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Med Clin North Am 2019 Mar;103(2):351-356

Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address:

Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders. It is characterized by a bilateral action tremor of the upper limbs. It may be accompanied by tremor of the head, voice, or lower limbs. Read More

Med Clin North Am 2019 Mar 3;103(2):337-350. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

The diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) is based on the presence of bradykinesia and either resting tremor or rigidity and there should be no features from the history or examination to suggest an alternative cause of parkinsonism. In addition to the motor manifestations of PD, there is a long list of nonmotor symptoms, several of which occur before motor signs and are considered "prodromal" PD. These are classified as neuropsychiatric, autonomic, sleep, and sensory. Read More

Neurosurgery 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Neurosurgery, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Background: Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the dorsolateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a well-established surgical treatment for patients with Parkinson disease (PD), there is still controversy about the relationship between the functional segregation of the STN and clinical outcomes.

Objective: To correlate motor and neuropsychological (NPS) outcomes with the overlap between the volume of activated tissue (VAT) and the tractography-defined regions within the STN.

Methods: Retrospective study evaluating 13 patients with PD treated with STN-DBS. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Center for Neurological Restoration, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Significant advances in the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson disease (PD) have occurred since the discovery of levodopa (LD). Perhaps as a testament to its unparalleled efficacy, novel formulations aiming to optimize LD delivery to obtain better bioavailability, longer duration of effect and less plasma level fluctuations remain a major focus of drug development, nearly 5 decades since it was first commercially used. In addition, alternative apomorphine delivery formulations are also in development to provide rapid-acting, needle-free agents for the management of "off" episodes in patients experiencing motor fluctuations. Read More

Mov Disord 2019 Feb 17;34(2):180-198. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ, USA.

Objective: To update evidence-based medicine recommendations for treating nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Background: The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Evidence-Based Medicine Committee's recommendations for treatments of PD were first published in 2002, updated in 2011, and now updated again through December 31, 2016.

Methods: Level I studies testing pharmacological, surgical, or nonpharmacological interventions for the treatment of nonmotor symptoms in PD were reviewed. Read More

Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2018 16;96(6):353-363. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Neurology, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

Before the advent of levodopa, pallidotomy was initially the most effective treatment for Parkinson disease, but it was soon superseded by thalamotomy. It is widely unknown that, similar to Leksell, 2 neurologists from Göttingen, Orthner and Roeder, perpetuated pallidotomy against the mainstream of their time. Postmortem studies demonstrated that true posterior and ventral pallidoansotomy sparing the overwhelming mass of the pallidum was accomplished. Read More

Mov Disord Clin Pract 2018 Nov-Dec;5(6):586-596. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic, Brain and Mind Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease; however, to date, there is no approved treatment that stops or slows down disease progression. Over the past decades, neuroimaging studies, including molecular imaging and MRI are trying to provide insights into the mechanisms underlying PD.

Methods: This work utilized a literature review. Read More

Int J Med Inform 2019 Feb 26;122:45-54. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Surgical and Medical Science, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address:

Background And Objective: Neurodegenerative diseases are disorders that affect neurons in the brain resulting in a debilitating condition and progressive degeneration of nerve cells. These diseases involve different aspects among which speech impairment. Vocal signal analysis is used to evaluate this impairment and to discriminate normal from pathological voices. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 23;9:1011. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

Hospital Clínico, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

We report a successful bilateral globus pallidus internus-deep brain stimulation (GPi-DBS) for a Parkinson disease (PD) patient with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) and an unusually long anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) line. A 54-year-old man presented with a history of 3 months of severe shuffling gait, rigidity, slow movements of the left side limbs, and difficulty managing finances. A brain MRI revealed marked ventriculomegaly (Evans index = 0. Read More

Gac Med Mex 2018 ;154(6):719-726

Laboratorio Clínico de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. Secretaría de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México, México.

The original description of what currently is known as Parkinson's disease was published 200 years ago. During both these centuries, knowledge on symptomatology, pathophysiology, genetics and pharmaceutical and surgical treatment has significantly increased; however, this nosological entity continues to be of imprecise origin and progressive evolution. In the present review, the historical events that contributed to describe and improve the understanding of this disease are summarized. Read More

PLoS Comput Biol 2018 12 6;14(12):e1006606. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America.

