Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050631
Hajime Miyata, Kenji Yagita
{"title":"[Brain Amoebiasis].","authors":"Hajime Miyata, Kenji Yagita","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050631","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050631","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amoebic infections of the brain can cause brain abscesses and meningoencephalitis. Brain abscess is a rare form of extraintestinal amoebiasis caused by hematogenous spread from intestinal infection with Entamoeba histolytica, which occurs through oral intake of contaminated water and food or fecal-oral transmission. It is mostly associated with amoebic liver abscesses and can be effectively treated with metronidazole. Meningoencephalitis caused by pathogenic free-living amoebae is extremely rare. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by Naegleria fowleri infection of the olfactory epithelium with direct intracranial spread via the fila olfactoriae, primarily affects healthy young individuals through exposure to freshwater or brackish water in swimming pools, rivers, ponds, lakes, and estuaries. Granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis (GAM) results from the hematogenous spread of extracranial infectious foci caused by Acanthamoeba species or Balamuthia mandrillaris. Acanthamoeba-related GAM is more common in immunocompromised individuals, and waterborne transmission is relatively frequent. Balamuthia mandrillaris-related GAM can affect both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals, often affecting people in their 50s to 70s with underlying conditions, such as malignancies, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, with soil-borne transmission being more common. Both PAM and GAM have high mortality rates, and effective treatments are yet to be established.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"631-636"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977097","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050557
Tetsushi Yoshikawa
{"title":"[Zika Virus Infection].","authors":"Tetsushi Yoshikawa","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050557","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050557","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Zika virus infection is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes and is generally a self-limiting, mild disease. However, infection during pregnancy can cause severe fetal abnormalities, such as microcephaly, and in adults, the condition may occasionally lead to neurological complications, including Guillain-Barré syndrome. A large outbreak occurred in South America between 2015 and 2016 and has become a major global public health concern. Diagnosis involved reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and serological testing. As currently no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines are available, public health interventions, such as mosquito bite prevention and advising pregnant women to avoid traveling to affected regions, are essential.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"557-561"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977353","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050441
Hideto Nakajima
{"title":"[Bacterial Meningitis].","authors":"Hideto Nakajima","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050441","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050441","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial meningitis is a neurological emergency that requires immediate diagnosis and treatment. In adults, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common causative pathogen, and Listeria monocytogenes should also be considered in patients aged 50 years or older. The FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis panel is useful for rapid pathogen identification; however, its limitations necessitate concurrent use of conventional tests. Treatment should be initiated within one hour of hospital presentation, with empiric antimicrobial therapy and adjunctive corticosteroid therapy tailored according to patient age, comorbidities, and likely pathogens. Patients receiving complement inhibitors are at a particularly high risk for meningococcal infection and require careful attention.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"441-446"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977128","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050447
Fumitaka Kono, Takeshi Matushige, Shunji Hasegawa
{"title":"[Bacterial Meningitis in Children].","authors":"Fumitaka Kono, Takeshi Matushige, Shunji Hasegawa","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050447","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050447","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial meningitis in children is a critical emergency, and the lack of rapid diagnosis and treatment can result in a poor prognosis. Although routine immunization has lowered the incidence of bacterial meningitis and there have been advances in bacteriological diagnostics have advanced, clinical hurdles remain. Early-stage or young pediatric cases often exhibit only atypical symptoms; thus, delayed cerebrospinal fluid testing and an increase in antibiotic resistance continue to pose significant challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"447-451"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977192","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050509
Kinya Matsuo
{"title":"[Flavivirus Infection (Japanese Encephalitis)].","authors":"Kinya Matsuo","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050509","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050509","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Japanese encephalitis remains a clinically relevant neuroinfectious disease in Japan. Adults in middle- to older- age groups are at higher risk due to the low prevalence of neutralizing antibodies. Clinicians should consider this disease when encountering acute encephalitis during the summer-to-autumn season. High fever, impaired consciousness, and extrapyramidal signs are characteristic clinical features and correspond to frequent involvement of the thalamus and substantia nigra. A definitive diagnosis is achieved through appropriate sampling of acute- and convalescent-phase specimens together with specific serologic testing. This article summarizes key clinical points of Japanese encephalitis that also inform the diagnostic approach to other flavivirus encephalitides.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"509-513"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977224","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050537
