Nervous System Diseases Commons^™

The Treatment Of Parkinson’S Disease In Relation To Multiple Therapies And The Future, Micah L. Smith

Selected Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease has become a growing issue worldwide and has yet to be presented with a cure. Various treatment methods have been introduced that include physical exercise, genetic therapy, pharmacological treatment, and/or alternative methods. An extended literature review was conducted evaluating numerous articles and focus was given to an ongoing research project in an effort to present current information. As a result, various routes of effective treatment have been evaluated for treating Parkinson’s diseases by observing if symptoms or the progression/prevention of the disease is hindered/reduced. Thus, a summary is given concerning what methods are effective in treating the disease. …

Psychological Distress And Its Associated Factors Among Informal Care Givers Of Disabled Young Adults With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Samera Punjwani, Yasmin Parpio, Rubina Barolia, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Nargis Asad

Department of Surgery Docs

Objective: To measure the psychological distress among the informal caregivers of disabled young adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and to identify its associated factors.
Methods: An analytical cross sectional study was conducted with 76 informal caregivers of young adults (19 - 50 years) with TBI, using admission records of one of the tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan from 2015 to 2016. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising a general demographic questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire- 28. The effect of the predictors on the psychological distress was determined by applying multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: The …

Acute Diagnosis Of Wilson’S Disease In A Teenage Patient, Sarah Irvin, Ryan Mccarthy

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Wilson’s Disease, a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease, is caused by a mutation in the ATP7B enzyme gene. Without this enzyme, copper builds up in the brain, liver, and cornea causing a multitude of symptoms. It is important to consider Wilson’s disease because the prognosis is dependent on timely diagnosis. This is an interesting case of a 19-year-old male who presented with suicidal thoughts and rapid weight loss. After many months and an extensive work-up, Wilson’s Disease was diagnosed. Due to his rapid decline, he was transferred to a larger university healthcare center where he is currently enrolled in clinical …

An Integrative Approach To Mindfulness-Based Symptom Management For Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lisa Barer

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic health condition; its etiology is poorly understood, and treatment options are limited to management of symptoms. Current recommended treatment options are controversial, and evidence of effectiveness is limited. This paper proposes a novel model for symptom management of ME/CFS using mindfulness-based interventions, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and relaxation techniques. A comprehensive review of available evidence is used to support this approach. The idea is that, working synergistically, these three approaches, grounded by mindfulness-based principles, can address many of the symptoms of the illness and help patients better cope and manage their day-to-day …

Predictors Of Good Functional Outcome At Discharge In Stroke Patients With Depression In The Fl-Pr Collaboration To Reduce Stroke Disparities, Amy Starosciak

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Journey With Autism: Successful Educational And Social Interventions From A Single Case Study, Kwame M. De Jonge-Moore

Dissertations

Problem

Statistics indicate that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is on the increase in America and worldwide (Xu, Strathearn, Liu, & Bao, 2018; Baio et al., 2018). Autism spectrum disorder can impair an individual’s ability to engage in neurotypical behavior, which has the potential to increase their vulnerability to being shunned and bullied. This makes autism a major societal concern with significant costs to the individual, their family, private/public health insurance, state financial aid programs, and to the nation. This present study was undertaken to determine, in the opinions of those connected to the case, whether the interventions engaged in this …

Agreement Between Clinician-Rated Versus Patient-Reported Outcomes In Huntington Disease, Noelle E Carlozzi, Nicholas R Boileau, Joel S Perlmutter, Kelvin L Chou, Julie C Stout, Jane S Paulsen, Michael K Mccormack, David Cella, Martha A Nance, Jin-Shei Lai, Praveen Dayalu

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Clinician-rated measures of functioning are often used as primary endpoints in clinical trials and other behavioral research in Huntington disease. As study costs for clinician-rated assessments are not always feasible, there is a question of whether patient self-report of commonly used clinician-rated measures may serve as acceptable alternatives in low risk behavioral trials.

AIM: The purpose of this paper was to determine the level of agreement between self-report and clinician-ratings of commonly used functional assessment measures in Huntington disease.

