Pentobarbital coma therapy for super-refractory status epilepticus and in-hospital mortality: an observational study.

Treatment of super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is associated with various complications of anaesthetic coma therapy. This study aimed to describe the factors affecting the prognosis, especially in-hospital mortality, of patients receiving pentobarbital coma therapy for the treatment of SRSE. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a single tertiary referral centre with patients who received pentobarbital coma therapy for the treatment of SRSE from 2006 to 2018.

CSF total tau/α-synuclein ratio improved the diagnostic performance for Alzheimer's disease as an indicator of tau phosphorylation.

Background: Recently, several studies suggested potential involvements of α-synuclein in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. Higher concentrations of α-synuclein were reported in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of AD patients with a positive correlation towards CSF tau, indicating its possible role in AD. We analyzed the CSF biomarkers to verify whether α-synuclein could be an additional supported biomarker in AD diagnosis.

Therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease evaluated by β-amyloid positron emission tomography imaging.

Objective: We evaluated the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a model of Alzheimer's disease using serial [F]Florbetaben positron emission tomography.

Methods: 3xTg Alzheimer's disease mice were treated with intravenously injected bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, and animals without stem cell therapy were used as controls. Serial [F]Florbetaben positron emission tomography was performed after therapy.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of β-Amyloid 40 and β-Amyloid 42 are Proportionately Decreased in Amyloid Positron-Emission Tomography Negative Idiopathic Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus Patients.

Background And Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be misleading in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). We therefore investigated the CSF biomarkers in 18F-florbetaben amyloid-negative positron-emission tomography (PET) [amyloid PET(-)] iNPH, amyloid-positive PET [amyloid PET(+)] AD, and cognitively normal (CN) subjects.

Methods: Ten amyloid PET(+) AD patients (56.

Clinical and Demographic Predictors of Adverse Outcomes in Caregivers of Patients with Dementia.

Background And Purpose: We aimed to elucidate independent predictors of adverse outcomes in caregivers of patients with dementia using readily available clinical and demographic data of patients with dementia and their caregivers.

Methods: We reviewed patient-caregiver data from the Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea and Caregivers of Alzheimer Disease Research study. The clinical factors of the patients and the demographics of both patients and caregivers were used to predict adverse outcomes for caregivers.

The Brain Donation Program in South Korea.

Purpose: Obtaining brain tissue is critical to definite diagnosis and to furthering understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. The present authors have maintained the National Neuropathology Reference and Diagnostic Laboratories for Dementia in South Korea since 2016. We have built a nationwide brain bank network and are collecting brain tissues from patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Low Testosterone Level as a Predictor of Poststroke Emotional Disturbances: Anger Proneness and Emotional Incontinence.

Background: The role of sex hormones in poststroke mood and emotional disturbances is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of sex hormones on poststroke emotional disturbance, especially anger proneness (AP) and emotional incontinence (EI). We also investigated whether statins, which are widely used for stroke prevention, affect sex hormone levels or the presence of poststroke AP/EI based on the hypothesis that intensive treatment with statins would inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol, the preferred substrate of testosterone.

In vivo tracking of intravenously injected mesenchymal stem cells in an Alzheimer's animal model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how intravenously injected bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are distributed in the body of an Alzheimer's disease (AD) animal model.

Methods: Stem cells were collected from bone marrow of mice and labeled with Indium-111 (In). The In-labeled BMSCs were infused intravenously into 3×Tg-AD mice in the AD group and non-transgenic mice (B6129SF2/J) as controls.

Predictors of Institutionalization in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease in South Korea.

Background And Purpose: We investigated predictors of institutionalization in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in South Korea.

Methods: In total, 2,470 patients with AD aged 74.5±7.

Proposal Guidelines for Standardized Operating Procedures of Brain Autopsy: Brain Bank in South Korea.

To obtain an in-depth understanding of brain diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric illnesses, and neoplasms, scientific approach and verification using postmortem human brain tissue with or without disease are essential. Compared to other countries that have run brain banks for decades, South Korea has limited experience with brain banking; nationwide brain banks started only recently. The goal of this study is to provide provisional guidelines for brain autopsy for hospitals and institutes that have not accumulated sufficient expertise.

Cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor for post-stroke delirium.

Background: Post-stroke delirium is a common problem in the care of stroke patients, and is associated with longer hospitalization, high short-term mortality, and an increased need for long-term care. Although post-stroke delirium occurs in approximately 10 ~ 30% of patients, little is known about the risk factors for post-stroke delirium in patients who experience acute stroke.

Methods: A total of 576 consecutive patients who experienced ischemic stroke (mean age, 65.

Differentiating cognitive impairment due to corticobasal degeneration and Alzheimer disease.

Objective: To identify clinical features that reliably differentiate individuals with cognitive impairment due to corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and Alzheimer disease (AD).

Methods: Clinical features were compared between individuals with autopsy-proven CBD (n = 17) and AD (n = 16). All individuals presented with prominent cognitive complaints and were evaluated annually with semistructured interviews, detailed neurologic examinations, and neuropsychological testing.

