Decompressive Craniectomy in Patients with Malignant Stroke with Additional Vascular Territory.

Background: Decompressive craniectomy substantially reduces mortality and disability rates following a malignant stroke. This procedure remains a life-saving option, especially in contexts with little access to mechanical thrombectomy despite downward trends in the performance of decompressive craniectomy due to discussions on the acceptance of living with severe disabilities. However, the outcomes of the surgery in cases involving concomitant occlusion of anterior or posterior cerebral arteries have not been extensively studied.

Computational methods of EEG signals analysis for Alzheimer's disease classification.

Computational analysis of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals have shown promising results in detecting brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a progressive neurological illness that causes neuron cells degeneration, resulting in cognitive impairment. While there is no cure for AD, early diagnosis is critical to improving the quality of life of affected individuals.

Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Can Reduce Unilateral Spatial Neglect after Stroke: ELETRON Trial.

Objective: Rehabilitation top-down techniques based on brain stimulation present variable outcomes in unilateral spatial neglect (USN) after stroke. This study aimed to examine the effects of physical therapy after anodal and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (A-tDCS and C-tDCS, respectively) to improve visuospatial and functional impairments in individuals with USN after stroke.

Methods: This double-blinded, pilot randomized clinical trial enrolled patients with USN after ischemic stroke.

Source Analysis of Triphasic Waves Using Quantitative Neuroimaging.

Purpose: Triphasic waves (TWs), a common EEG pattern, are considered a subtype of generalized periodic discharges. Most patients with TWs present with an altered level of consciousness, and the TW pattern is believed to represent thalamocortical dysfunction. However, the exact meaning and mechanism of TWs remain unclear.

Analysis of Interictal Epileptiform Discharges in Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Using Quantitative EEG and Neuroimaging.

Investigate areas of correlation between gray matter volumes by MRI and interictal EEG source maps in subtypes of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). 71 patients and 36 controls underwent 3T MRI and and routine EEG was performed. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used for gray matter analysis and analysis of interictal discharge sources for quantitative EEG.

Revisiting the clinical impact of variants in EFHC1 in patients with different phenotypes of genetic generalized epilepsy.

The most common form of genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) is juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), which accounts for 5 to 10% of all epilepsy cases. The gene EFHC1 has been implicated as a putative cause of JME. However, it remains debatable whether testing for EFHC1 mutations should be included in the diagnostic epilepsy gene panels.

Quantile graphs for EEG-based diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Known as a degenerative and progressive dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects about 25 million elderly people around the world. This illness results in a decrease in the productivity of people and places limits on their daily lives. Electroencephalography (EEG), in which the electrical brain activity is recorded in the form of time series and analyzed using signal processing techniques, is a well-known neurophysiological AD biomarker.

Analysis of patients with obstructive sleep apnea with and without pharyngeal myopathy using brain neuroimaging.

Study Objectives: Elements impairing upper airway anatomy or muscle function (e.g. pharyngeal neuromyopathy) contribute to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Voxel-based analysis of diffusion tensor imaging in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Purpose: Quantitative techniques of diffusion analysis allow for an in-vivo investigation of the physiopathology of epilepsies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation of the main diffusion parameters and explore differences between two methodologies of voxel-wise analysis comparing a group of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) with controls.

Methods: 24 patients with a diagnosis of MTLE were selected.

Hippocampal Damage and Atrophy Secondary to Status Epilepticus in a Patient with Schizophrenia.

A 59-year-old man was admitted with respiratory tract infection, compromised conscience and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. His medical history included schizophrenia diagnosis, for which he had been being treated since he was 27 years old. EEG disclosed non-convulsive status epilepticus.

Critical analysis of diagnostic criteria (ICHD-3 beta) about migraine in childhood and adolescence.

Objective: The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the International Classification of Headache Disorders I (ICHD-I) diagnostic criteria for migraine in children and adolescents.

Methods: 150 pain diaries were analyzed during an initial consultation. The duration of migraine headache attacks were divided into 2 groups: Group I, for attacks lasting > 2 hours, and Group II, for attacks lasting < 2 hours.

Investigation of the cingulate cortex in idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

Objective: Studies using quantitative neuroimaging have shown subtle abnormalities in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). These findings have several locations, but the midline parasagittal structures are most commonly implicated. The cingulate cortex is related and may be involved.

Analysis of generalized interictal discharges using quantitative EEG.

