MedWorm: Neuroscience

New Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Neuromics — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:57:00 +0100

Neuromics' is responding to growing demand for Stem Cell Research Reagents.This includes the addition of human stem cells giving researchers the ability to create consistent cultures of primary cells. Our first offering was STEMEZ TM hNP1 Human Neural Progenitors. We have received positive feedback on these regarding ease of use and quality.We are pleased to announce the addition of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.Image: Pancreas-derived human mesenchymal stem cells labeled with a CD44 monoclonal antibody conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), which detects the CD44 cell surface protein.They are isolated from human adult pancreas and can be induced to differentiate into beta-cells, which is a significant product in the diabetes research area. MSCs to Beta Cells Protocol.This is extr...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Magellan Spine Technologies Announces Full Enrollment In The Spinal Disc Annular Repair Technology (DART) 20 Patient Initial Human Use Study

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Magellan Spine Technologies, Inc. announced it had completed enrollment in a twenty patient study to evaluate the Magellan DART (Disc Annular Repair Technology) System for Annular Repair following lumbar discectomy procedures. This first study demonstrates evidence that the DART technology is safe and patients implanted with the DART have excellent outcomes approaching one year follow-up... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Neurobiology of Aging — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:01:08 +0100

(Source: Neurobiology of Aging)

Neurobiology of Aging — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:01:08 +0100

(Source: Neurobiology of Aging)

New Study Sheds Light On A Neurochemical Vulnerability That Could Contribute To Psychopathic Behaviors

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Normal individuals who scored high on a measure of impulsive/antisocial traits display a hypersensitive brain reward system, according to a brain imaging study by researchers at Vanderbilt University. The findings provide the first evidence of differences in the brain's reward system that may underlie vulnerability to what's typically referred to as psychopathy... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

The Human Brain: Exploring Status Quo Bias

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

The more difficult the decision we face, the more likely we are not to act, according to new research by UCL scientists that examines the neural pathways involved in 'status quo bias' in the human brain... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Do people with mental illness deserve what they get? Links between meritocratic worldviews and implicit versus explicit stigma

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:49:31 +0100

Abstract Meritocratic worldviews that stress personal responsibility, such as the Protestant ethic or general beliefs in a just world, are typically associated with stigmatizing attitudes and could explain the persistence of mental illness stigma. Beliefs in a just world for oneself (“I get what I deserve”), however, are often related to personal well-being and can be a coping resource for stigmatized individuals. Despite these findings in other stigmatized groups, the link between worldviews and the stigma of psychiatric disorders is unknown. We measured just world beliefs for self and others as well as endorsement of the Protestant ethic in 85 people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective or affective disorders and 50 members of the general public. Stigmatizing attitud...

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during capsaicin-induced pain: modulatory effects on motor cortex excitability.

Experimental Brain Research — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Fierro B, De Tommaso M, Giglia F, Giglia G, Palermo A, Brighina F Evidence by functional imaging studies suggests the role of left DLPFC in the inhibitory control of nociceptive transmission system. Pain exerts an inhibitory modulation on motor cortex, reducing MEP amplitude, while the effect of pain on motor intracortical excitability has not been studied so far. In the present study, we explored in healthy subjects the effect of capsaicin-induced pain and the modulatory influences of left DLPFC stimulation on motor corticospinal and intracortical excitability. Capsaicin was applied on the dorsal surface of the right hand, and measures of motor corticospinal excitability (test-MEP) and short intracortical inhibition (SICI) and facilitation (ICF) were obtained by paired-pulse ...

Ins and Outs of Cerebellar Modules.

Cerebellum — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Ruigrok TJ The modular concept of cerebellar connections has been advocated in the lifetime work of Jan Voogd. In this concept, a cerebellar module is defined as the conglomerate of one or multiple and non-adjacent, parasagittally arranged zones of Purkinje cells, their specific projection to a well-defined region of the cerebellar nuclei, and the climbing fiber input to these zones by a well-defined region of the inferior olivary complex. The modular organization of these olivo-cortico-nuclear connections is further exemplified by matching reciprocal connections between inferior olive and cerebellar nuclei. Because the different regions of the cerebellar nuclei show highly specific output patterns, cerebellar modules have been suggested to constitute functional entities. This...

Effect of tDCS with an extracephalic reference electrode on cardio-respiratory and autonomic functions

BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Applying tDCS with an extracephalic reference electrode in healthy volunteers did not significantly modulate the activity of the brainstem autonomic centres. Therefore, using an extracephalic reference electrode for tDCS appears safe in healthy volunteers, at least under similar experimental conditions. (Source: BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles)

Cortex — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:01:46 +0100

(Source: Cortex)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Editorial Board/Title Page

Cortex — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:01:46 +0100

(Source: Cortex)

Cover Figure

Cortex — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:01:46 +0100

(Source: Cortex)

License Agreement To Develop Treatments For Neurological Disease Announced By Brain Science Institute

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Johns Hopkins University's newly formed Brain Science Institute's NeuroTranslational Program has entered into a licensing agreement with pharmaceutical company Eisai Inc. to discover and develop small molecule glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) inhibitors... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Development and Validation of a Spike Detection and Classification Algorithm Aimed at Implementation on Hardware Devices

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:31:54 +0100

Neurons cultured in vitro on MicroElectrode Array (MEA) devices connect to each other, forming a network. To study electrophysiological activity and long term plasticity effects, long period recording and spike sorter methods are needed. Therefore, on-line and real time analysis, optimization of memory use and data transmission rate improvement become necessary. We developed an algorithm for amplitude-threshold spikes detection, whose performances were verified with (a) statistical analysis on both simulated and real signal and (b) Big O Notation. Moreover, we developed a PCA-hierarchical classifier, evaluated on simulated and real signal. Finally we proposed a spike detection hardware design on FPGA, whose feasibility was verified in terms of CLBs number, memory occupation and temporal re...

Nightmare frequency and nightmare topics in a representative German sample

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:26:51 +0100

Abstract Nightmares are defined as disturbing mental experiences that generally occur during REM sleep and often result in awakening. Whereas the number of publications addressing nightmare frequency and psychopathology, nightmare etiology and treatment is increasing rapidly in the last few years, nightmare content has been studied very rarely in a systematic way, especially in adults. The present study investigated nightmare frequency and the frequency of various nightmare topics in a representative German sample. The five most common themes were falling, being chased, paralyzed, being late, and the deaths of close persons. Even though several effects can be explained by the continuity hypothesis of dreaming, further research is needed to investigate the possible metaphor...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

How is precision regulated in maintaining trunk posture?

Experimental Brain Research — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Willigenburg NW, Kingma I, van Dieën JH Precision of limb control is associated with increased joint stiffness caused by antagonistic co-activation. The aim of this study was to examine whether this strategy also applies to precision of trunk postural control. To this end, thirteen subjects performed static postural tasks, aiming at a target object with a cursor that responded to 2D trunk angles. By manipulating target dimensions, different levels of precision were imposed in the frontal and sagittal planes. Trunk angle and electromyography (EMG) of abdominal and back muscles were recorded. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed significant effects of target dimensions on kinematic variability in both movement planes. Specifically, standard deviation (SD) of trunk angle decrea...

Neuropeptides and Large Dense Core Vesicles

Neuromics — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:34:00 +0100

We continue to be recognized by for the quantity and quality of our Neuropeptide and Neuropeptide Receptor Antibodies for studying Neurotransmission and Pain.We wanted to feature an new article referencing use of our Guinea Pig Substance Antibody. Dr. Richard Mains and his team shed light on the function and behavior of large dense corevesicles (LDCVs) concluding that under basal conditions, LDCVs move faster away from the soma than toward the soma, but fewer LDCVs travel anterograde than retrograde. Stimulation decreased average anterograde velocity and increases granule pausing. Data from antibody uptake, quantification of enzyme secretion and appearance of pHluorin fluorescence demonstrate distributed release of peptides all along the axon, not just at terminals. Jacqueline A Sobota , W...

The Human Brain Processes Predictable Sensory Input In A Particularly Efficient Manner

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

It turns out that there is a striking similarity between how the human brain determines what is going on in the outside world and the job of scientists. Good science involves formulating a hypothesis and testing whether this hypothesis is compatible with the scientist's observations... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Erratum to: Sex-related differences in the hemispheric laterality of slow cortical potentials during the preparation of visually guided movements.

Experimental Brain Research — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Gorbet DJ, Mader LB, Staines WR PMID: 20229170 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Experimental Brain Research)

Moderate Use Of Video Games Can Be A Very Useful Educational Tool For Teaching Children

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

Video games can have a very positive influence in the education of children, and, when used in moderation, they do not harm children's academic performance... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Rehabilitation After Stroke: Current State of the Science

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:51:34 +0100

Abstract Stroke rehabilitation is evolving into a clinical field based on the neuroscience of recovery and restoration. There has been substantial growth in the number and quality of clinical trials performed. Much effort now is directed toward motor restoration and is being led by trials of constraint-induced movement therapy. Although the results do not necessarily support that constraint-induced movement therapy is superior to other training methods, this treatment has become an important vehicle for developing clinical trial methods and studying the physiology underlying activity-based rehabilitation strategies. Other promising interventions include robotic therapy delivery, magnetic and electrical cortical stimulation, visualization, and constraint-driven aphasia ther...

Corrigendum to "Potential mechanism of cell death in the developing rat brain induced by propofol anesthesia"International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience 27(3) 279-287 (2009).

International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:44:05 +0100

Authors: Pesić V, Milanović D, Tanić N, Popić J, Kanazir S, Jevtović-Todorović V, Ruzdijić S PMID: 20211421 [PubMed - in process] (Source: International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience)

Cytoarchitectonic and chemoarchitectonic characterization of the prefrontal cortical areas in the mouse.

