The Post-traumatic Confusional State: A Case Definition and Diagnostic Criteria

In response to the need to better define the natural history of emerging consciousness after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to better describe the characteristics of the condition commonly labeled Post-traumatic Amnesia, a case definition and diagnostic criteria for the Post- traumatic Confusional State (PTCS) were developed. This project was completed by the Confusion Workgroup of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest group. The case definition was informed by an exhaustive literature review and expert opinion of workgroup members from multiple disciplines. The workgroup reviewed 2,466 abstracts and extracted evidence from 44 articles. Consensus was reached through teleconferences, face-to-face meetings, and three rounds of modified Delphi voting. The case definition provides detailed description of PTCS (1) core neurobehavioral features, (2) associated neurobehavioral features, (3) functional implications, (4) exclusion criteria, (5) lower boundary, and (6) criteria for emergence. Core neurobehavioral features include disturbances of attention, orientation, and memory as well as excessive fluctuation. Associated neurobehavioral features include emotional and behavioral disturbances, sleep-wake cycle disturbance, delusions, perceptual disturbances and confabulation. The lower boundary distinguishes PTCS from the minimally conscious state while upper boundary is marked by significant improvement in the four core and five associated features. Key research goals are establishment of cut-offs on assessment instruments and determination of levels of behavioral function that distinguish persons in PTCS from those who have emerged to the period of continued recovery

\u27THE MIRROUR OF SIMPLE SOULES\u27: AN EDITION AND COMMENTARY

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Differential effect of gold nanoparticles on cerebrovascular function and biomechanical properties

Abstract Human stroke serum (HSS) has been shown to impair cerebrovascular function, likely by factors released into the circulation after ischemia. 20 nm gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have demonstrated anti‐inflammatory properties, with evidence that they decrease pathologic markers of ischemic severity. Whether GNPs affect cerebrovascular function, and potentially protect against the damaging effects of HSS on the cerebral circulation remains unclear. HSS obtained 24 h poststroke was perfused through the lumen of isolated and pressurized third‐order posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) from male Wistar rats with and without GNPs (~2 × 109 GNP/ml), or GNPs in vehicle, in an arteriograph chamber (n = 8/group). All vessels were myogenically reactive ≥60 mmHg intravascular pressure; however, vessels containing GNPs had significantly less myogenic tone. GNPs increased vasoreactivity to small and intermediate conductance calcium activated potassium channel activation via NS309; however, reduced vasoconstriction to nitric oxide synthase inhibition. Hydraulic conductivity and transvascular filtration, were decreased by GNPs, suggesting a protective effect on the blood–brain barrier. The stress–strain curves of PCAs exposed to GNPs were shifted leftward, indicating increased vessel stiffness. This study provides the first evidence that GNPs affect the structure and function of the cerebrovasculature, which may be important for their development and use in biomedical applications