Neurology Commons^™

Approach To Symptomatic Migraine - A Reviewof Literature, Ayesha Kk, Rushna Raza, Sahar Zafar

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Molecular Cross Talk Between Misfolded Proteins In Animal Models Of Alzheimer's And Prion Diseases, Rodrigo Morales, Lisbell D Estrada, Rodrigo Diaz-Espinoza, Diego Morales-Scheihing, Maria C Jara, Joaquin Castilla, Claudio Soto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The central event in protein misfolding disorders (PMDs) is the accumulation of a misfolded form of a naturally expressed protein. Despite the diversity of clinical symptoms associated with different PMDs, many similarities in their mechanism suggest that distinct pathologies may cross talk at the molecular level. The main goal of this study was to analyze the interaction of the protein misfolding processes implicated in Alzheimer's and prion diseases. For this purpose, we inoculated prions in an Alzheimer's transgenic mouse model that develop typical amyloid plaques and followed the progression of pathological changes over time. Our findings show a dramatic acceleration …

Electronic Medical Records As A Research Tool: Evaluating Topiramate Use At A Headache Center., Michael J. Marmura, Md, Mary Hopkins, Rn, Msn, Jocelyn Andrel, Msph, William B. Young, Md, David M. Biondi, Do, Marcia F.T. Rupnow, Phd, Robert B. Armstrong, Md

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Background.—Electronic medical records (EMRs) are used in large healthcare centers to increase efficiency and accuracy of documentation. These databases may be utilized for clinical research or to describe clinical practices such as medication usage.

Methods.—We conducted a retrospective analysis of EMR data from a headache clinic to evaluate clinician prescription use and dosing patterns of topiramate. The study cohort comprised 4833 unique de-identified records, which were used to determine topiramate dose and persistence of treatment.

Results.—Within the cohort, migraine was the most common headache diagnosis (n = 3753, 77.7%), followed by tension-type headache (n = 338, 7.0%) and cluster or …

Dual-Task Interference: The Effects Of Verbal Cognitive Tasks On Upright Postural Stability In Parkinson's Disease, J. D. Holmes, M. E. Jenkins, Andrew M. Johnson, S. G. Adams, S. J. Spaulding

Occupational Therapy Publications

Although dual-task interference has previously been demonstrated to have a significant effect on postural control among individuals with Parkinson's disease, the impact of speech complexity on postural control has not been demonstrated using quantitative biomechanical measures. The postural stability of twelve participants with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and twelve healthy age-matched controls was evaluated under three conditions: (1) without a secondary task, (2) performing a rote repetition task and (3) generating a monologue. Results suggested a significant effect of cognitive load on biomechanical parameters of postural stability. Although both groups increased their postural excursion, individuals with Parkinson's disease demonstrated significantly reduced …

Improving Schizophrenia Diagnosis Through Biomarkers: An Upcoming Prospect, Syed Mohammad Asad Zaidi, Abdul Latif Bikak, Rameez-Ul Hassan

Medical College Documents

No abstract provided.

Progressive Changes In Microglia And Macrophages In Spinal Cord And Peripheral Nerve In The Transgenic Rat Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, David J. Graber, William F. Hickey, Brent T. Harris

Dartmouth Scholarship

The role of neuroinflammation in motor neuron death of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is unclear. The human mutant superoxide dismutase-1 (hmSOD1)-expressing murine transgenic model of ALS has provided some insight into changes in microglia activity during disease progression. The purpose of this study was to gain further knowledge by characterizing the immunological changes during disease progression in the spinal cord and peripheral nerve using the more recently developed hmSOD1 rat transgenic model of ALS. Using immunohistochemistry, the extent and intensity of tissue CD11b expression in spinal cord, lumbar nerve roots, and sciatic nerve were evaluated in hmSOD1 rats that were …

Neural Activity In The Hippocampus And Perirhinal Cortex During Encoding Is Associated With The Durability Of Episodic Memory, V. A. Carr, Indre Viskontas, S. A. Engel, B. J. Knowlton

