Neurology Commons^™

Direct Current Stimulation And Epilepsy In Developing Countries: Opportunity And Challenges, Abdulrahman Al-Thaqib, Baradi, Raidah Saleem, Shahid Bashir

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is one type of neuromodulation, which is an emerging technology that holds promise for the future studies on therapeutic and diagnosis applications in treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Epilepsy is one of the commonest neurological disorders, caused by an enhanced cortical excitability favoring paroxysmal neuronal discharge. Cathodaldirect current stimulation (ctDCS) is a low-cost noninvasive portable neuro-stimulatory technique which can transiently decrease cortical excitability in humans. This was invasively demonstrated to reduce epileptiform discharges in animals.

Conserved Brain Myelination Networks Are Altered In Alzheimer's And Other Neurodegenerative Diseases., Mariet Allen, Xue Wang, Jeremy D Burgess, Jens Watzlawik, Daniel J Serie, Curtis S Younkin, Thuy Nguyen, Kimberly G Malphrus, Sarah Lincoln, Minerva M Carrasquillo, Charlotte Ho, Paramita Chakrabarty, Samantha Strickland, Melissa E Murray, Vivek Swarup, Daniel H Geschwind, Nicholas T Seyfried, Eric B Dammer, James J Lah, Allan I Levey, Todd E Golde, Cory Funk, Hongdong Li, Nathan D Price, Ronald C Petersen, Neill R Graff-Radford, Steven G Younkin, Dennis W Dickson, Julia R Crook, Yan W Asmann, Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

INTRODUCTION: Comparative transcriptome analyses in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative proteinopathies can uncover both shared and distinct disease pathways.

METHODS: We analyzed 940 brain transcriptomes including patients with AD, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; a primary tauopathy), and control subjects.

RESULTS: We identified transcriptional coexpression networks implicated in myelination, which were lower in PSP temporal cortex (TCX) compared with AD. Some of these associations were retained even after adjustments for brain cell population changes. These TCX myelination network structures were preserved in cerebellum but they were not differentially expressed in cerebellum between AD and PSP. Myelination networks were downregulated in …

The Role Of The Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor In Neuroprotective Signaling, Stephanie M. Davis, Keith R. Pennypacker

Center for Advanced Translational Stroke Science Faculty Publications

Several neurotropic cytokines relay their signaling through the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor. This 190kDa subunit couples with the 130kDa gp130 subunit to transduce intracellular signaling in neurons and oligodendrocytes that leads to expression of genes associated with neurosurvival. Moreover, activation of this receptor alters the phenotype of immune cells to an anti-inflammatory one. Although cytokines that activate the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor have been studied in the context of neurodegenerative disease, therapeutic targeting of the specific receptor subunit has been understudied in by comparison. This review examines the role of this receptor in the CNS and immune system, and its …

The Loose End: Neurology Without Rehabilitation, Ahmad Zaheer Qureshi, Farooq Azam Rathore

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

In recent years, successive therapies for previously untreatable neurological conditions have been introduced in clinical practice and these advance interventions have remarkably changed the landscape of neurosciences1,2 .But, rehabilitation of the functional impairments caused by neurological diseases is often overlooked or sometimes even neglected. In other words, the role of a comprehensive and early multidisciplinary rehabilitation in neurological disease is unrecognized and poorly understood even among neurologists and neurosurgeons. Usually, lifesaving neurosurgical management or solving a diagnostic riddle in neurology is attributed to successful patient management; however in reality, this is the first step in establishing a care plan for …

The Rare And The Unexpected; Miller Fisher Syndrome, Saad Waheed, Jawad Hussian, Aqsa Shehzadi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS) is a rare variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) which is an idiopathic neuromuscular paralysis. It is considered as autoimmune disease because there are antibodies which attack the nerve cell fibers resulting in paralysis of muscles. This disease exhibits a classic clinical triad of ataxia,areflexia, and ophthalmoplegiawhereas it could have more neurological symptoms.Basically it is diagnosed clinically but have a serological test for its confirmation i.e. anti-GQ1b antibody levels.Here, we report a stereotypical case of MFS with all of its cardinal symptoms with addition of some other symptoms like diplopia, ptosis of an eye and unilateral facial …

Biopsy Proven Case Of Creutzfeldt- Jacob Disease From Pakistan, Rizwana Shahid, Saad Shafqat

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare type of prion disease leading to a rapidly progressive dementia (RPD) and other associated neurological features specially startle myoclonus. The annual incidence of CJD has been reported to be 1 per million or 271 people in USA2, but from Asia especially from Pakistan, only few case reports have been published. The probable cause behind the rarity of this disease in our society is still unclear.The diagnosis of CJD requires a high level of suspicion and lack of the availability of specific markers like CSF 14-3-3 in our setup makes it more difficult. Similarly brain …

Bilateral Wrist Drop In A Middle Age Man, Ghulam Shabbir, Zakir Jan, Haris Majid Rajput

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Peripheral neuropathy is a common disorder which often causes disability.Among metals lead intoxication leads to bilateral radial neuropathy. Patients with lead neuropathy present with weakness that primarily involves the wrist and finger extensors. Lead intoxication in humans causes axonal degeneration. We report a case of middle age male who presented with bilateral wristsdrop, workup revealed that he had bilateral radial nerve neuropathy which was secondary to his occupational exposure to lead causing lead intoxication. Chronic lead exposure as a risk factor for neuropathy should be identified and treated promptly as its avoidance and treatment can save major disabilities.

