European journal of neurology
August 1, 2023
Ho-Wei Lin, Ka-Wai Tam, Yi-Chun Kuan
16 citations
Mindfulness and meditation therapies improve motor symptoms and cognitive function in people with Parkinson's disease, based on a meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials involving 337 patients. The therapies significantly reduced Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Part III scores by an average of 6.31 points and improved cognitive function. However, no significant benefits were found for gait velocity, quality of life, daily living activities, depression, anxiety, pain, or sleep disturbance. The authors suggest these therapies may serve as complementary treatments for Parkinson's disease.
European journal of neurology
October 1, 2023
Bianca Raffaelli, Pia Kull, Jasper Mecklenburg et al.
6 citations
Among 808 migraine patients at a tertiary headache center, 2.7% reported having had a near-death experience (NDE) and 5.4% reported REM sleep intrusions. The prevalence of NDEs did not differ between those with and without migraine aura (2.8% vs. 2.6%), nor did REM sleep intrusions (6.3% vs. 4.9%). However, participants with REM sleep intrusions were more likely to have had an NDE (11.4%) than those without (2.2%). Higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores were associated with REM sleep intrusions. The findings suggest that NDEs and REM sleep intrusions may share underlying mechanisms, but migraine aura status does not influence their prevalence.
European journal of neurology
April 1, 2025
Bahia Hakiki, Piergiuseppe Liuzzi, Anna Maria Romoli et al.
4 citations
Among patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness admitted to Italian intensive rehabilitation units, a higher score on the visual sub-scale of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised and the presence of EEG reactivity to eye opening at admission were the best independent predictors of complete recovery of consciousness (emergence from Minimally Conscious State) three months later. Of 131 patients who completed follow-up, 77 emerged from MCS, though most remained severely disabled. The findings suggest that multimodal assessment can identify patients likely to achieve functionally relevant improvements.
European journal of neurology
March 1, 2025
Agni M Konitsioti, Rafael Grajewski, Mark Schlamann et al.
1 citation
Susac syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder affecting the brain, retina, and inner ear, often causing encephalopathy, vision loss, and hearing problems. Two patients with Susac syndrome received off-label treatment with natalizumab, a drug typically used for multiple sclerosis. Over up to 22 months of follow-up, both patients showed clinical stabilization and reduced disease activity on MRI and retinal angiography. The treatment was well tolerated without significant side effects. Natalizumab may be a potential off-label therapy for Susac syndrome, but more research is needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness.
European journal of neurology
June 1, 2025
Elina Jaakkola, Olli Likitalo, Katri Niinivirta-Joutsa et al.
Thalamic damage alone is not sufficient to cause severe impairment of arousal such as coma or stupor. Among nine stroke patients with coma or stupor involving the thalamus, five recovered after endovascular therapy and had residual thalamic lesions. The four patients with long-term coma or stupor had thalamic lesions that extended into specific brainstem regions considered part of the reticular formation. None of the five recovered patients or 500 control stroke patients, including 39 with thalamic lesions, had damage in those brainstem regions. These findings demonstrate that severe arousal impairment requires damage extending beyond the thalamus into the brainstem.