Neurology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Low-frequency stimulation of STN-DBS reduces aspiration and freezing of gait in patients with PD.
To study whether 60-Hz stimulation, compared with routine 130 Hz, improves swallowing function and freezing of gait (FOG) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who undergo bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS). ⋯ This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with PD who experience FOG, STN-DBS at 60 Hz decreases aspiration events observed during MBS compared with DBS at 130 Hz.
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To investigate whether spinal cord (SC) lesion load, when quantified on axial images with high in-plane resolution, is associated with disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). ⋯ When quantified on axial MRI with high in-plane resolution, upper cervical cord lesion load is significantly and independently correlated with physical disability and is higher in progressive forms of MS than RRMS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Double-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover trial of pregabalin for neurogenic claudication.
To test the effects of pregabalin on the induction of neurogenic claudication. ⋯ This study provides Class I evidence that for patients with neurogenic claudication, compared with diphenhydramine, pregabalin does not increase the time to moderate pain during a treadmill test.
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To analyze the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with intermediate-length (CAG) expansion (encoding 27-33 glutamines, polyQ) in the ATXN2 gene, in a population-based cohort of Italian patients with ALS (discovery cohort), and to replicate the findings in an independent cohort of consecutive patients from an ALS tertiary center (validation cohort). ⋯ ATXN2 polyQ intermediate-length repeat is a modifier of ALS survival. Disease-modifying therapies targeted to ATXN2 represent a promising therapeutic approach for ALS.