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Topic Review
Antibodies in the Course of Autoimmune Encephalitis
Encephalitis is a condition with a variety of etiologies, clinical presentations, and degrees of severity. The causes of these disorders include both neuroinfections and autoimmune diseases in which host antibodies are pathologically directed against self-antigens. In autoimmune encephalitis, autoantibodies are expressed in the central nervous system. The incidence of this disease is approximately 4% of all reported cases of encephalitis. Autoimmune encephalitis can be induced by antibodies against neuronal surface antigens such as N-methyl-D-aspartate-activated glutamate receptors (NMDAR), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate receptors (AMPAR) or gangliosides GQ1b, DPPX, CASPR2, LGI1, as well as by antibodies against neuronal intracellular antigens. 
  • 525
  • 11 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Impact of Aquaporins in the Central Nervous System
Aquaporins (AQPs), integral membrane proteins facilitating selective water and solute transport across cell membranes, have been the focus of extensive research over the past few decades. Particularly noteworthy is their role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and fluid balance in neural compartments, as dysregulated AQP expression is implicated in various degenerative and acute brain pathologies.
  • 525
  • 28 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Personalized Management and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a priority health problem with a high cost to society and a large consumption of medical and social resources. The management of AD patients is complex and multidisciplinary. Over 90% of patients suffer from concomitant diseases and require personalized therapeutic regimens to reduce adverse drug reactions (ADRs), drug–drug interactions (DDIs), and unnecessary costs. Men and women show substantial differences in their AD-related phenotypes. Genomic, epigenetic, neuroimaging, and biochemical biomarkers are useful for predictive and differential diagnosis. The most frequent concomitant diseases include hypertension (>25%), obesity (>70%), diabetes mellitus type 2 (>25%), hypercholesterolemia (40%), hypertriglyceridemia (20%), metabolic syndrome (20%), hepatobiliary disorder (15%), endocrine/metabolic disorders (>20%), cardiovascular disorder (40%), cerebrovascular disorder (60–90%), neuropsychiatric disorders (60–90%), and cancer (10%). Over 90% of AD patients require multifactorial treatments with risk of ADRs and DDIs. The implementation of pharmacogenetics in clinical practice can help optimize the limited therapeutic resources available to treat AD and personalize the use of anti-dementia drugs, in combination with other medications, for the treatment of concomitant disorders. 
  • 522
  • 13 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability Post-Ischemia
The impact of post-ischemic brain damage on the function of the BBB is the subject of intensive research, among others, in the context of preventing or treating neurodegenerative changes with the use of substances that would pass through the barrier to the damaged brain tissue. An ischemia-reperfusion episode causes a series of changes that increase the permeability of the BBB to cellular and non-cellular blood components, lead to the opening of tight junctions, and sometimes to diffuse leakage of all blood elements through the necrotic vessel wall.
  • 520
  • 19 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Role of NMDA Receptor in Response to Pressure
Professional divers exposed to pressures greater than 11 ATA (1.1 MPa) may suffer from high-pressure neurological syndrome (HPNS). Divers who use closed-circuit breathing apparatus and patients and medical attendants undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) face the risk of CNS hyperbaric oxygen toxicity (HBOTx) at oxygen pressure above 2 ATA (0.2 MPa). Both syndromes are characterized by reversible central nervous system (CNS) hyperexcitability, accompanied by cognitive and motor deficits, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) plays a crucial role in provoking them. Various NMDAR subtypes respond differently under hyperbaric conditions. The augmented currents observed only in NMDAR containing GluN2A subunit increase glutamatergic synaptic activity and cause dendritic hyperexcitability and abnormal neuronal activity. Removal of the resting Zn2+ voltage-independent inhibition exerted by GluN2A present in the NMDAR is the major candidate for the mechanism underlying the increase in receptor conductance. 