DESIGN: 486 participants with premanifest or manifest Huntington disease were examined. Total Functional Capacity, Functional Assessment, and Independence Scale assessments …

Assistive Utensil: A Spork For Hand Tremors And Spatial Awareness, Ana Font Hernandez, Jacob Kabariti, Troy Taylor

Publications and Research

In this poster, we present a 3D printed solution for hand tremors and special awareness. Our spork is an assistive device designed and 3D printed for patients suffering from scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, drug withdrawal, etc. The scale-based handle will act as a counterweight to offset the contents on the other end and reduce shakiness. The larger grip allows an easy and comfortable hold. The product will be 3D printed for a customizable fit and at an affordable price. Lastly, the product will include a haptic feedback sensor to assist the visually impaired in locating food contents on …

Evaluation Of Group Movement Programs (Plié And Paired Plié) For People With Memory Loss, Alzheimer’S Disease Or Dementia, Martin Blanco, Deborah Barnes

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Today, one in ten people ages 65 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia. This serious condition often causes great suffering among affected individuals and their families, and there are no medications that stop or slow the disease. It is therefore important to evaluate alternative interventions that may benefit both patients and their care partners. Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ) and Paired PLIÉ are group movement programs that combine neuroscience and integrative medicine for individuals with dementia. We analyzed data from [N=39] anonymous evaluation surveys performed as part of two ongoing randomized control trials. Survey data included general questions on …

Neural Correlates Of Taste Reactivity In Autism Spectrum Disorder., Jason A Avery, John E Ingeholm, Sophie Wohltjen, Meghan Collins, Cameron D Riddell, Stephen J Gotts, Lauren Kenworthy, Gregory L Wallace, W Kyle Simmons, Alex Martin

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Selective or 'picky' eating habits are common among those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These behaviors are often related to aberrant sensory experience in individuals with ASD, including heightened reactivity to food taste and texture. However, very little is known about the neural mechanisms that underlie taste reactivity in ASD. In the present study, food-related neural responses were evaluated in 21 young adult and adolescent males diagnosed with ASD without intellectual disability, and 21 typically-developing (TD) controls. Taste reactivity was assessed using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, a clinical self-report measure. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate hemodynamic responses …

Suicidal Ideation Assessment In Individuals With Premanifest And Manifest Huntington Disease., Melissa Wesson, Nicholas R Boileau, Joel S Perlmutter, Jane S Paulsen, Stacey K Barton, Michael K Mccormack, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Huntington disease (HD) is associated with increased risk of suicide.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares suicide ideation in HD to the general population, assesses factors associated with increased prevalence of suicidal thoughts, and compares clinician-rated to self-reported assessments of suicidal ideation.

METHODS: We examined 496 participants with premanifest or manifest HD. Clinician-rated suicidal ideation was measured using the Problem Behaviors Assessment - short form. Self-reported ideation was measured using two items from the HDQLIFE Concern with Death and Dying item bank. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare the prevalence of suicidal thoughts between our HD sample and the U.S. …

Relationships Among Apathy, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Function In Huntington's Disease., Nora E Fritz, Nicholas R Boileau, Julie C Stout, Rebecca Ready, Joel S Perlmutter, Jane S Paulsen, Kimberly Quaid, Stacey Barton, Michael K Mccormack, Susan L Perlman, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Up to 90% of individuals with Huntington's disease (HD)-a progressive, inherited neurodegenerative disorder-experience apathy. Apathy is particularly debilitating because it is marked by a reduction in goal-directed behaviors, including self-care, social interactions, and mobility. The objective of this study was to examine relationships between variables of apathy, functional status, physical function, cognitive function, behavioral status/emotional function, and health-related quality of life. Clinician-rated measures of physical, cognitive, and behavioral function, including one clinician-rated item on apathy, and self-reported measures of physical function, health-related quality of life, and emotional, cognitive, and social function were collected in a single session from 487 persons …

Brain Imaging In Older Patients With Delirium, Laila M. Hasan, Ariba Khan, Maharaj Singh, Michael L. Malone

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Background: Delirium is a common, serious and costly condition in older patients admitted to the hospital. This study describes the prevalence and results of brain imaging among a cohort of older hospitalized patients with and without delirium.

