Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Letter Case Reports
Association of reversible splenial lesion syndrome (RESLES) with Anti-VGKC autoantibody syndrome: a case report.
A 50-year-old male presented with complaints of fatigue, confusion, and memory problems. Neurological evaluation revealed altered cognition, unsteady gait, ataxia, dysmetria, and weakness. MRI of the brain was initially unremarkable. ⋯ Follow-up MRI revealed resolution of the splenial lesion. The patient was treated with intravenous immune globulin, and improved back to his pre-treatment baseline. We believe this to be the first case of a reversible splenial lesion syndrome as a manifestation of the anti-voltage gated potassium channel autoantibody syndrome, and propose a pathophysiologic mechanism.
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Why do people google movement disorders? An infodemiological study of information seeking behaviors.
Millions of people worldwide everyday search Google or Wikipedia to look for health-related information. Aim of this study was to evaluate and interpret web search queries for terms related to movement disorders (MD) in English-speaking countries and their changes over time. We analyzed information regarding the volume of online searches in Google and Wikipedia for the most common MD and their treatments. ⋯ The highest peaks of MD search queries were temporally related to news about celebrities suffering from MD, to specific mass-media events or to news concerning pharmaceutic companies or scientific discoveries on MD. An increasing number of people use Google and Wikipedia to look for terms related to MD to obtain information on definitions, causes and symptoms, possibly to aid initial self-diagnosis. MD information demand and the actual prevalence of different MDs do not travel together: web search volume may mirrors patients' fears and worries about some particular disorders perceived as more serious than others, or may be driven by release of news about celebrities suffering from MD, "breaking news" or specific mass-media events regarding MD.
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Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder in which disabling muscle weakness may affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to investigate which common motor-functional deficits and corresponding severity are most determinant of poor HRQoL in these patients. In 41 patients, the dichotomized first item of the Italian Myasthenia Gravis Questionnaire (IMGQ), categorizing patients who report "good" and "poor" HRQoL, was chosen as dependent-outcome variable. ⋯ At diagnosis, a decremental response to repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) from the abductor pollicis brevis was significantly more frequent in patients with poor HRQoL. In conclusion, impaired "chewing" and "breathing" functions indicate the need for careful planning of rehabilitation, re-education and patient management. Moreover, decremental response to RNS at diagnosis may identify patients at risk for poor HRQoL.
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To determine the prevalence of depression, to identify correlated factors for depression, and to explore the impact on the progression or survival of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by depression in a Chinese population. A total of 166 ALS patients were recruited. Diagnosis of depression disorders and the severity of depression were established by using the fourth diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 items (HDRS-24) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). ⋯ Major depression in ALS is uncommon. Depression evaluation should be given to ALS patients, especially those with lower ALSFRS-R score. The severity of depression may be associated with the survival; however, depression does not worse the progression of ALS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Repeated sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation for treatment of chronic subjective tinnitus: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Subjective tinnitus is an auditory phantom sensation characterized by the perception of sound in the absence of an identifiable external source. This distressing audiological symptom can severely affect the quality of life. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique that can induce short-term relief in tinnitus in some patients. ⋯ No statistically significant difference was found between anodal and sham stimulation regarding either immediate or long-lasting effects over the 2 weeks follow-up period. Deterioration of symptoms and alteration in tinnitus characteristics were reported by a few patients. There were no significant long-term beneficial effects following tDCS of the left temporoparietal area.