Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Hidden Enigma Demystified.

Autoimmune encephalitis is a condition marked by inflammation in the brain due to an immune system response targeting self-antigens within the central nervous system (CNS). This class of disorders is at least as prevalent as infectious causes of encephalitis and encompasses a wide range of conditions. The field has rapidly expanded thanks to the identification of various pathogenic autoantibodies responsible for varied neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases.

The international league against epilepsy primary healthcare educational curriculum: Assessment of educational needs.

Objective: To assess the need for an epilepsy educational curriculum for primary healthcare providers formulated by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the importance attributed to its competencies by epilepsy specialists and primary care providers and across country-income settings.

Methods: The ILAE primary care epilepsy curriculum was translated to five languages. A structured questionnaire assessing the importance of its 26 curricular competencies was posted online and publicized widely to an international community.

Beware! We are Skating on a Thin Ice: Air Pollution is a Killer.

Air pollution has rapidly emerged as a major environmental hazard in recent times, with potentially catastrophic ramifications for human health.1,2 It has the ability to severely and adversely impact multiple body systems, including the central nervous system (CNS), cardiovascular, dermatological, respiratory, ophthalmologic, and gastrointestinal health. It is a global public health hazard, being responsible for an estimated 6.

Comparative Study of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis-Risk Factors, Clinical Course, and Outcome in Subjects with and without COVID-19 Infection.

Background/objective: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) has been increasingly reported in patients with COVID-19. Most published literature is descriptive and focuses only on CVT in COVID-19 patients. The objective of our study was to compare CVT patients' characteristics with and without an associated COVID-19 infection.

A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional, Observational Study on Epilepsy and its Management Practices in India.

Background: Although epilepsy is a common neurological condition, there is paucity of nationwide data on treatment patterns and sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting treatment decisions in India.

Objective: To assess clinical profiles, usage pattern of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and seizure control among patients with epilepsy in India.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, multicenter study on adult patients with epilepsy who were on AEDs for at least six months before enrollment.

Environmental Toxins and Brain: Life on Earth is in Danger.

Man and environment have a strong connection with each other for their functioning. Environmental toxins which can be natural or manmade result in the loss of this balance by causing systemic inflammatory response within the human body, with the brain being the most affected target end-organ. These problems are more prominent in Third World countries, where environmental regulations laws are either relaxed or non-existent.

Air Pollution and Cerebrovascular Disorders with Special Reference to Asia: An Overview.

Background: Among the primary environmental issues affecting global health, air pollution is considered the leading cause of concern. Globally, around 800,000 deaths were attributed to air pollution according to WHO. Evidence suggests that there has been a strong association of air pollution with stroke.

Air Pollution and Headache Disorders.

Air pollution, the most prevalent form of pollution worldwide, is associated with a wide range of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative conditions, stroke, autism, depression, and developmental delay. There is accumulating evidence on the association between air pollution and headache disorders, especially migraine. Many classical and non-classical air pollutants have been associated with headache, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds.

An epilepsy curriculum for primary health care providers: a report from the Education Council of the International League Against Epilepsy.

Objective: Primary health care providers are directly responsible for the care of people with epilepsy. However, their education about epilepsy might be inadequate or lacking. Our objective was to develop an evidence-based and consensus-driven educational curriculum for the management of epilepsy within the primary healthcare setting.

A structured, blended learning program towards proficiency in epileptology: the launch of the ILAE Academy Level 2 Program.

The ILAE Academy is the online learning platform of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and offers a structured educational program addressing the competency-based ILAE curriculum in epileptology. The platform was launched in July 2020 with a self-paced course portfolio of interactive e-learning modules addressing ILAE Level 1 learning objectives, defined as the entry level in epileptology. Using feedback questionnaires from completed Level 1 courses as well as sociodemographic and learning-related data obtained from 47 participants, we show that over 50% of learners have an entry level in epileptology and do not have access to on-site training and over 40%do not have access to on-site training.

SARS-CoV-2-associated haemorrhagic encephalitis mimicking Herpes encephalitis.

Although acute encephalopathy is quite commonly seen in patients of SARS-CoV-2 infection, encephalitis characterised by brain inflammation is relatively rare. Encephalitis caused by Herpes simplex type 1 is the most common cause of identified sporadic encephalitis, and early diagnosis and prompt treatment can prevent the devastating outcome. In this brief communication, we report a case of SARS-CoV-2 associated haemorrhagic encephalitis mimicking herpes encephalitis.

