Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis mimicking Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: clinical features, laboratory tests, MRI images, EEG findings in an autopsy-proven case.

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) refers to diffuse seeding of the leptomeninges by tumor metastases. The clinical presentation may differ and the diagnosis may be difficult especially when cancer has not yet been diagnosed. We report a case of LC, where the clinical picture and a specific change in cerebrospinal fluid suggested the diagnosis of a prion disease.

Levetiracetam in the prophylaxis of migraine with aura: a 6-month open-label study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of levetiracetam as prophylactic treatment for migraine with aura with high frequency of attacks.

Background: Migraine with aura with high frequency of attacks could represent a very demanding therapeutic problem. Efficacy of the antiepileptic drug, lamotrigine, has been reported in this form of migraine.

Paired pulse TMS over the right posterior parietal cortex modulates visuospatial perception.

Objective: We previously observed a relative contralateral neglect by right parietal single-pulse TMS given 150 ms after visual stimulus presentation. Here we investigated the effects of parietal paired TMS in normal subjects performing a visuospatial task.

Methods: Thirteen right-handed healthy subjects underwent a line-length judgement task during single-pulse and paired (1, 3, 5, 10 ms ISIs) TMS, delivered on the right parietal cortex 150 ms after visual stimulus.

Facilitatory effects of 1 Hz rTMS in motor cortex of patients affected by migraine with aura.

We previously showed paradoxical facilitatory effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on striate and extrastriate cortex of patients suffering migraine with aura. In this study we evaluated the effects of 1 Hz rTMS on the excitability of inhibitory and facilitatory circuits of motor cortex to explore whether the abnormal pattern of excitability extends beyond the sensory cortex also involving motor areas in migraine with aura. Nine patients affected by migraine with aura and eight healthy controls entered into the study.