Factors associated with quality of life in long-COVID syndrome.

Approximately 10% of patients experience persistent symptoms following COVID-19, known as long-COVID syndrome. This cross-sectional study explored factors of quality of life (QoL) in 53 long-COVID patients. QoL was measured using the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, fatigue with the Fatigue Visual Analogue Scale, and psychological health with the Depression-Anxiety-Stress-21 questionnaire.

Effects of natalizumab on oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Oligoclonal bands (OCBs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are utilized for diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS), as they are found in 95% of patients. Additionally, OCBs are linked to disease prognosis. The primary contributors to OCB production are long-lived plasma cells.

The Effect of Physical Exercise on Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Scoping Review.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by a noticeable decline in cognitive abilities that is not severe enough to significantly interfere with daily life or independent functioning. Recent research highlights the important role of exercise in managing and improving cognitive function in patients with MCI. This scoping review examines the benefits of different forms of exercise in improving cognitive function.

The impact of a 12-week tele-exercise program on cognitive function and cerebral oxygenation in patients with OSA: randomized controlled trial-protocol study.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with a number of adverse health effects, particularly on brain health. Chronic sleep disruption caused by OSA can adversely affect cognitive health. Exercise is recommended as a non-pharmacological intervention for patients who are intolerant to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and has been shown to have beneficial effects on brain health and cognitive function.

The Impact of Different Exercise Modes in Fitness and Cognitive Indicators: Hybrid versus Tele-Exercise in Patients with Long Post-COVID-19 Syndrome.

The purpose of our study was to obtain evidence that an unsupervised tele-exercise program (TE) via an online platform is a feasible alternative to a hybrid mode of supervised and unsupervised exercise (HE) sessions for improving fitness indexes, respiratory and cognitive functions, and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients recovering from COVID-19. Forty-nine patients with long post-COVID-19 were randomly divided into two groups (HE: n = 24, age 60.0 ± 9.

Restless leg syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus: Associations with disease activity, quality of life and depression.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) among patients with SLE, describe their clinical characteristics, examine its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and evaluate its association with depression.

Methods: A total of 124 SLE patients were recruited, with data on demographics, and clinical features collected. RLS diagnosis was based on the international RLS study group criteria, while depression was assessed by the patient health questionnaire.

Neurovascular Adverse Effects of Sars-Cov-2 Vaccination.

The global deployment of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has been pivotal in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing morbidity and mortality associated with the virus. While most of these vaccines have demonstrated high efficacy and overall safety, emerging reports have highlighted potential neurovascular adverse effects, albeit uncommon, associated with these vaccinations. This review aims to assess and summarize the current knowledge on the neurovascular complications arising post-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Revolutionizing Stroke Recovery: Unveiling the Promise of Stem Cell Therapy.

Stem cells, renowned for their unique regenerative capabilities, present significant hope in treating stroke, a major cause of disability globally. This review offers a detailed analysis of stem cell applications in stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) recovery. It examines therapies based on autologous (patient-derived), allogeneic (donor-derived), and Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) based stem cells, focusing on cell types such as Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSCs), Bone Marrow Mononuclear Stem Cells (BMMSCs), and Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells (NSCs).

Sleepiness and Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Study Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to explore the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels, a marker of Vitamin D status, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), expressed as increased scores of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), in a group of prospectively enrolled patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with OSA, divided into two groups, those with EDS (ESS > 10) and those without EDS (ESS < 10). All patients underwent night polysomnography.

PDE10A Mutation as an Emerging Cause of Childhood-Onset Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders: A Review of All Published Cases.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes catalyze the breakdown of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which act as intracellular second messengers for signal transduction pathways and modulate various processes in the central nervous system. Recent discoveries that mutations in genes encoding different PDEs, including PDE10A, are responsible for rare forms of chorea in children led to the recognition of an emerging role of PDEs in the field of pediatric movement disorders. A comprehensive literature review of all reported cases of PDE10A mutations in PubMed and Web of Science was performed in English.

The effect of chrono-nutritional manipulation of carbohydrate intake on sleep macrostructure: A randomized controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Over the years, there is a rapid increase in the prevalence of inadequate sleep and its detrimental consequences. Yet, the impact of prolonged nutritional interventions on sleep optimization remains unexplored. To examine the effect of carbohydrate manipulation combined with exercise training on sleep macro-structure.

A case of unusual presentation with anti-glycine receptor (GlyR) and myelin oligodentrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody.

Movement disorders can be a prominent feature in autoimmune encephalitis. Here we present a rare case of a 73-year-old woman, who presented with a complex phenotype with encephalopathy, parkinsonism, cervical dystonia, left-sided hemidystonia and hemifacial spasm of subacute onset and was found to have breast cancer and positive anti-Glycine Receptor (GlyR) and Myelin Oligodentrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies.

