Epidural cortical stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for refractory major depressive disorder.

Background: A significant number of patients with major depressive disorder are unresponsive to conventional therapies. For these patients, neuromodulation approaches are being investigated.

Objective: To determine whether epidural cortical stimulation at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is safe and efficacious for major depressive disorder through a safety and feasibility study.

Multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that commonly leads to inflammatory and atrophic brain pathology, often causing cognitive impairment. MS-associated cognitive impairment was first described over a century ago. However, with the advent of standardized neuropsychological testing and quantitative brain imaging, the frequency, quality, and correlates of cognitive impairment are better understood.

Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: a review of recent developments.

Purpose Of Review: Nearly half of all patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis will develop cognitive dysfunction, a symptom associated with significant decline in activities of daily living. The purpose of this review is to discuss recent literature investigating issues related to cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.

Recent Findings: Recent studies, examined in this review, have provided increased understanding regarding specific cognitive processes affected in multiple sclerosis, as well as a characterization of its natural history.

Minimal neuropsychological assessment of MS patients: a consensus approach.

Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet patients seen in MS clinics and neurologic practices are not routinely assessed neuropsychologically. In part, poor utilization of NP services may be attributed to a lack of consensus among neuropsychologists regarding the optimal approach for evaluating MS patients. An expert panel composed of neuropsychologists and psychologists from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia was convened by the Consortium of MS Centers (CMSC) in April, 2001.

Neural basis of the Stroop interference task: response competition or selective attention?

Previous neuroimaging studies of the Stroop task have postulated that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a critical role in resolution of the Stroop interference condition. However, activation of the ACC is not invariably seen and appears to depend on a variety of methodological factors, including the degree of response conflict and response expectancies. The present functional MRI study was designed to identify those brain areas critically involved in the interference condition.