US NEUROLOGY – VOLUME 10 ISSUE 2 – FALL 2014

It is my pleasure to introduce the Winter edition of US Neurology, which brings you a diverse selection of papers covering cutting-edge clinical and research advances, authored by some of the world’s leading figures in their fields. The impact of walking impairments is a serious concern for those individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The assessment […]

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a uncommon, but debilitating, neuromuscular disorder that is estimated to affect 2.32 people per million in Europe1 with a prevalence of up to 3,000 cases in the US.2 The disease has an autoimmune etiology in which autoantibodies bind to P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) and decrease the release of acetylcholine […]

Making an accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is critical for patient counseling and therapeutic management. The methods for diagnosing PD are limited by the lack of definitive diagnostic tests. Despite all the recent advances in imaging and genetics of parkinsonian disorders, the diagnosis of PD remains primarily clinical and is based on nonspecific findings […]

Epilepsy is a general term used to describe a collection of common, chronic conditions of recurrent and unpredictable seizures. While seizures in newly diagnosed patients are often controlled with a single antiepileptic drug (AED),1 the estimated 30–40 % of patients who are resistant to monotherapy could benefit from a combination of two or more carefully […]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most commonly used noninvasive imaging modality for epilepsy diagnosis, etiologic classification, and management. MRI is mandatory for all patients with new onset epilepsy, particularly for those who do not respond to medication. The primary aim of MRI scanning in an individual with epilepsy is to uncover abnormal brain regions […]

A growing body of evidence demonstrates the importance of walking limitations in multiple sclerosis (MS). At the same time, there is increasing pressure on health care providers to monitor the outcomes of their interventions. Owing to its impact on our patients’ functional status, quality of life, and health, walking appears as an essential parameter to […]

Migraine is a primary headache (HA) disorder affecting about 18 % of women and 6 % of men in the US and Western Europe.1,2 Migraine is essentially a disabling headache, characterized by moderate to severe head pain, usually accompanied by nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia that may be preceded by focal neurologic symptoms, which are called […]

Many older people purchase the hormone melatonin and consume it orally, each evening, to promote the onset of sleep at bedtime and, particularly, the resumption of sleep after premature nocturnal awakenings. This need for exogenous melatonin to supplement that secreted from the aging pineal arises from the gland’s progressive, agerelated calcification, which decreases the number […]

Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are rare congenital lesions that confer a lifelong risk for hemorrhage. Treatment options for these lesions include microsurgical resection, embolization, and radiosurgery, alone or in combination. The goal of bAVM intervention is to eliminate the risk for future hemorrhage, which must mean complete obliteration of the lesion. However, treatment also poses […]

Employing neuromodulation strategies to treat chronic pain has gained momentum in recent years, along with an expansion of the indications. These therapies are safe, reversible, and efficacious, improving both validated pain and functional measures. However, the trial procedure is not without risk and deserves a respectful assessment of the risks and the benefits associated with […]