Sleep microstructure in Parkinson's disease: cycling alternating pattern (CAP) as a sensitive marker of early NREM sleep instability.

Background: Sleep disorders are frequent in Parkinson's disease (PD). Apart from the occurrence of REM behavior disorders, in the early phase of the disease standard sleep macrostructure evaluation was inconclusive.

Objective: We analyzed non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep microstructure (CAP) in a group of PD patients to provide an objective measure of sleep disruption.

EEG alpha asymmetry in virtual environments for the assessment of stress-related disorders.

In this study we consider neurophysiological aspects for the assessment of stress-related disorders. EEG Alpha Asymmetry could represent an effective method to be used in the virtual environment. Nonetheless, new protocols need to be defined.

A new NOTCH3 mutation presenting as primary intracerebral haemorrhage.

Primary intracerebral haemorrhages (PICH) are defined as haemorrhages within the brain parenchyma in the absence of readily identifiable causes. CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy) is a hereditary vascular disease and its mainly clinical manifestations are early-onset infarcts. Spontaneous lobar haematomas are a rare occurrence.

On the origin of sensory impairment and altered pain perception in Prader-Willi syndrome: a neurophysiological study.

Introduction: High pain threshold is a supportive diagnosis criterion for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. In this study we investigate sensory pathways in PWS, in order to evaluate peripheral or central involvement in altered sensory perception.

Methods: 14 adult PWS patients, 10 obese non-diabetic people and 10 age-matched controls underwent: (a) motor/sensory nerve conduction velocities at the upper and lower limbs; (b) palmar/plantar sympathetic skin response; (c) somatosensory evoked potentials from upper/lower limbs; (d) quantitative sensory testing to measure sensory threshold for vibration, warm and cold sensation, heat and cold-induced pain and (e) blood sample analysis to evaluate glucose and insulin levels and to calculate the quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI).