Neurosciences Commons^™

Identifying Risk Factors For The Rising Prevalence Of Multiple Sclerosis In Saudi Arabia: A Case-Control Analysis, Omar Babateen, Jamil Adnan Samkari, Rewaa Abdulaziz Alkaki, Sadin Ayman Alamri, Manal Mutlaq Alzahrani, Mussaed Saleh Alharbi, Ali Abdulrazaq Alghamdi, Amwaj Sultan Aljurays, Amjad Faleh Aldosari, Seraj Makkawi

Neurosciences

Objective: This study aims to identify risk factors linked to the increasing prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Saudi Arabia. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune condition affecting the central nervous system, marked by inflammation and damage to nerves and the myelin sheath.

Method: A case-control study conducted from September 2022 to January 2024 included 832 participants—263 diagnosed with MS and 569 controls. Controls were matched by age, gender, residence, and employment status. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire, with written consent obtained from participants aged 18 and older. Logistic regression analysis was used to ascertain risk factors.

Results: …

Efficacy Of Erenumab In Patients With Treatment-Resistant Chronic Migraine And Medication Overuse Headache, Mohamed F. Binfalah, Anwar A. Alrayyes, Hussein H. Alhafnawi, Moiz O. Bakhiet

Neurosciences

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of erenumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor, in patients with treatment-resistant chronic migraine and medication overuse headache.

Methods: A single-center, retrospective observational study conducted at University Medical Center on 73 patients with both medication-overuse headache and treatment-resistant chronic migraine who failed at least three oral preventive medications and/or botulinum toxin injections. Clinical data were extracted from the medical records and patient interviews. The patients received monthly erenumab injections 70 mg. Key outcomes included monthly migraine days, headache severity (visual analog scale [VAS]), headache impact test (HIT-6), acute …

Association Between Extracranial Artery Stenosis And Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease In Patients With Ischemic Stroke, Ahmad Ghoochani-Khorasani, Seyed Hadi Aghili, Seyed Zakaria Hosseini, Seyed Amir Hasan Habibi, Mehri Farhangranjbar, Mahdi Abdi

Neurosciences

Objective: To review the relationship between extracranial artery stenosis (ECAS) severity and total cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) burden and evaluated 5-year mortality, disability, and stroke recurrence in ischemic stroke patients. Cerebral small-vessel disease and ECAS often share risk factors such as hypertension and atherosclerosis and coexist in ischemic stroke. Although ECAS affects large-artery disease, its impact on total CSVD burden on MRI and subsequent clinical outcomes is not well defined.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 348 patients older than 35 who had suffered acute ischemic stroke and were admitted to selected hospitals in Tehran, Iran from March …

Vagal Nerve Stimulation As Therapy For Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Tertiary Hospital Experience Of Outcomes And Efficacy In King Abdullah Medical City, Bassam G. Sef, Abeer S. Albalawi, Ahmed M. Alhajji, Muhammed M. Irfan, Hanadi M. Abu Alela

Neurosciences

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for reducing the frequency of seizures and complications in drug-resistant epilepsy.

Methods: This was a retrospective case series study conducted in King Abdullah Medical City from January 2015 to December 2021 hospital record. All patients undergoing VNS were enrolled according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were followed up for 12 months, and the seizure frequency and number of epileptic drugs used were evaluated. A paired sample t-test was applied to compare the outcome variables considering p-value < 0.05 as significant.

Results: Among 9 enrolled patients, four were females, and five …

Insights Into Stroke Risk And Prediction For Underweight Individuals, Saeed Awad M. Alqahtani, Moutasem S. Aboonq

Neurosciences

This review explores the relationship between underweight status and stroke risk and outcomes. Although the impact of obesity on stroke is well-documented, the harmful effects of being underweight are often overlooked. Drawing on evidence from observational studies, case-control studies, and meta-analyses, this review highlights that underweight individuals face increased mortality, poorer functional recovery, and higher rates of major adverse cardiovascular events and recurrent strokes post-stroke. Challenges in stroke prediction for this population are examined, including the limited research focus, shortcomings of existing risk assessment tools such as the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score, and population-specific factors affecting underweight prevalence …

Key Attributes Of An Ideal Neurology Residency Candidate: Program Directors’ Perspectives, Bandar N. Aljafen, Ruwa A. Alneseyan, Rahmah M. Alsawad, Mohamed Bahr

Neurosciences

Objectives: To guide medical students and interns interested in neurology by identifying the key attributes of an ideal neurology candidate from the perspectives of neurology program directors (PDs).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, former and current neurology PDs were contacted across Saudi Arabia to complete a self-administered survey sent via email or text. The survey included seven questions: six on PD demographics and a seventh with 51 items evaluating candidate attributes on a 7-point Likert scale from disadvantage to advantage.

Results: Thirty-two neurology PDs filled out the questionnaire. Among the key attributes PDs prioritized in a candidate is their letter …

Novel Enpp1 Gene Mutation Causing Generalized Arterial Calcification Of Infancy: A Case Report, Haifa M. Alturki, Haya S. Alfaris, Mohammed A. Al-Owain, Musaad F. Abukhalid

Neurosciences

Generalized Arterial Calcification of Infancy (GACI), a complex disorder affecting multiple systems, stems from an autosomal recessive mutation in the ENPP1 gene. This condition is marked by arterial stenosis and usually manifests prenatally or in the initial months following birth. High mortality rates characterize the first few months, a phase often termed the ``critical period.'' The report presents a case study of a four-year-old female with a new mutation in the ENPP1 gene, which broadens our understanding of this rare genetic disorder.

Temporally Modulated Acoustic Environment Alters Inferior Colliculus Tonotopy And Improves Neural Gap Encoding In Aged Cba/Caj Mice, Luis Franco-Waite

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is an omnipresent and progressive decline of hearing that occurs later in life and affects a significant majority of the aged population. While the current accommodations for hearing loss focus on improving comfort and quality of life, they do not address the underlying neural aspects of ARHL. A novel approach for treatment is the augmented acoustic environment (AAE) which utilizes the innate plasticity of the nervous system in response to the external environment. The work presented here documents the research performed on passive noise exposures which target neural aspects in animal models of age-related hearing loss. …

Integration Of Cross-Species Multi-Omics With In Vivo Experimental Validation Identifies Parkinson’S Disease Therapeutic Targets And Novel Risk Factors Within Endolysosomal Pathway Subnetworks, Justin Moore, Leo Rao, Sara Garcia-Bellido, Fangfei Guo, Jorge Botas, Juan Botas

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, imposes a growing healthcare and socioeconomic burden worldwide. A defining hallmark of PD is the accumulation of α-synuclein (αSyn) within intracellular inclusions such as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Genomic studies have identified numerous PD risk factors within the endolysosomal pathway (ELP), an essential cellular system for protein and membrane recycling. Concordantly, recurrent transcriptomic and proteomic alterations in ELP components implicate broad ELP dysfunction as a causal contributor to PD and suggest that additional, uncharacterized ELP genes may cooperate in polygenic disease mechanisms. A promising but underexplored therapeutic concept is that …

Hsp90 Inhibitor In Reducing Integrated Stress Response In An Experimental Mouse Model Of Spinal Cord Injury, Yousef Abozaid, Aditya Sarkar, Lukasz P. Slomnicki, Michal Hetman

The Cardinal Edge

Spinal cord injury (SCI) initiates a complex cascade of molecular events, including protein misfolding and neuroinflammation, contributing to neural damage and impaired functional recovery. Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90), a critical molecular chaperone involved in cellular stress responses, emerges as a promising therapeutic target to mitigate secondary damage after SCI. This study was designed to validate the in-vivo effects of different doses of HSP90 inhibitor, HSP990-i, administered acutely after moderate T9 SCI mouse model. The level of HSP70 protein level is measured through western blot from the injury epicenter. Adult mice underwent experimental contusive SCI at the T9 level, followed …

Disrupted Nuclear Function And Nucleocytoplasmic Transport In Parkinson’S Disease, Ichiro M. Matoba

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Into Network Analyses Of Motor Behavior, Brain-Computer Interface Control, Arousal States, And An Ischemic Lesion Model, Shashank Anand

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Network-level modelling of neural function incorporates activity in specific brain regions along with a measure of the interactions between these regions (“connectivity”). Connectivity can be assessed through several means, for example through tractography (structural connectivity) or correlated temporal evolution of neural activity (functional connectivity). These analyses have provided valuable insight into several aspects of brain function, such as top-down control, memory, and navigation. This work focuses on studying neural activity within and between several brain regions across different brain states: namely, during motor actions, sensory perception, brain-computer interface engagement, task-free fluctuations in arousal state, and ischemic injury. High gamma (70-170 …

Creating A Culture Change Around Stroke: Integrating Process Improvement To Reduce Door-To-Needle Time, Shayna Brewer, Benedict Pereira, Rose Bisellach, Jason Greenspan

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Energetic Heterogeneity In Retinal Ganglion Cells: Role Of Neuronal Activity And Implications For Resilience, Zelun Wang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) form the only connection between the eye and the brain via their axons in the optic nerve. In diseases such as glaucoma, RGCs undergo irreversible neurodegeneration leading to vision loss. RGCs consist of multiple types differing in morphology, gene expression, and signaling properties. Moreover, these types exhibit differential survival after axon injury. What cellular properties vary between RGC types that could underlie their heterogeneous response to neurodegeneration? Given that energy metabolism is tightly optimized for the homeostatic and active functions of different neurons, physiologically distinct RGC types likely exhibit divergent energetic characteristics. Furthermore, energy metabolism is …

Pd-L1 Positivity Predicts A Unique Hyperaggressive Tumor Group Within Meng C Meningiomas, Vijay Nitturi, Shervin Hosseingholi Nouri, Collin English, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Elizabeth Ledbetter, Diego Rojas, Sean Lau, Malcolm Mcdonald, Jacob J Mandel, Abdul Basit Khan, Arif O Harmanci, Akdes S Harmanci, Tiemo Klisch, Akash J Patel

