Increased mean diffusivity of the caudal motor SNc identifies patients with REM sleep behaviour disorder and Parkinson's disease.

Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD)-a Parkinson's disease (PD) prodrome-might exhibit neural changes similar to those in PD. Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) degeneration underlies motor symptoms of PD. In iRBD and early PD (ePD), we measured diffusion MRI (dMRI) in the caudal motor SNc, which overlaps the nigrosome-1-the earliest-degenerating dopaminergic neurons in PD-and in the striatum.

Determining the future role of clinical practice guidelines: The experience of Australia and New Zealand.

There has been recent discussion in Australia and New Zealand concerning the utility of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and the role of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) in their development. The College Board therefore established a Steering Group (SG) to oversee an exploration of options and produce recommendations about contemporary approaches to the development of high-quality evidence-based clinical practice guidance for psychiatry. This paper outlines the SG's conclusions and recommendations, as well as the underlying methods and reasoning.

Subregional analysis of striatum iron in Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

The loss of dopamine in the striatum underlies motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is considered prodromal PD and has shown similar neural changes in the striatum. Alterations in brain iron suggest neurodegeneration; however, the literature on striatal iron has been inconsistent in PD and scant in RBD.

Magnetic resonance imaging datasets with anatomical fiducials for quality control and registration.

Tools available for reproducible, quantitative assessment of brain correspondence have been limited. We previously validated the anatomical fiducial (AFID) placement protocol for point-based assessment of image registration with millimetric (mm) accuracy. In this data descriptor, we release curated AFID placements for some of the most commonly used structural magnetic resonance imaging datasets and templates.

Criminal and financial penalties for clinicians in the ACT Mental Health Act weigh more heavily on senior doctors.

Objective: We sought to assess the attitudes of ACT public psychiatry doctors towards the financial and criminal penalties in the ACT Mental Health Act 2015.

Method: Baseline attitude was surveyed with an 11-item 5-point Likert scale. Education was then provided about the offences outlined in the Act and the associated penalties.

Image Guidance in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery to Treat Parkinson's Disease: A Comprehensive Review.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective therapy as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD). Aside from factors such as instrumentation, treatment plans, and surgical protocols, the success of the procedure depends heavily on the accurate placement of the electrode within the optimal therapeutic targets while avoiding vital structures that can cause surgical complications and adverse neurologic effects. Although specific surgical techniques for DBS can vary, interventional guidance with medical imaging has greatly contributed to the development, outcomes, and safety of the procedure.

Client perceived quality of the postnatal care provided by public sector specialized care institutions following a normal vaginal delivery in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study.

Background: Majority of the maternal and neonatal adverse events take place during the postnatal period. Provision of high-quality care during this period can minimize these events. Assessment of mothers' perceptions of the quality of care received by them provides valuable feedback to improve the care and ultimately outcomes.

Heavy cannabis users at elevated risk of stroke: evidence from a general population survey.

Objective: Case reports and hospital-based case-control studies suggest that cannabis use may increase the risk of stroke. We examined the risk of non-fatal stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) among cannabis users in the general community.

Method: A general population survey of Australians aged 20-24 years (n=2,383), 40-44 years (n=2,525) and 60-64 years (n=2,547) was used to determine the odds of lifetime stroke or TIA among participants who had smoked cannabis in the past year while adjusting for other stroke risk factors.

Menstrual problems and health seeking in Sri Lanka.

Menstruation is associated with some morbidity, although it is a normal physiological event. In this article, we draw on qualitative research conducted in Sri Lanka in 2006-2007, which included eight key informant interviews with healthcare providers, six focus group discussions with eight women in each, and five case studies. We describe and analyze women's perceptions of menstruation and menstrual problems, their help-seeking behaviors to reduce these health problems, and the consequences of them on their lives.