Cerebral Function In Patients Research Articles

Neuropsychiatric dysfunction in patients with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis

The aim of this study is to clarify the cerebral functions in patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) as well as those with liver cirrhosis (LC). We studied 58 patients with CH (20 in fibrosis stage F1, 20 in F2, 18 in F3), 77 with LC (46 rated as Child-Pugh class A, 24 as B, 7 as C), and 20 healthy volunteers (HV). Computer-aided quantitative neuropsychiatric function test systems, including eight neuropsychiatric tests were performed. Subjects with results over the cut-off value for healthy subjects ranged from 11.1-28.6% in CH and 19.5-36.4% in LC. The percentages with abnormality in at least one test in CH and LC were 72.4% and 80.6%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in the HV group (35.0%) (P = 0.003, P = 0.0003, respectively). Among CH subjects, those with three or more abnormal results in the F1, F2 and F3 subgroups were 15.0%, 20.0% and 38.9%, respectively. Among LC subjects, those with three or more abnormal results in the Child-Pugh class A, B and C subgroups comprised 30.4%, 50.0% and 57.1%, respectively. The rate in the CH F3 subgroup (P = 0.011) and in all three LC subgroups (P = 0.023, P = 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively) were significantly higher than that in the HV group. The percentage of patients with neuropsychiatric function impairment was high in both LC and CH, especially in stage F3. Neuropsychiatric dysfunction may initiate in CH in a considerable number of patients.

FDG‐PET findings in patients with galactosaemia

Despite treatment with a galactose-restricted diet, many galactosaemia patients develop lifelong cognitive impairment, speech abnormalities and a gamut of neurological problems including cognitive impairment and tremors. No study has explored changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with galactosaemia. Five patients with galactosaemia had ages ranging from 20 to 40 years (mean age 28 years) and eight similarly aged controls received brain [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans. PET scans were analysed using a previously validated template methodology of regions of interest (ROIs). Count ratios for each anatomical ROI were compared between the galactosaemic patients and the healthy controls. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) software was also used to further analyse the data. ROI analysis showed that galactosaemic patients had significant bilateral decreases in cerebral glucose metabolism in the superior temporal gyrus, medial occipital lobe, parietal lobe, cerebellum, calcarine cortex, superior frontal cortex, and superior parietal cortex when compared with controls. Significant increases were seen in the cingulate gyrus and temporal poles, bilaterally. SPM analysis revealed foci of decreased glucose metabolism in the caudate, cerebellum, precentral gyrus and cerebellar tonsils of galactosaemic patients. SPM also showed increased glucose metabolism in the subcallosal gyrus and claustrum. The results show significant abnormalities in cerebral function in patients with galactosaemia, particularly with widespread decreases in cortical metabolism. These abnormalities appear to be in brain regions that may be associated with the neuropsychological deficits in these patients. PET brain scans may be of value in galactosaemia patients to evaluate for dysfunction.

Is Single or Double Aortic Clamping Safer in Terms of Cerebral Outcome During Coronary Bypass Surgery?

The purpose of the present study was to investigate retrospectively which aortic clamping technique, the single clamp technique (SCT) or double clamping technique (DCT), is safer in terms of cerebral functions in patients who have undergone coronary bypass surgery. We evaluated 1100 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery at our institute from 1998 to 2004. The two groups, SCT (n = 550, 50%) and DCT (n = 550, 50%), were comparable with respect to smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral arterial disease, history of neurological events, creatinine levels, and existence of a carotid lesion. No significant differences between the SCT and DCT groups were observed in terms of cardiac and cerebral complications perioperatively and postoperatively. Both single and double clamping techniques have advantages and disadvantages in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery.