Deep Brain Stimulation: When to Test Directional?

Background: Directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) allows for steering of the stimulation field, but extensive and time-consuming testing of all segmented contacts is necessary to identify the possible benefit of steering. It is therefore important to determine under which circumstances directional current steering is advantageous.

Methods: Fifty two Parkinson's disease patients implanted in the STN with a directional DBS system underwent a standardized monopolar programming session 5 to 9 months after implantation.

Restless legs syndrome due to brainstem stroke: A systematic review.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a sleep-related movement disorder, which can also result from brainstem pathology. A systematic review of articles published in the electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science was conducted to summarize the existent literature on RLS associated with a brainstem stroke. We identified eight articles including 19 subjects with RLS due to brainstem ischemic lesion.

Management of obstructive sleep apnea in Europe - A 10-year follow-up.

Objective: In 2010, a questionnaire-based study on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) management in Europe identified differences regarding reimbursement, sleep specialist qualification, and titration procedures. Now, 10 years later, a follow-up study was conducted as part of the ESADA (European Sleep Apnea Database) network to explore the development of OSA management over time.

Methods: The 2010 questionnaire including questions on sleep diagnostic, reimbursement, treatment, and certification was updated with questions on telemedicine and distributed to European Sleep Centers to reflect European OSA management practice.

REM sleep and muscle atonia in brainstem stroke: A quantitative polysomnographic and lesion analysis study.

Important brainstem regions are involved in the regulation of rapid eye movement sleep. We hypothesized that brainstem stroke is associated with dysregulated rapid eye movement sleep and related muscle activity. We compared quantitative/qualitative polysomnography features of rapid eye movement sleep and muscle activity (any, phasic, tonic) between 15 patients with brainstem stroke (N = 46 rapid eye movement periods), 16 patients with lacunar/non-brainstem stroke (N = 40 rapid eye movement periods), 15 healthy controls (N = 62 rapid eye movement periods), and patients with Parkinson's disease and polysomnography-confirmed rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

Brain Neuroimaging of Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: REM-sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia and a common comorbidity in Parkinson's disease (PD). There is evidence that the presence of RBD is associated with more severe PD. The differences in the clinical manifestations and the natural history are likely to imply underlying differences in the pathophysiology among PD patients with and without RBD.

Sleep apnea syndrome and subthalamic stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: Τhe association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is not fully elucidated and very few studies reported on SAS outcome after deep brain stimulation (DBS). Here, we compare the clinical profile of PD patients with and without SAS and assess, for the first time, the value of pre-DBS SAS as predictor of post-DBS outcome in PD.

Methods: Fifty patients were grouped into PD with SAS (PD-SAS+,n = 22) and without (PD-SAS-,n = 28), based on the Apnea-Hypopnea-Index (AHI≥5) in polysomnography.

Medical Studies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Digital Learning on Medical Students' Burnout and Mental Health.

Objectives: The aim of this ecological study was to investigate what the impact of digital learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic was on the burnout and overall mental health (MH) of medical students.

Background: During the unprecedented era of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of countries worldwide adopted very strong measures. Universities closed their doors, and education continued through digital learning lectures.

A case series and systematic review of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder outcome after deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

REM-sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia and a common sleep disorder in Parkinson's disease (PD). While deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for advanced PD with beneficial effects on cardinal PD motor symptoms, the data on the impact of DBS on RBD are limited and often controversial. We reviewed published articles that reported on RBD in the context of DBS surgery via systematic PubMed search.

Wearables in the home-based assessment of abnormal movements in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review of the literature.

At present, the standard practices for home-based assessments of abnormal movements in Parkinson's disease (PD) are based either on subjective tools or on objective measures that often fail to capture day-to-day fluctuations and long-term information in real-life conditions in a way that patient's compliance and privacy are secured. The employment of wearable technologies in PD represents a great paradigm shift in healthcare remote diagnostics and therapeutics monitoring. However, their applicability in everyday clinical practice seems to be still limited.

Long-Term Outcome and Neuroimaging of Deep Brain Stimulation in Holmes Tremor: A Case Series.

Background: Different deep brain stimulation (DBS) targets have been suggested as treatment for patients with pharmacologically refractory Holmes tremor (HT). We report the clinical and quality of life (QoL) long-term (up to nine years) outcome in four patients with HT treated with DBS (in thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus-VIM or in dentato-rubro-thalamic tract-DRTT).

Materials And Methods: The patients underwent routine clinical evaluations before and after DBS (typically annually).