The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences
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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci · Jan 2009
ReviewPsychopharmacological treatment for cognitive impairment in survivors of traumatic brain injury: a critical review.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a growing national health issue that commonly results in clinically significant cognitive impairments. This article reviews and evaluates the many proposed psychopharmacological treatments for TBI-related cognitive impairment. ⋯ However, other medications such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and antidepressant agents may help select subgroups. A need remains for well designed, sufficiently powered studies that incorporate functionally relevant neuropsychological outcome measures.
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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci · Jan 2007
Review Meta AnalysisPsychopathology in verified Huntington's disease gene carriers.
Huntington's disease is characterized by motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. This study reviews original research on psychopathology in Huntington's disease that uses standardized instruments in verified gene carriers. ⋯ Available research provides little insight into the true prevalences of psychopathology in Huntington's disease due to small sample sizes, use of different methodologies, and lack of comparison groups. Future research requires larger cohorts stratified to disease stage, consistent methodologies, and adequate comparison groups.
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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci · Jan 2007
ReviewRecent neuroimaging techniques in mild traumatic brain injury.
Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by acute physiological changes that result in at least some acute cognitive difficulties and typically resolve by 3 months postinjury. Because the majority of mild TBI patients have normal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/computed tomography (CT) scans, there is increasing attention directed at finding objective physiological correlates of persistent cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms through experimental neuroimaging techniques. The authors review studies utilizing these techniques in patients with mild TBI; these techniques may provide more sensitive assessment of structural and functional abnormalities following mild TBI. Particular promise is evident with fMRI, PET, and SPECT scanning, as demonstrated by associations between brain activation and clinical outcomes.
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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci · Jan 2005
Review Comparative StudyTreatment of acute ischemic stroke: does it impact neuropsychiatric outcome?
Stroke is a leading cause of disability globally. Although neuropsychiatric symptoms are produced by stroke and adversely effect stroke outcome, it is unclear whether neuropsychiatric outcome can be improved by acute stroke treatment. ⋯ Of the 190 trials reviewed, only seven included specific measures of neuropsychiatric outcome, usually a short test of cognition or mood. Further studies are needed to determine the potential benefits of acute stroke treatment on both poststroke neuropsychiatric symptoms and the relationship between such symptoms and stroke outcome.
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Déjà vu experiences are common in normal subjects. In addition, they are established symptoms of temporal lobe seizures. The author argues that the phenomenon is the result of faulty and isolated activity of a recognition memory system that consists of the parahippocampal gyrus and its neocortical connections. ⋯ The result is that a momentary perceived scene is given the characteristics of familiarity that normally accompany a conscious recollection. The normal functioning of other brain structures involved in memory retrieval--the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus proper--leads to the perplexing phenomenological quality of déjà vu. The hypothesis accounts for many characteristics of déjà vu in healthy subjects and is well fitting with experimental findings in patients with epilepsy.