Purpose: Investigate the frequency and results of brain imaging in older patients with delirium as compared to those without delirium.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected on hospitalized patients age 65 years or older who were admitted to 3 hospitals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during a 1-month period in the fall of 2013. Subjects were tested for delirium via the “Confusion …

Alternative Interventions For Children Coping With Chronic Conditions: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Nina M. Pelsi, Kim S. Amer

DePaul Discoveries

Reduction of stressors and anxiety levels in adolescents with chronic illnesses is a critical concept in pediatric health care in America today. The many stressors associated with chronic illness include displaying physical and mental differences, social stigma, financial difficulty, and family stress. These stressors may affect the adolescent’s ability to learn and cope in everyday life. The current research was a critical review of the literature examining studies done with adolescents coping with chronic diseases and illnesses. The aim was to analyze the most efficacious non-pharmacological methods for reducing stressors in adolescents with chronic illness. A critical review of the …

Parental Quality Of Life 10 Years After Their Child’S Epilepsy Diagnosis, Klajdi Puka, Kathy Nixon Speechley

Western Research Forum

Background: Although the long-term course of childhood epilepsy is favorable in terms of seizure control, patients often face debilitating cognitive and psychosocial deficits that persist even after seizure remission. Pediatric epilepsy also has a large impact on the family and has been shown to be associated with diminished quality of life (QOL) among parents. However, the long-term outcome of parental QOL is unknown. This study aimed to 1) evaluate parental QOL 10 years after their child was diagnosed with epilepsy and 2) identify epilepsy-, child- and family-related characteristics associated with diminished parental QOL.

Methods: Data were derived …

Positive Allosteric Modulator Of Gabab Receptor Alters Behavioral Effects But Not Afterdischarge Progression Induced By Partial Hippocampal Kindling., L Stan Leung, Miao Jin, Liangwei Chu, Jingyi Ma

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

Hippocampal seizures decreased the function of GABAB receptors, which may further increase seizure susceptibility and contribute to development of schizophrenia-like behaviors. Recent literature indicates that GABAB receptor agonist may normalize schizophrenia-like behaviors and prevent drug-induced behavioral sensitization. We hypothesized that positive modulation of GABAB receptor function during seizure induction will reduce seizure-induced schizophrenia-like behaviors. Using a partial hippocampal kindling model, afterdischarges were induced after injection of saline or dimethyl sulfoxide (vehicle-kindled rats), or a GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulator CGP7930, at 1 mg/kg i.p. (CGP1-kindled) or 5 mg/kg i.p. (CGP5-kindled). The increase in the primary afterdischarge duration during kindling was …

Hdqlife: Development And Assessment Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In Huntington Disease (Hd), N E Carlozzi, S G Schilling, J-S Lai, J S Paulsen, E A Hahn, J S Perlmutter, C A Ross, N R Downing, A L Kratz, M K Mccormack, M A Nance, K A Quaid, J C Stout, R C Gershon, R E Ready, J A Miner, S K Barton, S L Perlman, S M Rao, S Frank, I Shoulson, H Marin, M D Geschwind, P Dayalu, S M Goodnight, D Cella

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

PURPOSE: Huntington disease (HD) is a chronic, debilitating genetic disease that affects physical, emotional, cognitive, and social health. Existing patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) used in HD are neither comprehensive, nor do they adequately account for clinically meaningful changes in function. While new PROs examining HRQOL (i.e., Neuro-QoL-Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders and PROMIS-Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) offer solutions to many of these shortcomings, they do not include HD-specific content, nor have they been validated in HD. HDQLIFE addresses this by validating 12 PROMIS/Neuro-QoL domains in individuals with HD and by using established PROMIS …

The Postfinasteride Syndrome; An Overview, David L. Rowland, Ion G. Motofei, Florian Popa, Vlad D. Constantin, Adriana Vasilache, Ioana Păunică, Cristian Bălălău, Georgeta P. Păunică, Petrisor Banu, Stana Păunică

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

As a 5-α reductase inhibitor, Finasteride has proven effective in ameliorating two conditions documented to be androgen dependent, namely male androgenic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therapeutic results are maintained as long as the drug is administered, with treatment cessation generally leading to the return of symptomatology for each condition. In addition, during the therapeutic phase, several adverse effects have been reported, some of which persist long or indefinitely after treatment cessation, known as “post-finasteride syndrome.”

Herein we present and discuss the most common finasteride side effects, along with a psycho-neuroendocrine rationale that could explain the persistence of many adverse …

Perceptions And Attitudes Of A Sample Of Primary Care Patients Receiving Psychological Care From Their Pcp, Nadine Henzes Gowarty

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

With millions of Americans suffering from a mental health disorder and slightly more than half receiving treatment, the demand for psychological services far outweighs the number of practitioners available to provide direct care. Therefore, the majority of all primary-care visits are based on psychosocial factors; one third of a PCP’s caseloads consist of patients with mental-health problems. Given the fact that PCPs provide comprehensive psychosocial care, it is important to determine the beliefs and perceptions of their patients. Results from this study identified numerous factors that influence the relationship between patients receiving mental health care from their PCP. Specifically, if …