  • 519
  • 27 Dec 2023
Topic Review
NF-κB in Microglia/Macrophages of GBM and AD
Microglia and macrophages are pivotal to the brain’s innate immune response and have garnered considerable attention in the context of glioblastoma (GBM) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research.  The NF-κB pathway, first identified in 1986 by Sen and Baltimore, plays a pivotal role in the immune response, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Its molecular architecture includes five DNA-binding members: REL (c-REL), RELA (p65), RELB, NF-κB1 (p50), and NF-κB2 (p52), with the unique attribute of NF-κB2 (p52) lacking transactivation domains. NF-κB signaling encompasses three distinct pathways: canonical, non-canonical, and atypical, each with unique activation mechanisms and cellular responses. Through multiple graphic depictions, the reference clearly presented the traditional pathways and components of NF-κB. The canonical pathway, generally activated by microbial infections or pro-inflammatory cytokines, involves the phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of IκB proteins by the IκB kinase (IKK) complex, releasing p65/p50 NF-κB dimers for nuclear translocation and transcription activation. The non-canonical pathway, selectively activated by receptors like CD40, B-cell-activating factor receptor (BAFF-R), and lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTβR), primarily involves NF-κB2 (p100/p52) proteins and RELB. This pathway initiates with ligand binding, triggering NF-κB-inducible kinase (NIK) to phosphorylate and activate IKK1 (IKKα), leading to p100’s processing into p52 and the subsequent translocation of p52/RELB dimers to the nucleus, thus regulating gene expression differently compared to the canonical pathway. The atypical pathway, which is less well-characterized, can be triggered by DNA-damaging agents independently of IKK, illustrating the versatility and complexity of NF-κB signaling in cellular dynamics.
  • 517
  • 28 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Carcinogenesis in Myotonic Dystrophy
Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is the most common muscular dystrophy in adults. Dominantly inherited CTG and CCTG repeat expansions in dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) and  cellular nucleic acid-binding protein (CNBP) genes cause DM type 1 (DM1) and 2 (DM2), respectively. These genetic defects lead to the abnormal splicing of different mRNA transcripts, which are thought to be responsible for the multiorgan involvement of these diseases. Cancer frequency in patients with DM appears to be higher than in the general population or non-DM muscular dystrophy cohorts. 
  • 512
  • 15 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Neuralgic Amyotrophy and Hourglass Nerve Constriction/Nerve Torsion
Neuralgic amyotrophy, also called Parsonage–Turner syndrome, in its classic presentation is a brachial plexopathy or a multifocal neuropathy, involving mainly motor nerves of the upper limb with a monophasic course. Recently, a new radiological entity was described, the hourglass constriction, which is characterized by a very focal constriction of a nerve, or part of it, usually associated with nerve thickening proximally and distally to the constriction. Another condition, which is similar from a radiological point of view to hourglass constriction, is nerve torsion. The pathophysiology of neuralgic amyotrophy, hourglass constriction and nerve torsion is still poorly understood, and a generic role of inflammation is proposed for all these conditions.
  • 511
  • 19 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Gut and Oral Microbiota in Intracranial Aneurysms
There has been a growing interest in the role of the microbiome in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Emerging research highlights the potential role of the microbiome in intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation and rupture, particularly in relation to inflammation.
  • 511
  • 10 Jan 2024
Topic Review
circRNA-Targeted Therapy in Experimental Parkinson’s Disease
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded RNA molecules often circularized by backsplicing. Growing evidence implicates circRNAs in the underlying mechanisms of various diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (PD)—the first and second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. In this sense, circSNCA, circHIPK2, circHIPK3, and circSLC8A1 are circRNAs that have been related to the neurodegenerative process of PD. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies on circRNAs have shed light on their roles in the pathobiology of various diseases. Gain-of-function approaches typically employ viral or non-viral vectors that hyperexpress RNA sequences capable of circularizing to form the specific circRNA under investigation. 
  • 510
  • 16 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Neuroprotection for Ischemic Stroke
The translation of neuroprotective agents for ischemic stroke from bench-to-bedside has largely failed to produce improved treatments since the development of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). One possible reason for lack of translation is the failure to acknowledge the greatest risk factor for stroke, age, and other common comorbidities such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes that are associated with stroke.
  • 510
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Multimodal Ophthalmic Imaging in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 7
SCA7, from an ophthalmological point of view, can be assessed through numerous multimodal imaging techniques to evaluate and manage the follow-up of patients. Visual acuity is a fundamental parameter that should be monitored, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT), which is a rapid and non-invasive method, should be routinely performed to evaluate ophthalmic disease progression over time. Additional exams, including NIR imaging, can indicate photoreceptor loss and disruption of the RPE that are not readily evident with color fundus photography (CFP). 