Psychology

Studies examining medial temporal lobe (MTL) involvement in memory formation typically assess memory performance after a single, short delay. Thus, the relationship between MTL encoding activity and memory durability over time remains poorly characterized. To explore this relationship, we scanned participants using high-resolution functional imaging of the MTL as they encoded object pairs; using the remember/know paradigm, we then assessed memory performance for studied items both 10 min and 1 week later. Encoding trials were classified as either subsequently recollected across both delays, transiently recollected (i.e., recollected at 10 min but not after 1 week), consistently familiar, or consistently forgotten. …

Elevated Csf Outflow Resistance Associated With Impaired Lymphatic Csf Absorption In A Rat Model Of Kaolin-Induced Communicating Hydrocephalus, Gurjit Nagra, Mark E. Wagshul, Shams Rashid, Jie Li, J Pat Mcallister Ii, Miles Johnston

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

We recently reported a lymphatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) absorption deficit in a kaolin model of communicating hydrocephalus in rats with ventricular expansion correlating negatively with the magnitude of the impediment to lymphatic function. However, it is possible that CSF drainage was not significantly altered if absorption at other sites compensated for the lymphatic defect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the lymphatic absorption deficit on global CSF absorption (CSF outflow resistance).

Methods

Kaolin was injected into the basal cisterns of Sprague Dawley rats. The development of hydrocephalus was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging …

Laterality, Perception, And Action During The Size-Weight Illusion, Gavin Buckingham, Nathalie S. Ranger, Melvyn A. Goodale

Psychology Presentations

In the classic size-weight illusion (SWI), a small object will feel heavier than an larger object of equal weight (Charpentier, 1891). Individuals continue to perceive this illusory difference in weight long after their gripping and lifting forces have scaled to the actual, identical, mass of the illusion-inducing stimuli (Flanagan & Beltzner, 2000).

The independence of our weight perception and fingertip force application has only been quantified in the right hand of right-handers. The immunity to this perceptual illusion may be affected by manual asymmetries (e.g., Gonzalez, Ganel & Goodale, 2006).

We examined perception of heaviness and fingertip force scaling in …

Overview Of Surgical Management Of Infectious Non-Suppurative Brain Lesions (Part 2), Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Ather Enam, Syed Faizan Ali, Rushna Pervez Ali, Mohammad Wasay

Section of Neurosurgery

No abstract provided.

Sleep Well To Stay Safe: Ready For Primetime?, Mihai C. Teodorescu, Mariana Szklo-Coxe

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Commentary on Kling et al. Sleep problems and workplace injuries in Canada. Sleep 2010;33:611-618.

Speak Up: Care Should Be A Right, Not A Privilege, Page Walker Buck

Social Work (Graduate) Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Interaction Of The Mu-Opioid Receptor With Gpr177 (Wntless) Inhibits Wnt Secretion: Potential Implications For Opioid Dependence., Jay Jin, Saranya Kittanakom, Victoria Wong, Beverly A S Reyes, Elisabeth J Van Bockstaele, Igor Stagljar, Wade Berrettini, Robert Levenson

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Opioid agonist drugs produce analgesia. However, long-term exposure to opioid agonists may lead to opioid dependence. The analgesic and addictive properties of opioid agonist drugs are mediated primarily via the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). Opioid agonists appear to alter neuronal morphology in key brain regions implicated in the development of opioid dependence. However, the precise role of the MOR in the development of these neuronal alterations remains elusive. We hypothesize that identifying and characterizing novel MOR interacting proteins (MORIPs) may help to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in the development of opioid dependence. RESULTS: GPR177, the mammalian ortholog of Drosophila …

Increased Dendrite Branching In Aβpp/Ps1 Mice And Elongation Of Dendrite Arbors By Fasudil Administration, Brian A. Couch, George J. Demarco, Shannon L. Gourley, Anthony J. Koleske

