Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Studies have suggested a possible association of migraine and increased risk of ischemic stroke in young adults, particularly in smokers and in women who use oral contraceptive drugs. We aimed to analyze the association between migraine and ischemic stroke in young population in a hospital-based cohort. We included 202 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of ischemic stroke who were between 15 and 50 years and age- and gender-matched 250 volunteers with no history of stroke. ⋯ Using logistic regression, migraine with aura was shown to be an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke in young population (p = 0.000) and separate analysis for gender demonstrated that it was only a risk factor for women (p = 0.009) but not for men (p = 0.107). Migraine with aura was found to be more common in ischemic stroke in young patients. It was an independent risk factor in women.
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As a biomarker of axonal injury, neurofilament light chain (NFL) in multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients has been investigated by numerous studies. However, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NFL changes are conflicting in MSA patients relative to PD patients to date. Therefore, the current study was carried out to find out possible heterogeneity sources. ⋯ Therefore, CSF NFL increased in MSA patients relative to PD patients. Meta-regression showed that NFL was associated with α-synuclein in CSF of MSA patients relative to healthy controls. Due to the influence of heterogeneity sources, more prospective large sample studies are still needed to assess CSF NFL changes in MSA patients relative to PD patients.
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The objective of this study was to assess the functional state of corticospinal projections in the non-dominant hand according to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphisms. We investigated this in 34 healthy right-handed individuals (12 men, mean age 27.4 ± 3.4 years) who underwent two experimental sessions consisting of corticospinal excitability measurements with single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and hand motor function assessments with a sequential finger motor task of the non-dominant hand. Experimental sessions were separated by periods of at least 2 days to avoid carryover effects. ⋯ Movement accuracy and reaction time in the sequential finger motor task showed no significant differences among groups. These results indicate that Met/Met BDNF homozygote status affects corticospinal excitability, and should be controlled for in studies of motor system function using brain stimulation. Our findings may have clinical implications regarding further investigation of the impact of BDNF genotype on the human motor system.
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The administration of thrombolytic therapy in elderly patients with dementia and acute ischemic stroke may be controversial, because the reported risk of rt-PA associated intracerebral hemorrhage in these patients is higher compared with that of patients without dementia and because these patients are already disabled. Moreover, there are known risk factors for hemorrhagic transformation in patients with dementia: amyloid angiopathy, leukoaraiosis and the presence of microbleeds. In this review, we describe the impact of dementia on functional outcome following thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke and discuss some of the issues related to the use of this therapy in this specific patient's population.
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One of the best remaining manuscripts is the "Canon of Medicine" fathered by Avicenna in the Islamic Golden Age [ninth to twelfth century AD]. Considering Avicenna's role in the development of medical science in the Islamic Golden Age, we reviewed Avicenna's point of view on sexual headache based on his famous book "Canon of Medicine". ⋯ The accurate observations of Avicenna give a comprehensive classified etiology of the sexual headache. The efficacy of some medicinal herbs used by him for sexual headache treatments, such as the analgesic effect of lavender, chamomile, and jasmine has been proved by current medicine; however, the knowledge of medieval physicians should be scientifically investigated even further to extend new remedial options for sexual headache.