A clinical evaluation of gelastic and dacrystic seizures: a multicenter study.

Background: Gelastic seizures are extremely rare, short-lasting, unprovoked, and uncontrollable laughing attacks. We conducted this retrospective evaluation to determine whether these symptoms, manifesting in different forms, such as cheerful laughter, laughing, smiling, and sobbing had any value in terms of etiology or localization.

Methods: A total of 31 patients who exhibited bouts of laughing or crying and who were under follow-up between 2000 and 2019 at tertiary epilepsy centers were included in the study.

Surround inhibition in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Objective: In healthy subjects, there is a reduction in the amplitudes of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) after the simultaneous stimulation of two nerves compared to the sum of separate stimulations. This reduction is due to the inhibition of one area in the cortex after stimulation of the neighboring area, which results from the surround inhibition (SI) phenomenon. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether there was a decrease in SI of SEP in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME).

Dose Reduction in Brain [F]FDG PET/MRI: Give It Half a Chance.

Purpose: Integrated positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers promising tools for evaluating brain disorders, including the minimization of exposure to ionizing radiation. Considering the length of scanning time with PET/MRI systems and their high sensitivity, we assumed that the activity could be reduced by one half compared with recommended activity for brain 2-deoxy-2-[F]fluoro-D-glucose ([F]FDG) PET exams without degrading image quality.

Procedures: We retrospectively simulated the reduction of injected activity (1 vs.

Does Valproic Acid/Na Valproate Suppress Auditory Startle Reflex in Patients With Epilepsy?

Background And Objective: Auditory startle response (ASR) was normal in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy whereas it was suppressed in progressive myoclonic epilepsy. However, both groups were using valproic acid/Na valproate (VPA) in different doses. Therefore, we aimed to analyze whether VPA has an impact on ASR in a cohort of epilepsy.

Anti-Neuronal Autoantibodies in Both Drug Responsive and Resistant Focal Seizures with Unknown Cause.

Background: and Objective Autoimmunity is an emerging field of research in the etiology of different neurological disorders including epilepsy. We aimed to investigate the presence of neuronal autoantibodies in focal epilepsy with unknown cause and their clinical correlates in both drug-responsive and resistant patients.

Method: Between 2009 and 2010 94 patients were prospectively enrolled, had their antibodies tested and clinically followed.

Orienting reaction may help recognition of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

Objective: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are abrupt, paroxysmal changes in behavior or consciousness that may phenomenologically resemble epileptic seizures. Given the known association between anxiety and PNES, we hypothesized that in these subjects there may be evidence that the nervous system is hypersensitive to external stimuli. We aimed to test our hypothesis by means of the auditory startle reaction (ASR).

Startle Response in Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy.

Cortical reflex myoclonus is a typical feature of progressive myoclonic epilepsy (PME) in which it is accompanied by other types of mostly drug-resistant seizures and progressive neurological signs. Although PME is characterized by cortical hyperexcitability, studies have demonstrated atrophy and degenerative changes in the brainstem in various types of PME. Thus, we have questioned whether any stimuli may trigger a hyperactive response of brainstem reticular formation in PME and investigated the startle reflex in individuals with PME.

Electrophysiological findings in Rasmussen's syndrome.

Rasmussen syndrome is a rare, inflammatory and probably autoimmune disease presenting with epilepsia partialis continua which is generally in the form of myoclonic jerks and involves the upper extremities with or without head involvement. We sought to demonstrate the electrophysiological features in patients with Rasmussen syndrome. We performed continuous electrophysiological recordings of involuntary movement, as well as recordings of startle responses and long latency reflex in three patients with a diagnosis of Rasmussen syndrome.

Survey on Smoking, Consuming Alcohol, and using Illicit Drugs in Patients with Epilepsy.

Introduction: Addiction can be defined as the continuous consumption of addictive substances or repetition of certain behaviors despite adverse consequences. Epilepsy is associated with an increased risk of psychiatric disorders. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no published data regarding addictions in patients with epilepsy.

The role of sleep electroencephalography in patients with new onset epilepsy.

Purpose: An increased propensity for seizures is associated with different stages of the sleep-wake cycle. In this study, we prospectively analyzed patients with new-onset epilepsy and investigated the clinical correlates of the yield obtained from sleep electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in patients with a normal wakefulness EEG.

Methods: All patients admitted to our epilepsy unit due to unprovoked epileptic seizures and not yet treated with antiepileptic drugs were recruited consecutively for the last three years.

Blink reflex in progressive myoclonic epilepsies.

Purpose: Progressive myoclonic epilepsies (PME) include a heterogeneous group of disorders. The brainstem is involved in these disorders, as demonstrated by neuroimaging and autopsy studies. The blink reflex (BR) is characteristically elicited after supraorbital electrical stimulation.

Surgical and anesthesiological considerations of awake craniotomy: Cerrahpasa experience.

Aim: Awake craniotomy (AC) with electrical cortical stimulation has become popular during the last ten years although the basic principles were introduced almost 50 years ago. The aim of this paper is to share with the readers our experience in 25 patients who underwent AC with electrical stimulation.

Material And Methods: Twenty-five patients who underwent AC between 2010 and 2013 are the subjects of this paper.

Misdiagnosis of menstruation-related recurrent hypersomnia as epilepsy in a patient with generalized epileptic discharges.