Brain Structure and Function — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study describes cytoarchitectonic criteria to define the prefrontal cortical areas in the mouse brain (C57BL/6 strain). Currently, well-illustrated mouse brain stereotaxic atlases are available, which, however, do not provide a description of the distinctive cytoarchitectonic characteristics of individual prefrontal areas. Such a description is of importance for stereological, neuronal tracing, and physiological, molecular and neuroimaging studies in which a precise parcellation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is required. The present study describes and illustrates: the medial prefrontal areas, i.e., the infralimbic, prelimbic, dorsal and ventral anterior cingulate and Fr2 area; areas of the lateral PFC, i.e., the dorsal agranular insular cortical areas and areas of the ventral PFC, i...

Information Communication Networks in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Brain Topography — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In this study we explored the use of coherence and Granger causality (GC) to separate patients in minimally conscious state (MCS) from patients with severe neurocognitive disorders (SND) that show signs of awareness. We studied 16 patients, 7 MCS and 9 SND with age between 18 and 49 years. Three minutes of ongoing electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was obtained at rest from 19 standard scalp locations, while subjects were alert but kept their eyes closed. GC was formulated in terms of linear autoregressive models that predict the evolution of several EEG time series, each representing the activity of one channel. The entire network of causally connected brain areas can be summarized as a graph of incompletely connected nodes. The 19 channels were grouped into five gross anatomical regi...

The Genetics of Pediatric Brain Tumors

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:26:48 +0100

Abstract Brain tumors are the most common childhood solid malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Medulloblastoma, ependymoma, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors, and pilocytic astrocytoma are the most prevalent types, all of which are clinically, histologically, and genetically heterogeneous. Despite an incomplete molecular understanding of these tumors, we have made significant headway in the past 5 years in identifying and classifying important genetic alterations and pathways central to the disease process. This review summarizes our current state of knowledge, emphasizes recent seminal findings in the field, and proposes future research efforts needed to further characterize the genetic basis of pediatric brain tumors. ...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Music Composition from the Brain Signal: Representing the Mental State by Music

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:14:07 +0100

This paper proposes a method to translate human EEG into music, so as to represent mental state by music. The arousal levels of the brain mental state and music emotion are implicitly used as the bridge between the mind world and the music. The arousal level of the brain is based on the EEG features extracted mainly by wavelet analysis, and the music arousal level is related to the musical parameters such as pitch, tempo, rhythm, and tonality. While composing, some music principles (harmonics and structure) were taken into consideration. With EEGs during various sleep stages as an example, the music generated from them had different patterns of pitch, rhythm, and tonality. 35 volunteers listened to the music pieces, and significant difference in music arousal levels was found. It implied t...

Link Between Brain Chemical And Cognitive Decline In Schizophrenia

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0100

In one of the first such studies involving human patients with schizophrenia, researchers at UC Davis have provided evidence that deficits in a brain chemical may be responsible for some of the debilitating cognitive deficits - poor attention, memory and problem-solving abilities - that accompany the delusions and hallucinations that are the hallmarks of the disorder... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Sickle Cell Pain May Be From Damaged Tissues Or Nerves

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +0100

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered the pain caused by sickle cell disease may not occur solely from damaged tissues, but also from injured nerves. The research is published in the Journal of the National Medical Association. Sickle cell disease is a hereditary disorder where red blood cells change from round to a sickle shape... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Researchers Discover First Direct Evidence Of Neuroplastic Changes Following Brainwave Training

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

A pioneering collaboration between two laboratories from the University of London has provided the first evidence of neuroplastic changes occurring directly after natural brainwave training... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

SMISS Launches Online Minimally Invasive Spine Programs

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

Since its founding in 2007, the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS) has become the pre-eminent professional society for MIS surgeons. On March 1, 2010, the organization's educational activities expanded dramatically with the launch of SMISS Highlights, an online series of CME-accredited education modules that are free of charge for spine surgeons... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Congenital Muscular Dystrophies: Toward Molecular Therapeutic Interventions

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:37:04 +0100

Abstract Congenital muscular dystrophies (CMDs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders that typically present at birth or in early infancy with hypotonia, weakness, and histologic evidence of a dystrophic myopathy. CMD biochemical types include various abnormalities of α-dystroglycan O-mannosyl glycosylation as well as defects in integrin matrix receptors, the extracellular matrix proteins laminin-α2 and collagen VI, nuclear proteins such as lamin A/C, and a protein of the endoplasmic reticulum, selenoprotein N. Current therapies are directed mostly at supportive care; however, recent advances in biotechnology and increased knowledge of the pathophysiology underlying the various CMD types have helped identify potential therapeutic s...

Advances in Pediatric Neurovirology

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:24:10 +0100

Abstract Viral infections of the pediatric central nervous system (CNS) encompass a broad spectrum of both perinatally and postnatally acquired diseases with potentially devastating effects on the developing brain. In children, viral infections have been associated with chronic encephalopathy, encephalitis, demyelinating disease, tumors, and epilepsy. Older diagnostic techniques of biopsy, viral culture, electron microscopy, gel-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and viral titer quantification are being replaced with more rapid, sensitive, and specific real-time and microarray-based PCR technologies. Advances in neuroimaging technologies have provided for earlier recognition of CNS injury without elucidation of specific viral etiology. Although the mainstay therapy of ...

RNA metabolism and the pathogenesis of motor neuron diseases.

Trends in Neurosciences — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lemmens R, Moore MJ, Al-Chalabi A, Brown RH, Robberecht W The pathogenic mechanisms of degenerative diseases of the nervous system are not well understood. Recent evidence suggests that proteins with a role in RNA synthesis, processing, function and degradation play a role in the mechanism of degenerative disorders affecting the motor neuron. However, most of these proteins also affect cellular processes other than RNA processing. Furthermore, many of the familial diseases are inherited dominantly, suggesting a gain-of-function as their pathogenic mechanism. This newly gained function could be unrelated to their normal role in the cell. Therefore, here we review some of the recent data linking RNA metabolism and motor neuron disorders, but also critically assess their relevanc...

Untangling memory from perception in the medial temporal lobe.

PubMed: "Trends Cogn Sci"[ta... — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Suzuki WA An active debate in the learning and memory literature centers on the question of whether the perirhinal cortex, part of the medial temporal lobe (MTL), plays its major role in declarative/relational learning and memory or if it also makes an important contribution to high- level perception, similar to the functions of the adjacent visual area TE. Here I consider evidence from neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies and argue that the perirhinal cortex has distinct and dissociable structure and function from area TE, making its major contribution to declarative/relational learning and memory. I propose additional neurophysiological studies that could help differentiate between these two debated roles of the perirhinal cortex: memory alone or memory plus high- ...

A visual distracter task during adaptation reduces the proprioceptive movement aftereffect.

Experimental Brain Research — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Seizova-Cajic T, Azzi R Visual processing of basic perceptual attributes depends on attention. This has been well documented since the surprising initial report on attentional modulation of the visual motion aftereffect (Chaudhuri 1990). Here, we investigate proprioception and show for the first time that attention modulates adaptation to perceived limb movement. We used biceps vibration to induce illusory forearm extension in 10 participants and measured the aftereffect-perceived movement in the opposite direction. The aftereffect was largest when participants focused on the illusory extension during the adaptation period. To divert attention away from the illusory extension, a rapid serial visual presentation task was performed during the adaptation. The aftereffect was much...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Forthcoming conferences.

Cognitive Processing — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: PMID: 20221668 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cognitive Processing)

Acalculia in a patient with severe language disturbances: how do we test it?

Cognitive Processing — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Rosca EC The present paper describes a case of a patient with severe Wernicke aphasia, which when tested with a number processing and calculation battery adapted to his difficulties showed remarkable arithmetic skills. These findings suggest that the patients with severe cognitive impairments (e.g., aphasia, apraxia) should be tested with batteries adapted to their disturbances because using a standard test may bias the results. PMID: 20221669 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cognitive Processing)

Role of prostaglandin E receptor subtypes EP2 and EP4 in autocrine and paracrine functions of vascular endothelial growth factor in the inner ear

BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that EP2 and EP4 agonists stimulate VEGF production in the inner ear, particularly in the spiral ganglions. Moreover, the Flt-1 and Flk-1 expression observed in the present study suggests that VEGF has autocrine and paracrine actions in the cochlea. Thus, EP2 and EP4 might be involved in the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of PGE1 on acute sensorineural hearing loss via VEGF production. (Source: BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles)

Top-down and bottom-up modulation in processing bimodal face/voice stimuli.

BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that in a gender categorisation task the processing of faces dominate over the processing of voices. Brain activity showed different modulation by top-down and bottom-up information. Top-down influences modulated early brain activity whereas bottom-up interactions occurred relatively late. (Source: BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles)

Utility of Skin Biopsy to Evaluate Peripheral Neuropathy

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:32:06 +0100

Abstract Skin biopsy for epidermal nerve fiber analysis provides an important objective test for the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, particularly small fiber sensory neuropathy (SFSN). The determination of epidermal nerve fiber density (ENFD) is reliable, with high diagnostic specificity and good sensitivity. Because of false negatives, biopsy results must be interpreted in conjunction with neurologic findings and laboratory results, including objective tests of sensory and autonomic function. SFSN most commonly is length dependent and is idiopathic in about half the patients. Biopsy of a proximal site (thigh) and a distal site (calf) typically shows greater abnormality of ENFD distally than proximally. More severe abnormality of ENFD in the thigh than in the calf rais...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Brain Activity Predicts Emotional Resiliency Following A Fight With A Partner

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

Common wisdom tells us that for a successful relationship partners shouldn't go to bed angry. But new research from a psychologist at Harvard University suggests that brain activity - specifically in the region called the lateral prefrontal cortex - is a far better indicator of how someone will feel in the days following a fight with his or her partner... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

MSRC Comments On Stanford University Reportedly Halting CCSVI Treatments After Two Serious Adverse Events

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Researchers at Stanford University have halted treatments for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) due to two serious adverse events which may not have been accurately reported in some of the press... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Anthropologist/Neuroscientist Team Propose That Religion Is Ubiquitous And Persistent Because The Human Brain Needs It

Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

In the fractious debate on the existence of God and the nature of religion, two distinguished scientists radically alter the discussion... (Source: Neurology / Neuroscience News From Medical News Today)

Highlights in clinical autonomic neurosciences: Orthostatic tachycardia and orthostatic hypotension.

