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Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Zentrum für Psychiatrie Südwürttemberg, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie I, Universität Ulm.

In the case of alternative psychosis and forced normalization, the patient alternates between periods of clinically manifest seizures and normal behavior, and other periods of seizure freedom (or significant seizure reduction) accompanied by psychosis or behavioral disturbances. Unlike the clinically defined alternative psychosis, forced normalization is based on EEG findings. In clinical practice and in the literature, both terms are mostly used synonymously, and they also describe the same clinical pictures. Read More

Seizure 2019 Feb 14;66:39-41. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, United States of America.

Purpose: Oral biting injuries are widely recognized complications of seizures. Value in differentiating epileptic vs paroxysmal non-epileptic seizures is well demonstrated, but frequency and semiological value are poorly described. We aimed to evaluate frequency in an epilepsy monitoring unit setting as well as semiological value. Read More

Emerg Med Australas 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Emergency Department, Mount Isa Base Hospital, Mornington, Queensland, Australia.

Non-fatal strangulation (NFS) can be a cause of severe injury. However, the prevalence and rates of injuries from NFS are unknown, as few victims present to medical attention after strangulation. As up to 40% of fatal strangulations have no external signs, and the majority of surviving victims have few or minor injuries, finding those people severely injured remains challenging. Read More

Childs Nerv Syst 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Pediatric Neurology, Mersin Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, 33343, Mersin, Turkey.

Introduction: Gelastic seizures are the type of seizures that are most commonly seen in childhood and should be excluded definitely in the differential diagnosis of hypothalamic hamartomas. This seizure type may be accompanied by refractory seizures, cognitive decline, and early puberty. However, etiology may also include other causes different than hypothalamic hamartomas. Read More

Child Neurol Open 2019 5;6:2329048X19826288. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion is a subtype of acute encephalopathy described in a cohort of Japanese children. Few cases have been reported in countries other than Japan. It is characterized clinically by biphasic seizures and late reduced subcortical diffusion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Read More

Nat Rev Neurol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Pediatrics and Rare Diseases Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.

Batten disease (also known as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses) constitutes a family of devastating lysosomal storage disorders that collectively represent the most common inherited paediatric neurodegenerative disorders worldwide. Batten disease can result from mutations in 1 of 13 genes. These mutations lead to a group of diseases with loosely overlapping symptoms and pathology. Read More

Pediatr Neurosurg 2019 Feb 15:1-8. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

Objective: This study aims to elucidate surgical risk factors in neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) with respect to wound site infection after spinal fusion.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients treated surgically for NMS between January 2008 and December 2016 (minimum 6 months' follow-up). A sub-cohort of 60 patients with minimum 2 years of follow-up data was also analyzed. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Jan 17;9(1):e024687. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Health Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Chuo City, Japan.

Objective: To calculate the incidence of hospitalisation due to acute respiratory failure, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), febrile seizures and encephalitis/encephalopathy among influenza-positive patients in Japan, where point-of-care tests are routinely used to diagnose influenza.

Design: A cross-sectional study using routinely collected data.

Setting: Japanese clinics and hospitals between 2012 and 2016. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Neurosurgery, Section for Pediatric Neurosurgery, University of Ulm, Germany.

Focal cortical dysplasia is a common cause of medically refractory epilepsy in infancy and childhood. We report a neonate with seizures occurring within the first day of life. Continuous video-EEG monitoring led to detection of left motor seizures and a right frontal EEG seizure pattern. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

National Epilepsy Center, NHO Shizuoka Institute of Epilepsy and Neurological Disorders, Shizuoka.

Several recent studies have reported potassium sodium-activated channel subfamily T member 1 (KCNT1) mutations in epilepsy patients on quinidine therapy. The efficacy and safety of quinidine for epilepsy treatment, however, remains controversial. We herein report the cases of four patients with KCNT1 mutations treated with quinidine. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Neurology and South Texas Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.