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Amyloid-β (Aβ) overproduction and dendrite arbor atrophy are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. The RhoA GTPase (Rho) signals through Rho kinase (ROCK) to control cytoskeletal dynamics and regulate neuron structure. Hyperactive Rho signaling destabilizes neurons leading to dendritic regression that can be rescued by genetic or pharmacological reduction of ROCK signaling. To understand what effect reduced ROCK signaling has on the dendrite arbors of mice that overproduce Aβ, we administered the ROCK inhibitor fasudil to AβPP/PS1 transgenic mice. We report that increased dendrite branching occurs in AβPP/PS1 mice and that fasudil promotes …

Synaptic Clustering Of Psd-95 Is Regulated By C-Abl Through Tyrosine Phosphorylation, Karen Perez De Arce, Lorena Varela-Nallar, Olivia Farias, Alejandra Cifuentes, Paulina Bull, Brian A. Couch, Anthony J. Koleske, Nibaldo C. Inestrosa, Alejandra R. Alvarez

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The c-Abl tyrosine kinase is present in mouse brain synapses, but its precise synaptic function is unknown. We found that c-Abl levels in the rat hippocampus increase postnatally, with expression peaking at the first postnatal week. In 14 d in vitro hippocampal neuron cultures, c-Abl localizes primarily to the postsynaptic compartment, in which it colocalizes with the postsynaptic scaffold protein postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) in apposition to presynaptic markers. c-Abl associates with PSD-95, and chemical or genetic inhibition of c-Abl kinase activity reduces PSD-95 tyrosine phosphorylation, leading to reduced PSD-95 clustering and reduced synapses in treated neurons. c-Abl can phosphorylate …

Role Of Levetiracetam In Refractory Seizures Due To A Rare Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy: Lafora Body Disease, Mubashira Hashmi, Feroza Saleem, Muhammad Shahid Mustafa, Mughis Sheerani, Zeeshan Ehtesham, Khurram Siddiqui

Section of Neurology

Lafora disease is one of the rare, most fatal progressive myoclonic epilepsies reported. We present a case of a teenager with intractable seizures and progressive mental decline, diagnosed as Lafora body disease on axillary skin biopsy. He was admitted with status epilepticus with refractory myoclonic and generalised tonic clonic seizures. Despite on maximum doses of multiple antiepileptic drugs and infusions of propofol and midazolam, his seizures were refractory to all forms of medical therapy tried. Levetiracetam (LEV), a pyrrolidine derivative, was introduced; he showed a prompt response and was weaned off successfully from infusions of anticonvulsants and mechanical ventilation within …

Prediction Of Brain Tumor Progression Using A Machine Learning Technique, Yuzhong Shen, Debrup Banerjee, Jiang Li, Adam Chandler, Yufei Shen, Frederic D. Mckenzie, Jihong Wang, Nico Karssemeijer (Ed.), Ronald M. Summers (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A machine learning technique is presented for assessing brain tumor progression by exploring six patients' complete MRI records scanned during their visits in the past two years. There are ten MRI series, including diffusion tensor image (DTI), for each visit. After registering all series to the corresponding DTI scan at the first visit, annotated normal and tumor regions were overlaid. Intensity value of each pixel inside the annotated regions were then extracted across all of the ten MRI series to compose a 10 dimensional vector. Each feature vector falls into one of three categories:normal, tumor, and normal but progressed to …

Ischemic Stroke Care - Official Guidelines From The Pakistan Society Of Neurology, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Ahmed Itrat, Imama Naqvi, Maria Khan, Roomasa Channa, Ismail Khatri, Mohammad Wasay

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Fuzzy Logic In Neurosurgery: Predicting Poor Outcomes After Lumbar Disk Surgery In 501 Consecutive Patients, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Ather Enam, Uvais Qidwai