Autonomic Neuroscience — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Raj SR PMID: 20226744 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)

Human ataxias: a genetic dissection of inositol triphosphate receptor (ITPR1)-dependent signaling.

Trends in Neurosciences — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Schorge S, van de Leemput J, Singleton A, Houlden H, Hardy J A persistent mystery about the ataxias has been why mutations in genes - many of which are expressed widely in the brain - primarily cause ataxia, and not, for example, epilepsy or dementia. Why should a polyglutamine stretch in the TATA-binding protein (that is important in all cells) particularly disrupt cerebellar coordination? We propose that advances in the genetics of cerebellar ataxias suggest a rational hypothesis for how so many different genes lead to predominantly cerebellar defects. We argue that the unifying feature of many genes involved in cerebellar ataxias is their impact on the signaling protein ITPR1 (inositiol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor type 1), that underlies coincidence detection in Purkinje ce...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Rest-stimulus interaction in the brain: a review.

Trends in Neurosciences — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Northoff G, Qin P, Nakao T Studies in animals and humans have demonstrated intrinsic activity in the brain during the resting state. The concept of the default-mode network (DMN) - a set of brain regions in which resting-state activity (RSA) activity is reduced in response to external stimuli - recently raised much controversy concerning the psychological correlates of RSA. However, it remains unclear how RSA interacts with stimulus-induced activity. Here we review studies in humans and animals that address how RSA interacts with stimulus-induced activity; we also discuss, conversely, how stimulus-induced activity can modulate RSA. Psychologically, the rest-stimulus interaction is relevant to predicting subsequent behavioral and mental states. We conclude that a better underst...

Bimanual movement control is moderated by fixation strategies.

Experimental Brain Research — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Hesse C, Nakagawa TT, Deubel H Our study examined the effects of performing a pointing movement with the left hand on the kinematics of a simultaneous grasping movement executed with the right hand. We were especially interested in the question of whether both movements can be controlled independently or whether interference effects occur. Since previous studies suggested that eye movements may play a crucial role in bimanual movement control, the effects of different fixation strategies were also studied. Human participants were either free to move their eyes (Experiment 1) or they had to fixate (Experiment 2) while doing the task. The results show that bimanual movement control differed fundamentally depending on the fixation condition: if free viewing was allowed, participa...

Depression research: where are we now?

Molecular Brain — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Extensive studies have led to a variety of hypotheses for the molecular basis of depression and related mood disorders, but a definite pathogenic mechanism has yet to be defined. The monoamine hypothesis, in conjunction with the efficacy of antidepressants targeting monoamine systems, has long been the central topic of depression research. While it is widely embraced that the initiation of antidepressant efficacy may involve acute changes in monoamine systems, apparently, the focus of current research is moving toward molecular mechanisms that underlie long-lasting downstream changes in the brain after chronic antidepressant treatment, thereby reaching for a detailed view of the pathophysiology of depression and related mood disorders. In this minireview, we briefly summarize major themes ...

CREB's control of intrinsic and synaptic plasticity: implications for CREB-dependent memory models.

Trends in Neurosciences — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Benito E, Barco A The activation of cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)-dependent gene expression seems a crucial step in the molecular cascade that mediates the formation of long-lasting memories. This view is based both on correlative evidence and on functional assays that demonstrate, through loss- and gain-of-function experiments, the impact of CREB manipulation on memory performance. Mechanistically, CREB's role in memory is thought to be a consequence of its participation in long-term forms of synaptic plasticity. Recent studies demonstrate that CREB, in addition to synaptic plasticity, also modulates the intrinsic excitability of the neuron. This discovery reveals new intriguing connections between intrinsic and synaptic plasticity and is likely to have a signi...

Reactive grip force control in persons with cerebellar stroke: effects on ipsilateral and contralateral hand.

Experimental Brain Research — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study investigates the cerebellar contribution to reactive grip control by examining differences between (22-48 years) subjects with focal cerebellar lesion due to ischaemic stroke (CL) and healthy subjects (HS). The subjects used a pinch grip to grasp and restrain an instrumented handle from moving when it was subject to unpredictable load forces of different rates (2, 4, 8, 32 N/s) or amplitudes (1, 2, 4 N). The hand ipsilateral to the lesion of the cerebellar subjects showed delayed and more variable response latencies, e.g., 278 +/- 162 ms for loads delivered at 2 N/s, compared to HS 180 +/- 53 ms (P = 0.005). The CL also used a higher pre-load grip force with the ipsilateral hand, 1.6 +/- 0.8 N, than the HS, 1.3 +/- 0.6 N (P = 0.017). In addition, the contralateral hand in subjec...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Changes in corticospinal excitability evoked by common peroneal nerve stimulation depend on stimulation frequency.

Experimental Brain Research — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study was designed to determine the effect of different frequencies of NMES applied over the common peroneal nerve on changes in CS excitability for the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. We hypothesized that higher frequencies of stimulation would produce larger increases in CS excitability than lower frequencies. NMES was applied at 10, 50, 100, or 200 Hz during separate sessions held at least 48 h apart. The stimulation was delivered in a 20 s on, 20 s off cycle for 40 min using a 1 ms pulse width. The intensity of stimulation was set to evoke an M-wave in response to a single pulse that was 15% of the maximal M-wave. CS excitability was evaluated by the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in TA evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation. MEPs were recorded immediately before ...

The role of the right temporoparietal junction in intersensory conflict: detection or resolution?

Experimental Brain Research — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Papeo L, Longo MR, Feurra M, Haggard P The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is a polysensory cortical area that plays a key role in perception and awareness. Neuroimaging evidence shows activation of rTPJ in intersensory and sensorimotor conflict situations, but it remains unclear whether this activity reflects detection or resolution of such conflicts. To address this question, we manipulated the relationship between touch and vision using the so-called mirror-box illusion. Participants' hands lay on either side of a mirror, which occluded their left hand and reflected their right hand, but created the illusion that they were looking directly at their left hand. The experimenter simultaneously touched either the middle (D3) or the ring finger (D4) of each hand. Participa...

Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Apoptotic Proteins During Hyperoxia in Mitochondria of the Cerebral Cortex of Newborn Piglets.

Neurochemical Research — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Mudduluru M, Zubrow AB, Ashraf QM, Delivoria-Papadopoulos M, Mishra OP The present study tests the hypothesis that hyperoxia results in increased tyrosine phosphorylation of apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bax & Bad in the mitochondrial fraction of the cerebral cortex of newborn piglets. Twelve newborn piglets were divided into normoxic [Nx, n = 6], exposed to a FiO(2) of 0.21 for 1 h and hyperoxic [Hyx, n = 6], exposed to FiO(2) of 1.0 for 1 h. PaO(2) in Hyx group was maintained at 400 mmHg while the Nx group was kept at 80 to100 mmHg. The density (O.D.x mm(2)) of phosphorylated Bcl2 protein on westernblot was 19.3 +/- 3.6 in Nx and 41.5 +/- 18.3 in Hyx, (P < 0.05). The density of phosphorylated Bcl-xl protein density was 26.9 +/- 7.0 in Nx and 47.9 +/- 2.5 in Hyx, (...

Flavonoids and Astrocytes Crosstalking: Implications for Brain Development and Pathology.

Neurochemical Research — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Nones J, Stipursky J, Costa SL, Gomes FC Flavonoids are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds that are present in a variety of fruits, vegetables, cereals, tea, and wine, and are the most abundant antioxidants in the human diet. Evidence suggests that these phytochemicals might have an impact on brain pathology and aging; however, neither their mechanisms of action nor their cell targets are completely known. In the mature mammalian brain, astroglia constitute nearly half of the total cells, providing structural, metabolic, and trophic support for neurons. During the past few years, increasing knowledge of these cells has indicated that astrocytes are pivotal characters in neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury. Most of the physiological benefits of flavonoids are ge...

Multimodal investigations of trans-endothelial cell trafficking under condition of disrupted blood-brain barrier integrity

BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our data show that targeted CNS cell therapy requires blood-brain barrier disruption. MRI-detectable cytotoxic anti-neoplastic cells can be forced to transverse the BBB and accumulate in the perivascular space. The virtual absence of toxicity, the high anti-tumor activity of TALL-104, and the clinical feasibility of human osmotic BBBD suggest that this approach may be adopted to treat brain or spinal cord tumors. In addition, BBBD may favor CNS entry of other cells that normally lack CNS tropism. (Source: BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Interaction of the mu-opioid receptor with GPR177 (Wntless) inhibits Wnt secretion: potential implications for opioid dependence

BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: It is known that chronic morphine treatment decreases dendritic arborization and hippocampal neurogenesis, and Wnt proteins are essential for these processes. We therefore propose that the morphine-mediated MOR/GPR177 interaction may result in decreased Wnt secretion in the CNS, resulting in atrophy of dendritic arbors and decreased neurogenesis. Our results demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for GPR177 in regulating cellular response to opioid drugs. (Source: BMC Neuroscience - Latest articles)

Non-neuronal cells, inflammation and epilepsy (Commentary on Aronica et al.)

