Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Controlled Clinical Trial
A transcranial direct current stimulation over the sensorimotor cortex modulates the itch sensation induced by histamine.
Itching can be suppressed by scratching. However, scratching may aggravate itch symptoms by damaging the skin. Therefore, identifying an alternative approach to suppress itching is of clinical importance. The aim of the present study was to determine whether a transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was useful for itch relief. ⋯ The present study demonstrated that a tDCS intervention may be an alternative approach for suppressing unpleasant itch sensations in healthy participants. Since tDCS has some advantages, namely, its easy application and safety in a clinical setting, it may become a useful method for the treatment of itching.
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Lewy body dementias (LBD) include both dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD), and the differentiation of LBD from other neurodegenerative dementias can be difficult. Currently, there are few biomarkers which might assist early diagnosis, map onto LBD symptom severity, and provide metrics of treatment response. Traditionally, biomarkers in LBD have focussed on neuroimaging modalities; however, as biomarkers need to be simple, inexpensive and non-invasive, neurophysiological approaches might also be useful as LBD biomarkers. ⋯ Various neurophysiological techniques have the potential to be useful biomarkers in the LBDs. We recommend that future studies focus on maximising the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of the most promising neurophysiological biomarkers.
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In patients with acute optic neuritis (AON) transorbital sonography may reveal a thickening of the retrobulbar portion of the optic nerve. Our aim was to systematically review the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography of optic nerve diameter (OND) for assessment of AON. ⋯ B-mode transorbital ultrasonography provides promising support for the clinical diagnosis of AON.
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Switching from maintenance of general anesthesia with an ether anesthetic to maintenance with high-dose (concentration >50% and total gas flow rate >4 liters per minute) nitrous oxide is a common practice used to facilitate emergence from general anesthesia. The transition from the ether anesthetic to nitrous oxide is associated with a switch in the putative mechanisms and sites of anesthetic action. We investigated whether there is an electroencephalogram (EEG) marker of this transition. ⋯ We postulate that these slow-delta oscillations may result from nitrous oxide-induced blockade of major excitatory inputs (NMDA glutamate projections) from the brainstem (parabrachial nucleus and medial pontine reticular formation) to the thalamus and cortex. This EEG signature of high-dose nitrous oxide may offer new insights into brain states during general anesthesia.
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EEG reactivity is an important predictor of outcome in comatose patients. However, visual analysis of reactivity is prone to subjectivity and may benefit from quantitative approaches. ⋯ Quantitative EEG may be useful for evaluating reactivity in comatose patients, offering increased objectivity.