Neurology Research International最新文献

{"title":"Pattern-Reversal Visual Evoked Potentials Tests in Persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with and without Diabetic Retinopathy.","authors":"Raghda S Al-Najjar,&nbsp;Nehaya M Al-Aubody,&nbsp;Salah Z Al-Asadi,&nbsp;Majid Alabbood","doi":"10.1155/2020/1014857","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1014857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Currently, diabetic retinopathy (DR) has a wide recognition as a neurovascular rather than a microvascular diabetic complication with an increasing need for enhanced detection approaches. Pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (PRVEPs) test, as an objective electrophysiological measure of the optic nerve and retinal function, can be of great value in the detection of diabetic retinal changes.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The use of two sizes of checkerboard PRVEPs testing to detect any neurological changes in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with and without a clinically detected DR. Also, to compare the results according to the candidate age, duration, and glycemic status of T2DM.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study included 50 candidates as group A with T2DM and did not have a clinically detected DR and 50 candidates as group B with T2DM and had a clinically detected early DR and 50 candidates as controls who were neither diabetic nor had any other medical or ophthalmic condition that might affect PRVEPs test results. The PRVEPs were recorded in the consultant unit of ophthalmology in Almawani Teaching Hospital. Monocular PRVEPs testing of both eyes was done by using large (60 min) and small (15 min) checks to measure N75 latency and P100 latency and amplitude.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was a statistically significant P100 latency delay and P100 amplitude reduction in both groups A and B in comparison with the controls. The difference between groups A and B was also significant. In both test results of groups A and B, the proportions of abnormal P100 latency were higher than those of P100 amplitude with a higher abnormal proportions in 15 min test.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The PRVEP test detected neurological changes, mainly as conductive alterations affecting mostly the foveal region prior to any overt DR clinical changes, and these alterations were heightened by the presence of DR clinical changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"1014857"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/1014857","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38363747","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":"Corrigendum to \"Effects of Number of Repetitions and Number of Hours of Shaping Practice during Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial\".","authors":"Auwal Abdullahi","doi":"10.1155/2020/1256231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1256231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/5496408.].</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"1256231"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/1256231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38363748","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":"Minimizing the Diagnostic Delay in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: The Role of Nonneurologist Practitioners.","authors":"Martin Matharan,&nbsp;Stéphane Mathis,&nbsp;Sarah Bonabaud,&nbsp;Louis Carla,&nbsp;Antoine Soulages,&nbsp;Gwendal Le Masson","doi":"10.1155/2020/1473981","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1473981","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), usually fatal in a few years, is a neurodegenerative disorder where the diagnostic delay, although variable according to the studies, remains too long. The main objective of this study was to determine the average time to diagnose ALS and the role of each physician, general practitioner (GP), or specialist (neurologist or not) involved in the management of these patients. The secondary objective was to propose some simple schemes to quickly identify an ALS suspicion with the aim to reduce this delay. <i>Patients and Methods</i>. This retrospective study evaluated the diagnostic delay (and other intermediate delays) of 90 ALS patients registered in the ALS Center of Bordeaux (France) in 2013. The main clinical signs encountered (and their order of appearance) were studied.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average diagnostic delay was 17 months, with a median diagnostic delay of 12 months. The average diagnostic delay was 2.7 months between the first symptoms and the first complaint to GP, followed by an additional 6.5 month delay before the patient's first visit to a neurologist. This period could be shortened, especially if GP performed additional tests quickly (<i>p</i>=0.01), as the time spent consulting various specialists often extends this crucial step. Overall, diagnostic delay accounted for 40% of the total duration of the disease progression.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In relation to total survival time, the diagnostic delay of ALS appears to be proportionately very long, sometimes longer than that observed in previous studies (because it also included the total delay to diagnostic or treatment initiation). The rapid execution of useful additional tests by the first medical doctor, often GP (with the help of a neurologist), considerably reduces the diagnostic delay. The central role of GP seems to be crucial in the management of patients with ALS. The main objective is, of course, to initiate appropriate treatment and care as soon as possible. Finally, based on our results, we also provide a short practical diagram to help nonneurologist practitioners to quickly discuss the diagnosis of ALS in case of some specific symptoms (\"red flags\").</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"1473981"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/1473981","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37977168","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":"Electricity, Neurology, and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation: Looking Back, Looking Ahead.","authors":"Vijay Renga","doi":"10.1155/2020/5260820","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5260820","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Electricity and neurology evolved synchronously over the past few centuries. This article looks at their origins and their journey into noninvasive brain stimulation technique of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which is now popular in neuroscience research.