Neurology Commons^™

Positive Clinical Neuroscience: Explorations In Positive Neurology, N. Kapur, J. Cole, T. Manly, Indre Viskontas, A. Ninteman, L. Hasher, A. Pascual-Leone

Psychology

Disorders of the brain and its sensory organs have traditionally been associated with deficits in movement, perception, cognition, emotion, and behavior. It is increasingly evident, however, that positive phenomena may also occur in such conditions, with implications for the individual, science, medicine, and for society. This article provides a selective review of such positive phenomena – enhanced function after brain lesions, better-than-normal performance in people with sensory loss, creativity associated with neurological disease, and enhanced performance associated with aging. We propose that, akin to the well-established field of positive psychology and the emerging field of positive clinical psychology, the nascent …

Interactions Between Estradiol, Bdnf And Dendritic Spines In Promoting Memory., V. Luine, M. Frankfurt

Journal Articles

Several lines of evidence have converged to indicate that memory formation involves plasticity of dendritic spines in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus. Memory varies with estrogen levels throughout the lifespan of the female. Generally, increased levels of estrogen are related to greater dendritic spine density on pyramidal cells in the PFC and the hippocampus and to improved memory function. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor which increases dendritic spines and enhances memory function. Estrogens increase BDNF levels in the PFC and the hippocampus. In the present review we provide evidence that estradiol and BDNF may …

Metabolic Causes Of Epileptic Encephalopathy, Joe Yuezhou Yu, Phillip L. Pearl

Neurology Faculty Publications

Epileptic encephalopathy can be induced by inborn metabolic defects that may be rare individually but in aggregate represent a substantial clinical portion of child neurology. These may present with various epilepsy phenotypes including refractory neonatal seizures, early myoclonic encephalopathy, early infantile epileptic encephalopathy, infantile spasms, and generalized epilepsies which in particular include myoclonic seizures. There are varying degrees of treatability, but the outcome if untreated can often be catastrophic. The importance of early recognition cannot be overemphasized. This paper provides an overview of inborn metabolic errors associated with persistent brain disturbances due to highly active clinical or electrographic ictal activity. …

Imaging Findings Associated With Cognitive Performance In Primary Lateral Sclerosis And Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Avner Meoded, Justin Y. Kwan, Tracy L. Peters, Edward D. Huey, Laura E. Danielian, Edythe Wiggs, Arthur Morrissette, Tianxia Wu, James W. Russell, Elham Bayat, Jordan Grafman, Mary Kay Floeter

Neurology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Executive dysfunction occurs in many patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but it has not been well studied in primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). The aims of this study were to (1) compare cognitive function in PLS to that in ALS patients, (2) explore the relationship between performance on specific cognitive tests and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of white matter tracts and gray matter volumes, and (3) compare DTI metrics in patients with and without cognitive and behavioral changes.

Methods: The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS-2), and other behavior and mood scales were …

Nocturnal Diaphoresis Secondary To Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea In A Patient With A History Of Two Malignancies, Robert Daniel Vorona, Mariana Szklo-Coxe, Mark Fleming, J. Catesby Ware

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Numerous medical disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, may cause nocturnal diaphoresis. Previous work has associated severe obstructive sleep apnea with nocturnal diaphoresis. This case report is of import as our patient with severe nocturnal diaphoresis manifested only mild sleep apnea, and, for years, his nocturnal diaphoresis was ascribed to other causes, i.e., first prostate cancer and then follicular B-cell lymphoma. Additionally, it was the nocturnal diaphoresis and not more common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, such as snoring, that led to the definitive diagnosis of his sleep apnea and then to treatment with a gratifying resolution of his onerous symptom.

Middle Ear Myoclonus: Two Informative Cases And A Systematic Discussion Of Myogenic Tinnitus, Aviva Ellenstein, Nadia Yusuf, Mark Hallett

Neurology Faculty Publications

Background: The term middle ear myoclonus (MEM) has been invoked to explain symptoms of tinnitus presumably caused by the dysfunctional movement of either of the two muscles that insert in the middle ear: tensor tympani and stapedius. MEM has been characterized through heterogeneous case reports in the otolaryngology literature, where clinical presentation is variable, phenomenology is scarcely described, the pathogenic muscle is usually not specified, natural history is unknown, and the presumptive definitive treatment, tensor tympani or stapedius tendon lysis, is inconsistently effective. It is not surprising that no unique acoustogenic mechanism or pathophysiologic process has been identified to explain …

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Can We Rest Now?, Aamir Abbas, Haider A. Naqvi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Generalized anxiety disorder is a complex psychiatric syndrome. Current understanding on the epidemiological risk factors, genetic vulnerability and neurobiology of the GAD is beginning to unfold the complexities behind this disorder. This narrative review has attempted to put together the recent advances in the area of GAD research with intent to identify the gaps requiring further research.