Experimental evidence from animal models of the absence seizures suggests a focal source for the initiation of generalized spike-and-wave (GSW) discharges. Furthermore, clinical studies indicate that patients diagnosed with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) exhibit focal electroencephalographic abnormalities, which involve the thalamo-cortical circuitry. This circuitry is a key network that has been implicated in the initiation of generalized discharges, and may contribute to the pathophysiology of GSW discharges.

Quantitative EEG evaluation in patients with acute encephalopathy.

Objective: To investigate the use of quantitative EEG (qEEG) in patients with acute encephalopathies (AEs) and EEG background abnormalities.

Method: Patients were divided into favorable outcome (group A, 43 patients) and an unfavorable outcome (group B, 5 patients). EEGLAB software was used for the qEEG analysis.

Widespread neuronal damage and cognitive dysfunction in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.

Previous studies demonstrated cognitive impairments in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3/MJD); however, there is no consensus about the cognitive domains affected and the correlation with structural brain abnormalities. We investigated the neuropsychological profile and 3T-MRI findings, including high-resolution T1-images, diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of 32 patients with SCA3/MJD and 32 age-, gender- and educational level-matched healthy controls. We reviewed patients' clinical history and CAG repeat length, and performed assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA)-Brazilian version and the neuropsychiatric inventory.

Texture analysis of magnetic resonance images of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Background/purpose: Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is the most frequent subsyndrome of the idiopathic generalized epilepsies, and experimental investigations support that the thalamus is a key structure in the mechanisms of JME. Texture analysis (TA) is an image processing technique which can be used to characterize images such as MRI.

Objective: The goal of this work was to investigate the thalamus of patients with JME using TA, a quantitative neuroimaging technique.

MRI and EEG as long-term seizure outcome predictors in familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: To evaluate the natural history and outcome predictors in familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (FMTLE).

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study of 103 individuals from 17 FMTLE families (mean follow-up: 7.6 years).

White matter abnormalities in patients with focal cortical dysplasia revealed by diffusion tensor imaging analysis in a voxelwise approach.

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allows the analysis of changes in microstructure, through the quantification of the spread and direction of water molecules in tissues. We used fractional anisotropy (FA) maps to compare the integrity of WM between patients and controls. The objective of the present study was to investigate WM abnormalities in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy secondary to focal cortical dysplasia (FCD).

Trochlear nerve palsy associated with claude bernard-horner syndrome after brainstem stroke.

The association of unilateral trochlear nerve palsy with Claude Bernard-Horner syndrome represents a rare clinical condition. We present the case of a patient with this unusual presentation. The investigation performed implicated cerebrovascular disease as the underlying cause of the condition in this patient.

Structural abnormalities of the thalamus in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Studies have suggested that the thalamus is a key structure in the pathophysiology of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the thalami of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy using a combination of multiple structural neuroimaging modalities. The association between these techniques may reveal the mechanisms underlying juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and help to identify the neuroanatomical structures involved.

Voxel-based morphometry and epilepsy.

Voxel-based morphometry is an automated technique for MRI analyses, developed to study differences in brain morphology and frequently used to study patients with diverse disorders. In epilepsy, it has been used to investigate areas with reduction or increase of gray and white matter, in different syndromes (i.e.

Correlation between quantitative EEG and MRI in idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the focal discharges sometimes observed in the electroencephalogram of patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies and subtle structural magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities. The main hypothesis to be assessed is that focal discharges may arise from areas of structural abnormality which can be detected by quantitative neuroimaging. Focal discharges were used for quantitative electroencephalogram source detection.

Dynamic changes in white and gray matter volume are associated with outcome of surgical treatment in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Background: The reasons for surgical failure in 30% of patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) are still unclear. We investigated if different outcomes could be associated to different patterns of subtle gray matter atrophy (GMA) and white matter atrophy (WMA), and searched for postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes.

Methods: We studied 69 controls and 67 operated patients with refractory unilateral MTLE.

Voxel-based morphometry in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies.

Idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) are a group of frequent age-related epilepsy syndromes. IGE are clinically characterized by generalized tonic-clonic, myoclonic and absence seizures. According to predominant seizure type and age of onset, IGE are divided in subsyndromes: childhood absence and juvenile absence epilepsy (AE), juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and generalized tonic-clonic seizures on awakening (GTCS).