Since lacosamide was approved as an adjuvant agent for the treatment of medically refractory focal epilepsy over ten years ago, it is becoming more widely used for the treatment of idiopathic (genetic) generalized epilepsies. Several studies have demonstrated efficacy in reducing primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), but efficacy is less well-characterized for myoclonic and absence seizures. A 29-year-old man with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and medically refractory GTCS on a combination of levetiracetam and topiramate was started on lacosamide adjunctive therapy with the plan to replace topiramate. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Epilepsy Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

We comprehensively studied the clinical presentation, stereo-EEG and MRI findings, histopathological diagnosis, and brain somatic mutations in a retrospective series of drug-resistant patients with difficult-to-localize epilepsy due to focal cortical dysplasia at the bottom of a sulcus (BOS-FCD). We identified 10 patients with BOS-FCD from the Cleveland Clinic epilepsy surgery database submitted for intracranial video-EEG monitoring. Brain MRI, including voxel-based morphometric analysis and surgical tissue submitted for histopathology, was reviewed. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo.

Benign familial neonatal epilepsy (BFNE) is caused, in about 5% of families, by mutations in the KCNQ3 gene encoding voltage-gated potassium channel subunits. Usually, newborns with BFNE show a normal neurological outcome, but recently, refractory seizures and/or developmental disability have been reported suggesting phenotype variability associated with KCNQ3-related BFNE. Here, we describe a proband from a BFNE family carrying a novel variant in the KCNQ3 gene. Read More

Lancet 2019 Feb 14;393(10172):702-716. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK; Department of Neurology, the Walton Center NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.

Encephalitis is a condition of inflammation of the brain parenchyma, occurs as a result of infectious or autoimmune causes, and can lead to encephalopathy, seizures, focal neurological deficits, neurological disability, and death. Viral causes account for the largest proportion, but in the last decade there has been growing recognition of anti-neuronal antibody syndromes. This Seminar focuses on the diagnosis and management of acute encephalitis in adults. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2019 Feb 16;20(4). Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedicine and Health Sciences, Catholic Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea.

(HE), a culinary-medicinal mushroom, has shown therapeutic potential in many brain diseases. However, the role of HE in status epilepticus (SE)-mediated neuronal death and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of HE using a pilocarpine-induced SE model. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2019 Feb 16;93:7-11. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America; Minnesota Epilepsy Group, P.A., St. Paul, MN, United States of America.

Purpose: The prevalence and characteristics of seizure and epilepsy research published in nonneurology journals are unknown. Characterizing this published research allows for insight into the relevance of seizures and epilepsy in other specialties and may increase opportunity for cross-specialty collaboration.

Methods: In this observational study, we reviewed the top five highly cited clinical journals within eleven specialties in the InCites Journal Citation Reports (JCR) database (2016). Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2019 Feb 16;93:22-28. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate clinical characteristics and outcome of hemispherotomy in children and adolescents with hemispheric refractory epilepsy in an Italian cohort of patients.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical course and outcome of 92 patients with refractory epilepsy who underwent hemispherotomy in three Italian epilepsy centers between 2006 and 2016. Three different approaches for hemispherotomy were used: parasagittal, modified parasagittal, and lateral. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2019 Feb 16;93:16-21. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, United Kingdom; Academic Neurology Unit, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, United Kingdom.

Background: Seizure disorders affect not only the individual living with seizures, but also those caring for them. Carer-patient relationships may be influenced by, and have an influence on, some aspects of living with seizure disorders - with potentially different interactions seen in epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES).

Objectives: We studied the influence of patient and carer attachment style and relationship quality on carer wellbeing and psychological distress, and explored whether these associations differ between carers for people with epilepsy and for those with PNES. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2019 Feb 16;93:12-15. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Brazil. Electronic address:

Objective: The objective of this study was to verify if the presence of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) could be a risk factor precluding corticoamygdalohippocampectomy (CAH) in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) (TLE-MTS).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed medical data of patients with refractory TLE-MTS accompanied in a Brazilian epilepsy surgery center. Presurgical psychiatric evaluations were performed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria. Read More

PM R 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL; Northwestern University / Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.

Background: Simulation technology is being increasingly adopted into medical education and is consistently associated with positive effects on knowledge, skills, and patient-related outcomes. There is little evidence on the use of simulation technology for the instruction of urgent medical complications to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residents.

Objective: To examine whether a simulation-based educational program can improve PM&R resident confidence and knowledge in the assessment and management of urgent medical complications. Read More

J Neurooncol 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Neurology, Haaglanden Medical Center, PO Box 2191, 2501 VC, The Hague, The Netherlands.

Background: When glioma patients experience long-term seizure freedom the question arises whether antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) should be continued. As no prospective studies exist on seizure recurrence in glioma patients after AED withdrawal, we evaluated the decision-making process to withdraw AEDs in glioma patients, and seizure outcome after withdrawal.

Methods: Patients with a histologically confirmed low grade or anaplastic glioma were included. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2019 ;119(1):97-101

City Clinical Hospital #13, Moscow, Russia.

This article contains an analysis of clinical and experimental studies in which oxidative stress is considered as a possible mechanism in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Oxidative stress occurs as a result of brain damage after epileptic seizures and may later cause epileptogenesis. Patients with epilepsy showed a high level of lipid peroxidation markers, while the activity of antioxidant defense system was low. Read More

J Arthroplasty 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.

Background: The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model is the newest iteration of the bundled payment methodology introduced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model, while incentivizing providers to deliver care at a lower cost, does not incorporate any patient-level risk stratification. Our study evaluated the impact of specific medical co-morbidities on the cost of care in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients. Read More

Exp Clin Transplant 2019 Jan;17(Suppl 1):230-233

From the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology,Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Objectives: Our aim was to determine potentially adverse effects of immunosuppressive protocols after liver transplantation in children.

Materials And Methods: The medical records of 60 children who underwent liver transplant retrospectively analyzed. Corticosteroid, tacrolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil were the primary immunosuppressive agents used in our center. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2019 Feb 18;15(1):62. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonan-cho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan.

Background: Vitamin D-dependent rickets is rare in animals and humans. Several types of this condition are associated with genetic variants related to vitamin D metabolism. This is the first report of type 1B vitamin D-dependent rickets in a cat. Read More

Int J Neural Syst 2019 Jan 8:1850060. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

§ Department of Computer and Communication, National Pingtung University, 51 Min Sheng East Road, Pingtung, 90003, Taiwan.

Numerous nonepileptic paroxysmal events, such as syncope and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, may imitate seizures and impede diagnosis. Misdiagnosis can lead to mistreatment, affecting patients' lives considerably. Electroencephalography is commonly used for diagnosing epilepsy. Read More

Seizure 2019 Feb 8;66:31-35. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Purpose: Late-onset non-lesional focal epilepsy, defined as new-onset seizures in patients older than 60 years, is diagnosed increasingly more often in relation to aging of the population. It has been attributed mainly to occult cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), although high levels of evidence to support this notion are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the burden of leukoaraiosis, a marker of cerebral SVD, and hippocampal atrophy in patients with late-onset epilepsy (LOE). Read More

J Pain Symptom Manage 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Regional Centre of Excellence for Palliative Care, Western Norway, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine K1, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.

Context: Most patients with advanced malignant disease need to take several drugs to control symptoms. This treatment raises risks of serious adverse effects and drug-drug interactions (DDIs).

Objectives: To identify studies reporting clinically significant DDIs involving medications used for symptom control, other than opioids used for pain management, in adult patients with advanced malignant disease. Read More

Exp Neurol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France.

Recent trials of chronic EEG in humans showed that epilepsy is a cyclical disorder of the brain with rhythms at multiple time-scales: circadian, multi-day (multidien) or even seasonal. Here, we analyzed chronic EEG data (>30 days) in male epileptic rats and unraveled not only circadian but also, slower, multidien rhythms of interictal epileptiform activity with periodicity of about 2-3 and 5-7 days. Importantly, seizures were not uniformly distributed over time, but rather clustered at preferential phases of these underlying rhythms, delineating critical circadian times and multidien phase of heightened seizure risk. Read More

J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2019 Mar/Apr;55(2):e55202. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

From the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (S.D.M., F.F., L.M., G.G., R.S. L.P.); Department of Pathobiology (G.C.M.G.) and Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals (M.A.T., B.P.M.), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; and Clinica Veterinaria dell'Orologio, Sasso Marconi, Italy (F.R.).

No standardized treatment guidelines are reported in veterinary medicine for dogs with large pituitary corticotroph neoplasms causing neurological signs, and such dogs usually have a short overall survival. When these dogs undergo pituitary surgery and the tumor regrows there are few reports of subsequent treatments. A 7 yr old male Maltese diagnosed with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism developed seizures in conjunction with a large pituitary corticotroph adenoma and underwent transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. Read More

J Intellect Disabil Res 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (Kings Health Partners), Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK.

Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a complex multisystem genetic disorder. Approximately 84% of people with TSC have epilepsy. However, there is little literature available regarding families' experiences with TSC and seizure management. Read More

Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med 2019 Feb 4;3(1):69-70. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Emergency Medicine, Pariyaram, Kerala, India.

Hemodial Int 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Nephrology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and severe hyponatremia always pose a challenge to manage. It is necessary to correct biochemical parameters, advanced azotemia, and fluid overload with conventional haemodialysis (HD) but it may correct serum sodium (Na) rapidly resulting in neurological complications like seizures and osmotic demyelination syndrome. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an ideal modality to manage such patients. Read More

J Neuroendocrinol 2019 Feb 18:e12697. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Stress is among the most frequently self-reported factors provoking epileptic seizures in children and adults. It is still unclear though, why some people display stress-sensitive seizures while others don't. Recently, we showed that young epilepsy patients with stress-sensitive seizures exhibit a dysregulated hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis. Read More

J Intellect Disabil Res 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.

Background: Rearrangement of the 1q21 region of chromosome 1 manifests as multiple phenotypes, including microcephaly, intellectual disability, dysmorphic facial features, eye abnormalities, cardiac defects, genitourinary anomalies, autism spectrum disorder, psychiatric conditions and seizures. Herein, we describe eight patients with 1q21 deletion and duplication syndromes, and novel deletions and findings.

Methods: Chromosomal microarray analysis was performed to identify the existence of copy number variation. Read More

Curr Treat Options Neurol 2019 Feb 18;21(2). Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio State University, 611 E Livingston Avenue FB4, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to report recent advances in treatment of neonatal seizures, with a specific focus on new literature since a 2013 systematic review performed by this author (Slaughter) and others. There is a paucity of data with regard to well-defined status epilepticus (SE) in neonates, so treatment of recurrent seizures was also included in this inquiry. We aimed to summarize the efficacy and safety profiles of current therapeutic options as well as describe trends in medication selection in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Clinical and Translational Science Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States of America.

Depression affects a large proportion of patients with epilepsy, and is likely due in part to biological mechanism. Hormonal dysregulation due to the disruptive effects of seizures and interictal epileptiform discharges on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis likely contributes to high rates of depression in epilepsy. This paper reviews the largely unexplored role of neuroendocrine factors in epilepsy-related depression, focusing on Growth Hormone (GH). Read More

Lancet Neurol 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Background: Seizures and their consequences contribute to the burden of epilepsy because they can cause health loss (premature mortality and residual disability). Data on the burden of epilepsy are needed for health-care planning and resource allocation. The aim of this study was to quantify health loss due to epilepsy by age, sex, year, and location using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study. Read More

Seizure 2019 Feb 11;66:22-25. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term outcome of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), who never visited a psychologist and never received a proper therapy for their condition (due to lack of resources). We also aimed to investigate factors potentially associated with the outcome in these patients.

Methods: We studied all patients with PNES, who were admitted to the epilepsy monitoring unit at the Shiraz Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, from 2008 until 2013. Read More

Seizure 2018 Dec 19;66:15-21. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Departments of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Purpose: Cranioplasty can improve a patient's psychosocial and cognitive functions after decompressive craniectomy, however seizures are a common complication after cranioplasty. The risk factors for early and late seizures after cranioplasty are unclear. This study is to evaluate the risk factors for early and late seizure after cranioplasty. Read More

Comput Biol Med 2019 Feb 10;107:30-38. Epub 2019 Feb 10.

Bio, Electro And Mechanical Systems (BEAMS), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address:

Physiological models are attractive for seizure detection, as their parameters are related to physiological meanings. We propose an algorithm to early detect epileptic seizures based on automatic estimation of average synaptic gains (excitatory Ae, slow and fast inhibitory B and G) by combining clinical data with a neural mass model. Three indices (Ae/B, Ae/G and Ae/(B + G)), all related to excitation/inhibition balance, were calculated and used as cues to detect seizures. Read More

Brain Stimul 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

CHU Lille, Hôpital Fontan, Department of Psychiatry, F-59000, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, CNRS UMR-9193, SCALab - Sciences Cognitives et Sciences Affectives, France; Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Introduction: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are paroxysms of either altered subjective or objective manifestations that may mimic epileptic seizures (ES), without abnormal neuronal epileptiform activity. In this report, we present the case of a 39-year-old woman with PNES and functional movement disorders, who was successfully treated with neuro-guided transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Methods: We used a PET-guided tDCS approach, as a hypometabolism of the frontal region was revealed by FDG TEP scan. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2019 Mar 8;178:93-96. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Department of Cerebrovascular Surgery, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Hidaka, Japan. Electronic address:

Objective: The aim of the study was to better define the incidence of and risk factors for early seizures after repair of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in modern microsurgical techniques.