Treatment And Outcome In Patients With Infantile Spasms And Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, Arif Herekar, Nasir Yaqoob

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

ABSTRACT: AIM: To measure and assess the efficacy of ACTH and Vigabatrin in Infantile Spasm and their Unresponsiveness in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome in Pakistani Population MATERIALS AND METHODS A study was conducted between year 2006 to 2016 evaluating 120 patients presenting to Neurodiagnostic Centre, Hamdard University Hospital and National Medical Centre, Karachi. Infantile spasms and Salaam Attacks were the basic diagnosis both clinically and electroence phalographically. Age ranges between 1 month to 1.5 years. All patients were administered appropriate doses of Anti Epileptics, ACTH and vitamin supplements RESULTS Amongst 120 patients of Infantile Spasm that we have encountered in last decade …

Risk Factors For Stroke And Tia's In Pakistan: A Community-Based Study, Abdul Malik, Farrukh Malik, Ismail Khatri, Sadaf Nasir

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the frequency of risk factors for stroke and transient ischemic attacks in Pakistan; a multi-city community-based study. METHOD: This cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in various health care facilities including government funded District Head Quarters hospitals, private hospitals and medical centers, and community-based clinics across 27 cities all over Pakistan over a period of three years between 2013 and 2015. Nearly 900 patients were screened during stroke (Falij) screening camps at these facilities and the data regarding past stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) symptoms were recorded along with relevant neurological examinations. A 25 item self-administered questionnaire …

Effect Of Minor Surgery Under Propofol Anaesthesia On Brain Bdnf And Cognition, Muhammad Rafiq, Zahid Mahmood, Sajed Ali, Laure Pain

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a brain protein implicated in learning, memory and other cognitive functions. Changes in cellular brain functions as well as cognitive defects have been observed the days following anaesthesia, even for short-duration anaesthesia with/without surgery. Despites the role of neurotrophic factors in cognition, no data are still available on brain effects after anaesthesia. Purpose: To study the effect of minor surgery under short duration anaesthesia on cognition by investigating BDNF levels in plasma, hippocampus and cortex. METHODS: Male rats received an intra-peritoneal injection of either 120 mg/kg of propofol or intralipids solution or minor surgery …

Identification Of Different Personality Traits Among Teenagers And Their Effect On Behavioural Conduct, Muhammad Yasir Tarar, Umair Sharif, Muhammad Waqar Abbas

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

To identify different personality traits among teenagers To give recommendations to help teenagers create a balance in personality development. METHODS: This research is based on a cross sectional study conducted at Services Institute of Medical Sciences, catering to the freshmen of MBBS. The tenure for the research lasted 8 months starting March 2017- October 2017.The estimated target population accounted to 100 teenage students who were incorporated for the research through convenient sampling. Selection criteria for the chosen sample was based on their age, institute and mental well-being. Any student over and above 19 years, not enrolled in SIMS or suffering …

Efficacy And Safety Of Eslicarbazepine Acetate Monotherapy In Patients Converting From Carbamazepine., Ladislav Pazdera, Michael R. Sperling, Jay H. Harvey, Maria C. Sam, Laura A. Strom, David Blum, Todd Grinnell, Hailong Cheng

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of prior use of carbamazepine (CBZ) and other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) with a putatively similar mechanism of action (inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels; VGSCs) on seizure outcomes and tolerability when converting to eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL), using data pooled from 2 controlled conversion-to-ESL monotherapy trials (studies: 093-045, 093-046).

METHODS: Adults with treatment-resistant focal (partial-onset) seizures were randomized 2:1 to ESL 1600 or 1200 mg once daily. The primary efficacy endpoint was study exit (meeting predefined exit criteria related to worsening seizure control) versus an historical control group. Other endpoints included change in seizure frequency, responder rate, …

Effects Of Adjunctive Eslicarbazepine Acetate On Serum Lipids In Patients With Partial-Onset Seizures: Impact Of Concomitant Statins And Enzyme-Inducing Antiepileptic Drugs., Scott Mintzer, Robert T. Wechsler, Joanne B. Rogin, Barry E. Gidal, Matthias Schwab, Elinor Ben-Menachem, Mar Carreño, Patrício Soares Da Silva, Joana Moreira, Yan Li, David Blum, Todd Grinnell

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) on lipid metabolism and to determine whether reduced statin exposure during ESL therapy has clinical consequences.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of pooled data for serum lipids (laboratory values) from three phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of adjunctive ESL therapy (400, 800, or 1200 mg once daily) in patients with treatment-refractory partial-onset seizures. Changes from baseline in serum lipid levels were analyzed according to use of statins and/or enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs) during the baseline period.

