Geometry and Symmetry of Willis' Circle and Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms Development.

: A relationship between the geometry and symmetry of Willis' circle and intracranial aneurysms was reported for anterior communicating and posterior communicating (PCom) aneurysms. A similar association with the middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms instead appeared weaker. : We reviewed 432 patients from six Italian centers with unilateral MCA aneurysms, analyzing the relationship between the caliber and symmetry of Willis' circle and the presence of ruptured and unruptured presentation.

Language proficiency predictors of code-switching behavior in dual-language-learning children.

Code-switching, switching between different languages within the same conversation, is a prominent feature in bilingual communication. This study aimed to elucidate to what extent the linguistic abilities and age of dual-language-learning preschoolers influence the frequency and purposes of code-switching (, to bridge linguistic gaps; , to express content as fluently as possible; , to phrase something appropriately for the situation). Parental code-switching ratings of 101 German/French-Turkish/Italian dual-language learners aged 32-78 months were analyzed.

Comparison Between Intrasylvian and Intracerebral Hematoma Associated with Ruptured Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms: Clinical Implications, Technical Considerations, and Outcome Evaluation.

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to a middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm rupture is often associated with an intracerebral hematoma (ICH) or intrasylvian hematoma (ISH).

Methods: We reviewed 163 patients with ruptured MCA aneurysms associated with pure SAH or SAH plus ICH or ISH. The patients were first dichotomized according to the presence of a hematoma (ICH or ISH).

Language-Fair Fast Mapping and Mutual Exclusivity Tasks for Mono- and Bilingual Preschoolers.

Purpose: Both monolingual and bilingual children use learning constraints and heuristics to acquire new words from their environment. Overall, fast mapping abilities seem to be similar in both populations, but monolinguals rely more than bilinguals on the mutual exclusivity strategy. Our study probes the robustness of these results in a large group of children learning different language combinations, with a newly devised language-fair task that relies as little as possible on previous linguistic knowledge, in order to avoid disadvantaging bilingual children.

Selective cell cycle arrest in glioblastoma cell lines by quantum molecular resonance alone or in combination with temozolomide.

Background: Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer, characterised by high proliferation rates and cell invasiveness. Despite advances in surgery and radio-chemotherapy, patients continue to have poor prognoses, with a survival rate of 14-15 months. Thus, new therapeutic strategies are needed.

Clipping versus coiling for treatment of middle cerebral artery aneurysms: a retrospective Italian multicenter experience.

Endovascular treatment has emerged as the predominant approach in intracranial aneurysms. However, surgical clipping is still considered the best treatment for middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms in referral centers. Here we compared short- and long-term clinical and neuroradiological outcomes in patients with MCA aneurysms undergoing clipping or coiling in 5 Italian referral centers for cerebrovascular surgery.

Neurosurgery in times of a pandemic: a survey of neurosurgical services during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Veneto region in Italy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and of the subsequent lockdown on the neurosurgical services of the Veneto region in Italy compared to the previous 4 years.

Methods: A survey was conducted in all 6 neurosurgical departments in the Veneto region to collect data about surgical, inpatient care and endovascular procedures during the month of March for each year from 2016 to 2020. Safety measures to avoid infection from SARS-CoV-2 and any COVID-19 cases reported among neurosurgical patients or staff members were considered.

Transcallosal approach for intraventricular gliomas: neuropsychological outcome and functionality of the corpus callosum.

The transcallosal approach is commonly used for surgery of lateral and third ventricle lesions. Cognitive deficits due to the transcallosal approach still remain controversial. Even if enormous efforts have been made in order to understand specific functions of the corpus callosum, still little is known.

Transethmoidal encephalocele endoscopically treated in a newborn: a case report.

Congenital encephalocele is a very rare entity, with herniation of normal brain or gliotic tissue through a defect in the skull. The objective is to present a newborn child diagnosed with transethmoidal encephaloceles at birth. She developed respiratory problems, feeding difficulties, and failure to thrive since the first days of life and so required early surgery at her 33th day of life, through an endoscopic nasal approach.

Utility of 3D rotational angiography road map in flow diverter deployment in a distal dissecting MCA aneurysm.