In this paper, we present a novel Bayesian adaptive dual controller (ADC) for autonomously programming deep brain stimulation devices. We evaluated the Bayesian ADC's performance in the context of reducing beta power in a computational model of Parkinson's disease, in which it was tasked with finding the set of stimulation parameters which optimally reduced beta power as fast as possible. Here, the Bayesian ADC has dual goals: (a) to minimize beta power by exploiting the best parameters found so far, and (b) to explore the space to find better parameters, thus allowing for better control in the future. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Introduction: Optimal surgical strategy for patients with tremor remains uncertain. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating randomized controlled trials of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and lesion surgery (LS) in the treatment of tremor.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane database to include randomized clinical trials with either LS, deep brain stimulation, or controls. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Jan 22;59:29-31. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Neurosurgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.

Peri-electrode edema can occur after deep brain stimulation (DBS). The diagnosis and management of peri-electrode edema may be challenging. We herein report non-infectious peri-electrode edema after the placement of DBS electrodes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Read More

Asian J Neurosurg 2018 Oct-Dec;13(4):1252-1253

Department of Neurosurgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy.

Skin erosion and infection are common but serious problems in deep brain stimulation (DBS). They can lead to the removal of the entire DBS device and consequently stop the entire treatment. Of critical importance, therefore, is to find surgical solutions that allow to leave the complex DBS device in place when medical treatment fails in repeated skin complications, to allow continuing treatment in otherwise pharmacological refractory patients. Read More

Mov Disord 2019 Jan 19;34(1):124-129. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Tri-State Neurosurgery, Willis Knighton Health System, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.

Introduction: Medically intractable tremors are a common, difficult clinical situation. Deep brain stimulation decreases Parkinson's disease resting tremor and essential tremor, but not all patients are candidates from a diagnostic, medical, or social standpoint, prompting the need for alternative surgical strategies.

Methods: We describe 13 patients with medically intractable tremor treated with laser interstitial thermal thalamotomy performed under general anesthesia using live MRI-guidance and the Clearpoint stereotactic system. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 31;9:906. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Department of Neurology, Faculty of Health Science, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) has been an established method in improvement of motor disabilities in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. It has been also claimed to have an impact on balance and gait disorders in PD patients, but the previous results are conflicting. The aim of this prospective controlled study was to evaluate the impact of STN-DBS on balance disorders in PD patients in comparison with Best-Medical-Therapy (BMT) and Long-term-Post-Operative (POP) group. Read More

Neuroimage Clin 2018 3;20:1246-1254. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. Electronic address:

Objective: To investigate the spatial and temporal pattern of cortical responses evoked by deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (VIM).

Methods: We investigated 7 patients suffering from Essential tremor (ET) and 7 patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) following the implantation of DBS electrodes (VIM for ET patients, STN for PD patients). Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to record cortical responses evoked by electric stimuli that were applied via the DBS electrode in trains of 5 Hz. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 25;9:893. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli, " Naples, Italy.

Impulse control behaviors (ICB) are recognized as non-motor complications of dopaminergic medications in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Compelling evidence suggests that ICB are not merely due to the PD-related pathology itself. Several risk factors have been identified, either demographic, clinical, genetic or neuropsychological. Read More

Neuroimage Clin 2018 16;20:1123-1128. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States. Electronic address:

Background: Implantation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes for the treatment of involuntary movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, routinely relies on the use of intraoperative electrophysiological confirmation to identify the optimal therapeutic target in the brain. However, only a few options exist to visualize the relative anatomic localization of intraoperative electrophysiological recordings with respect to post-operative imaging. We have developed a novel processing pipeline to visualize intraoperative electrophysiological signals registered to post-operative neuroanatomical imaging. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2018 Oct 4;33(44):e279. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a new emerging neurosurgical procedure applied in a wide range of clinical fields. It can generate high-intensity energy at the focal zone in deep body areas without requiring incision of soft tissues. Although the effectiveness of the focused ultrasound technique had not been recognized because of the skull being a main barrier in the transmission of acoustic energy, the development of hemispheric distribution of ultrasound transducer phased arrays has solved this issue and enabled the performance of true transcranial procedures. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2018 ;118(6. Vyp. 2):99-104

Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.

