Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Observational Study
Time to epileptiform activity and EEG background recovery are independent predictors after cardiac arrest.
Investigate the temporal development of EEG and prognosis. ⋯ Patients with early background recovery combined with late appearance of epileptiform activity may have a good outcome.
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Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) involves REM sleep without atonia in conjunction with a recurrent nocturnal dream enactment behavior, with vocalizations such as shouting and screaming, and motor behaviors such as punching and kicking. Secondary RBD is well described in association with neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and other conditions involving brainstem structures such as tumors. However, RBD alone is now considered to be a potential harbinger of later development of neurodegenerative disorders, in particular PD, MSA, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and pure autonomic failure. ⋯ A critical need is to improve our ability to counsel patients, particularly with regard to prognosis. The ability to identify who, of those with RBD, is at high risk for later neurodegenerative disorders will be paramount, and would in addition advance our understanding of the prodromal stages of the alpha-synucleinopathies. Moreover, recognition of at-risk individuals for neurodegenerative disorders may ultimately provide a platform for the testing of possible neuroprotective agents for these neurodegenerative disorders.
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Comparative Study
Assessing sudomotor impairment in patients with peripheral neuropathy: Comparison between electrochemical skin conductance and skin biopsy.
Sudoscan provides a rapid assessment of sudomotor function based on the measurement of electrochemical skin conductance (ESC), which is thought to be proportional to small nerve fibres innervating the sweat glands. However, the relationship between ESC and small nerve fibre density on skin biopsy remains unclear. ⋯ The weak correlation of ESC with skin biopsy results suggests that mechanisms other than the loss of innervating fibres may be responsible for sweat gland dysfunction in polyneuropathies.
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To elucidate differences in the distribution and firing frequency of fasciculations between peripheral nerve hyperexcitability syndromes and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to explore the generator site of fasciculations. ⋯ A significant proportion of fasciculations in ALS may be influenced by changes in central excitability.
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To investigate the mechanism subtending the analgesic effect of high frequency non-painful somatosensory stimulation. ⋯ Our experimental design reproduces what happens when non-painful somatosensory stimuli are used to reduce pain, such as rubbing a wound or during transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Therefore, in these situations the analgesia is likely to occur at the spinal cord level.