Atrofia cerebelar relacionada à exposição ocupacional crônica ao tolueno: relato de caso

A 31-year-old woman presented slowly progressing ataxia and neurasthenic symptoms after 14-year occupational exposure to low concentration toluene vapour. Examination disclosed only cerebellar signs. Cognitive functions were normal except moderate visuo-spatial and constructive deficit CT imaging showed severe pancerebellar atrophy without pathological signs in other brain structures. Two years after she was removed from workplace, CT imaging and ataxia showed no worsening, while visuo-constructive function improved. The authors warn against possible neurotoxic risk associated with this kind of exposure.Uma mulher de 31 anos desenvolveu síndrome cerebelar e neurastênica, de evolução lentamente progressiva, após 14 anos de exposição ocupacional a vapores de tolueno em baixas concentrações. Os únicos achados do exame neurológico e neuropsicológico foram sinais cerebelares (severos) e déficit visuo-espacial e práxico-construcional (moderado). A neuroimagem tomográfica mostrava acentuada atrofia pancerebelar, com preservação das outras estruturas cerebrais. Dois anos após interrompida a exposição, a ataxia e a neuroimagem (TC) estavam inalteradas, enquanto a função visuo-construcional havia parcialmente melhorado. Os autores chamam a atenção para o possível risco neurotóxico relacionado a esse tipo de exposição, numa tentativa de prevenção de casos semelhantes.909

A comparative study of pelvic floor muscle training in women with multiple sclerosis: its impact on lower urinary tract symptoms and quality of life

OBJECTIVE: To compare pelvic floor muscle training and a sham procedure for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms and quality of life in women with multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Thirty-five female patients with multiple sclerosis were randomized into two groups: a treatment group (n = 18) and a sham group (n = 17). The evaluation included use of the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form, and Qualiveen questionnaire. The intervention was performed twice per week for 12 weeks in both groups. The treatment group underwent pelvic floor muscle training with assistance from a vaginal perineometer and instructions to practice the exercises daily at home. The sham group received a treatment consisting of introducing a perineometer inside the vagina with no exercises required. Pre- and post-intervention data were recorded. RESULTS: The evaluation results of the two groups were similar at baseline. At the end of the treatment, the treatment group reported fewer storage and voiding symptoms than the sham group. Furthermore, the differences found between the groups were significant improvements in the following scores in the treatment group: Overactive Bladder Questionnaire, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form, and the General Quality of Life, and Specific Impact of Urinary Problems domains of the Qualiveen questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms had a positive effect on the quality of life of women with multiple sclerosis who underwent pelvic floor muscle training, as the disease-specific of quality of life questionnaires demonstrated. This study reinforces the importance of assessing quality of life to judge the effectiveness of a treatment intervention

Aspectos físicos e mentais na qualidade de vida de pacientes com doença de Parkinson idiopática

Parkinson disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive disorder characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalic substantia nigra. Lesions involving the subcortical pathways, especially the nigro-striato-pallidal path, are particularly common, and cause a series of disabling signs and symptoms. The aim of this study was to analyse the quality of life of individuals with PD and compare them to healthy controls. Forty subjects of both sexes were analysed, aged between 61 and 83, divided into two groups: Parkinson group (n=21), made up of individuals with idiopathic PD; and control group (n=19), of subjects with no neurodegenerative disorder. Data were collected by means of the Brazilian version of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Data were statistically analysed and the significance level set at 1%. PD group subjects had SF-36 scores significantly lower than control ones, both in physical and mental health domains. Such low, perceived health-related quality of life among PD subjects is probably due to the co-occurrence of the neurodegenerative phenomena and the psychological distress provoked both by the disease itself and the stigma assigned to it. Interdisciplinary approaches should be encouraged to improve the quality of life of PD patients, aiming at postponing the physical and mental decline inherent to this degenerative condition.A doença de Parkinson (DP) é um distúrbio crônico e progressivo, caracterizado pela degeneração de neurônios dopaminérgicos da substantia nigra mesencefálica. A lesão das vias subcorticais, em especial a nigro-estriato-palidal, é particularmente comum e ocasiona uma série de sinais e sintomas incapacitantes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a qualidade de vida (QV) relacionada à saúde de sujeitos com DP e compará-la à de indivíduos controles saudáveis. Foram avaliados 40 sujeitos com idades entre 61 e 83 anos, de ambos os sexos, que foram divididos em dois grupos: grupo Parkinson (n=21), composto por sujeitos com DP idiopática, e grupo controle (n=19), de indivíduos sem distúrbios neurodegenerativos. Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizada a versão brasileira do questionário Brasil SF-36. Os resultados foram analisados estatisticamente, com nível de significância fixado em 1%. Os sujeitos do grupo Parkinson apresentaram escores significativamente mais baixos do que os do grupo controle, tanto no domínio físico quanto no mental, medidos pelo SF-36. Essa baixa QV provavelmente é explicada pela co-ocorrência de fenômenos neurodegenerativos e do sofrimento psíquico gerado pela doença e pelo estigma que ela produz. Abordagens interdisciplinares devem ser estimuladas a pacientes com DP, com o objetivo de melhorar sua qualidade de vida e postergar o declínio físico e mental inerente às condições degenerativas

