Neurology Commons^™

Progressive Cognitive Deficit, Motor Impairment And Striatal Pathology In A Transgenic Huntington Disease Monkey Model From Infancy To Adulthood, Anthony W. S. Chan, Jie Jiang, Yiju Chen, Chunxia Li, Melinda S. Prucha, Yijuan Hu, Tim Chi, Sean Moran, Tayeb Rahim, Shihua Li, Xiaojiang Li, Stuart M. Zola, Claudia M. Testa, Hui Mao, Rosa Villalba, Yoland Smith, Xiaodong Zhang, Jocelyne Bachevalier

Neurology Publications

One of the roadblocks to developing effective therapeutics for Huntington disease (HD) is the lack of animal models that develop progressive clinical traits comparable to those seen in patients. Here we report a longitudinal study that encompasses cognitive and motor assessment, and neuroimaging of a group of transgenic HD and control monkeys from infancy to adulthood. Along with progressive cognitive and motor impairment, neuroimaging revealed a progressive reduction in striatal volume. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 48 months of age revealed a decrease of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), further suggesting neuronal damage/loss in the striatum. Postmortem neuropathological analyses revealed significant neuronal loss in …

In A Right State Of Mind: An Analysis Of Cognitive And Linguistic Function Following A Rare Case Of Atypical Language Dominance In Aphasia, Emily Manton

Undergraduate Review

As the foundation for effective communication, the power of the human brain to create and execute language derives from the ability of its structural components to remain intact. Extensive research has found that in 97% of people worldwide, language is typically carried out by the left hemisphere of the brain. Research for lesions in this area therefore, have been well documented. For the 3% of individuals who fall in the category of "atypical cerebral dominance" however, there is little in the available literature. Therefore, this empirical prospective case study sought to document the cognitive and linguistic functions of a 59 …

A Dietary Intervention For Chronic Diabetic Neuropathy Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study, A. E. Bunner, C. L. Wells, J. Gonzales, U. Agarwal, Elham Bayat, Neal D. Barnard

Neurology Faculty Publications

Background:

Diabetic neuropathy is a common and often debilitating condition for which available treatments are limited. Because a low-fat plant-based diet has been shown to improve glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes, we hypothesized that such a diet would reduce painful symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

Methods:

In this 20-week pilot study, individuals with type 2 diabetes and painful diabetic neuropathy were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group was asked to follow a low-fat, plant-based diet, with weekly classes for support in following the prescribed diet, and to take a vitamin B12 supplement. The control group was …

Effect Of Cold Plasma On Glial Cell Morphology Studied By Atomic Force Microscopy., Nina Recek, Xiaoqian Cheng, Michael Keidar, Uros Cvelbar, Alenka Vesel, Miran Mozetic, Jonathan Sherman

Neurological Surgery Faculty Publications

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is broadly used to study the morphology of cells. The morphological characteristics and differences of the cell membrane between normal human astrocytes and glial tumor cells are not well explored. Following treatment with cold atmospheric plasma, evaluation of the selective effect of plasma on cell viability of tumor cells is poorly understood and requires further evaluation. Using AFM we imaged morphology of glial cells before and after cold atmospheric plasma treatment. To look more closely at the effect of plasma on cell membrane, high resolution imaging was used. We report the differences between normal human …

Genetic Modifiers Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy And Dilated Cardiomyopathy., Andrea Barp, Luca Bello, Luisa Politano, Paola Melacini, Chiara Calore, Eric P. Hoffman, +16 Additional Authors

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major complication and leading cause of death in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DCM onset is variable, suggesting modifier effects of genetic or environmental factors. We aimed to determine if polymorphisms previously associated with age at loss of independent ambulation (LoA) in DMD (rs28357094 in the SPP1 promoter, rs10880 and the VTTT/IAAM haplotype in LTBP4) also modify DCM onset.

METHODS: A multicentric cohort of 178 DMD patients was genotyped by TaqMan assays. We performed a time-to-event analysis of DCM onset, with age as time variable, and finding of left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% and/or end diastolic volume > 70 mL/m2 as …

Cervical Instability In Klippel-Feil Syndrome: Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Aaron Wessell, Peter Derosa, Abraham Cherrick, Jonathan H. Sherman

Neurological Surgery Faculty Publications

Background

The authors present a case of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy in the setting of multiple Klippel-Feil syndrome abnormalities treated surgically with a single-level C3–C4 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. We discuss the clinical presentation, radiographic findings, and various treatment options for cervical spine abnormalities in Klippel-Feil syndrome.

Case Presentation

This 22-year-old female with Klippel-Feil syndrome presented with intermittent neck pain, left upper extremity weakness, and paresthesias. Preoperative MRI, CT, and X-rays of the cervical spine revealed anterolisthesis at C3/4 with unstable movement on flexion and extension imaging. In addition, there were multiple segmental fusion abnormalities including hemivertebrae and other …

Levetiracetam-Induced Pancytopenia., Talal Alzahrani, Dana Kay, Saeed A. Alqahtani, Yamane Makke, Linda Lesky, Mohamad Z. Koubeissi

Neurology Faculty Publications

Pancytopenia is a rare side effect of levetiracetam (LEV) that is associated with severe morbidity that requires hospitalization. Here, we report a patient with a right temporoparietal tumor who underwent a temporal craniotomy with resection of the mass and was started on LEV for seizure prophylaxis per the neurosurgery local protocol. The patient developed LEV-induced pancytopenia, which was successfully managed by discontinuation of this medication. Our report aims to increase awareness of this rare cause of pancytopenia among clinicians.

