MicroRNAs regulation in Parkinson's disease, and their potential role as diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by binding to target messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules and promoting their degradation or blocking their translation. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. There is increasing evidence to suggest that miRNAs play a role in the pathogenesis of PD.

Symptomatic and Radiographic Improvement Following Surgery for Posterior Fossa Arachnoid Cysts: Meta-Analysis and Literature Review.

Objective: Arachnoid cysts are benign, intradural collections of cerebrospinal fluid that are often asymptomatic but, in rare instances, will grow and may cause symptoms. When these are in the posterior fossa, the symptomatology greatly ranges, and the indications for surgery are not well defined. The objective of this study is to examine radiographic and symptomatic outcomes following surgery for posterior fossa arachnoid cysts (PFAC).

Clinico-physiological correlates of Parkinson's disease from multi-resolution basal ganglia recordings.

Parkinson's disease (PD) has been associated with pathological neural activity within the basal ganglia. Herein, we analyzed resting-state single-neuron and local field potential (LFP) activities from people with PD who underwent awake deep brain stimulation surgery of the subthalamic nucleus (STN; n = 125) or globus pallidus internus (GPi; n = 44), and correlated rate-based and oscillatory features with UPDRSIII off-medication subscores. Rate-based single-neuron features did not correlate with PD symptoms.

Speech, voice, and language outcomes following deep brain stimulation: A systematic review.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) reliably ameliorates cardinal motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). However, the effects of DBS on speech, voice and language have been inconsistent and have not been examined comprehensively in a single study.

Objective: We conducted a systematic analysis of literature by reviewing studies that examined the effects of DBS on speech, voice and language in PD and ET.

Temporally organized representations of reward and risk in the human brain.

The value and uncertainty associated with choice alternatives constitute critical features relevant for decisions. However, the manner in which reward and risk representations are temporally organized in the brain remains elusive. Here we leverage the spatiotemporal precision of intracranial electroencephalography, along with a simple card game designed to elicit the unfolding computation of a set of reward and risk variables, to uncover this temporal organization.

Improvement in Hearing Loss Following Posterior Fossa Arachnoid Cyst Fenestration: A Case Study.

Arachnoid cysts are abnormal intradural collections of cerebrospinal fluid. For posterior fossa arachnoid cysts (PFACs), symptoms vary greatly, often relating to cranial nerve impingement and/or hydrocephalus. Literature on long-term symptomatic and radiographic follow-up of PFACs is lacking.

Appraising systematic reviews: a comprehensive guide to ensuring validity and reliability.

Systematic reviews play a crucial role in evidence-based practices as they consolidate research findings to inform decision-making. However, it is essential to assess the quality of systematic reviews to prevent biased or inaccurate conclusions. This paper underscores the importance of adhering to recognized guidelines, such as the PRISMA statement and Cochrane Handbook.

Deep brain stimulation for chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown promise in effectively treating chronic pain. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of DBS in this context.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA guidelines.

Deep brain stimulation for substance use disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Substance use disorder (SUD) is a significant public health issue with a high mortality rate. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown promising results in treating SUD in certain cases. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of DBS in the treatment of SUD and reduction of relapse rates.

Temporally organized representations of reward and risk in the human brain.

The value and uncertainty associated with choice alternatives constitute critical features along which decisions are made. While the neural substrates supporting reward and risk processing have been investigated, the temporal organization by which these computations are encoded remains elusive. Here we leverage the high spatiotemporal precision of intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) to uncover how representations of decision-related computations unfold in time.

Effects of Very Low- and High-Frequency Subthalamic Stimulation on Motor Cortical Oscillations During Rhythmic Lower-Limb Movements in Parkinson's Disease Patients.

Background: Standard high-frequency deep brain stimulation (HF-DBS) at the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is less effective for lower-limb motor dysfunctions in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, the effects of very low frequency (VLF; 4 Hz)-DBS on lower-limb movement and motor cortical oscillations have not been compared.

Objective: To compare the effects of VLF-DBS and HF-DBS at the STN on a lower-limb pedaling motor task and motor cortical oscillations in patients with PD and with and without freezing of gait (FOG).

Advances in Technical Aspects of Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery.

Background: Deep brain stimulation has become an established technology for the treatment of patients with a wide variety of conditions, including movement disorders, psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, and pain. Surgery for implantation of DBS devices has enhanced our understanding of human physiology, which in turn has led to advances in DBS technology. Our group has previously published on these advances, proposed future developments, and examined evolving indications for DBS.

Connectomic neuromodulation for Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of invasive and non-invasive techniques.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and non-invasive neuromodulation are currently being investigated for treating network dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, due to heterogeneity in techniques and targets, the cognitive outcome and brain network connectivity remain unknown. We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis, and normative functional connectivity to determine the cognitive outcome and brain networks of DBS and non-invasive neuromodulation in AD.

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease and chronic pain in the era of deep brain stimulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Pain is the most common nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) and is often undertreated. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) effectively mitigates the motor symptoms of this multisystem neurodegenerative disease; however, its therapeutic effect on nonmotor symptoms, especially pain, remains inconclusive. While there is a critical need to help this large PD patient population, guidelines for managing this significant disease burden are absent.

The Wishbone: A Cranial Midline Localizing Device.

Objective: The Wishbone device is designed to enable surgeons to quickly and accurately localize the cranial midline. It is intended to be of particular use when localizing the burr hole site during posterior ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery.

Methods: The Wishbone is a simple mechanical device with 2 adjustable caliper arms that reversibly attach to a patient's left and right external auditory canals.

Volume of Brain Herniation After Decompressive Craniectomy in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: The decompressive hemicraniectomy operation is highly effective in relieving refractory intracranial hypertension. However, one limitation of this treatment strategy is the requirement to perform a subsequent cranioplasty operation to reconstruct the skull defect-an expensive procedure with high complication rates. An implant that is capable of accommodated post-hemicraniectomy brain swelling, but also provides acceptable skull defect coverage after brain swelling abates, would theoretically eliminate the need for the cranioplasty operation.

Shunt scissors: technical note.

OBJECTIVEWhen performing ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery it is necessary to create a subgaleal pocket that is of sufficient size to accommodate a shunt valve. In most cases the valve is placed over the posterior skull where the galea begins to transition to suboccipital neck fascia. Dense fibrous attachments in this region of the skull make it technically awkward to develop the subgaleal valve pocket using standard scissors and a blunt dissection technique.

A human prefrontal-subthalamic circuit for cognitive control.

The subthalamic nucleus is a key site controlling motor function in humans. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus can improve movements in patients with Parkinson's disease; however, for unclear reasons, it can also have cognitive effects. Here, we show that the human subthalamic nucleus is monosynaptically connected with cognitive brain areas such as the prefrontal cortex.