Acta neurologica Scandinavica
-
To describe sensations evoked by painful or repetitive stimulation below injury level in patients with a clinically complete (American Spinal Injury Association, ASIA Grade A) spinal cord injury (SCI). ⋯ The present study suggests retained sensory communication across the injury in complete SCI, i.e. 'sensory discomplete' SCI.
-
Recent case reports have implicated subtentorial lesions of the brainstem or cerebellum as part of the neurocognitive circuitry. ⋯ Cognitive impairment is a common sequel of isolated subtentorial stroke. The frequency of impairment is similar either because of isolated brainstem or isolated cerebellar infarct, and similar to cognitive impairment with cerebral hemispheric lesions. Frontal networks or metacognition is the most frequently involved domain.
-
Acta Neurol. Scand. · Sep 2003
Case ReportsComplex spinal reflexes during transcranial Doppler ultrasound examination for the confirmation of brain death.
Complex sets of movements of the extremities can be seen in patients with brain death (BD), and are typically observed during apnea testing or removal of ventilatory support (also called the Lazarus sign). We here describe brain-dead patients who had not shown previous movements, even during apnea testing, but presented complex spinal reflexes during transcranial Doppler (TCD) examination elicited by neck flexion. ⋯ Hypotension and mechanical stimulation play a role in the pathophysiology of complex spinal reflexes present in BD, which are not exclusively seen in terminal hypoxia. Intensive care personnel and neurologists who perform TCD to confirm BD should be aware of these movements.
-
Cerebral air embolism was induced in pigs and changes in intracranial pressure (ICP), brain oxygen (PbrO2), brain carbon dioxide (PbrCO2), brain pH (brpH) and glucose, lactate and pyruvate levels were used to characterize this model. ⋯ Cerebral air embolism has a deleterious effect on ICP and brain metabolism. Therefore, this model may be suitable for testing therapeutic regimens in cerebral air embolism.
-
Acta Neurol. Scand. · Jun 2003
Changes of cerebral blood flow velocities during enhanced external counterpulsation.
Intra-aortic counterpulsation is the most frequently used cardiac assist device. However, there are only few studies of the effects of counterpulsation on cerebral blood flow and these report conflicting outcomes. The new enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) technique reproduces non-invasively the effects of intra-aortic counterpulsation. In this study, we evaluated effects of EECP on blood pressure (BP) and on cerebral flow velocity (CBFV). ⋯ Cerebral autoregulation ensures the constancy of cerebral blood flow even though EECP creates marked systemic changes. In the patients, the decrease of BP after EECP with maintained CBFV indicates an improved BPCBFV relation and a more economic autoregulation.