Factors Influencing Driving following DBS Surgery in Parkinson's Disease: A Single UK Centre Experience and Review of the Literature.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder, leading to impairment of various neurological faculties, including motor, planning, cognitivity, and executive functions. Motor- and non-motor symptoms of the disease may intensify a patient's restrictions to performing usual tasks of daily living, including driving. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) associated with optimized clinical treatment has been shown to improve quality of life, motor, and non-motor symptoms in PD.

Post-vaccination incidence and side effects of COVID-19 in a cohort of Brazilian healthcare professionals: an internet-based survey.

Objective: So far, at least 18 different severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 vaccines have been approved. Until October 2022, 12.8 billion doses had been administered all over the world.

Deep brain stimulation-induced neuroprotection: A critical appraisal.

Over the last two decades deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a widely used therapeutic alternative for a variety of neurological and psychiatric diseases. The extensive experience in the field of movement disorders has provided valuable knowledge and has led the path to its application to other hard-to-treat conditions. Despite the recognised symptomatic beneficial effects, its capacity to modify the course of a disease has been in constant debate.

Chronic itch induced by thalamic deep brain stimulation: a case for a central itch centre.

Background: Central itch syndrome has been previously described in conditions such as stroke. The neurophysiology of central itch syndrome has been investigated in non-human primates but remains incompletely understood.

Methods: We report an observational study of a rare case of severe central itch following thalamic deep brain stimulation and postulate the location of the central itch centre in humans.

Adult giant cerebellar cavernous malformations: case report and review of the literature.

Cavernous malformations are vascular malformations that can occur anywhere in the central nervous system (CNS). Giant cavernous malformations (GCM) are extremely rare in adults, especially in the posterior fossa. Herein, we described a 48-year-old male who presented with vertigo and postural instability for three months.

Epidemiological trends in COVID-19 pandemic: prospective critical appraisal of observations from six countries in Europe and the USA.

Introduction: Europe was the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, with the highest number of cases and deaths between March and April. In May, the infection numbers registered a fall followed by a second new rise, not proportionally reflected by an increase in the number of deaths. We aimed to investigate the relationship between disease prevalence and infection fatality rate (IFR), and the number of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital admissions over time, to develop a predictive model, as well as appraising the potential contributing factors underpinning this complex relationship.

Intraoperative mapping of pre-central motor cortex and subcortex: a proposal for supplemental cortical and novel subcortical maps to Penfield's motor homunculus.

Penfield's motor homunculus describes a caricaturised yet useful representation of the map of various body parts on the pre-central cortex. We propose a supplemental map of the clinically represented areas of human body in pre-central cortex and a novel subcortical corticospinal tract map. We believe this knowledge is essential for safe surgery in patients with eloquent brain lesions.

Targeting accuracy of robot-assisted deep brain stimulation surgery in childhood-onset dystonia: a single-center prospective cohort analysis of 45 consecutive cases.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for pediatric dystonia. The accuracy of electrode implantation is multifactorial and remains a challenge in this age group, mainly due to smaller anatomical targets in very young patients compared to adults, and also due to anatomical abnormalities frequently associated with some etiologies of dystonia. Data on the accuracy of robot-assisted DBS surgery in children are limited.

Comparison of direct MRI guided versus atlas-based targeting for subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus deep brain stimulation.

Purpose: The subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi) targets for deep brain stimulation (DBS) can be defined by atlas coordinates or direct visualisation of the target on MRI. The aim of this study was to evaluate geometric differences between atlas-based targeting and MRI-guided direct targeting.

Methods: One-hundred-nine Parkinson's disease or dystonia patients records who underwent DBS surgery between 2005 and 2016 were prospectively reviewed.

O-Arm Stereotactic Imaging in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Workflow: A Utility and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is an established treatment for movement disorders. Advances in neuroimaging techniques have resulted in improved targeting accuracy that may improve clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of using the Medtronic O-arm device for the acquisition of intraoperative stereotactic imaging, targeting, and localization of DBS electrodes compared with standard stereotactic MRI or computed tomography (CT).

Pediatric neurosurgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: update and recommendations from the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

Objectives: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a potentially severe respiratory illness that has threatened humanity globally. The pediatric neurosurgery practice differs from that of adults in that it treats children in various stages of physical and psychological development and contemplates diseases that do not exist in other areas. The aim of this study was to identify the level of knowledge and readiness of the healthcare providers, as well as to evaluate new preventive practices that have been introduced, psychological concerns, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric neurosurgical units in Brazil.

