Dichlorophene activates aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) to mediate splenotoxicity in rat.

Dichlorophene (DCP) is a halogenated phenolic compound, widely used as fungicide, bactericide and antiprotozoan and also exhibit therapeutic application in several pathological conditions. Taking account of broad use of DCP, its possible effect on spleen (an important immune organ) was investigated in this study. Male albino rats were treated with graded doses of DCP (10%, 20% and 30% of LD50) and spleen and blood were obtained at 24, 48 and 72 hours post treatment.

Trigeminal neuralgia in young adults.

Object: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a form of facial pain that can be debilitating if left untreated. It typically affects elderly adults and is thought to be related to neurovascular compression. It is uncommon in people younger than 30 years of age, with only 1% of cases reportedly occurring in those younger than 20 years of age.

Surgical outcome and improvement in quality of life after microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasms: a case series assessment using a validated disease-specific scale.

Background: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a movement disorder characterized by intermittent, involuntary clonic or tonic-clonic contractions of muscles innervated by the ipsilateral facial nerve. Recent studies have documented change in quality of life after HFS management with botulinum toxin injection. However, we failed to locate any study that documented change in quality of life after surgical management with retrosigmoid microvascular decompression (MVD).

Gamma knife radiosurgery for brain metastasis of nonsmall cell lung cancer: is there a difference in outcome between morning and afternoon treatment?

Background: Circadian cell-cycle progression causes fluctuating radiosensitivity in many tissues, which could affect clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether outcomes of single-session gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) differ based on treatment time.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients received GKRS between 10:00 am and 12:30 pm and 39 patients received GKRS between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia: the impact of magnetic resonance imaging-detected vascular impingement of the affected nerve.

Object: Trigeminal neuralgia is believed to be related to vascular compression of the affected nerve. Radiosurgery has been shown to be reasonably effective for treatment of medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia. This study explores the rate of occurrence of MR imaging-demonstrated vascular impingement of the affected nerve and the extent to which vascular impingement affects pain relief in a population of trigeminal neuralgia patients undergoing Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS).

Gamma knife surgery for lymphocytic hypophysitis.

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is a relatively uncommon autoimmune inflammatory disorder affecting the pituitary gland. It most frequently occurs in women of child-bearing age. The authors report on their experience with a patient who presented with diplopia and marked enlargement of the pituitary gland.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery to the surgical cavity following resection of brain metastases.

Object: This study evaluated the efficacy of postoperative Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) to the tumor cavity following gross-total resection of a brain metastasis.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 700 patients who were treated for brain metastases using GKS. Forty-seven patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic disease underwent GKS to the postoperative resection cavity following gross-total resection of the tumor.

Lennart Heimer: concepts of the ventral striatum and extended amygdala.

Dr. Lennart Heimer, the famous neuroanatomist of Swedish descent, died last year but left a legacy that will impact the neurosciences and potentially psychosurgery for years to come. He developed an anatomical technique for demonstrating the terminal boutons that helped to delineate basal forebrain anatomy.

Brain abscess in children.

Although it is uncommon, pediatric brain abscess remains a serious, life-threatening neurological problem. Those with congenital heart disease, an ongoing infection, or an immunocompromised state are particularly at risk. The symptoms on presentation may include those associated with a space-occupying lesion in the brain, and neuroimaging has made the diagnosis of brain abscess more reliable.