European Journal of Neuroscience — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: European Journal of Neuroscience)

59. Development of cognitive ability of children aged 2–3 years applying the “doll mother” model

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

Introduction: In the development of children’s cognitive abilities making doll models plays an important role. Aim: Aim of this work was to develop children’s cognitive ability through visual art. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

58. Possible prenatal causes for clinical expression of autism

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

Autism is severe developmental disorder with onset around age of three years. Main characteristics of autistic children are problems with social interaction, emotional correspondence and difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. One of the most intriguing questions is the possible reasons causing the expression of autism. Aim of this study was to evaluate the possible prenatal causes for clinical expression of autism. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

57. Anxiety in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

The aim was to identify the frequency and level of anxiety in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In 60 patients with RA, aged 49.87±7.56 yrs., we evaluated: disease activity by DAS28 score, functional ability by the HAQ, and anxiety by Spielberger test (state and trai anxiety). (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

56. The effect of pain on cognitive abilities of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

The aim was to examine the impact of the pain on the cognitive abilities in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Material and methods: we investigated 60 patients with RA and 30 healthy subjects. The intensity of pain was determined by VAS, cognitive abilities by the Wechsler memory scale, functional ability by HAQ questionnaire, and disease activity by DAS28 score. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

55. General electroexpectogram parameters in recreational and sedentary subjects

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

The object of this investigation are mental processes of expectation, attention, and learning, related to the level of physical activity. The experimental part of this work is carried out on 50 subjects, divided by amount of physical activity into 2 groups: sedentary and recreational. All subjects were included in electrophysiological testing with electroexpectogram (EXG) paradigm. EXG paradigm is dynamic extension of classical contingent negative variation (CNV) paradigm. The S1–S2 pair is applied until the CNV rises up to a certain threshold. After that, S2 is turned off, until the CNV falls below the threshold level. Sedentary group, consists of 25 subjects, mean age 20.57 years, mean duration of education 12.32±1.21 shows next EXG parameters: number of formed EXG cycles 2.27 ±1.42;...

54. Unusual course of Miller–Fisher syndrome

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

Background: Guillain–Barre‘ syndrome (GBS) and Miller–Fisher syndrome are variant forms of acute demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Lack of multiple relapses have differentiated it from the chronic form. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

53. Somatosensory evoked potentials in patients with cervical disc herniation

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

Purpose: Estimation of changes and value of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in patients with cervical disc herniation. Methods: We included 48 patients with NMR confirmed cervical disc herniation. Cervical spine cord compression was found in 21 pat., and a narrowing of spinal channel in the rest. SEPs were elicited by stimulation of tibial nerves and wave P40 parameters and central conduction time were analyzed. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

52. Quality of sleeping evaluation in patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:11 +0100

Introduction: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) compromised circulation in the cervical region. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of sleeping in these patients. Methods: 90 patients (20 males and 70 females) aged 52.4 (28–76) filled a sleep questionnaire. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

51. Presentation of multiple rhythmic movement disorders in a single patient

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

We present a l6-year-old young man with four different types of RMDs. At the age of 2.5 years symptoms spontaneously appeared as repetitive, rhythmic, stereotypic, sleep-related rhythmic movements of forward and backward swaying of the trunk (body rocking). After four years of age the movements transformed to head banging against a pillow appearing in quiet wakefulness or superficial sleep. From the age of 7 years he had body rolling and head rolling as pre-sleep behavior. Head banging, body or leg rolling appeared in random succession, in different combinations or independently as isolated symptom on a particular night. Patient never hurt himself, claimed to be amnesic for the events with daily activities unaffected. PSG with sleep architecture, neurologic, psychiatric, cardiologic, ophth...

50. Detection of the “will to move” for an ambulatory system for tremor suppression based on functional electrical stimulation

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

Purpose: An ambulatory system that applies functional electrical stimulation (FES) for tremor attenuation relies on the information when the movement will start. Brain computer interface (BCI) is at disposal to drive the system. We propose the computing method for the evaluation of various arm movements in order to detect intention to move prior to the movement. Method relies on the fact that Bereitschaftspotential (BP) is a measure of activity in the brain that is related to the planning of movement. The database was created for the Tremor project (FP7) and contains signals from standard EEG recordings. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

49. Paroxysmal dystonia and epilepsy – one differential diagnostic aspect

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

We present 19 year-old boy who has been suffering from paroxysmal nocturnal attacks of painful dystonic postures involving one hand, neck and eyes, for several years. The consciousness is always preserved, standard day-time EEG examinations are normal. Initial therapeutical response to carbamazepine was effective. During the clinical course, and disease aggravation, ictal sleep EEG suggested epileptic frontal lobe discharges. Although PND and ADNFLE are very similar diseases, their electrophysiological differences suggest the most important role of EEG in establishing the final, correct diagnosis of some neurological diseases. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

48. Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s disease patients: Time analysis

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

We present a simple method in the time domain for evaluating episodes of freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients by using ground reaction forces. Methods: Three sources were applied to study gait: video, force sensitive resistors (FSR) attached to one foot, and accelerometers in pairs attached to the foot, shank and thigh. Task included walking through the corridor, doorway pass, U-turn and approaching the destination. We analyzed 24 FOG episodes from 9 PD patients in “on” state. In addition to common methods for time analysis based on video, ground reaction forces and accelerations, we computed Pearson’s correlation coefficient (Pcc) between a “regular/normal” step and the complete record from FSR. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

47. Anxiety and epilepsy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

Purpose: Quantitative analysis of anxiety level in patient groups with generalized and focal, temporal or extratemporal epilepsy. Material and method: Ninety patients (30 with generalized epilepsy, 30 with temporal and 30 with extratemporal epilepsy), and age-matched healthy control subjects were investigated. Anxiety level in all subjects was assessed with Beck Anxiety Inventory. Sheehan Disability Scale was used to determine the functional disability level. Patients with comorbid major depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, progressive neurological disease, alcoholism, and epilepsy associated with mental retardation were excluded. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

46. Efficacy and tolerability of topiramate as add-on therapy in patients with refractory epilepsy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

Purpose: Topiramate (TPM) is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) with proven efficacy and safety. We investigated long-term efficacy and tolerability of TPM as add-on therapy in patients with refractory epilepsy. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

45. Infantile masturbation – video EEG case study

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

Purpose: To present the clinical course and the crucial diagnostic video EEG record of a female infant subsequently diagnosed to have infantile masturbation. Method: Patient medical records and video-EEG analysis. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

44. Acute confusional state in patients with non-convulsive status epilepticus

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

Purpose: To present non-convulsive status epilepticus in elderly patients who also manifested acute confusional state, which was properly diagnosed only after a few days of different diagnostic explorations. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

43. Interictal EEG in pharmacoresistant and in well-controlled partial epilepsies

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:09 +0100

Purpose: To determine the frequency, type and location of interictal EEG abnormalities in patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy (PRE). Method: From 80 randomly chosen patients with partial epilepsy, age 18–60 years, follow-up period at least 4 years, we formed two groups of 40 patients, one with PRE and one with controlled seizures (CE). (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

42. Subjective visual vertical perception in patient after acute ischemic brain attack

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:08 +0100

We present the results of testing of 48 patients (age 45–73) immediately after acute ischemic brain attack. A control group of healthy subjects of the same age was tested as well. The neurological examination as well as the brain computerized tomography was performed in all patients. According to these examinations, three groups of patients were formatted: ischemic attack in the anterior cerebral fossa, ischemic attack in the posterior fossa and diffuse lacunar ischemic changes of the brain. The testing was performed by means of the modified Brandt and coworkers SVV test. Static and dynamic SVV test was applied. The statistical analysis by means of Student’s test and Mann–Whitney test, showed much bigger inaccuracy in judging of verticality in the group of patients, compared to the g...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

41. The vestibulospinal pathways

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:08 +0100

The goal of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the vestibular stimulation in rehabilitation of patients after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The activation of vestibulospinal pathways can be achieved by galvanic stimulation applied to the mastoid. It causes hypotonia of the extensor muscles on the anodal side. In 9 chronic SCI patients (aged 21–41), a repeated galvanic stimulation was applied on the left, and after that, on the right mastoid. Two of the patients were grade A according to American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS), 5 grade B, and two grade C. The intensity of the stimulation was 3–5mA, the duration 1s. Each stimulus was repeated 10 times. The spasticity of lower limbs was tested previous and after galvanic stimulation. Two experienced physi...

40. The vestibular function in newborn

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

Neonatal hearing screening is a well established diagnostic method. In contrast, function of the vestibular apparatus and its central pathways is hardly being examined in newborns The aim of this research was to examine functioning of the vestibular apparatus and its pathways in newborns. In N=100 healthy full-term newborns from regular pregnancies, we performed the following clinical examinations: observation of ocular alignment in the awake state (OAA), testing of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and testing of the Moro reflex (MOR). The results were scored, and recorded by means of a digital camera. In 87% of babies eyes were in the midline, whereas in 13% of babies one or both eyes were in exotropia or endotropia. VOR was absent in 5% of newborns, present to both sides in 38%. In rema...

39. Otoacoustic emissions

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

Otoacoustic emissions are acoustic signals generated by cochlea’s outer hair cells. They can be detected in the ear canal of a person with normal outer hair cell function. During the last decade, the detection of otoacoustic emissions has become a well established method of neonatal hearing screening. Besides that, they have become a inevitable tool in the hearing-impairment diagnostic procedure. In this presentation, the Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAE) measurement is described. Three cases of hearing impairment are demonstrated in which the TEOAE measurement had a significant contribution to the diagnosis. A case with tinnitus and normal pure tone audiometry, a case with vestibular neurinoma suspicion, and a case with industrial noise hearing impairment are described. (Sou...

38. Neurophysiological improvement in profoundly deaf children achieved by cochlear implantation

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

Purpose: To assess neurophysiologic improvement in audiological performance and short-term auditory memory of profoundly deaf children following cochlear implantation. Material and methods: Experimental group consisted of 30 profoundly deaf children with cochlear implants, aged 3–12 years. Control group had 30 profoundly deaf children with hearing aids of the same age. Ling 6 Sounds Test and Test of immediate verbal memory were used. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

37. Causes of brain death patients in emergency neurology

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

Objective of our study was to define the causes of BD of patients who were candidates for organ donation and to define the reasons why some of them did not become brain-death donors. This retrospective study included patients that were treated at the Emergency department of the Clinical center of Serbia in the period from january 2004 until october 2008. The clinical diagnosis of brain death was confirmed in 133 patients. Considering the aetiology of BD the majority of cases (69.9%) included spontaneous hemorrhages (subarahnoidal and/or intracranial ones), and head injuries (10.5%). The organ transplantation was performed only in 24 cases (18.0%). In 69.9% cases the transplantation was not performed because of the refusal by the family (in 2004, 80%; in 2005, 80%; in 2006, 73.1%; in 2007, ...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

36. Isoelectric electroencephalogram in hypoxic–ischemic perinatal brain injury

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

We present 20 neonates identified with a severe hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), in a 10-year period (1999–2009), subjected to electroencephalography. They all had isoelectric EEG during first 24–48h of life. Thirteen of 20 neonates also had electroencephalographic or other evidence of clinical seizures in first 72h of life. Serial EEGs (every 24h) helped assess the severity of a neonatal encephalopathy, but also may correlate with chronic and acute neurologic insults. Although electroencephalographic activity reemerged in 16 of these infants, significant clinical improvement was seen in only 5 patients. Four children died in first 72h of life, had continuous isoelectric EEG. Eleven children survived with severe sequaelae, had isoelectric EEG during period of et least 72h of li...

