Publications by authors named "Watanabe Masako"

Aim: Assessing symptoms and daily functioning in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) can be challenging, as their limited self-monitoring abilities may result in behavior observed during structured interviews not accurately reflecting their daily lives. This study aimed to determine if specific occupational behaviors could distinguish individuals with MDD from healthy individuals.

Methods: Baseline data were collected from medical records and activity programs.

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Objective: This study was undertaken to assess long-term safety, tolerability, and efficacy of lacosamide (LCM) as adjunctive therapy for generalized onset tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) in patients aged ≥4 years with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE).

Methods: EP0012 (NCT02408549) was a phase 3, multicenter, open-label extension (OLE) trial. Patients were enrolled from SP0982 (NCT02408523).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study by the Epilepsy Subcommittee of the Japanese Society of General Hospital Psychiatry aimed to identify challenges that psychiatrists face when treating epilepsy and transitioning patients from pediatric to adult care.
  • A survey was conducted with 1,980 psychiatrists, out of which 545 responded, revealing that a significant majority (89.2%) felt hesitant about treating epilepsy and managing the transition of patients.
  • Factors like years of experience, board certification in epilepsy, and workplace support from specialists were associated with reduced hesitancy and increased confidence in providing quality care for epilepsy patients.*
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The role of ferroptosis in steatohepatitis development is largely unknown. We investigated (1) whether hepatocyte ferroptosis occurs in a gene-modified steatohepatitis model without modifying dietary components, (2) whether ferroptosis occurs at an early stage of steatohepatitis, and (3) whether apomorphine, recently reported as a ferroptosis inhibitor, can ameliorate steatohepatitis. Hepatocyte-specific PTEN KO mice were used.

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Aim: Transient epileptic amnesia (TEA) is a type of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy characterized by recurrent amnesia attacks. In 1998, Zeman et al. proposed the following diagnostic criteria for TEA: (1) recurrent, witnessed episodes of amnesia (TEA attacks); (2) other cognitive functions remain intact during attacks; and (3) evidence of epilepsy.

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  • Epilepsy can lead to significant psychological distress and anxiety, particularly due to seizures, but the connections between stress responses and anxiety in epilepsy patients are not well understood.
  • A study involving 159 epilepsy outpatients in Japan examined the links between seizure frequency, stress/arousal traits, and anxiety levels using specific questionnaires and analyses.
  • Results indicated strong correlations between stress/arousal characteristics and anxiety scores, with findings suggesting that epilepsy-specific stress and arousal responses mediate the relationship between different types of anxiety in these patients.
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Women with epilepsy (WWE) need effective and safe treatment during the childbearing age. Administration of antiseizure medications to WWE during pregnancy may be associated with risks to the fetus, including major congenital malformations and negative developmental outcomes. Therefore, preconception care is essential for WWE.

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The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy for bovine acute Klebsiella pneumoniae mastitis. We evaluated data from cattle in Ehime, Japan, with naturally occurring acute mastitis due to K. pneumoniae (n=208) or Escherichia coli (n=201).

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  • A multicenter retrospective cohort study in Japan investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on epilepsy care from January 2019 to December 2020, analyzing data such as outpatient visits, EEGs, and surgeries.
  • Findings showed a decrease in outpatient visits and EEG studies and a drastic increase in telemedicine use, with significant negative effects on admissions and procedures during periods of higher COVID-19 cases and a state of emergency.
  • The study highlights the substantial disruption to epilepsy care caused by the pandemic, corroborating previous research and emphasizing the extent of these changes.
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Objectives: Gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures have a risk to transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through aerosols. Little information is available on the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers (HCWs) in endoscopy units. Thus, the seroprevalence was examined in HCWs who do and do not participate in gastrointestinal endoscopy.

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Transient epileptic amnesia (TEA) is a special type of temporal lobe epilepsy, the main symptom of which is recurrent amnesia attacks. In the late 1990s, Zeman et al. developed the following diagnostic criteria for TEA: (i) recurrent, witnessed episodes of amnesia; (ii) other cognitive functions remain intact during attacks; and (iii) evidence of epilepsy.

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Objective: To evaluate efficacy and safety of lacosamide (up to 12 mg/kg/day or 400 mg/day) as adjunctive treatment for uncontrolled primary generalised tonic-clonic seizures (PGTCS) in patients (≥4 years) with idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE).

