Microgravity Effects on Glioma Cells: A Comprehensive Review.

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) represent a formidable challenge in neuro-oncology due to their aggressive nature and resistance to current therapeutic interventions, which include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and emerging immunotherapies. Despite these efforts, the prognosis for patients remains poor, emphasizing the urgent need for novel treatment strategies. One promising avenue of exploration is microgravity, a condition experienced during spaceflight and simulated in laboratories on Earth, which induces significant physiological changes in cells and tissues.

The role of MRgFUS in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders: a state of the art.

Introduction: Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a contemporary non-invasive ablative procedure that utilizes high- or low-intensity ultrasound, guided and monitored by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While MRgFUS has been established as an effective treatment for conditions like essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease, it has recently emerged as a safe and promising ablative minimally invasive procedure for the management of treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. Indeed, despite the availability of various pharmacological and behavioral therapies, a subset of psychiatric patients remains refractory to conventional treatments.

Alterations of the Glymphatic System in Glioblastomas: A Systematic Review.

Background/aim: The glioblastomas, aggressive brain tumors with a poor prognosis, have drawn interest in their interaction with the glymphatic system-an emerging brain drainage network. This review explores the relationship between glioblastomas and the glymphatic system, aiming to elucidate their impact on disease progression. The aim of the study was to address the alterations in the glymphatic system in the presence of glioblastoma, and their implications for disease pathogenesis and prognosis.

Enhanced Recovery after Cranial Surgery in Elderly: A Review.

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary approach aimed at reducing the length of hospital stay, improving patient outcomes, and reducing the overall cost of care. Although ERAS protocols have been widely adopted in various surgical fields, their application in cranial surgery remains relatively limited.

Methods: Considering that the aging of the population presents significant challenges to healthcare systems, and there is currently no ERAS protocol available for geriatric patients over the age of 65 requiring cranial surgery, this article proposes a new ERAS protocol for this population by analyzing successful ERAS protocols and optimal perioperative care for geriatric patients described in the literature.

The Role of Augmented Reality Neuronavigation in Transsphenoidal Surgery: A Systematic Review.

In the field of minimally invasive neurosurgery, microscopic transsphenoidal surgery (MTS) and endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS) have been widely accepted as a safe approach for pituitary lesions and, more recently, their indications have been extended to lesions at various skull base regions. It is mandatory during transsphenoidal surgery (TS) to identify key anatomical landmarks in the sphenoid sinus and distinguish them from the lesion. Over the years, many intraoperative tools have been introduced to improve the neuronavigation systems aiming to achieve safer and more accurate neurosurgical interventions.

Invasive Preoperative Investigations in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Comprehensive Review.

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a neurological disorder characterized by the triad of gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, and urinary incontinence. The condition is diagnosed mainly in older adults and is associated with ventricular enlargement without an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure. The clinical assessment involves a detailed medical history, physical examination, and cognitive testing.

MR-guided focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening for brain metastasis: a review.

Although the therapeutic armamentarium for brain metastases (BMs) has been expanded from innovative surgical techniques and radiotherapy to include targeted therapies and immunotherapy, the prognosis of BMs remains poor. Despite the proven efficacy of numerous compounds in preclinical studies, the limited penetration of promising therapeutic agents across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains an unaddressed issue. Recently, low-intensity magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) in combination with microbubbles has been shown to overcome vascular and cellular transport barriers in the brain and tumor microenvironment, resulting in increased drug diffusion and preliminary effective results.