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Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a well-defined clinical syndrome of unknown etiology, which often occurs once in life. Several mechanisms have been proposed but only trigger events have been clearly associated with the attack such as physical exertion, emotional stress, sexual intercourse or immersion in cold water. According to our knowledge, this is the first study, which associates trigger events and TGA recurrency. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the risk factors which contribute to TGA recurrency. TGA patients consecutively admitted, performed clinical and neurological evaluation, electroencephalogram and structural brain imaging scan. TGA-trigger events were evaluated and comorbidities were carefully recorded. The risk factor sum was calculated as the sum of the considered triggers. Eighty-five TGA patients were grouped according to the presence of single TGA (n = 73) or two episodes of TGA (n = 12). The 14.11% of patients experienced two episodes. A logistic regression analysis showed that the more increased number of TGA the more number of trigger events (P < 0.11; chi2 = 6.38; beta = -3.29). These observations claim that TGA may be considered a complex epiphenomenon, and the sum of the trigger factors can be responsible for recurring of this almost unique-in-life event.

Mild vascular cognitive impairment (mVCI) is a broader term that is intended to detect cognitive loss before the development of dementia. The identification of preventable risk factors as well as therapeutic strategies of intervention is still unclear. It has been suggested that carotid endarterectomy (CEA) improves cognitive functions, beyond the well-known preventive effect upon future stroke events. In the present study, we evaluated the beneficial effect of CEA in restoring mVCI. Among a large sample of subjects, who underwent CEA for severe carotid stenosis, two groups were identified according to the absence (CON) or the presence of cognitive impairment (mVCI). A multidimensional neuropsychological and behavioural assessment was performed in the week prior, and at a 3-month follow-up after CEA. The incidence of mVCI in this sample was 38%. Seventy-eight patients completed the follow-up (48 CON, 30 mVCI). Both groups showed a clinical improvement after CEA, although the effect was significantly higher in the mVCI group in regard to verbal memory (short story, p < 0.05), and attention (digit span, p < 0.05) scores. At follow-up, 60% of mVCI subjects were classified as having normal cognitive functions. Index of disease severity and peripheral arterial disease were found to be the predictors of improvement. These findings support that mVCI represents a heterogeneous, in some cases reversible condition. CEA might be considered a therapeutic option to treat and prevent cognitive decline in mVCI patients.

Background and Purpose— The effect of apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) polymorphisms on stroke risk may be influenced by the coexistence of modifiable predisposing conditions. We explored the interactions of APOE genotypes and conventional risk factors in a case-control study of young adults with cerebral infarct. Methods— We analyzed 124 consecutive patients (age, 34.7±7.3 years) and 147 age- and sex-matched controls. APOE genotypes were determined by restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis. Results— The prevalence of the ε4 allele and ε34 genotype was slightly higher in cases than in controls (0.125 versus 0.071 and 0.242 versus 0.136, respectively). Carriers of the ε34 genotype and ε4 allele were associated with an increased risk of stroke on multivariate analysis compared with the ε33 genotype and non-ε4 carriers, respectively (odds ratio [OR], 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10 to 4.76; and OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.13 to 4.56). ORs for stroke were 2.99 (95% CI, 1.64 to 5.45), 2.69 (95% CI, 1.25 to 5.77), and 5.39 (95% CI, 1.59 to 18.30) for smokers with the ε33 genotype, nonsmokers with the ε34 genotype, and smokers with the ε34 genotype, respectively, compared with nonsmokers with the ε33 genotype. Similar results were obtained when ε4 carriers and non-ε4 carriers were compared in the same interaction model. No significant interaction between APOE and hypertension was found. Conclusions— In young adults, the APOE ε4 allele and cigarette smoking act synergistically, increasing an individual’s propensity to have a cerebral ischemic event. This finding may help in determining an individual’s predisposition to stroke and more targeted preventive interventions.

We report the case of an Italian family in which three sisters experienced transient global amnesia (TGA). Since its early description, this transitory pure memory deficit has attracted increasing interest, especially within the neurological community. In 1964 the term “TGA” was coined to identify the abrupt onset of anterograde amnesia, accompanied by repetitive queries lasting for hours and then gradually recovering, leaving an amnesic gap for the duration of the attack. Afterwards, many studies focused on TGA, and in 1990 clinical criteria were defined by Hodges and Warlow (1990). Further studies showed that meeting diagnostic criteria was a significant predictor for a better outcome than in other forms of transient amnesia, while amnesic patients who did not fulfil the TGA criteria had different outcomes. Precipitating and trigger events for TGA were identified and divided into physical and psychological factors (Inzitari et al., 1997; Quinette et al., 2006). Physical precipitants were found to be gardening, housework and sawing wood, contact with water and changes in body temperature occurring during hot baths or showers, or a cold swim at the swimming pool. Emotional trigger events included a major life or death event, emotional stress triggered by a gastric endoscopy, an exhausting work session, and anxiety resulting from conflicts at home or at work, health problems and money worries. Several hypotheses have been proposed for its pathogenesis such as psychogenic, venous dysfunction due to jugular venous valve incompetence, or ischemic aetiology, but the enigma of TGA still needs to be unravelled (Lewis, 1998; Akkawi et al., 2001).