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"5260820"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/5260820","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37867189","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":"Epilepsy Treatment Outcome and Its Predictors among Ambulatory Patients with Epilepsy at Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.","authors":"Ameha Zewudie,&nbsp;Yitagesu Mamo,&nbsp;Desalegn Feyissa,&nbsp;Mohammed Yimam,&nbsp;Gosaye Mekonen,&nbsp;Ahmed Abdela","doi":"10.1155/2020/8109858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8109858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Epilepsy is among the most common neurological disorders which is highly treatable with currently available antiepileptic drugs at a reasonable price. In Ethiopia, despite a number of studies revealed high prevalence of epilepsy, little is known on predictors of poorly controlled seizures. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess epilepsy treatment outcome and its predictors among patients with epilepsy on follow-up at the ambulatory care unit of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A hospital-based cross-sectional study involving patient interview and chart review was conducted from March 10 to April 10, 2018. Drug use patterns and sociodemographic data of the study participants were accustomed to descriptive statistics. Backward logistic regression analysis was done to identify predictors of poor seizure control. Statistical significance was considered at <i>p</i> value <0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From a total of 143 studied patients with epilepsy, 60.8% had uncontrolled seizures. Monotherapy (79%) was commonly used for the treatment of seizures, of which phenobarbital was the most commonly utilized single anticonvulsant drug (62.9%). The majority (72.7%) of the patients had developed one or more antiepileptic-related adverse effects. Medium medication adherence (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 5.4; 95% CI = 1.52-19.23; <i>p</i>=0.009), poor medication adherence (AOR = 8.16; 95% CI = 3.04-21.90; <i>p</i>=0.001), head injury before seizure occurrence (AOR = 4.9; 95% CI = 1.25-19.27; <i>p</i>=0.02), and seizure attacks ≥4 episodes/week before AEDs initiation (AOR = 8.52; % CI = 2.41-13.45; <i>p</i>=0.001) were the predictors of uncontrolled seizure.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Based on our findings, more than half of the patients with epilepsy had poorly controlled seizures. Nonadherence to antiepileptic drugs, high frequency of seizure attack before AEDs initiation, and history of a head injury before the occurrence of seizure were predictors of uncontrolled seizure. Patient medication adherence should be increased by the free access of antiepileptic drugs and attention should be given for the patients with a history of head injury and high frequency of seizure attacks before AEDs initiation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"8109858"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/8109858","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37867190","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":"Validation of an Individualized Measure of Quality of Life, Patient Generated Index, for Use with People with Parkinson's Disease.","authors":"Ayse Kuspinar,&nbsp;Kedar K V Mate,&nbsp;Anne-Louise Lafontaine,&nbsp;Nancy Mayo","doi":"10.1155/2020/6916135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6916135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with PD completed the PGI and various standard patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. The PGI and standard PRO measures were compared at the total score, domain, and item levels. Pearson's correlations and independent <i>t</i>-tests were used, as well as positive and negative predictive values.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The sample (<i>n</i> = 76) had a mean age of 69 (standard deviation 9) and were predominantly men (59%). The PGI was moderately correlated (<i>r</i> = -0.35) with the standardized disease-specific QOL measure Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8). Within one severity rating, agreement between the PGI and different standard outcome measures ranged from 85 to 100% for walking, 69 to 100% for fatigue, 38 to 75% for depression, and 20 to 80% for memory/concentration.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study demonstrates that nominated areas of QOL on the PGI provide comparable results to standard PRO measures, and provides evidence in support of the validity of this individualized measure in PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"6916135"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/6916135","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37837526","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":"HMGB1 is a Potential Mediator of Astrocytic TLR4 Signaling Activation following Acute and Chronic Focal Cerebral Ischemia.","authors":"Bolanle M Famakin,&nbsp;Orest Tsymbalyuk,&nbsp;Natalia Tsymbalyuk,&nbsp;Svetlana Ivanova,&nbsp;Seung Kyoon Woo,&nbsp;Min Seong Kwon,&nbsp;Volodymyr Gerzanich,&nbsp;J Marc Simard","doi":"10.1155/2020/3929438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3929438","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Limited, and underutilized, therapeutic options for acute stroke require new approaches to treatment. One such potential approach involves better understanding of innate immune response to brain injury such as acute focal cerebral ischemia. This includes understanding the temporal profile, and specificity, of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling in brain cell types, such as astrocytes, following focal cerebral ischemia. This study evaluated TLR4 signaling, and downstream mediators, in astrocytes, during acute and chronic phases post transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). We also determined whether high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an endogenous TLR4 ligand, was sufficient to induce TLR4 signaling activation in astrocytes <i>in vivo and in vitro.