A Linear Predictor Based on FTIR Spectral Biomarkers Improves Disease Diagnosis Classification: An Application to Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that can lead to long-term disability. The diagnosis of MS is not simple and requires many instrumental and clinical tests. Sampling easily collected biofluids using spectroscopic approaches is becoming of increasing interest in the medical field to integrate and improve diagnostic procedures.

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy of plasma supported by multivariate analysis discriminates multiple sclerosis disease.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases showing various symptoms both of physical and cognitive type. In this work, we used attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to analyze plasma samples for discriminating MS patients from healthy control individuals, and identifying potential spectral biomarkers helping the diagnosis through a quick non-invasive blood test. The cohort of the study consists of 85 subjects, including 45 MS patients and 40 healthy controls.

Ischemic Stroke and Provoked Seizure as a Manifestation of Brugmansia suaveolens (Angel's Trumpet) Acute Intoxication: A Detailed Clinical, Electroencephalogram, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Description and 5-Month Follow-up.

Methods: We present a detailed clinical, laboratory, electroencephalogram/magnetic resonance imaging description and a 4-month follow-up of a case of stroke and provoked seizures as manifestation of angel's trumpet intoxication.

Results/discussion: A 76-year-old woman presented with stuporous state evolving in 48 hours in bilateral mydriasis, vomiting, global aphasia, confusion, and stereotyped movement. An interictal electroencephalogram, performed 72 hours later, showed frequent generalized epileptiform discharges, and a brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed 2 small subcortical lesions in the right frontal lobe on diffusion weighted imaging sequences.

Thermal Liquid Biopsy (TLB) of Blood Plasma as a Potential Tool to Help in the Early Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is frequently characterized by a variety of clinical signs, often exhibiting little specificity. The diagnosis requires a combination of medical observations and instrumental tests, and any support for its objective assessment is helpful.

Objective: Herein, we describe the application of thermal liquid biopsy (TLB) of blood plasma samples, a methodology for predicting the occurrence of MS with a noninvasive, quick blood test.

The Role of Topiramate in the Management of Cocaine Addiction: a Possible Therapeutic Option.

Topiramate (TPM) is an antiepileptic drug able to play a role in both neurological and psychiatric disorders. TPM facilitates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission and inhibits glutamatergic transmission (i.e.

Gambling disorder during dopamine replacement treatment in Parkinson's disease: a comprehensive review.

Gambling Disorder (GD) is characterized by "the failure to resist gambling impulses despite severe personal, family or occupational consequences". In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), GD replaces the DSM-IV diagnosis of Pathological Gambling (PG). GD estimated prevalence ranges between 0.

Cerebral stroke injury: the role of cytokines and brain inflammation.

Stroke represents the most frequent cause of permanent disability in adults worldwide. Cerebral ischemia triggers the pathological pathways of the ischemic cascade and causes irreversible neuronal injury in the ischemic core within minutes of the onset. Elements of the immune system are involved in all stages of ischemic cascade from acute intravascular events triggered by the interruption of blood supply, to the parenchymal processes leading to brain damage and to the ensuing tissue repair.

Chronic migraine in women is associated with insulin resistance: a cross-sectional study.

Background And Purpose: Migraine is a common neurological disorder. It can be divided into episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM), based on headache frequency. Some studies have shown that insulin sensitivity is impaired in migraine; moreover, hypertension, diabetes and obesity are common in patients with CM.

Insulin resistance possible risk factor for cognitive impairment in fibromialgic patients.

To evaluate glucose metabolism and/or insulin resistance (IR) in 96 patients with Fibromyalgia (FM), associated or not to cognitive impairment. We investigated glucose metabolism in 96 FM patients. Enrolled patients were divided into two groups: 48 patients with memory deficit (group A) and 48 without memory deficit (control group).

The Effect of Lipoic Acid Therapy on Cognitive Functioning in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most diabetic patients have insulin resistance (IR) that is associated with compensatory hyperinsulinemia, one of the mechanisms suggested for increased AD risk in patients with DM. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a disulfide molecule with antioxidant properties that has positive effects on glucose metabolism and IR.

