Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Oct 2006
Comparative StudyHigher cortical deficits influence attentional processing in dementia with Lewy bodies, relative to patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type and controls.
Attentional dysfunction is believed to be a prominent and distinguishing neuropsychological feature of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB); yet, the specific nature of the attentional deficit and factors that can potentially influence attentional processing in DLB have not been fully defined. ⋯ Attentional deficits in DLB are widespread and encompass all aspects of attentional function. Deficits in higher cortical function influence the degree of attentional impairment and fluctuating attention, suggesting that attentional processing in DLB is mediated by interacting cortical and subcortical mechanisms. These findings serve to clarify the nature of the attentional deficit in DLB and have potentially important ramifications for our understanding of the neurocognitive underpinnings of fluctuations.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Oct 2006
Attentional deficits affect activities of daily living in dementia-associated with Parkinson's disease.
To investigate the effects of attentional deficits on activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with dementia associated with Parkinson's disease (PDD). ⋯ Impaired attention is an important determinant of ADL functions in patients with PDD.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Oct 2006
Interaction of homocysteine and conventional predisposing factors on risk of ischaemic stroke in young people: consistency in phenotype-disease analysis and genotype-disease analysis.
Whether the association between mild hyperhomocysteinaemia and ischaemic stroke is the consequence of a predisposing genetic background or is due to the confounding influence of established predisposing factors remains to be determined. ⋯ A consistency of phenotype-disease analysis and genotype-disease analysis is indicated by analysing specific subcategories of patients, defined by the distribution of established risk factors. The assumption that the Hcy-stroke relationship is unlikely due to a reverse-causality bias is indirectly supported by our data.
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Sep 2006
Comparative StudyCord atrophy separates early primary progressive and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.
The onset of multiple sclerosis is relapsing remitting or primary progressive. An improved understanding of the causes of early progressive disability in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) could provide mechanistic targets for therapeutic intervention. ⋯ Grey matter and white matter of the brain are abnormal in both early RRMS and PPMS, but cord atrophy is present only in PPMS. This is concordant with myelopathy being the usual clinical presentation of PPMS. Measurement of cord atrophy seems to be clinically relevant in PPMS treatment trials.
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Headache or neck pain is a frequent symptom of spontaneous cervical artery dissection (sCAD). ⋯ Pain may be the only symptom in sCAD, even when multiple arteries are dissected. Pain topography, dynamics, quality and intensity were heterogeneous. Data from this study lend support to recommendations favouring imaging studies of the cervical arteries in patients with new-onset unexplained headache or neck pain.