Journal of the neurological sciences
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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of transcranial motor evoked potential (MEP) monitoring and its impact on morbidity after surgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. ⋯ Transcranial MEP monitoring is a simple, safe, and reliable tool for the prediction of postoperative motor functions. The ischemic complications can be reduced via prompt corrective measures taken on the basis of MEP changes during aneurysm surgery.
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The artery of Percheron is an uncommon anatomic variant in which a solitary trunk originates from either posterior cerebral artery and provides arterial supply to bilateral paramedian thalami and the rostral midbrain (Fig. 1). Recognition of this anatomical variant is essential in establishing the stroke mechanism in bilateral paramedian thalamic infarcts. We describe the clinical presentation and neuroimaging characteristics in a patient with bilateral thalamic infarctions due to occlusion of the artery of Percheron.
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Several studies have reported that homocysteine (Hcy) is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease without special biomarkers for early diagnosis. Here, we examined the levels of Hcy, folic acid and its metabolic molecule 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) in SOD1(G93A) transgenic mouse model of ALS in an attempt to determine whether the change in those molecules can be used as potential biomarkers for the disease. ⋯ Our study suggests that decreased 5-MTHF level may be a potential biomarker for the early stage of the disease in the ALS mice, which may warrant further validating study of 5-MTHF level in ALS patients.
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The rat double-SAH model is one of the standard models to simulate delayed cerebral vasospasm (CVS) in humans. However, the proof of delayed ischemic brain damage is missing so far. Our objective was, therefore, to determine histological changes in correlation with the development of symptomatic and perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) proven CVS in this animal model. ⋯ In contrast, on day 5 after SAH the neuronal cell count was significantly reduced in the hippocampus (p<0.001) and the inner cortical layer (p=0.03). The present investigation provides quantitative data on brain tissue damage in association with delayed CVS for the first time in a rat SAH model. Accordingly, our data suggest that the rat double-SAH model may be suitable to mimic delayed ischemic brain damage due to CVS and to investigate the neuroprotective effects of drugs.