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MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) lesioning is an innovative, safe and effective treatment which provides an innovative development in the field of minimally invasive stereotactic neurosurgery. Based on the application of focused ultrasound energy under full MR planning and thermal imaging control, unilateral lesioning of the thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, and globus pallidus is indicated for the treatment of movement disorders, including essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and dystonia. We started to apply this technique in February 2019 for the treatment of patients with movement disorders. The authors developed a diagnostic therapeutic care pathway, which is herewith proposed and applied as an explication of standard clinical practice in use. The project was the result of the application of different methods such as Health Technology Assessment (HTA), Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis (SWOT) and Demin-Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle. The aim of this project was to standardize the MRgFUS diagnostic-therapeutic pathway (DTP), describe its application and the appropriateness of different phases (patient selection, intervention phase and follow-up). Here, we described in detail our experience in the DTP application from 2019 up to now in 610 patients with movement disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Magnetic resonance‐guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy is increasingly used to treat drug‐resistant essential tremor (ET). Data on MRgFUS thalamotomy in dystonic tremor (DT) are anecdotal. Objectives: To investigate efficacy, safety, and differences in target coordinates of MRgFUS thalamotomy in DT versus ET. Methods: Ten patients with DT and 35 with ET who consecutively underwent MRgFUS thalamotomy were followed for 12 months. Although in both groups the initial surgical planning coordinates corresponded to the ventralis intermediate (Vim), the final target could be modified intraoperatively based on clinical response. Results: Tremor significantly improved in both groups. The thalamic lesion was significantly more anterior in DT than ET. Considering both ET and DT groups, the more anterior the lesion, the lower the odds ratio for adverse events. Conclusions: MRgFUS thalamotomy is safe and effective in DT and ET. Compared to classical Vim coordinates used for ET, more anterior targeting should be considered for DT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objective Methods Results Conclusion Invasive treatments like radiofrequency stereotactic lesioning or deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus internus can resolve drug‐resistant status dystonicus (SD). However, these open procedures are not always feasible in patients with SD.The aim was to report the safety and efficacy of simultaneous asleep bilateral transcranial magnetic resonance–guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) pallidotomy for life‐threatening SD.We performed bilateral simultaneous MRgFUS pallidotomy under general anesthesia in 2 young patients with pantothenate kinase–associated neurodegeneration and GNAO1 encephalopathy. Both patients had medically refractory SD and severe comorbidities contraindicating open surgery.SD resolved at 4 and 12 days after MRgFUS, respectively. Adverse events (intraoperative hypothermia and postoperative facial paralysis) were mild and transient.Bilateral simultaneous MRgFUS pallidotomy under general anesthesia is safe and may be a valid alternative therapeutic option for fragile patients. Further studies are needed to assess long‐term efficacy of the procedure. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To investigate cortical network changes using Magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients undergoing Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy., Methods: We evaluated the MEG signals in 16 PD patients with drug-refractory tremor before and after 12-month from MRgFUS unilateral lesion of the ventralis intermediate nucleus (Vim) of the thalamus contralateral to the most affected body side. We recorded patients 24 h before (T0) and 24 h after MRgFUS (T1). We analyzed signal epochs recorded at rest and during the isometric extension of the hand contralateral to thalamotomy. We evaluated cortico-muscular coherence (CMC), the out-strength index from non-primary motor areas to the pre-central area and connectivity indexes, using generalized partial directed coherence. Statistical analysis was performed using RMANOVA and post hoc t -tests., Results: Most changes found at T1 compared to T0 occurred in the beta band and included: (1) a re-adjustment of CMC distribution; (2) a reduced out-strength from non-primary motor areas toward the precentral area; (3) strongly reduced clustering coefficient values. These differences mainly occurred during motor activation and with few statistically significant changes at rest. Correlation analysis showed significant relationships between changes of out-strength and clustering coefficient in non-primary motor areas and the changes in clinical scores., Discussion: One day after MRgFUS thalamotomy, PD patients showed a topographically reordered CMC and decreased cortico-cortical flow, together with a reduced local connection between different nodes. These findings suggest that the reordered cortico-muscular and cortical-networks in the beta band may represent an early physiological readjustment related to MRgFUS Vim lesion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be considered as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Visani, Panzica, Franceschetti, Golfrè Andreasi, Cilia, Rinaldo, Rossi Sebastiano, Lanteri and Eleopra.)

Background: Heterozygous mutations in the GBA gene, encoding the lysosomal enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase), are the most frequent genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). GBA -related PD (GBA-PD) patients have higher risk of dementia and reduced survival than non-carriers. Preclinical studies and one open-label trial in humans demonstrated that the chaperone ambroxol (ABX) increases GCase levels and modulates α-synuclein levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)., Methods and Analysis: In this multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial, we randomise patients with GBA-PD in a 1:1 ratio to either oral ABX 1.2 g/day or placebo. The duration of treatment is 52 weeks. Each participant is assessed at baseline and weeks 12, 26, 38, 52 and 78. Changes in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score and the frequency of mild cognitive impairment and dementia between baseline and weeks 52 are the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcome measures include changes in validated scales/questionnaires assessing motor and non-motor symptoms. Neuroimaging features and CSF neurodegeneration markers are used as surrogate markers of disease progression. GCase activity, ABX and α-synuclein levels are also analysed in blood and CSF. A repeated-measures analysis of variance will be used for elaborating results. The primary analysis will be by intention to treat., Ethics and Dissemination: The study and protocols have been approved by the ethics committee of centres. The study is conducted according to good clinical practice and the Declaration of Helsinki. The trial findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences., Trial Registration Numbers: NCT05287503, EudraCT 2021-004565-13., Competing Interests: Competing interests: RC has received speaking honoraria from Zambon Italia; Zambon SAU; Bial Italia Srl; advisory board fees from Bial; research support from the Italian Ministry of Health; he is Editor-in-Chief of the neuromuscular and movement disorders section of Brain Sciences (MDPI); Associate Editor of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders (Elsevier) and Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscience., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)