BACKGROUND Thirty percent to 40% of strokes in the elderly are secondary to carotid bifurcation disease. The treatment of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis in this patient population is a clinical dilemma. Age more than 80 years is a risk factor for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Carotid artery stenting (CAS) may be also associated with increased peri-procedural complications in this age group. DESIGN This study was a single-center, retrospective database analysis evaluating CAS in patients more than 80 years old. Primary outcome included death, myocardial infarction (MI), or ipsilateral stroke. Secondary outcome included re-stenosis at 30 days, 6 months, and 1-year post-procedure. RESULTS Between March 2001 and March 2004, CAS was performed in 178 patients. Twenty-four patients were more than 80 years old (range 80-91), and 16 men, 70.8%, were symptomatic. Success rate was 100% with residual stenosis of

Background and purpose: Transient global amnesia (TGA) is the abrupt onset of anterograde amnesia with repetitive queries. Different hypotheses have been considered for its aetiology, but it still remains obscure. In 1990, Hodges and Warlow proposed clinical criteria for TGA. Applying these criteria, clinical studies looked for an unifying theory, considering TGA almost a primary and benign disorder. However, spare descriptions of TGA in patients with brain structural lesions have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of brain structural lesions among TGA patients. Methods: One hundred and thirty clinically defined TGA were consecutively recruited. Among them, 13 patients (10%) showed brain structural lesions (TGA-b). Results: No significant difference in clinical features, duration of TGA episode, age of onset, gender between primary TGA (TGA-p) and TGA-b were found. Triggering factors were comparable, suggesting that TGA-b should be considered in the spectrum of TGA, being clinically indistinguishable. Conclusions: Transient global amnesia deserves a careful neuroimaging study and clinical follow-up considering the high prevalence of brain lesions among these patients and the impossibility to exclude TGA-b by clinical features. The follow-up of these patients and the evaluation of involved brain areas might help to further elucidate the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease.

Stroke carries a severe toll in terms of loss of life and disability for patients and their families. Until 10 years ago, physicians, and in particular neurologists, had a conservative, non-aggressive approach to this devastating disease. The advent of thrombolytic therapy not only proved that acute ischemic stroke is treatable, but also that early reperfusion can dramatically change the outcome of acute stroke patients. As a result of these trials, intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) has been approved for treatment of acute ischemic stroke within 3 hours after symptom onset in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the European Union. The near future is extremely promising. Imaging modalities, such as diffusion- and perfusion-weighted images, as well as CT perfusion and CT angiography, to better select patients for treatment are now routinely performed in most academic medical centers. Novel IV and intra-arterial (IA) agents have been developed and tested. Emerging therapies will soon be available to increase the therapeutic windows for thrombolysis both by better screening patients using MRI or CT and by new IV and IA treatments. Several multicenter controlled trials in both imaging-guided decisions and therapeutic agents are either completed or being performed. We review data on advancement in imaging and treatment of acute ischemic stroke, in particular focusing on pharmacologic and mechanical IA thrombolysis.

Background and Purpose— Recanalization of cerebral aneurysm is a limitation of bare platinum coils (BPCs). In a swine aneurysm model, polyglycolide/polylactide (a polymer)-coated platinum coils (Matrix) accelerated clot fibrosis and reduced recanalization rate and aneurysmal volume. We aimed to evaluate the safety of Matrix coils in patients with intracranial aneurysm. Methods— This is a single-center, prospective study of patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with Matrix alone or in combination with BPCs. Follow-up evaluation included a 1-month clinical evaluation and a 6- and 12-month clinical and angiographic examination. Primary adverse events included death, stroke, and permanent neurological deficits. Results— Between May 2002 and January 2004, 52 patients (range 34 to 79 years of age; 38 females) were treated for 54 aneurysms (size 7.9±4.6 mm; neck 3.9±1.5 mm; 26 ruptured). Matrix alone was used in 13 aneurysms. In 39, we used a combination of Matrix and BPCs. Twenty-one aneurysms had a 6-month follow-up examination (11 Matrix; 10 Matrix combined with bare platinum), and 11 completed the 12-month follow-up evaluation (Matrix only). Adverse events not related to the procedure were 2 deaths (ruptured basilar aneurysms) and 1 stroke at day 10 postcoiling secondary to vasospasm. Procedure-related adverse events were 2 strokes. At 6-month follow-up (n=21) evaluation, 2 of 3 recanalizations needed retreatment. At 12-month follow-up (n=11), there was no recanalization in patients treated with Matrix alone and no significant reduction in aneurysmal size. Conclusions— Polyglycolide/polylactide-coated coils had a satisfactory safety profile. Significant aneurysmal size reduction after coiling was not observed.

Background and Purpose— The pathogenic link between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and stroke remains unknown in most cases. We investigated the association between inherited thrombophilic disorders and PFO-related strokes in a series of young adults in the setting of a case-control study. Methods— We investigated 125 consecutive subjects (age, 34.7±7.3 years) with ischemic stroke and 149 age- and sex-matched control subjects. PFO was assessed in all patients with transcranial Doppler sonography with intravenous injection of agitated saline according to a standardized protocol. Genetic analyses for the factor V (FV) G1691A mutation, the prothrombin (PT) G20210A variant, and the TT 677 genotype of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase ( MTHFR ) were performed in all subjects. Results— A pathogenic role of PFO was presumed in 36 patients (PFO+). Interatrial right-to-left shunt either was not detected or was considered unrelated to stroke occurrence in the remaining 89 patients (PFO−). The PT G20210A variant was more frequent in the PFO+ group compared with control subjects and the PFO− group (PFO+ versus control subjects, 11% versus 2%; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.94; PFO+ versus PFO−, 11% versus 1.1%; 95% CI, 1.09 to 109; P =0.047). A similar distribution was observed for subjects carrying either the PT G20210A variant or the FV G1691A mutation (PFO+ versus control subjects, 19.4% versus 5.3%; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.75; PFO+ versus PFO−, 19.4% versus 3.3%; 95% CI, 1.45 to 26.1; P =0.021). Combined thrombophilic defects were observed in 3 subjects of the PFO+ group, in 2 control subjects (8.3% versus 1.3%; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.66; P =0.015), and in 0 subjects in the PFO− group. A trend toward a difference in the frequency of the FV G1691A mutation between PFO+ and control subjects was found after bivariate analysis (11% versus 3.3%; P =0.068) but not after multinomial logistic regression analysis. No significant association was found in the distribution of the TT MTHFR genotype in the 3 groups. Conclusions— In young adults, the PT G20210A variant and, to a lesser extent, the FV G1691A mutation may represent risk factors for PFO-related cerebral infarcts. A role of systemic thrombophilic disorders in the pathogenesis of this specific subtype of stroke may be hypothesized.

Accumulating evidence from epidemiological and clinical studies suggests that vascular risk factors may be involved in Alzheimer disease (AD). Although the precise contribution of vascular disturbances to the pathogenesis of AD is still unclear, various biochemical and neuropathological data strengthen the view that cerebrovascular deficiencies such as reduced blood supply to the brain and disrupted microvascular integrity in brain parenchyma play a direct or intermediate role in the chain of events ending with a dementia syndrome. The present review focuses on platelet abnormalities and hemostatic alterations in AD. In particular, data from our group, along with current literature, are discussed with regard to the evidence of platelets amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing disturbances in early AD as well as to the recent observations of increased serum levels of thrombomodulin and sE-selectin, which are sensitive markers of endothelial dysfunction. These findings strongly indicate that platelet dysfunction and microvasculature deficiencies occur rather early during the course of AD, thus suggesting a further link between AD-related processes and vascular disorders.

Objective. Internal jugular valves are the only venous valves between the heart and the brain. Conditions such as coughing and other precipitating activities may result in retrograde cerebral venous flow because of the absence or presence of internal jugular valve incompetence, allowing brief transmission of high venous pressure and resulting in brain disturbance. Knowledge of these valves and their noninvasive evaluation might be useful in clinical practice. Methods. We applied air contrast ultrasonographic venography to a large sample of healthy subjects (n = 125) to evaluate the ultrasonographic aspects of internal jugular valves and their competence. Results. The valves were observed in 121 (96.8%) of 125 subjects and were present bilaterally in 107 (85.6%) and unilaterally in 14 (11.2%). In 4 subjects we did not detect the valves. Retrograde venous flow was present in 48 (38.4%) of 125 subjects. The frequency of internal jugular valve incompetence was significantly higher on the right side (36 [30.2%] of 119) than on the left (7 [6.4%] of 109; P