Search

Brain stroke connected with aortic blood flow disturbances is a rare disease and its incidence is difficult to assume. Nevertheless, 10-50% of patients with aortic dissection may not experience any pain. In case of 18-30% patients with aortic dissection neurological signs are first disease presentation and among them ischemic stroke is the most common. The most popular aortic dissection classification is with use of Stanford system. Type A involves the ascending aorta and type B is occurring distal to the subclavian artery. Aortic dissection risk factors include hypertension, cystic medionecrosis, bicuspid aortic valve and Marfan’s or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Background. Neuropathy affects 25% of people with diabetes mellitus. The evaluation of disease severity is still a challenge for modern medicine. Many screening instruments are based primarily on clinical criteria. There is a lack of a simple, reliable and precise scoring system that could improve the classification of neuropathy and monitor disease progression using not only clinical criteria but also electroneurography. There is a need to find sensitive neurography parameters that reflect peripheral nerve impairments in this group of patients. Objectives. This study aimed to create a scoring system for diabetic neuropathy, based on electroneurography criteria, that reflects the natural course of the disease. A new scoring system will improve the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods. A total of 113 patients with distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSPN) were involved in the study. Median, ulnar, sural, tibial, and peroneal nerves were examined. Parameters such as amplitude, conduction velocity, distal latency, and F wave latency were analyzed. The results of nerve conduction studies in the investigated group were compared to those of the control group, which consisted of 61 healthy volunteers. Results. The most sensitive parameter of peripheral nerve impairment severity was a reduction of the sensory action potential amplitude in the peroneal nerve by 72.8% (p < 0.05). The observation of changes in sensory action potential amplitudes in the peroneal nerve is the most important element of our scoring system. Conclusions. A new electroneurography scoring system of DSPN severity should be based on sensory and motor action potential amplitudes that reflect axonal loss in the examined nerves and the nature of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy (iNIRS) is an optical method that noninvasively measures the optical and dynamic properties of the human brain in vivo . However, the original iNIRS technique uses single-mode fibers for light collection, which reduces the detected light throughput. The reduced light throughput is compensated by the relatively long measurement or integration times (∼1 sec), which preclude monitoring of rapid blood flow changes that could be linked to neural activation. Here, we propose parallel interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy (πNIRS) to overcome this limitation. In πNIRS we use multi-mode fibers for light collection and a high-speed, two-dimensional camera for light detection. Each camera pixel acts effectively as a single iNIRS channel. So, the processed signals from each pixel are spatially averaged to reduce the overall integration time. Moreover, interferometric detection provides us with the unique capability of accessing complex information (amplitude and phase) about the light remitted from the sample, which with more than 8000 parallel channels, enabled us to sense the cerebral blood flow with only a 10 msec integration time (∼100x faster than conventional iNIRS). In this report, we have described the theoretical foundations and possible ways to implement πNIRS. Then, we developed a prototype continuous wave (CW) πNIRS system and validated it in liquid phantoms. We used our CW πNIRS to monitor the pulsatile blood flow in a human forearm in vivo . Finally, we demonstrated that CW πNIRS could monitor activation of the prefrontal cortex by recording the change in blood flow in the forehead of the subject while he was reading an unknown text., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2022 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement.)

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare syndrome of central nervous system caused by infectious protein called prion. There are four types of CJD: sporadic (sCJD), familial (fCJD), jatrogenic (jCJD) and variant (vCJD). The most frequent symptoms are rapidly progressing dementia, mioclonias, akinetic mutism and signs of cerebellum dysfunction. In sCJD, MRI often shows high signal intensity in the putamen and caudate nucleus on T2-weighted images while in vCJD pulvinar sign is often observed. 70% patients with CJD often has characteristic generalized periodic sharp wave pattern in electroencephalography. In case of 90% patients with CJD 14-3-3 protein is present in cerebrospinal fluid. Neuropathological studies play an important role in disease diagnosis. CJD incidence is 0.5-1 on 1000000 people but some cases can be undiagnosed. Presented study is a description of woman with sCJD confirmed with histopathological study. Since childhood patient had psychotic symptoms and behavior disturbances. Patient wasn't diagnosed due to this symptoms. Few months before admission to hospital her condition was getting worse. Symptoms of cerebellum, pyramidal and extrapyramidal system occurred. In cerebrospinal fluid 14-3-3 protein was detected. In EEG and MRI changes specific for sCJD was observed. After three months patient died.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a treatment option with proved effectiveness especially in drug resist depression. It is used in functional brain mapping before neurosurgery operations and diagnostic of corticospinal tract transmission. Many studies are performed to evaluate rTMS using in treatment of obsessive - compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, autism, strokes, tinnitus, Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, cranial traumas. Moreover rTMS was used in treatment of multiple sclerosis, migraine, dystonia. Electromagnetical field generated by rTMS penetrate skin of the scalp and infiltrate brain tissues to a depth of 2 cm, cause neurons depolarization and generating motor, cognitive and affective effects. Depending on the stimulation frequency rTMS can stimuli or inhibit brain cortex. rTMS mechanism of action remains elusive. Probably it is connected with enhancement of neurotransmitters, modulation of signals transductions pathways in Central Nervous System, gene transcription and release of neuroprotective substances. Studies with use of animals revealed that rTMS stimulation can generate brain changes similar to those seen after electric shock therapy without provoking seizures. The aim of presenting study was to analyze actual researches evaluating rTMS use in treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases., (© 2016 MEDPRESS.)