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: Despite a lot of research into Patient selection, a significant number of Patients fail to benefit from surgery for symptomatic lumbar disk herniation. We have used Fuzzy Logic-based fuzzy inference system (FIS) for identifying Patients unlikely to improve after disk surgery and explored FIS as a tool for surgical outcome prediction.
Methods: Data of 501 Patients were retrospectively reviewed for 54 independent variables. Sixteen variables were short-listed based on heuristics and were further classified into memberships with degrees of membership within each. A set of 11 rules was formed, and the rule base used individual membership degrees and their …

Fdg Pet-Positive, Mri-Negative Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Etiology And Outcomes Compared To Patients With Hippocampal Sclerosis, C. Lopinto Khoury, M. Sperling, C. Skidmore, M. Nei, A. Zangaladze, J. Evans, A. Sharan, S. Mintzer

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

FDG PET hypometabolism is important for surgical planning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), but its significance remains unclear in patients who do not have evidence of Hippocampal Sclerosis (HS) on MRI.

Mitochondrial Mislocalization Underlies Abeta42-Induced Neuronal Dysfunction In A Drosophila Model Of Alzheimer's Disease., Kanae Iijima-Ando, Stephen A Hearn, Christopher Shenton, Anthony Gatt, Lijuan Zhao, Koichi Iijima

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

The amyloid-beta 42 (Abeta42) is thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms by which Abeta42 induces neuronal dysfunction and degeneration remain elusive. Mitochondrial dysfunctions are implicated in AD brains. Whether mitochondrial dysfunctions are merely a consequence of AD pathology, or are early seminal events in AD pathogenesis remains to be determined. Here, we show that Abeta42 induces mitochondrial mislocalization, which contributes to Abeta42-induced neuronal dysfunction in a transgenic Drosophila model. In the Abeta42 fly brain, mitochondria were reduced in axons and dendrites, and accumulated in the somata without severe mitochondrial …

The Burden Of Stroke And Transient Ischemic Attack In Pakistan: A Community-Based Prevalence Study, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Ahmed Itrat, Muhammed Murtaza, Maria Khan, Asif Rasheed, Amin Ali, Amna Akber, Zainab Akber, Naved Iqbal, Sana Shoukat, Farzin Majeed, Danish Saleheen

Section of Neurology

Background: The burden of cerebrovascular disease in developing countries is rising sharply. The prevalence of established risk factors of stroke is exceptionally high in Pakistan. However, there is limited data on the burden of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in South Asia. We report the first such study conducted in an urban slum of Karachi, Pakistan. Methods:Individuals 35 years of age or older were invited for participation in this investigation through simple random sampling. A structured face-to-face interview was conducted using a pretested stroke symptom questionnaire in each participant to screen for past stroke or TIA followed by …

Improved Inter-Rater Reliability For Sah Ct Grading Scales Through Application Of A Formal Definition Of Clot Thickness, William Mcbride, Md, Valerie Dechant, Md, Michael Moussouttas, Md

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Various scales have been devised for the prediction of vasospasm following aneurysmal rupture.

Especially prominent in these scales is their reliance upon a subjective assessment of clot thickness which introduces variability in grading across raters.

The current study seeks to compare the inter-rater reliability of the traditional Fisher and newer "Frontera" scale (Modified Fisher) when a rigid definition of thick clot is employed.

Sonography Of The Neonatal Brain, Traci B. Fox

Department of Radiologic Sciences Faculty Papers

Neurosonography is a critical part of the care of the sick newborn. Sonography is superior to other modalities in imaging of the brain because it can be performed at the bedside, is easily reproducible, and does not require ionizing radiation or sedation. This article refreshes the sonographer in the normal anatomy and appear- ance of the neonatal brain using sonography, as well as some of the more common pathologic conditions that may be encountered.

Traumatic Thoracic Asia A Examinations And Potential For Clinical Trials, James S. Harrop, Md, Mitchell G. Maltenfort, Phd, Fred H. Geisler, Md, Phd, William Coleman, Phd, Linda A.T. Jones, Pt, Ms, Edward Wirth, Md, Alexander Vaccaro, Md, Phd

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Study Design: Retrospective review of prospective database

Objectives: To define the variability of neurologic examination and recovery after non-penetrating complete thoracic spinal cord injuries (ASIA A).

Background Data: Neurologic examinations after SCI can be difficult and inconsistent. Unlike cervical SCI patients, alterations in thoracic (below T1) complete SCI (ASIA A – based on the ASIA Impairment Scale [AIS]) patients’ exams are based only on sensory testing, thus changes in the neurological level (NL) are determined only by sensory changes.

Methods: A retrospective review of the placebo control patients in a multicenter prospective database utilized for the pharmacologic trial of Sygen. …

The False Promise Of Adolescent Brain Science In Juvenile Justice, Terry A. Maroney

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Recent scientific findings about the developing teen brain have both captured public attention and begun to percolate through legal theory and practice. Indeed, many believe that developmental neuroscience contributed to the U.S. Supreme Court’s elimination of the juvenile death penalty in Roper v. Simmons. Post-Roper, scholars assert that the developmentally normal attributes of the teen brain counsel differential treatment of young offenders, and advocates increasingly make such arguments before the courts. The success of any theory, though, depends in large part on implementation, and challenges that emerge through implementation illuminate problematic aspects of the theory. This Article tests the legal …

Interventions For Autism Spectrum Disorders: State Of The Evidence, Lindsey Tweed Md, Mph, Nancy Connolly Mppm, Amy Beaulieu

Children, Youth, & Families

The number of children in Maine with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased significantly over the past decade. Since 2000, the number of children receiving Special Education services for ASD in Maine schools jumped from 594 to 2,231in 2008 – an increase of 276%. A recent study estimated that the total cost of caring for a person with autism over his or her lifetime can reach $3.2 million, with more than $35 billion spent collectively per year (Ganz, 2007). To conserve already scarce resources and of-fer the best possible services to children with ASD, it is necessary to identify and …

The Production Of Antibody By Invading B Cells Is Required For The Clearance Of Rabies Virus From The Central Nervous System., D Craig Hooper, Timothy W Phares, Marzena J Fabis, Anirban Roy

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of rabies is associated with the inability to deliver immune effectors across the blood-brain barrier and to clear virulent rabies virus from CNS tissues. However, the mechanisms that facilitate immune effector entry into CNS tissues are induced by infection with attenuated rabies virus.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Infection of normal mice with attenuated rabies virus but not immunization with killed virus can promote the clearance of pathogenic rabies virus from the CNS. T cell activity in B cell-deficient mice can control the replication of attenuated virus in the CNS, but viral mRNA persists. Low levels of passively administered rabies …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Clipping Vs Coiling Of Intracranial Aneurysms After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage In A Developing Country-A Prospective Study, Muhammad Zubair Tahir, Ather Enam, Rushna Pervez Ali, Atta Bhatti, Tanveer Ul Haq

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: Endovascular coil treatment is being used increasingly as an alternative to clipping for some ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The relative benefits of these 2 approaches have yet to be fully established. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcome, resource consumption, and cost-effectiveness of endovascular. treatment vs surgical clipping in a developing country.
Methods: The study population consisted of 55 Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) identified prospectively from January 2004 to June 2007. Of the 55 Patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms, 31 underwent surgical clipping, whereas 24 were treated via interventional coils. Clinical outcome at 6 …

Orbital Aspergillus Infection Mimicking A Tumour: A Case Report, Muhammad Ahsan Zafar, Syeda Sidra Waheed, Ather Enam

Section of Neurosurgery

A 14-year-old male presented to the neurosurgical clinic with swelling just above the right eye which had been growing slowly for the last eight years. The swelling first appeared following a non-penetrating trauma eight years ago. On examination it was a non-tender, non-erythematous, firm, round swelling causing marked proptosis and diplopia on downward gaze only. The visual acuity was intact. MRI showed an intraorbital, extraconal mass isointense on T1 and hypointense on T2 imaging. A diagnosis of orbital tumor was made. A white, friable mass consistent with meningioma was resected. However histopathology report later showed it to be an Aspergilloma. …