One Side or Two? A Systematic Review of Deep Brain Stimulation Approaches in Movement Disorders.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). However, the decision between unilateral, staged bilateral, or simultaneous bilateral DBS remains controversial, influenced by clinical presentation, patient preferences, and economic factors.

Objective: The aim was to compare motor score improvements, adverse events (AE), incremental benefits, and progression with unilateral to bilateral procedures and the rationale for second-side surgery.

Bilateral Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor: Clinical Outcomes Compared to Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation and Probabilistic Lesion Mapping.

Background: The efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of bilateral magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomies for essential tremor (ET) have not been compared to those of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Furthermore, it is uncertain whether second-side thalamotomies can be positioned differently from the first without compromising effectiveness.

Objective: We aimed to indirectly compare bilateral MRgFUS and DBS, while identifying optimal lesion/stimulation locations.

Probabilistic Refinement of Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy Targeting for Parkinson's Disease Tremor.

Background: There remains high variability in clinical outcomes when the same magnetic resonance image-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy target is used for both essential tremor (ET) and tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (TDPD).

Objective: Our goal is to refine the MRgFUS thalamotomy target for TDPD versus ET.

Methods: We retrospectively performed voxel-wise efficacy and structural connectivity mapping using 3-12-month post-procedure hand tremor scores for a multicenter cohort of 32 TDPD patients and a previously published cohort of 79 ET patients, and 24-hour T1-weighted post-MRgFUS brain images.

Comprehensive characterization of intracranial hemorrhage in deep brain stimulation: a systematic review of literature from 1987 to 2023.

Objective: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for medically refractory movement disorders and other neurological conditions. To comprehensively characterize the prevalence, locations, timing of detection, clinical effects, and risk factors of DBS-related intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), the authors performed a systematic review of the published literature.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched using 2 concepts: cerebral hemorrhage and brain stimulation, with filters for English, human studies, and publication dates 1980-2023.

Successful magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment of tremor in patients with a skull density ratio of 0.4 or less.

Objective: The use of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for the treatment of tremor-related disorders and other novel indications has been limited by guidelines advocating treatment of patients with a skull density ratio (SDR) above 0.45 ± 0.05 despite reports of successful outcomes in patients with a low SDR (LSDR).

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Pain and Motor Outcomes.

Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been investigated as a potential therapeutic option for managing refractory symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SCS in PD.

Method: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed and Web of Science to identify SCS studies reporting Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-III (UPDRS-III) or Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score changes in PD cohorts with at least 3 patients and a follow-up period of at least 1 month.

Essential Tremor - Deep Brain Stimulation vs. Focused Ultrasound.

Introduction: Essential Tremor (ET) is one of the most common tremor syndromes typically presented as action tremor, affecting mainly the upper limbs. In at least 30-50% of patients, tremor interferes with quality of life, does not respond to first-line therapies and/or intolerable adverse effects may occur. Therefore, surgery may be considered.

Laser interstitial thermal therapy for the treatment of insular lesions: A systematic review.

Background: The surgical treatment of insular lesions has been historically associated with high morbidity. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has been increasingly used in the treatment of insular lesions, commonly neoplastic or epileptogenic. Stereotaxis is used to guide laser probes to the insula where real-time magnetic resonance thermometry defines lesion creation.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of tremor.

Introduction: Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is an emerging treatment for tremor and other movement disorders. An incisionless therapy, it is becoming increasingly common worldwide. However, given MRgFUS' relative novelty, there remain limited data on its benefits and adverse effects.

Connectomic neuromodulation for Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of invasive and non-invasive techniques.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) and non-invasive neuromodulation are currently being investigated for treating network dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, due to heterogeneity in techniques and targets, the cognitive outcome and brain network connectivity remain unknown. We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis, and normative functional connectivity to determine the cognitive outcome and brain networks of DBS and non-invasive neuromodulation in AD.

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease and chronic pain in the era of deep brain stimulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Pain is the most common nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) and is often undertreated. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) effectively mitigates the motor symptoms of this multisystem neurodegenerative disease; however, its therapeutic effect on nonmotor symptoms, especially pain, remains inconclusive. While there is a critical need to help this large PD patient population, guidelines for managing this significant disease burden are absent.

Infratemporal Fossa Vascular Anatomy Pertinent to Percutaneous Access to the Foramen Ovale for Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Comparison of Cadaveric Dissection and Computed Tomography Analysis.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia may be treated via percutaneous access to the foramen ovale (FO). Vascular complications associated with the needle trajectory can result in serious morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to correlate the vascular relationships of the FO at the skull base via cadaveric dissections and computed tomography (CT).

Patient Acceptability of the Use of Advanced Practice Providers in an Outpatient Neurosurgery Clinic.

Introduction Increasing demands for healthcare manpower has necessitated the utilization of advanced practice providers (APPs). The effect of APPs in primary care has been well-characterized but is less studied in surgical subspecialties. The objective of this study is to assess the patient acceptability of APPs in an outpatient neurosurgery setting.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Multiple Sclerosis Tremor: A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: To examine the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on multiple sclerosis (MS)-tremor, as measured by a normalized scale of tremor severity, with a meta-analysis of the published literature.

Methods: Medline and EBSCO Host (January, 1998 to June, 2018) were systematically reviewed with librarian guidance, using the keywords "Deep brain stimulation" and "multiple sclerosis." Bibliographies and experts in the field were also consulted to identify missed articles.

Venous Manometry as an Adjunct for Diagnosis and Multimodal Management of Intracranial Hypertension due to Meningioma Compressing Sigmoid Sinus.

Intracranial venous hypertension is a rare presentation of meningiomas in the transverse-sigmoid sinus region. We describe a case of a young patient presenting with intracranial hypertension due to a meningioma causing compression of the dominant sigmoid sinus. We were able to document the cerebral venous pressure gradient across the lesion confirming our hypothesis that compression of the sigmoid sinus from the meningioma was the cause of intracranial hypertension.

Neurogenesis in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Role of MFG-E8.

Neurodegenerative diseases are devastating medical conditions with no effective treatments. Restoration of impaired neurogenesis represents a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. Milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor-factor VIII (MFG-E8) is a secretory glycoprotein that plays a wide range of cellular functions including phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, anti-inflammation, tissue regeneration, and homeostasis.

Post-partum posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome requiring decompressive craniectomy: case report and review of the literature.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is an uncommon but potentially devastating syndrome if not recognized and treated appropriately. As the name implies, recognition of the condition and proper management may reverse the clinical and radiological findings. However, diagnosis is not always straightforward.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Delineating the Progression and Underlying Mechanisms Following Blast Traumatic Brain Injury.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a devastating condition that can develop after blast Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Ongoing work has been performed to understand how PTSD develops after injury. In this review, we highlight how PTSD affects individuals, discuss what is known about the physiologic changes to the hypothalamic pituitary axis and neurotransmitter pathways, and present an overview of genetic components that may predispose individuals to developing PTSD.

Growing Skull Fracture: Case Report after Rottweiler Bite and Review of the Literature.

Growing skull fracture remains a rare but clinically significant complication of traumatic skull fractures in children less than 3 years of age. Dog attacks on children commonly cause head and neck injuries. We report the first case of growing skull fracture caused by a Rottweiler bite in a 21 days old neonate.