Department Of Neuroscience Research Articles

Progressive Vertebrobasilar Vasculopathy and Stroke Secondary to Giant Cell Arteritis.

HomeStrokeVol. 53, No. 9Progressive Vertebrobasilar Vasculopathy and Stroke Secondary to Giant Cell Arteritis No AccessCase ReportRequest AccessFull TextAboutView Full TextView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toNo AccessCase ReportRequest AccessFull TextProgressive Vertebrobasilar Vasculopathy and Stroke Secondary to Giant Cell Arteritis Yasamin Mahjoub, MD, Erica D. McKenzie, MD, Saher Raouf and Mohammed Almekhlafi, MD Yasamin MahjoubYasamin Mahjoub Correspondence to: Yasamin Mahjoub, MD, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403 29 St NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9. Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0898-3307 Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Search for more papers by this author , Erica D. McKenzieErica D. McKenzie https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4369-413X Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Search for more papers by this author , Saher RaoufSaher Raouf https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3338-7937 Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Search for more papers by this author and Mohammed AlmekhlafiMohammed Almekhlafi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9550-8197 Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Search for more papers by this author Originally published15 Aug 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.122.039503Stroke. 2022;53:e435–e438FootnotesCorrespondence to: Yasamin Mahjoub, MD, Foothills Medical Centre, 1403 29 St NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2T9. Email [email protected]ca

Mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and self-compassion in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders-A cross-sectional study.

In the last decades, third wave approaches in cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) have shown effectiveness in treating several mental disorders, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Three crucial processes associated with clinical changes in patients include mindfulness, psychological flexibility (PF) and self-compassion (SC). PF is generally assessed by cognitive fusion (CF), a negative formulated key process of PF. The current study encompasses a cross-sectional design to examine the interplay of mindfulness, CF, SC and symptom severity in SSD. It was hypothesized that mindfulness is negatively correlated with symptom severity, CF mediates the negative relation between mindfulness and symptom severity, and SC moderates the link between mindfulness and CF. In total, 79 persons with SSD were recruited at the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Correlations, as well as moderated mediation analyses, were performed using the analysis modeling tool PROCESS with total symptom severity and negative symptom severity as outcome variables, measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Self-Evaluation of Negative Symptoms Scale (SNS). Results show that the moderated mediation hypothesis was confirmed for negative symptom severity assessed by SNS, however, not for total symptom severity assessed by PANSS. In general, the association between mindfulness and CF was stronger for participants with higher SC scores in our data. Future studies should investigate the relationship between mindfulness, SC, and PF regarding symptom severity in SSD in longitudinal designs while considering the impact on different outcomes and differences regarding assessment tools.

Relationship Between Duration of Stroke and Hand Function Recovery in Patient with Stroke

Background- Stroke is sudden loss of neurological function caused by an interruption of the blood flow to the brain. The fine motor activities are also affected which leads to difficulty in writing, prehension and precision are also affected so patient is also not able to hold the or any object in the hand which required to performed in daily activities. Methods - This is an Observational study with a study duration was of 1 year. A total of 30 participants were recruited using the purposive sampling method from the Department of neuroscience, Vikhe Patil Memorial Hospital, Ahmednagar; Puntamba stroke center, Puntamba and Rahuri stroke center. Result - The study shows in jebson taylor hand function test, the most affected component is writing which requires more time followed by moving heavy objects and stimulated feeding, in addition requires less time for card turning, followed by small common object and checkers stacking and the least time required for performing moving light object in stroke patients. Conclusion- The study concludes that there is no relationship between duration of stroke and hand function recovery in patients with stroke. The jebson taylor hand function test shows that the most time required is for small dexterity movement like writing, stimulated feeding. The patients find difficulty in moving heavy objects. The less difficulty task is card turning, checkers stacking, moving light objects, which requires use of all the fingers.

"Does Being Grateful Help? The Construct of Gratitude as an Index of Psychological Well-Being"

Andrea Boggero1*, Lavinia Pentimalli1 and Giovanni Del Puente2 Author Affiliations 1Department of Education Sciences [DISFOR], University of Genoa, Italy 2DiNoGMi, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Italy Received: June 02, 2022 | Published: June 15, 2022 Corresponding author: Andrea Boggero, Department of Education Sciences [DISFOR], University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2022.44.007070

Editorial introductions.

Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care was launched in 2007. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The fields of supportive and palliative care are divided into 12 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Anthony H. DickensonAnthony H. DickensonAnthony H. Dickenson, BSc, PhD, FmedSci, FBPharmcolS is Professor of Neuropharmacology in the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology at University College, London, UK. He gained his PhD at the National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK, and has held posts in Paris, California and Sweden. His research interests are pharmacology of the brain, including the mechanisms of pain and how pain can be controlled in both normal and pathophysiological conditions, and how to translate basic science to the patient. Prof. Dickenson is an Honorary Member of the British Pain Society, was a Member of the Council of the International Association for the Study of Pain for six years and is Section Editor for the journal Pain. He has authored more than 340 refereed publications and has an h index of 90, all due to his motivated and brilliant research team. He is a founding and continuing Member of the Wellcome Trust funded London Pain Consortium. Prof. Dickenson has given plenary lectures at the World Congress on Pain, the American Pain Society, the European Pain Congress, the Canadian Pain Society, the Belgium Pain Society, ASEAPs, the Scandinavian Pain Society, the British Pain Society, the Thailand Pain Society, the Irish Pain Society, the Singapore Pain Society, the Australian Pain Society, the New Zealand Pain Society and many other international and national meetings. He has also spoken at the Royal Institution, to GPs, and to schools on pain. Paul Farquhar-SmithPaul Farquhar-SmithPaul Farquhar-Smith has been a Consultant in pain and anaesthetics for 14 years and is a Fellow of the Faculty of Pain of the Royal College of Anaesthetists. He has a PhD in visceral pain and cannabinoids. He works in chronic cancer pain in close collaboration with supportive and palliative care services. A major interest of his is neuropathic pain in cancer survivors, such as chronic pain after surgery and chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain (CIPN). He is involved in the London Cancer Vanguard project developing pathways and recommendations for CIPN. He has written in reference textbooks and in the British Pain Society guidelines for cancer pain and has lectured nationally and internationally on these subjects. He is currently co-Chair of the British Pain Society / Association for Palliative Medicine Joint Working Group on Pain in Cancer Patients. Kirsty BannisterKirsty BannisterAssociate Professor Dr Kirsty Bannister leads the Central Modulation of Pain laboratory at King's College London, UK. Her research team bridges the gap between bench and bedside pain research as they conduct exploratory experiments that seek to molecularly, anatomically and/or functionally define descending control pathways in animals and humans. Notably, Kirsty was recently awarded the 2022 Patrick D Wall prize for basic pain research from the International Association for the Study of Pain, and she performs section editor duties for Pain, Pain Reports and British Journal of Pharmacology. Kirsty has led multiple symposia at international meetings including the World Congress on Pain (IASP) and the European Pain Federation (EFIC). She is also part of the Scientific Programme Committee for IASP 2022.

0279 Thermoneutral temperature exposure increases slow-wave sleep in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract Introduction There is growing evidence that disordered sleep, which is known to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), may accelerate neuropathology, thus promoting a vicious cycle. Strategies for improving sleep quality may slow disease progression. Here we investigate the feasibility of sleep enhancement through ambient temperature regulation and examine the effect on amyloid pathology. Methods Female 3xTg-AD mice (~12 m.o.) were instrumented for EEG/EMG monitoring. After a week-long baseline, one half of the mice (n=8, EXPT) were exposed to stepwise diurnal increases in ambient temperature (Ta) to reach 30oC (thermoneutral for mice) during the light phase while the rest (n=8, CTRL) remained at room temperature (22oC). Vigilance state – i.e., Wake, REM, NREM, and slow wave sleep (SWS) within NREM – was scored in 4-second epochs and sleep metrics were computed. Results SWS percentage became significantly greater (p<0.05) in the light phase for EXPT mice over the course of treatment. These effects suggest better sleep consolidation and greater sleep depth with thermoneutral warming. After four weeks of treatment, the animals were euthanized, and the brains removed to assay amyloid pathology by ELISA. We found that thermoneutral warming caused a significant reduction in both Aβ40 and Aβ42 in the hippocampus, but not in the cortex. Conclusion These data imply that thermoneutral warming might have some regional specificity in its effects. The effects appear to be specific to some brain areas more than others, with implications for the cognitive and neuropathologic changes found in AD. Furthermore, since SWS and REM support memory, future studies should investigate the effects of thermoneutral enhancement of SWS and REM on cognition. Support (If Any) R01AG068215; seed funds UKY Department of Neuroscience

Electromyogram (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) Findings in Children with Neuromuscular Disorders

Background: An electromyogram (EMG) measures the electrical activity of muscles when they're at rest and when they're being used. On the other hand, nerve conduction study (NCS) is a medical diagnostic test used to evaluate the function, especially the ability of electrical conduction, of the motor and sensory nerves of the human body. Both are used to diagnose the status of neuromuscular disorders even in children. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the findings of electromyogram and nerve conduction study in children with neuromuscular disorders. Methods: This retrospective, observational study was conducted in the department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu Hospital & BICH, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from January 2010 to December 2016. In total 65 suspected children with neuromuscular disorders were selected as the study subjects. After elaborating the history taking and physical examination a provisional diagnosis was made and sent for NCS and EMG to trained personnel at Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation along with other necessary investigations. All data were recorded and the “clinical and etiological” profile was correlated with the neurophysiologic findings retrospectively. Results: As investigation reports of EMG, among all participants, we found normal findings in 21 participants. Besides these, a variety of SMA and/or late-onset SMA were found in 16 participants. Moreover, diffuse fibrillation, biphasic complex, repetitive spontaneous discharge was found among 6 participants. On the other hand, as per the investigation reports of NCS among all the participants, the normal finding was in 34 participants. Besides this low amplitude CMAP and SNAP, low amplitude CMAP, variable sensory conduction velocity, and slow conduction velocity with temporal dispersion were found in 3, 6, another 3, and 4 participants respectively. The compatibilities of electrophysiological diagnosis were found at 68% for detecting neurogenic disease and 71% for detecting myogenic disease. On the other hand, the compatibilities of the Nerve Conduction Study were found 46% for detecting neurogenic disease and 50% for detecting myogenic disease. Conclusion: NCS and EMG are crucial investigations to reach confirmation as well as the exclusion of the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorder in children.

Prognosis of Epileptic Seizure Event Onsets Using Random Survival Forests

This article introduces a machine learning approach, based on a nonparametric, decision-tree-based random survival forest (RSF) model, for a continuous prognosis of epileptic seizure events using electroencephalogram (EEG) data. While earlier seizure prediction methods forecast seizure occurrences only at a specified future time, the RSF model allows estimation of the probability of seizure onset, in terms of a hazard function, over the entire prediction horizon. These estimates are crucial for developing individualized quantitative risk measures and management plans for epilepsy patients. Additionally, RSF can identify the key risk factors by capturing the interdependencies among the features extracted from EEG data. The performance of RSF was evaluated for prognosing seizure onsets of the rat and mice specimens in an 80 small animals cohort at the Texas A&M Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics. The results suggest that RSF outperforms other contemporary survival models, including the popular Cox proportional hazard, with 87.5% lower integrated Brier Score (IBS) errors, and 17.5% higher concordance index (C-index). Further, a continuous seizure prediction sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 87% were obtained even over a 5-min prediction horizon (the average time between successive seizure onsets was 5 min long). These results suggest that the RSF model can be used to effectively quantify the likelihood of seizure onsets over time to the patients and caregivers, promoting informed decision making.

