill patients and prevalence can exceed 30% in the neuro-intensive care unit (ICU). Continuous EEG monitoring (cEEG) is the gold standard for seizure detection in critically ill patients. ⋯ iEEG repeated every 6hours can accurately detect patients presenting seizures, especially when seizure frequency is greater than six per 24hours. These findings have practical implications for electrographic seizure detection in critically ill patients in settings lacking cEEG.
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Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the blink reflex (BR) is a reduction in BR excitability due to a conditioning stimulus, reflecting sensory gating by brainstem structures. We aimed to analyze PPI changes during a painful episode in chronic or episodic migraine and its relation to allodynia, since abnormal brainstem filtering has been hypothesized in migraine pathophysiology. ⋯ Our study provides evidence for sensory gating impairment at brainstem level in migraine headache, related to the presence of allodynia.
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Case Reports
Not everything that shakes is a seizure… Role of continuous EEG in the intensive care unit.
Treatment of status epilepticus often requires highly sedative drugs with risk of side effects. Correct diagnosis is mandatory in order to prevent introduction of usefulness treatments. ⋯ A thalamic lesion secondary to an osmotic demyelination syndrome was found to be the likely etiology of the myoclonus. Electrophysiological data (electroencephalography and electromyography) provided evidence for a subcortical origin of myoclonus and use of continuous EEG allowed monitoring of drug withdrawal.
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Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of airflow cessation, resulting in brief arousals and intermittent hypoxemia. OSAS is associated with a number of adverse health consequences, and cognitive difficulties. The overall pattern of cognitive impairment in OSAS is complex, and research in this field is mixed. ⋯ Animal models will be specifically useful to disentangle the different potential contributors to cognitive impairment in OSAS. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the literature on cognition and neuroimaging in OSAS patients before and after CPAP treatment. We also discuss the mechanisms that have been proposed to explain cognitive deficits in OSAS patients.