Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry articles from October 2002

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry archives from October 2002

The vegetative state: the definition, diagnosis, prognosis and pathology of this state are discussed, together with the legal implications. (Editorial).(Editorial)
October 1, 2002... In the 30 years since this state was first described and named (1) it has provoked intense debate not only among clinical scientists and health professionals but also among moral philosophers and lawyers. Considering its relative rarity there...

Cognitive neuroscience and brain rehabilitation: a promise kept; good basic research shows unilateral spatial neglect is treatable. (Brain Rehabilitation).
October 1, 2002... There is nothing so practical as a good theory. Thus we justify the basic research into brain and mind that is cognitive neuroscience. Grant proposals end with phases such as "these results may have implications for the development of effective...

We are how we eat? The underlying neural substrates of eating behaviours. (Dementia).
October 1, 2002... The two most common dementias in the presenium are Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Early and accurate diagnosis is critical for prognosis, consideration of genetic issues, and appropriate therapeutic intervention....

Infection and multiple sclerosis--a new hypothesis? Hypothesis of a sexually transmitted environmental component should be treated with care. (Multiple Sclerosis).
October 1, 2002... There is general agreement that multiple sclerosis is the result of both environmental and genetic factors. In the paper by Hawkes (1) (this issue, pp 439-43) a hypothesis is proposed that the environmental component is an infectious agent,...

The Babinski sign: Babinski's life and the story of the Babinski sign are summarised. The physiological basis of the sign is discussed. (Physical Signs).(Joseph Felix Francois Babinski)
October 1, 2002... THE NAME Of all neurologists whose name is commemorated in daily usage, that of Babinski may not exceed Romberg in frequency but overshadows all in its dramatic impact and clinical implication. Wartenberg was said to evoke his name in...

The genetic basis of Parkinson's disease. (Review).
October 1, 2002... Although the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease are not fully understood, considerable evidence suggests that genetic factors can influence susceptibility to the disease. In this article, we critically review this...

Changes in appetite, food preference, and eating habits in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Background: Despite numerous reports of changes in satiety, food preference, and eating habits in patients with frontotemporal dementia, there have been few systematic studies. Objectives: To investigate the frequency of changes in eating...

Abnormal verbal event related potentials in mild cognitive impairment and incipient Alzheimer's disease. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Background: It has been reported that patients with amnesia have a reduced effect of word repetition upon the late positive component of the event related potential (ERP), which peaks at around 600 ms after word onset. Objective: To study...

Testing cognitive function in elderly populations: the PROSPER study. (Paper).(PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk )
October 1, 2002... Objectives: For large scale follow up studies with non-demented patients in which cognition is an endpoint, there is a need for short, inexpensive, sensitive, and reliable neuropsychological tests that are suitable for repeated measurements....

Potentially reversible conditions in 1000 consecutive memory clinic patients. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and classification of potentially reversible conditions in a prospective memory clinic cohort of younger and elderly patients with cognitive symptoms. Patients: 1000 consecutive patients referred...

Pituitary tumours and acromegaly (Pierre Marie's disease). (Historical Note).
October 1, 2002... Because physicians of the early nineteenth century were unaware of the endocrine system, acromegaly was regarded as an intrinsic bone disease. Andrea Verga (1) in 1864 and Vincenzo Brigidi in 1877 reported early macroscopic and microscopic...

Effect of chronic pallidal deep brain stimulation on off period dystonia and sensory symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chronic pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) on off period dystonia, cramps, and sensory symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: 16 patients (6 women, 10 men; mean age at surgery 65...

Essential tremor and cerebellar dysfunction: abnormal ballistic movements. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Background: Clinical characteristics reminiscent of cerebellar tremor occur in patients with advanced essential tremor. Ballistic movements are known to be abnormal in cerebellar disease. The hypothesis was proposed that ballistic movements are...

Oropharyngeal swallowing in craniocervical dystonia. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Objective: To clarify the pathophysiology of dysphagia by electrophysiological methods. Method: Electrophysiological methods related to oropharyngeal swallowing were used to investigate 25 patients with cervical dystonia and 25 age matched...

Neck muscle vibration induces lasting recovery in spatial neglect. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Objectives: To evaluate whether neck muscle vibration is an effective technique for neglect rehabilitation, with lasting beneficial effects. Methods: The effects of differential treatment of visual exploration training alone or in...

Myopathy with antibodies to the signal recognition particle: clinical and pathological features. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Objectives: To study myopathies with serum antibodies to the signal recognition particle (SRP), an unusual, myositis specific antibody associated syndrome that has not been well characterised pathologically. Methods: Clinical, laboratory,...

