Investigating the changes in volumes of the limbic system and hypothalamic-subnuclei in patients with depression.

Background: Depression is consistently linked to changes in the hypothalamus, HPA axis, and limbic system, though the specific substructures involved remain unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between depression and the volumes of specific nuclei within these brain regions. Understanding these connections could provide deeper insights into the biological mechanisms underlying depression.

Blood Pressure Variability and Ocular Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials Are Independently Associated With Orthostatic Hypotension.

Background And Purpose: We delineated the association between otolithic dysfunction and blood pressure (BP) variability.

Methods: We prospectively recruited 145 consecutive patients (age=71 [59-79] years, median [interquartile range]; 76 females) with orthostatic intolerance between December 2021 and December 2023 at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. Each patient underwent evaluations of cervical and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs), 24-h noninvasive ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), and a head-up tilt-table test using the Finometer device.

Convolutional neural networks can detect orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease using resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy data.

Neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) often adversely affect the vascular system, leading to alterations in blood flow patterns. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is used to monitor hemodynamic changes via signal measurement. This study investigated the potential of using resting-state fNIRS data through a convolutional neural network (CNN) to evaluate PD with orthostatic hypotension.

Four-hour-delayed 3D-FLAIR MRIs in patients with acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy.

Objective: Conventionally, MRI aids in differentiating acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy/vestibular neuritis (AUPV/VN) from mimickers. Meanwhile, the diagnostic utility of MRIs dedicated to the inner ear remains to be elucidated for diagnosing AUPV/VN.

Methods: We prospectively recruited 53 patients with AUPV/VN (mean age ± SD = 60 ± 15 years, 29 men).

Differentiated pattern of complement system activation between MOG-IgG-associated disease and AQP4-IgG-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG) immunoglobulin G (IgG)-associated disease (MOGAD) has clinical and pathophysiological features that are similar to but distinct from those of aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG)-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (AQP4-NMOSD). MOG-IgG and AQP4-IgG, mostly of the IgG1 subtype, can both activate the complement system. Therefore, we investigated whether the levels of serum complement components, regulators, and activation products differ between MOGAD and AQP4-NMOSD, and if complement analytes can be utilized to differentiate between these diseases.

Serial Nerve Conduction Studies in Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Its Usefulness and Precise Timing.

Purpose: Nerve conduction study (NCS) is essential for subclassifying Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). It is well known that the GBS subclassification can change through serial NCSs. However, the usefulness of serial NCSs is debatable, especially in patients with early stage GBS.

Prognostic factors of first-onset optic neuritis based on diagnostic criteria and antibody status: a multicentre analysis of 427 eyes.

Background: Optic neuritis (ON) prognosis is influenced by various factors including attack severity, underlying aetiologies, treatments and consequences of previous episodes. This study, conducted on a large cohort of first ON episodes, aimed to identify unique prognostic factors for each ON subtype, while excluding any potential influence from pre-existing sequelae.

Methods: Patients experiencing their first ON episodes, with complete aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody testing, and clinical data for applying multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria, were enrolled.

Dynamic suprahyoid muscle ultrasound in assessing oropharyngeal dysphagia in neurological disorders.

Background: Appropriate evaluation and management of dysphagia are essential in neurological disorders. However, there is currently a lack of a simple yet reliable method for dysphagia evaluation.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of new dynamic M-mode ultrasonography (US) parameters of suprahyoid muscle (SHM) to evaluate dysphagia.

Scale for Ocular Motor Disorders in Ataxia (SODA) in Patients with Multiple System Atrophy.

A clinical scale fully dedicated to evaluating ocular motor abnormalities is required for now. We investigated the utility of a recently developed Scale for Ocular motor Disorders in Ataxia (SODA) in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). We prospectively assessed SODA in consecutive patients with MSA between August 2021 and August 2023 at the Korea University Medical Center.

The semicircular canal function is preserved with little impact on falls in patients with mild Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Postural instability is a cardinal symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), which suggests the vestibular system may be affected in PD. This study aimed to determine whether vestibular dysfunction is associated with the risk of falls in PD.

Methods: We prospectively recruited patients with de-novo PD at a tertiary medical center between December 2019 and March 2023.

Effects of pupil size in video head-impulse tests.

The results of video head impulse tests (video-HITs) may be confounded by data artifacts of various origins, including pupil size and eyelid obstruction of the pupil. This study aimed to determine the effect of these factors on the results of video-HITs. We simulated ptosis by adopting pharmacological dilatation of the pupil in 21 healthy participants (11 women; age 24-58 years).

Serum neurofilament and glial fibrillary acidic protein in idiopathic and seropositive transverse myelitis.

Background: Serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) reflect the disease activity and disability in central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating diseases. However, the clinical significance of NfL and GFAP in idiopathic transverse myelitis (iTM), an inflammatory spinal cord disease with unknown underlying causes, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate NfL and GFAP levels in iTM and their association with the clinical parameters compared with those in TM with disease-specific antibodies such as anti-aquaporin 4 or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (sTM).

Clinical Usefulness of a Cell-based Assay for Detecting Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibodies in Central Nervous System Inflammatory Disorders.

Background: The clinical implications of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein autoantibodies (MOG-Abs) are increasing. Establishing MOG-Ab assays is essential for effectively treating patients with MOG-Abs. We established an in-house cell-based assay (CBA) to detect MOG-Abs to identify correlations with patients' clinical characteristics.

Surface Electromyography-Driven Parameters for Representing Muscle Mass and Strength.

The need for developing a simple and effective assessment tool for muscle mass has been increasing in a rapidly aging society. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the surface electromyography (sEMG) parameters for estimating muscle mass. Overall, 212 healthy volunteers participated in this study.