35. Isoelectric electroencephalogram cannot be equated with brain death

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

The electroencephalography is by far the most used confirmatory test in the brain-dead (BD) diagnosis. Isoelectric electroencephalogram in conformance with clinical findings is strongly suggestive of brain death. In clinical practice, isoelectric electroencephalogram (EEG) in not-brain-dead patients is rarely seen. In period from 1999 to 2009, 36 patients (aged 1–18 years) with Glasgow comma score (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

34. Transcranial Doppler sonography for confirming diagnosis of brain death

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

The cerebral circulatory arrest (CCA) is the final step that leads to the irreversible loss of all brain functions and ultimately to the brain death. In contrast to the cerebral angiography, Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) is a noninvasive method that can detect CCA and can be easily performed at the bedside. In patients who have received sedatives, those with metabolic derangements or who are hypothermic TCD is more reliable than electroencephalography. Waveform abnormalities documented by the TCD occur when intracranial pressure increases above the mean arterial pressure and are indicative of CCA. The TCD criteria for CCA include the presence one of the following patterns: (1) biphasic oscillating flow (“to and fro” movement), (2) systolic spikes of low velocity without a flow ...

33. Importance of EEG in brain death diagnosis

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

Brain death (BD) is defined as irreversible loss of critical functions in the entire brain, including the brainstem. It is claimed that without the brain functions, the body functions will disintegrate. BD exams must show complete absence of brain function and must include two isoelectric (flat-line) EEGs, 24h apart. Although in certain countries EEG is not considered BD confirmatory test, since it cannot test brainstem function, majority of neurologists would not diagnose BD until the EEG is isoelectric. Therefore, EEG is necessary for confirmation of brain death in most countries, including Serbia. The major problem in BD concept is in the fact that brain functions may continue in many brain-dead brains. In our study out of 133 BD patients, 20 had persistent 24h brain function in EEG, th...

32. Brain death

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:04 +0100

Brain death (BD) is defined as the absence of all brain functions with the complete cessation of brain function, profound coma of known cause, complete absence of brain stem reflexes, and positive apnea test. All evaluations are done by experienced neurologist or neurosurgeons. Before a patient can be certified brain dead, a certain set of preconditions must be met: (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

31. Presentation of multiple rhythmic movement disorders in a single patient

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

30. Importance of EEG in diagnosis of metabolic disorders in infancy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: To present importance of EEG in diagnosis of metabolic disease in children during neonatal and infantile period of life. Method: Serial video EEGs were performed in two cases with non-ketotic hyperglycinemia and two newborns with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). Metabolic investigation of blood, urine and CSF, including genetic analyses were performed. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

29. Occipital EEG alpha power after sleep deprivation greater among the idiopathic generalized epilepsies

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: To find some EEG indicators that could differ idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) from partial ones and controls. Methods: The alpha attenuation test (AAT) was applied to the sample of 117 patients with at least one episode of loss of consciousness and 34 controls. All patients underwent EEG recording after one night sleep deprivation. AAT was performed before sleep onset. According to the later established diagnosis, three patients groups were established: 27 with IGE, 34 with partial epilepsy and 56 with unknown cause of loss of consciousness. A total of 36 logarithmic transformed variables underwent the parametric statistical analysis: six relative and six absolute alpha powers from each of the two channels (O2-A1 and O1-A2) after eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) condit...

28. Electroencephalographic features of epilepsies caused by temporal lobe tumors

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: To define the electroencephalographic (EEG) features of symptomatic focal epilepsies caused by temporal lobe tumors. Method: We analyzed EEG features of 20 patients with symptomatic focal epilepsies caused by temporal lobe tumors. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

27. EEG in early prediction of epilepsy prognosis in malformations of cortical development of childhood

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Malformations of cortical development (MCD) are often recognized as underlying etiology for intractable seizures in children. Prognosis of epilepsy in them is often difficult to predict. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

26. Effect of hyperventilation in patients with mechanical brain injury

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: To investigate the hyperventilation (HV) effect on quantitative background EEG activity in subjects with mechanical brain injury. Methods: The study was performed on a sample of 69 patients with mechanical brain injury (31 female and 38 male, mean age 45,04 years), 36 of them with posttraumatic epileptic seizures (PTS). Control group consisted of 34 age-matched healthy subjects. Electrodes were positioned according to 10–20 system. Data were processed using program package PERSYST Insight II (Persyst Development Corporation, 1060 Sandreto Drive, Suite E-2, Prescott, AZ 86305). Multiple comparisons of HV effect between control and patient groups, as well as subgroups with and without PTS, were performed with spectral EEG analysis in Laplacian montage. (Source: Clinical Neurophys...

25. Video and EEG as a diagnostic tool – which one is better?

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: To check which of the two diagnostic tools give better results – Video or EEG? Methods: We used Video system Nicolet One Healthcare Viasys t® with the Sony® camcorder. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

24. Brain SPECT and PET imaging in the differential diagnosis of dementias

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Aim: To study the usefulness of PET and SPECT in clinical practice in dementias. Using numerous specific radiotracers (99mTc-HMPAO, 99mTc-ECD, 18F-FDG, 123J-FP-CIT, 123J-IBZM, 123J-MIBG, 11C-PIB) SPECT or PET can visualize various aspects of brain function in differential diagnosis of dementia: brain perfusion, glucose metabolism, presynaptic and postsynaptic level of dopaminergic system integrity, amyloidal plaque imaging. 18F-FDG PET (cerebral metabolism) and perfusion SPECT are commonly used in clinical practice. Images of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate hypometabolism (PET) and hypoperfusion (SPECT) involving especially the posterior cingulate and bilateral parietal and temporal association cortices. Frontotemporal dementia-hypometabolism and hypoperfusion in frontal cortex and ...

23. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and DaTSCAN in diagnosis of parkinsonian syndromes

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

The role of nuclear medicine is functional brain imaging based on two strategies. A first approach is related to brain functional activity and energy metabolism and the second is related to the function of the chemically heterogeneous neurons. SPECT is nuclear medicine technique, presently widely used for imaging of neurovascular disorders, brain tumours, dementia, epilepsy, encephalitis, parkinsonism and various psychiatric diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals developed for SPECT can be categorized into a number of broad categories. Technetium-99m-labeled hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime (Tc-99m-HMPAO), and technetium-99m-labeled ethyl cysteinate dimer (Tc-99m-ECD) are widely used to visualize and to measure cerebral blood flow. 3-[(123)I]iodo-alpha-methyl-l-tyrosine ((I-123-IMT), Thallium-201 chl...

22. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in presurgical evaluation of temporal lobe epilepsy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Aim: To show results of neuroimaging ictal and interictal SPECT in our patients. Method: We performed brain SPECT in four patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. For ictal studies patients had continuous video EEG monitoring. Radiotracer (stabilized 99mTcHMPAO, 740 MBq) injected in the first 30s after seizure onset. For interictal study radiotracer injected when patients have been without seizure. Study was performed 90min after radiotracer injected. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

21. MR perfusion imaging in diagnostics of brain pathologies

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

The knowledge of parameters which describe oxygen and nutrients supply to tissues is essential from standpoint of diagnostics and follow-up of pathologies of brain. Due to their low spatial resolution MR angiographic techniques cannot visualize blood flow inside bulk tissue. In order to obtain the hemodynamic parameters which describe perfusion, MR perfusion imaging use drop in tissue signal during the first pass of contrast agent. Decrease in MR signal is proportional to intravascular concentration of contrast agent, which provides basis for calculation of regional cerebral volume (rCBV), regional cerebral flow (rCBF) and mean transition time (MTT) and corresponding maps of these parameters. Such maps can pinpoint to changes in perfusion of brain tissue which can be consequence or cause o...

20. Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation conjugated with partial sleep deprivation in treatment of major depression – pilot study

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: The study was designed to evaluate effects of low-frequency rTMS conjugated with partial sleep deprivation in treatment of major depression. Methods: Eleven patients (45±4.6 yrs) with diagnosis of unipolar major depression, unsuccessfully treated, on stable pharmacotherapy were treated with 1Hz rTMS at threshold intensity, over right dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex, during two weeks; 5 trains (60 stimuli per session). Twice during the period of two weeks partial sleep deprivation was applied (4h). Study design comprises active and shamrTMS. Therapeutic effects were estimated by blind rater. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

19. Multimodal evoked potentials in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type 1

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Purpose: Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type 1 (CMT1) is most frequent hereditary neuropathy clinically, neurophysiologically and histopathologically described. Evaluation of parameters changes in all evoked potentials (EP) modalities, depending to CMT1 type. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

18. Neurophysiological evaluation of central and peripheral motor conduction in cervical spondylotic myelopathy – study with transcranial magnetic stimulation

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Introduction: Central motor conduction time (CMCTM) is recognized as highly reliable indicator in planning neurosurgical treatment. Methods: We have tested 12 patients (48.2±11.4 yrs) with clinical diagnosis of probable cervical myelopathy. For each patient, in addition to conventional neurophysiological tests (SSEP, MEP, EMG, nerve conduction studies), we have calculated root conduction time, with previous calculation of total peripheral conduction time, aiming to define motor conduction exclusively for central motor pathways (CVMPF). TMS was performed on conventional way, as well in position of maximal ante- and retroflexion. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

17. Predictive value of multimodal evoked potentials in brain contusion qualification

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Introduction: Multimodal evoked potentials (MEP) nowadays often occurs as one of the most supreme neurophysiologic and forensic techniques in head injured patients, and predictional methods in brain function approach. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

16. Transcranial neuromodulation techniques for treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:03 +0100

Transcranial neuromodulation techniques (TNT), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), are promising treatment methods in neurology and psychiatry. Although, in contrast to DBS in movement disorders or ECT in depression, the efficacy of TNT to treat neurological or psychiatric disorders has not been undoubtedly demonstrated yet, the potential advantages are considerable. TNT techniques avoid surgical risks and provide theoretical advantages of potential specific neural circuit modulation. So far, the most encouraging results have been reported in neuropathic pain and depression. In addition, promising are the results obtained in treatment of epilepsy, parkinsonism, dyskinesia, dystonia, hallucination, and tinnitus. There are i...

