AI Article Synopsis

  • Diagnosing basal ganglia and thalamus germinomas in children is challenging due to normal tumor markers and varied symptoms and imaging results.
  • Four male patients aged 8 to 15 were identified with germinomas, all developing hemiplegia, while one had additional cognitive and physical issues; most showed negative tumor markers.
  • Stereotactic brain biopsy is essential for confirming germinoma diagnoses, and ongoing neuroimaging helps distinguish between conditions and plan biopsies.

Article Abstract

Background: The early diagnosis of basal ganglia and thalamus germinomas is often difficult due to the absence of elevated tumor markers, and atypical clinical symptoms and neuroimaging features.

Case Summary: Four male children aged 8 to 15 years were diagnosed with germinomas in the basal ganglia and thalamus by stereotactic biopsy from 2017 to 2019. All patients developed hemiplegia except patient 4 who also had cognitive decline, speech disturbance, nocturnal enuresis, polydipsia, polyuria, precocious puberty and abnormalities of thermoregulation. All four cases were alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-HCG) negative except patient 3 who had slightly elevated β-HCG in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). No malignant cells were detected in the patients' CSF. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings were diverse in these patients with the exception of the unique and common characteristics of ipsilateral hemisphere atrophy, especially in the cerebral peduncle. All patients were diagnosed with germinomas of the basal ganglia and thalamus by stereotactic brain biopsy.

Conclusion: Stereotactic brain biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of ectopic germinomas. Serial neuroimaging studies can not only differentiate disease but also determine the biopsy site.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7559660PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v8.i19.4558DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

basal ganglia
16
ganglia thalamus
16
germinomas basal
12
diagnosed germinomas
8
thalamus stereotactic
8
stereotactic brain
8
germinomas
5
ganglia
4
thalamus
4
thalamus case
4

Similar Publications

Cognitive impairment affects memory, reasoning, and problem-solving, with early detection being critical for effective management. The amygdala, a key structure in emotional processing and memory, may play a pivotal role in detecting cognitive decline. This study examines differences in amygdala nuclei volumes in patients with varying levels of cognitive performance to evaluate its potential as a biomarker.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Our research aimed to assess if correlations could be found between items evaluated at the cerebral ultrasound performed at term-equivalent age (TEA) and neuro-motor outcomes evaluated at 12 and 24 months of corrected age in a group of preterm infants. The following were assessed: the Levine Index, the diagonals of the lateral ventricles, the size of the ventricular midbody, the sinocortical distance, the width of the basal ganglia, the cortical depth at the level of the cingular sulcus and the maturation of the gyral folding. The neurologic evaluation was performed at 12 and 24 months of corrected age, according to the Amiel Tison neurologic examination, and the items from the calendar of motor acquisitions were used as outcome measures of the study-gross and fine motor subsets.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Speech disorders encompass a complex interplay of neuroanatomical, genetic, and environmental factors affecting individuals' communication ability. This review synthesizes current insights into the neuroanatomy, genetic underpinnings, and environmental influences contributing to speech disorders. Neuroanatomical structures, such as Broca's area, Wernicke's area, the arcuate fasciculus, and basal ganglia, along with their connectivity, play critical roles in speech production, comprehension, and motor coordination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dopamine receptors (DRs) are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) found in the central nervous system (CNS). DRs are essential for mediating various downstream signaling cascades and play a critical role in regulating the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway, which is involved in motor control. Recently, mutations in DRD2 (WT), p.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Substance Transport, Signal Transduction, and Anti-Stress Regulation, as Well as Anti-Alkaline Regulation via in the Cerebral Ganglion of Chinese Mitten Crab Under Alkaline Stress.

Biology (Basel)

January 2025

Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuxi 214081, China.

(1) Background: Global climate change is intensifying, and the vigorous development and utilization of saline-alkali land is of great significance. As an important economic aquatic species in the context of saline-alkali aquaculture, it is highly significant to explore the regulatory mechanisms of under alkaline conditions. In particular, the brain (cerebral ganglion for crustaceans) serves as a vital regulatory organ in response to environmental stress; (2) Methods: In this study, a comparative transcriptome approach was employed to investigate the key regulatory genes and molecular regulatory mechanisms in the cerebral ganglion of under alkaline stress.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!