[Complex physiotherapy for the rehabilitation of patients with postoperative facial muscles paresis]

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

Was the increasing the effectiveness of treatment and prevention of postoperative complications in the patients with benign tumors of the parotid salivary gland through the combined use of medications, acupuncture, hirudotherapy and a complex of physiotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study comprised 94 patients with postoperative complications after surgical treatment of benign tumors of the parotid salivary gland. All patients suffering from paresis of facial muscles were prescribed a physiotherapy complex developed during the study consisting of two series of exercises with alternating execution of the series every other day. The exercises begin with the upper third of the face, gradually descending to the lower third. A series of exercises is performed every hour and a half, the session duration is twenty minutes, the course is 14 days. The exercises are performed by the patient in front of the mirror, gently and at a slow pace.

RESULTS

The duration of the recovery period of motor function of the facial muscles on the affected side was 31.2±19.6 days, with the amplitude of the M-response 1.45±0.28 mV, the duration of the M-response 8.04±0.27 ms and the latent time during EMG 3.18±0.86 ms. Conclusion. The combined treatment, which included surgical and conservative treatment complex with methods of acupuncture, hirudotherapy and physiotherapy, was significantly more effective (p<0.05) in terms of the severity of paresis of facial muscles than in the control group.

Functional Deficits in the Less-Impaired Arm of Stroke Survivors Depend on Hemisphere of Damage and Extent of Paretic Arm Impairment

Background. Previous research has detailed the hemisphere dependence and specific kinematic deficits observed for the less-affected arm of patients with unilateral stroke. Objective. We now examine whether functional motor deficits in the less-affected arm, measured by standardized clinical measures of motor function, also depend on the hemisphere that was damaged and on the severity of contralesional impairment. Methods. We recruited 48 left-hemisphere-damaged (LHD) participants, 62 right-hemisphere-damaged participants, and 54 age-matched control participants. Measures of motor function included the following: (1) Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT), (2) Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT), and (3) grip strength. We measured the extent of contralesional arm impairment with the upper-extremity component of the Fugl-Meyer (UEFM) assessment of motor impairment. Results. Ipsilesional limb functional performance deficits (JHFT) varied with both the damaged hemisphere and severity of contralesional arm impairment, with the most severe deficits expressed in LHD participants with severe contralesional impairment (UEFM). GPT and grip strength varied with severity of contralesional impairment but not with hemisphere. Conclusions. Stroke survivors with the most severe paretic arm impairment, who must rely on their ipsilesional arm for performing daily activities, have the greatest motor deficit in the less-affected arm. We recommend remediation of this arm to improve functional independence in this group of stroke patients.

Muscle mass and intramuscular fat of the quadriceps are related to muscle strength in non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors: A cross-sectional study

Objective

Improving muscle mass and intramuscular fat in the mid-thigh increases the muscle strength of the paretic and non-paretic limbs in ambulatory chronic stroke survivors. There is a remarkable decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength and an increase in intramuscular fat in the quadriceps of both limbs of non-ambulatory compared with ambulatory survivors. Therefore, given that paretic lower extremity function does not recover sufficiently in the chronic phase, it may be helpful to improve muscle mass and intramuscular fat to increase muscle strength in the quadriceps of non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors. However, these relationships remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships between muscle strength, muscle mass, and intramuscular fat of the quadriceps in non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors.

Methods

Study design: A cross-sectional study.

Participants: Fifty non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors.

Main outcome measures: Quadriceps muscle strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer. Transverse ultrasound images were acquired using B-mode ultrasound imaging. Muscle mass and intramuscular fat of the quadriceps were assessed based on muscle thickness and echo intensity, respectively.

Data analysis: Stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to identify the factors independently associated with the quadriceps muscle strength of the paretic and non-paretic limbs. To avoid multicollinearity, muscle thickness and echo intensity were entered into separate multiple regression models. Muscle thickness or echo intensity of the paretic or non-paretic limbs and other confounding factors were set as the independent variables.

Results

Muscle thickness was positively related and echo intensity was negatively related to the quadriceps muscle strength of the paretic and non-paretic limbs.

Conclusions

Muscle mass and intramuscular fat of the quadriceps are related to muscle strength in non-ambulatory chronic stroke survivors. Increasing muscle mass and decreasing intramuscular fat of the quadriceps of both limbs may improve muscle strength.

