[Spontaneous intracranial hypotension].

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is an infrequent clinical entity characterized by orthostatic headache, low cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and magnetic resonance imaging findings of diffuse pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement without previous history of head trauma or lumbar puncture. A 24 year-old healthy woman was referred after having daily headaches for two weeks. She described a headache that occurred soon after assuming an upright position and disappeared after resuming a recumbent position.

Disease-modifying therapy in relapsing--remitting multiple sclerosis: efficacy is paramount.

The primary objective in the management of a chronic disease is to maximise therapeutic effectiveness, according to the general consensus among specialists. Recent market research has confirmed that a treatment's effectiveness is the primary consideration for neurologists' choice of therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS). Of the available disease-modifying therapies, interferon (IFN) beta appears to be consistently more efficacious than glatiramer acetate.

[Current concepts on the use of some immunomodulatory drugs in the treatment of multiple sclerosis].

Biotechnological research and a better understanding of the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) have recently led to major breakthroughs in treatment. Different drugs that modify the disease process such as interferon beta 1a, interferon beta 1b and glatiramer acetate are now available. Decisions about initiation of therapy and choice of agent should be individualised based on the severity and activity of the disease, concomitant illnesses, adverse effects of the drugs, lifestyle issues, and patient preferences.

Effects of monotherapy and polytherapy on the blink reflex in epileptic patients.

We performed the blink reflex (BR) in 20 normal volunteers, 13 epileptic patients receiving antiepileptic drug (AED) monotherapy, and 13 epileptic patients receiving AED polytherapy. Comparison of R1, ipsilateral and contralateral R2 and VIIth nerve latencies in the three groups showed no statistically significant differences R1 and VIIth nerve latencies among the three groups. There were statistically significant differences between the polytherapy group and the monotherapy and control groups in comparisons of ipsilateral and contralateral R2.