Table of contents
April 2006 Volume 2 No 4
Viewpoint
Does transient ischemic attack deserve emergency care?
174The risk of stroke following transient ischemic attack has been underestimated. In this Viewpoint, Peter Rothwell examines the risk of stroke at relevant time intervals following transient ischemic attack, evaluates the available methods for predicting stroke risk in these patients, and describes potential approaches to stroke prevention.
Research Highlights
Novel role for COX2 inhibitors in the treatment of N141I PSEN2 familial Alzheimer's disease?
176Could blockade of brain-derived neurotrophic factor be used to treat neuropathic pain?
176RPE cell implantation improves motor symptoms in patients with advanced PD
177Azathioprine therapy inhibits development of new lesions in multiple sclerosis patients
177Tau protein abnormalities correlate with the severity of dementia in Alzheimer's disease
178Computational models characterize cerebral aneurysms and assess risk of rupture
178NMDA receptors are present on oligodendrocyte processes and are activated during ischemia
179Deactivation of endocannabinoids in the brain helps treat depression
179Aspirin use before intracerebral hemorrhage increases mortality risk
180Myocardial infarction is associated with increased risk of subsequent stroke
180Efaproxiral is an effective addition to WBRT in patients with brain metastases
181Practice Points
How effectively do rizatriptan and nontriptan drugs restore functional ability after acute migraine?
182Should patients surviving subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm be given follow-up screening?
184How strong is the evidence for the efficacies of different drug treatments for neuropathic pain?
186Reviews
Therapy Insight: clinical management of pregnant women with epilepsy
190Careful clinical management is vital for pregnant women with epilepsy, because both seizures and antiepileptic drugs can be harmful to the unborn child. In this article, Alison Pack reviews current evidence for a link between antiepileptic drug exposure and congenital malformations, and considers how epilepsy might best be managed in the context of a pregnancy.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0153 | Full Text | PDF (192K)
Immunopathogenesis and immunotherapy of multiple sclerosis
201There is increasing evidence to indicate that the immune system has a central role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. In this review, Hemmer et al. present findings from animal and human studies that have provided important insights into the immunology of multiple sclerosis, and discuss how this knowledge is guiding the development of new therapeutic strategies.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0154 | Full Text | PDF (332K)
Mechanisms of Disease: neurogenetics of MeCP2 deficiency
212Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that predominantly affects females, is caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. The age of onset usually ranges from 6 to 18 months of age, after an initial period of apparently normal development. In this article, Uta Francke reviews the current state of knowledge about the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie Rett syndrome.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0148 | Full Text | PDF (230K)
Mechanisms of Disease: congenital muscular dystrophies—glycosylation takes center stage
222The dystroglycanopathies are a group of muscular dystrophies that are caused by glycosylation defects in 
-dystroglycan, an important membrane protein that binds to the extracellular matrix. In this review, Paul Martin summarizes the genetic and clinical features of these disorders, and discusses the possible roles of dystroglycanopathy-associated genes in -dystroglycan glycosylation.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0155 | Full Text | PDF (214K)