15. Physiological mechanisms of non-invasive cortical stimulation

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Non-invasive cortical stimulation comprises application of safe and comfortable methods of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Common physiological principles for both methods are founded on prolonged post-interventional effects represented by cortical excitability changes. Patterns of stimulation (frequency, intensity, intervals between consequent trains) are determining direction of excitability changes. Current physiological models suggest predominant activation of cortical interneurons similar to mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation and long-term depression. This hypothesis is supported by several studies performed on healthy volunteers with administration of CNS active agents with well known effec...

14. The effects of l-NAME on spike-and-wave complexes in homocysteine thiolactone-induced seizures in adult rats

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of l-NAME, inhibitor of NO synthase, on spike-and-wave discharges (SWD) appearance in homocysteine thiolactone (H)-induced seizures in rats. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

13. L-Arginine, endogenous NO donor, potentiates lindane-induced seizures in rats

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to examine the influence of L-Arginine, precursor of NO synthase, on seizure susceptibility induced by subconvulsive dose of lindane in rats. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

12. Dose-dependent anticonvulsive effect of valproate on D,L homocysteine-thiolactone induced seizures in adult rats

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Purpose: The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of valproate on D,L homocysteine-thiolactone induced seizures in rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into groups: (1) Saline-treated (C, n=10); (2) D,L homocysteine-thiolactone 8mM/kg, i.p. (H, n=7); (3) Valproate i.p. in doses: 50 (V50, n=8), 100 (V100, n=8) and 150mg/kg (V150, n=8) and (4) Valproate (V50,100,150) 30min prior to H (V50H, n=10; V100H, n=10; and V150H, n=8). Seizure behaviour was assessed by incidence, latency, number and intensity of seizure episodes. Seizure severity was determined by a descriptive scale with grades 0–4. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

11. Neurophysiological findings in patients with new mutation in GJB1 as a cause of X-linked Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Purpose: To introduce basic clinical and neurophysiological characteristics in patients with mutation c.94A>G, in Gap Junction Protein ß1 (GJB1), on a gene encoding Connexin32 (Cx32) located on chromosome Xq13.1. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

10. The importance of electromyoneurographic examination of adult patients with neuromuscular diseases in molecular genetics era

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Electromyoneurography (EMNG) is the method of choice for examination of adult patients with neuromuscular diseases, besides invasive character of EMG muscles examination with needle electrodes. Needle EMG examination includes evaluation of muscles insertional and spontaneous activities (fibrillations, complex repetitive discharges, myotonic discharges etc.), motor unit action potentials recruitment and morphology (amplitude, duration, shape) and ENG evaluation based on motor and sensory conduction velocities values and characteristics of motor and neural potentials. Limitations for EMNG use in adult patients are relatively rare. In patients with acquired neuromuscular diseases with different etiological factors and traumatic injuries of neuromuscular system, EMNG examination is very import...

9. Electroneuromyography in children with neuromuscular disorders, once and now

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

The most frequent neuro-muscular (NM) disorders in children are dystrophinopathy, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and hereditary neuropathy (HN). Molecular genetic studies are available for most of them. In typical Duchenne-dystrophy and SMA we go directly to genetic diagnostic procedures. In typical HN, we still perform ENMG and then genetic study, because of heterogeneous genotypes with over 40 known genes. “Floppy infants” is syndrome diagnosis with variable etiologies. ENMG is necessary in differentiating the types of NM disorders and sometimes in separating congenital NM dysfunctions from central nervous system dysfunction. With some rare syndromes, like congenital myasthenic syndromes, channalopathies, ENMG test could be very useful before genetic studies. (Source: Clinical Neuroph...

8. Autonomic status epilepticus

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Although autonomic dysfunction associated with both interictal and ictal epileptogenic activity may have serious consequences, autonomic seizures and autonomic status epilepticus (Aut SE) is a relatively neglected topic. According to a recent definition of an international consortium, autonomic seizures are characterized by prominent alterations of autonomic function. Aut SE is a condition lasting at least 30min and characterized by epileptic activity causing altered autonomic function of any type at seizure onset or in which manifestations consistent with altered autonomic function are prominent (quantitatively dominant or clinically important) even if not present at seizure onset. Aut SE most frequently occurs in otherwise normal child aged 4 and 5 years with Panayiotopoulos syndrome, an...

7. Cardiovascular reflex tests in autonomic nervous system evaluation in Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

The manifestations of dysautonomia in PD and MSA are broad and include gastrointestinal, urogenital, cardiovascular, sudomotor and thermoregulatory symptoms. The aim of our study was to evaluate the degree of dysautonomia in PD and MSA, as well as the usefulness of cardiovascular tests in differentiating parkinsonian syndromes. We evaluated 72 patients with PD and 19 with MSA, as well as 35 age-matched controls. The patients were divided in four groups (de novo patients – group I, patients with controllable PD without therapy complications – group II, patients with complications of levodopa treatment – group III, and MSA patients – group IV). Only orthostatic hypotension test showed statistical significance (p (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

6. Impaired autonomic cardiac control in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and it’s prognostic significance

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

Purpose: To assess autonomic cardiac control in ALS patients and the impact of autonomic dysfunction on outcome. Methods: Fifty five patients with sporadic ALS (28 women, 27 men; average age 56,00±10,34) were compared to 30 healthy controls (17 women, 13 men; average age 42,87±11,91). Ewing‘s cardiovascular reflex tests, short-term power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), real time beat-to-beat ECG monitoring with HRV analysis and baroreceptor function analysis (BRS) were performed at the beginning of the study. Cardiovascular responses to 5-min hyperventilation were also assessed. Time domain parameters of HRV were obtained from 24-h ECG monitoring. The follow-up period was 38 months. Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were used to assess survival...

5. The adjustment of autonomic nervous system function (ANSA method) and personalized medicine:new approach in diagnostics and treatment of disease

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

According to new data from different studies about connection of heart rate variability and genetical factors is confirmed that there is clear genetical determination of autonomic nervous system status. Regarding to possible existence of constant sympathovagal balance in the basal stage, we made hypothesis that the matching of the drug and dose of every disease treatment depend of the type of sympathovagal balance. The goal of research was to use this methodology in the testing of patients with myocardial infarction, hypertension, syncopes and healthy persons. The patients were divided in two clear groups related to predominance of sympaticus or vagus with subgroups with moderate and strong activity. The groups were created according to normal values from tables. After the follow up of pat...

4. MR perfusion imaging in diagnostics of brain pathologies

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

The knowledge of parameters which describe oxygen and nutrients supply to tissues is essential from standpoint of diagnostics and follow-up of pathologies of brain. Due to their low spatial resolution MR angiographic techniques cannot visualize blood flow inside bulk tissue. MR perfusion imaging is technique which use drop in tissue signal during the first pass of contrast agent in order to obtain the haemodynamic parameters which describe perfusion. Calculation of those values requires determination of time course of change of agent concentration in both tissue and feeding artery. Decrease in MR signal is proportional to intravascular concentration of contrast agent, which provides basis for calculation of regional cerebral volume (rCBV), regional cerebral flow (rCBF) and mean transition ...

3. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic autoimmune neuropathies

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

The “Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of chronic autoimmune neuropathies” was developed by the Medical Advisory Board of the Neuropathy Association as an aid to the management of patients with peripheral neuropathy. The chronic autoimmune neuropathies (CAN) are a diverse group of syndromes that result from immune-mediated damage to the peripheral nerves. For many of these disorders, there is a lack of definitive diagnostic tests, and a paucity of controlled therapeutic trials. Consequently, the diagnosis can be missed, and the patients remain untreated. The information presented in this paper is intended to help physicians recognize these disorders and provide the appropriate treatments. The guidelines include classification of the CAN, their clinical presentations, associated el...

2. Diagnosis of brain death: The role of neurophysiological methods

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

The diagnosis of brain death (BD) relies on prerequisites (the cause of coma must be identified and be sufficient to produce BD), on the clinical evaluation (non-reactive coma, loss of brainstem reflexes, apnea), and on confirmatory tests, which can be subdivided into neurophysiological tests (electroencephalogram: EEG, evoked potentials: EPs) and assessment of brain circulation (four-vessel angiography, radioisotopic techniques, intracranial Doppler). Clinical neurophysiology has sometimes been reproached not to provide assessment of the whole brain. It should be mentioned that the same reproach can be heaped on all other diagnostic methods, including clinical examination and angiographic techniques. This argumentation underlines the flaws of a purely phenomenological approach of BD. We a...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

1. Quantification of epileptic activity for therapeutic monitoring

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:02 +0100

The aim of treatment of epilepsies is to control seizures without causing adverse effects by reaching the best possible quality of life. For this aim diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring became an increasingly clinically important tool because seizures are transient events difficult to observe. An assessment of the amount of knowledge gain by the different examination methods such as routine EEG, sleep EEG, ictal routine EEG, long-term video EEG. Evaluation of antiepileptic drugs can be performed with the aid of therapeutic intensive seizure analysis including neuropsychological testing. Computer supported seizure detection in emergency cases status epilepticus and for the quantification of frequency and severity of epileptic seizures in difficult to treat epilepsies. Here adequate method...