Deep brain stimulation in the management of paediatric neuropsychiatric conditions: Current evidence and future directions.

Introduction: Neurosurgery has provided an alternative option for patients with refractory psychiatric indications. Lesion procedures were the initial techniques used, but deep brain stimulation (DBS) has the advantage of relative reversibility and adjustability. This review sets out to delineate the current evidence for DBS use in psychiatric conditions, with an emphasis on the paediatric population, highlighting pitfalls and opportunities.

Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in Post-Infarct Dystonia.

Dystonia secondary to cerebral infarcts presents months to years after the initial insult, is usually unilateral and causes significant morbidity. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus internus (GPi) is established as the most frequent target in the management of the dystonic symptoms. We report our experience with subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS in 3 patients with post-infarct dystonia, in whom GPi DBS was not confidently possible due to the presence of striatal infarcts.

Deep Brain Stimulation of the Internal Pallidum in Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome: Clinical Outcomes and Connectivity Analysis.

Background: Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase enzyme. It manifests during infancy with compulsive self-mutilation behavior associated with disabling generalized dystonia and dyskinesia. Clinical management of these patients poses an enormous challenge for medical teams and carers.

Pre- and Intraoperative Mapping for Tumors in the Primary Motor Cortex: Decision-Making Process in Surgical Resection.

Background:  Lesions within the primary motor cortex (M1) and the corticospinal tract (CST) represent a significant surgical challenge with a delicate functional trade-off that should be integrated in the overall patient-centered treatment plan.

Methods:  Patients with lesions within the M1 and CST with preoperative cortical and subcortical mapping (navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation [nTMS] and tractography), intraoperative mapping, and intraoperative provisional histologic information (smear with and without 5-aminolevulinic acid [5-ALA]) were included. This independently acquired information was integrated in a decision-making process model to determine the intraoperative extent of resection.

Fixed-Life or Rechargeable Battery for Deep Brain Stimulation: A Prospective Long-Term Study of Patient's Preferences.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for movement disorders. We have previously shown that in our practice, the majority of adult patients prefer fixed-life implantable pulse generators (IPGs), although rechargeable batteries are increasingly used. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' long-term satisfaction with their choice of battery and factors that influence their decision.

Decompressive craniectomy for severe traumatic brain injury in children: analysis of long-term neuropsychological impairment and review of the literature.

Objective: The effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy (DC) in the context of neurocritical care in adult patients has been recently under debate. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of decompressive craniectomy in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children, focusing on short and long-term neurological and neuropsychological outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective review of the medical records of children admitted at a level I trauma center, between January 2012 and December 2015, submitted to DC due to severe TBI.

The role of coagulopathy on clinical outcome following traumatic brain injury in children: analysis of 66 consecutive cases in a single center institution.

Introduction: Head injury is a significant economic, social, and medical problem in developing countries and remains one of the leading causes of pediatric morbidity and mortality. The association of traumatic brain injury and coagulopathy in children is linked with an increase in mortality and poor functional outcomes. However, its impact on long-term outcome has not been discussed in the literature so far.

The effects of bilateral, continuous, and chronic Deep Brain Stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle in a rodent model of depression.

Background: Clinical trials of supra-lateral medial forebrain bundle (MFB) Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in treatment resistant major depressive patients have shown rapid and long-term benefits.

Objective/hypothesis: The study used Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats with previously identified depressive-like phenotype to assess the range of behavior modification achieved by MFB DBS.

Methods: Male FSL and wild-type Sprague-Dawley rats as Controls were tested on mood/anxiety/exploration, cognitive and motor behaviors.

Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Enhances Survival and Integration of Dopaminergic Cell Transplants in a Rat Parkinson Model.

Restorative therapy concepts, such as cell based therapies aim to restitute impaired neurotransmission in neurodegenerative diseases. New strategies to enhance grafted cell survival and integration are still needed to improve functional recovery. Anodal direct current stimulation (DCS) promotes neuronal activity and secretion of the trophic factor BDNF in the motor cortex.

Long-term characterization of the Flinders Sensitive Line rodent model of human depression: Behavioral and PET evidence of a dysfunctional entorhinal cortex.

The etiology of depression is unknown but has been associated with dysregulation of neuronal activity at numerous loci on the limbic-cortical circuitry. The Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) is a validated rodent model of human depression with spontaneously emerging behavioral and physiological phenotype, however, the durability and robustness of the phenotypes have not been described. The objective of the current study was to evaluate longitudinal dynamics of the depressive-like symptoms in this animal model.