Zehirlenme Olgularında Hayatı Tehlike Kararı İçin Glasgow Koma Skalasının Kullanımı

Zehirlenme nedeniyle gönderilen olgularda, hayati tehlike kavramının değerlendirilmesinde; kişinin yoğun bakım tedavisi görüp görmediği, yoğun bakımda kaldığı süre, antidot tedavisi uygulanıp uygulanmadığı ve varsa ölçülmüş olan madde dozu kriter olarak kullanılmaktadır. Glasgow Koma Skalası (GKS), beyin fonksiyonlarını ölçen, genellikle kranyoserebral yaralanmak hastalarda koma derecesini güvenilir bir şekilde değerlendirmeye yarayan bir indekstir. GKS’nın mortalité ile korelasyonu bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada GKS bulguları tanımlanan ve bu tanımlar ışığında GKS hesaplanan olgularda skalanın hayati tehlike kararı açısından kullanılabilirliğinin tartışılması amaçlandı. 1999-2000 yılları arasında Adli Tıp Kurumu 5. İhtisas Kurulu’na zehirlenme nedeni ile gönderilen olgular, klasik hayati tehlike kriterleri ve göz hareketleri, konuşma,sözel cevap, motor cevap olmak üzere, GKS kriterleri açısından ret-rospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Çalışmamızda toplam 647 zehirlenme olgusu içerisinden hayati tehlike bulunup bulunmadığı sorulan 359 olgu arasından GKS belirtilmiş olan ve/veya mevcut verilerle GKS’sı saptanabilen 30 olgu irdelenmiştir. Diğer olgularda ise klinik bilgiler ve hasta öyküsü yeterince kaydedilmediğinden skala değerlendirilememiştir. Bu çalışma sonucunda, zehirlenme olguları için oluşturulacak modifiye bir GKS formunun her sağlık biriminde kullanılmasının yakın bir hedef olması gerektiği düşünülmüştür.Anahtar kelimeler: Glasgow koma skalası, hayati tehlike, zehirlenme

Hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis: pathogenesis, diagnosis and management.

The pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is unknown. Many theories have been proposed. Most established therapies are based on such theories but since no theory has have ever been proved, therapies have to be considered empiric. The spectrum of HE ranges from minimal cerebral functional deficits, which can only be found by sensitive psychometric tests, to coma with signs of decerebration. HE has arbitrarily been divided into stages. A number of precipitating factors are known and the first line of therapy should always be the elimination of these factors. The differential diagnosis includes all states of impaired consciousness and deficits in cerebral function in patients with chronic liver disease, and clinical and biochemical tests to differentiate are indicated. The therapeutic options for HE include: protein restriction only for a limited time in comatous patients; nonabsorbable antibiotics (aminoglycosides), which because of adverse effects are also limited to higher grades of HE: intestinal cleansing which is applicable in all degrees of HE; lactulose, branched chain aminoacids and ornithin aspartate which have been proven to be effective and can be applied long term in patients with lower grades of HE.

Functional assessment of mild traumatic brain injury using SPECT and neuropsychological testing

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether SPECT and neuropsychological testing provide converging evidence of normal and abnormal regional cerebral function in patients with mild trau matic brain injury (mTBI). Four patients with mTBI were evaluated with SPECT and selected neuropsychological tests with putative localizing capabilities to specific cortical regions. The perform ance of each patient on each test was graded as either normal or abnormal. Additionally, SPECT images were graded for normal and/or abnormal patterns of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in eight regions of the cortex. These data were then used to predict outcomes from one modality to the other, i.e. rCBF patterns on SPECT were used to predict either normal or abnormal performance on specific tests and performance on specific tests was used to predict the presence or absence of rCBF abnormalities on SPECT. Statistical analysis of composite data from all four patients showed that test performance predicted SPECT findings, but SPECT findings did not predict test performance.

Cerebral abnormalities in myotonic dystrophy. Cerebral blood flow, magnetic resonance imaging, and neuropsychological tests.