12. Brachial neuritis presenting as median thenar branch palsy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

We present a case of isolated median thenar branch palsy due to brachial neuritis. The patient presented with painless thumb weakness without sensory loss. Nerve conduction studies showed severe distal median nerve motor dysfunction with active and chronic denervation of abductor pollicis brevis and opponens pollicis on electromyography. The remainder of the study was normal. Motor and somatosensory evoked potentials ruled out a proximal lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging did not reveal a compressive aetiology. Clinical and electrophysiologic improvement occurred over the next year with no intervention. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

11. Catamenial changes in cortical excitability: Reversal of normal patterns in new onset epilepsy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Objective: We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to determine whether there are variations in cortical excitability associated with the menstrual cycle in women with new onset untreated epilepsy. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

10. Pathway to chronicity: Cortical excitability changes associated with refractory epilepsy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Objective: We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to study the in vivo effect of recurrent seizures on cortical excitability during the evolution of chronic epilepsy. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

9. The optimization of 2-channel EEG for the detection of generalized and temporal seizures: A pilot study for EEG monitoring study in the intensive care unit (CU)

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Background: It is not routine practice in Australia for comatose ICU patients to have continuous EEG monitoring. These patients are at significant risk of developing subclinical seizures including status epilepticus. The technical demands required for standard 10/20 EEG system severely limit its application for ICU monitoring. We undertook a pilot study to optimise the 2-channel EEG system in detecting seizures demonstrable on 10/20 system, as lead up to a prospective study of its utility in continuous ICU EEG monitoring. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

8. Neurophysiologic findings in children presenting with pes cavus

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Objective: Nerve conduction studies are commonly requested for children with pes cavus, to exclude possible underlying neuropathy. We aimed to review our experience and identify predictive factors for abnormal neurophysiologic testing in these children. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

7. Utility of magnetic resonance imaging and nerve conduction study in diagnosing ulnar neuropathy at the elbow

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

This study assessed the sensitivity of NCS and MRI in diagnosing UNE. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

6. Axonal energy failure during a stroke-like episode in MELAS

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Objective: To determine whether there is disruption of energy dependent processes and axonal depolarization during the development of stroke-like episodes in MELAS (Mitochondrial myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-like episodes). (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

5. A novel biomarker of axonal dysfunction in oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Introduction: Oxaliplatin, a platinum-based chemotherapy utilised in the treatment of colorectal cancer, produces prominent dose-limiting neurotoxicity. Acute neurotoxicity develops immediately following infusion and resolves within days, while chronic neuropathy develops with higher cumulative doses. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

4. The electrophysiological features of HIV peripheral neuropathy

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

HIV infection is associated with several forms of peripheral neuropathy, the most common being a distal sensory polyneuropathy, either from HIV viral infection or antiretroviral drug therapy. Mechanisms of disease remain incompletely understood with some evidence implicating envelope glycoprotein gp120 mediated neuronal apoptosis for the former, and mitochondrial toxicity±DNA polymerase gamma involvement in the latter. We studied 16 HIV positive patients, 14 of whom had neuropathy (10 HIV infection alone, 4 drug related). Clinically neuropathic patients were all symptomatic and had abnormalities in nerve conduction studies (13), and thermal quantitative sensory testing (11). Heart rate variability was abnormal in 4 patients in at least 1 of 3 parameters. Using the Qtrac Trond protocol, th...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

3. Benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo: Treatment of resistant cases

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

BPPV can sometimes prove resistant to conventional treatment. This may relate to physical limitations, multi canal pathology or cupulithiasis (otoconia which is stuck). In our clinic we now have the ability to treat these patients using the Epley Omniax Rotator. This device allows the patient to be rotated in any axis with no effort required for either subject or staff. Eye movements are recorded using an infrared camera. Computer analysis of the nystagmus assists with the accurate diagnosis of the BPPV type to facilitate effective treatment. Since December 2008 we have attended to 86 cases. Fifty of these had canalithiasis with seven affecting the lateral canal one in the anterior and 42 in the posterior. 15 of these cases had cupulolithiasis with 12 having it in the lateral canal, two in...

2. Corticospinal dysfunction and the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis following electrical injury

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

The pathophysiology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is not entirely understood, although 5–10% of cases are familial with the remainder termed sporadic. While there have been case reports of ALS developing following electrical trauma, a recent systematic review suggested that there was no convincing evidence for a causal relationship. Herein, we describe a 25-year-old male patient who developed ALS with initial onset in the right upper limb, soon after sustaining a severe electrical injury to the same region, associated with the development of structural abnormalities involving the motor pathways evident on magnetic resonance imaging. Assessment of cortical excitability with transcranial magnetic stimulation demonstrated a relatively inexcitable motor cortex, with a significant in...

1. How not to miss LEMS

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100

Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is thought to be an extremely rare disorder of the neuromuscular junction, and it is thought that many cases succumb from underlying malignancy. There are a number of potential pitfalls in making the diagnosis, and LEMS is frequently missed, whereupon the patient is assumed to have a myopathy as the cause of proximal weakness, or a neuropathy if hyporeflexia and autonomic features are predominant. The post exercise CMAP test for this disorder is extremely easy, safe and quick, but it will only be positive if the test is actually done. Specific therapy with 3,4 diaminopyridine±pyridostigmine is very effective. An immune versus tumour effect is reasonably well substantiated – this means that survival is longer or long term, and also suggests that...

The Bereitschaftspotential in essential tremor

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: Findings suggest that presence vs. absence of cerebellar signs (intention tremor) in ET results in differential affection of volitional preparatory motor cortical activity. The BP increase in ETPT may indicate compensatory activity, whereas the widespread centro-parietal BP reduction in ETIT suggests dysfunction of the cerebello-dentato-thalamo-cortical projection.Significance: Reduction of the late BP amplitude may serve as a surrogate marker for dysfunction of the cerebello-dentato-thalamo-cortical projection in ET. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

The estimation of short intra-cortical inhibition depends on the proportion of spinal motoneurones activated by corticospinal inputs

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: Data normalised to Mmax better reflect the motoneurone recruitment after SICI. To enhance reproducibility, MEP should be normalised to Mmax. This adjusts for some of the non-linear properties at the spinal, and possibly, at cortical levels.Significance: To reduce variability is important because TMS is becoming widely adopted and is being used in patients. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

The effect of electromagnetic field emitted by a mobile phone on the inhibitory control of saccades

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: Thirtyminutes of mobile phone exposure has no significant short-term effect on the inhibitory control of saccades.Significance: The cortical processing responsible for saccade inhibition is not affected by exposure to EMF emitted by a mobile phone. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Occlusion of bidirectional plasticity by preceding low-frequency stimulation in the human motor cortex

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: Low frequency stimulation increases intracortical inhibition and occludes LTP- and LTD-like plasticity in the human motor cortex.Significance: This finding supports the concept that metaplasticity in the human motor cortex follows similar rules as metaplasticity in in vitro experiments. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Neuromagnetic activation of primary and secondary somatosensory cortex following tactile-on and tactile-off stimulation

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: The somatosensory evoked magnetic fields waveforms elicited by the two tactile stimuli (tactile-on and tactile-off stimuli) with a mechanical stimulator were strikingly similar. These mechanical stimuli elicited both contralateral SI and ipsilateral SII activities.Significance: Tactile stimulation with a mechanical stimulator provides new possibilities for experimental designs in studies of the human mechanoreceptor system. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Functional characterisation of sensory ERPs using probabilistic ICA: Effect of stimulus modality and stimulus location

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusion: These findings show that P-ICA can be used to dissect effectively sensory ERPs into physiologically meaningful components, and indicate a new approach for exploring the effect of various experimental modulations of sensory ERPs.Significance: This approach offers a better understanding of the functional significance of sensory ERPs. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Auditory and visual novelty processing in normally-developing Kenyan children

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: The changes in the timing and magnitude of early-latency ERPs likely reflect brain maturational processes. The age-related changes to auditory stimuli generally occurred later than those to visual stimuli suggesting that visual processing matures faster than auditory processing.Significance: ERPs may be used to assess children’s cognitive development in rural areas of Africa. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Nomogram for determining lower limit of the sural response

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: Using our normal data, the computed lower limits of the 95% prediction interval for the sural SNAP amplitude of an individual subject, depending on his age and height, were calculated.Significance: The individualized normal values provided by our equation are essential for the correct interpretation of sural nerve studies. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Diagnostic value of double-step nerve stimulation test in patients with Myasthenia Gravis

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:00 +0100

Conclusions: By using ROC derived cutoff-points, DSST could accurately discriminate MG patients from control subjects. Quantitative results of our study are limited by small series of patients and can vary with larger series. However we think that the difference between the decremental response patterns of patients and controls is a valuable finding.Significance: DSST can be a sensitive, specific and non-invasive choice in the patients who have high suspicion for MG but normal conventional RNS. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

GABA(A) alpha-1 subunit mediated desynchronization of elevated low frequency oscillations alleviates specific dysfunction in stroke – A case report

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: In JP, functional deficits and pathological oscillations appear coincidentally reduced following administration of low-dose zolpidem.Significance: GABA(A) alpha-1 sensitive desynchronisation of pathological oscillations may represent a biomarker and potential therapeutic target in brain injury. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Fluctuation of gamma-band phase synchronization within the auditory cortex in schizophrenia

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: Greater intra and inter hemispheric fluctuations of ASSR gamma band phase synchronization in Sz add to previous studies suggesting timing deficiencies within neural populations, possibly caused by impairments of neural network parameters.Significance: This study provides experimental support that may aid in understanding the dynamics of neural phase synchrony caused by modifications of underlying neurotransmitter systems, as reflected in disease states such as schizophrenia. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Early integration of vowel and pitch processing: A mismatch negativity study

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: The underadditivity of the MMN responses suggests that vowel and pitch differences are processed by interacting neural networks.Significance: The results indicate that vowel and pitch are processed as integrated units, even at a pre-attentive level. Music-processing specificity thus rests on more complex dimensions of music and speech. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

