Motor cortex stimulation for chronic neuropathic pain: results of a double-blind randomized study.

Motor cortex stimulation via surgically implanted electrodes has been used as an off-label treatment for chronic neuropathic pain, but its efficacy has not been fully established. We aimed to objectively study the efficacy of motor cortex stimulation and characterize potential predictors of response. In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, single centre trial, we recruited 18 patients with chronic neuropathic pain who did not adequately respond to conventional treatment and had a numerical pain rating scale (NRS) score ≥6.

Quality of Life After Motor Cortex Stimulation: Clinical Results and Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background: Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) is routinely used for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain but its effect on quality of life remains uncertain.

Obejctive: To systematically review the published literature on MCS and quality of life and report the effects of this therapy in a series of patients prospectively followed in our center.

Methods: The systematic literature review was conducted using the search words "motor cortex stimulation and pain and neurosurgery" and "motor cortex stimulation and pain and quality of life.

Lateral hypothalamic activity indicates hunger and satiety states in humans.

Lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) local field potentials (LFPs) were recorded in a Prader-Willi patient undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) for obesity. During hunger, exposure to food-related cues induced an increase in beta/low-gamma activity. In contrast, recordings during satiety were marked by prominent alpha rhythms.

Reconstruction of reaching movement trajectories using electrocorticographic signals in humans.

In this study, we used electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals to extract the onset of arm movement as well as the velocity of the hand as a function of time. ECoG recordings were obtained from three individuals while they performed reaching tasks in the left, right and forward directions. The ECoG electrodes were placed over the motor cortex contralateral to the moving arm.

Surgical variation of microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: A technical note and anatomical study.

Background: In this article, the authors described their experience in microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.

Methods: The microvascular decompression technique used in the authors' institution is described in a step by step manner with some illustrative cases as well as a cadaver dissection to highlight the differences with other previously described techniques.

Results: Since 2013, 107 patients were operated in the Neurosurgery Division of the University of São Paulo using the described technique, with a shorter operative time and avoiding cerebellar retractor compared with classic techniques.

Simultaneous bilateral stereotactic procedure for deep brain stimulation implants: a significant step for reducing operation time.

OBJECT Currently, bilateral procedures involve 2 sequential implants in each of the hemispheres. The present report demonstrates the feasibility of simultaneous bilateral procedures during the implantation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) leads. METHODS Fifty-seven patients with movement disorders underwent bilateral DBS implantation in the same study period.

Caudal Zona Incerta/VOP Radiofrequency Lesioning Guided by Combined Stereotactic MRI and Microelectrode Recording for Posttraumatic Midbrain Resting-Kinetic Tremor.

Objective: Reporting the outcome of two patients who underwent unilateral ablative stereotactic surgery to treat pharmacologic resistant posttraumatic tremor (PTT).

Methods: We present two patients (31 and 47 years old) with refractory PTT severely affecting their quality of life. Under stereotactic guidance, refined by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and double-channel multiunit microelectrode recording (MER), three sequential radiofrequency lesions were performed in the caudal zona incerta (cZi) up to the base of thalamus (VOP).

Intraoperative dopamine release during globus pallidus internus stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Background: It is still unclear whether dopamine (DA) levels correlate with Parkinson's disease (PD) severity or play a role in the mechanisms of high-frequency stimulation (HFS).

Methods: We have used microdialysis to record pallidal DA in 5 patients with PD undergoing microelectrode-guided pallidotomy.

Results: We found that patients with more severe disease and, consequently, lower pallidal DA did poorly after pallidal lesions.

Vitamin B12 deficiency in infancy as a cause of developmental regression.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause serious developmental regression, hypotonia and cerebral atrophy in infants. We report a 6-month-old infant, with insidious developmental regression and brain atrophy showed by CT scan, secondarily to vitamin B12 deficiency. His mother was a strict vegetarian and the patient was exclusively breastfed.