Prognostic Evaluation of Disorders of Consciousness by Using Resting-State fMRI: A Systematic Review.

This review focuses on the prognostic role of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in disorders of consciousness (DOCs). Several studies were conducted to determine the diagnostic accuracy in DOC patients to identify prognostic markers and to understand the neural correlates of consciousness. A correct diagnosis of consciousness in unresponsive or minimally responsive patients is important for prognostic and therapeutic management.

Effects of Virtual Reality Cognitive Training on Neuroplasticity: A Quasi-Randomized Clinical Trial in Patients with Stroke.

Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR) is a therapeutic approach designed to improve cognitive functioning after a brain injury, including stroke. Two major categories of techniques, namely traditional and advanced (including virtual reality-VR), are widely used in CR for patients with various neurological disorders. More objective outcome measures are needed to better investigate cognitive recovery after a stroke.

Psycho-Emotional Well-Being in Caregivers of People with Acquired Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study on the Human Immersion Model during the Omicron Wave.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a "human immersion model" (HIM) in improving psychological well-being in caregivers of patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) during the Omicron wave in Italy. Fifteen subjects affected by ABI, who attended our intensive neurorehabilitation unit from January to March 2022 and their caregivers were submitted to the HIM. This novel approach consisted of "real" long-lasting meetings between the patients and their careers in a hospital setting (1-72 h meeting per week for 8 weeks).

Does Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Improve Attention Processes in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury? Encouraging Data from a Pilot Study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain. Rehabilitation therapies include specific training, such as attention process training (APT) programs using either standard or innovative approaches. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a non-immersive virtual reality-based attention training to stimulate attention processes and mood in TBI patients.

Robotic Verticalization plus Music Therapy in Chronic Disorders of Consciousness: Promising Results from a Pilot Study.

Background: Music stimulation is considered a valuable form of intervention in disorders of consciousness (DoC); for instance, verticalization may improve motor and cognitive recovery. Our purpose is to investigate the effects of a novel rehabilitative approach combining robotic verticalization training (RVT) with personalized music stimulation in people with DoC. Methods: Sixteen subjects affected by minimally conscious state due to traumatic brain lesions who attended our Intensive Neuro-Rehabilitation Unit were enrolled in this randomized trial.

Advances in neuroRehabilitation of TREM2-related dementia: A case report on a novel multimodal approach using virtual reality.

Rationable: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an advanced neuroRehabilitation protocol using virtual reality in the treatment of a patient with fronto- temporal dementia due to TREM2 mutation.

Patients Concern: A 41-year-old caucasian male, affected by Nasu-Hakola Disease (NHD), presented a 1-year history of change in behavioral and cognitive functioning, before our observation. The onset of the disease was characterized by severe pain in the lower limbs and knees with limitations in the performance of daily life activities.

Is the "Family Glass Cabin" Useful to Safely Allow Inpatient-Caregiver Interaction in the COVID-19 Era? A Pilot Study on Severe Acquired Brain Injury.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is a life-changing event that can have a devastating impact on all aspects of a person’s functioning. Patients with ABI present several behavioral problems that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed at investigating the role of a “Family Glass Cabin” (FGC) both in improving cognitive function and communicative abilities of people with ABI and in potentiating the mental health of their caregivers.

The Interplay between Histamine H Receptor and the Kidney Function: The Lesson from H Receptor Knockout Mice.

Previous studies implicated the histamine H receptor in renal pathophysiology. The aim here is to elucidate the role of this receptor on renal function using H receptor knockout mice (HR). Healthy and diabetic HR mice compared to their C57BL/6J wild-type counterpart for renal function and the expression of crucial tubular proteins.

Improving motor and cognitive recovery following severe traumatic brain injury using advanced emotional audio-video stimulation: Lessons from a case report.

Rationale: It is estimated that about 6 million people suffer from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year (73 cases per 100,000 people). TBI may affect emotional, sensory-motor, cognitive, and psychological functions with a consequent worsening of both patient and his/her caregiver's quality of life. In recent years, technological innovations allowed the development of new, advanced sensory stimulation systems, such as Neurowave, to further stimulate residual cognitive abilities and, at the same time, evaluate residual cognition.

The impact of the SARS-COV2 infection on the disorder of consciousness rehabilitation unit.

Background And Objective: Disorders of consciousness include coma (cannot be aroused, eye remain closed), vegetative state-VS (can appear to be awake, but unable to purposefully interact) and minimally conscious state-MCS (minimal but definite awareness). The objective of this study is to assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 infection on the Disorder of Consciousness (DOC) Rehabilitation Unit.

Methods: This is a retrospective, longitudinal, descriptive, observational, pilot study.

'Online therapy' to reduce caregiver's distress and to stimulate post-severe acquired brain injury motor and cognitive recovery: A Sicilian hospital experience in the COVID era.

Introduction: Severe acquired brain injury(SABI) often results in the deterioration of physical, cognitive and emotional functions in the patient and a significant caregiver's distress syndrome, which is now amplified by the social isolation, depression and financial difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of web-based online-therapy has been shown to be useful to overcome caregiver's distress syndrome and further stimulate cognitive-motor recovery of SABI-patients. Our study aimed to investigate whether a systematic online Skype-therapy(OLST) may be of support in favoring global cognitive and sensory-motor recovery in SABI-patients and reducing caregiver distress.