The hardware-software system of differential diagnosis and evaluation of the efficacy of treatment of a number of extrapyramidal diseases (Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, idiopathic cervical dystonia) is based on the methodology of special processing of the electrical activity of muscles (EMG). The system defines the diagnosis for each investigated muscle, and determine various forms of extrapyramidal diseases including early preclinical ones. The system allows viewing the dynamics of changes in the patient's state, both in numerical characteristics and in the graphic interpretation, and evaluates the efficacy of various forms of treatment (medicament, surgical, etc. Read More

Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol 2018 Jun 2;32(2):187-202. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Department of Anesthesiology, LSU Health Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA. Electronic address:

Psychotropic medications are widely prescribed by clinicians as both primary therapy for a variety of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and as adjunctive analgesics for use in the perioperative period. It is critical to understand various modes of action, drug-drug interactions, side effects, and clinical implications. Health care providers must understand how these medications interact with anesthetics, as well as other drugs used in perioperative care. Read More

Drugs Aging 2018 12;35(12):1041-1054

Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal.

End-of-dose motor fluctuations are regarded as one of the core troublesome symptoms by patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Treatment of levodopa (L-dopa)-induced motor fluctuations is still an unmet medical need. L-dopa is the gold standard in the treatment of motor PD symptoms; notwithstanding, a wide range of adjunct therapies are currently available for the treatment of end-of-dose motor fluctuations. Read More

Neurosci Lett 2019 01 11;690:83-88. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

L-dopa-induced dyskinesias (LID) is a common motor side effect of levodopa therapy of Parkinson's disease (PD). The identified predictors may only partially account for the risk of developing LID and genetic factors may contribute to this variability. The present study is aimed to investigate whether polymorphisms in the dopamine transporter gene (DAT) are associated with the risk of developing LID. Read More

Int Rev Neurobiol 2018 19;141:405-438. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy; MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy. Electronic address:

Among modern neuroimaging modalities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely available, non-invasive, and cost-effective method to detect structural and functional abnormalities related to neurodegenerative disorders. In the last decades, MRI have been widely implemented to support PD diagnosis as well as to provide further insights into motor and non-motor symptoms pathophysiology, complications and treatment-related effects. Different aspects of the brain morphology and function may be derived from a single scan, by applying different analytic approaches. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 4;121:e654-e660. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Department of Neurosurgery, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, King's Health Partners, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.

Objective: Patients' expectations are considered to play an important role in subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS). We explored the relationship among expectations, satisfaction, and outcome 6 years after surgery.

Methods: Fifteen patients with Parkinson disease (9 males, mean age 60. Read More

Int J Spine Surg 2018 Jan 30;12(1):15-21. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly develop severe spinal deformity, including scoliosis, antecollis, camptocormia, and Pisa syndrome. The etiology of PD-associated spinal deformity is not completely understood and in most cases is likely due to multiple interrelated factors, including central dystonia and focal myopathy. Once spinal deformity has occurred, surgery is often the only modality that can correct the condition, although control of the movement disorder through medication and deep brain stimulation may slow progression. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 18;120:e1217-e1224. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is advocated in patients with advanced Parkinson disease. Intraoperative microelectrode recordings (MER) and stimulation or imaging are applied to confirm electrode targeting. The study objective was to evaluate which intraoperative electrophysiologic marker, MER, stimulation, or local field potentials (LFP) was the most predictive of the clinical efficacy. Read More

Medwave 2018 Sep 12;18(5):e7242. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Proyecto Epistemonikos, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Neurología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Email: Address: Centro Evidencia UC, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Diagonal Paraguay 476, Santiago, Chile.

Introduction: There are many patients with Parkinson's disease who have a limited response to conventional pharmacological treatment. The use of stem cells has been postulated as an alternative, although its effectiveness remains a matter of controversy.

Methods: To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. Read More

Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi 2018 Aug;32(8):1032-1037

Department of Orthopedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan, 610041,

Objective: To review the progress of perioperative treatments for patients of Parkinson's disease and hip fractures.

Methods: The related literature of treatments for patients of Parkinson's disease and hip fractures were reviewed and analyzed from the aspects such as the perioperative management, selection of operation ways, and prognosis.

