Lithium (Li) and lamotrigine (LTG) have neuroprotective properties. However, the exact therapeutic mechanisms of these drugs have not been well understood. We investigated the antioxidant properties of Li (40 and 80 mg/kg/day) and LTG (20 and 40 mg/kg/day) in a rat model of global cerebral ischemia based on permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (BCAO). Nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GSH-R), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured as an indicator of oxidative-nitrosative stress in both prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus after 28 days of treatment. The spatial learning disability was also assessed at the end of the study by Morris water maze (MWM) test. All oxidative-nitrosative parameters were found to be higher in the groups under treatment than in sham. Both drugs caused a decrease in PFC NO and MDA elevation, meanwhile the increase in GSH, GSH-R, CAT and SOD levels was significantly more evident in treated groups. We also found higher PFC GSH-R and hippocampal SOD levels in BCAO + Li (80 mg/day) treated group when compared with BCAO + LTG 40 mg/day. MWM test data showed a similar increase in spatial learning ability in all groups under treatment. We found no other statistical difference in comparison of treated groups with different dosages. Our findings suggested that Li and LTG treatments may decrease spatial learning memory deficits accompanied by lower oxidative-nitrosative stress in global cerebral ischemia. Both drugs may have potential benefits for the treatment of vascular dementia in clinical practice.

In this article, 2 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are presented. These patients developed respiratory failure which could not be explained by any cardiac or pulmonary pathology. The first case had pure motor involvement and probable CIDP, and the second case had severe sensorial dysfunction and an ataxic picture in addition to motor symptoms. His clinical picture was compatible with distal acquired demyelinating sensory neuropathy without M protein. Electrophysiologic investigations of both patients disclosed impaired phrenic nerve conduction and neurogenic motor unit changes in the diaphragm. Both patients showed a moderate response to immunotherapy. Distal acquired demyelinating sensory and pure motor variant of CIDP can be a cause of respiratory dysfunction. Different clinical patterns of CIDP should be evaluated for phrenic nerve involvement.

No abstract

Our results indicated that the severity of PD and duration of dopaminergic treatment were not predictive of the development of depression in PD patients. Depressive temperament strongly predicted the development of depression in our sample. Hyperthymic temperament seemed to be associated with patients without depression. We suggest that depressive temperament traits seem to be related to depression, while hyperthymic temperament may have a protective role in the risk of depression in PD patients.

We evaluated the predictive factors of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) in endovascular treatment of stroke. We included 975 ischemic stroke patients with anterior circulation occlusion. Patients that had hemorrhage and an increase of ≥4 points in their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) after the treatment were considered as SICH. The mean age of patients was 65.2±13.1 years and 469 (48.1%) were women. The median NIHSS was 16 (13–18) and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT 9 (8–10). In 420 patients (43.1%), modified Rankin Scale was favorable (0–2) and mortality was observed in 234 (24%) patients at the end of the third month. Patients with high diastolic blood pressure ( P<.05) had significantly higher SICH. SICH was significantly higher in those with high NIHSS scores ( P<.001), high blood glucose ( P<.001), and leukocyte count at admission ( P<.05). Diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 1.90; P<.001), NIHSS (OR 1.07; P<.05), adjuvant intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy (IA-rtPA) (OR, 1.60; P<.05), and puncture-recanalization time (OR 1.01; P<.05) were independent factors of SICH. Higher baseline NIHSS score, longer procedure time, multiple thrombectomy maneuvers, administration of IA-rtPA, and the history of DM are independent predictors of SICH in anterior circulation occlusion.