Clinical treatment of resistant epilepsy

The authors analysed 34 cases of resistant epilepsy (20 males and 14 females, mean age 23 years), treated clinically between February/1984 and May/1986. The patients underwent neurological, neuropsychological, psychological, psychiatric, cerebrospinal fluid, electroencephalographic, tomographic and/or angiographic examination. Most of the patients had complex partial seizures. The etiology was unknown in 19 patients (55.8%), probable neurocysticercosis in 6, perinatal hypoxia in 5, delivery trauma in 3 and probable sequelae of encephalitis in 2 patients. There was a clear past history of infantile febrile convulsion in 2 patients. Most patients received carbamazepine (mean dose 24.5 mg/kg/day), phenytoin (5 mg/kg and valproic acid (28 mg/kg) as monotherapy or in association. Twenty-two patients (64.7%) had more than 80% decrease of the seizure frequency. Nine resistant epilepsy-cases (24.5%) were evaluated as candidates for surgical therapy. The authors concluded that the resistant epilepsy is best managed by a specialised, multidisciplinary team, and pointed out the need of a correct diagnosis of the seizure type, an adequate drug therapy and a good engagement of the patient and his family in the treatment.Foram estudados 34 casos de epilepsia de difícil controle, encaminhados ao Grupo de Trabalho de Epilepsia (GTE) do Instituto de Neurologia de Goiânia de 1984 a 1986. Todos eram submetidos a reavaliação neurológica. Vinte e três dos 34 pacientes tinham crises parciais complexas. A maioria foi tratada com carbamazepina, difenil-hidantoína e ácido valpróico, em forma monoterápica ou associada entre si. Obteve-se redução de mais de 80% da freqüência das crises em 22 pacientes (64,7%), além de leve melhora da qualidade de vida. Os autores concluem sobre as vantagens de uma equipe especializada, multidisciplinar, na abordagem da epilepsia rebelde e ressaltam a necessidade de: a. um correto diagnóstico das crises, seguido do uso da medicação apropriada, por tempo suficiente (mínimo de 0 meses) e em dose adequada (até a dose máxima tolerável), abandonando-a só depois do controle de sua concentração sérica; b. um bom engajamento do paciente e de sua família no tratamento.35135

Death concepts and brain death diagnostic criteria

The authors present considerations about death and brain death concepts, as well the legal aspects for its diagnosis in Brazil. They also present the UNICAMP Protocol for the Diagnosis of Brain Death, revised and according with the current law, with standard techniques for the diagnostic exam. They emphasize the importance of a mature ethical position for this frequent and challenging situation.Os autores apresentam considerações a respeito dos conceitos de morte e morte encefálica, bem como dos aspectos legais para o seu diagnóstico no Brasil. Apresentam também o Protocolo para Diagnóstico de Morte Encefálica atualmente em vigor no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas, revisto e atualizado conforme a lei vigente no país, com a padronização técnica dos testes diagnósticos, ressaltando a importância de um posicionamento ético maduro frente a essa desafiante e cada vez mais frequente situação.70571

Asymmetrical hippocampal connectivity in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: evidence from resting state fMRI

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), the most common type of focal epilepsy in adults, is often caused by hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Patients with HS usually present memory dysfunction, which is material-specific according to the hemisphere involved and has been correlated to the degree of HS as measured by postoperative histopathology as well as by the degree of hippocampal atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Verbal memory is mostly affected by left-sided HS, whereas visuo-spatial memory is more affected by right HS. Some of these impairments may be related to abnormalities of the network in which individual hippocampus takes part. Functional connectivity can play an important role to understand how the hippocampi interact with other brain areas. It can be estimated via functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) resting state experiments by evaluating patterns of functional networks. In this study, we investigated the functional connectivity patterns of 9 control subjects, 9 patients with right MTLE and 9 patients with left MTLE.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We detected differences in functional connectivity within and between hippocampi in patients with unilateral MTLE associated with ipsilateral HS by resting state fMRI. Functional connectivity resulted to be more impaired ipsilateral to the seizure focus in both patient groups when compared to control subjects. This effect was even more pronounced for the left MTLE group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings presented here suggest that left HS causes more reduction of functional connectivity than right HS in subjects with left hemisphere dominance for language.</p