Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes significant functional impairment and is related to altered stress response and reinforced learned fear behavior. PTSD has been found to impact three functional networks in the brain: default mode, executive control, and salience. The executive control network includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and lateral PPC.

The Spectrum of Acute Cerebrovascular Disease in Patients with COVID-19.

(1) Background: COVID-19 infection is responsible for the ongoing pandemic and acute cerebrovascular disease (CVD) has been observed in COVID-19 patients. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective, observational study of hospitalized adult patients admitted to our hospital with SARS-CoV-2 and acute cerebrovascular disease. All clinical data were reviewed including epidemiology, clinical features, laboratory data, neuroradiological findings, hospital management and course from 32 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 management with acute cerebrovascular disease.

Emerging Concepts in Vascular Dementia: A Review.

Objective: Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common cause of dementia and a major health concern worldwide. A comprehensive review on VaD is warranted for better understanding and guidance for the practitioner. We provide an updated overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, neuroimaging patterns as well as current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Neurological complications of syncope and sudden cardiac arrest.

Syncope is very common and usually comes with enough warning for the person to assume a safer position rather than fall in a potentially dangerous way. Syncope may be associated with pregnancy, for example, but we rarely encounter significant injury related to the potential for an associated fall. In the elderly, however, there are often comorbid factors such as delayed reaction time and other aspects of cognitive impairment, along with gait instability, that can affect the defensive reflexes to the point that brain injury, including subdural or epidural hematoma, is not uncommonly encountered.

Evolving Approaches to Antithrombotics in Stroke Prevention and Treatment.

The optimization of antithrombotic therapy for acute stroke treatment and secondary prevention is an evolving process based on an increasing array of studies that provide an evidence-based approach. Options have increased dramatically with the release of the non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants and with the results of recent randomized clinical trials designed to assess potential benefits versus risks for patients in an individualized fashion. Recent studies have provided important information to guide choice and dosing of antiplatelet agents as well as the length of treatment.

Utilization of the large-bore Penumbra JET 7 reperfusion catheter in thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: A single-center experience.

Background And Purpose: The Penumbra JET 7 reperfusion catheter is used in the revascularization of large vessel occlusions in acute ischemic stroke. Description of its use in clinical practice remains limited. Our purpose is to describe our initial experience with the Penumbra JET 7 reperfusion catheter and to report on its safety and efficacy in different thrombectomy techniques.

Prevalence of ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation in young patients with migraine national inpatient sample analysis.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of ischemic stroke (IS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in young patients with migraine and to identify the independent predictors of IS in a large cohort of hospitalized patients.

Methods: A cohort of patients with migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO) was identified from the National Inpatient Sample database for the years 2012 to 2015. Ischemic stroke was identified by the International Classification of Diseases-9-CM codes.

Implications of the use of mechanical thrombectomy on outcome in large vessel occlusion following the 2015 landmark trials.

Background: The effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) was demonstrated in five landmark trials published in2015.Mechanical thrombectomy is now standard of care for acute ischemic stroke and has been growing in popularity after publication of landmark trials.

Objective: To analyze outcomes and trends of the use of MT and intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke in US hospitals before and after publication of these trials.

Factors Associated with Inpatient Mortality after Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Updated Information from the United States Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Background: To use a nationwide database of hospital admissions to assess for trends in inpatient mortality from acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage as well as associated potentially contributing factors.

Methods: Adults with intracerebral hemorrhage in the US National Inpatient Sample database from 2012 to 2015 were included in this study. We assessed for mortality rate as well as potential impact of various comorbidities and demographic factors such as ethnicity and median house hold income on inpatient mortality rate.

Cognitive and Psychiatric Disturbances in Parkinsonian Syndromes.

Parkinsonian syndromes share clinical signs including akinesia/bradykinesia and rigidity, which are consequences of pathology involving dopaminergic substantia nigra neurons. Yet cognitive and psychiatric disturbances are common, even early in the course of disease. Executive dysfunction is often measurable in newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease.

Long term efficacy and patient satisfaction of microvascular decompression and gamma knife radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the long term efficacy of microvascular decompression (MVD) and gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) with respect to pain relief and patient satisfaction. Both these modalities are accepted modalities of treatment for intractable trigeminal neuralgia. We excluded deceased patients, those who had a prior intervention and those requiring an additional intervention following initial treatment.

Acute ataxias: differential diagnosis and treatment approach.

In many cases, acute ataxia presents a neurologic emergency that must be assessed and treated effectively in order to save a patient's life and protect the patient from potential permanent complications and disabilities. A thorough knowledge of cerebellar anatomy and physiology and familiarity with common causes of acute ataxia, enable the clinician to develop a rapid and effective diagnostic approach and effective management approach.

Clinical manifestations of cerebellar disease.

Clinical manifestations of cerebellar disease include ataxia and tremor, as well as nystagmus, dysarthria, and cognitive dysfunction. Recognition of the cerebellar pattern of disease can aid in the prompt and correct diagnosis and lead to appropriate treatment and rehabilitation to minimize disability.