Recurrent hypersomnias are very rare with two subtypes as Kleine-Levin syndrome and menstruation-related hypersomnia, which is very rarely encountered worldwide. Here, we report a young girl with menstruation-related recurrent hypersomnia, who was misdiagnosed as epilepsy due to co-existing generalized epileptic discharges. The importance of this comorbidity in terms of differential diagnosis of the attacks is discussed.

Auditory startle response is normal in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is hypothesized to originate from the dysfunction of thalamo-cortical circuit. We aimed to analyze any changes in auditory startle response in JME patients to determine the role of brainstem in JME. The responses of 18 JME patients to auditory simulation were recorded over the unilateral orbicularis oculi, masseter, sternocleidomastoid, and extremity muscles.

Re-emergent Tongue Tremor as the Presenting Symptom of Parkinson's Disease.

Background: The most common symptom of Parkinson's disease is the unilateral, typically resting tremor in body parts, most commonly in the upper extremities. However, this finding can spread to the other parts of the body like lips, chin, jaw and tongue during the course of the disease. Nevertheless, we have not come across any Parkinson's disease case presenting with tongue tremor in the literature.

Contribution of FDG-PET in epilepsy surgery: consistency and postoperative results compared with magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography.

Aim: Surgery is a treatment option for medically intractable epilepsy patients. Abnormalities in regional cerebral glucose metabolism, as identified by 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) have predictive prognostic value in evaluating the outcome of epilepsy surgery. This study investigated the efficacy of FDG-PET for delineation of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) by comparing its consistency with other diagnostic tools and surgical outcome.

A framework using multimodal imaging for longitudinal monitoring of patients in neuro-oncology. Application to a SPECT/MRI study.

This paper proposes a framework to assess the potential value of 99mTc Sestamibi SPECT in addition to Gadolinium-enhanced MRI for the monitoring of patients with high grade gliomas under antiangiogenic treatment. It includes: 1) multimodal and monomodal high precision registration steps achieved thanks to a registration strategy which selects the best method among several ones for each dataset, 2) tumor segmentation steps dedicated to each modality and 3) a tumor comparison step which consists in the computation of some global (volume, intensity) and local (matching and mismatching) quantitative indices to analyze the tumor using different imaging modalities and at different times during the treatment. Each step is checked via 2D and 3D visualization.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in probable Creutzfeld-Jacob disease: comparison with electroencephalography and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics.

Background: Creutzfeld-Jacob disease (CJD) is a rare, progressive disease that has a vast clinical manifestation range. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and measurement of 14-3-3 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may offer a pragmatic approach in the diagnosis of CJD as an alternative to histopathological confirmation.

Purpose: To present the symptoms and signs of the CJD patients in regard to radiological and neurophysiological findings.

[Interest and role of brain scintigraphy in the diagnosis of dementia in 2014].

Isotopic functional brain imaging is an important tool for the diagnosis and assessment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. This paper is a review of currently available radiotracers for PET and SPECT imaging, making a distinction between so-called topographical and pathophysiological markers. The respective indications and limitations of the ligands are presented.

An efficient strategy based on an individualized selection of registration methods. Application to the coregistration of MR and SPECT images in neuro-oncology.

An efficient registration strategy is described that aims to help solve delicate medical imaging registration problems. It consists of running several registration methods for each dataset and selecting the best one for each specific dataset, according to an evaluation criterion. Finally, the quality of the registration results, obtained with the best method, is visually scored by an expert as excellent, correct or poor.

Low-grade temporal gliomas: surgical strategy and long-term seizure outcome.

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are generally located in temporal lobe and cause medically-intractable seizure so that surgical treatment becomes inevitable. This study includes a retrospective analysis of our patients with temporal LGGs retrieved from our epilepsy surgery data base and tries to present appropriate surgical approach and long-term seizure and anti-epileptic drug (AED) outcomes. Fifty-three patients including children and adults underwent surgery on temporal lobe LGGs and 35 patients were reached to report seizure and AED outcomes.

A new strategy to improve coregistration of SPECT and MR images in patients with high grade glioma.

This paper proposes a new strategy to optimize the coregistration of Technetium-99m Sestamibi SPECT and MRI data in case of patients with high grade glioma. It consists in a personalized approach which selects, for each data set, the best registration method among several ones. To achieve this selection, a quantitative dedicated evaluation criterion based on the average intensities within specific anatomical structures corresponding to physiological areas of uptake of Sestamibi was defined.

End of the barbexaclone era: an experience of treatment withdrawal.

Barbexaclone is a salt compound of phenobarbital and propylhexedrine (a drug with indirect sympathomimetic properties). Due to the presence of the psychostimulating agent, propylhexedrine, this drug has less of a sedative effect and is well tolerated, compared to phenobarbital. Barbexaclone was widely used in Turkey until 2009 when its production ended, however, it gave rise to an epidemic for which we were not prepared.

Interobserver variability of seizure semiology between two neurologist and caregivers.

Purpose: We aimed to compare the extent of inter-observer variability in the description of seizure semiology between both neurologists and caregivers.

Method: We prospectively investigated 93 consecutive patients monitored over the past 5 years in our video-EEG unit. The videotaped seizures of the patients were reviewed independently by two neurologists who were blind to the clinical data.