Koichi Hashimoto
{"title":"[Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis].","authors":"Koichi Hashimoto","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050537","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050537","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a slowly progressive viral infection that develops as a result of persistent measles virus infection of the central nervous system. After a prolonged latent period ranging from several years to more than a decade, neurological symptoms emerge. Once the disease manifests, cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction progressively worsen, leading to global cerebral cortical dysfunction and a fatal outcome within several months to several years. No established effective treatment is available, and the prevention of measles infection through vaccination is the only effective measure against SSPE.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"537-540"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977359","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050553
Tomoyuki Honda
{"title":"[Bornavirus Disease].","authors":"Tomoyuki Honda","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050553","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050553","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bornavirus disease is a zoonotic infection transmitted from virus-infected shrews and squirrels. Although rare, the infection can rapidly progress to fatal encephalomyelitis. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates bilateral lesions in the basal ganglia and the limbic system. Diagnosis is established through antibody testing in the blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid, as well as detection of viral ribonucleic acid in brain tissue. Although no established treatment exists, a combination of early antiviral and immunosuppressive therapies may be effective. A history of animal contact or organ transplantation is beneficial for the diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"553-556"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977131","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050463
Shiori Takahashi, Takashi Kanda
{"title":"[Spinal Epidural Abscess].","authors":"Shiori Takahashi, Takashi Kanda","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050463","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050463","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spinal epidural abscess is an urgent condition that begins with neck and lower back pain, rapidly progressing to severe neurological symptoms, such as limb weakness and paraplegia. Prompt treatment is required; however, clinical signs and MRI findings are often incomplete in the early stages, potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, careful neurological examinations and imaging evaluations are crucial.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"463-468"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977383","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050616
Kazuhiro Horiuchi, Ichiro Yabe
{"title":"[Toxoplasmosis].","authors":"Kazuhiro Horiuchi, Ichiro Yabe","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050616","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050616","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is a life-threatening opportunistic infection of the central nervous system caused by reactivation of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Although infection is widespread and typically asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, TE predominantly affects those with severe cellular immunodeficiency, particularly individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and CD4 counts below 100 cells/μL. Key aspects of TE include epidemiology, the parasite life cycle, and the pathophysiology of latent cyst reactivation in the brain. Clinical presentation commonly includes headache, fever, focal neurological deficits, seizures, and altered mental status. A significant diagnostic challenge involves differentiating TE from primary central nervous system lymphoma as both may present with ring-enhancing lesions on neuroimaging. Diagnosis relies on serologic testing, cerebrospinal fluid analysis for T. gondii DNA, and characteristic magnetic resonance imaging findings, such as the eccentric target sign. Therapeutic strategies include a first-line combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, alternative regimens, and maintenance therapy. Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapy are critical to improving patient outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"616-620"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977375","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}
Brain and NervePub Date : 2026-05-01DOI: 10.11477/mf.188160960780050593
Tetsuo Ando
{"title":"[Neurosyphilis].","authors":"Tetsuo Ando","doi":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050593","DOIUrl":"10.11477/mf.188160960780050593","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neurosyphilis is a central nervous system infection caused by Treponema pallidum and can occur at any stage of syphilis, presenting with diverse neurological and psychiatric manifestations. Although once considered a disease of the past, the recent global resurgence of syphilis has renewed the clinical relevance of neurosyphilis. Early manifestations include meningitis, cranial neuropathies, and meningovascular disease, whereas late-stage disease is characterized by parenchymal involvement, such as general paresis and tabes dorsalis. Diagnosis requires clinical suspicion and is based on combined serological testing and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Neuroimaging may provide supportive information depending on the disease subtype. Intravenous high-dose penicillin G remains the standard treatment, and early therapeutic intervention is essential to prevent irreversible neurological damage. This review summarizes the current understanding of the clinical features, diagnostic approaches, differential diagnoses, and treatment strategies of neurosyphilis, highlighting the importance of timely recognition in contemporary neurological practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":52507,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Nerve","volume":"78 5","pages":"593-598"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977265","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}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：