Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional growth factors that belong to the transforming growth factor‐β superfamily. BMPs regulate several crucial aspects of embryonic development and organogenesis. The reemergence of BMPs in the injured adult CNS suggests their involvement in the pathogenesis of the lesion. Here, we demonstrate that BMPs are potent inhibitors of axonal regeneration in the adult spinal cord. The expression of BMP‐2/4 is elevated in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes around the injury site following spinal cord contusion. Intrathecal administration of noggin – a soluble BMP antagonist—leads to enhanced locomotor activity and reveals significant regrowth of the corticospinal tract after spinal cord contusion. Thus, BMPs play a role in inhibiting axonal regeneration and limiting functional recovery following injury to the CNS.

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Abstract.A 63-year-old man, who presented with visual field loss due to pituitary tumor, received an intravenous bolus injection of thyrotropin and gonadotropin releasing hormones and insulin as a preoperative evaluation. He complained of severe headache and nausea 2 hours after injection. Emergent CT scan showed no evidence of intratumoral hemorrhage.The next day, his visual field became null. MR images revealed heterogeneous mixed intensity lesions. Under diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy, he underwent transsphenoidal tumor removal 30 hours after onset. Intraoperative and pathological findings showed tumor hemorrhage and adjacent necrotic change. Fourteen cases with sufficient clinical detail in the literature are reviewed: All of the cases had macroadenoma with suprasellar extension.Testing agents were gonadotropin and thyrotropin releasing hormones in 92.9% and 85.7 0 of cases, respectively. Headache was an initial symptom and started within two hours in all cases but one. Half of the cases showed no change on CT scan. However, tumor hemorrhage was evidenced in 92.9% of cases with or without necrosis due to ischemic change, intraoperatively or pathologically.It is speculated that pituitary apoplexy often starts with infarction possibly due to vasoactive effect of testing agents and later develops into hemorrhage. Therefore, it is necessary to observe patients closely at least a few hours after endocrine stimulation test, and MR imaging may make an earlier diagnosis for the pituitary apoplexy since CT scan often shows no density change in the pituitary adenoma.

Objective: We hereby report a rare case of Barrow type B cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (CSdAVF) that was treated by coiling the affected sinus through a trans-arterially placed microcatheter via the ipsilateral accessory meningeal artery (AMA). Case presentation: A 75-year-old man presented with chemosis and exophthalmos on his left eye. The patient did not have a previous medical history of head trauma. Left external carotid artery angiogram revealed a CSdAVF with two feeders, the accessory meningeal artery and artery of foramen rotundum. Retrograde venous drainage was seen to the ipsilateral superior orbital and deep middle cerebral veins. During the intervention, a microcatheter was advanced beyond the fistula into the cavernous sinus through the large AMA. The microcatheter was easily manipulated in the sinus and packing of the sinus was achieved with coils. Conclusion: A rare case of CSdAVF treated by trans-arterial coiling via the AMA is reported. The trans-arterial approach to the cavernous sinus may be an unexpected option and should be considered in case with limited access to the sinus.