Table of contents
August 2006 Volume 2 No 8
Editorial
Viewpoint
Methylprednisolone and other confounders to spinal cord injury clinical trials
402As our understanding of the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury deepens, novel neuroprotective agents are being developed, some of which have already entered clinical trials. In this Viewpoint, Sipski and Pearse examine the status of translational research in this field, focusing specifically on issues surrounding the concurrent use of methylprednisolone. The authors also discuss other potential confounders of clinical trials for spinal cord injury and suggest possible solutions.
Research Highlights
Psychiatric problems common in chronic disabling occupational spinal disorders
404Social networks protect against cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease
404Nutritional supplement use in patients with Parkinson's disease
404Different gene expression profiles for heroin and cocaine abusers
405Haloperidol: a rescue medication in the treatment of acute migraine
405Cerebral emboli are a potential cause of dementia
406New guidelines on prevention of a first ischemic stroke
406Adjunctive levetiracetam is safe and effective for pediatric partial seizures
407Axonal loss in multiple sclerosis is independent of plaque formation
407Reduced Alzheimer's disease risk in individuals who adhere to a Mediterranean diet
407Warfarin is not appropriate in all patients with AF-associated ischemic stroke
408Combining prestroke treatments reduces stroke severity
408Resolution of migraine headaches after transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale
409Practice Points
Should all patients with stroke of undetermined etiology undergo transesophageal echocardiography?
410Can CT imaging in children with blunt head trauma be limited to those who meet one of seven clinical criteria?
412Does botulinum toxin A reduce adductor muscle spasticity in children with cerebral palsy?
414Is angioplasty a viable approach for treating symptomatic intracranial stenosis?
416How valuable are parents' opinions for identifying children with psychiatric problems?
418Is endovascular embolization reliable as a long-term cure for ruptured cerebral aneurysms?
420Are the current diagnostic criteria for cluster headache too restrictive for clinical practice?
422Reviews
Cerebral metastases—a therapeutic update
426Cerebral metastases are a common complication of systemic cancer, and their incidence is set to increase as cancer therapies improve and patients survive longer. In this article, Cavaliere and Schiff review the available therapeutic options for cerebral metastases, and consider the factors that are most likely to influence treatment decisions.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0263 | Full Text | PDF (186K)
Sporadic inclusion body myositis—diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies
437Sporadic inclusion body myositis is a slowly progressive inflammatory myopathy that is characterized histopathologically by a combination of degenerative and autoimmune inflammatory features in the muscle fibers. In this review, Marinos Dalakas describes the clinical features of sporadic inclusion body myositis, and considers potential disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0261 | Full Text | PDF (627K)
Mechanisms of Disease: what factors limit the success of peripheral nerve regeneration in humans?
448Although adult mammalian peripheral axons are able to regenerate after injury, this does not always translate into successful functional recovery after nerve injury in humans. In this review, Ahmet Höke considers the cellular and molecular factors that limit peripheral nerve regeneration in humans, and discusses how new animal models might be developed to investigate these barriers to regeneration and to test novel therapeutic approaches.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0262 | Full Text | PDF (171K)
Case Study
Sudden spasms following gradual lordosis—the stiff-person syndrome
455doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0259 | Full Text | PDF (142K)
