Neurology Alert – January 1, 2017
January 1, 2017
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Zika Virus Infection and Guillain-Barré Syndrome: The Evidence Grows
A recent Zika outbreak in Colombia was associated with a significant increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) rates, with laboratory evidence of definite or probable Zika infection in more than half of the GBS cases.
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Electrical Brain Stimulation for Primary Progressive Aphasia
In this pilot study, transcranial direct current stimulation appeared to improve some aspects of verbal object identification and naming in a small number of patients with primary progressive aphasia.
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Bull’s-eye Sign in Parsonage-Turner Syndrome
High-resolution MRI of peripheral nerves can help make an accurate diagnosis of the Parsonage-Turner syndrome by revealing a bull’s-eye sign in cross-sectional images of the nerve.
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How Useful is Amyloid PET Imaging in the Diagnosis of Dementia?
In a prospective, observational study in multiple centers in Italy, amyloid PET imaging was shown to be negative in 35% of patients who met clinical criteria for a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Rituximab Treatment in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders
Based on a meta-analysis and review of rituximab use in the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, the authors reported that rituximab was efficacious in reducing relapse rate and disability, but cautioned about potential side effects and adverse events, especially when considering rituximab as first-line therapy.
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Migraine and Stroke: Data Are Accumulating
this study shows a strong association between cardioembolic ischemic stroke and migraine with visual aura, but it does not explain the pathophysiology and mechanism for this association.
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U.S. Mortality from Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Declining
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage continues to be one of the most morbid stroke subtypes with a continuing high mortality. However, in most advanced centers around the world, mortality has been declining.