Minimal hippocampal width relates to plasma homocysteine in community-dwelling older people

Background: the hippocampus is important for memory. Hippocampal atrophy and higher levels of homocysteine may both predict cognitive dysfunction in community‐dwelling older people. We tested if higher homocysteine relates to hippocampal thinning in this group. Subjects: 156 community‐dwelling volunteers without clinical memory problems. Method: we measured minimal hippocampal widths on magnetic resonance images and homocysteine in plasma. Results: minimal hippocampal widths related inversely to homocysteine levels. Conclusions: our results indicate that, even in healthy older people, homocysteine may damage the hippocampus. Reducing homocysteine levels in healthy older people may help to prevent Alzheimer's disease

Implementing novel trial methods to evaluate surgery for essential tremor

Introduction. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can provide dramatic essential tremor (ET) relief, however no Class I evidence exists. Materials and methods. Analysis methods: I) traditional cohort analysis; II) N-of-1 single patient randomised control trial and III) signal-to-noise (S/N) analysis. 20 DBS electrodes in ET patients were switched on and off for 3-min periods. Six pairs of on and off periods in each case, with the pair order determined randomly. Tremor severity was quantified with tremor evaluator and patient was blinded to stimulation. Patients also stated whether they perceived the stimulation to be on after each trial. Results. I) Mean end-of-trial tremor severity 0.84 out of 10 on, 6.62 Off, t = − 13.218, p 80% tremor reduction occurred in 99/114 ‘On’ trials (87%), and 3/114 ‘Off’ trials (3%). S/N ratio for 80% improvement with DBS versus spontaneous improvement was 487,757-to-1. Conclusions. DBS treatment effect on ET is too large for bias to be a plausible explanation. Formal N-of-1 trial design, and S/N ratio method for presenting results, allows this to be demonstrated convincingly where conventional randomised controlled trials are not possible. Classification of evidence. This study is the first to provide Class I evidence for the efficacy of DBS for ET.</p