Results: The patients of Parkinson's disease are more likely to sustain hip fractures because of postural instability and osteoporosis. Read More

Brain Imaging Behav 2018 Sep 20. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy.

Apathy is commonly reported in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). In our meta-analysis we analysed a total of 41 studies to identify brain patterns associated with apathy. For these purposes we used activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Jan 17;121:e129-e135. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Research Center for Neuromodulation and Pain, Kowsar Hospital, Shiraz, Iran.

Objective: To report the establishment of a new center for deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a surgical treatment for Parkinson disease and the surgical outcomes, from 2014 to 2017 in Shiraz, Southern Iran.

Methods: A new treatment program was established in Shiraz through a multidisciplinary team in 2014. Thirty-four patients underwent implantation of subthalamic nucleus (STN) electrodes during the last 3 years. Read More

Mov Disord 2018 Aug;33(8):1228-1235

Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Among movement disorders and medicine in general, PD is one of the conditions for which there is a greater knowledge of the placebo and nocebo responses. In other movement disorders, the knowledge of placebo and nocebo responses is less. An advance in this field is expected to contribute to a better understanding of the nature of a therapeutic benefit in clinical research and clinical practice, and mechanisms of placebo and nocebo. Read More

Rev Neurol (Paris) 2018 Nov 14;174(9):615-620. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Service de neurologie et pathologie du mouvement, UMR 7289 CNRS Aix-Marseille université, institut de neurosciences de la Timone, CHU Timone, Marseille, boulevard, Jean-Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France. Electronic address:

Stereotactic surgery is an increasingly popular option for disabling tremors whenever it is insufficiently improved by drug treatment. Surgical approaches are expanding. Thalamic deep brain stimulation is one of the most efficacious treatments. Read More

Neurodegener Dis Manag 2018 10 18;8(5):337-348. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Department of Otolaryngology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA.

The prevalence of speech disorders among individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) has been reported to be as high as 89%. Speech impairment in PD results from a combination of motor and nonmotor deficits. The production of speech depends upon the coordination of various motor activities: respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance and prosody. Read More

Georgian Med News 2018 Jul-Aug(280-281):11-16

SI "Institute of Neurosurgery named after acad. A. P. Romodanov of the NAMS of Ukraine", Kyiv, Ukraine.

Aim - to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic pallidotomy and bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of subthalamic nuclei (STN) in patients with Parkinson disease with motor fluctuations and levodopa-induced dyskinesias. 36 patients (age range 31-73 years (mean age 56.2±3. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2018 Aug 28. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Department of Neurology, Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: To compare subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) with globus pallidus interna (GPi) DBS for tremor suppression in Parkinson disease (PD).

Background: DBS is an effective surgical therapy that has been shown to provide significant benefit for motor symptoms in PD. Currently, two main structures targeted to treat motor complications in PD are the STN and GPi. Read More

Rinsho Shinkeigaku 2018 Sep 31;58(9):570-573. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University.

A 68-year-old man, who had received Billroth II gastrojejunostomy because of duodenal ulcer at the age of 20, was diagnosed to have Parkinson's disease at age 57 years. The drug therapy has been effective in the first 10 years, however, recently he was suffering from troublesome dyskinesia and wearing-off in spite of diligent drug adjustments. Although the indication of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) treatment was good, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was difficult because of abdominal adhesion. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Nov 28;57:26-32. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Neuroscience Institute, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA.

Clinical decision making is susceptible to biases and can be improved with the application of predictive models and decision support systems (DSS). The purpose of this study was to develop a predictive risk stratification model and DSS that could accurately predict whether a patient was likely to be of high- or low-acuity discharge disposition (DD) status subsequent to DBS surgery. Data were collected for 135 DBS patients by reviewing medical records. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Aug;97(35):e12153

Department of Neurosurgery.

Objective: This meta-analysis assessed the long-term efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus interna (GPi) for Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Trials databases were searched. Outcomes were unified Parkinson disease rating scale section (UPDRS) III off-medication score, Parkinson's disease questionnaire: 39 activities of daily living (PDQ-39 ADL) score, and levodopa-equivalent dosage after DBS. Read More

Rev Med Chil 2018 May;146(5):562-569

Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.