Knee Moment-Angle Characteristics and Semitendinosus Muscle Morphology in Children with Spastic Paresis Selected for Medial Hamstring Lengthening

To increase knee range of motion and improve gait in children with spastic paresis (SP), the semitendinosus muscle (ST) amongst other hamstring muscles is frequently lengthened by surgery, but with variable success. Little is known about how the pre-surgical mechanical and morphological characteristics of ST muscle differ between children with SP and typically developing children (TD). The aims of this study were to assess (1) how knee moment-angle characteristics and ST morphology in children with SP selected for medial hamstring lengthening differ from TD children, as well as (2) how knee moment-angle characteristics and ST morphology are related. In nine SP and nine TD children, passive knee moment-angle characteristics and morphology of ST (i.e. fascicle length, muscle belly length, tendon length, physiological cross-sectional area, and volume) were assessed by hand-held dynamometry and freehand 3D ultrasound, respectively. At net knee flexion moments above 0.5 Nm, more flexed knee angles were found for SP compared to TD children. The measured knee angle range between 0 and 4 Nm was 30% smaller in children with SP. Muscle volume, physiological cross-sectional area, and fascicle length normalized to femur length were smaller in SP compared to TD children (62%, 48%, and 18%, respectively). Sixty percent of the variation in knee angles at 4 Nm net knee moment was explained by ST fascicle length. Altered knee moment-angle characteristics indicate an increased ST stiffness in SP children. Morphological observations indicate that in SP children planned for medial hamstring lengthening, the longitudinal and cross-sectional growth of ST muscle fibers is reduced. The reduced fascicle length can partly explain the increased ST stiffness and, hence, a more flexed knee joint in these SP children.

Carotid Body Tumor as a Cause of Stroke

We herein report a case of a 78-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital due to a stroke with left-sided hemiparesis. Ultrasound of the carotid arteries showed a carotid body tumor on the bifurcation of the right common carotid artery, which was subsequently confirmed by a further neuroradiological investigation. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head confirmed an acute ischemic lesion located in the right periventricular region. The carotid body tumor (CBT) was surgically removed and confirmed on histopathology. Our case reveals the role of carotid ultrasound in the diagnosis of a CBT, which may be a potential cause of stroke.

Ipsilesional motor-evoked potential absence in pediatric hemiparesis impacts tracking accuracy of the less affected hand

This study analyzed the relationship between electrophysiological responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), finger tracking accuracy, and volume of neural substrate in children with congenital hemiparesis. Nineteen participants demonstrating an ipsilesional motor-evoked potential (MEP) were compared with eleven participants showing an absent ipsilesional MEP response. Comparisons of finger tracking accuracy from the affected and less affected hands and ipsilesional/contralesional (I/C) volume ratio for the primary motor cortex (M1) and posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC) were done using two-sample t-tests. Participants showing an ipsilesional MEP response demonstrated superior tracking performance from the less affected hand (p=0.016) and significantly higher I/C volume ratios for M1 (p=0.028) and PLIC (p=0.005) compared to participants without an ipsilesional MEP response. Group differences in finger tracking accuracy from the affected hand were not significant. These results highlight differentiating factors amongst children with congenital hemiparesis showing contrasting MEP responses: less affected hand performance and preserved M1 and PLIC volume. Along with MEP status, these factors pose important clinical implications in pediatric stroke rehabilitation. These findings may also reflect competitive developmental processes associated with the preservation of affected hand function at the expense of some function in the less affected hand.

An ultrasound investigation of tongue shape in stroke patients with lingual hemiparalysis

BACKGROUND

Stroke can cause hemilateral paresis of the tongue. The present study investigated the functional consequences of a lingual hemiparalysis on the symmetry and the grooving of the tongue in the coronal plane during the production of vowel-consonant-vowel sequences. The hypotheses were that, because of the lingual hemiparalysis, the stroke patients' tongue shapes would be (1) more asymmetrical and (2) less grooved than the tongues of the control speakers.

METHODS

The participants in this prospective data collection were 9 stroke patients with lingual hemiparalysis and 6 control speakers. All participants produced vowel-consonant-vowel sequences with the vowels [a, i, and u] and the target consonants [k, t, ∫, s, and r]. The tongue shape in the coronal plane was traced and measured. The outcome measures were asymmetry and midlingual concavity. The participants and controls were compared using repeated measures analyses of variance with post hoc Scheffé tests.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in asymmetry. There was significantly reduced midlingual concavity for the stroke patients (F[1, 13] = 8.78; P < .05). There was also a within-subjects effect for consonant (F[4, 50] = 14.26; P < .01). Post hoc testing with Scheffé tests indicated that the consonant [k] had significantly lower grooving than the other consonant sounds (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The hemilateral paresis affected not the symmetry but the midlingual grooving. Residual ipsilateral innervation in the hemiparalyzed tongue may help patients compensate. More research is needed to assess the impact of the intrinsic deformation of the tongue on speech acceptability and intelligibility in patients with a lingual hemiparalysis.

Primary Central Nervous System Angiitis in a 10-year-old Girl

Primary angiitis of central nervous system (PACNS) is well reported, however its occurrence in the pediatric population is infrequent. We describe the clinical, neuroimaging and histopathological features of PACNS in a young girl.