Profile of memory impairment as a prognostic marker in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

We aimed to evaluate whether recognition memory can be used to identify patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) at greater risk for converting to dementia. We recruited 2172 aMCI patients. They were divided into two groups: aMCI with impaired recall but normal recognition (aMCI-IRNR) vs aMCI with impaired recall and impaired recognition (aMCI-IRIR).

Card-placing test in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and its neural correlates.

Background: [corrected] We investigated anatomical correlates of the card-placing test (CPT) in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Methods: Fifteen aMCI patients underwent part A and part B of the CPT and FDG-PET. The CPT scores and MMSE scores of 29 cognitively normal people were used for comparison.

Evaluation of coexistence of Alzheimer's disease in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus using ELISA analyses for CSF biomarkers.

Background: We investigated levels of the β-amyloid 1-42 (Aβ42), total tau protein (T-tau) and tau phosphorylated at position threonine 181 (P-tau) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients and tried to find their clinical implications in the evaluation and treatment of iNPH.

Method: Twenty-five possible iNPH patients were prospectively enrolled and their CSF was collected to analyze levels of Aβ42, T-tau and P-tau using ELISA method. Gait disturbance, urinary incontinence, and cognitive impairment were semi-quantified and detailed neuropsychological (NP) test was performed.

Clustering mild cognitive impairment by mini-mental state examination.

We aimed to evaluate whether the performance of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) could identify risky mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We recruited 122 amnestic MCI-single domain (ASM), 303 amnestic MCI-multiple domains (AMM), and 94 non-amnestic MCI (NAM). Two-step cluster and linear discriminant analyses were used for identifying the clusters of the MMSE with age and education, as well as establishing prediction models for each cluster.

Metabolite investigation in both anterior and posterior cingulate gyri in Alzheimer's disease spectrum using 3-tesla MR spectroscopy.

Aims: In order to evaluate the metabolite changes of both anterior and posterior cingulate gyri during the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, a 3-tesla MR spectroscopy study was performed.

Methods: Thirty-six patients with AD, 19 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and 23 cognitively normal (CN) subjects were recruited. MR spectroscopy was conducted within the anterior and posterior cingulate gyri.

Galantamine administration in chronic post-stroke aphasia.

Background: To investigate the influence of galantamine on linguistic function, any associated factors in patients with chronic post-stroke aphasia were analysed.

Methods: 45 patients younger than 75 years with chronic aphasia (≥1 year since onset) were prospectively enrolled in the study. Language testing was performed at weeks 0 and 16.

Posterior circulation embolism as a potential mechanism for migraine with aura.

Background: Although the mechanism of migraine is regarded as a functional disorder of the brain, numerous studies have reported that migraine is closely associated with vascular system abnormalities.

Case Reports: We describe a 19-year-old female with recurrent migraine attacks and typical aura for 7 years. MRI showed multiple stroke lesions in the posterior circulation.

Functional investigation of bilateral posterior cingulate gyri using multivoxel MR spectroscopy.

The exact functional correlation of each hemisphere's posterior cingulate gyrus with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unknown. We attempted to evaluate the relationship between metabolite ratios in each hemisphere's posterior cingulate gyrus and cognitive deficits, using multivoxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We recruited 23 patients with AD, 16 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and 22 cognitively normal subjects.

Deficits in face perception in the amnestic form of mild cognitive impairment.

The fusiform gyrus is involved pathologically at an early stage of the amnestic form of mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and is also known to be involved in the perceptual stage of face processing. We assessed face perception in patients with aMCI to determine if this cognitive skill was impaired. We compared 12 individuals (4 men) with aMCI and 12 age- and education-matched healthy controls on the ability to discriminate changes in the spatial configuration or color of the eyes or the mouth in faces.

Induced-hypertension in progressing lacunar infarction.

Background: Although an early neurological deterioration after lacunar infarction is not rare, its therapeutic options are still undetermined. We investigated the effect of induced-hypertension in lacunar infarction with motor progression.

Methods: We reviewed 82 lacunar infarction patients who experienced motor progression [≥ 1-point increase of NIH stroke scale (NIHSS) during hospitalization].

Topographical disorientation in mild cognitive impairment: a voxel-based morphometry study.

Background And Purpose: To assess the neural substrates underlying topographical disorientation (TD) in patients affected by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), forty-one patients diagnosed with MCI and 24 healthy control individuals were recruited.

Methods: TD was assessed clinically in all participants. Neurological and neuropsychological evaluations and a volumetric-head magnetic resonance imaging scan were performed in each participant.

Ipsilateral visual illusion after unilateral posterior cerebral artery infarction: a report of two cases.

In cases of unilateral posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarction, abnormal visual perception in the ipsilateral visual field, which is usually believed to be intact, is not met frequently and may confuse doctors during evaluation. Recently, we observed two patients who presented with contralateral hemianopsia accompanied by ipsilateral visual illusions after acute unilateral PCA infarctions. Their visual illusion was characterized by zooming in, macropsia or micropsia.