Methods: Phase 3, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial (SP0982; NCT02408523) in patients with IGE and PGTCS taking 1-3 concomitant antiepileptic drugs. Primary outcome was time to second PGTCS during 24-week treatment.

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The mental health of patients with epilepsy represents a substantial public health concern in Japan. For instance, the Japanese term for epilepsy, "tenkan", has the negative meaning of "mad" and "a violent temperament that is apt to be infatuated". Although epilepsy is now understood as a disease caused by abnormal neuronal activity in the brain, discrimination and stigma against people with epilepsy remain deeply rooted in Japanese culture.

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Use of antimicrobials for acne treatment is correlated with an increased occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant Cutibacterium acnes. To clarify the role of antimicrobial use on the resistance and to investigate the characteristics of resistant strains, we conducted a multicenter study in dermatological clinics frequently visited by new patients with acne vulgaris. We collected specimens in 264 acne patients and tested 164 C.

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The utility of nitroglycerin is well established in coronary angiography but less so in other surgical fields. In this study, the authors investigated the utility of preoperative computed tomographic angiography after sublingual nitroglycerin followed by three-dimensional visualization for selecting suitable perforators in planning the free anterolateral thigh flap. The authors performed preoperative computed tomographic angiography following sublingual nitroglycerin (after screening for contraindications) in patients for whom reconstructive surgery with the free anterolateral thigh flap was planned.

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Introduction: Multinodular and vacuolating neuronal tumor (MVNT) had been initially described as an epilepsy-related brain tumor, but recent studies demonstrated it could be found incidentally in non-epilepsy patients.

Case Report: A 33-year-old woman with intractable post-encephalitis epilepsy presented a cluster of multinodular T2 hyperintensity in the left temporal lobe, which was very similar to the characteristics of MVNT. Long-term video electroencephalogram demonstrated that the habitual seizures were originated from bilateral temporal area and the interictal epileptic discharges were seen multifocally, although the lesions with MVNT appearance were localized in the left temporal lobe.

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Article Synopsis
  • Chorea-acanthocytosis and Huntington's disease have similar symptoms and imaging findings, making them clinically challenging to differentiate.
  • This study analyzed brain atrophy patterns in five chorea-acanthocytosis patients and 11 Huntington's disease patients using single-case voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify distinct differences in gray and white matter.
  • The results showed unique white matter volume loss in chorea-acanthocytosis patients that was not present in Huntington's disease, indicating that single-case VBM analysis could be a valuable tool for differentiating these two disorders.
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Background: Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP) is characterized by lymphocytic inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the lung caused by a variety of inhaled antigens. Due to the difficulty of accurately diagnosing CHP, and the poor prognosis associated with the condition, a novel clinical biomarker is urgently needed.

Objective: To investigate the usefulness of C-C motif chemokine ligand 15 (CCL15), which had been demonstrated to highly express in the lungs of CHP patients, as a clinical biomarker for CHP.

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Objective: To identify mutations in () for Japanese patients with suspected chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc).

Methods: We performed a comprehensive mutation screen, including sequencing and copy number variation (CNV) analysis of the gene, and chorein Western blotting of erythrocyte ghosts. As the results of the analysis, 17 patients were molecularly diagnosed with ChAc.

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Purpose: The pathophysiology of idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) is still unclear, but graph theory may help to understand it. Here, we examined the graph-theoretical findings of the gray matter network in IGE using anatomical covariance methods.

Materials And Methods: We recruited 33 patients with IGE and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

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S-1 is an oral fluoropyrimidine agent used for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although S-1 monotherapy has been reported to exhibit lesser hematotoxicity compared with other third-generation chemotherapeutics, digestive toxicity was also frequently observed. Alternate-day administration of S-1 has shown a lower rate of severe digestive toxicity than the daily standard administration in patients with NSCLC.

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Purpose: Benign adult familial myoclonus epilepsy (BAFME) is an autosomal dominant disease representing tremulous myoclonus or cortical tremor and infrequent generalized seizures. We aimed to delineate detailed epidemiological backgrounds in patients with Japanese BAFME and to establish diagnostic criteria based on clinical and electrophysiological findings.

Methods: After a previous survey on the current nationwide state of myoclonus epilepsy of adults in Japan, we conducted this survey to delineate the clinical characteristics of Japanese BAFME patients, using a questionnaire to obtain details for individual patients.

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