The impact of revised definitions on the epidemiology of status epilepticus: A population-based study.

Objective: Status epilepticus (SE) represents one of the most common neurological emergencies. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) redefined SE duration thresholds from 30 to 5 min for convulsive SE in 2015. We conducted a prospective population-based study to determine SE incidence and outcomes under the revised criteria and compared findings with historical data using the 30-min definition.

Consultation Requests and Satisfaction with a Telehealth Network for Epilepsy: Longitudinal Analysis of the Epilepsy Network Hessen Evaluation.

Telemedicine improves access to specialized medical expertise, as required for paroxysmal disorders. The Epilepsy Network Hessen Evaluation (ENHE) is a pilot cross-sectoral teleconsultation network connecting primary neurologists and pediatricians with epilepsy centers in Hessen, a federal German state. We prospectively and longitudinally evaluated telehealthcare in the ENHE.

Why Do Our Cancer Patients Sleep So Badly? Sleep Disorders in Cancer Patients: A Frequent Symptom with Multiple Causes.

Introduction: On the one hand, sleep disorders in cancer patients are reported in 30-50% of cancer patients. On the other hand, specific causes for these sleep disorders are little known. This study was done to evaluate factors which may affect sleep of cancer patients.

Predictors of New Cerebral Microbleeds in Patients with Antiplatelet Drug Therapy.

Background: Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) are associated with an increased risk for ischemic and especially hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of the present study is to identify patients at high risk for the development of new CMB after initiation of an antiplatelet drug therapy.

Methods: Patients received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 1 week after initiation of an antiplatelet drug treatment due to a first ischemic stroke (n = 58) and after a follow-up period of 6 months (n = 40).

Pain in Parkinson's Disease: Current Concepts and a New Diagnostic Algorithm.

Background: Pain is a significant burden for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with a high impact on quality of life. The present article aims at summarizing epidemiological, pathophysiological, clinical, and neurophysiological data regarding pain in PD.

Methods: In this domain, a procedure of systematic assessment is still lacking for the syndromic diagnosis and should take into account pain characteristics, effects of dopaminergic treatment, motor fluctuations, and non-PD-associated pain.

Diffusion tensor imaging in episodic cluster headache.

Background: Cluster headache (CH) is a rare headache disorder with severe unilateral headache bouts and autonomic symptoms. The pathophysiology of CH is not completely understood. Using a voxel-based morphometric paradigm or functional imaging, a key role of the hypothalamus and the pain matrix could be demonstrated during CH episodes.

The effects of oral contraceptives on detection and pain thresholds as well as headache intensity during menstrual cycle in migraine.

Background: Clinically, oral contraceptives (OC) can influence pain in both migraine headache and temporomandibular pain disorders. Estrogen as an ingredient of OC might be a responsible factor for these observations. We conducted the present study to test whether OC are able to alter the severity of headache attacks as well as the detection or pain thresholds over the course of the menstrual cycle in patients with migraine.

Effects of paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex on perception of experimentally induced pain.

Objective: We investigated the influence of paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) of the motor cortex (M1) on perception of noxious electrical stimuli. The nociceptive flexion reflex response was assessed to determine spinal effects.

Methods: In the first experiment, the effect of ppTMS of M1 on perception of noxious stimulation of the sural nerve was assessed by varying the stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) and the order of the stimulations (-400, -75, -25, 25, 125, 400 ms and control ppTMS, negative sign: ppTMS precedes the noxious stimulation).

Serum concentrations of s100b and NSE in migraine.

Background: The protein s100b indicates astrocytal damage as well as dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is regarded as a marker for neuronal cell loss. Recently, s100b was shown to be a potentially useful marker for migraine in children. In this study, we investigated the levels of s100b and NSE in adult migraineurs during and after migraine attacks in order to gain some more insight into migraine pathophysiology.

Effects of oxidative challenge and calcium on ATP-levels in neuronal cells.

Background: Neurocellular overload with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induces oxidative stress and may initiate a cascade of intracellular toxic events leading to energy failure, increased lipid peroxidation and subsequently cell death. Studies suggest that hippocampal neurons may be more vulnerable to oxidative stress than cortical cells pointing to a differential vulnerability of neuronal cells. Since disturbed ATP- and calcium (Ca2+)-metabolism may be involved in this process, we here evaluated the effects of H2O2-induced oxidative stress and the involvement of Ca2+-regulation on neuronal energy metabolism.

2-OH-estradiol, an endogenous hormone with neuroprotective functions.

We compared the neuroprotective effects of the catecholestrogen 2-hydroxy-estradiol (2-OH-E(2)) to the actions of 17-beta-estradiol (E(2)), since catecholestrogens have been clinically implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression and other psychiatric diseases. Using the hippocampal HT22 cell line as a well-established in vitro model system, we here show that the extent of the neuroprotective effects of 2-OH-E(2) was significantly increased compared to the physiological estrogen E(2) at equimolar concentrations after a toxic challenge with hydrogen peroxide. Statistically significant effects of neuroprotection as measured by survival of HT22 cells were detectable at concentrations of 1 and 10 microM of 2-OH-E(2) or E(2).

Myoclonic encephalopathy caused by chronic bismuth abuse.

Bismuth (Bi) is used for the treatment of different gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders such as gastric ulcers. In Germany, Bi medication is available without prescription as over-the-counter-medication even though it can cause severe myoclonic encephalopathy if ingested chronically in high doses. We report a 49 year-old woman with chronic gastric ulcers and 5 years of Bi abuse who developed the typical clinical course of Bi encephalopathy.