Neurology
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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
Somatotopic organization of the analgesic effects of motor cortex rTMS in neuropathic pain.
Motor cortex repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was found to relieve chronic neuropathic pain, but the optimal parameters of stimulation remain to be determined, including the site of stimulation. ⋯ Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was more effective for pain relief when the stimulation was applied to an area adjacent to the cortical representation of the painful zone rather than to the motor cortical area corresponding to the painful zone itself. This result contradicts the somatotopic efficacy observed for chronic epidural motor cortex stimulation with surgically implanted electrodes.
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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.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Pregabalin in central neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury: a placebo-controlled trial.
To evaluate pregabalin in central neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury. ⋯ Pregabalin 150 to 600 mg/day was effective in relieving central neuropathic pain, improving sleep, anxiety, and overall patient status in patients with spinal cord injury.