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Molecular profiling has identified 3 groups of meningiomas, with MenG C tumors exhibiting the vast majority of recurrences. Efforts to find effective treatments for recurrent meningiomas have remained elusive. Higher WHO-grade meningiomas have exhibited greater Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression through various methods, but the prognostic value of PD-L1 expression has not been described in the context of molecular profiling. Additionally, trials investigating PD-1/PD-L1-targeted immunotherapies have produced disappointing results. Here, we find that PD-L1 positivity, while prevalent in MenG C tumors, does not predict recurrence in the benign MenG A and B tumors. PD-L1 positivity also occurs independently of …

The Filamentous Ultrastructure Of The Popz Condensate Is Required For Its Cellular Function, Daniel Scholl, Tumara Boyd, Andrew P Latham, Alexandra Salazar, Asma M A M Khan, Steven Boeynaems, Alex S Holehouse, Gabriel C Lander, Andrej Sali, Donghyun Park, Ashok A Deniz, Keren Lasker

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Biomolecular condensates have key roles in regulating cellular processes. Yet, the relationship between atomic features and condensate function remains poorly understood. We studied this relationship using the polar organizing protein Z (PopZ). Here, we revealed hierarchical assembly of PopZ into a filamentous condensate by integrating cryo-electron tomography, biochemistry, single-molecule techniques and molecular dynamics simulations. The PopZ helical domain drives filamentation and condensation, while the disordered region inhibits them. Phase-dependent conformational changes prevent interfilament contacts in the dilute phase and expose client-binding sites in the dense phase. Perturbing filament formation in vitro alters the dynamics of scaffold and client proteins and …

Brain Computer Interfaces: Enhancing Low-Cost Eeg Performance Through Deep, Anwar Rassoul

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

The field of Brain Computer Interfacing (BCI) has traditionally been confined to clinical and research environments due to the high cost and complexity of medical-grade EEG systems. However, the emergence of low-cost hardware exemplified has catalyzed a shift toward accessible, portable BCI applications. While these devices lower the barrier to entry for developers and researchers, they often suffer from a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This increased noise makes it difficult to extract the clean neural signatures required for high-accuracy control, particularly when operating in non-shielded, real-world environments.

This research focuses on Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials (SSVEP), a robust BCI paradigm …

Non-Synaptic Function And Localization Of Syntaxin-Binding Protein 1 In A Mouse Model Of Stxbp1-Related Epileptic Encephalopathy, Tao Yang, Rajat Banerjee, Yamei Deng, Sheetal Jahagirdar, Joo Hyun Kim, Wu Chen, Mingshan Xue, Alexey I Nesvizhskii, Michael D Uhler, Jack M Parent, Yu Wang

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Objective: De novo mutations in the syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXBP1), encoded by STXBP1, are among the most prevalent causes of variable neurodevelopmental disorders, including epileptic encephalopathy, developmental delay, and movement disorders. Although STXBP1 has been proposed as a critical presynaptic protein controlling synaptic vesicle exocytosis, clinical phenotypes also suggest that its biological function could be more diverse.

Methods: The expression pattern of STXBP1 was studied using immunostaining in vitro and in vivo. Synaptosome isolation was performed to investigate the synaptic and non-synaptic localization of STXBP1 in the brain. STXBP1 immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry (MS) was conducted to identify protein …

The Relationships Between Social Network Size, Loneliness And Personality In Individuals Living With A Neurological Condition: An Exploratory Study, Isabella Branson, Kate Turner, Mitchell Turner, Manja Laws, Leah Dempsey, Simon Laws, Mandy Stanley, Johnny Lo, Travis Cruickshank

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: People living with a neurological condition often report having smaller social networks and less frequent social contact, leading to greater loneliness and worse quality of life. This study explored the relationships between personality traits, social network size (SNS) and perceived loneliness in this population. Methods: Sixty-eight individuals diagnosed with a neurological condition participated in this study. Perceived loneliness was assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale – Version 3, SNS was evaluated by the Social Network Index and personality traits were examined using the NEO Factor Five Inventory. Path analysis was conducted to determine if loneliness was negatively associated with …

Relationships Between Clinical Symptom Scales And Eeg Biomarkers In Oud Patients, Jess Delange, Benjamin M. Latey, John Glinski, Braden Ashcraft, Jasmine Pannu, Cassidy Beatty, Lauren Knudson, Benjamin Chafetz, Bryan Fugal, Patrick Tanner Brain, N P. Griffin, Christopher Gowans, Amanda Brandaris, Amanda Page, Blake D. Harris, Sophia Delgado, Lorissa Thorpe, Kyle Bills, Andrew Payne

Annual Research Symposium

This poster examines the relationship between clinical symptom scales and electroencephalographic (EEG) biomarkers in patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Participants from inpatient substance use treatment facilities completed validated mental health and withdrawal assessments, including the COWS, PHQ-9, HAM-A, and ASRS followed by cognitive testing while undergoing 19-lead EEG recording.

Preliminary findings indicate that synthetic opioid use is associated with prolonged P300 response latency across brain regions, suggesting measurable neurophysiologic differences tied to substance type and addiction severity. The study explores how EEG metrics may complement subjective symptom reporting to provide more objective markers of addiction status, co-morbid psychiatric burden, …