Adar1 Facilitates Hiv-1 Replication In Primary Cd4+ T Cells., Eloy Cuadrado, Thijs Booiman, John L Van Hamme, Machiel H Jansen, Karel A Van Dort, Adeline Vanderver, Gillian I Rice, Yanick J Crow, Neeltje A Kootstra, Taco W Kuijpers

Neurology Faculty Publications

Unlike resting CD4+ T cells, activated CD4+T cells are highly susceptible to infection of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 infects T cells and macrophages without activating the nucleic acid sensors and the anti-viral type I interferon response. Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) is an RNA editing enzyme that displays antiviral activity against several RNA viruses. Mutations in ADAR1 cause the autoimmune disorder Aicardi-Goutieères syndrome (AGS). This disease is characterized by an inappropriate activation of the interferon-stimulated gene response. Here we show that HIV-1 replication, in ADAR1-deficient CD4+T lymphocytes from AGS patients, is blocked at the level of …

Mitral Subvalvular Aneurysm In A Patient With Chagas Disease And Recurrent Episodes Of Ventricular Tachycardia., Tereza Augusta Grillo, Guilherme Rafael S Athayde, Ana Flávia L Belfort, Reynaldo C Miranda, Andrea Z. Beaton, Bruno R Nascimento

Neurology Faculty Publications

Subvalvular left ventricular aneurysm is a rare disease of obscure origin suggesting unique causes such as congenital, traumatic, and inflammatory or infectious diseases. Its mortality is closely related to heart failure, mitral insufficiency, thromboembolic phenomena, and cardiac arrhythmias. Although association with coronary artery disease is not described, the compression of epicardial vessels by the aneurysm may lead to ischemic manifestations. We report here a case of mitral subvalvular left ventricular aneurysm of probable chagasic origin, in a patient with normal left ventricular function evolving with repeated episodes of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, despite noninducible electrophysiological testing and the use of optimal …

Impacts Of Signal Free Corridors On The Incidence Of Road Traffic Accidents In Karachi, Salman Zubair, Jamil H. Kazm, Syed Shahid Ali, Rashid Jooma, Zeeshan Akhtar

Section of Neurosurgery

Increase in road Traffic Accidents is a global phenomenon and Pakistan is no exception. In Karachi, this problem becomes severe due to rapid growth of population. This menace is ruining the lives of thousands of people and making Karachi a worrisome place to live. Recent road geometrical transitions in the city with insufficient accessories have been reducing the problem of traffic congestion to a limited extent. On the contrary, this has erupted as a problem of Road Traffic Accidents which is reaching out of proportions. Recently, induction of a unique feature named, Signal Free Corridor in Karachi has cost many …

Neuronal Migration: How Do You Build A Brain?, Sravya Uppalapati

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Senior biology major Alex Burkard is working in the Walsh Neurodevelopment Laboratory at VCU to help answer the question, ‘How do you build a brain?’ Burkard is researching neuronal migration in Zebrafish and how cellular polarity affects hindbrain development.

An Analysis Of Cognitive Factors In School-Aged Children With Emotional Disturbance And Adhd Using The Wisc-Iv, Maria Fragnito Maddalo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Children with Emotional Disturbance and ADHD demonstrate social, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that present many challenges for School Psychologists because of differences between each student’s individual needs. A high level of comorbidity exists for these children with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Little is known about neurocognitive factors as they relate to ED versus ADHD. The current study examined the cognitive profiles of a total of 58 children with ED versus ADHD, using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). Index scores that were examined included Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed. The groups were compared …

Polio Eradication And Health Systems In Karachi: Vaccine Refusals In Context, Svea Closser, Rashid Jooma, Emma Varley, Naina Qayyum, Sonia Rodrigues, Akasha Sarwar, Patricia Omidian

Section of Neurosurgery

Community and health worker engagement will be key to polio eradication in Karachi, Pakistan. In this study, the authors conducted participant observation, interviews, and a document review in SITE Town, Karachi, an area that in recent years has harbored poliovirus. SITE’s diverse population includes large numbers of internally displaced persons who are disproportionately affected by polio and are more likely than other populations to refuse the polio vaccine. Vaccine acceptance and worker motivation in SITE Town were shaped by the discrepancy in funding and attention for polio eradication campaigns as compared with routine services. Parental vaccine refusals stemmed from a …

Anti-Nmda Receptor Encephalitis In A Patient With Previous Psychosis And Neurological Abnormalities: A Diagnostic Challenge, R. David Heekin, Maria C. Catalano, Alfred T. Frontera, Glenn Catalano