Neuropsychological assessment and clinical evaluation in temporal lobe epilepsy with associated cortical dysplasia.

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) is a chronic neurological disorder, often associated to cognitive deficits. Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), frequently associated to high risk of epilepsy, can lead to abnormalities in cognition. The aim of this study was to explore neuropsychological performance and to identify potential risk factors for cognitive impairment in TLE subjects with associated FCD.

A case report on crossed aphasia in dextrals: Consideration about clinical features and neural network.

Rationale: The term crossed aphasia in dextrals (CAD) describes aphasia following a right hemisphere lesion in right-handed subjects. The diagnostic criteria for CAD, defined on the basis of clinical cases observed over the years, are aphasia; lesion in right hemisphere; strong preference for right hand use without familial history of left handedness; structural integrity of left hemisphere; and absence of brain damage in childhood. The studies of CAD have mainly been focused on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the functional neurocognitive lateralization and organization of the brain, such as a dissociation between language and handedness, language and praxis, or other cognitive functions.

fMRI and electroencephalographic evaluation of sleep deprivation in epilepsy patients: An observational study.

Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) is considered an important activation test to facilitate the visualization of electroencephalogram (EEG) epileptic abnormalities, in order to perform a correct diagnosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the local functional activity in healthy controls (HC) subjects and left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy-hippocampal sclerosis patients, after a SD, by using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and EEG.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 22 healthy controls and 34 patients with a diagnosis of left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy-hippocampal sclerosis.

Effects of cognitive and motor rehabilitation in non-convulsive status epilepticus: A case report.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent and unpredictable interruptions of normal brain function, that implies neurobiologic, psychological, and social consequences. Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is an electro-clinical state associated to altered level of consciousness. In NCSE could occur the behavioural and emotional disorder, cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorder with a negative impact on quality of life and adaptive social behaviours.

Relation among Psychopathological Symptoms, Neuropsychological Domains, and Functional Disability in Subacute Poststroke Rehabilitation.

Background: Neuropsychiatric disorders are commonly observed in patients following a stroke. Among 30%-60% of poststroke patients suffer from depression and anxiety (18%-25%). Some authors suggest an association between psychological symptoms and lesions in specific brain areas.

Poststroke delusions: What about the neuroanatomical and neurofunctional basis?

Delusion is a belief about yourself, people, or events that has no accordance with reality. Although it is known that stroke could cause various psychiatric and psychological effects, including depression, anxiety, and aggressiveness, psychotic symptoms, especially delusions, are rather uncommon. The most investigated poststroke delusions are paranoid type, nihilistic, and Fregoli syndrome.

Quantitative, functional MRI and neurophysiological markers in a case of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome.

Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) is an inherited autosomal dominant prion disease, caused by a codon 102 proline to leucine substitution (P102L) in the prion protein gene (PRNP). We describe the case of a 40-year-old male, affected by a slowly progressive gait disturbance, leg weakness and cognitive impairment. Genomic DNA revealed a point mutation of PRNP at codon 102, resulting in P102L, and the diagnosis of GSS was confirmed.

Neuroimaging and cognitive functions in temporal lobe epilepsy: A review of the literature.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of refractory focal epilepsy. Neuroimaging researches have demonstrated structural abnormalities in several cerebral regions. Cognitive impairment has been frequently described as a potential comorbidity of long-term TLE.

Unexpected recovery from a vegetative state or misdiagnosis? Lesson learned from a case report.

Background: Growing research is focusing on the identification of markers predicting recovery and demonstrating covert awareness in patients with chronic disorders of consciousness (DOC). Herein, we describe the case of a woman who emerged from unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) after four years, in whom an experimental protocol assessing brain connectivity predicted her awareness recovery, indicating a functional locked-in syndrome (FLIS) diagnosis.

Case Description: A 68-year-old woman was admitted to our institute in 2012 in a UWS secondary to a severe brain hemorrhage, with a Coma Recovery Scale-Revised score of five.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Effects on Quality of Life in Patients with Locked-in Syndrome and Their Caregivers.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the augmentative and alternative communication system on anxiety and depression performances and the quality of life (QoL) of patients who have the locked-in syndrome (LIS) and that of their caregivers.

Method: We enrolled 15 patients and their principal caregivers. The assessment consisted of the administration of the employed Short Form-36 Questionnaire for the assessment of QoL, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) for anxiety, and the Beck Depression Inventory for depression.

Altered Erythropoiesis in Mouse Models of Type 3 Hemochromatosis.

Type 3 haemochromatosis (HFE3) is a rare genetic iron overload disease which ultimately lead to compromised organs functioning. HFE3 is caused by mutations in transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) gene that codes for two main isoforms (Tfr2 and Tfr2). Tfr2 is one of the hepatic regulators of iron inhibitor hepcidin.

Cortical Responsiveness to Nociceptive Stimuli in Patients with Chronic Disorders of Consciousness: Do C-Fiber Laser Evoked Potentials Have a Role?

It has been shown that the presence of Aδ-fiber laser evoked potentials (Aδ-LEP) in patients suffering from chronic disorders of consciousness (DOC), such as vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), may be the expression of a residual cortical pain arousal. Interestingly, the study of C-fiber LEP (C-LEP) could be useful in the assessment of cortical pain arousal in the DOC individuals who lack of Aδ-LEP. To this end, we enrolled 38 DOC patients following post-anoxic or post-traumatic brain injury, who met the international criteria for VS and MCS diagnosis.