Corneal Sensitivity and Tear Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Ornek, Nurgul/0000-0003-3068-1831WOS: 000351454800008PubMed: 24955505Purpose: To measure corneal sensitivity and tear function in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and to compare them with age and sex-matched controls. Methods: Twenty patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 20 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 30 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), 10 patients with Friedreich's ataxia (FA) and 21 patients with epilepsy (EP) who were recruited from the Kirikkale University Neurology Department during 2012 were included in this prospective study. Five groups of age and sex-matched subjects were selected as controls. Corneal sensitivity was measured using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. Tear function tests included tear break-up time (TBUT) and Schirmer's 1 tests. Results: Compared to their controls, mean corneal sensitivity was significantly reduced in AD, MS, PD and EP patients (all p<0.05), mean TBUT level was significantly shorter in patients with AD and MS (all p<0.05) and mean Schirmer's 1 test score was significantly lower in EP patients (p<0.05). When all groups were compared with each other, reduction of mean corneal sensitivity in AD and PD groups were significantly more than in FA and MS groups (overall p = 0.034). Mean TBUT levels in AD, MS and PD groups were significantly shorter than in FA and EP groups (overall p = 0.001). Mean Schirmer's 1 test scores in AD and PD groups were significantly lower than in MS, FA and EP groups (overall p = 0.040). Conclusions: Neurodegenerative diseases may be associated with reduced corneal sensitivity and abnormal tear function

Topiramate Induced Excessive Sialorrhea

WOS: 000215585400037It is well-known that drugs such as clozapine and lithium can cause sialorrhea. On the other hand, topiramate has not been reported to induce sialorrhea. We report a case of a patient aged 26 who was given antiepileptic and antipsychotic drugs due to severe mental retardation and intractable epilepsy and developed excessive sialorrhea complaint after the addition of topiramate for the control of seizures. His complaints continued for 1,5 years and ended after giving up topiramate. We presented this case since it was a rare sialorrhea case induced by topiramate. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of sialorrhea development which causes serious hygiene and social problems when they want to give topiramate to the patients using multiple drugs

Is there any association between microalbuminuria and multiple sclerosis?

KISA, Ucler/0000-0002-8131-6810WOS: 000385421900014

Apelin-13: A promising biomarker for multiple sclerosis?

Objectives: Recent studies have shown that Apelin 13 may have a neuroprotective property. Therefore it can be used as a biomarker for multiple sclerosis. Our purpose to assess serum apelin-13 levels in adult patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls. Patients and Methods: Subjects consisted of 42 relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients and 41 controls. Demographic characteristics including age, gender, duration of disease and Expanded Disability Symptom Scale (EDSS) were recorded. In serum samples obtained from the patients and controls, serum apelin-13 levels were measured with Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Results: Serum apelin-13 levels were significantly higher in the patients groups than the healthy controls (P = 0.003). Pearson analysis did not show any significant correlation between EDSS, disease duration and apelin-13 levels. Conclusion: The results of our study have been showed statistically significant higher levels of serum apelin-13 in multiple sclerosis patients compared to controls. Further studies with larger patients populations and healthy controls should be done to clarify to use serum apelin levels as a biomarker for multiple sclerosis

Compressive Optic Neuropathy Presenting With Psychiatric Symptoms

Ornek, Nurgul/0000-0003-3068-1831; Buyuktortop Gokcinar, Nesrin/0000-0001-7795-5188WOS: 000335381800026PubMed: 24621758We report a case of bilateral optic neuropathy presenting with psychiatric symptoms. A 50-year-old woman was admitted with blurry vision in both eyes. She had a 3 months' history of depressed mood. Both optic discs had mild temporal pallor with visible spontaneous venous pulsations. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a large frontal mass compressing the optic nerves. The tumor was surgically resected, and tissue pathology demonstrated an olfactory groove meningioma

Restless legs syndrome in a bipolar disorder patient treated with olanzapine: is there an association?

WOS: 000349324400011The aim of this case report is to report a case of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a patient with bipolar disorder (BD) caused by olanzapine and to draw attention to possible relationship between BD and RLS. A female patient was diagnosed with mixed episode of BD. Olanzapine 10 mg/day was added to the extended release valproic acid 1000 mg/d treatment that the patient was using. In the next day after the beginning of olanzapine, itching, aching and tingling sensations begun in her legs at rest. She was diagnosed as RLS caused by olanzapine. Then the dose of olanzapine gradually reduced. But the symptoms were continuing at the dose of 2.5 mg/day. RLS symptoms disappeared in the next day after discontinuation of olanzapine. RLS has comorbidity with some psychiatric and neurologic disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depressive disorders, migraine. There are studies that showed genetic relationship between BD and both migraine and ADHD. As a result there might be an association between BD and RLS. These may account for the appearance of RLS with low dose olanzapine in this case. To our knowledge there are no studies about the association between BD and RLS and further research are needed on this subject

What Lies behind the Ischemic Stroke: Aortic Dissection?

Introduction. Some cases with aortic dissection (AD) could present with various complaints other than pain, especially neurological and cardiovascular manifestations. AD involving the carotid arteries could be associated with many clinical presentations, ranging from stroke to nonspecific headache. Case Report. A 71-year-old woman was admitted to emergency department with vertigo which started within the previous one hour and progressed with deterioration of consciousness following speech disorder. On arrival, she was disoriented and uncooperative. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain was consistent with acute ischemia in the cerebral hemisphere. Fibrinolytic treatment has been planned since symptoms started within two hours. Echocardiography has shown the dilatation of ascending aorta with a suspicion of flap. Computed tomography (CT) angiography has been applied and intimal flap has been detected which was consistent with aortic dissection, intramural hematoma of which was reaching from aortic arch to bilateral common carotid artery. Thereafter, treatment strategy has completely changed and surgical invention has been done. Conclusion. In patients who are admitted to the emergency department with the loss of consciousness and stroke, inadequacy of anamnesis and carotid artery involvement of aortic dissection should be kept in mind

Autonomic dysfunction in patients with essential tremor

WOS: 000394386000008PubMed: 27812758The aim of this study was to evaluate the autonomic function in patients with essential tremor (ET). Thirty-one adult patients with ET and 26 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The electrophysiological evaluations of the autonomic nervous system function were performed by sympathetic skin response (SSR) and R-R interval variation (RRIV) tests. The mean latency of SSR in ET patients was significantly delayed compared with the controls (P = 0.01). The mean amplitude of sympathetic skin response was significantly lower in ET patients in comparison to the controls (P = 0.001). No differences were found in mean RRIV values in both group subjects. Sympathetic dysfunction may occur in patients with ET. This may be easily demonstrated by SSR tests.Kirikkale University Scientific Research Projects UnitKirikkale University [2014/102]This work was supported by the Kirikkale University Scientific Research Projects Unit (2014/102)