Yaroslava Yu Havlovska, Nataliya V Lytvynenko, Anastasiia D Shkodina
{"title":"Serum Level of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Thrombotic Type Are Predictive of Cognitive Impairment in the Acute Period of Ischemic Strokes Patients.","authors":"Yaroslava Yu Havlovska, Nataliya V Lytvynenko, Anastasiia D Shkodina","doi":"10.1155/2023/5578850","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/5578850","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>40-70% of patients after a stroke, including a mild one, may experience cognitive impairment. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a significant role in the pathogenesis and rehabilitation of ischemic stroke and also affects the patients' recovery prognosis. An association between cognitive impairment in the poststroke period and lower peripheral BDNF levels is known, but the prognostic significance of serum BDNF levels and clinical characteristics for the risk of developing cognitive impairment in the acute period remains uncertain. We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients in the acute phase of ischemic stroke. Clinical examination, assessment of neurological status, neuropsychological testing, and laboratory analyzes were performed on patients at 1 and 14 days after ischemic stroke. The state of cognitive functions was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination scale. Quantification of BDNF in blood serum was performed by solid-phaseenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that within 14 days after an acute ischemic stroke, we found a decrease in the clinical severity of patients compared to 1 day of the onset of the disease before the start of treatment and a significant decrease in the level of BDNF in the blood serum of patients with ischemic stroke both on the first and on the 14th day. However, during the 2 weeks of the acute period, no significant changes were detected, despite the general improvement of the clinical condition. In our study, cognitive impairment was found in almost half of the patients on the first day of ischemic stroke, and there was no significant reduction in this prevalence over 2 weeks. We found that a low level of BDNF and a thrombotic subtype of ischemic stroke can be risk factors for cognitive impairment in the acute period, which can be useful in planning treatment and rehabilitation measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2023 ","pages":"5578850"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10033208/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9193629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correlation between the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Multiple Sclerosis: Recent Understanding and Potential Application Perspectives.","authors":"Qingqing Zhou, Rui Jia, Jingxia Dang","doi":"10.1155/2022/3265029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3265029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic debilitating immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system, which causes demyelination and neuroaxonal damage. Low-grade systemic inflammation has been considered to lead to pathogenesis owing to the amplification of pathogenic immune response activation. However, there is a shortage of reliable systemic inflammatory biomarkers to predict the disease activity and progression of MS. In MS patients, a series of cytokines and chemokines promote the proliferation of neutrophils and lymphocytes and their transfer to the central nervous system. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which combines the information of the inherent and adaptive parts of the immune system, represents a reliable measure of the inflammatory burden. In this review, we aimed to discuss the inflammatory response in MS, mainly the function of lymphocytes and neutrophils, which can be implemented in the utility of NLR as a diagnostic tool in MS patients. The underlying pathophysiology is highlighted to identify new potential targets for neuroprotection and to develop novel therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":" ","pages":"3265029"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9629953/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40669100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Implication of High Body Fat Percentage on Migraine Chronification in Premenopausal Females","authors":"P. Ojha, V. Malhotra","doi":"10.1155/2022/8219254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8219254","url":null,"abstract":"Background Chronic migraine, being a debilitating headache disorder, needs assessment of the risk factors implicated in its occurrence. We investigated the potential role of obesity as a risk for chronic migraine in premenopausal females with episodic migraine. Methods In this analytical study, body fat% was compared between episodic and chronic migraine patient groups. The standard criteria of the international classification of headache disorder were used for the diagnosis. Demographic data, clinical details of migraine, and anthropometric measurements were collected using structured questions and standardized techniques. Pearson's correlation (r) was estimated to assess the concordance between body fat% and migraine frequency. High body fat%'s implication on chronic migraine which was adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and the use of oral contraceptives was determined using logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 168 premenopausal female migraineurs, with a mean (Standard deviation) age of 33.0 (±9.0) years, were enrolled in the study. BMI and high body fat% were significantly associated with chronic migraine (p < 0.05). There was a weak positive, but significant, correlation between body fat% and migraine frequency (r = 0.185, p < 0.017). The presence of high body fat was found to increase the risk of chronic migraine by 2.8 times (confidence interval 1.4–5.6; p < 0.003). Conclusion The amount of fat mass in the body relates to the clinical characteristics of migraine. There is an increased risk of developing chronic migraine in patients having high body fat. Weight control measures can be targeted for the prevention of migraine worsening.","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87790059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Managing Chronic Neuropathic Pain: Recent Advances and New Challenges.","authors":"Namrata Hange, Sujan Poudel, Saleha Ozair, Trissa Paul, Meghna Nambakkam, Rakchhya Shrestha, Farrah Greye, Sangam Shah, Yagya Raj Adhikari, Sangharsha Thapa, Pooja Patel","doi":"10.1155/2022/8336561","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8336561","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Neuropathic pain affects 7-10% of the population, with most of the patients receiving inadequate and incomplete treatment. Owing to the high financial burden and the poor quality of life of the patients and their caretakers, there is a dire need to address the challenges in diagnosing and treating chronic neuropathic pain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This literature review was conducted to review novel treatments and related challenges through a systematic search from sources such as PubMed, Google Scholar with the combination of MESH words such as neuropathic pain, management of neuropathic pain. Articles from non-English literature, reports without human subjects, animal studies, and abstracts/posters were excluded. However, human studies and studies published in English were included.