In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring the non-classical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), with a particular focus on cognitive impairments associated with the disease's progression. These cognitive symptoms are now recognized as crucial elements in the assessment of disease activity. In this context, neurophysiology has emerged as a valuable and accessible tool for studying and addressing cognitive decline in individuals with MS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A latent period of variable length elapses between multiple sclerosis (MS) biological onset and the occurrence of the first clinical episode reflecting a central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating event. Factors affecting the duration of such interval are unknown.
Objective: To explore whether brain reserve, which moderates the impact of structural damage along MS course, could also affect the timing of MS clinical onset.
Aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease characterized by suboptimal recovery from attacks and long-term disability. Experimental data suggest that AQP4 antibodies can disrupt neuroplasticity, a fundamental driver of brain recovery. A well-established method to assess brain LTP is through intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain and spinal cord imaging plays a pivotal role in aiding clinicians with the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless, the significance of magnetic resonance imaging in MS extends beyond its clinical utility. Advanced imaging modalities have facilitated the in vivo detection of various components of MS pathogenesis, and, in recent years, MRI biomarkers have been utilized to assess the response of patients with relapsing-remitting MS to the available treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is a discrete nosological entity characterized by punctate and curvilinear gadolinium enhancement "peppering" the pons and a strong response to steroids. MRI images typically show pontine and cerebellar punctate-enhancing lesions, which occasionally spread up to the juxtacortical areas and down to the spinal cord. Interestingly, the more distant the lesion is from the pons, the less intense they become.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Seizures are reported to be more prevalent in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with the general population. Existing data predominantly originate from population-based studies, which introduce variability in methodologies and are vulnerable to selection and reporting biases.
Methods: This meta-analysis aims to assess the incidence of seizures in patients participating in randomised clinical trials and to identify potential contributing factors.
Introduction: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is an invalidating neurological disorder with a complex, largely unknown pathophysiology. While RLS is observed in Parkinson's disease and in renal failure, idiopathic cases are common. Limited reports associate RLS with parathyroid hormone (PTH).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTransverse myelitis is a noncompressive myelopathy of inflammatory origin. The causes are broad, ranging from infective or toxic to immuno-mediated etiology. They can be manifestations of systemic diseases, such as sarcoidosis and systemic lupus erythematous, or phenotypes of neuroinflammation; in a portion of cases, the etiology remains unknown, leading to the designation idiopathic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Reduced cerebral perfusion has been observed in multiple sclerosis (MS) and may contribute to tissue loss both acutely and chronically. Here, we test the hypothesis that hypoperfusion occurs in MS and relates to the presence of irreversible tissue damage.
Methods: In 91 patients with relapsing MS and 26 healthy controls (HC), gray matter (GM) cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed using pulsed arterial spin labeling.
Background: Non-motor manifestations are the main features of Parkinson's disease (PD). These have been associated with vitamin D abnormalities, but the role of parathormone (PTH) is still obscure. Among the non-motor symptoms of PD, the pathogenesis of restless leg syndrome (RLS) is still debated, but it has been associated with the vitamin D/PTH axis in other disease models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe improved understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS) neurobiology alongside the development of novel markers of disease will allow precision medicine to be applied to MS patients, bringing the promise of improved care. Combinations of clinical and paraclinical data are currently used for diagnosis and prognosis. The addition of advanced magnetic resonance imaging and biofluid markers has been strongly encouraged, since classifying patients according to the underlying biology will improve monitoring and treatment strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDeep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for movement disorders, including Holmes tremor (HT). HT is a rest and action tremor that occurs as a late symptom of brainstem lesions such as stroke. Unfortunately, it is frequently refractory to medical treatment, hence DBS surgery may be a good option.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIsolated cognitive relapses (ICRs) have been a matter of debate for the past few years. Currently, there is no clear consensus on such an entity, as cognitive decline usually accompanies typical multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. Herein, we present the neuropsychological and neurophysiological manifestations of a patient who suddenly complained of confusion and memory loss, showing insight into her deficit, in absence of sensorimotor disturbances.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The coronavirus pandemic became the hard challenge for the modern global health system. To date, vaccination is the best strategy against Sars-Cov-2-related illness. About 3 billions of people received at least one of the approved vaccines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTCC is a semisynthetic molecule widely used in clinical settings as a pain killer and myorelaxant. Several neurological side effects have been reported in association with TCC treatment including somnolence, confusion and seizure, the latter in a lower percentage of patients. Some previous reports described seizure onset after TCC intake in adulthood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo describe a temporal association between COVID-19 vaccine administration and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. This case series study was collected in four MS Centres in Central Italy, using data from 16 MS patients who received COVID-19 vaccination and presented both clinically and radiologically confirmed relapses between March and June 2021. We collected patients' relevant medical history, including demographics, MS clinical course, disease-modifying treatment (DMT) received (if applicable), and data from MRI scans obtained after the COVID-19 vaccination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetabolomics-based technologies map in vivo biochemical changes that may be used as early indicators of pathological abnormalities prior to the development of clinical symptoms in neurological conditions. Metabolomics may also reveal biochemical pathways implicated in tissue dysfunction and damage and thus assist in the development of novel targeted therapeutics for neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Metabolomics holds promise as a non-invasive, high-throughput and cost-effective tool for early diagnosis, follow-up and monitoring of treatment response in multiple sclerosis (MS), in combination with clinical and imaging measures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetes Metab Res Rev
January 2022
Multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) are chronic conditions that result from dysfunction of the immune system. Their common root in autoimmunity stimulates interest in the exploration of similarities and differences between the two diseases. Genetic susceptibility is relevant, creating a substrate, on which environmental factors act as a trigger of an aberrant immune response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Primary headache disorders are common and burdensome conditions. They are associated to several comorbidities, such as cardiovascular or psychiatric ones, which, in turn, contribute to the global burden of headache. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of the pooled prevalence of comorbidities of primary headache disorders using a meta-analytical approach based on studies published between 2000 and 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with no recognized clinical prognostic factor. Creatinine kinase (CK) increase in these patients is already described with conflicting results on prognosis and survival. In 126 ALS patients who were fast or slow disease progressors, CK levels were assayed for 16 months every 4 months in an observational case-control cohort study with prospective data collection conducted in Italy.
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