Global Differences in Risk Factors, Etiology, and Outcome of Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults-A Worldwide Meta-analysis: The GOAL Initiative.

Background And Objectives: There is a worldwide increase in the incidence of stroke in young adults, with major regional and ethnic differences. Advancing knowledge of ethnic and regional variation in causes and outcomes will be beneficial in implementation of regional health care services. We studied the global distribution of risk factors, causes, and 3-month mortality of young patients with ischemic stroke, by performing a patient data meta-analysis from different cohorts worldwide.

10th Anniversary of the Asia Pacific Stroke Organization: State of Stroke Care and Stroke Research in the Asia-Pacific.

The Asia Pacific Stroke Organization is the largest international and professional stroke group in the region. It has worked consistently over the last 10 years to gain visibility and consistency across the Asia-Pacific and beyond. The 10-year journey will be reviewed in the background of many internal and external developments including changes in Asia-Pacific stroke epidemiology, stroke care systems, and stroke service developments as well as major research studies in the Asia-Pacific.

Clinical management of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in Europe and India: An exploratory study.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune disorder causing inflammatory demyelination of peripheral nerves and consecutive disability. Diagnostic criteria and treatments are well established, but it is unknown how clinical practice may differ in different geographical regions. In this multicentre study, clinical management of CIDP was compared in 44 patients from Germany, India and Norway regarding diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Sonographic pattern of median nerve enlargement in Hansen's neuropathy.

Objectives: Median nerve enlargement in leprosy seems to be more proximal than in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but this feature has not been studied systematically. The aim of the study was to compare the sites of median nerve enlargement in patients with leprosy with that of patients with CTS.

Materials And Methods: Transverse sections of the median nerve were recorded from wrist to the mid-forearm (at distal wrist crease and at 2-cm: M1, 4-cm: M2, 6-cm: M3, 8-cm: M4 and 10-cm: M5, proximal to the distal wrist crease in the forearm) in patients with leprosy, CTS and healthy subjects using high-resolution ultrasound.

Stroke Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: International Expert Panel Review.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed a tremendous strain on healthcare services. This study, prepared by a large international panel of stroke experts, assesses the rapidly growing research and personal experience with COVID-19 stroke and offers recommendations for stroke management in this challenging new setting: modifications needed for prehospital emergency rescue and hyperacute care; inpatient intensive or stroke units; posthospitalization rehabilitation; follow-up including at-risk family and community; and multispecialty departmental developments in the allied professions.

Summary: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 uses spike proteins binding to tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2 receptors, most often through the respiratory system by virus inhalation and thence to other susceptible organ systems, leading to COVID-19.

Efficacy and safety of adjunctive perampanel in patients with focal seizures or generalized tonic-clonic seizures: Post hoc analysis of Phase II and Phase III double-blind and open-label extension studies in India.

Objective: This post hoc analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of adjunctive perampanel in patients (aged ≥ 12 years) with focal seizures (FS), with/without focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS), or generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) in India.

Methods: Centers in India were identified from six double-blind, randomized, Phase II and Phase III studies of adjunctive perampanel (2-12 mg/day) and their open-label extensions (OLEx). Efficacy assessments included median percent change in seizure frequency per 28 days, 50% and 75% responder and seizure-freedom rates.

A rare cause of median neuropathy at the carpal tunnel: Thrombosis of the persistent median artery.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common peripheral nerve entrapment neuropathy caused due to compression of the median nerve at the level of the wrist joint. Bifid median nerve associated with a persistent median artery is a rare entity and in itself asymptomatic anatomical variant. However, distension of the persistent median artery due to a thrombus can be symptomatic due to compression on the median nerve and can compromise the blood flow to the palm.

Estimating global injuries morbidity and mortality: methods and data used in the Global Burden of Disease 2017 study.

Background: While there is a long history of measuring death and disability from injuries, modern research methods must account for the wide spectrum of disability that can occur in an injury, and must provide estimates with sufficient demographic, geographical and temporal detail to be useful for policy makers. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 study used methods to provide highly detailed estimates of global injury burden that meet these criteria.

Methods: In this study, we report and discuss the methods used in GBD 2017 for injury morbidity and mortality burden estimation.