Cognitive performance in young and middle-aged adults with migraine: Investigating the correlation with white matter hyperintensities and psychological symptoms

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate the cognitive performance of migraine patients with (MwA) and without aura (MwoA) and investigate the correlation of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and psychological symptoms with their cognitive test scores. Material and methods Hundred migraine patients aged 20–55 years and 80 healthy volunteers with similar age, sex, and education level were enrolled. The total Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores were compared by age, sex, presence of aura, migraine duration, attack frequency, pain localization, presence and number of WMHs, and the scores of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results Forty-seven (47%) patients had MwA and 53 (53%) had MwoA. The performance of the MwA patients was significantly poorer than that of the MwoA patients and the healthy subjects on the MoCA scales. In particular, the results revealed lower scores in the subscales regarding visuospatial/executive functions, naming, memory, attention, and abstraction in MwA patients than in the MwoA patients. Compared to healthy controls, more number of migraine patients had WMHs. The presence and number of WMHs had no significant correlation with the MoCA scores of the migraine patients. There was a significant correlation of the BAI and BDI scores with the total MoCA scores considering all migraine patients. Conclusions This study suggested that MwA may be associated with low cognitive performance which was correlated with depression and anxiety but not with WMHs. Further, longitudinal studies for assessing the relationship between WMHs, cognitive functions, and migraine, and for establishing the causality are warranted

Homocysteine Levels in Patients with Hemorrhagic Stroke

Purpose: Accumulating data demonstrated that raised homocysteine is a risk factor for ischemic stroke. However, it remains unclear whether high homocysteine level is also a risk factor for hemorrhagic stroke, which accounts for about one-fifth of stroke patients. Our aim was to measure the plasma homocysteine levels in patients with hemorrhagic stroke to explore a possible link. Materıals and Methods: We included thirty patients with ischemic stroke, thirty patients with hemorrhagic stroke, and thirty healthy volunteers. All participants were examined for traditional risk factors and levels of folic acid, homocysteine, and vitamin B12. Results: Hypertension was higher in both ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke patients than in healthy participants (p=0.029). Homocysteine levels were significantly higher in both ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke groups than in the control group (p=0.001), with no statistically difference between each other (p>0.05). Vitamin B12 levels were significantly lower in both ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke patients than in the controls (p=0.001), with no statistically difference between each other (p>0.05). Folic acid levels did not significantly differ between the groups (p>0.05). We did not find correlation between homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our study indicated that the homocysteine levels were high in patients with hemorrhagic stroke. Larger cohorts are needed to clarify the role of homocysteine in hemorrhagic stroke

A Case of Peduncular Hallucinosis Secondary to a Tuberothalamic Artery Infarction and Review of the Literature

Peduncular hallucinosis is a rare syndrome characterized with visual hallucinations, sleep disorders and behavioural abnormalities. Generally it occurs when thalamus and midbrain is affected by vascular lesions. In this report we aim to discuss on a case of tuberothalamic artery infarction presenting with peduncular hallusinosis with the previously reported cases in literatüre