Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA randomised controlled trial comparing rehabilitation against standard therapy in multiple sclerosis patients receiving intravenous steroid treatment.
There is evidence to support both the use of intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) in multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse and physiotherapy in the management of MS, but no studies have investigated the combination of steroids and rehabilitation together. ⋯ This study indicates that combining steroids with planned MDT care is superior to administering them in a standard neurology or day ward setting. Further research is necessary in order to confirm this finding.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2003
Clinical TrialTranscutaneous cervical root stimulation in the diagnosis of multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block.
To determine if transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the cervical roots can be used to diagnose proximal conduction block (CB) in multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and whether it can reliably distinguish MMN from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ⋯ Cervical root stimulation can quantify CB in the most proximal segment of the ulnar nerve, a fall in CMAP amplitude if greater than 25%, indicating block, and should be used routinely in the evaluation of patients suspected of having MMN, especially when distal stimulation has proved unhelpful.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2003
Clinical TrialFocused high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for localisation of the unexposed primary motor cortex during brain tumour surgery.
To investigate if intraoperative focused high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can localise the primary motor cortex without exposure of the cortical surface. ⋯ Intraoperative focused rTMS is highly sensitive for localisation of the primary motor cortex. Focused rTMS as a localising instrument alleviates the need of motor cortex exposure and, thereby, can contribute to minimise the surgical approach to brain tumours in the rolandic area.
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Following the discovery in the early 1960s that mitochondria contain their own DNA (mtDNA), there were two major advances, both in the 1980s: the human mtDNA sequence was published in 1981, and in 1988 the first pathogenic mtDNA mutations were identified. The floodgates were opened, and the 1990s became the decade of the mitochondrial genome. ⋯ Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathophysiology of several well established nuclear genetic disorders, such as dominant optic atrophy (mutations in OPA1), Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG7), and Wilson's disease (ATP7B). The next major challenge is to define the more subtle interactions between nuclear and mitochondrial genes in health and disease.