13 research outputs found
Rostral cingulate gyrus: A putative target for deep brain stimulation in treatment-refractory depression
Surgery for intractable affective illnesses has generated considerable
controversy over the last century. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has
revolutionized neurosurgical practice, especially in the field of
advanced Parkinson’s disease and, more recently, in selected
medical-refractory cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this
paper, we propose a discrete area of the rostral. cingulate gyrus as a
potential target for DBS in medical-resistant depressive patients.
Brodmann’s area 24a has proved to be a vital link in the integration of
neural circuits underlying depression, both through proposed
neurobiological models and accurate neuroimaging studies. The full
reversibility and adjustability of DBS offer the best chance to treat
the multidimensional and Life-span profile of depression, so giving hope
to a great number of desperate human beings. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. ALL
rights reserved
Hydrocephalus according to Byzantine writers
OBJECTIVE: To describe hydrocephalus, the techniques applied for its
treatment by Byzantine physicians, and their later influence.
METHODS: A study and analysis of the original texts of the Byzantine
medical writers, written in Greek, was undertaken. A comparison with
current concepts also was made.
RESULTS: Three eminent Byzantine physicians: Oribasius (4th century AD),
Aetius (6th century AD), and Paul of Aegina (7th century AD) gave the
first detailed information regarding hydrocephalus and its conservative
and surgical treatment. These physicians, who were trained in
Alexandria, quote the concepts of the now-lost works of the celebrated
surgeons of the Pneumatic School of Alexandria Leonids and Heliodorus
(1st century AD) and its follower Antyllus (2nd century AD). In the
types of hydrocephalus they described, we identify the conditions
currently known as cephalhematoma and subgaleal hematoma, for which
conservative and surgical treatments were provided, and epidural
hematoma, which was thought to be incurable.
CONCLUSIONS: The term hydrocephalus was coined during the Hellenistic
period. The clinical picture of the disease, however, as described by
later Byzantine physicians, does not correspond to current concepts. The
ideas of the Byzantine physicians were based on the ancient Hippocratic,
Hellenistic, and Roman traditions, which influenced Arab medicine and
then Western European medicine, thus constituting significant roots of
modern neurosurgery
Hippocrates: A pioneer in the treatment of head injuries
HIPPOCRATES’ TREATISE On Wounds in the Head represents an excellent
source of information regarding the extent of experience with head
injuries in classical antiquity. On the basis of clinical observation,
the great physician gives an accurate description of the external
appearance and consistency of the cranium. Fractures of the cranium are
divided into six main categories, each of which is discussed separately,
regarding its mechanism, clinical assessment, and treatment. The medical
history and clinical evaluation are considered the most important
factors when dealing with cranial trauma. Trepanation, a neurosurgical
procedure still in practice today, is presented in detail. As a whole,
the treatise, the first written work in medical history dealing
exclusively with cranial trauma, reveals that Hippocrates was a pioneer
in treating head injuries
Cerebellar ataxia and intrathecal baclofen therapy : Focus on patients´ experiences
Elucidating patients´ experiences of living with chronic progressive hereditary ataxia and the symptomatic treatment with intrathecal baclofen (ITB) is the objective of the current study. A multicenter qualitative study with four patients included due to the rare combination of hereditary ataxia and ITB therapy was designed to elucidate participants' experiences through semi-structured interviews. The transcribed text was analyzed according to content analysis guidelines. Overall we identified living in the present/ taking one day at a time as the main theme covering the following categories: 1) Uncertainty about the future as a consequence of living with a hereditary disease; The disease; 2) Impact on life as a whole, 3) Influence on personal life in terms of feeling forced to terminate employment, 4) Limiting daily activities, and 5) ITB therapy, advantages, and disadvantages. Uncertainty about the future was the category that affected participants' personal life, employment, and daily activities. The participants' experience of receiving ITB therapy was expressed in terms of improved quality of life due to better body position and movement as well as better sleep and pain relief