Neurology Diagnostics

Posts Tagged ‘Neurological Disorders’

The “headache associated with sexual activity” is a disease that affects 1% of people at some point in their lives. In it, 75% are young men. The importance of treatment.

In some cases, to initiate actions leading to sexual intercourse or, worse, at the right time of orgasm appears inappropriate, severe headache that surprises and frightens the person who has it. It’s called “headache associated with sexual activity.”

This is not a very common ailment. According to several international surveys, there is only 1% of people at some time in their lives, predominantly in young men but also can get them, to a lesser extent, adolescents or women. And not only appears to keep sex with a partner, you can also surprise you masturbate alone. Read the rest of this entry »

Neurological diseases are disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves throughout the body. Taken together, these organs control all body functions. When something goes wrong somewhere in the nervous system, you may have difficulty moving, speaking, swallowing, breathing or learning. There may also be problems with memory, senses or mood.

There are more than 600 neurological disorders. The most recognized include:

* Diseases caused by defective genes, such as Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy

* Problems with nervous system development, such as spina bifida

* Degenerative disease in which nerve cells are damaged or die, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease

* Diseases of the blood vessels supplying the brain, such as stroke

* Injuries to the spinal cord and brain

* Seizure disorders such as epilepsy

* Cancer, such as brain tumors

* Infections such as meningitis

The results of a study published in the journal Neurology suggests that the declaration of brain death occurs under certain complex circumstances, and is usually performed on patients who are hemodynamically unstable, requiring vasopressors and vasopressin.

In many cases, the apnea test can be completed successfully. In those who could not successfully carry out other tests are required to confirm brain death.

To determine this result performed a detailed review of 228 patients who were declared brain dead at the Mayo Clinic between 1996 and 2007.

Most of these cases were the result of a traumatic brain injury (32%) or intracerebral hematoma, or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (39%).

Brain death was declared within 24 hours after admission in 69 patients (30%), 1 to 2 days after admission in 47 patients (21%), between day 2 and 3 in 26 patients (11 %), and after three days in 86 patients (38%).

The proof of apnea can not be done in 16 patients because haemodynamic instability or poor oxygenation at baseline.

Traumatic brain injury in patients with multiple trauma were more significant for patients who could not perform, or in which they had to stop, the apnea test than those who could complete the test.

Positive effects of treadmill training in children with cerebral palsy

The treadmill training with or without partial suspension system achieves a positive weight on the role and spatial parameters of gait in children with cerebral palsy (ICP) and also seems to cause no adverse events.

However, in comparison with other methods of physical therapy, placebo or no treatment, the results of this study are, in most cases, not significant.

In this article, published in Journal of Neurology, included the results of randomized controlled trials or non-randomized controlled trials but autoemparejados from various databases.

Specifically, it included six articles and 127 participants were recruited.

In the systematic review the authors found some limitations that require careful reading of the information provided.

Of the constraints encountered, include the small number of items that recruit few patients, and in addition there is a large clinical diversity, many of these trials did not describe relevant data necessary for critical reading.

The way in which some patients experience delirium, a confusional state, predicted mortality, according to a study by the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew Senior Life.

Patients with severe hypoactive delirium, characterized by a slowdown or lack of movement and apathy, are the worst survival rates for the next six months, regardless of illness suffered.

People with slightly hypoactive delirium are more likely to die than other patients with milder symptoms.

The study, published in the journal Psichosomatics, is the first to correlate the subtypes of delirium caracteríticas or the severity of the disease.

The four sub-types of delirium are normal hypoactive, hyperactive, and mixed types combining trade items hiccups and hyperactive.

By using two standard screening tools, the researchers examined whether the classic psychomotor subtypes of delirium are reflected in the severity of delirium. In addition, it examined whether the subtypes were able to predict mortality.

Role of the posterior intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus in cognitive processes

The caudal intralaminar nuclei (ILP) of the thalamus are excellent candidates for the investigation of cognitive processes on the core area of psychobiology and clinical neuroscience due to its neuroanatomic and neurophysiological features, and its functional implications.

