Rare Case of Late-Onset Narcolepsy Type 1.

A 69-year-old male developed symptoms typical of the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1 without any previous triggering events. First, daytime sleepiness occurred, soon followed by cataplexy. Nocturnal polysomnography revealed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, a apnea-hypopnea index of 25.

[Detection of active varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection in patients with neurological complications].

Objectives: When introduced into routine virological diagnosis of nervous system infections, PCR detection of viral DNA revealed the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at much higher rates than expected. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of VZV DNA detection in CSF of patients with neurological symptoms in correlation with their VZV-specific serological findings and clinical symptoms.

Material And Methods: A total of 438 patients followed up in the neurology departments of the Motol and Královské Vinohrady University Hospitals and the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Bulovka University Hospital were screened for the presence of VZV-specific antibodies in serum and intrathecal antibodies in CSF.

[Importance of urgent cerebrospinal fluid examination for early diagnosis of central nervous system infections].

To a certain extent, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition reflects the current status of the central nervous system (CNS). Therefore, studying changes in even the most essential CSF parameters provides enormous scope for obtaining valuable information about processes in the CNS in relation to its disorders. The article aims at presenting our current conception of urgent CSF examination with special emphasis on early diagnosis of central nervous infections.

Mastoiditis complicated with Gradenigo syndrome and a hypertrophic pachymeningitis with consequent communicating hydrocephalus.

We present the clinical, radiological and pathological features of a case of a cranial hypertrophic pachymeningitis that developed in the course of mastoiditis and petrous apex inflammation and responded to immunosuppressive therapy only. Documented by the development of clinical findings, magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid changes, histopathology findings, by otosurgical intervention and finally by the insertion of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, the case illustrates a gradual development of pachymeningitis with consequent hydrocephalus and intracranial hypertension. We consider this disease development an example of immune-induced proliferative fibrotic changes in meninges.