Novel Advances In Alzheimer's Disease, Jacob P. Naumann

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia in adults, is a progressive degenerative neurological disease that affects memory, cognition, and behavior. Dr. Alois Alzheimer discovered and diagnosed the irreversible disease in 1906 after documenting the famous case of Auguste Deter.¹ Since the discovery of the disease, numerous advances have made it possible to not only better understand the causal factors, but also to improve the medical diagnosis and preventative measures that healthcare providers can implement. For the first time since 1984, the National Institute on Aging (NIAA) and the Alzheimer’s Association (AA) proposed and published new diagnostic guideline …

The Plight Of The Lucluc: Examining The Deadly Mystery Of Nodding Syndrome, Ethan K. Mcgann

Senior Honors Theses

Nodding syndrome (NS) is an emerging epidemic neurological disease that is shrouded in mystery. It is currently only found in the post-conflict regions of South Sudan, northern Uganda, and Tanzania. NS occurs in children from the ages of five to fifteen and is characterized by a loss of motor control in the neck muscles. Seizure episodes can range in intensity from atonic to tonic-clonic, and the onset of the first episode generally marks the beginning of a decline in the child’s physical and mental health. NS is a progressive disease that generally results in physical wasting, stunted growth, behavioral difficulties, …

The Effectiveness Of A Computer-Assisted, Cognitive-Behavior Program For Treating Anxiety Symptoms In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer A. Zabel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and multifaceted, neurodevelopmental disorder that severely impacts children and families across a variety of settings. Prevalence rates of ASD are continuing to increase rapidly, with sizeable intervention and treatment costs placed on families and society. Further complicating the matter, many individuals with ASD also evidence co-occurring anxiety symptoms or disorders and tend to be at a higher risk for developing such problems when compared to other clinical populations or typically developing children. This study investigated the effectiveness of a computer-assisted CBT program, Camp Cope-A-Lot (CCAL), in regards to reducing anxiety symptoms in four …

The Epidemic Of Mental And Neurological Health, Mohsyn I. Malik

Psychology Publications

This paper composes an image of modern mental and neurological health issues and looks to draw links to the current epidemic based on research and studies found online the internet and off-line. The goal is to examine what may be the underlying problem for a lot of these increases in mental health issues and neurodegenerative diseases and what are some promising clinical and sociocultural advances that may help. It explores problems such as the negative impact of the pharmaceutical giants, the increase in apathy in the work place and the general stigma towards mental disease. Through current research, the use …

Design, Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Novel Compounds With Cns-Activity Targeting Cannabinoid And Biogenic Amine Receptors, Alexander M. Sherwood

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This work seeks to contribute to the discipline of neuropharmacology by way of structure activity relationship from the standpoint of an organic chemist. More specifically, we sought to develop robust synthetic methodology able to efficiently produce an array of compounds for the purpose of systematic evaluation of their interaction with specific sights within the central nervous system (CNS) in order to better understand the mind and to develop drugs that may have beneficial effects on neurological function.

The focus of these studies has been toward the development of novel molecules, using a structure-activity relationship approach, that exhibit binding affinity at …

"Who Would Have Thought, With A Diagnosis Like This, I Would Be Happy?": Portraits Of Perceived Strengths And Resources In Early-Stage Dementia, Jutta Elisabeth Ataie

Dissertations and Theses

This study used photovoice methodology to explore how people with early-stage dementia use their perceived strength and resources to cope with the illness. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Thirteen women and seven men age 57 to 90 (mean 73.4) with MMSE scores ranging from 20 to 28 (mean 25.6) participated in the project. Participants were provided with a disposable camera and invited to take photographs relevant to their well-being. The photographs provided the means for participants to take the lead in dialogue sessions about their coping response.

Grounded theory analysis revealed that initially, early-stage dementia precipitated a disruption …

A Study Of Families With Stress Related To The Care Of Children With Myelomeningocele, Janet L. Ferguson, Russel Tweed

Dissertations and Theses

This was an exploratory-descriptive study of fifty children afflicted with myelomeningocele, ages one through six, who were known to the Myelomeningocele Clinic of the Crippled Children’s Division. The study identified the degree of multiple physical, emotional, and environmental stress factors that families must be prepared to cope with. The study identified eleven factors felt to play an important role in family dynamics and how they related to the families response to their child with myelomeningocele. The factors were tested and found to be valid by the use of a pre-test on ten case records. Medical records were then obtained from …