Are important components of the so-called brain activation systems, such as the ascending reticular activating system and the system of the basal ganglia-thalamic-cortical.

Although considered as functionally homogeneous, non-specific action, anatomical and functional relationships regular processes allow them to attention, learning and memory.

Experimental studies show that lesions of the parafascicular nucleus of rodents or centromedian parafascicular complex of primates to interfere with the processes of care and decrease the ability of learning and memory in different types of tasks.

The fact that there was a significant loss of neurons in the nuclei ILP in some pathologies with cognitive impairment, such as diencephalic amnesia, dementia, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease and disorders of the states of consciousness, seems also participation in cognitive processes mentioned.

Meralgia paresthetica (MP) or femoral nerve sensory neuropathy (NFC) is a relatively common disease, especially in pregnant women or men who have gained weight.

The MP is manifested by burning or tingling sensation unpleasant side or the outer thigh, never below the knee. This discomfort can be permanent and may worsen at night or when you are calmer, and although not disabling, can become very annoying.

The NFC is born of the union of several roots arising from the lumbar spine (L2L3) and running through the abdomen and pelvis from the most dorsal up to the groin, where does the NFC and its branches is given to the sensitivities of the lateral or outer thigh.

The NFC may be compressed by the uterus during pregnancy, especially in more advanced stages of pregnancy. Sometimes, in people who have risen sharply in weight, the NFC is compressed in its output in the groin, l which can also cause the symptoms of MP. Read the rest of this entry »

Statins (Lipitor, Pravachol, Zocor, Crestor, etc.) Should be initiated early after a first stroke (AC) or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

These drugs not only decrease the risk of a new cerebrovascular event, but also reduce the risk of coronary events, even in patients without history of cardiovascular disease.

This follows from the SPARCL study (Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels) presented at the 15th European Stroke Conference in mid last year.

Statins have been used traditionally to normalize cholesterol levels in patients with dyslipidemia.

However, the evidence of this scientific work shows that the statin (Lipitor) has benefits beyond just reducing LDL “bad” or LDL, but even in patients with normal total cholesterol, this drug prevents the possibility of a new stroke or coronary event. Read the rest of this entry »

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an arrhythmia that is associated with stroke (AC) by emboli from the heart.

This arrhythmia causes turbulence in the atrium or left atrium, which helps the formation of thrombi or clots that travel through the aorta to the brain, causing blockage of a cerebral artery and finally AC.

To prevent AC in patients with AF, can handle a blood thinner such as warfarin or acenocoumarol, or simply aspirin.

In under 75 years it is clear that thinner is better than aspirin in preventing AC in patients with AF. But over 75 years, the benefit is lower, increasing the risk of bleeding from anticoagulant, sometimes fatal.

The study BAFTA (Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the Aged) compared Warfarin versus aspirin in patients over 75 years with AF and showed that warfarin is superior to aspirin in the Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation, as long as they keep a good control of anticoagulation, which should be indicated by blood tests regularly calls the prescribing physician.

The results were published in the journal Lancet on August 11, 2007 and had previously been released in Glasgow, at the 16th European Stroke Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where I was fortunate to attend.

The PFP is more than two thirds of cases of viral origin, and therefore has been suggested that the early use of prednisone (steroid) and acyclovir (antiviral) would have some utility in the treatment of early-stage, marked by facial nerve inflammation.

On October 18, 2007 was published in the New England Journal of Medicine a double-blind study compared the effects of prednisone and acyclovir in Bell’s palsy or facial nerve palsy (PFP).

The study was conducted in Scotland led by Dr. Frank M. Sullivan, of the Scottish School of Primary Care at the University of Dundee, Scotland.

A 94.4% of patients receiving prednisone within 72 hours of the start of the PFP, had an excellent performance in following up to 9 months. 85.4% of those who received acyclovir had an excellent performance. Read the rest of this entry »