A ten year-old, previously healthy girl presented with a threeweek history of progressive left hemiparesis and facial weakness. Other findings included left hemineglect, impaired concentration and memory. She had no evidence of systemic disease. Head computed tomography (CT), with and without contrast, revealed no abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated multifocal, bilateral signal abnormalities within basal ganglia, thalami, right frontal cortex and subcortical white matter on T2 and FLAIR images. However, these areas did not show restricted diffusion on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Cerebral angiography revealed normal intracranial vessels (Figure 1). Neuroimaging, three weeks later, showed progression of these abnormalities. The areas of abnormal signal showed heterogeneous and nodular enhancement on gadolinium enhanced T1 weighted images (Figure 2). Rheumatologic, metabolic, prothrombotic and cerebral spinal fluid investigations were normal.

The question is whether hemiparesis is more common in unilateral than bilateral chronic subdural hematoma

INTRODUCTION

Chronic subdural hematoma is an intracranial hemorrhagic lesion that illustrates various expressions in clinical and radiological practice. The aim of this study was to emphasize the correlation between the brain site of chronic subdural hematoma and clinical symptoms/signs of disease. Furthermore, the study denotes the significance of hemiparesis occurrence in the patients with unilateral chronic subdural hematomas more than in those with bilateral ones, associated with time required to diagnose hematoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A three-year study included 72 patients with chronic subdural hematoma. According to their clinical and neurological symptoms on hospital admission, all patients underwent non-contrast brain computed tomography scan, which confirmed the diagnosis. The radiological parameters, including the site of chronic subdural hematoma, a hematoma width and midline shift were recorded to give precise data about the correlation with neurological symptoms. A special focus was put on the lag time between the onset of symptoms and signs to diagnosis of chronic subdural hematoma.

RESULTS

The study proved that the patients with unilateral chronic subdural hematoma had more frequent occurrence of hemiparesis than the patients with bilateral chronic subdural hematoma. It took the left-sided chronic subdural hematomas less time (about 200 hours earlier) than the right-sided ones to present its symptoms although the average hematoma diameter value was almost the same.

CONCLUSION

The site and the form of intracranial lesion-chronic subdural hematoma could have a great influence on neurological and functional condition in a patient. Although the length of time required for making diagnosis as well as clinical symptoms greatly differ and the latter are not always so clear, physicians should maintain a high level of suspicion for this disease and thus contribute to prompt diagnosis and better clinical outcome of patients.

Automated assessment of upper extremity movement impairment due to stroke

Current diagnosis and treatment of movement impairment post-stroke is based on the subjective assessment of select movements by a trained clinical specialist. However, modern low-cost motion capture technology allows for the development of automated quantitative assessment of motor impairment. Such outcome measures are crucial for advancing post-stroke treatment methods. We sought to develop an automated method of measuring the quality of movement in clinically-relevant terms from low-cost motion capture. Unconstrained movements of upper extremity were performed by people with chronic hemiparesis and recorded by standard and low-cost motion capture systems. Quantitative scores derived from motion capture were compared to qualitative clinical scores produced by trained human raters. A strong linear relationship was found between qualitative scores and quantitative scores derived from both standard and low-cost motion capture. Performance of the automated scoring algorithm was matched by averaged qualitative scores of three human raters. We conclude that low-cost motion capture combined with an automated scoring algorithm is a feasible method to assess objectively upper-arm impairment post stroke. The application of this technology may not only reduce the cost of assessment of post-stroke movement impairment, but also promote the acceptance of objective impairment measures into routine medical practice.

Widespread sequence variations in VAMP1 across vertebrates suggest a potential selective pressure from botulinum neurotoxins

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT/A-G), the most potent toxins known, act by cleaving three SNARE proteins required for synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Previous studies on BoNTs have generally utilized the major SNARE homologues expressed in brain (VAMP2, syntaxin 1, and SNAP-25). However, BoNTs target peripheral motor neurons and cause death by paralyzing respiratory muscles such as the diaphragm. Here we report that VAMP1, but not VAMP2, is the SNARE homologue predominantly expressed in adult rodent diaphragm motor nerve terminals and in differentiated human motor neurons. In contrast to the highly conserved VAMP2, BoNT-resistant variations in VAMP1 are widespread across vertebrates. In particular, we identified a polymorphism at position 48 of VAMP1 in rats, which renders VAMP1 either resistant (I48) or sensitive (M48) to BoNT/D. Taking advantage of this finding, we showed that rat diaphragms with I48 in VAMP1 are insensitive to BoNT/D compared to rat diaphragms with M48 in VAMP1. This unique intra-species comparison establishes VAMP1 as a physiological toxin target in diaphragm motor nerve terminals, and demonstrates that the resistance of VAMP1 to BoNTs can underlie the insensitivity of a species to members of BoNTs. Consistently, human VAMP1 contains I48, which may explain why humans are insensitive to BoNT/D. Finally, we report that residue 48 of VAMP1 varies frequently between M and I across seventeen closely related primate species, suggesting a potential selective pressure from members of BoNTs for resistance in vertebrates.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) target peripheral motor neurons and act by cleaving SNARE proteins, which are essential for neurotransmitter release from nerve terminals. SNARE proteins occur in multiple homologues and it has been difficult to determine which one is the physiologically relevant toxin target in motor nerve terminals among closely related SNARE homologues such as VAMP1 and VAMP2. Here we report that, in contrast to the highly conserved VAMP2, sequence variations in VAMP1 that confer resistance to BoNTs are widespread across vertebrates. In particular, residue 48 of VAMP1 is polymorphic between BoNT/D-sensitive residue M and BoNT/D-resistant residue I in rats. Taking advantage of this finding, we carried out an intra-species comparison, which showed that diaphragm motor nerve terminals from rats with I48 in VAMP1 were insensitive to BoNT/D as compared to those with M48. Since VAMP2 is conserved in rats, these data demonstrate that VAMP1 is the physiologically relevant toxin target in motor neurons. Interestingly, human VAMP1 encodes the BoNT/D-resistant residue I48, which may explain why humans are insensitive to BoNT/D. Finally, we found that residue 48 of VAMP1 switches frequently between M and I among 17 primate species, suggesting a potential selective pressure from BoNT/D for resistance in primates.

