CXCL13 as a biomarker in the diagnostics of European lyme Neuroborreliosis - A prospective multicentre study in Austria.

Background: 'Definite Neuroborreliosis (NB)' is diagnosed with the presence of NB-specific symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and an elevated antibody index. However, some diagnostic uncertainties exist. The B-cell chemokine CXCL13 represents an emerging biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of NB because its intrathecal concentration rises prior to the Borrelia antibody index and drops rapidly after antibiotic therapy.

A pilot study into the effects of music therapy on different areas of the brain of individuals with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome.

The global cerebral network allows music " to do to us what it does." While the same music can cause different emotions, the basic emotion of happy and sad songs can, nevertheless, be understood by most people. Consequently, the individual experience of music and its common effect on the human brain is a challenging subject for research.

Prevention of poststroke cognitive decline: ASPIS--a multicenter, randomized, observer-blind, parallel group clinical trial to evaluate multiple lifestyle interventions--study design and baseline characteristics.

Background: Cognitive impairment after stroke is a considerable burden to patients and their caregivers and occurs in one-third of stroke survivors. No strategy to prevent cognitive decline after stroke exists thus far. Established vascular risk factors have been associated with cognitive decline and may be a target for therapeutic interventions in stroke survivors.

European consensus table on the use of botulinum toxin type A in adult spasticity.

A group of clinicians from across Europe experienced in the use of botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of spasticity following acquired brain injury gathered to develop a consensus statement on best practice in managing adults with spasticity. This consensus table summarizes the current published data, which was collated following extensive literature searches, their assessment for level of evidence and discussion among the whole group. Published information is supplemented by expert opinion based on clinical experience from 16 European countries, involving 28 clinicians, who treat an average of approximately 200 patients annually, representing many thousand spasticity treatments with botulinum toxin per year.

Respective potencies of Botox and Dysport in a human skin model: a randomized, double-blind study.

Mouse units used to quantify the activity of botulinum A toxin preparations are not equivalent and issues concerning efficacy and safety remain with regard to their respective potencies and diffusion qualities in human tissue. We compared the effects of Botox (BOT) and Dysport (DYS) in different doses and dilutions in a human skin model. Eighteen (8 women, 10 men) healthy volunteers, aged 28.

UV-B irradiation attenuates dermal effects of botulinum toxin A: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) is frequently used for cosmetic indications and hyperhidrosis.

Objectives: We investigated whether UV-B irradiation alleviates the BoNT/A effect on local sudomotor activity.

Materials And Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded trial, the anhidrotic areas after BoNT/A (100 mU) injection 48 hours before and 14 days after UV-B irradiation were compared in six healthy volunteers.

Pain sensation during intradermal injections of three different botulinum toxin preparations in different doses and dilutions.

Background: Pain sensation associated with injections of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is commonly reported. To date differences in pain sensation between the commercially available products containing BoNT have not been quantified.

Objectives: The pain sensations during injection of Dysport, Botox, Neurobloc, and pure saline (control) were compared.

A lack of antinociceptive or antiinflammatory effect of botulinum toxin A in an inflammatory human pain model.

Several in vitro and in vivo investigations have shown that botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) can inhibit the release of substance P and excitatory amino acids. Recently, a marked antinociceptive effect of BoNT/A and inhibition of glutamate release was observed in an animal pain model with inflammatory sensitization. In the present study, we tested the antiinflammatory and antihyperalgetic effect of BoNT/A in a well-characterized human inflammatory pain model.

Ninhydrin sweat test: a simple method for detecting antibodies neutralizing botulinum toxin type A.

Approximately 5% of patients with cervical dystonia receiving repeated botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) injections develop secondary loss of treatment benefit. Currently available tests to directly detect neutralizing BoNT/A antibodies (BoNT/A-AB) are either expensive or time consuming. To establish a simple, clinically useful test for antibody detection, we adapted the ninhydrin sweat test (NST).

Tension-type headache in different age groups at two headache centers.

At two headache centers, one for children and adolescents and the other for adults, we investigated patients aged 5-80 years with episodic or chronic tension-type headache to evaluate the relation between age and headache characteristics as well as analgesics intake. We found an increasing headache frequency and duration, an increasing variability of the headache location, and an increasing frequency of nausea with increasing age. All other headache features did not depend on age.