Overcoming clinical challenges of refractory neuropathic pain.

Introduction: Refractory neuropathic pain (ReNP), and its definition, is widely disputed among clinicians due in part to unclear diagnosing guidelines, overall duration of neuropathic pain, and the exhaustiveness of treatment options. Usually, ReNP is defined as chronic, intractable, and unresponsive neuropathic pain that has otherwise been untreatable.

Areas Covered: In this narrative review, we discuss and summarize the effectiveness of prospective ReNP research conducted over the past 10 years.

Normative database of postural sway measures using inertial sensors in typically developing children and young adults.

Objective: Reference values utilizing the APDM MobilityLab® inertial sensor system have not been established in children and young adults ages 5-30. These values are necessary for clinicians and researchers to compare to children with balance impairments.

Methods: A group of 144 typically developing children and young adults from age 5-30 years completed the instrumented SWAY test during 6 test conditions: normal stance, firm surface, eyes open (EO) and closed (EC); normal stance, foam surface, EO and EC; and tandem stance, firm surface, EO and EC.

The Effects of Dual Task Cognitive Interference and Fast-Paced Walking on Gait, Turns, and Falls in Men and Women with FXTAS.

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebellar ataxia, tremor, and cognitive dysfunction. We examined the impact of dual-task (DT) cognitive-motor interference and fast-paced (FP) gait on gait and turning in FXTAS. Thirty participants with FXTAS and 35 age-matched controls underwent gait analysis using an inertial sensor-based 2-min walk test under three conditions: (1) self-selected pace (ST), (2) FP, and (3) DT with a concurrent verbal fluency task.

Prodromal Markers of Upper Limb Deficits in Premutation Carriers and Quantitative Outcome Measures for Future Clinical Trials in Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome.

Background: Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) is a rare, late-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by tremor and cerebellar gait ataxia, affecting premutation carriers (PMC) of CGG expansions (range, 55-200) in the fragile X mental retardation 1 () gene. Discovery of early predictors for FXTAS and quantitative characterization of motor deficits are critical for identifying disease onset, monitoring disease progression, and determining efficacy of interventions.

Methods: A total of 39 PMC with FXTAS, 20 PMC without FXTAS, and 27 healthy controls performed a series of upper extremity (UE) motor tasks assessing tremor, bradykinesia, and rapid alternating movements that were quantified using an inertial-based sensor system (Kinesia One; Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies, Cleveland, OH, USA).

Normative database of spatiotemporal gait parameters using inertial sensors in typically developing children and young adults.

Background: Inertial sensors are increasingly useful to clinicians and researchers to detect gait deficits. Reference values are necessary for comparison to children with gait abnormalities.

Objective: To present a normative database of spatiotemporal gait and turning parameters in 164 typically developing children and young adults ages 5-30 utilizing the APDM Mobility Lab® system.