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Background: The heightened risk of dementia resulting from multiple comorbid conditions calls for innovative strategies. Engaging in physical and cognitive activities emerges as a protective measure against cognitive decline. This protocol aims to discuss a multidomain intervention targeting individuals with dementias secondary to cerebrovascular or other medical diseases, emphasizing an often underrepresented demographic. Methods: This study primary objectives are: a) to identify patients affected by Neurocognitive disorder due to vascular disease or multiple etiologies (screening and diagnostic phase) and b) to evaluate the effectiveness of distinct rehabilitation protocols (intervention phase): motor training alone, paper-based cognitive rehabilitation combined with motor training, digital-based cognitive rehabilitation coupled with motor training. Discussion: Identifying cognitive impairment beyond rigid neurological contexts can facilitate timely and targeted interventions. This protocol strives to address the complex interplay of cognitive decline and comorbidities through a multidimensional approach, providing insights that can shape future interventions and enhancing overall well-being in this vulnerable population. Trial registration: The study has been registered on July 13, 2023 with the ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05954741 registration number (https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05954741). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of neutral hypnosis and hypnotic temperature suggestions in thermal and pain thresholds compared to resting state. Sixteen healthy medium or high hypnotizable volunteers were enrolled. Hypnotizability was assessed with the Hypnotic Induction Profile (HIP); QST was checked in resting state, in neutral hypnosis, after suggestions of heat and cold, and after deinduction. A significant increase in heat threshold was recorded during hypnosis with both cold and heat suggestions compared to neutral hypnosis. HIP induction score showed a linear correlation with changes of temperature thresholds after heat and cold suggestions. Thermal suggestions may result in a significant increase of heat perception thresholds with respect to neutral hypnosis. HIP score is related to thermal threshold changes. QST is a valuable and manageable tool to measure temperature threshold change during hypnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case presentation describes a 47-year-old woman who developed complex regional pain syndrome type II with severe neuropathic pain following iatrogenic transection of the tibial nerve at the ankle. The pain and disability progressively worsened over time, markedly impaired ambulation, and were not relieved despite various analgesic treatments. After injection of botulinum toxin (abobotulinumtoxinA, BoNT-A) in the leg muscles the tendons of which pass through the tarsal tunnel (together with the tibial nerve), her pain decreased and her walking capacity improved. This case suggests a new therapeutic role for botulin toxin in treating peripheral neuropathic pain caused by movement-evoked ectopic potentials. Level of Evidence V [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of endocrine systems in chronic pain mechanisms is slowly getting increasing experimental and clinical consideration. Many painful conditions appear to be directly and/or indirectly induced, reduced or, in some cases, modulated by hormones. We have done much work in trying to understand the relationship between hormones and pain, with particular attention to the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. To expand our knowledge of this field, we have directed our attention to another axis, the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT). The literature on thyroid functions is vast but very few studies have focused on the HPT axis and pain. The few available data are considered in the present review to stimulate interest in the possible interactions between the HPT axis and pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) patients suffer from tactile allodynia (pain evoked by lightly touching the skin) and it is frequently the dominant clinical manifestation. The pathophysiology of tactile allodynia in PHN patients is poorly understood and this is one of the major limits to the development of appropriate therapies. Epidermal nerve fibres (ENFs) are free nerve endings of small-diameter A-delta and C primary afferents, which can easily be assessed by neurodiagnostic skin biopsy (NSB). The aim of this study was to establish the correlation between the residual epidermal innervation of the allodynic skin and the intensity of tactile allodynia in that area. Twenty-five patients (13 males and 12 females) with PHN were enrolled. Eighteen patients had PHN in the thoracic dermatome, four in the cervical, two in the trigeminal and one in the lumbar. The severity of allodynia evoked by a paintbrush was graded according to an eleven-point numerical scale. A skin biopsy was obtained from the maximal allodynia area and from the contralateral skin. Nerve fibres were labelled with indirect immunofluorescence. Results showed that epidermal innervation was lower in the allodynic skin than in the contralateral skin, although there was great variability among patients. There was no correlation between severity of allodynia and epidermal innervation of the PHN skin. In conclusion, the present study further indicates peripheral nervous system involvement in PHN but does not support a direct correlation between epidermal innervation changes and tactile allodynia. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 934-938, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertebral fractures often cause intractable pain. To define the involvement of vertebral body innervation in pain, we collected specimens from male and female patients during percutaneous kyphoplasty, a procedure used for reconstruction of the vertebral body. Specimens were taken from 31 patients (9 men and 22 women) suffering high-intensity pain before surgery. In total, 1,876 histological preparations were obtained and analysed. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to locate the nerves in the specimens. The nerve fibres were labelled by indirect immunofluorescence with the primary antibody directed against Protein Gene Product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), a pan-neuronal marker; another primary antibody directed against type IV collagen (Col IV) was used to identify vessels and to determine their relationship with vertebral nerve fibres. The mean percentage of samples in which it was possible to identify nerve fibres was 35% in men and 29% in women. The percentages varied depending on the spinal level considered and the sex of the subject, nerve fibres being mostly present around vessels (95%). In conclusion, there is scarce innervation of the vertebral bodies, with a clear prevalence of fibres located around vessels. It seems unlikely that this pattern of vertebral body innervation is involved in vertebral pain or in pain relief following kyphoplasty. J. Cell. Physiol. 222: 488–491, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

— In the present study, we investigated the frequency of polyneuropathy in a sample of 296 alcoholics who were admitted to the ‘S. Maugeri’ Medical Centre for detoxification from October 1997 to November 1999. Results revealed a high frequency of polyneuropathy in the sample under study. The disorder was often clinically asymptomatic and demonstrable only on electroneurographic investigation. Significant correlations were found between polyneuropathy, the duration of alcoholism, the type of alcoholic beverage consumed (wine) and the presence of liver disease and macrocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case presentation describes a 47-year-old woman who developed complex regional pain syndrome type II with severe neuropathic pain following iatrogenic transection of the tibial nerve at the ankle. The pain and disability progressively worsened over time, markedly impaired ambulation, and were not relieved despite various analgesic treatments. After injection of botulinum toxin (abobotulinumtoxinA, BoNT-A) in the leg muscles the tendons of which pass through the tarsal tunnel (together with the tibial nerve), her pain decreased and her walking capacity improved. This case suggests a new therapeutic role for botulin toxin in treating peripheral neuropathic pain caused by movement-evoked ectopic potentials.Level Of Evidence: V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]