MR imaging and cognitive correlates of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients with cerebellar symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system, frequently associated with cognitive impairments. Damages of the cerebellum are very common features of patients with MS, although the impact of this clinical factor is generally neglected. Recent evidence from our group demonstrated that MS patients with cerebellar damages are characterized by selective cognitive dysfunctions related to attention and language abilities.

Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation of attention deficits for multiple sclerosis: a randomized trial with fMRI correlates.

Background: Although a growing body of evidence has highlighted the role of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) in the management of cognitive dysfunctions in multiple sclerosis (MS), there is still no evidence for a validated therapeutic approach.

Objective: We propose a new therapeutic strategy characterized by a computer-based intensive attention training program in MS patients with predominant attention deficits. We aim to investigate the effectiveness of our rehabilitation procedure, tailored for those with impaired abilities, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Blink reflex recovery cycle in patients with essential tremor associated with resting tremor.

Objective: An increased R2 recovery component of the blink reflex (R2-BRrc) has been commonly observed in Parkinson disease, cranio-cervical dystonia, and dystonic tremor, while the BRrc was reported normal in patients with essential tremor (ET). We studied BRrc in patients with ET associated with resting tremor (rET) in comparison with patients with ET.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study investigating R2-BRrc at interstimulus intervals (ISI) of 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 750 msec in 14 patients with rET, 14 patients with ET, and 16 healthy controls.

Cerebellar-parietal dysfunctions in multiple sclerosis patients with cerebellar signs.

Consistent findings have shown that the cerebellum is critically implicated in a broad range of cognitive processes including executive functions. Of note, cerebellar symptoms and a number of cognitive deficits have been widely reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigated for the first time the role of cerebellar symptoms in modulating the neural networks associated with a cognitive task broadly used in MS patients (Paced Visual Serial Addition Test (PVSAT)).

Synchronous pattern distinguishes resting tremor associated with essential tremor from rest tremor of Parkinson's disease.

Rest tremor associated with essential tremor (ET) is a condition that poses challenges in diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated tremor parameters in PD and ET patients with rest tremor. Fifteen patients with PD and 15 patients with ET underwent electrophysiological examination to evaluate characteristics of muscle bursting in rest postures.

Bell's palsy: a manifestation of prediabetes?

Background: Idiopathic peripheral facial nerve palsy or Bell's palsy (BP) is the most common cause of facial nerve palsy.

Objective: To evaluate the role of glucose metabolism abnormalities in BP.

Methods: We identified 148 patients with unilateral BP and 128 control subjects.

Tacrolimus-induced polyneuropathy after heart transplantation.

Tacrolimus has been often described to induce neuropathy in liver-, pancreas-, and renal-transplanted patients. Here, we report the first case of a 56-year-old woman who developed a progressive symmetric demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy in the distal muscles of the lower limbs after therapy with tacrolimus because of heart transplantation. This condition suddenly reverted after the tacrolimus was stopped.

Effects of insulinic therapy on cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer disease and diabetes mellitus type-2.

Background: Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM-2) is an important risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD). The role of insulinic therapy on cognitive decline is controversial.

Objective: To evaluate cognitive impairment in patients with AD and DM-2 treated with either oral antidiabetic drugs or combination of insulin with other diabetes medications.

Role of the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) in the idiopathic restless legs syndrome.

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor disorder characterised by a distressing urge to move the legs. Several clinical conditions have been associated with RLS, such as iron deficiency, uraemia, pregnancy, polyneuropathy and Diabetes Mellitus (DM). However the causes remain unknown in about 70-80% of cases.

Cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis patients with cerebellar symptoms.

Background: Cerebellar dysfunction is common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, neuropsychological studies of this clinical feature are lacking.

Objective: We investigate the neuropsychological features in relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) patients with and without cerebellar dysfunction.