Articles related to NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS

Explore the unmasking of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its vaccine era, with the integration of traditional and alternative treatments offering renewed hope for affected patients.

As tDCS devices gain popularity for at-home use, physicians must navigate the complex terrain of this emerging trend, balancing the devices’ potential benefits with the stark reality of unverified efficacy and potential side effects.

Discover the potential of xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase blockers, such as allopurinol, in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. This large-scale study reveals intriguing associations and sets the stage for future research.

Delve into the fascinating world of an integrated approach to brain medicine that amalgamates neurology and psychiatry, ushering a new era in patient care. Our understanding of the brain is constantly expanding. This unprecedented knowledge blurs the boundaries between neurology and psychiatry. However, an issue arises: current clinical training maintains a dichotomy stemming from 19th-century practices. This divergence is creating a shift. Neurologists, traditionally untrained in psychiatric management, find themselves treating more psychiatric patients. Likewise, new neuroscience-based precision treatments and diagnostic biomarkers demand skills beyond the psychiatric training purview. This status quo poses a significant challenge to training future doctors. We need to focus on establishing competence in whole-brain aspects and fostering subspecialized expertise. Additionally, implementing feasible and practical programs is paramount. In response, this article proposes a novel 4-year residency program. The first two years concentrate on common and urgent neurology and psychiatry aspects, followed by two years of elective subspecialty tracks. This concept mirrors internal medicine residencies and fellowships, without necessitating changes to existing departmental structures. The article further introduces ‘brain medicine’ as a fitting term for this unified practice. The name emphasizes a holistic focus on all brain aspects. Conventionally, the division between neurology and psychiatry relates […]

The split-hand sign, one of the first physical symptoms of ALS, refers to a loss of the pincer grasp caused by weakening and wasting of two hand muscles placed on the side of the thumb: the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and the first dorsal interosseous (FDI). Hand muscles on the side of the little finger, such as the abductor digiti minimi (ADM), are typically spared, hence the term “split.” Several studies have attempted to develop split-hand indexes (SIs) based on a measure of muscle conduction known as compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) of affected and unaffected hand muscles over the years. The CMAP and F-wave persistence (FP) of three important groups of hand muscles — APB, FDI, and ADM — were assessed in 83 ALS patients and 50 age- and height-matched healthy individuals (controls) in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of SIFP and SICMAP in identifying ALS patients from healthy participants were compared using statistical analysis. When compared to controls, both SIFP and SICMAP tended to have very low values in people with ALS.

The diagnosis of FND can be made accurately based on positive clinical signs. Nevertheless, people with FND continue to suffer from discrimination across the spectra of clinical and research medicine. This review presents the evidence and outlines the causes of discrimination and suggests solutions.