Patients And Methods: The medical records of 414 consecutive patients who underwent neck clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in our institution over a 5-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and neuroimaging variables were analyzed to investigate putative predictors of perioperative seizures using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Read More

Epilepsy Res 2019 Feb 5;151:31-39. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia(2). Electronic address:

Severe paediatric epilepsies such as CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder (CDD) are extremely debilitating, largely due to the early-onset and refractory nature of the seizures. Existing treatment options are often ineffective and associated with a host of adverse effects, causing those that are affected to seek alternative treatments. Cannabis based products have attracted significant attention over recent years, primarily driven by reports of miraculous cures and a renewed public preference for 'natural' therapies, thus placing intense pressure on health professionals and the government for regulatory change. Read More

Eur J Med Genet 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Division of Pediatric Neurology, Developmental Medicine and Social Pediatrics, Dr. von Haunersches Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße4, 80337, Munich, Germany; Comprehensive Epilepsy Center for Children, Adolescents and Adults, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: KCNQ2 related disorders comprise both benign seizure disorders and early onset epileptic encephalopathies. Especially within the latter group, patients suffer from refractory seizures to standard antiepileptic drugs and developmental delay. Besides the hope of personalized medical approaches to treat the recently unraveled large amount of genetic channelopathies, there are sparse systematic data on treatment responses in KCNQ2 related epilepsy in larger cohorts. Read More

Neurosurg Rev 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No.119 South 4th Ring West Road, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China.

This retrospective study explored the risk factors for the occurrence of seizures in the pre- and postoperative period in patients undergoing supratentorial meningiomas surgery to investigate those who are likely to benefit from prophylactic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). We reviewed the medical records of 778 supratentorial meningiomas patients who were operated at our institution between 2011 and 2012. A total of 100 (12. Read More

J Clin Pharm Ther 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Division of Pharmacy, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.

What Is Known And Objective: Determination of phenobarbital (PB) dosing during continuous haemodiafiltration (CHDF) requires evaluation of both the patient's own clearance and CHDF clearance.

Case Description: Systemic clearance of PB in a 9-year-old female patient with Dravet syndrome, who was undergoing CHDF, was calculated by the Sawchuk-Zaske method, and clearance by CHDF was calculated as the difference between PB levels in influx and efflux, adjusted for the blood purification conditions. Dosage adjustment produced seizure control. Read More

Epilepsia 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, Urbana, Illinois.

Objective: Viral encephalitis increases the risk for developing seizures and epilepsy. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (Ido1) is induced by inflammatory cytokines and functions to metabolize tryptophan to kynurenine. Kynurenine can be further metabolized to produce kynurenic acid and the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor agonist quinolinic acid (QuinA). Read More

J Pediatr Urol 2019 Jan 19. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Medicine Hospital Department of Urology, Biruni University, İstanbul, Turkey.

Introduction: Circumcision is one of the most frequently applied surgical procedures all over the world and a number of techniques and devices have been described concerning its method. Especially in developing countries where circumcision has been performed intensively under local anaesthesia, the thermocautery device developed to perform circumcisions in a short time and safely has found a widespread application.

Objective: We aim to share our experiences concerning application principles of the thermocautery device so as to be able to achieve better cosmetic results with lower complication rates. Read More

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Number 1, Youyi Road Yuzhong District, 400042, Chongqing, China. Electronic address:

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its receptor, GLP-1R, are valuable tools in the therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although GLP-1R stimulation is also potentially applicable to neurological disorders, few investigators have evaluated its beneficial effects in neurological disease models. Thus, we aimed to look into the antiepileptic effects of GLP-1R on epilepsy and its underlying mechanisms. Read More