Updated Information on Some Cognitive Disorders

Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive and daily living activities. The present review aimed to highlight the most relevant and updated information available in the medical literature on mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and Wernicke-Korsakoff and to deliver some personal observations about cognitive disorders and dementia

Subarachnoid Cysticercosis and Ischaemic Stroke in Epileptic Patients

Whether subarachnoid neurocysticercosis (SNCC) induces ischaemic stroke (IS) in epileptic patients is not yet confirmed because only short-case series and anecdotal case reports have been published, and no observational studies exist in the literature to date. Our main goals are: to estimate the prevalence of ischaemic stroke in epileptic patients presenting with SNCC and stroke frequency among HIV-positive patients in three subgroups; to determine if the odds of ischaemic stroke are elevated in SNCC-epileptic patients compared to epileptic patients with intraparenchymal NCC (INCC); to determine whether the risk for stroke is elevated in HIV-seropositive patients presenting with SNCC or INCC and epilepsy; and to evaluate if and when the potential interaction varies by location of NCC in the brain (intraparenchymal or subarachnoid). Eligible epileptic patients’ seropositive status was recorded, and cross-associations for the independent variables (NCC status and HIV status) and outcome variables (ischaemic stroke event) were performed. Compared to the reference group, the odds of IS in PLWNCC were 2.0 and 2.6 times greater in patients with SNCC and INCC, respectively. The frequency of IS was greater in HIV-positive patients in all three groups, but the risk was especially pronounced when seropositive epileptic patients were both NCC groups when compared with the reference group. Subarachnoid NCC increased the risk of IS three time more

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures in Patients Living with Neurocysticercosis

Very little is known about psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) in patients with cysticercosis in the brain. We review the available medical literature on PNES in patients with neurocysticercosis and found no reports on this matter apart from our publications. Based on our previous experiences with patients presenting neurocysticercosis and associated epileptic seizures and/or PNES, we compared our results with the current advances published up to date. We also discuss the available information about epidemiology including frequency and prevalence, the role of sexual abuse on the ethiopathogenesis of PNES, clinical diagnosis and its differential diagnosis, laboratory investigations and video electroencephalogram, methods to induce PNES, medical treatment, and psychological intervention