Browse Neurology Topics Articles by Topic

ABCD² Score as a Predictor of Three-Year Stroke Risk

This retrospective cohort study using the National Patient Registry in Denmark analyzed a three-year follow-up period following a transient ischemic attack, looking at the rate of recurrent stroke and mortality. The patients were divided into low risk (ABCD² score 0-3) and high risk (ABCD2 score ≥ 4). The stroke rate was 6% in the high-risk group and 4% in the low-risk group.

Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Late-Life Brain Health

The major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are delineated in Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), developed by the American Heart Association. These risk factors are blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, diet, and sleep duration. The investigators in this analysis of two large databases in the United Kingdom and the United States, demonstrated that cardiovascular health, as defined by the LE8, will also predict brain health later in life.

Migraine and Ischemic Vascular Disease: The Search for the Missing Link

The presence of traditional vascular risk factors does not explain the increased incidence of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction in patients with migraine. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not increase the risk of ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction in migraineurs.

Wildfire Smoke Exposure Is a Risk Factor for Dementia

In this large, open cohort study based on electronic health record data from 2009 to 2019 of dementia-free people older than 60 years of age, exposure to wildfire smoke resulted in an increased incidence of dementia later in life.

Psychiatric Comorbidities in Persons with Epilepsy

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the prevalence of most psychiatric disorders was significantly higher in persons with epilepsy than in those without epilepsy. These findings show the high burden of psychiatric comorbidities in persons with epilepsy and underscore the importance of appropriately identifying and treating psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy patients.

Patterns of Brain Atrophy in Memory Disorders

In this multicenter, memory clinic-based cohort targeting earliest at-risk states for dementia of Alzheimer’s type, limbic-predominant and hippocampus-sparing atrophy subtypes were identified. Limbic-predominant atrophy was linked to worse cognitive outcomes over time, including in individuals who were asymptomatic or only had subjective memory symptoms at the time of baseline imaging.

Examination and Imaging Correlates of Visual Symptoms in Mild TBI

This study highlights measurable visual and structural changes in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Findings include convergence insufficiency, reduced contrast sensitivity, and occipital cortex changes, despite normal standard imaging and visual field tests. Machine learning discerned mTBI from controls with 72% accuracy, suggesting advanced diagnostics can uncover subtle abnormalities.

Monotruncular (Monomelic) CIDP

In this study, the authors describe the clinical, electrophysiological, and radiological features of patients with multifocal chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) that presented with monotruncular (monomelic) onset.

Diagnostic Criteria for Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the updated 2021 Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes (PNS)-CARE score in diagnosing PNS, highlighting significant improvements in sensitivity and specificity compared to the 2004 criteria, while also addressing limitations related to study design, diagnostic criteria comparison, and the need for further research in diverse patient populations.

Epilepsy and Cardiovascular Events

This large prospective cohort study found that older adults with a lifetime history of epilepsy were more likely to experience cardiovascular events (CVEs), and that enzyme-inducing antiseizure medications (EIASMs) may account for a significant portion of this risk. The findings suggest a potential causal link between epilepsy treated with EIASMs and CVE, highlighting the need for careful medication selection in epilepsy management.