Subthalamic Nucleus Stimulation Modulates Cognitive Theory of Mind in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to infer others' mental state, is essential for social interaction among human beings. It has been widely reported that both cognitive (inference of knowledge) and affective (inference of emotion) components of ToM are disrupted in Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies usually focused on the involvement of the prefrontal cortex.

Morphologic brain network predicts levodopa responsiveness in Parkinson disease.

Background: The levodopa challenge test (LCT) has been routinely used in Parkinson disease (PD) evaluation and predicts the outcome of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Guidelines recommend that patients with an improvement in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-III score > 33% in the LCT receive DBS treatment. However, LCT results are affected by many factors, and only provide information on the immediate effectiveness of dopamine.

Surgery for Epilepsy Involving Rolandic and Perirolandic Cortex: A Case Series Assessing Complications and Efficacy.

Background: Surgical removal of lesions around the rolandic cortex remains a challenge for neurosurgeons owing to the high risk of neurological deficits. Evaluating the risk factors associated with motor deficits after surgery in this region may help reduce the occurrence of motor deficits.

Objective: To report our surgical experience in treating epileptic lesions involving the rolandic and perirolandic cortices.

Reoperation for residual or recurrent hemifacial spasm after microvascular decompression.

Purpose: Microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery is the only potential curative method for hemifacial spasm (HFS). Little attention is paid to those recurrent/residual HFS cases. We want to study the potential etiology of those recurrent/residual HFS cases and evaluate the value of reoperation.

A novel epigenetic marker, Ten-eleven translocation family member 2 (TET2), is identified in the intractable epileptic brain and regulates ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1) in the blood-brain barrier.

Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is a chronic condition derived from spontaneous changes and regulatory effects in the epileptic brain. As demethylation factors, ten-eleven translocation (TET) family members have become a focus in recent studies of neurological disorders. Here, we quantified and localized TET1, TET2 and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) in the temporal lobe cortex of DRE patients (n = 27) and traumatic brain hemorrhage controls (n = 10) by immunochemical staining.

Prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory markers among different molecular subtypes of lower-grade glioma.

Background: The inflammatory response is closely related to cancer progression and prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory markers among different molecular subtypes of lower-grade glioma (LGG).

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 214 patients with LGG from 2001 to 2013, evaluating the effect of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and derived NLR (dNLR) on prognosis among different molecular subtypes.

Association of xenobiotic receptor polymorphisms with carbamazepine response in epilepsy patients.

Purpose: Drug-resistant epilepsy is a problem worldwide. Xenobiotic receptors may play a significant role in the establishment of resistance to antiepileptic agents. Previous studies have confirmed that the metabolism and efficacy of carbamazepine (CBZ) can be influenced by xenobiotic receptors, especially pregnane X receptor (PXR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR).

Quantitative analysis of cerebellar lobule morphology and clinical cognitive correlates in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy patients.

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the cerebellar substructure volumetric alterations in refractory unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients and the relationship with clinical factors and cognitive scores.

Methods: A total of 48 unilateral refractory TLE patients and 48 age- and gender-matched normal controls (NCs) were retrospectively studied. All subjects underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and automatically segmented volumetric brain information was obtained using volBrain and Data Processing Assistant for Resting-State fMRI (DPARSF) separately.

Diagnosis and surgical treatment of non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy with unilateral amygdala enlargement.

Objective: Exploring the role of amygdala enlargement (AE) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) without ipsilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) using comprehensive presurgical workup tools including traditional tools, automatically volumetric analysis, high-density EEG (HD-EEG) source imaging (HD-ESI), and stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG).

Methods: Nine patients diagnosed with TLE-AE who underwent resective surgeries encompassing the amygdala were retrospectively studied. HD-ESI was obtained using 256-channel HD-EEG on the individualized head model.

Ictal stereo-electroencephalography onset patterns of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and their clinical implications.

Objective: The differences in mesial temporal epilepsy (MTE) stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) seizure-onset patterns and their clinical implications remains unclear.

Methods: We analyzed consecutive patients with MTE undergoing non-invasive workup, SEEG evaluation and resective surgery. Cases were classified into either mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) group or non-MTS group based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Implantation of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor-expressing adipose tissue-derived stromal cells in a rat Parkinson's disease model.