To study cerebral abnormalities in myotonic dystrophy (MD) and determine the different patterns of cerebral function in patients with MD with maternal (mMD) vs paternal (pMD) inheritance. Patients with MD and normal controls were studied with neuropsychological testing, magnetic resonance imaging, and single photon emission computed tomography. Studies were done at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, Calif. Twenty-two consecutive-patients with MD, 11 of whom had pMD and eight mMD, and 10 normal controls were studied. Diagnoses were made on the basis of family history, electromyography, and clinical examinations. Normal subjects in the same age distribution were studied for comparisons. We found significantly lower neuropsychological performance and cerebral blood flow in the patients with MD compared with the controls. Patients with mMD had statistically lower scores on IQ tests and more extensive cerebral hypoperfusion when compared with those with pMD. Changes in cerebral blood flow were most severe in the frontal and temporoparietal association cortex. Cerebral blood blow measures strongly correlated with IQ. Patients with mMD had earlier onset of disease and lower IQs than the pMD group. The pattern of cerebral perfusion in the mMD group was consistent with a diffuse brain injury, while cerebral perfusion in pMD showed more minor changes. These findings emphasize the cognitive differences between mMD and pMD.

Branched chain amino acid therapy in liver disease.

Patients with hepatic cirrhosis often are malnourished and wasted. If portal-systemic encephalopathy (PSE) develops, restriction of dietary protein in an attempt to treat encephalopathy may further promote negative nitrogen balance. There is considerable interest in providing nutritional supplements to patients with cirrhosis and PSE which would lead to improvement in nitrogen balance while improving or at least not worsening PSE. Amino acid supplements designed to correct the abnormal amino acid pattern characteristically found in patients with cirrhosis and PSE are under investigation as potential therapeutic agents. The levels of the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are decreased in almost all patients with cirrhosis and PSE. The exact mechanism for the reductions in BCAA concentrations is unknown. Furthermore, aromatic amino acids (AAA) and methionine (MET) concentrations are usually increased in these patients. It has been suggested that BCAAs and neutral amino acids compete for transport across the blood-brain barrier and that a decrease in BCAA concentrations promotes entrance of neutral amino acids into the brain. Aromatic amino acids, MET, and their derivatives may have a role in the production of PSE. These observations have increased interest in the potential therapeutic benefit of administering BCAAs to patients with cirrhosis and PSE in order to decrease the entrance of putative toxins into the brain. Treatment trials using BCAAs alone or in solutions containing other amino acids in patients with cirrhosis and PSE have given conflicting results. In one trial, there appeared to be less PSE induced by a BCAA-enriched solution when compared to equinitrogenous dietary protein. However, other controlled studies have not demonstrated any advantage to the addition of BCAAs as compared to placebo with regards to reducing mortality or improving cerebral function in patients with acute cirrhosis and PSE. Some of the differences in study outcomes may relate to the patient population evaluated; the type, amount, and duration of treatment; and whether other therapy was administered. BCAA supplements may also be useful in minimizing or reversing the catabolic state characteristic of patients with cirrhosis. A reduction of increased urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion by infusions of BCAAs in cirrhotic patients suggests an anticatabolic effect. These potential anticatabolic effects of BCAAs are most interesting and deserve further study.

Hypercapnic alteration of visual evoked responses in acute cerebral infarction.

To determine the effect of inhaled carbon dioxide on acute ischemic cerebral injury, we have compared occipital visual evoked responses (VER) at baseline and during hypercapnia in 20 patients with acute unilateral cerebral infarction (ten with and ten without homonymous hemianopsia) and in ten normal controls. Visual evoked responses were judged on the basis of interhemispheral symmetry. In eight of ten controls and six of 20 patients, baseline VERs were symmetrical and remained unchanged during hypercapnia. In 14 patients with asymmetrical baseline VERs, hypercapnia caused improvement of symmetry in five, worsening in three, and no change in six. Hypercapnic vasodilation may be either beneficial or deleterious to cerebral function in patients with acute cerebral infarction.

Effects of oxygen therapy on cerebral functions in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema

Effects of oxygen therapy on cerebral functions in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema