Current neurology and neuroscience reports
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Iatrogenic fungal infections of the central nervous system had been considered a medical curiosity. Generally, they are a rare isolated complication of neurosurgical procedures, but periodically these infections are observed in larger populations as a result of exposure to contaminated materials during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. In the last year, an epidemic of iatrogenic fungal central nervous system disease accompanied the use of fungal-contaminated compounded methylprednisolone distributed by one facility, heightening the attention given to this infectious disorder. ⋯ An assay for β-D-glycan has been proposed as an effective adjunctive test for E. rostratum infection. The current therapeutic recommendation is a 6 mg/kg dose of voriconazole every 12 h followed by liposomal amphotericin B. In some instances, surgical debridement and drainage may be necessary.
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Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep · Nov 2013
ReviewConscious awareness in patients in vegetative states: myth or reality?
Do vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS) patients experience emotions and have conscious awareness of themselves and their surroundings? Can neuroimaging clarify these questions? Neuroimaging responses to stimuli are classified into four levels: level 0 indicates no response; level 1 indicates responses limited to the primary sensory cortices; level 2 indicates activation of primary sensory cortices and higher-order associative areas; level 3 indicates activation of cortical regions to either mental imagery tasks or high-level language stimuli requiring distinction of ambiguous from unambiguous words. Level 0 or level 1 was noted in 125 of 193 VS patients (65 %) and 46 of 121 MCS patients (38 %), suggesting no evidence of conscious awareness. ⋯ These data may denote the presence of conscious awareness or may simply identify neuronal processing without phenomenological awareness. The pro and cons of these conflicting interpretations are discussed.
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Coagulopathy is often observed after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but the pathogenic mechanisms of this phenomenon remain elusive. Brain injury is the leading cause of trauma deaths, and the development of coagulopathy after TBI is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in these patients. ⋯ Some theories of its pathogenesis include massive release of tissue factor, altered protein C homeostasis, microparticle upregulation, and platelet hyperactivity. This article aims to examine the coagulopathy associated with blunt head injury, to review its effect on progression of hemorrhagic injury, and to discuss the possible relevant pathophysiological mechanisms.
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Every year, more cases of sepsis appear in intensive care units. The most frequent complication of sepsis is septic encephalopathy (SE), which is also the essential determinant of mortality. Despite many years of research, it still is not known at which stage of sepsis the first signs of SE appear; however, it is considered the most frequent form of encephalopathy. ⋯ Despite intensive treatment, the effects of SE remain for many years and constitute an important social problem. Numerous studies indicate that changes in the brain involve free radicals, nitric oxide, increased synthesis of inflammatory factors, disturbances in cerebral circulation, microthromboses, and ischemia, which cause considerable neuronal destruction in different areas of the brain. To determine at what point during sepsis the first signs of SE appear, different experimental models are needed to detect the aforementioned changes and to select the proper therapy for this syndrome.
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Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep · Oct 2013
ReviewGenome-wide association studies in Alzheimer's disease: a review.
Over the past decade, research aiming to disentangle the genetic underpinnings of late-onset Alzheimer's disease has mostly focused on the identification of common variants through genome-wide association studies. The identification of several new susceptibility genes through these efforts has reinforced the importance of amyloid precursor protein and tau metabolism in the cause of the disease and has implicated immune response, inflammation, lipid metabolism, endocytosis/intracellular trafficking, and cell migration in the cause of the disease. Ongoing and future large-scale genome-wide association studies, translational studies, and next-generation whole genome or whole exome sequencing efforts, hold the promise to map the specific causative variants in these genes, to identify several additional risk variants, including rare and structural variants, and to identify novel targets for genetic testing, prevention, and treatment.