Identifying and predicting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clinical subgroups: a population-based machine-learning study

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is known to represent a collection of overlapping syndromes. Various classification systems based on empirical observations have been proposed, but it is unclear to what extent they reflect ALS population substructures. We aimed to use machine-learning techniques to identify the number and nature of ALS subtypes to obtain a better understanding of this heterogeneity, enhance our understanding of the disease, and improve clinical care. In this retrospective study, we applied unsupervised Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection [UMAP]) modelling, semi-supervised (neural network UMAP) modelling, and supervised (ensemble learning based on LightGBM) modelling to a population-based discovery cohort of patients who were diagnosed with ALS while living in the Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta regions of Italy, for whom detailed clinical data, such as age at symptom onset, were available. We excluded patients with missing Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) feature values from the unsupervised and semi-supervised steps. We replicated our findings in an independent population-based cohort of patients who were diagnosed with ALS while living in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. Between Jan 1, 1995, and Dec 31, 2015, 2858 patients were entered in the discovery cohort. After excluding 497 (17%) patients with missing ALSFRS-R feature values, data for 42 clinical features across 2361 (83%) patients were available for the unsupervised and semi-supervised analysis. We found that semi-supervised machine learning produced the optimum clustering of the patients with ALS. These clusters roughly corresponded to the six clinical subtypes defined by the Chiò classification system (ie, bulbar, respiratory, flail arm, classical, pyramidal, and flail leg ALS). Between Jan 1, 2009, and March 1, 2018, 1097 patients were entered in the replication cohort. After excluding 108 (10%) patients with missing ALSFRS-R feature values, data for 42 clinical features across 989 patients were available for the unsupervised and semi-supervised analysis. All 1097 patients were included in the supervised analysis. The same clusters were identified in the replication cohort. By contrast, other ALS classification schemes, such as the El Escorial categories, Milano-Torino clinical staging, and King's clinical stages, did not adequately label the clusters. Supervised learning identified 11 clinical parameters that predicted ALS clinical subtypes with high accuracy (area under the curve 0·982 [95% CI 0·980-0·983]). Our data-driven study provides insight into the ALS population substructure and confirms that the Chiò classification system successfully identifies ALS subtypes. Additional validation is required to determine the accuracy and clinical use of these algorithms in assigning clinical subtypes. Nevertheless, our algorithms offer a broad insight into the clinical heterogeneity of ALS and help to determine the actual subtypes of disease that exist within this fatal neurodegenerative syndrome. The systematic identification of ALS subtypes will improve clinical care and clinical trial design. US National Institute on Aging, US National Institutes of Health, Italian Ministry of Health, European Commission, University of Torino Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neurosciences, Emilia Romagna Regional Health Authority, and Italian Ministry of Education, University, and Research. For the Italian and German translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Young Investigator Interview With CSCI Distinguished Scientist Awardee Dr. Michael Hill.

Dr. Michael Hill is President of the Canadian Neurology Federation and Director of the Stroke Unit for the Calgary Stroke Program. He is also a professor at the University of Calgary at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences. Dr. Hill has made outstanding contributions to the field of stroke research, particularly through the ESCAPE and ESCAPE-NA1 trials. Dr. Hill was a recipient of the Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation (CSCI) Distinguished Scientist Award in 2021-recognized as an expert and innovative leader in his research.

Impact of Biological and Lifestyle Factors on Cognitive Aging and Work Ability in the Dortmund Vital Study: Protocol of an Interdisciplinary, Cross-sectional, and Longitudinal Study.

BackgroundPrevious research revealed several biological and environmental factors modulating cognitive functioning over a human’s lifespan. However, the relationships and interactions between biological factors (eg, genetic polymorphisms, immunological parameters, metabolic products, or infectious diseases) and environmental factors (eg, lifestyle, physical activity, nutrition, and work type or stress at work) as well as their impact on cognitive functions across the lifespan are still poorly understood with respect to their complexity.ObjectiveThe goal of the Dortmund Vital Study is to validate previous hypotheses as well as generate and validate new hypotheses about the relationships among aging, working conditions, genetic makeup, stress, metabolic functions, the cardiovascular system, the immune system, and mental performance over the human lifespan with a focus on healthy working adults. The Dortmund Vital Study is a multidisciplinary study involving the Departments of Ergonomics, Immunology, Psychology and Neurosciences, and Toxicology at the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo) in Germany, as well as several national and international partners.MethodsThe Dortmund Vital Study is designed as a combined cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Approximately 600 healthy subjects aged between 20 and 70 years will participate. A wide range of demographic, psychological, behavioral, sensory, cardiovascular, immunological, and biochemical data, a comprehensive electroencephalography (EEG)-based cognitive test battery as well as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been included in the study.ResultsThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of IfADo in October 2015. The baseline testing was conducted between 2016 and 2021 and will be repeated every 5 years (3 follow-up measures until 2035). As of March 2020 (until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic), 593 participants have been enrolled. Some results from the cross-sectional part of the study were already published, further results will be published soon. Longitudinal data will be analyzed and published by 2025.ConclusionsWe anticipate that the study will shed light on sources of interindividual differences in the alterations of cognitive functioning with increasing age and reveal biological and lifestyle markers contributing to work ability, longevity, and healthy aging on the one hand, and to risk factors for cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, or even dementia on the other hand.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05155397; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05155397International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/32352

