Freezing of gait: pharmacological and surgical options.

Purpose Of Review: The primary aim of this review is to describe and update the pathophysiological and relevant therapeutic strategies for freezing of gait (FoG) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Recent Findings: FoG presumably involves dysfunction of multiple cortical and subcortical components, including dopaminergic and nondopaminergic circuits. In this regard, levodopa and physical therapy represent the first-choice therapeutic options for PD patients with FoG.

How can I assess my patients with Parkinson's disease during a busy clinic day?

Background: The evaluation of motor impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) is mainly assessed with the motor subdomain of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating scale (UPDRS part III) and, lately, with the MDS-UPDRS part III. To optimize efforts and special needs during specific circumstances in clinical practice, we sought to identify the most sensitive items to assess motor impairment in PD.

Methods: We included the COPPADIS-PD cohort and collected the UPDRS part III at baseline (V0), 12 months (V1), and 24 months (V2).

[Description of a series of cases of hypnic headache. Differentiation between sexes].

Introduction: Hypnic headache is an infrequent type of primary headache characterised by appearing almost exclusively during sleep and by waking the patient up. The pain is dull (generally bilateral), is not associated to autonomic signs and usually appears from the age of 50 onwards.

Patients And Methods: A 10-year prospective study was conducted which describes the patients with hypnic headache who were attended in a specialised headache clinic.

[Development and response to intravenous treatment with tissue plasminogen activator with regard to referral hospitals. The experience of a stroke referral unit].

Introduction: The intravenous administration of tissue plasminogen inhibitor is a safe and effective treatment for patients with an acute ischaemic stroke. The prognosis depends on a number of factors, the time that elapses between the onset of the stroke and its administration being one of those with the greatest impact.

Patients And Methods: This is a prospective observational study of the patients who received intravenous fibrinolysis in our stroke unit between June 2007 and December 2010.

[Encephalitis due to antibodies against the NMDA receptor. A case report of a female patient with no associated tumour and a literature review].

Introduction: A severe form of acute encephalitis associated to antibodies against the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has recently been reported. This clinical picture occurs in young people, not always with an underlying tumour and, despite the initial severity, if identified and treated at an early stage, complete recovery without any kind of sequelae can be achieved. We report on a new case and review the body of knowledge currently available on this recently identified condition.

Experience with intravenous levetiracetam in status epilepticus: a retrospective case series.

Background: Status epilepticus is a medical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

Objective: To report our experience with the use of intravenous (IV) levetiracetam in patients with status epilepticus who had not responded to IV benzodiazepines.

Methods: A retrospective review of the clinical charts of patients with status epilepticus who were treated with IV levetiracetam from July 2007 to July 2008 in our department was performed.