A clinical study of motor imagery BCI performance in stroke by including calibration data from passive movement

Electroencephalogram (EEG) data from performing motor imagery are usually used to calibrate a subject-specific model in Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface (MI-BCI). However, the performance of MI is not directly observable by another person. Studies that attempted to address this issue in order to improve subjects with low MI performance had shown that it is feasible to use calibration data from Passive Movement (PM) to detect MI in healthy subjects. This study investigates the feasibility of using calibration data from PM of stroke patients to detect MI. EEG data from 2 calibration runs of MI and PM by a robotic haptic knob, and 1 evaluation run of MI were collected in one session of recording from 34 hemiparetic stroke patients recruited in the clinical study. In each run, 40 trials of MI or PM and 40 trials of the background rest were collected. The off-line run-to-run transfer kappa values from the calibration runs of MI, PM, and combined MI and PM, to the evaluation run of MI were then evaluated and compared. The results showed that calibration using PM (0.392) yielded significantly lower kappa value than the calibration using MI (0.457, p=4.40e-14). The results may be due to a significant disparity between the EEG data from PM and MI in stroke subjects. Nevertheless, the results showed that the calibration using both MI and PM (0.506) yielded significantly higher kappa value than the calibration using MI (0.457, p=9.54e-14). Hence, the results of this study suggest a promising direction to combine calibration data from PM and MI to improve MI detection on stroke.

[Two cases of spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma mimicking cerebral infarction]

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma(SSEH)is a rare condition that typically presents with acute back pain and paraparesis or quadriparesis. However, hemiparesis is a rare initial symptom of SSEH. Here, we report two cases of SSEH presenting with hemiparesis, which were difficult to distinguish from cerebral stroke. In both cases, source images of MR angiography were useful for the diagnosis of SSEH. The first patient was an 84-year-old man who presented with monoparesis in the left lower extremity, without back pain. He was initially misdiagnosed with a cerebral stroke and treated inappropriately with antiplatelet agents. Five days after admission, the correct diagnosis of SSEH was made based on cervical magnetic resonance imaging. Source images of cervical MR angiography also revealed SSEH. He was managed conservatively because of his relatively mild symptoms and stable condition, and his symptoms improved by rehabilitation. The second patient was a 72-year-old woman who presented with right hemiparesis and back pain. Source images of cervical MR angiography revealed a right posterolateral epidural hematoma, and underwent emergency surgical decompression and hematoma removal. We emphasize that SSEH should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with acute hemiparesis, even though they do not complain of back pain, and that source images of neck MR angiography could be useful for quickly screening for SSEH.

Corticospinal tract integrity and lesion volume play different roles in chronic hemiparesis and its improvement through motor practice

BACKGROUND

Initial evidence suggests that the integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) after stroke is strongly related to motor function in the chronic state but not the treatment gain induced by motor rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the association of motor status and treatment benefit by testing patients with a wide range of severity of hemiparesis of the left and right upper extremity.

METHOD

Diffusion tensor imaging was performed in 22 patients beyond 12 months after onset of stroke with severe to moderate hemiparesis. Motor function was tested before and after 2 weeks of modified constraint-induced movement therapy.

RESULTS

CST integrity, but not lesion volume, correlated with the motor ability measures of the Wolf Motor Function Test and the Motor Activity Log. No differences were found between left and right hemiparesis. Motor performance improved significantly with the treatment regime, and did so equally for patients with left and right arm paresis. However, treatment benefit was not associated with either CST integrity or lesion volume.

CONCLUSION

CST integrity correlated best in this small trial with chronic long-term status but not treatment-induced improvements. The CST may play a different role in the mechanisms mediating long-term outcome compared to those underlying practice-induced gains after a chronic plateau in motor function.