</i> We injected HMGB1 into normal cortex, <i>in vivo,</i> and stimulated cultured astrocytes with HMGB1, <i>in vitro,</i> and determined TLR4, and downstream mediator, expression by immunohistochemistry. We found that expression of TLR4, and downstream mediators, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), occurs in penumbral astrocytes in acute and chronic phases after focal cerebral ischemia, but was undetectable in cortical astrocytes in the contralateral hemisphere. In addition, cortical injection of recombinant HMGB1 led to a trend towards an almost 2-fold increase in TLR4 expression in astrocytes surrounding the injection site. Consistent with these results, <i>in vitro</i> stimulation of the DI TNC1 astrocyte cell line, with recombinant HMGB1, led to increased TLR4 and iNOS message levels. These findings suggest that HMGB1, an endogenous TLR4 ligand, is an important physiological ligand for TLR4 signaling activation, in penumbral astrocytes, following acute and chronic ischemia and HMGB1 amplifies TLR4 signaling in astrocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"3929438"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/3929438","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37717978","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":"Structural Equation Modeling of Parkinson's Caregiver Social Support, Resilience, and Mental Health: A Strength-Based Perspective.","authors":"Carmen M Tyler, Richard S Henry, Paul B Perrin, Jack Watson, Teresita Villaseñor, Sarah K Lageman, Erin R Smith, Genoveva Rizo Curiel, Judith Avila, Miriam E Jimenez Maldonado, Jose A Soto-Escageda","doi":"10.1155/2020/7906547","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2020/7906547","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Only scant literature has focused on social support in Parkinson's disease (PD) caregivers, and no studies to date have examined resilience in this population, despite both variables having been shown to be important in other caregiving populations. As a result, the purpose of the current study was to construct and validate a theoretical structural equation model whereby social support is associated with higher levels of resilience in PD caregivers and increased resilience is related to decreased mental health symptoms. Two hundred fifty three PD caregivers from two clinics in the United States and Mexico completed self-report measures of these constructs. Results suggested that the hypothesized pattern was robustly supported with the structural equation model showing generally good fit indices. Higher levels of social support were associated with increased resilience, which in turn was associated with reduced mental health symptoms. Resilience partially mediated social support's effect on mitigating mental health symptoms. The model explained 11% of the variance in resilience and 35% in mental health symptoms. These findings have implications for future research on the development and tailoring of interventions to improve social support, resilience, and mental health in PD caregivers.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"7906547"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7042552/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37687708","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":"Epidemiology of Epilepsy in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo.","authors":"Olivier Mukuku,&nbsp;Pascal Nawej,&nbsp;Marcellin Bugeme,&nbsp;Frank Nduu,&nbsp;Paul Makan Mawaw,&nbsp;Oscar Numbi Luboya","doi":"10.1155/2020/5621461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5621461","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions, but the majority of epilepsy patients in sub-Saharan countries do not receive appropriate treatment. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in Lubumbashi, very few epidemiological studies on epilepsy have emerged. This study aims to analyze demographic characteristics, semiology of epileptic seizures, and their etiologies in patients followed in hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a prospective descriptive study that enrolled 177 epileptic patients who performed a neurological consultation at the Centre Médical du Centre Ville (CMDC) in Lubumbashi (DRC) from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of the patients was 20.0 years (range: 5 months and 86 years). The male sex was predominant (57.1%). The mean age at the seizure onset was 13.1 years, and the mean duration between onset of seizures and consultation was 83.5 months. The family history of epilepsy was present in 27.7%. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures were the most frequent (58.2%), followed by atonic generalized seizures (9.6%) and focal clonic seizures (8.5%). The etiology was found in 68 (38.4%) patients and was dominated by neurocysticercosis (26.5%), meningitis (25%), perinatal pathologies (20.6%), and head injury (20.6%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study is a useful starting point from which health programs and health professionals can work to improve the diagnosis and quality of epilepsy management in our community.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2020 ","pages":"5621461"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/5621461","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37939679","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":"Nine Hole Peg Test and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Useful to Evaluate Dexterity of the Hand and Disease Progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.","authors":"David Czell,&nbsp;Christoph Neuwirth,&nbsp;Markus Weber,&nbsp;Sabine Sartoretti-Schefer,&nbsp;Andreas Gutzeit,&nbsp;Carolin Reischauer","doi":"10.1155/2019/7397491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7397491","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with involvement of the upper and lower motor neurons. Since the loss of fine motor skills is one of the earliest signs of ALS, the hypothesis was tested if the nine hole PEG test (NHPT) and transcranial magnet stimulation (TMS) with resting-motor threshold (RMT) could be useful in monitoring disease progression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We examined 28 ALS patients and 27 age-matched healthy controls. ALS patients and healthy controls underwent the nine hole peg test (NHPT) and TMS with RMT. Measurements in patients were repeated after three and six months.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At baseline, the median NHPT durations were 1,4-fold longer (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and TMS scores showed a significant 0.8-fold smaller score in ALS patients compared with healthy controls (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The comparison of three and six months versus baseline revealed significant differences for NHPT durations and ALSFRS-R in patients, whereas TMS scores did not significantly differ in the patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>NHPT seems to be a good tool to evaluate dexterity of the hand and the progression of the disease in ALS patients. TMS RMT to the hand muscles seems to be poorly qualified to evaluate the dexterity of the hand function and the course of the disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19124,"journal":{"name":"Neurology Research International","volume":"2019 ","pages":"7397491"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2019-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2019/7397491","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37449394","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}