A sustained deviance response evoked by the auditory oddball paradigm

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: The MMNm is followed by a sustained deviance response in the oddball paradigm. While some characteristics of the response coincide with the sustained field, its growth with tone duration differs. The response could possibly be related to automatic orienting of attention, but further studies are required to explore its functional role.Significance: The sustained deviance response is a separate component – distinct from the MMNm and P3 – that needs to be considered in the evaluation of data obtained with the auditory oddball paradigm. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

An auditory oddball brain–computer interface for binary choices

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: With this study, the viability of the paradigm was shown for healthy participants and will next be evaluated with individuals diagnosed with ALS or locked-in syndrome (LIS) after stroke.Significance: The here presented BCI offers communication with binary choices (yes/no) independent of vision. As it requires only little time per selection, it may constitute a reliable means of communication for patients who lost all motor function and have a short attention span. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Cortical dynamics of a self driven choice: A MEG study during a card sorting task

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: The dynamics of activities corresponding to the two conditions disclose a spread of activation from posterior lateral frontal in the “maintained condition” to anterior medial frontal in the “shifted condition”.Significance: These results are consistent with fMRI results concerning the major involvement of medial frontal cortex in tasks involving reasoning and choice making. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Is cognitive function linked to serum free copper levels? A cohort study in a normal population

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: Free copper appears to be a player in cognitive decline.Significance: This evidence suggests the need for a shift of focus from total to free copper levels in the study of mental decline and sustains the notion that free copper may be a risk factor in the development of impaired cognition. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

EEG oscillations and magnetically evoked motor potentials reflect motor system excitability in overlapping neuronal populations

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: The present results support the view that MEP and Rolandic beta oscillation amplitudes are associated with motor cortical excitability. However, oscillations seen in EEG reflect the excitability of a large population of cortical neurons, and MEP amplitude is affected also by spinal excitability and action potential desynchronization. Thus, MEP and EEG oscillation amplitudes are not strongly correlated. In addition, even during rest, motor system excitability appears to be related to activity in occipital areas at frequency ranges associated with visuomotor processing.Significance: The ability of spontaneous oscillations and MEPs to inform us about cortical excitability is clarified. For example, it is suggested that oscillatory activity at non-motor sites might be related to m...

MedWorm Message: Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm Swine Flu RSS news feed - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.

Movement-related desynchronization of alpha rhythms is lower in athletes than non-athletes: A high-resolution EEG study

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:59 +0100

Conclusions: These results confirmed that compared with non-athletes, elite athletes are characterized by a reduced cortical activation during simple voluntary movement.Significance: Cortical alpha rhythms are implicated in the “neural efficiency” of athletes’ motor systems. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Increasing high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in patients with brain tumours: Implication for increasing amplitude of N20

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:58 +0100

Conclusions: These results suggested that the hyperexcitability in the thalamocortical pathway were responsible for this condition. Hyperexcitability was presumably caused by the influence of the corticothalamic feedback and the neural interactions between the relay neurons and the reticular neurons. The clinically significant finding was that an increasing amplitude of N20 thus indicated the presence of a sub-clinical change.Significance: A brain tumour could increase the amplitude of N20 due to the hyperexcitability in the thalamocortical pathway. An increasing amplitude of N20 thus indicated the presence of a sub-clinical change in the thalamocortical pathway on the side of the tumour. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

The effects of motor cortex rTMS on corticospinal descending activity

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:58 +0100

Abstract: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the human motor cortex can produce long-lasting changes in the excitability of the motor cortex to single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). rTMS may increase or decrease motor cortical excitability depending critically on the characteristics of the stimulation protocol. However, it is still poorly defined which mechanisms and central motor circuits contribute to these rTMS induced long-lasting excitability changes. We have had the opportunity to perform a series of direct recordings of the corticospinal volley evoked by single pulse TMS from the epidural space of conscious patients with chronically implanted spinal electrodes before and after several protocols of rTMS that increase or decrease brain excitability....

A primer on priming the human motor cortex

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:58 +0100

Within the past two decades a wide range of transcranial stimulation protocols have been introduced to induce plasticity in the human primary motor cortex (M1) (). Two stimulation techniques are currently available which have different mechanisms of action. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induces a fast time-varying electrical current in M1. When the induced current exceeds threshold intensity, TMS can elicit action potentials in corticospinal neurons and produce a motor evoked potential (MEP) in the target muscle (). During transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS), a weak DC current is continuously applied to the human cortex via electrodes attached to the scalp (). In contrast to TMS, the direct current passing through the cortex is too weak to elicit action potentials in c...

MedWorm: Neuroscience

New Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Magellan Spine Technologies Announces Full Enrollment In The Spinal Disc Annular Repair Technology (DART) 20 Patient Initial Human Use Study

Contents

Contents

New Study Sheds Light On A Neurochemical Vulnerability That Could Contribute To Psychopathic Behaviors

The Human Brain: Exploring Status Quo Bias

Do people with mental illness deserve what they get? Links between meritocratic worldviews and implicit versus explicit stigma

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during capsaicin-induced pain: modulatory effects on motor cortex excitability.

Ins and Outs of Cerebellar Modules.

Effect of tDCS with an extracephalic reference electrode on cardio-respiratory and autonomic functions

Contents

Editorial Board/Title Page

Cover Figure

License Agreement To Develop Treatments For Neurological Disease Announced By Brain Science Institute

Development and Validation of a Spike Detection and Classification Algorithm Aimed at Implementation on Hardware Devices

Nightmare frequency and nightmare topics in a representative German sample

How is precision regulated in maintaining trunk posture?

Neuropeptides and Large Dense Core Vesicles

The Human Brain Processes Predictable Sensory Input In A Particularly Efficient Manner

Erratum to: Sex-related differences in the hemispheric laterality of slow cortical potentials during the preparation of visually guided movements.

Moderate Use Of Video Games Can Be A Very Useful Educational Tool For Teaching Children

Rehabilitation After Stroke: Current State of the Science

Corrigendum to "Potential mechanism of cell death in the developing rat brain induced by propofol anesthesia"International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience 27(3) 279-287 (2009).

Cytoarchitectonic and chemoarchitectonic characterization of the prefrontal cortical areas in the mouse.

Information Communication Networks in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

The Genetics of Pediatric Brain Tumors

Music Composition from the Brain Signal: Representing the Mental State by Music

Link Between Brain Chemical And Cognitive Decline In Schizophrenia

Sickle Cell Pain May Be From Damaged Tissues Or Nerves

Researchers Discover First Direct Evidence Of Neuroplastic Changes Following Brainwave Training

SMISS Launches Online Minimally Invasive Spine Programs

Congenital Muscular Dystrophies: Toward Molecular Therapeutic Interventions

Advances in Pediatric Neurovirology

RNA metabolism and the pathogenesis of motor neuron diseases.

Untangling memory from perception in the medial temporal lobe.

A visual distracter task during adaptation reduces the proprioceptive movement aftereffect.

Forthcoming conferences.

Acalculia in a patient with severe language disturbances: how do we test it?

Role of prostaglandin E receptor subtypes EP2 and EP4 in autocrine and paracrine functions of vascular endothelial growth factor in the inner ear

Top-down and bottom-up modulation in processing bimodal face/voice stimuli.

Utility of Skin Biopsy to Evaluate Peripheral Neuropathy

Brain Activity Predicts Emotional Resiliency Following A Fight With A Partner

MSRC Comments On Stanford University Reportedly Halting CCSVI Treatments After Two Serious Adverse Events

Anthropologist/Neuroscientist Team Propose That Religion Is Ubiquitous And Persistent Because The Human Brain Needs It

Highlights in clinical autonomic neurosciences: Orthostatic tachycardia and orthostatic hypotension.

Human ataxias: a genetic dissection of inositol triphosphate receptor (ITPR1)-dependent signaling.

Rest-stimulus interaction in the brain: a review.

Bimanual movement control is moderated by fixation strategies.

Depression research: where are we now?

CREB's control of intrinsic and synaptic plasticity: implications for CREB-dependent memory models.

Reactive grip force control in persons with cerebellar stroke: effects on ipsilateral and contralateral hand.

Changes in corticospinal excitability evoked by common peroneal nerve stimulation depend on stimulation frequency.

The role of the right temporoparietal junction in intersensory conflict: detection or resolution?

Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Apoptotic Proteins During Hyperoxia in Mitochondria of the Cerebral Cortex of Newborn Piglets.

Flavonoids and Astrocytes Crosstalking: Implications for Brain Development and Pathology.

Multimodal investigations of trans-endothelial cell trafficking under condition of disrupted blood-brain barrier integrity

Interaction of the mu-opioid receptor with GPR177 (Wntless) inhibits Wnt secretion: potential implications for opioid dependence

Non-neuronal cells, inflammation and epilepsy (Commentary on Aronica et al.)

59. Development of cognitive ability of children aged 2–3 years applying the “doll mother” model

58. Possible prenatal causes for clinical expression of autism

57. Anxiety in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis

56. The effect of pain on cognitive abilities of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

55. General electroexpectogram parameters in recreational and sedentary subjects

54. Unusual course of Miller–Fisher syndrome

53. Somatosensory evoked potentials in patients with cervical disc herniation

52. Quality of sleeping evaluation in patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

51. Presentation of multiple rhythmic movement disorders in a single patient

50. Detection of the “will to move” for an ambulatory system for tremor suppression based on functional electrical stimulation

49. Paroxysmal dystonia and epilepsy – one differential diagnostic aspect

48. Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s disease patients: Time analysis

47. Anxiety and epilepsy

46. Efficacy and tolerability of topiramate as add-on therapy in patients with refractory epilepsy

45. Infantile masturbation – video EEG case study

44. Acute confusional state in patients with non-convulsive status epilepticus

43. Interictal EEG in pharmacoresistant and in well-controlled partial epilepsies

42. Subjective visual vertical perception in patient after acute ischemic brain attack

41. The vestibulospinal pathways

40. The vestibular function in newborn

39. Otoacoustic emissions