Migraine improvement after spontaneous cervical artery dissection the Italian Project on Stroke in Young Adults (IPSYS).

Objective: Whether migraine modifies after spontaneous cervical artery dissection (sCeAD) more than after other stroke etiologic subtypes has never been adequately investigated.

Methods: In the setting of the Italian Project on Stroke in Young Adults (IPSYS), we compared the course of migraine before and after acute brain infarct in a group of migraine patients with sCeAD and a group of migraine patients whose ischemia was due to a cause other than CeAD (non-CeAD IS), matched by sex, age (± 3 years), and migraine subtype.We applied linear mixed models to evaluate pre-event vs post-event changes and differences between sCeAD and non-CeAD IS patients.

Association Between Migraine and Cervical Artery Dissection: The Italian Project on Stroke in Young Adults.

Importance: Although sparse observational studies have suggested a link between migraine and cervical artery dissection (CEAD), any association between the 2 disorders is still unconfirmed. This lack of a definitive conclusion might have implications in understanding the pathogenesis of both conditions and the complex relationship between migraine and ischemic stroke (IS).

Objective: To investigate whether a history of migraine and its subtypes is associated with the occurrence of CEAD.

Late onset generalized myasthenia gravis presenting with facial weakness and bulbar signs without extraocular muscle involvement.

Bilateral facial palsy is a common sign of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG). However, facial muscle weakness without clinical signs of extraocular muscle (EOM) involvement is extremely rare. We describe a late onset generalized MG presenting with facial weakness and bulbar signs without EOM deficits.

Short-latency afferent inhibition predicts verbal memory performance in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: The pathogenesis of cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is the subject of debate. A causative role of grey matter impairment has been suggested. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have been proposed in the treatment of cognitive impairment in MS.

Gender ratio of migraine without aura: observations over time.

Migraine without aura is typically considered a female condition. The purpose of this study was to determine if there have been any changes in the female-to-male ratio of the disease over time. We included in the study all patients with migraine without aura (n = 3457) referred to the Parma University Headache Centre between 1976 and 1995.

Pathological yawning as a presenting symptom of brain stem ischaemia in two patients.

Two cases of brain stem stroke involving the upper pons and the ponto-mesencephalic junction presented with transient excessive pathological yawning, associated with gait ataxia and in one subject with upper limb and facial hemiparesis. A causal relation is hypothesised between the brain stem lesion and pathological yawning, possibly related to denervation hypersensitivity of a putative brain stem yawn centre. Excessive yawning may herald brain stem ischaemia.

Immunomodulatory effects of IFN-beta1a treatment alone or associated with pentoxifylline in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Interferon-beta1a (IFN-beta1a) and pentoxifylline (PTX) are reported to be active in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but the mechanisms are not completely understood. In two groups of RRMS patients, we studied the phenotype of peripheral lymphocytes and the level of several cytokines both in sera and in supernatants of activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) before and after 8 months of therapy with IFN-beta1a alone or associated with PTX. Our data indicate that patients with RRMS, treated with IFN-beta1a, exhibited a significant increase in CD4(+)CD25(++) T suppressor cells, accompanied by a significant decrease in cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8(+)CD28(-) and natural killer [NK] cells) and IFN-gamma production, which could both contribute to an explanation of the previously described beneficial effects of IFN-beta treatment in MS.

Primary adult lactose malabsorption in Italy: regional differences in prevalence and relationship to lactose intolerance and milk consumption.

A study of regional differences in prevalence of primary adult lactose malabsorption in Italy was conducted on 205 subjects. Their origin was determined by their grandparents' birthplace, 89 from northern, 65 from central, and 51 from southern areas of Italy. Lactose malabsorption was diagnosed with standard oral lactose tolerance test and blood glucose determinations.