Neuroepidemiology
-
The clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) is proposed to be too late for the application of beneficial neuroprotective treatment. Thus, it is important to identify and follow individuals at risk for PD in order to gain knowledge about the prodromal course of the disease. Substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SN+) has been confirmed as a risk factor for PD and appears promising as a predictor of PD, particularly in combination with other putative PD markers. We present the design and initial data of a 2-year longitudinal investigation of subjects proposed to be at high risk of developing PD (HRPD), compared to early PD patients and control subjects. The aim of the presented study is to monitor progression of the neurodegenerative process to motor PD. ⋯ Here, we describe the recruitment of a highly enriched-risk cohort and a promising study design to assess progression to motor PD. Whether the HRPD group indeed suffers from early, PD-specific neurodegeneration remains to be verified in the ongoing follow-up examinations.
-
Severity of acute vascular illness may have changed in the last decades due to improvements in primary and secondary prevention. Population-based data on the severity of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease are sparse. We aimed to examine incidence, characteristics and severity of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease in a well-defined population. ⋯ Minor events are the most common in ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and may constitute a larger proportion than previously reported. TIA and stroke patients share many characteristics; however, TIA patients are younger and have fewer manifestations of atherosclerotic diseases, indicating a high potential for secondary prevention.
-
Globally, head injury is a substantial cause of mortality and morbidity. A disproportionately greater burden is borne by low- and middle-income countries. The incidence and characteristics of fatal and hospitalised head injuries in Fiji are unknown. ⋯ Despite underestimating the overall burden, this study identified head injury to be a major cause of death and hospitalisation in Fiji. The predominance of males and road traffic-related injuries is consistent with studies on head injuries conducted in other low- and middle-income countries. The high fatality rate among those aged 30-44 years in this study has not been noted previously. The high case fatality rate prior to admission to the hospital requires urgent attention.
-
Despite decades of research, there are no national estimates of the incidence or prevalence of spinal cord injury (SCI) in Canada. Our objective was to utilize the best available data to estimate the incidence and prevalence of traumatic SCI (TSCI) and non-traumatic SCI (NTSCI) in Canada for 2010. ⋯ This study provides the first estimates of the incidence and prevalence of SCI in Canada. More population-based studies are needed, particularly for NTSCI, as an increasing number of Canadians are expected to be affected by SCI.
-
The aims of this study were to assess the incidence of hospital-admitted severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the adult population in Norway, and to determine whether there were differences in the epidemiological characteristics of severe TBI between rural and urban regions. ⋯ The incidence of hospital-admitted patients with severe TBI in this national study supports the declining incidence of TBI reported internationally. No major differences were found in epidemiological characteristics between the urban and rural parts of Norway.