Novel Use Of An Ultrasonic Bone-Cutting Device For Endoscopic-Assisted Craniosynostosis Surgery, Chaichana Kl, Jallo Gi, Dorafshar Ah, Ahn Es

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Endoscopic-assisted craniosynostosis surgery is associated with less blood loss and shorter operative times as compared to open surgery. However, in infants who have low circulating blood volumes, the endoscopic approach is still associated with significant blood loss. A major source of blood loss is the bone that is cut during surgery. We discuss the novel use of an ultrasonic bone-cutting device for craniosynostosis surgery, which decreases bone bleeding. This device, which has primarily only been used for spine and skull base surgery, may help reduce blood loss in these infants.

20th Annual Meeting Of Pakistan Society Of Neurology Bhurban, Islamabad April 2013, Aftab Leghari, Hazim Brohi

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

: Stroke is a major preventable public health challenge. Diabetic patients constitute a fair percentage of patients with stroke. Numerous epidemiological studies in the United States and Europe suggest that one fifth of stroke patients have diabetes.We evaluate the risk factors leading to stroke in Diabetic patients

Hippocampal Neurogenesis And The Brain Repair Response To Brief Stereotaxic Insertion Of A Microneedle, Shijie Song, Shuojing Song, Chuanhai Cao, Xiaoyang Lin, Kunyu Li, Vasyl Sava, Juan Sanchez-Ramos

Neurology Faculty Publications

We tested the hypothesis that transient microinjury to the brain elicits cellular and humoral responses that stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis. Brief stereotaxic insertion and removal of a microneedle into the right hippocampus resulted in (a) significantly increased expression of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), the chemokine MIP-1a, and the proinflammatory cytokine IL12p40; (b) pronounced activation of microglia and astrocytes; and (c) increase in hippocampal neurogenesis. This study describes immediate and early humoral and cellular mechanisms of the brain’s response to microinjury that will be useful for the investigation of potential neuroprotective and deleterious effects of deep brain stimulation in various neuropsychiatric disorders.

Tracking Transplanted Bone Marrow Stem Cells And Their Effects In The Rat Mcao Stroke Model., Gregory V Goldmacher, Rena Nasser, Daniel Y Lee, Sargon Yigit, Robert Rosenwasser, Lorraine Iacovitti

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

In this study, rat bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) were tracked after IV administration to rats with experimental stroke caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). In addition, the effects of BMSC treatment on blood cell composition, brain glia and sensorimotor behavior was studied and compared to that which occurred spontaneously during the normal recovery process after stroke. We found that the vast majority of radiolabeled or fluorescently labeled BMSCs traveled to and remained in peripheral organs (lungs, spleen, liver) 3 days after IV injection in the MCAO rat. Once in the circulation, BMSCs also produced rapid alterations in …

Impairment Of Trkb-Psd-95 Signaling In Angelman Syndrome, Cong Cao, Mengia S. Rioult-Pedotti, Paolo Migani, Crystal J. Yu, Rakesh Tiwari, Keykavous Parang, Mark R. Spaller, Dennis J. Goebel, John Marshall

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by severe cognitive impairment and a high rate of autism. AS is caused by disrupted neuronal expression of the maternally inherited Ube3A ubiquitin protein ligase, required for the proteasomal degradation of proteins implicated in synaptic plasticity, such as the activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc/Arg3.1). Mice deficient in maternal Ube3A express elevated levels of Arc in response to synaptic activity, which coincides with severely impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus and deficits in learning behaviors. In this study, we sought to test whether elevated levels of Arc interfere with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) …

What Are The New Therapeutic Alternatives To Warfarin In Atrial Fibrillation?, Syed Habibullah Kamran, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Syeda Maria Muzammil

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Aβ Alters The Dna Methylation Status Of Cell-Fate Genes In An Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Gary D. Isaacs, Noor Taher, Courtney Mckenzie, Rebecca Garrett, Matthew Baker, Nena Fox

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by neurofibrillary tangles and extracellular amyloid-β plaques (Aβ). Despite ongoing research, some ambiguity remains surrounding the role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease. While several studies have focused on the mutations associated with AD, our understanding of the epigenetic contributions to the disease remains less clear. To that end, we determined the changes in DNA methylation in differentiated human neurons with and without Aβ treatment. We isolated the DNA from neurons treated with Aβ or vehicle, and digested the two samples with either a methylation-sensitive (HpaII) or a methylation-insensitive (MspI) restriction endonuclease. …

