Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Case Reports
Unusual Parsonage-Turner syndrome with relapses and bilateral simultaneous anterior interosseous neuropathy.
We report an unusual case of Parsonage-Turner syndrome with relapses and simultaneous bilateral anterior interosseous neuropathy (AIN). A 66-year-old man, after a typical right brachial amyotrophic neuralgia few months previously, underwent surgery for left carpal tunnel syndrome. ⋯ Neurophysiology was consistent with bilateral AIN neuropathy and serology revealed anti-nucleus antibody positivity. Association of relapses with bilateral acute AIN involvement in the subject with autoantibody detection can suggest an immunological pathogenesis.
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Spinal anesthesia (SA), accounting for more than 50% of regional anesthesias in the spinal region, is generally perceived as simple and safe. Our purpose is to increase awareness of hemorrhagic complications following SA. A 69-year-old male without either coagulation disorders or anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy developed acute radiculopathy, and severe mental confusion after SA for prostatectomy. ⋯ Patients undergoing spinal puncture must report any neurological abnormality, which may result in irreversible damage. Cases of altered consciousness require an extensive neuroradiological evaluation. Proper competency of physicians responsible for spinal puncture is mandatory.
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To evaluate the prevalence of migraine and related disability and the role of ID migraine questionnaire as a screening tool in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and craniofacial pain (CFP). TMDs patients with CFP underwent stomatognathic (RDC/TMD criteria) and neurological visits (IHS criteria, 2004). ID migraine questionnaire and MIgraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) were also administered. ⋯ Out of 37 patients who completed ID migraine questionnaire, 32 resulted affected by probable migraine with a diagnostic sensibility and specificity of 94% and 100%, respectively. Our findings showed a clinical association between TMDs and migraine. We support a clinical role of ID migraine and MIDAS in TMDs patients with CFP and we underline the importance of a multidisciplinary evaluation in this group of migraineurs.
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The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of levetiracetam monotherapy on seizure control, quality of life and neurocognitive performance in patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy. We present here preliminary data from 18 patients with follow-up of 6 months. We evaluated seizure frequency at baseline. ⋯ Compared to baseline, we observed a worsening of performance (KPS p = 0.011; BI = 0.008) and global lower cognitive performance (MMSE p = 0.011); distress related to seizure frequency (p = 0.003) and medication effects (p = 0.046) were significantly lower. Levetiracetam caused mild and reversible side effects. These preliminary data on LEV monotherapy in patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy show that this antiepileptic drug is efficacious and well tolerated.
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Migraine is often comorbid with psychiatric disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. Although most of the research on psychiatric comorbidities and migraine is of an epidemiologic nature, a growing body of literature has investigated possible mechanisms underlying this relationship, such as medication overuse, serotonergic dysfunction, ovarian hormone fluctuations, and central sensitization. The present article overviews this growing literature and notes strategies for the clinical management of migraine patients with psychiatric comorbidities.