In previous studies, the effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) expressing adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) on Parkinson's disease (PD) models have been studied but have not been elucidated. The present study aims to investigate this phenomenon and trace their differentiation . In our study, ADSCs were harvested from adult Sprague-Dawley rats, then genetically modified into GDNF-expressing system by lentivirus.

Urinary incontinence following deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus internus: case report.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia, and other movement disorders. In contrast to the strong positive effects that have been documented for motor symptoms, the effects of DBS on nonmotor symptoms have not been fully elucidated. Some reports suggest that stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus may improve lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with PD; however, reports of the effects of globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS on urinary symptoms are limited.

Predictors to quality of life improvements after subthalamic stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) has been reported to improve the quality of life (QoL) related to Parkinson's disease (PD). However, not all subjects are satisfied with the postsurgical QoL outcome. We aimed to detect the related factors and possible predictors to QoL improvement for those PD patients one year after STN DBS.

Accurate source imaging based on high resolution scalp electroencephalography and individualized finite difference head models in epilepsy pre-surgical workup.

Purpose: High-density electroencephalographic source imaging (HD-ESI) has emerged as a useful tool for pre-surgical epilepsy workup. However, it is not routinely used in clinical evaluations due to several factors, one of which is the challenge associated with creating anatomically accurate head models. Reasonable solutions now exist and the present study aims to evaluate the use of these highly resolved individual head models in pre-surgical epilepsy evaluation.

Comprehensive preoperative work-up and surgical treatment of low grade tumor/benign lesion related temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: Generally low-grade tumor/benign lesion related temporal lobe epilepsy (LGT/BL-TLE) is considered easier to treat and has better prognosis when compared to non-lesional TLE. However, multiple disputes exist in surgical management of this epilepsy entity. This study aims to discuss comprehensive preoperative work-up, surgical strategies and outcome of it.

Application of intraoperative motor evoked potential monitoring during giant internal carotid artery aneurysm surgery using prolonged temporary occlusion.

Background: Clipping and bypass surgery are common therapeutic options for the management of giant internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms. However, potential ischemic risks may be exaggerated by prolonged temporary occlusion (PTO) during the surgery. Monitoring motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) is a sensitive technique for detecting potential ischemia intraoperatively.

Application of 256-channel dense array electroencephalographic source imaging in presurgical workup of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: This study evaluated the localization precision of 256-channel dense array electroencephalographic source imaging (dESI) in comparison to conventional noninvasive tools. In addition, the study was designed to analyze the relationship between the 256-channel dESI source patterns and surgical outcome.

Methods: Forty-three patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who underwent one-stage resective surgeries were recruited in this study.

Surgical treatment of MRI-negative temporal lobe epilepsy based on PET: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Using retrospective and comparative methods, we aim to discuss the surgical treatment of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) presented with positive positron emission tomography (PET) results.

Methods: From the viewpoint of semiology, demography, surgical treatment and prognosis evaluation, we compared 19 MRI-negative, PET-positive TLE patients to 41 TLE with hippocampal sclerosis patients, and then statistically analyzed the differences between these 2 cohorts.

Results: Under intraoperative electrocorticography monitoring, all patients underwent successful standard anterior temporal lobectomy.

Motor evoked potential monitoring during surgery of middle cerebral artery aneurysms: a cohort study.

Background: Motor evoked potential (MEP) monitoring has been widely used in brain or spine surgery to recognize potential damage of the pyramidal motor system. However, its ability to detect ischemic injury during middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm surgery remains unclear. A prospective cohort study was designed to evaluate MEP changes during MCA aneurysm surgery.

Mesial temporal extraventricular neurocytoma: a rare cause of refractory complex partial seizure.

Aim: Mesial temporal extraventricular neurocytoma (mtEVN) is a rare cause of refractory complex focal seizures. The characteristics of this clinical entity are discussed in this article.

Methods: We report two cases of mtEVN and review the related literature, with particular emphasis on radiological characteristics, clinical features, and operative techniques.

Surgical treatment and radiotherapy of epidermoid cyst with malignant transformation in cerebellopontine angle.

We report surgical treatment and radiotherapy of an extremely rare case of malignant epidermoid cyst located in cerebellopontine angle. MRI and CT demonstrated the lesion with partial enhancement and calcification. During operation, we found the tumor attached tightly to surrounding tissue.