KEY FINDINGS: In total, 426 and 1021 placebo- and ESL-treated …

Phosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor Of The Nasal Cavity: Clinicopathologic Correlation Is Essential For Diagnosis, Aidan Kerr, Ryan Rimmer, Marc Rosen, James J. Evans, Madalina Tuluc, Stacey K. Mardekian

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) is a rare neoplasm in which the tumor cells produce fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), leading to oncogenic osteomalacia and thus a distinct clinical presentation. However, the pathologic findings of PMT are often non-specific and variable, especially in tumors occurring in the head and neck. We present a case of a 66-year-old female who presented with osteomalacia-related symptoms and was found to have a nasal cavity mass. Histopathologic examination was suggestive of PMT but certain characteristic features were lacking, requiring confirmation of the diagnosis by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) assay for FGF23 mRNA. The patient's …

Migraine And Vascular Disease Biomarkers: A Population-Based Case-Control Study., Gretchen E. Tietjen, Jagdish Khubchandani, Nabeel Herial, Inge H. Palm-Meinders, Hille Koppen, Gisela M. Terwindt, Mark A. Van Buchem, Lenore J. Launer, Michel D. Ferrari, Mark C. Kruit

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Background The underpinnings of the migraine-stroke association remain uncertain, but endothelial activation is a potential mechanism. We evaluated the association of migraine and vascular disease biomarkers in a community-based population. Methods Participants (300 women, 117 men) were recruited as a part of the Dutch CAMERA 1 (Cerebral Abnormalities in Migraine, an Epidemiologic Risk Analysis) study. Participants were aged 30-60 (mean 48) years, 155 migraine had with aura (MA), 128 migraine without aura (MO), and 134 were controls with no severe headaches. Plasma concentrations of fibrinogen, Factor II, D-dimer, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and von Willebrand factor antigen were compared …

Cigarette Smoke Initiates Oxidative Stress-Induced Cellular Phenotypic Modulation Leading To Cerebral Aneurysm Pathogenesis., Robert M. Starke, John W. Thompson, Muhammad S. Ali, Crissey L. Pascale, Alejandra Martinez Lege, Dale Ding, Nohra Chalouhi, David M. Hasan, Pascal Jabbour, Gary K Owens, Michal Toborek, Joshua M. Hare, Aaron S. Dumont

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Cigarette smoke exposure (CSE) is a risk factor for cerebral aneurysm (CA) formation, but the molecular mechanisms are unclear. Although CSE is known to contribute to excess reactive oxygen species generation, the role of oxidative stress on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic modulation and pathogenesis of CAs is unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate whether CSE activates a NOX (NADPH oxidase)-dependent pathway leading to VSMC phenotypic modulation and CA formation and rupture.

APPROACH AND RESULTS: In cultured cerebral VSMCs, CSE increased expression of NOX1 and reactive oxygen species which preceded upregulation of proinflammatory/matrix remodeling genes …

The Advocacy Role Of The World Federation Of Neurology, Wolfgang Grisold, Mohammad Wasay

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

Acute Onset Of Quadriplegia Secondary To Hypoparathyroidism: Mimicker Of Aman Variant Of Gbs, Syeda Saba Zaidi, Tahira Siddiqui, Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui

Section of Neurology

Acute onset of quadriplegia is a rare phenomenon seen with hypocalcemia due to hypoparathyroidism. We describe a 33-year gentleman who presented with weakness of all four limbs and areflexia. ECG showed QT abnormality. Nerve conduction study revealed normal sensory and significantly low motor CMAP amplitudes in both the upper and lower extremities. This nerve conduction study can be seen in acute motor neuropathy of various etiologies, among which GBS is the most worrisome. Our patient found to have low calcium and parathyroid hormone level. His symptoms improved after calcium replacement. Occurrence of quadriplegia in hypoparathyroidism, and its improvement after correction …

Preparation Of Acute Brain Slices Using An Optimized N-Methyl-D-Glucamine Protective Recovery Method., Jonathan T Ting, Brian R Lee, Peter Chong, Gilberto Soler-Llavina, Charles Cobbs, Christof Koch, Hongkui Zeng, Ed Lein

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

This protocol is a practical guide to the N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) protective recovery method of brain slice preparation. Numerous recent studies have validated the utility of this method for enhancing neuronal preservation and overall brain slice viability. The implementation of this technique by early adopters has facilitated detailed investigations into brain function using diverse experimental applications and spanning a wide range of animal ages, brain regions, and cell types. Steps are outlined for carrying out the protective recovery brain slice technique using an optimized NMDG artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) media formulation and enhanced procedure to reliably obtain healthy brain slices for …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Patients With Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures, Andrew Brown

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Goldstein L., Chalder T., et al. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: A pilot RCT. Neurology. 2010;74(24):1986-1994. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181e39658