Periodic limb movement syndrome. (Neurological Picture).(diagnosis)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Patients with periodic limb movement syndrome (PLMS) experience a series of involuntary leg movements at sleep onset and during sleep. The movements are rhythmic or jerky and range from simple extension of the big toe to movement of the whole...

Optic neuromyelitis syndrome in Brazilian patients. (Paper).
October 1, 2002... Objectives: To report the clinical features and outcome of 24 Brazilian patients with optic neuromyelitis syndrome (ONM); discuss the underlying pathological events associated with the ONM syndrome; review the nosological situation of ONM in...

Tuberous sclerosis presenting in late adult life. (Short Report).
October 1, 2002... A 59 year old woman presented with a three year history of left sided weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a large high signal lesion occupying most of the right temporal lobe with mass effect. A probable diagnosis of low...

Nikolai Nilovich Burdenko (1876-1946). (Neurological Stamp).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Burdenko studied in Pavlov's laboratory after graduation, and was greatly influenced by him. He specialised in neurosurgery. In World War I, he became surgeon in chief of the Russian Army Medical Service and under his guidance and leadership,...

Is multiple sclerosis a sexually transmitted infection? (Short Report).
October 1, 2002... It is proposed that multiple sclerosis may be transmitted chiefly by sexual contact. Arguments favouring this include: migration studies that suggest a transmissible agent in adolescence; clusters of multiple sclerosis which have occurred in...

Neuropsychological sequelae of bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy. (Short Report).
October 1, 2002... Objectives: To document the impact of bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy on cognitive status. Methods: 17 patients with Parkinson's disease were evaluated with a neuropsychological battery before and six months after bilateral...

Posterior alien hand syndrome after a right thalamic infarct. (Short Report).
October 1, 2002... The alien hand syndrome, as originally defined, should be reserved for cases in which the hand feels foreign "together with" observable involuntary motor activity. These involuntary movements are unusual during or after acute stroke. Three...

Paradoxical absence of nuclear inclusion in cerebellar Purkinje cells of hereditary ataxias linked to CAG expansion. (Short Report).
October 1, 2002... Degeneration of cerebellar cortex is one of the principal features of hereditary ataxias linked to expansion of CAG repeat. In an attempt to clarify possible correlation between neuronal depletion and neuronal intranuclear inclusions, both...

Vim thalamotomy for Holmes' tremor secondary to midbrain tumour. (Short Report).(ventrointermedius )
October 1, 2002... Holmes' (rubral or midbrain) tremor is on unusual combination of 2 Hz to 5 Hz rest, postural, and kinetic tremors of an upper extremity. This tremor has been considered to result from the lesions in the vicinity of the red nucleus in the...

Letters.(bacterial meningitis, spinal myoclonus, cerebral venous thrombosis, Datura stramonium intoxication)
October 1, 2002... Increased serum concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator correlate with an adverse clinical outcome in patients with bacterial meningitis Bacterial meningitis is the most common serious infection of the central nervous system. It is...

Correspondence. (Post Script).(ventriculostomy, multiple system atrophy, spasmodic torticollis, cerebrovascular disease)
October 1, 2002... Neuropsychological and psychiatric complications in endoscopic third ventriculostomy We read with interest the recent paper by Benabarre et al of the first reported case of endoscopic third ventriculostomy followed by severe psychiatric...

Clinical Neurology. (Book Reviews).(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... By David Greenberg, Michael Aminof, and Roger Simon (Pp 390 $39.95). McGraw-Hill Professional, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-07-137543-0 Reviewing an undergraduate text is always quite a difficult task in that one has to approach one's speciality...

Clinical Trials in Neurology. (Book Reviews).(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Edited by Roberto J Guiloff (Pp 542, EUR178,00). Published by Springer, London, 2001. ISBN 1-85233-239-5 This much needed book is a gem. If you are involved in a clinical trial make sure you and all your collaborators have read it, before...

Differential Diagnosis in Neuro-oncology. (Book Reviews).(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Edited by Jerry Hildebrand and Michael Brada (Pp 298, [pounds sterling]59.50). Published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001. ISBN 0-19-263213-2 This book is written by two very experienced, eminent, and respected European...

Interventional and Endovascular Therapy of the Nervous System: A Practical Guide. (Book Reviews).(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... By Pears Morris (Pp 318, [pounds sterling]94.00). Published by Springer-Verlag, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-387-95193-8 As its title implies, this is a practical guide to interventional neuroradiology. All the conditions encountered by the...

Principles of Neuroepidemiology. (Book Reviews).(Book Review)
October 1, 2002... Edited by Tracy Batchelor and Merit E Cudkowicz (Pp 374, [pounds sterling]65.00). Published by Butter-worth Heinemann, Boston, 2001. ISBN 0750670428 This useful book gives an overview of the epidemiology of neurological disease. It is not...