Reproducibility of corticospinal diffusion tensor tractography in normal subjects and hemiparetic stroke patients

PURPOSE

The reproducibility of corticospinal diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) for a guideline is important before longitudinal monitoring of the therapy effects in stroke patients. This study aimed to establish the reproducibility of corticospinal DTT indices in healthy subjects and chronic hemiparetic stroke patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Written informed consents were obtained from 10 healthy subjects (mean age 25.8 ± 6.8 years), who underwent two scans in one session plus the third scan one week later, and from 15 patients (mean age 47.5 ± 9.1 years, 6-60 months after the onset of stroke, NIHSS scores between 9 and 20) who were scanned thrice on separate days within one month. Diffusion-tensor imaging was performed at 3T with 25 diffusion directions. Corticospinal tracts were reconstructed using fiber assignment by continuous tracking without and with motion/eddy-current corrections. Intra- and inter-rater as well as intra- and inter-session variations of the DTT derived indices (fiber number, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and fractional anisotropy (FA)) were assessed.

RESULTS

Intra-session and inter-session coefficients of variations (CVs) are small for FA (1.13-2.09%) and ADC (0.45-1.64%), but much larger for fiber number (8.05-22.4%). Inter-session CVs in the stroke side of patients (22.4%) are higher than those in the normal sides (18.0%) and in the normal subjects (14.7%). Motion/eddy-current correction improved inter-session reproducibility only for the fiber number of the infarcted corticospinal tract (CV reduced from 22.4% to 14.1%).

CONCLUSION

The fiber number derived from corticospinal DTT shows substantially lower precision than ADC and FA, with infarcted tracts showing lower reproducibility than the healthy tissues.

Imaging characteristics of an unusual, high-grade angiocentric glioma: a case report and review of the literature

Angiocentric gliomas have recently been reclassified as a separate central nervous system tumor. Few cases have been reported, and most of those correspond to slow-growing, low-grade neoplasms in very young pediatric patients. Here we describe magnetic resonance imaging findings (including diffusion imaging, spectroscopy and tractography) in an unusual higher-grade neoplasm with pathologic features suggestive of an angiocentric glioma in a 15-year-old male. The tumor had mild heterogeneous enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging, and a low apparent diffusion coefficient (9.9 × 10(-4) mm(2)s(-1)), consistent with an intermediate-to-high cellularity tumor. Spectroscopic imaging showed elevated choline/phosphocreatine and choline/N-acetyl aspartate ratios, suggesting an unusually aggressive tumor. We conclude that angiocentric glioma should not be excluded from consideration at primary diagnosis, particularly in teenaged patients nearing adulthood.

Posttraumatic Benedikt's syndrome: a rare entity with unclear anatomopathological correlations

BACKGROUND

This study sought to present a very rare case of a posttraumatic midbrain lesion producing a debilitating constellation of symptoms identified as Benedikt's syndrome.

METHODS

A 20-year-old woman with traumatic brain injury presented with ipsilateral internal and external ophthalmoplegia, and contralateral hemiataxia, proprioception disturbances, hypertonicity, slight hemiparesis, and hyperactive tendon reflexes. A bibliographic search was performed in PubMed.

RESULTS

Neuroimaging revealed a left midbrain lesion at the level of the superior colliculi. In the literature, virtually all Benedikt's syndrome cases, which are rare anyway, are due to midbrain infarcts (basilar or posterior cerebral artery branches). There is only one case from 1963, reported as a posttraumatic Benedikt-type dyskinesia (French language). The historical evolution of the anatomopathologic correlations of the syndrome is also discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Benedikt's syndrome is a very rare condition, usually of vascular etiology. Our case is just the second one of traumatic pathogenesis ever reported, the first in the English language literature.

Plasticity of the motor cortex in patients with brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations: a functional MR study

OBJECTIVE

Test the hypothesis about the potential role of functional MRI (fMRI) to evaluate the plasticity of the cortical motor areas in patients with brains tumors and brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and measurement of the lesion-to-fMRI activation distance for predicting risk of new motor deficit after surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This was a retrospective study. The present study population enrolled eight patients with motor cortex lesions. Cortical motor representations were mapped in these patients harboring tumor or AVMs occupying the region of primary motor cortex (M1). Five patients had known diagnosis of primary brain tumor including glioblastoma multiforme, (n = 1), diffuse astrocytoma (n = 2), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNET) (n = 1) and unknown pathology (n = 1). Three patients had known diagnosis of brain AVMs. Three patients showed hemiparesis at the time of presentation. Focal/generalized seizure or headache was present in the remaining patients. Simple movements of both hands were performed Localization of the activation in the affected hemisphere was compared with that in the unaffected hemisphere and evaluated with respect to the normal M1 somatotopic organization. Distance between the location of the fMRI activation (M1) and margin of the lesion was recorded.