Neurology Faculty Publications

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by IgG autoantibodies directed against the NR1 subunit of the NMDA glutamate receptor. Psychiatric symptoms are common and include psychosis, mania, depressed mood, aggression, and speech abnormalities. Neurological symptoms such as seizures, decreased responsiveness, dyskinesias, and other movement abnormalities and/or autonomic instability are frequently seen as well. We present the case of a woman who was followed up at our facility for over 14 years for the treatment of multiple neuropsychiatric symptoms. Initially, she presented with paresthesias, memory loss, and manic symptoms. Nine years later, she presented to our facility again, …

Frataxin Levels In Peripheral Tissue In Friedreich Ataxia, Michael Lazaropoulos, Yina Dong, Elisia Clark, Nathaniel R. Greeley, Lauren A. Seyer, Karlla W. Brigatti, Carlton Christie, Susan L. Perlman, George R. Wilmot, Christoper M. Gomez, Katherine D. Mathews, Grace Yoon, Theresa Zesiewicz, Chad Hoyle, Sub H. Subramony, Alicia F. Brocht, Jennifer M. Farmer, Robert B. Wilson, Eric C. Deutsch, David R. Lynch

Neurology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated With Streptococcal Infection Antibiotic Prophylaxis Treatment Compared With Alternative Treatment Options, Heather Watkins

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders associated with Streptococcal Infection, known as PANDAS, is a clinical diagnosis made after a child develops Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and/or ticks after a Streptococcal Pharyngitis. Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders associated with Streptococcal Infection is diagnosed in children 3 years of age until 14 years of age. The purpose of this study is to determine if antibiotics versus selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with cognitive behavior therapy versus prophylaxis with antibiotics should be used in the treatment of children who develops PANDAS. The review of literature will explore studies that compare current treatment options with new research …

Alzheimer's Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers Are Not Influenced By Gravity Drip Or Aspiration Extraction Methodology, Alan Rembach, Lisbeth A. Evered, Qiao-Xin Li, Tabitha Nash, Lesley Vidaurre, Christopher J. Fowler, Kelly K. Pertile, Rebecca L. Rumble, Brett O. Trounson, Sarah Maher, Francis Mooney, Maree Farrow, Kevin Taddei, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Simon Laws, S. Lance Macaulay, William Wilson, David G. Darby, Ralph N. Martins, David Ames, Steven Collins, Brendon Silbert, Colin L. Masters, James D. Doecke

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, although of established utility in the diagnostic evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are known to be sensitive to variation based on pre-analytical sample processing. We assessed whether gravity droplet collection versus syringe aspiration was another factor influencing CSF biomarker analyte concentrations and reproducibility. Methods Standardized lumbar puncture using small calibre atraumatic spinal needles and CSF collection using gravity fed collection followed by syringe aspirated extraction was performed in a sample of elderly individuals participating in a large long-term observational research trial. Analyte assay concentrations were compared. Results For the 44 total paired samples of gravity …

Amyloid-Related Memory Decline In Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease In Dependent On Apoe Ε4 And Is Detectable Over 18-Months, Christine Thai, Yen Ying Lim, Victor L. Villemagne, Simon Laws, David Ames, Kathryn A. Ellis, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Ralph Martins, Colin L. Masters, Christopher C. Rowe, Paul Maruff, Australian Imaging, Biomarkers And Lifestyle (Aibl) Research Group

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

High levels of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the brain and carriage of the APOE ε4 allele have each been linked to cognitive impairment in cognitively normal (CN) older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cerebral Aβ level, APOE ε4 carrier status, and cognitive decline over 18 monthes, in 317 cognitively healthy (CN) older adults (47% males, 52.4% females) aged between 60 and 89 years (Mean = 69.9, SC = 6.8). Cognition was assessed using the Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB) and the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II). Planned comparisons indicated that CN older adults …

Extensive And Persistent Disruption Of Neurovascular Coupling By A Single Cerebral Microinfarct, Philipp Mcconnell Summers

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Cerebral microinfarcts (CMI), microscopic brain lesions caused by blockade of small blood vessels, have recently emerged as a potential determinant of cognitive decline. Though small in size, our recent work demonstrated that a single, strategically placed CMI was sufficient to disrupt sensory input in a behavioral task. However, the means by which such small lesions disrupt brain function remain poorly understood. We imaged vascular function in awake, head-fixed mice using two-photon microscopy to examine the impact of CMI on neurovascular coupling. CMI were generated in cortex by photothrombotic occlusion of single penetrating vessels through a thinned-skull cranial window. Vibrissa-evoked dilation …

Morphometric Analysis Of Left & Right Tonsils In Adult Symptomatic Type 1 Chiari Patients And Healthy Controls, Louis J. Konstan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Historically, CMI has been radiographically defined by cerebellar tonsillar descent below the foramen magnum (FM) more than 5 mm (2). This measurement is typically made with a single sagittal plane T1-or T2-weighted MR image. Studies have obtained additional morphometric measurements to help diagnose CMI, and establish normal values (3,4). These studies were somewhat These studies were somewhat successful in differentiating CMI patients from healthy subjects. However, results from these studies have shown that the standard TD measurement does not necessarily correlate with neurological symptom severity as patients with CMI-like symptoms have been found with a TD of less than 5 …