Spontaneous regression of a terminal myelocystocele and associated syringomyelia: a case report.

Introduction: Terminal myelocystocele is a rare form of spinal dysraphism characterised by cystic dilatation of the central canal of a low-lying terminal cord. Typical presentation is a skin-covered dorsal mass; early surgical repair has been recommended.

Case Report: We present the case of a 4-year-old girl with a terminal myelocystocele and syrinx, which were both observed to spontaneously regress on subsequent magnetic resonance imaging.

Cerebrospinal fluid nitrite/nitrate correlated with oxyhemoglobin and outcome in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The findings of various studies reporting temporal changes in CSF total nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) vary considerably. The study group comprised 10 patients with SAH and 10 control subjects. Total nitrite/nitrate concentration was measured by a vanadium-based assay with the colorimetric Griess reaction.

Alterations in cerebrospinal fluid apolipoprotein E and amyloid beta-protein after traumatic brain injury.

There is evidence that apolipoprotein E (apoE) and amyloid beta-protein (Abeta), which are implicated in the pathology of chronic neurodegenerative disorders, are involved in the response of the brain to acute injury; however, human in vivo evidence is sparse. We conducted a prospective observational study to determine the magnitude and time-course of alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) apoE and Abeta concentrations after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the relationship of these changes to severity of injury and clinical outcome. Enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was used to assay apoE, Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42) in serial CSF samples from 13 patients with TBI and 13 controls.

Remodeling of cerebrospinal fluid lipoprotein particles after human traumatic brain injury.

The association between possession of the APOE epsilon4 allele and unfavourable outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) suggests that the apolipoprotein E protein (apoE) plays a key role in the response of the human brain to injury. ApoE is known to regulate cholesterol metabolism in the periphery through its action as a ligand for receptor mediated uptake of lipoprotein particles (Lps). Greater understanding of cholesterol metabolism in the human central nervous system may identify novel treatment strategies applicable to acute brain injury.

Cerebrospinal fluid apolipoprotein E concentration decreases after traumatic brain injury.

The APOE epsilon4 allele has been associated with unfavorable outcome after several types of acute brain injury, yet the biological mechanisms underlying this observation are poorly understood. Postmortem and experimental brain injury studies suggest the presence of increased amounts of apolipoprotein E (apoE) within the neuropil after acute brain injury. We assayed the concentration of apolipoprotein E in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of non-injured controls and patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to determine whether differences exist, and if these differences correlate with injury severity and clinical outcome.