RESULTS

Cortical activation was found in two patterns: 1) functional displacement within affected M1 independent of the structural distortion induced by the tumor or AVMs (n = 7) and 2) presence of activation within the non-primary motor cortex without activation in the affected or unaffected M1 (n = 1).

CONCLUSION

Brain tumor or AVMs led to reorganization within the somatotopic affected M1 and can expand into non-primary motor cortex area. Distortion of the anatomy alone by the space-taking lesion did not influence the location of the reorganized cortex. No particular type of reorganization pattern could be predicted fMRI could be localized reorganized cortex and was found to be a useful tool to assess the lesion-to-activation distance for predicting risk of new motor deficit after surgery. The present study thus emphasizes the importance of considering additional fMRI with structural MRI to evaluate individual differences in cortical plasticity for treatment planning, particularly in the neurosurgical procedure.

[Case of ipsilateral monoparesis by lacunar infarction: a consideration on the pathological mechanism]

An 81-year-old man had sudden-onset dysarthria and weakness in the right leg, and was admitted to our hospital in July 2009. Neurological examination showed right leg monoparesis, sensory disturbance on the right limbs, dysarthria, and decreased deep tendon reflexes. Brain MRI revealed an acute lacunar infarction in the right corona radiata and an old lacunar infarction in the left centrum semiovale, which occurred 4 years before. MR tractography disclosed impaired motor fibers in the right corona radiata, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) suggested diminished innervation from the bilateral cerebral cortices to the right leg. These results collectively indicated that reorganization of the pyramidal fibers were responsible for the monoparesis ipsilateral to the lacunar infarction, although anomalous pyramidal fibers with ipsilateral innervation were responsible for ipsilateral hemiplegia a previous study.

[Assessment of brain neural pathways in diffuse axonal injuries using diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance tomography]

BACKGROUND

Aim of this study was to assess the role of diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) in diagnosis and prognosis in severe diffuse axonal injury (DAI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The studies using 1.5 Tesla MR tomograph were performed on 2nd-17th days after injury in 22 patients with DAI and in 8 healthy volunteers. All patients were comatose in acute period (GCS 4-8), 11 had hemiparesis and in 4 had tetraparesis. Outcomes were evaluated after 6 months using GOS. Indices of diffusion coefficient (DCI) and fraction anisotropy (FA) were assessed bilaterally: in genu and splenium of corpus callosum, posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC), cerebral peduncles, at the level of pons (along corticospinal tracts (CST).

RESULTS

Significant decrease of FA (p < 0.05) along CST bilaterally was found in 7 patients without movement disorders comparing to analogous indices in the control group. Also statistically significant decrease of FA at the level of PLIC and cerebral peduncles was observed on the contralateral side in patients with hemiparesis (p < 0.01). In patients with tetraparesis FA was significantly decreased along CST bilaterally (p < 0.00001). Indices of FA in corpus callosum and along pyramidal tracts significantly correlated with outcomes in patients examined on 10th-17th day after injury (p < 0.01). In the whole group of patients mean indices of FA and DCI in the splenium of corpus callosum were significantly decreased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). 3D reconstruction of CST allowed to discover asymmetry of CST in 3 of 9 patients with hemiparesis on 1st-9th day after injury and in all 6 patients examined on 10th-17th day.

CONCLUSION

Indices of FA reflect the degree of integrity of white matter pathways with significant accuracy. Application of DT-MRI allows to reveal quantitative and qualitative alterations in white matter tracts and to assess their clinical and prognostic value in DAI.

An unusual cause of paralysis of the peroneal nerve-a case report

A 12-year-old boy was referred to our clinic because of progressive paresis of left peroneal nerve. Ultrasound showed a cystic mass close to the proximity of the fibula neck. Puncture revealed jelly-like fluid, but that could not relieve symptoms. Six weeks after onset of symptoms, the boy had complete paresis. Peroneal intraneural ganglia are a rare entity of paralysis of the lower limb in children; more often these symptoms occur because of exostosis. Surgical exploration showed a cystic formation involving the common peroneal nerve. Total recovery of nerve function was seen two years later. Patients with exostosis showed varying outcomes. In children with symptoms suspicious of nerve compression, fast diagnosis and immediate treatment are mandatory to regain best possible recovery.

Primary spinal cord melanoma - a case report

Authors present a case of a 57-year-old woman with primary spinal cord malignant melanoma. Intramedullary localization of primary melanoma is extremely rare. The patient presented neurological deficits such as lower limbs paresis and sensory loss. MRI examination showed intramedullar tumor located on the Th10 vertebra level. Surgical treatment with total removal of tumor was performed. Histopathological study confirmed melanoma. Subsequent chemotherapy was given. Tumor was successfully treated by neurosurgery; radio- and chemotherapy with disease free follow up of 9 months. Surgical treatment of melanoma in this location is extremely important as it leads to regression of neurological symptoms and improvement of the quality of life.

