Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2006
The long term retention of levetiracetam in a large cohort of patients with epilepsy.
Levetiracetam (Lev) is a new antiepileptic drug with a distinct mechanism of action, shown in regulatory trials to be effective. These controlled trials do not always predict how useful a drug will be in day to day clinical practice. Retention rates can provide a better indication of efficacy and tolerability in everyday use. ⋯ In total, 11% attained seizure freedom of at least 6 months. Patients taking greater numbers of concurrent antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were more likely to discontinue Lev, and those reaching higher maximum daily dosages were less likely to discontinue Lev. The retention rate for Lev compares favourably with that of other new AEDs.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2006
Functional neuroimaging and presenting psychiatric features in frontotemporal dementia.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a behavioural syndrome caused by degeneration of the frontal and anterior temporal lobes. Behavioural disturbances include psychiatric features. Whether patients with FTD present with psychiatric features varies with the initial neuroanatomical variability of FTD. ⋯ Patients with FTD may present with psychiatric changes distinct from the behavioural diagnostic criteria for this disorder. Early temporal involvement is associated with frivolous behaviour and right temporal involvement is associated with emotional disturbances. In contrast, those with right frontal disease may present with alterations in non-verbal behaviour.
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Fatigue is often the most disabling symptom of MS
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2006
Insulin-like growth factor I promoter polymorphism, risk of stroke, and survival after stroke: the Rotterdam study.
Low levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) predispose to atherosclerosis and may therefore increase the risk of stroke. Low levels have also been found to influence the outcome of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. A polymorphism in the promoter region of the IGF-I gene influences IGF-I levels. Non-carriers of the 192 bp allele have lower levels of IGF-I compared with 192 bp allele carriers. We studied the IGF-I polymorphism in relation to the risk of stroke and survival after stroke. ⋯ Our study suggests that IGF-I is a significant determinant of survival after stroke.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jan 2006
Case ReportsLeigh syndrome caused by mutations in the flavoprotein (Fp) subunit of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHA).
Detailed clinical, neuroradiological, histological, biochemical, and genetic investigations were undertaken in a child suffering from Leigh syndrome. The clinical symptoms started at age five months and led to a severe progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing epilepsy, psychomotor retardation, and tetraspasticity. ⋯ Sequencing of SDHA revealed compound heterozygosity for a nonsense mutation in exon 4 (W119X) and a missense mutation in exon 3 (A83V), both absent in normal controls. In six additional patients--five with Leigh or Leigh-like syndrome and one with neuropathy and ataxia associated with isolated deficiency of complex II--mutations in SDHA were not detected, indicating genetic heterogeneity.