Distal, dissecting, middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms are changing surgically and endovascularly. Endovascular treatment requires flow diverter stenting. A good vessel visualization is crucial for safe navigation.

A Survey on Pituitary Surgery in Italy.

Background: Pituitary tumors are a heterogeneous group of lesions that are usually benign. Therefore, a proper understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology is mandatory to achieve favorable outcomes. Accordingly, diagnostic tests and treatment guidelines should be determined and implemented.

Complete embolization of jugular paragangliomas by direct puncture. .

Intra-arterial embolization of jugular paragangliomas is an established endovascular technique. Intratumoral embolization by direct puncture has been proposed, prior to surgical treatment or radiosurgery to reduce the risk of cranial nerve deficits. We examined the technical aspects of two patients with jugular paragangliomas embolized with liquid embolic agent by direct puncture of the lesion, as sole treatment.

Role of Methylation Status at Time of Diagnosis and Recurrence for Patients with Glioblastoma: Clinical Implications.

Background: methylation status represents a powerful prognostic factor in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). Recently, its role in recurrent tumors has also been suggested; however, few data investigating the stability of this biomarker during the clinical course of the disease are available. In this study, we evaluated the rate of change of methylation status between diagnosis and first recurrence in patients who received tumor resection for recurrent GBM.

Adjuvant chemotherapy in adult medulloblastoma: is it an option for average-risk patients?

The standard treatment in children with average-risk medulloblastoma (MB) is reduced-dose radiotherapy (RT) followed by chemotherapy. However, in adults, there is no agreement on the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. We performed a retrospective analysis of adult MB patients with average-risk disease, defined as no postsurgical residual (or ≤1.

Patient outcomes following second surgery for recurrent glioblastoma.

Background: The most appropriate management of recurrent glioblastoma is still controversial. In particular, the role of surgery at recurrence remains uncertain.

Patients & Methods: From our Institutional data warehouse we analyzed 270 consecutive patients who received second surgery for recurrent glioblastoma, to assess survival after second surgery, and to evaluate prognostic factors.

The effect of re-operation on survival in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

Background: Treatment options for glioblastoma (GBM) at recurrence have limited efficacy. Re-surgery has been used for confirmation of recurrent disease and to provide relief of symptoms but the real impact on survival is unknown.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for GBM patients followed between 01/2005 and 06/2010 at our Institution.

New perspectives in the treatment of adult medulloblastoma in the era of molecular oncology.

Medulloblastoma is the most common central nervous system tumor in children, while it is extremely rare in adults. Multimodal treatment involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can improve the prognosis of this disease, and recent advances in molecular biology have allowed the identification of molecular subgroups (WNT, SHH, Groups 3 and 4), each of which have different cytogenetic, mutational and gene expression signatures, demographics, histology and prognosis. The present review focuses on the state of the art for adult medulloblastoma treatment and on novel molecular advances and their future implications in the treatment of this disease.

Drug-resistant cluster headache: long-term evaluation of pain control by posterior hypothalamic deep-brain stimulation.

Objective: On the basis of recent findings about the pathophysiology of cluster headache and through the experience reported in recent literature, we have reviewed the outcome of four patients affected by drug-resistant cluster headache treated in our department by posterior hypothalamic deep brain stimulation with a follow-up of more than 5 years.

Methods: Between 2004 and 2006, we selected four patients affected by cluster headache. The diagnosis was based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders II criteria, and all patients were refractory to drug therapy.

O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase methylation status can change between first surgery for newly diagnosed glioblastoma and second surgery for recurrence: clinical implications.

O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status is a prognostic factor in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients. However, it is not yet clear whether, and if so how, MGMT methylation status may change. Moreover, it is unknown whether the prognostic role of this epigenetic feature is retained during the disease course.

The treatment of adults with medulloblastoma: a prospective study.

Purpose: To assess in a prospective trial the value of prognostic factors and the outcome of medulloblastoma in adults.

Methods And Materials: Patients (> or =18 years) with a histologic diagnosis of medulloblastoma were staged according to Chang et al.'s classification (low risk: T1, T2, T3a, M0, and no residual disease after surgery; high risk: T3b-T4, any M+ or postoperative presence of residual tumor).