Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jul 2009
Comparative Study Clinical TrialBrain penetration effects of microelectrodes and DBS leads in STN or GPi.
To determine how intraoperative microelectrode recordings (MER) and intraoperative lead placement acutely influence tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia. Secondarily, to evaluate whether the longevity of the MER and lead placement effects were influenced by target location (subthalamic nucleus (STN) or globus pallidus interna (GPi)). ⋯ This study demonstrated significant acute intraoperative penetration effects resulting from MER and lead placement/collision in PD. Clinicians rating patients in the operating suite should be aware of these effects, and should consider pre- and post-lead placement rating scales prior to activating DBS. The collision/implantation effects were greater intraoperatively with STN compared with GPi, and with greater disease duration there was a larger effect.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jul 2009
Multicenter StudyAssociation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older European men.
Although there is evidence that vitamin D inadequacy may be linked to adverse cognitive outcomes, results from studies on this topic have been inconsistent. The aim of this trial was to examine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older European men. ⋯ In this study, lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with poorer performance on the DSST. Further research is warranted to determine whether vitamin D sufficiency might have a role in preserving cognitive function in older adults.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jul 2009
The Severity of Dependence Scale detects people with medication overuse: the Akershus study of chronic headache.
To evaluate the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in people with primary chronic headache and analyse the pattern of medication overuse. ⋯ The SDS questionnaire detects medication overuse and dependency-like behaviour in persons with primary chronic headache.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jul 2009
Case ReportsRelatively preserved knowledge of music in semantic dementia.
The brain basis for music knowledge and the effects of disease on music cognition are poorly understood. Here we present evidence for relatively preserved knowledge of music in a musically untrained patient with semantic dementia and characteristic asymmetric anterior temporal lobe atrophy. Our findings suggest that music is partly separable neuropsychologically and anatomically from other semantic domains, with implications for the clinical management of patients with brain disease.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2009
Deep brain stimulation activation volumes and their association with neurophysiological mapping and therapeutic outcomes.
Despite the clinical success of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), little is known about the electrical spread of the stimulation. The primary goal of this study was to integrate neuroimaging, neurophysiology and neurostimulation data sets from 10 patients with PD, unilaterally implanted with subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS electrodes, to identify the theoretical volume of tissue activated (VTA) by clinically defined therapeutic stimulation parameters. ⋯ Our results are consistent with previous studies suggesting that therapeutic benefit is associated with electrode contacts near the dorsal border of the STN, and provide quantitative estimates of the electrical spread of the stimulation in a clinically relevant context.