Rapid recovery of motor and cognitive functions after resection of a right frontal lobe meningioma in a child

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to provide longitudinal data on neurological and neuropsychological restitution following resection of an extra-axial space-occupying lesion.

CASE REPORT

A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was utilised preoperatively and 1, 4, 11, and 24 months, respectively, after removal of a parasagittal meningioma compressing the right frontal lobe in a right-handed 6-year-old boy with average intelligence.

RESULTS

Symptoms related to brain compression (left-sided hemiparesis, diplopia) resolved shortly after surgery. Recovery of specific cognitive functions (short- and long-term memory, attention, and dichotic listening performance) was more protracted.

CONCLUSION

Here, we illustrate the potential of a structured follow-up analysis, based on neuropsychological testing. We were able to distinguish separate time-courses for neurological functions but even more distinct within complex neuropsychological processes. This time-dependent recovery should be considered when designing longitudinal follow-up studies.

Late neurological complications after irradiation of malignant tumors of the testis

To identify and describe late neurological complications in a Danish testis cancer cohort treated by radiotherapy. Clinical retrospective material of 94 consecutive patients with malignant testicular tumours treated at Aarhus County Hospital from 1964 to 1973. The irradiated dose in the paraaortic field varied from 27 to 55 Gy given 5 or 6 days a week, from the back and front alternately. The biological equivalent dose of the spinal cord was calculated using the linear-quadratic model. Median follow-up was 25 years, range 7 to 33 years. Seven patients were identified with late neurological complications after irradiation. One developed symptoms 9 months after treatment, but in the six other cases we found a latency period between 10 and 20 years from radiotherapy until the initial neurological symptoms began. The clinical picture in all seven patients was dominated by muscle atrophy, flaccid paresis in the lower limbs and absence of sphincter disturbances or sensory symptoms. High spinal cord dose was related to increased risk of neurological damage. During follow-up 19 patients developed another primary cancer in the radiation field; nine patients were diagnosed with severe arteriosclerosis and 13 patients with long-term gastrointestinal morbidity. Seven patients were identified with late neurological complications, and a clear dose-incidence relationship was shown. The latency period, from irradiation to the initial neurological symptoms began, ranged from 9 months to 20 years with progression of symptoms beyond 25 years. Furthermore many patients in the cohort suffered from solid tumours in the radiation field, severe arteriosclerosis and long-term gastrointestinal morbidity.

[Reversible splenial lesion of the corpus callosum on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in hypoglycemic hemiparesis: report of two cases]

Hypoglycemic hemiparesis is rare and can be misdiagnosed as cerebral infarction or transient ischemic attack. Early diagnosis of these two disorders is critical because, if not treated with prompt glucose administration, hypoglycemia may lead to a fatal clinical course. We reported two cases of hypoglycemic hemiparesis with a reversible splenial lesion on MRI. The first case was a 69-year-old woman presenting with dysarthria and right hemiparesis. The second case was a 60-year-old man presenting with right hemiparesis. Plasma glucose level was 39 mg/d/ and 32 mg/d/, respectively. In both cases, initial diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) showed hyperintensity lesions with decreased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the splenium of the corpus callosum. Following appropriate correction of hypoglycemia, repeat DWI showed complete resolution of hyperintensity lesions with normalized ADC values. These findings can provide complementary information in the differential diagnosis of hypoglycemic hemiparesis and stroke, though underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are still elusive. We emphasize that checking plasma glucose level is necessary even in cases with hemiparesis. Furthermore, we should be aware that not every hyperintensity lesion on DWI is due to ischemia. There are times when it could be due to hypoglycemia.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: case report

A 28-year-old woman had thunderclap headache (TCH), after 7 days she had left hemiparesis. She had a history of oral contraceptive and citalopram medications. Brain magnetic resonance (MR) angiography demonstrated multiple stenotic segments. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed multiple segments of narrowing in vessel calibre. Two probable diagnoses performed; primary angiitis of the central nervous system and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). Because of clinical characteristics and normal cerebrospinal fluid findings she was set on medication for probable RCVS. Follow-up MR angiography after 4 weeks and DSA after 7 weeks demonstrated improvement in vessel calibre. Thus, diagnosis RCVS was established. Diagnosis and management of TCH contain many potential difficulties. Clinicians should consider the imaging of cerebral arteries, even if computed tomography scan and lumbar puncture are normal in TCH. Potential precipitating factors and triggers should also be known and avoided.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma with unusual hemiparesis alternating from one side to the other side

A 59-year-old woman suffered from sudden onset of severe neck and back pain. She experienced right-side hemiparesis. Although the right-side hemiparesis soon disappeared, left-side hemiparesis developed. MRI of the brain was unremarkable. MRI of the cervical spine demonstrated hematoma in the left posterior epidural space at the C2/3 level. The spinal cord was compressed not only by a degenerative disc of the ventral region, but also by hematomas of the dorsal region. The unusual hemiparesis alternating from right-side to left-side in this case may have been caused by various factors, including cervical canal stenosis, the spread of hematoma, disturbance of blood flow, and distribution of stress and strain.