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>This review article discusses novel treatment modalities while acknowledging the challenges medical workers face while encountering neuropathic pain. Despite the recent advances in diagnosis and treatment modalities, several challenges still exist. Hence, there is still a need to explore the various treatment modalities, emphasizing the cause and underlying pathophysiology of neuropathic pain.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We recommend integrated multimodal treatment with the current treatment facility, including various medical disciplines. However, a personalized approach would work the best depending on the 'patient's medical history. Therefore, this article recommends an integrated, cause-specific, cost-effective approach to address this problem of chronic neuropathic pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":" ","pages":"8336561"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9581623/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40567737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Heart Failure Status among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Hospital-Based Study.","authors":"Fatemeh Ravandi, Arsh Haj Mohamad Ebrahim Ketabforoush, Fereshteh Azedi, Mohsen Hoshyarkhani, Farimah Fayyaz, Nahid Abbasi Khoshsirat","doi":"10.1155/2022/7348505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7348505","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Since heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke have common risk factors, their concurrent occurrence is likely. Strokes in HF patients could be life-threatening and lead to severe disabilities, longer hospitalization time, and mortality. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of HF and its severity based on ejection fraction (EF) in patients with acute ischemic stroke.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present cross-sectional study included acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to Shahid Rajaei hospital in Karaj in 2020-2021. The diagnosis of HF was based on transthoracic echocardiography within 48 hours of symptom onset, and HF was classified into two groups: 41-49% as mildly reduced EF (HFmrEF) and ≤40% as reduced EF (HFrEF). Patients who did not complete cardiac studies were excluded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>257 acute ischemic stroke patients (62.6% male) were included. Among stroke patients, the prevalence of HF, including HFrEF and HFmrEF, was 30.0% (95% CI: 21.4-38.6). HFmrEF and HFrEF was diagnosed in 32 (12.5%) and 45 (17.5%) patients, respectively. HF was significantly associated with older age, hypertension, past myocardial infarction (MI), and arrhythmia. A history of previous MI significantly increased the odds of heart failure (OR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.82-5.81).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is a high prevalence of HF among acute ischemic stroke patients. Older patients with a history of hypertension and previous MI are at higher risk. Since patients with HF have a higher mortality and morbidity rate after experiencing an ischemic stroke, close cooperation between the neurology and cardiology specialists for providing advanced care for survivors is required.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":" ","pages":"7348505"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9433237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40349279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Khaleda Akhter Sathi, Md Kamal Hosain, Md Azad Hossain
{"title":"Analysis of Induced Field in the Brain Tissue by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Using Halo-V Assembly Coil.","authors":"Khaleda Akhter Sathi, Md Kamal Hosain, Md Azad Hossain","doi":"10.1155/2022/7424564","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7424564","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has already exhibited a great impact in clinical application and scientific research. This study presents a finite element method-based simulation of the Halo-V assembly (HVA) coil placed on the five-shell spherical human head model to examine the distributions of induced electric and magnetic fields. The performance of the designed HVA coil is evaluated by comparing the simulation results with the commercially available Halo-FO8 (HFA) assembly coil and standard single coils including the Halo and V coils. The simulation results indicate that the HVA coil shows an improved focality in terms of electric field distribution than the other single and assembly stimulation coils. Additionally, the effects of a magnetic shield plate and magnetic core on the designed HVA coil are investigated. Results indicate that the magnetic shield plate and magnetic core are proficient in further improving the stimulation focality. Therefore, the HVA TMS coil results in a safe and effective stimulation with enhanced focality of the target region as compared to the existing assembly coil.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":" ","pages":"7424564"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9303497/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40534540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Association of Proning and Stroke among Deeply Sedated Critically Ill SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Patients.","authors":"Keith Moon Q Saberon, Jo-Ann Rosario Soliven","doi":"10.1155/2022/6348888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6348888","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There has been an increasing incidence of stroke cases among SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) patients who were deeply sedated and underwent proning positioning. We reviewed the association of proning and sedations used to the development of stroke, including demographic profiles of patients with COVID-19 infection in the critical care unit. There was a significant association seen among COVID-19 patients in the ICU who underwent proning to the development of stroke, with up to 15 times risk of having stroke (<i>p</i> value = 0.007) than those who were not proned during their course of ICU stay. Patients who were given propofol and fentanyl as sedation during proning for more than 24 hours was significantly associated with the development of stroke (<i>p</i> value = 0.004). Patient risk factors were also studied (age variability, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and alcoholism) and showed that patients who were alcoholic beverage drinkers were significantly associated to the development of stroke during proning (<i>p</i> value = <0.001). The usual risk factors for stroke in the general population (hypertension, diabetes, and cigarette smoking) were not associated with stroke development during proning, strengthening the fact that proning during COVID-19 infection is an independent risk factor for the development of stroke thus needing stroke surveillance during the duration of proning.