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

Should Primary Stroke Centers Perform Advanced Imaging?

Should Primary Stroke Centers Perform Advanced Imaging?

'Cine-Psych': Mental health educational film-making.

Medical EducationVolume 56, Issue 5 p. 581-582 REALLY GOOD STUFF ‘Cine-Psych’: Mental health educational film-making Nadeem Akhtar, Corresponding Author Nadeem Akhtar akhtar@mcmaster.ca orcid.org/0000-0002-0658-5930 Correspondence Nadeem Akhtar, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3K7, Canada. Email: akhtar@mcmaster.caSearch for more papers by this author Nadeem Akhtar, Corresponding Author Nadeem Akhtar akhtar@mcmaster.ca orcid.org/0000-0002-0658-5930 Correspondence Nadeem Akhtar, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 100 West 5th Street, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3K7, Canada. Email: akhtar@mcmaster.caSearch for more papers by this author First published: 24 February 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.14782Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume56, Issue5May 2022Pages 581-582 RelatedInformation

Biochemical Society Science Communication Prize 2021

For over a decade, the Biochemical Society has looked to identify and celebrate outstanding science communication talent in molecular biosciences with an annual Science Communication Competition. In 2020, to mark the 10th anniversary of this scheme, the Biochemical Society renamed its Science Communication Competition as the ‘Biochemical Society Science Communication Prize’.The prize has always attracted an international portfolio of engaging and creative voices, and the 2021 edition was no exception. Entries had to be bioscience themed and aimed at the general public and were accepted as written pieces of up to 1500 words or in a media format – such as video or audio, 2–5 minutes long – across two categories: one open to foundation/undergraduate students and another to postgraduate students.The Biochemical Society and the prize judges were impressed with the number of very high standard entries, making competition for this year’s prize as fierce as in previous rounds. These entries were judged by a panel of four experts across science communication practice: Dr Heather Doran (Public Engagement Manager at the Leverhulme Centre for Forensic Science, University of Dundee, and Science Editor for The Biochemist), Dr Sorrel Bunting (Head of Communities and Engagement at Springer Nature Group), Dr Anthea Lacchia (freelance science writer and journalist, audio producer and science communicator) and Joe Burton (Education and Public Engagement Manager at the Linnean Society).The Society is pleased to celebrate the 2021 Biochemical Society Science Communication Prize winners, all of them video entries! The winners of each category receives a cash prize – £300 for the first prize, £200 for the second prize and £100 for the third prize – and access to a mentoring session with an experienced science communicator who can provide advice based on their own career experiences. This prize follows a continued recognition from the Biochemical Society of the importance of science communication and outreach practice and training, which includes the Scientific Outreach Grants and the Introduction to Public Engagement and Science Policy online course.The winning entries in the foundation/undergraduate category covered biomolecular topics as wide as painkillers and the answer to the age-old question ‘How much coffee is too much?’ Resorting to an impressive array of creative techniques, from digital to stop-motion animation, these videos showcased clear and engaging science with remarkable media mastery.The first prize in the foundation/undergraduate category went to Faye Singleton, a third-year undergraduate studying biomedical sciences at the University of York. On receiving the prize, Faye commented: “I've been making YouTube videos since I was 10 years old and have built my audience to 25,000 subscribers. I now focus my videos on all aspects of student life. I wanted to create a topic on something that could be useful to the general public. After some research I found a news article surrounding the adverse effects of Paracetamol. I felt the mechanism to how the drug works as well as the potential dangers of it, were not so commonly known within the general public. This was my gap! I decided to illustrate the complexity of this painkiller into an easy-to-understand narrative, hoping to inform my audience. I was over the moon to find I had received first place in this competition. I'm hoping to pursue a career in medical science communications and hopefully this is just the beginning!”The postgraduate category comprised another inspiring set of prize-winning videos. The first prize went to Madeleine Ball, a PhD student at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. On her prize-winning entry, Madeleine said: “I decided to make my video about the Sonic Hedgehog gene because I had heard about it before even going to university – it made me smile and realise that science wasn’t just about very serious academic pursuits, but that there was light-heartedness and a human-side behind scientific work also.”Madeleine also added: “I love science, and getting the chance to communicate what I’m so passionate about is something that I’ve always wanted to do – this competition was the first time I ever made any video, or piece of science communication aimed at the public and I’m thrilled it went so well! Winning this prize has motivated me to continue making science videos, and has reminded me that no matter where my scientific career may take me, I can embrace the human side of research and keep having fun with it.”The six winning entries can be viewed on the Science Communication Prize webpage hosted on Biochemical Society website.

Brain Gate Technology

Brain Gate overpasses the gap between the brain and the computer. It is a mind-to-movement system that allows a quadriplegic person to command a computer using only his/her thoughts. Brain computer interface technology, used in Brain gate technology, is a brain implant system that came into existence by bio tech company called cyberkinectics in conjunction with the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University. It is found that people with long established, severe paralysis can generate signals in the area of the brain responsible for voluntary movement and these signals can be detected, recorded, routed out of the brain to a computer and transformed into actions enabling a paralyzed patient to perform basic tasks. It is none less than a scientific triumph that brain these signals can be reconnected, thereby allowing the patient to make movements of their limbs just by thinking about it. A fascinating goal which motivates one to work upon this technology is to enable naturally controlled movements of paralyzed limbs. The research done on Brain Gate is yet very limited as the system is still under trial and hence, this paper gathers information through several contributions provided and assembles them to form a single point of reference.

Referral Pattern of Patients to Pediatric Neurosciences Department: A Tertiary Care Hospital Study in Bangladesh

Introduction: Referral system is an important part for providing good quality holistic management in child care. A good number of paediatric patients ranging in age from newborn to 18 years old, have been recorded in neurology outpatient and inpatient settings. Several departments might have child patients who need certain specialist care on neurological disorders who are referred by specialists of other disciplines to pediatrics neurology department for specified diagnosis & proper management, since they excel in such cases. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to track how patients from other specialties of paediatrics get referred to the specialists of pediatric neurosciences department. Materials & Methodology: We conducted this prospective study of recruiting 365 children who were referred to Pediatric Neurosciences Department of Dhaka Shishu Hospital by other physicians. Ethical clearance was taken from concerned authority. The data were analyzed using simple proportion, rates and tables and was presented as frequency by using MS-Excel & SPSS version 20.0. Results: From the total 365 patients, the majority of the 288(78.9%) referred patients came from the general paediatrics OPD of various hospitals and private practices. Among the remainder, 49(13.42%) were from paediatric orthopedic OPD, 13(3.56%) from ophthalmology OPD 7(1.91%) from ophthalmology IPD, 7(1.91%) from neurosurgery OPD and 1(0.3%) from neurosurgery IPD. On the other hand, according to frequency of diagnosis, 88(24.11%) Epilepsy, 64(17.53%) Autism spectrum disorder, 41(11.23%) Neuromuscular disease, 39(10.68%) Neurometabolic disorder, 27(7.4%) Cerebral palsy, 30(8.22%) Syndromic child with ID, 27(7.4%) Cerebral palsy, 17(4.66%) Somatoform disorder, 13(3.56%) Constitutional speech delay & finally 2(0.55%) Peripheral neuropathy had been found in this study. Conclusion: The most common cause for referral was to seek advice and management from a special multidisciplinary service. ...........

