Neurology Alert
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New Tools for the Diagnosis of CJD
Cerebrospinal fluid analysis using second-generation, real-time, quaking-induced conversion has a high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
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Migraine: Differences Between Males and Females
Hormonal and genetic differences factor into a greater prevalence and disability burden of migraine in teenaged girls and women; however, migraine is underdiagnosed and inadequately treated in boys and men.
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Ambulatory Autonomic Testing in Multiple System Atrophy and Parkinson’s Disease
A comparison of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring with tilt-table testing in 23 patients with multiple system atrophy, 18 with Parkinson’s disease and autonomic dysfunction, and 33 with Parkinson’s disease alone demonstrated 82% sensitivity and 100% specificity in detecting orthostatic hypotension. This suggests ambulatory monitoring provides valuable information on these patients’ function.
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Does Therapeutic Hypothermia Improve Functional Outcomes After Convulsive Status Epilepticus?
In a multicenter trial in France, patients admitted to the ICU from 2011-2015 for convulsive status epilepticus were randomly assigned to receive standard therapy (control group) or hypothermia plus standard therapy (treatment group). The primary outcome measure was an absence of functional impairment at 90 days after seizure onset, as measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (score of 5). There was no significant difference in outcomes between the two groups.
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Imaging of Glial Cell Activation in the Brains of Professional Football Players
In this case-controlled study, PET scanning reflective of microglial activation and diffusion-tensor imaging assessing white matter integrity was performed on 14 National Football League players (four current, 10 retired) and compared to 16 matched controls, suggesting significant ongoing localized brain injury and repair along with subtle white matter changes in professional football players.
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Polyneuropathy in the Metabolic Syndrome
The metabolic syndrome, independent of the diagnosis of diabetes, is associated with the development of polyneuropathy.
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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.
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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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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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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.