Analysis Of Autophagy And Inflammasome Regulation In Neuronal Cells And Monocytes Infected With Chlamydia Pneumoniae: Implications For Alzheimer’S Disease, Brian J. Balin, Christine J. Hammond, Juliana Zoga, Ahmad B. Cader, Annette K. Slutter, Jonathan M. Anzman, Ian Kohler, Susan T. Hingley, Denah M. Appelt

Scholarly Posters

Objectives: Our laboratory has been studying the role of infection with the obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae in sporadic late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD). This infection may be a trigger for the pathology observed in LOAD as a function of initiating changes in gene regulation following entry of the organism into the brain. As such, we are analyzing how this infection can promote changes in autophagy and inflammasome gene regulation as both have been shown to be altered in LOAD. Methods: Human SKNMC neuronal cells and THP1 monocytes were infected in vitro for 24-72 hrs with a laboratory strain of Chlamydia …

Targeting And Killing Of Glioblastoma With Activated T Cells Armed With Bispecific Antibodies, Ian M. Zitron, Archana Thakur, Oxana Norkina, Geoffrey R. Barger, Lawrence G. Lum, Sandeep Mittal

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Since most glioblastomas express both wild-type EGFR and EGFRvIII as well as HER2/neu, they are excellent targets for activated T cells (ATC) armed with bispecific antibodies (BiAbs) that target EGFR and HER2.

Methods

ATC were generated from PBMC activated for 14 days with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody in the presence of interleukin-2 and armed with chemically heteroconjugated anti-CD3×anti-HER2/neu (HER2Bi) and/or anti-CD3×anti-EGFR (EGFRBi). HER2Bi- and/or EGFRBi-armed ATC were examined for in vitro cytotoxicity using MTT and ⁵¹Cr-release assays against malignant glioma lines (U87MG, U118MG, and U251MG) and primary glioblastoma lines.

Results

EGFRBi-armed ATC killed up to 85% of U87, …

Decreased Neuroinflammation And Increased Brain Energy Homeostasis Following Environmental Enrichment After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Is Associated With Improvement In Cognitive Function, Teresita L. Briones, Julie Woods, Magdalena Rogozinska

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Persistent neuroinflammation and disruptions in brain energy metabolism is commonly seen in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Because of the lack of success of most TBI interventions and the documented benefits of environmental enrichment (EE) in enhancing brain plasticity, here we focused our study on use of EE in regulating injury-induced neuroinflammation and disruptions in energy metabolism in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Adult male Wistar rats were used in the study and randomly assigned to receive either: mild TBI (mTBI) using the controlled cortical injury model or sham surgery. Following surgery, rats from each group were further randomized …

Glue Sniffing Neuropathy And Review Of Literature, Hazim Brohi, Al Amri A. Saeed, Osamma Shams, Al Jundi E Ziad, Alreshi M Noauf, Abualela Handi, Khotani Amal, Babakkor Mohammed

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Glue sniffing neuropathy commonly known as n-hexane neuropathy. It is well documented that industrial exposure to n-hexane causes neuropathy, however it is less well recognized that inhalation of n-hexane present in the vapors can also cause neuropathy However such patients are not seen that frequently. The acute worsening also generates differential diagnosis of GBS. Most of literature is reported from west .We report such case for the first time from Saudi Arabia. A 35 year old male presented to us with progressive numbness followed by weakness in both legs since last three weeks. Over next two week he became chair …

What Diabetics Know About Diabetes?, Hazim Brohi, Aftab Ahmed Laghari, Shahid A Mirza, Arif Memon, Johar Khanzada, Tooba Rehman

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Patient’s lack of understanding of disease hinders in proper control of disease thus increasing the morbidity and mortality. Review of the studies done in this region, dose not provide a detail account of patients understanding about the disease. Majority of patients when interviewed in clinics do not know the right answer to cause, level of desired sugar, possible complication. Material and methods: Hospital-based cross-sectional KAP study was conducted on diabetic patients visiting the diabetic clinic in two tertiary care Hospitals and a diabetic poly clinic in different areas of Karachi during the month of September 2012. Results: The mean age …

Not All Asymptomatic Carotid Plaques Are Equal: Some Require Intervention, Iram Naz

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Ischemic stroke represents a major health hazard around the world, which has a severe impact on society and the health-care systems. Roughly, 15% of all strokes can be attributed to significant atherosclerotic disease of the carotid arteries. Some patients presenting with disabling strokes for the first time cannot benefit from carotid revascularization having lost the opportunity of prevention. We know that all symptomatic patients were once asymptomatic. Hence, after identifying high risk carotid plaques and patient’s characteristics suitable for interventions, they should be offered carotid revascularization at specialized centers (with low perioperative stroke and death rates) to prevent stroke and …