  • 507
  • 19 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Lifestyle Interventions as Secondary Stroke Prevention Measures
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but it has been shown in several observational studies and systematic reviews to be a highly preventable disease. Lifestyle modifications are essential to national/international guidelines and recommendations for secondary stroke prevention.
  • 503
  • 01 Apr 2024
Topic Review
Invasive Treatments of Laryngeal Dystonia
Laryngeal dystonia (LD), known or termed as spasmodic dysphonia, is a rare movement disorder with an unknown cause affecting the intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Neurophysiological studies point to perturbed inhibitory processes, while conventional genetic studies reveal fragments of genetic architecture in LD. 
  • 502
  • 22 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Hsp90 and BRICHOS Chaperone Domain
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an extremely devastating neurodegenerative disease, and there is no cure for it. AD is specified as the misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) and abnormalities in hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Current approaches to treat Alzheimer’s disease have had some success in slowing down the disease’s progression. Chaperone proteins act as molecular caretakers to facilitate cellular homeostasis under standard conditions. Chaperone proteins like heat shock proteins (Hsps) serve a pivotal role in correctly folding amyloid peptides, inhibiting mitochondrial dysfunction, and peptide aggregation. For instance, Hsp90 plays a significant role in maintaining cellular homeostasis through its protein folding mechanisms.
  • 502
  • 28 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Delayed Cerebral Ischemia and Cisternal Drainage
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) provokes a cascade reaction that is responsible for early and delayed brain injuries mediated by intracranial hypertension, hydrocephalus, cerebral vasospasm (CV), and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), which result in increased morbidity and mortality. During open microsurgical repair, cisternal access is achieved essentially to gain proximal vascular control and aneurysm exposition. Cisternostomy also allows brain relaxation, removal of cisternal clots, and restoration of the CSF dynamics through the communication between the anterior and posterior circulation cisterns and the ventricular system, with the opening of the Membrane of Liliequist and lamina terminalis, respectively. Continuous postoperative CSF drainage through a cisternal drain (CD) is a valuable option for treating acute hydrocephalus and intracranial hypertension. Moreover, it efficiently removes the blood and toxic degradation products, with a potential benefit on CV, DCI, and shunt-dependent hydrocephalus. Finally, the CD is an effective pathway to administer vasoactive, fibrinolytic, and anti-oxidant agents and shows promising results in decreasing CV and DCI rates while minimizing systemic effects.
  • 496
  • 12 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Alterations in the Intestinal Microbiota in ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by varying degrees of difficulty in social interaction and communication. These deficits are often associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, indicating alterations in both intestinal microbiota composition and metabolic activities. The intestinal microbiota influences the function and development of the nervous system.
  • 494
  • 04 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Pharmacotherapy for Migraine and Chronic Cluster Headache
Headaches are defined as pain in any area of the head and can be categorized into three groups as defined by the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-III): (1) Primary being a headache without an identifiable cause, including tension, migraine, and chronic cluster; (2) Secondary being a headache with an identifiable cause, including potentially life threatening causes such as vascular disorders or traumatic brain injuries; and (3) Cranial neuropathies.
  • 488
  • 19 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Neuroinflammation
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can lead to devastating outcomes including vasospasm, cognitive decline, and even death. Treatment options are limited for this potentially life threatening injury. Evidence suggests that neuroinflammation plays a critical role in injury expansion and brain damage. Red blood cell breakdown products can lead to the release of inflammatory cytokines that trigger vasospasm and tissue injury. Preclinical models have been used successfully to improve understanding about neuroinflammation following aneurysmal rupture.
  • 488
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Exosomes and miRNAs Effects Spinal Cord Injury
Neurological disorders represent a global health problem. Current pharmacological treatments often lead to short-term symptomatic relief but have dose-dependent side effects, such as inducing orthostatic arterial hypotension due to the blockade of alpha receptors, cardiotoxic effects due to impaired repolarization, and atrioventricular block and tachycardia, including ventricular fibrillation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent cells with anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and immunomodulatory properties, providing a promising alternative due to their ability to differentiate, favorable culture conditions, in vitro manipulation ability, and robust properties. 
  • 486
  • 28 Sep 2023
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