Table of contents
May 2008 Volume 4 No 5
Editorial
Viewpoints
Clinically isolated syndrome: the rationale for early treatment
234Immunotherapy seems to alter the natural course of multiple sclerosis (MS), so there is a general view that treatment should be initiated as soon as a diagnosis is made. In this Viewpoint, Giancarlo Comi makes a case for extending the early treatment approach to patients with a first neurological event suggestive of MS.
Immunotherapy for clinically isolated syndrome? Not necessarily...
236Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease with a high degree of clinical and neuropathological variability between patients. In this Viewpoint, Aksel Siva argues that such a heterogeneous disease demands a heterogeneous approach to treatment and questions the practice of initiating long-term immunotherapy before the MS diagnosis has become definite.
Research Highlights
Predictive markers for response to interferon 
therapy in MS
238Listening to music can help patients in early stroke recovery
238Use of a brain–computer interface in patients with hand plegia after stroke
239Lithium inhibits progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
239B-cell depletion shows therapeutic potential in relapsing–remitting MS
240Calcium-channel blockers linked to reduced risk of Parkinson's disease
240Study finds no link between plasma lipid levels and risk of mild cognitive impairment
241Practice Points
Bevacizumab combined with irinotecan for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme—improvement over available therapy?
242doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0712 | Full Text | PDF (102K)
Investigating vascular myelopathy—when can magnetic resonance angiography replace digital subtraction angiography?
244doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0747 | Full Text | PDF (100K)
Migraine in adolescents: towards an easy-to-use screening tool
246doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0754 | Full Text | PDF (104K)
How SAFE is albumin for fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients with traumatic brain injury?
248doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0768 | Full Text | PDF (104K)
Should angioplasty and stenting be performed before CAGB in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis?
250doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0771 | Full Text | PDF (103K)
Should adults with suspected bacterial meningitis receive adjunctive dexamethasone?
252doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0767 | Full Text | PDF (101K)
Reviews
Sleep disturbances in patients with parkinsonism
254Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, rapid eye movement sleep disorders and excessive daytime sleepiness, are symptoms that are commonly associated with movement disorders. This article discusses the prevalence and underlying mechanisms of sleep disturbances in patients with Parkinson's disease or atypical parkinsonism, and proposes therapeutic approaches that could benefit both the patient and their sleeping partner.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0775 | Full Text | PDF (543K)
Technology Insight: imaging neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease
267Currently, idiopathic Parkinson's disease can only be diagnosed definitively by the demonstration of intracellular Lewy body inclusions on histological specimens of brain tissue—an approach that is impractical in living individuals. In this Review, David Brooks discusses recent advances in noninvasive imaging approaches that are providing important insights into the structural, pathophysiological and pharmacological changes associated with Parkinson's disease, and could have major implications for the future diagnosis and management of this condition.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0773 | Full Text | PDF (516K)
Case Studies
Amyloid--related angiitis: a rare cause of recurrent transient neurological symptoms
279This article describes the case of a female patient who presented with transient right-sided weakness, and went on to develop further transient neurological signs and symptoms. A diagnosis of amyloid-
-related angiitis was made at autopsy following a sudden, fatal intracerebral hemorrhage. The authors highlight the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients with difficult-to-localize transient neurological symptoms.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0769 | Full Text | PDF (281K)
A case of paraneoplastic myelopathy associated with the neuromyelitis optica antibody
284This Case Study describes a 63-year-old woman with a history of metastatic breast cancer who presented with rapidly progressing myelopathic symptoms and an elevated titer for the neuromyelitis optic antibody. The appearance of myelopathy correlated with recurrence of the patient's breast cancer on two separate occasions, and the authors suggest this case represents a possible paraneoplastic syndrome associated with the neuromyelitis antibody.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0765 | Full Text | PDF (176K)
