Journal of the neurological sciences
-
Botulinum toxin injections in the dystonic muscles are the preferred treatment for cervical dystonia (CD), but proper selection of the dystonic muscles remains a challenge. We investigated the use of EMG coherence and autospectral analysis as discriminative tools to identify dystonic muscles in CD patients. ⋯ Intermuscular EMG coherence analysis cannot reliably discriminate patients from controls. Autospectral changes in the SPL muscles are a more discriminative feature of CD. In patients, coherence analysis does not seem to be a reliable method to identify dystonic muscles. The clinical relevance and the origin of the autospectral changes need further study.
-
To analyze the characteristics of neuropsychological profiles and gray matter volume in de novo, drug-naïve Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). ⋯ Clinical dementia ratings and global deterioration scales could differentiate PD-MCI from PD-NC. Verbal memory impairment is characterized as a cognitive deficit of de novo PD-MCI and is associated with the posterior cortical area.
-
Ultrasound of the peripheral nerves (PNUS) can be used to visualize nerve pathologies in polyneuropathies (PNP). The aim of this study was to investigate, whether PNUS provides additional information in patients with proven systemic vasculitic neuropathies (VN). ⋯ Focal CSA enlargement in one or more nerves in electrophysiologically axonal neuropathies can be a hint for VN and thus facilitate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
-
We present the nerve ultrasound findings in sarcoid neuropathy and examine their correlation with electrophysiology and functional disability. ⋯ Sarcoid neuropathy seems to show predominantly CSA enlargement in peripheral nerves of the lower extremities, without any significant correlation to electrophysiological findings. The electroneurography documented signs of sensorimotor axonal loss in various peripheral nerves. Neither nerve sonography nor electrophysiology correlated with functional disability.
-
The goal of our study was to determine if the timing of the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administration influenced its effect on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the subsequent risk of hemorrhagic transformation. Thirty spontaneously hypertensive male rats were subjected to a 90-minute unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. Six rats did not receive tPA treatment (vehicle control: Group 0), intravenous tPA was administered immediately after reperfusion (Group 1) or 4h after reperfusion (Group 2). ⋯ Group 2 tended to have a higher hemorrhage incidence (36.4%, 4/11) than Group 1 (10.0%, 1/10, p=0.311) and Group 0 (0%), and hemorrhages occurred around 6h after reperfusion when BBB permeability values were the highest. Mortality was higher in Group 2 (63.6%, 7/11) than in Group 0 (0%) and Group 1 (10.0%, 1/10, p=0.024). The findings suggest that the timing of tPA administration is of importance for its impact on BBB permeability and subsequent risk of hemorrhagic transformation.