Multiple brain infarcts after orbital inflammation

A 75-year-old woman developed trigeminal varicella-zoster virus infection complicated by ophthalmoplegia, and visual loss followed by recurrent cerebral infarctions involving small and large intracranial arteries. Medical therapy improved her ophthalmoplegia, but she developed a right hemiparesis and aphasia.

Lateral medullary infarction presenting contralateral palatal paresis

Palatopharyngeal paresis has never been reported to be contralateral in the lateral medullary infarction (LMI). A 65-year-old lady with acute dorsolateral infarction in the left medulla presented mild hoarseness, mild dysphagia, mild gait ataxia along with marked hypalgesia and thermal anesthesia on the right limbs. To our surprise, palatal weakness was on the right side, instead of being on the left side as expected in typical Wallenberg syndrome. The palatal paresis was noted during voluntary phonation but turned into normal movement while gag reflex was induced. An involvement of corticobulbar fibers before synapsing into the ipsilateral caudal medulla or a selective involvement of the peri-ambigual reticular formation and/or its post-synaptic connection fiber destined to the contralateral swallowing center presumably underlies such a rare contralateral palatal paresis.

An evaluation of cognitive disorders after anterior choroidal artery infarction

Anterior choroidal artery infarction (AChAI) can be the source of aphasia and spatial neglect, but we have no idea of the other possible cognitive disorders. Here, we investigated these disorders in a relatively large cohort of AChAI patients. Twenty patients with relatively recent infarction (left side: 13; mean delay = 47.4 days; 10 men; mean age = 59.6; mean education level, EL = 10.3) were included. We assessed nonspatial attention (alertness, Go Nogo, divided attention and visual vigilance from the computerized test TEA), spatial attention (bell test), language (BDAE) orientation (time, place), short-term memory (forward and backward digit spans, spatial span), executive functioning (WCST, TMT A and B, categorial evocation), delayed memory (Buschke verbal test, Rey figure test), and retrograde memory (questionnaire on famous events). The performance level was compared with that of 20 control subjects matched in age and EL. AChAI patients were impaired in several tests of attention (slowness, increase in omission and error rate), executive functioning (TMT B; categorical evocation) and delayed memory. Conversely, we found preservation of spatial attention, language, orientation, short-term memory, WCST, and retrograde memory. In conclusion, at the secondary phase post-stroke, these patients can present with moderate disorders of attention, memory and executive functioning, which are clearly less severe than what is usually observed following thalamic or cortical lesions.

Functional MRI correlates of lower limb function in stroke victims with gait impairment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Although knowledge concerning cortical reorganization related to upper limb function after ischemic stroke is growing, similar data for lower limb movements are limited. Previous studies with hand movement suggested increasing recruitment of motor areas in the unlesioned hemisphere with increasing disability. We used ankle movement as a lower limb analog to test for similarities and differences in recovery patterns.

METHODS

Eighteen subjects were selected with chronic residual gait impairment due to a single subcortical ischemic stroke. Functional MRI scans were obtained at 3.0 T during active and passive ankle dorsiflexion in the patients (8 females, 10 males; mean age, 59.9+/-13.5 years; range, 32 to 74 years) and 18 age-matched healthy control subjects.

RESULTS

We observed substantial neocortical activity associated with foot movement both in the patients with stroke and in the healthy control subjects. Our primary finding was increased cortical activation with increasing functional impairment. The extent of activation (particularly in the primary sensorimotor cortex and the supplementary motor area of the unlesioned hemisphere) increased with disability. The changes were most prominent with the active movement task.

CONCLUSIONS

Using ankle movement, we observed increased activation in the unlesioned hemisphere associated with worse function of the paretic leg, consistent with studies on movement of paretic upper limbs. We interpret this finding as potentially adaptive recruitment of undamaged ipsilateral motor control pathways from the supplementary motor area and (possibly maladaptive) disinhibition of the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex.

Cervical intradural lipoma with associated hemivertebra formation at C6 level: a case report

INTRODUCTION AND CASE DESCRIPTION: Intramedullary lipomas are rare tumours of the spinal cord and account for about 1% of all spinal neoplasms. These lesions can occur anywhere along the length of spinal cord, but are frequently localized to the lower thoracic and lumbosacral levels. The authors present a 18-year-old female with intractable shoulder and neck pain and progressive weakness in the upper extremities, harbouring a cervical intradural lipoma with intramedullary extension, along with concomitant scoliosis.

CONCLUSION

Despite its benign nature, surgical treatment of these lesions in symptomatic patients generally provides satisfactory relief of symptoms. Radical removal of spinal intradural lipomas is not recommended since attempts at complete excision carry an unacceptable risk of postoperative morbidity and sufficient decompression with or without duraplasty generally provides a successful clinical outcome.