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, autoimmunological disease of central nervous system in which axonal damage in brain and spinal cord is observed. It is second most common cause of disability in young adults in West Europe and North America after injuries. There is 2.5 million people suffered from multiple sclerosis worldwide. The worse prognosis is connected with primary progressive MS in which recovery after first symptoms of central nervous system damage isn't observed. That subtype of disease is seen in case of 10-20% people with MS. MTX is a synthetic antracycline with antineoplastic, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Drug was allowed to treatment of leukemia. It is also used in treatment of breast, prostate, ovarian, stomach and liver cancer. Additionally MTX is used in treatment of secondary progressive SM and relapsing - remitting subtype of disease with no respond to treatment with interferon beta and glatiramer acetate. MTX inhibits topoisomerase II activity, matches to DNA molecule and damage her structure. Drug inhibits limphocyte T, B and macrophages activity and antibodies synthesis. The most dangerous side effects of MTX treatment are cardiotoxicity and induction of leukemia. There is lack of studies describing MTX effectiveness and safety in treatment of primary progressive SM., (© 2016 MEDPRESS.)

Post-polio syndrome occurs 30-40 years after polio virus infection. The main symptoms of PPS are slowly progressive muscle limbs paresis with muscle atrophy, joints pain, paresthesia. In 90% of patients the main symptom is fatigue that leads to physical and mental activity deterioration. The cause of disease remains unknown. Probably it is an effect of motoneurons damage during acute virus polio infection, their overloading and degeneration of remaining ones. In this study we described a case of man who developed PPS 36 years after Heine-Medin disease. The main symptom was intensification of right limb paresis and muscle atrophy. In electromyography there were damage features of muscle clinically affected and unaffected. Changes in lifestyle made possible to continue occupational activity., (© 2015 MEDPRESS.)

Unlabelled: Brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in central nervous system (CNS). The most common primary brain tumors are: gliomas, meningiomas, pituitary adenomas and craniopharyngiomas. The secondary group are metastatic tumors. About 25% patients with cancers have metastasis to CNS., Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the most common symptoms and localization of brain tumors, time from first symptoms to diagnosis and patients' survival rate., Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study 106 patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors hospitalized in Military Institute of Medicine from 2007 to 2012 year were investigated., Results: The most common cause of metastases to brain is non-smallcell lung carcinoma. The most frequent symptom of brain tumor is headache but very often patients have seizures, vomits, arms and legs weakness. The mean time of life for patients with gliomas was 9 month and 13 days for patients with brain metastases., Conclusions: It occurred that patients with primary and secondary brain tumors lived shorter than it is described in literature. In group of patients with metastases to brain 60% had one or two brain tumors so they could be treated with surgery and prognosis for them was better., (© 2015 MEDPRESS.)

Amyothropic neuralgy is a rare disease witch unknown etiopathogenesis. The main popular theory says that inflammatory and immunomodulatory process is connected with that disease. Diagnosis is made after exclusion of other causes of plexus lumbosacralis damage. The main symptom is neuropathic pain after which there is observed muscle weakness and atrophy. ENG/EMG study and MRI are made to confirm the diagnosis. In this study we described a case of 52 years old female with lower limbs paresis, who was diagnosed few years after first symptoms. Limb paresis was preluded by lumbar pain. MRI study revealed central spinal disc herniations on L1-2, L2-3, L3-4 levels with dura matter compression, L4-5 spinal disc right lateral herniation and synovial cyst. MRI of both lumbar plexuses was also normal. EMG study revealed features of bilateral, chronic damage of lower legs nerves on lumbar plexus level. Patient was treated with physiotherapy and gabapentin with dose of 2x600mg per day., (© 2015 MEDPRESS.)