Do the neurologists recognize autoimmune epilepsy well enough? What is the effect of the pandemic on this matter?

Introduction: The concept of "autoimmune epilepsy" (AE) has been emphasized more frequently through the recent increase in recognition of various autoantibodies specific to neuronal proteins.

Aims: To evaluate the attitudes of neurologists in regard to AE, to review the differential diagnosis, treatment options, and to reveal the effect of COVID-19 on this matter.

Methods: A detailed questionnaire prepared for AE was sent to neurologists via social media and WhatsApp after the approval of the Ethics Committee.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Do we diagnose and manage it appropriately in the light of current data?

Background And Objective: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is an increase of intracranial pressure without a known cause, which usually presented with headache. This study aimed to evaluate the changing diagnosis and management approaches of neurologists for IIH in light of recent data.

Methods: An online questionnaire about IIH was developed covering 28 questions, and five sections: demographic data, diagnosis, examination, treatment, and follow-up.

Peripheral blood expression levels of inflammasome complex components in two different focal epilepsy syndromes.

Background: Although the role of inflammation in epilepsy pathogenesis has been extensively investigated, the inflammasome complex, a key component of neuroinflammation, has been understudied in epilepsy patients.

Methods: To better understand the involvement of this system in epilepsy, levels of inflammasome complex components (NLRP1, NLRP3, CASP1, ASC), end-products of inflammasome complex activity [IL-1β, IL-18, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms] and other inflammatory factors (NFκB, IL-6, TNF-α) were measured in peripheral blood of patients with focal epilepsy of unknown cause (FEoUC) (n = 47), mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS) (n = 35) and healthy controls using real time qPCR and/or ELISA.

Results: Inflammasome complex associated factors were either downregulated or unchanged in epilepsy patients.

Clinical exome sequencing in neuromuscular diseases: an experience from Turkey.

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) encompass a variety of ailments from muscular dystrophies to ataxias, in the course of which the functioning of the muscles is eventually either directly or indirectly impaired. The clinical diagnosis of a particular NMD is not always straightforward due to the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the disorders under investigation. Traditional diagnostic tools such as electrophysiological tests and muscle biopsies are both invasive and painful methods, causing the patients to be reluctant.

Correction to: Long-term follow-up of a large cohort with focal epilepsy of unknown cause: deciphering their clinical and prognostic characteristics.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

Reflex epileptic features in patients with focal epilepsy of unknown cause.

Objectives: There is a gap of knowledge regarding reflex seizures in patients with focal epilepsy of unknown cause (FEUC). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, demographic and clinical characteristics of reflex seizures in patients with FEUC to provide an insight to the underlying ictogenic mechanisms and to draw attention to this important but under-investigated topic.

Patients And Methods: After carefully questioning for reflex triggers, 186 patients diagnosed according to ILAE criteria and followed-up for a minimum of 5 years were included.

Long-term follow-up of a large cohort with focal epilepsy of unknown cause: deciphering their clinical and prognostic characteristics.

Background And Purpose: Focal epilepsy of unknown cause (FEUC) is an under-investigated topic despite its remarkable frequency. We aimed to report the long-term follow-up findings along with the drug-response, 5 year remission rates and diagnostic changes to give an insight about the heterogeneous characteristics of FEUC.

Methods: Demographic, clinical, neurophysiological and imaging data of 196 patients diagnosed as FEUC according to ILAE criteria, with a minimum 5-year follow-up were evaluated in a tertiary epilepsy center.

Investigation of Generalized EEG Paroxysms Accompanying Focal Epilepsies.

Interictal focal EEG features were frequently observed in generalized, epilepsies, but there is limited information about interictal, epileptiform/nonepileptiform generalized paroxysms in focal epilepsies. We aimed to report the frequency and associated factors of generalized EEG discharges in focal epilepsy with unknown cause (FEUC) and mesial, temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS). A total of 200 patients (FEUC in 90 patients; MTLE-HS in 110 patients) were included.

Follow-up of patients with epilepsy harboring antiglycine receptor antibodies.

Objective: The long-term follow-up of patients with epilepsy harboring autoantibodies against the glycine receptor (also glycine receptor antibodies or GlyR-Ab) is not well-known. Our aim was to investigate the 5-year prognosis and treatment response of patients with epilepsy who were seropositive for GlyR-Ab.

Methods: Clinical features; electroencephalogram (EEG), neuroradiological, and neuropathological findings; and treatment responses of patients with epilepsy with GlyR-Ab seropositivity were investigated.