Aetiological and Clinical Profile of New Onset Seizures in Adults: An Institutional Experience

Objective: This study was conducted with the objective to identify the aetiology of first seizure in adults and to evaluate their clinical profile, treatment practices and seizure recurrence. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at the Neuro-sciences department of a tertiary care hospital cum medical research institute of Northern India from April-2017 to October-2018. A total of 114 adult patients aged 18 years or above, who presented to the hospital within 15 days of new onset seizures or developed first seizure in this hospital during the study period, were included in the study. Patients were followed up for 3 months to determine recurrence rate. Results: First seizure occurred before 50 years age in most patients (65%). Generalized Tonic Clonic Seizure was most common noticed type. Most patients (63.2%) had single seizure, while status epilepticus occurred in 13.2% cases. Nearly 3/4 patients had provoked seizures. Neuro-infections and systemic/metabolic causes were relatively more common in 18-29 years group, while in older age group, cerebrovascular accidents and neuro-infections were more common. Amongst the cerebrovascular causes infraction (ischemia) was the most common. Neuro-cysticercosis was the most common infection followed by Tuberculosis. Recurrence was seen in 23 (20.2%) cases during 3 months follow up. Recurrence was significantly more common in noncompliant patients and in patients with seizure cluster at initial presentation. Conclusion: Aetiology of adult new onset seizure varies with age and can vary geographically. Local etiological studies can help in early diagnosis and individualized treatment to prevent recurrence.

The Development of Core Concepts for Neuroscience Higher Education: From Beginning to Summer Virtual Meeting Satellite Session.

Neuroscience curricula vary widely across higher education institutions due to the lack of an accrediting body or a set of unified educational concepts or outcomes. Each institution has developed a unique set of fundamental knowledge, topical subdisciplines, and core competencies to be delivered in a neuroscience program. Core concepts would provide neuroscience departments and programs with a generally agreed upon set of overarching principles that organize knowledge and can be applied to all sub-disciplines of the field, providing a useful framework from which to approach neuroscience education. We set out to develop a consensus set of neuroscience core concepts to aid in higher education curricular development and assessment. Suggestions for neuroscience core concepts were solicited from neuroscience faculty in a nationwide survey and analyzed using an inductive, independent coding model to identify eight core concepts based upon survey responses. Accompanying explanatory paragraphs for each core concept were developed through an iterative process. We presented the resulting core concepts to 134 neuroscience educators at a satellite session of the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience 2020 Summer Virtual Meeting (SVM). Individuals and groups of faculty provided feedback regarding the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and clarity of each concept and explanatory paragraph, as well as the structure of the document as a whole. We continue to refine the core concepts based upon this feedback and will distribute the final document in a subsequent publication. Following publication of the finalized list of core concepts, we will develop tools to help educators incorporate the core concepts into their curricula.

Services Delivered by the Department of Paediatric Neuroscienc at Walk- in Clinic: A Study in Tertiary Care Children Hospital in Bangladesh

Introduction: Outpatient services usually cost less, because you don't need to stay overnight. Staff members at outpatient centers are well trained in the service they provide. Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) are a heterogeneous group of conditions that share a commonality of abnormal development and functioning of the brain. Paediatric Neurscience Department of Dhaka Shishu Hospiatal provides outpatient services for the children having neurodevelopmental problem without an overnight stay. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical patterns of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders of children attending in the OPD in the clinic. Materials and methodology: This retrospective study was conducted in the Outpatient department of Neuroscience Department of Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital where a multi-disciplinary team comprising a physician, developmental therapist and child psychologist used to give service. Patients were contacted in Outpatient department of Neuroscience Department who were enrolled in OPD registration from March’2019 to August’2019. A total 3632 out patients were selected for the study. Data were organized and prepared on a spreadsheet. All statistical tests were run on SPSS for Windows version 16.0 software. Results: Total 3632 patients attended the OPD clinic. Nine hundred and two (902) patients were referred to other clinics. Most of the patients (400) were referred for general assessment and ( 400) mental health clinic, Ninety (90) for psychological assessment, Seventy nine(79)for admission, Seventy one (71) to SAHIC for hearing assessment and the lest fifty five(55) patients were referred to SLC(speech, language clinic) respectively. From the patients most of them (24.59%) had motor delay. Then 21.28% had cerebral palsy. After that20.76% had epilepsy/seizure, 14.84% had other neurological disease, 8.89% had speech problem, 6.53% had mental health problem (ASD/ ADHD/ Behavoural problem). 0.85% had ...........