Restless leg syndrome prevalence in epilepsy patients and its impact on quality of sleep.

This study aimed to determine the frequency of restless leg syndrome (RLS) and other sleep-related movement disorders and their effects on sleep quality in epilepsy patients. One hundred and twenty-seven epilepsy patients were compared with 115 age-and gender-matched healthy controls. RLS was determined from the clinical characteristics of the patients according to the International RLS Study Group's (IRLSSG) diagnostic criteria.

Metabolic syndrome and anthropometric indices in CTS hands: an electrophysiological study.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and anthropometric indices on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Methods: Forty-three healthy controls and 41 CTS patients were enrolled. Complaints of patients were assessed by Boston Questionnaire (BQ).

Metabolic syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among patients with epilepsy on monotherapy.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in patients with epilepsy receiving monotherapy and the relationship between these syndromes and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

Methods: Two hundred and ninety-seven patients with epilepsy between the ages of 18-65 years receiving monotherapy for at least one year and 50 healthy participants were enrolled. Body mass indices and waist circumferences were measured.

Another brick in the wall: is hexane neuropathy a 'nodo-paranodopathy'?

n-Hexane gives cause to one of the most common toxic polyneuropathies seen in poorly ventilated factories. It is a sensory-motor polyneuropathy ending up with axonal degeneration. Nerve biopsy reveals paranodal axonal swelling and secondary myelin retraction in early stages.

Cortical modulation of brainstem circuits is abnormal in cervical dystonia.

Objective: In healthy subjects, magnitude of hand-evoked blink reflex (BR) is increased if the stimulated hand is positioned in the peripersonal space. Here, we aimed to investigate the modulation of hand-evoked BR in peripersonal space to understand alterations of cortical modulations of subcortical structures in cervical dystonia.

Patients And Method: We recruited 23 patients with idiopathic cervical dystonia and 21 healthy subjects, all of whom had hand-evoked BR.

Differential modulation of prepulse inhibition of the blink reflex in peripersonal versus extrapersonal space.

Objective: Threatening stimuli encountered in peripersonal space (PPS) are processed differently from those encountered in extrapersonal space (EPS). This phenomenon is attributed to tonic top-down modulation. We hypothesized that prepulse inhibition (PPI) of a reflex, which has a protective function, may change according to whether the conditioning stimulus appears in PPS or EPS.

Deficient median nerve prepulse inhibition of the blink reflex in cervical dystonia.

Objective: We analyzed prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the blink reflex (BR) in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) to examine the sensory modulation of the motor system.

Methods: This study enrolled 22 consecutive patients with idiopathic CD and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Prepulse inhibition of the BR was recorded after stimulating the median nerve at the wrist using an electrical stimulus twice at a perception threshold 100ms before a test stimulus to the supraorbital nerve.

A rare cause of cerebral venous thrombosis: cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CM) is a serious central nervous system infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, seen mostly in immunocompromised hosts and less in immunocompetent patients. The vast majority of cryptococcosis cases are seen as human immunodeficiency virus infections with advanced immunosuppression. Meningitis and meningoencephalitis are the most common clinical manifestations.

Valvular heart disease in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with pergolide, levodopa or both.

Cardiac valvulopathy has been reported in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with pergolide. The aim of this study was to clarify the frequency and severity of valvular heart disease (VHD) in patients treated with pergolide, levodopa or both. We evaluated VHD by transthoracic echocardiography in 25 patients who were taking pergolide, 29 patients taking levodopa and 20 patients taking both levodopa and pergolide.

Transoesophageal echocardiographic findings in patients with ischemic lacunar and nonlacunar stroke.

The aim of this study was to compare risk factors and concomitant potential cardioembolic sources detected by transthoracic (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients with lacunar and nonlacunar infarcts. Clinical data of 139 patients with a first episode of ischemic stroke who underwent both TTE and TEE were analysed. Patients were divided into two groups, lacunar (LACI=36), and nonlacunar infarcts (NLACI=103); then the latter group was divided into two subgroups, anterior (ACI=76) and posterior circulation infarct (POCI=27).

Relationship between visual hallucinations and REM sleep behavior disorder in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has been documented to precede or to co-occur with Parkinson's disease (PD). Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurological conditions associated with visual hallucinations. Cognitive dysfunction is present in PD, even at the early stages of these diseases.

Cognitive impairment patterns in Parkinson's disease with visual hallucinations.

Objectives: We investigated the role of stage of disease, motor status and dopaminergic treatment in cognitive impairment of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with visual hallucination (VH) and the presence of specific cognitive impairment patterns.

Method: We compared 33 PD patients with VH (group 1) with 30 PD patients without VH (group 2) with regard to demographic characteristics and neuropsychological test scores.

Results: The group with VH demonstrated significantly worse Short Test of Mental Status scores; the cognitive impairment pattern presented in the form of frontal dysfunction and memory deterioration.

Camptocormia in a patient with Parkinson disease and a myopathy with nemaline rods.

Camptocormia, also referred to as bent spine, is a gait disorder characterized by hyperflexion of the thoracolumbar spine that develops in recumbent position while walking and that disappears in supine position. Myopathy is one of the frequent causes of camptocormia. A 77-yr-old male patient who was followed up with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis for 2 yrs was admitted with progressive gait deterioration.

Plasma homocysteine levels in patients treated with levodopa: motor and cognitive associations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether hyperhomocysteinemia caused by levodopa used in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) is associated with cognitive or physical impairments. The role of folate and vitamin B12 levels in this context was also ascertained.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients who had been followed with the diagnosis of IPD in our clinic for > 2 years and 28 healthy control subjects with similar demographic features were included in the study.