Delta Brush Pattern Is Not Unique to NMDAR Encephalitis: Evaluation of Two Independent Long-Term EEG Cohorts.

Purpose: Although its specificity has not previously been investigated in other cohorts, delta brush pattern (DBP) is increasingly reported in the EEGs of patients with anti- N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis.

Methods: We aimed to investigate the DBP in the EEGs of 2 cohorts; patients with change in consciousness for various causes monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 106) and patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with or without antineuronal antibodies (n = 76).

Results: These patients were investigated for the presence of DBP, defined as an EEG pattern characterized by delta activity at 1 to 3 Hz with superimposed bursts of rhythmic 12- to 30-Hz activity.

Comparison of Cognitive Parameters Between Bilateral and Unilateral Hippocampal Sclerosis.

Introduction: Recent studies showed that hippocampal sclerosis (HS) patients with unilateral involvement had more diffuse cognitive impairment than expected. Therefore, we aimed to compare the cognitive profiles of bilateral HS (BHS) patients with unilateral HS (UHS) patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients, diagnosed with epilepsy, who fulfilled two major magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria (T1 atrophy and T2-FLAIR hyperintensity) for HS were included.

Brain Infiltration of Immune Cells in CASPR2-Antibody Associated Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with Hippocampal Sclerosis.

Introduction: Antibodies directed against neuronal surface antigens have recently been identified in patients with focal temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) of unknown cause and mesial TLE with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS), thereby emphasizing the role of autoimmunity in TLE. Antibodies to contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) are prevalent in MTLE-HS patients. We aimed to find out whether anti-neuronal autoimmunity might be involved in CASPR2 antibody-related MTLE-HS.

Rare case of glioblastoma multiforme located in posterior corpus callosum presenting with depressive symptoms and visual memory deficits.

Most of the primary brain tumours are located in the supratentorial region, and it is uncommon to see tumour growth on deep brain structures such as posterior corpus callosum (PCC). In addition, lesions in PCC are also difficult to recognise, because construction apraxia, visuospatial perception and attentional capacity impairment may be the only presenting symptoms. Here, we represent a rare case of gliobastoma multiforme located in PCC, which solely presents with depressive symptoms and visual memory deficits.

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on seizure frequency of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis.

Objectives: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and safe method tried in drug-resistant epilepsies, in recent years. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of tDCS in patients diagnosed with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS) which is a well-known drug-resistant focal epilepsy syndrome.

Patients And Methods: Twelve MTLE-HS patients diagnosed with their typical clinical, EEG and MRI findings fulfilling the criteria for drug-resistance as suggested by the ILAE commission were included after Ethics Committee approval and their signed consent.

How Different Are the Patients With Bilateral Hippocampal Sclerosis From the Unilateral Ones Clinically?

Purpose: There is a lack of knowledge on consecutive patients with epilepsy associated with bilateral hippocampal sclerosis (BHS). We aimed to investigate the differentiating features of BHS in comparison with unilateral HS (UHS).

Method: We investigated our database for patients with epilepsy fulfilling the major magnetic resonance imaging criteria for BHS; namely, presence of bilateral atrophy and high signal changes on T2 and FLAIR series in the hippocampi.

Neuronal autoantibodies in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of neuronal autoantibodies (NAbs) in a large consecutive series with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS) and to elucidate the clinical and laboratory clues for detection of NAbs in this prototype of frequent, drug-resistant epilepsy syndrome.

Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with MTLE fulfilling the MRI criteria for HS were enrolled. The sera of patients and various control groups (80 subjects) were tested for eight NAbs after ethical approval and signed consents.

Neuronal autoantibodies in epilepsy patients with peri-ictal autonomic findings.

Autonomic dysfunction has frequently been reported in autoimmune encephalitis associated with seizures and there is growing evidence that epilepsy patients may display neuronal autoantibodies (NAAb). The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of NAAb in epilepsy patients with peri-ictal autonomic findings. Fifty-eight patients (37 women/21 men; average age of 34.

Investigation of the possible association of NEDD4-2 (NEDD4L) gene with idiopathic photosensitive epilepsy.

NEDD4-2 alias NEDD4L (neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated) gene was reported as a candidate gene for epileptic photo-sensitivity. We aimed to investigate this possible association of NEDD4-2 variants with idiopathic photosensitive epilepsy. Consecutive patients who had been followed up at our epilepsy center and diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy according to ILAE criteria and clear-cut photoparoxysmal responses in their electroencephalograms and 100 ethnically matched healthy subjects were included in the study.