Technical nuances in the management of tuberculum sellae and diaphragma sellae meningiomas.

Object: Tuberculum sellae meningiomas (TSMs) and diaphragma sellae meningiomas (DSMs) are challenging lesions to treat due to their proximity to neurovascular structures.

Methods: The authors reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent surgical excision of TSMs and DSMs from 1990 to 2013. They also describe the technical strategies used to minimize injury to the optic apparatus, vascular structures, and pituitary stalk.

Posterior cranial fossa meningiomas.

This study evaluated the outcomes, complications, and recurrence rates of posterior cranial fossa meningiomas. We retrospectively reviewed our surgical experience with 64 posterior cranial fossa meningiomas. Mean age was 56 years with a female preponderance (67.

Open ring enhancement in atypical brain demyelination.

Open ring enhancement is considered highly specific for atypical demyelination. In this report we present a patient with a history of headache, ataxia and sensory disturbances in the lower extremities. A cranial MRI scan showed a large frontal lesion with mass effect, midline shift and with open ring enhancement.

Intrasellar plasmacytoma: an illustrative case and literature review.

Intrasellar plasmacytoma is a rare pituitary pathology. Pre-operative diagnosis remains a challenge as a sellar plasmacytoma mimics a pituitary adenoma in clinical and radiological features. We report a 45-year-old woman, known to have multiple myeloma, presenting to our clinic with a pituitary mass eventually diagnosed as a plasmacytoma.

Reoperations after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis.

Objective: To study the indication for reoperations after lumbar decompression, the factors predisposing to redo operations, and the effect of prior instrumentation on developing adjacent level stenosis requiring reoperation.

Methods: Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the median interval to first reoperation. Cox regression was used for multivariate analysis of time to first reoperation.

Petroclival meningiomas: study on outcomes, complications and recurrence rates.

Object: Petroclival meningiomas are notoriously difficult lesions to manage surgically, given the critical neurovascular structures that are intimately associated with the tumors. In this paper, the authors' aim was to review their series of patients with petroclival meningiomas who underwent surgical treatment; emphasis was placed on evaluating modes of presentation, postoperative neurological outcome, complications, and recurrence rates.

Methods: Fifty patients underwent surgical treatment for petroclival meningiomas.

Coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms, the LSUHSC-S experience.

Objective: We evaluated and compared patient selection and outcome statistics during the first 18 months of the Louisiana State Health Sciences Center-Shreveport (LSUHSC-S) neurointerventional suite operation, specifically focusing on endovascular occlusion of intracranial aneurysms.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 67 patients with 68 cerebral aneurysms that were treated at the LSUHSC-S from July 2006 to December 2007 was conducted. All procedures were performed with the patients under general anesthesia and with systemic heparinization using live simultaneous roadmapping.

Microneurosurgical management of ophthalmic segment of the internal carotid artery aneurysms: single-surgeon operative experience from Louisiana State University, Shreveport.

Background: Surgical clipping of ophthalmic segment aneurysms is more technically challenging than other anterior circulation aneurysms.

Objective: To analyze whether surgical clipping is an effective treatment for ophthalmic segment aneurysms with good clinical outcomes and acceptable complication rates.

Methods: From 1994 to 2009, a total of 86 aneurysms of the ophthalmic segment of the internal carotid artery were surgically clipped in 80 patients.

Paraclinoid carotid aneurysms.

Paraclinoid aneurysms originate from the internal carotid artery between the distal dural ring and the posterior communicating artery. Giant, multiple and bilateral aneurysms are more frequent in this group of aneurysms. Surgical clipping of these aneurysms is technically challenging due to the adjacent bony anatomy and neurovascular structures.

The Louisiana State University experience in the management of single small cerebellar metastasis.

Background: Cerebellar metastasis is often believed to be a more immediately life-threatening complication than brain metastasis in other locations. It is considered a negative prognostic factor in patients with systemic cancers. Despite its clinical importance and technological advances, the survival outcomes of patients with single small cerebellar metastases are rarely studied.

Occipital interhemispheric transtentorial approach to the superior cerebellum.

The occipital interhemispheric transtentorial approach is commonly used for pineal region tumors. However, there are few reports of this approach for lesions in the superior cerebellum. We present a 47-year-old male patient with an incidental cystic lesion in the superior cerebellum, detected on MRI consistent with cerebellar hemangioblastoma.

Recovery of third nerve palsy following surgical clipping of posterior communicating artery aneurysms.

Background: The objective of the study was to identify the predictors of improved third cranial nerve (CN III) function in patients who underwent surgical clipping for posterior communicating artery (PComA) aneurysms with varying degrees of CN III palsy at presentation.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the outcome of the CN III function in a series of 26 patients with CN III dysfunction due to PComA aneurysms that were treated by surgical clipping.

Results: CN III palsy was complete in 18 patients (69%) and partial in 8 patients (31%) at the time of admission.