Neurology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Rehabilitation of limb apraxia improves daily life activities in patients with stroke.
We randomly assigned 33 patients with left hemisphere stroke, limb apraxia, and aphasia to an apraxia or a control (aphasia) treatment group. Before and after each treatment, patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological testing battery and a caregiver evaluation of patient's activities of daily life (ADL) independence. ⋯ Control (aphasia) treatment improved patients' language and intelligence performance. Apraxia treatment specifically improved praxic function and ADL.
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Comparative Study
Brain metal concentrations in chronic liver failure patients with pallidal T1 MRI hyperintensity.
Chronic liver failure may be associated with pallidal MRI T1 hyperintensity and heterogeneous neurologic syndromes, including parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and others. Manganese accumulation may be responsible for the imaging and clinical findings. ⋯ In chronic liver failure, manganese accumulation is responsible for the pallidal MRI T1 hyperintensity. Pallidal copper was also elevated in affected cases, but copper does not have the paramagnetic properties to generate isolated T1 hyperintensity. Basal ganglia manganese or copper accumulation may be responsible for the parkinsonism sometimes seen in chronic liver failure. Pallidal MRI T1 hyperintensity is a biomarker of manganese overload.
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Comparative Study
Dynamometry of intrinsic hand muscles in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Several problems are associated with manual muscle testing and dynamometry in the hands of patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. ⋯ The Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer is a reliable instrument to measure intrinsic hand muscles strength in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, providing more detailed information than manual muscle testing and a more direct assessment of intrinsic muscle loss than grip and pinch dynamometers.