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":" ","pages":"6348888"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9239832/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40553254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gard Aasmund Skulstad Johanson, O. Tysnes, T. Bjerknes
{"title":"Use of Off-Label Drugs and Nutrition Supplements among Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Norway","authors":"Gard Aasmund Skulstad Johanson, O. Tysnes, T. Bjerknes","doi":"10.1155/2022/1789946","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1789946","url":null,"abstract":"Materials and Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire study was performed, where 41 ALS patients reported their use of off-label treatments, as well as self-perceived HRQOL using the RAND-12 questionnaire. Results A majority of respondents used riluzole. Of the 41 respondents, 18 (43.9%) reported use of off-label medications and 18 (43.9%) used nutritional supplements. Low-dose naltrexone was the most commonly used off-label medication, whereas vitamins accounted for most of the nutritional supplements. The respondents' RAND-12 component scores were significantly lower than those of the general population. Low-dose naltrexone and vitamin B were associated with a better physical component score. Conclusions Most of the respondents in our study adhere to the recommended treatment protocols, as less than half of them reported using off-label medications or nutritional supplements against ALS. Positive correlations between physical HRQOL and use of low-dose naltrexone or vitamin B were demonstrated. These results warrant further investigations.","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75024594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anas A. Alalwan, Mohammad A. Alkhamis, A. Samman, Enan H. M. Alsharif, Omar E Tarabzoni, I. Khatri
{"title":"The Assessment of Knowledge about Tourette's Syndrome among Medical Students and Primary Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Anas A. Alalwan, Mohammad A. Alkhamis, A. Samman, Enan H. M. Alsharif, Omar E Tarabzoni, I. Khatri","doi":"10.1155/2022/3018305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3018305","url":null,"abstract":"Background Tourette's syndrome (TS), a chronic, often disabling neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics, is frequently misdiagnosed, or patients are delayed in diagnosis. There is severe deficiency of research about Tourette's syndrome (TS) in the Middle East region. Objectives To evaluate the knowledge and attitude of medical students and primary care physicians (PCPs) about TS and tic disorders. Methods IRB approved, cross-sectional study. A total of 316 medical students of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University and 59 primary care physicians of Riyadh participated. Convenient, cluster sampling was used. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used. Sum of all knowledge questions was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results Survey was completed by 375 students and physicians, of whom 253 (67.5%) were men. Mean general knowledge score was 61.5 (±12.04) out of 100. Majority (66.1%) knew the diagnostic criteria for TS; only 46.1% considered antipsychotics as effective treatment. Only 25.1% had ever heard of habit reversal; 70% wanted to learn more. Only 10% of physicians had treated a patient with TS. There was no difference in knowledge between men and women (p=0.776). Board-certified physicians had a higher knowledge score (p < 0.05). Family physicians demonstrated higher level of knowledge compared to other physicians (p < 0.05). There was no difference between knowledge of students of different years (p=0.859) or between students and physicians (p=0.569). Conclusion There was alarming lack of knowledge about Tourette syndrome at various level of medical training and practice including students and physicians. Those who achieved board certification and practiced as family physicians fared better in knowledge about Tourette's syndrome.","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79158056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Brain Connectivity and Network Analysis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.","authors":"Vijay Renga","doi":"10.1155/2022/1838682","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1838682","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatment or cure. ALS is characterized by the death of lower motor neurons (LMNs) in the spinal cord and upper motor neurons (UMNs) in the brain and their networks. Since the lower motor neurons are under the control of UMN and the networks, cortical degeneration may play a vital role in the pathophysiology of ALS. These changes that are not apparent on routine imaging with CT scans or MRI brain can be identified using modalities such as diffusion tensor imaging, functional MRI, arterial spin labelling (ASL), electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and positron emission tomography (PET) scan. They can help us generate a representation of brain networks and connectivity that can be visualized and parsed out to characterize and quantify the underlying pathophysiology in ALS. In addition, network analysis using graph measures provides a novel way of understanding the complex network changes occurring in the brain. These have the potential to become biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of ALS. This article is a systematic review and overview of the various connectivity and network-based studies in ALS.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2022 ","pages":"1838682"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8844436/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39809854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}