Background: Deep brain stimulation is an essential therapeutic tool in Parkinson's disease.

Aim: To assess the results of a series of patients with Parkinson's disease treated with micro-electrode guided subthalamic nucleus stimulation.

Material And Methods: Twenty patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease were studied (10 males). Read More

PLoS One 2018 22;13(8):e0201469. Epub 2018 Aug 22.

Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) requires accurate localization of the anatomical target structure, and the precise placement of the DBS electrode within it. Ultra-high field 7 Tesla (T) MR images can be utilized to create patient-specific anatomical 3D models of the subthalamic nuclei (STN) to enhance pre-surgical DBS targeting as well as post-surgical visualization of the DBS lead position and orientation. We validated the accuracy of the 7T imaging-based patient-specific model of the STN and measured the variability of the location and dimensions across movement disorder patients. Read More

Neuroimage 2018 11 18;181:818-830. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.

We present a technical development in the dynamic causal modelling of electrophysiological responses that combines qualitatively different neural mass models within a single network. This affords the option to couple various cortical and subcortical nodes that differ in their form and dynamics. Moreover, it enables users to implement new neural mass models in a straightforward and standardized way. Read More

Spine Deform 2018 Sep - Oct;6(5):576-586

Norton Leatherman Spine Center, 210 East Gray Street, Suite 900, Louisville, KY 40204, USA.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control matched cohort from a single institution.

Objective: To examine the contribution of nonmechanical factors to the incidence of proximal junctional failure (PJF) after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Multiple studies have reported on the prevalence of PJF following surgery for ASD. Read More

AORN J 2018 Aug;108(2):148-153

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a life-changing surgical treatment. More than 150,000 patients worldwide have been treated with DBS, primarily for Parkinson disease and medically refractory tremor and dystonia. However, the use of DBS has recently expanded beyond traditional movement disorders to include the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder, epilepsy, and other neurological and psychological diseases. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 31;9:532. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

Research Team in Neurology and Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology B and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hôpital des Spécialités ONO, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is known as a therapy of choice of advanced Parkinson's disease. The present study aimed to assess the beneficial and side effects of STN DBS in Moroccan Parkinsonian patients. Thirty five patients underwent bilateral STN DBS from 2008 to 2016 in the Rabat University Hospital. Read More

Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 2018 09 14;86(S 01):S5-S9. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

Parkinson-Klinik Ortenau, Wolfach.

Development of motor fluctuations and dyskinesia characterizes the transition from the early to the advanced Parkinson stage. Current oral therapeutic strategies aim at increasing the number of levodopa administrations and extending its benefit by the association of enzyme blockers (MAO- and COMT-inhibitors) and dopamine agonists. However, as disease progresses, mobility becomes progressively dependent on levodopa absorption and plasma bioavailability, resulting in disabling motor complications. Read More

Neural Regen Res 2018 Aug;13(8):1342-1345

Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Currently, the most common surgical treatment for Parkinson's disease is deep brain stimulation (DBS). This treatment strategy is typically reserved for bradykinesia, rigidity and tremor in patients who no longer respond to medication in a predictable manner or who suffer medication-induced dyskinesias. In addition to DBS, ablative procedures like radiofrequency, radiosurgery and focused ultrasound are also utilized for select tremor symptoms. Read More

J Neurosci Res 2018 Oct 11;96(10):1641-1662. Epub 2018 Aug 11.

Environmental Health Sciences Division, School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.

Age-related changes in the brain reflect a dynamic interaction of genetic, epigenetic, phenotypic, and environmental factors that can be temporally restricted or more longitudinally present throughout the lifespan. Fundamental to these mechanisms is the capacity for physiological adaptation through modulation of diverse molecular and biochemical signaling occurring from the intracellular to the network-systemic level throughout the brain. A number of agents that affect the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD)-like effects in experimental models exhibit temporal features, and mechanisms of hormetic dose responses. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 8;119:e801-e808. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.

Objective: Implantation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes requires stereotactic imaging. Stereotactic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for DBS surgery has become more popular and intraoperative MRI scanners have become more available. We report on our cohort of movement disorder patients who underwent intraoperative stereotactic MRI-only DBS electrode implantation. Read More