Table of contents
June 2008 Volume 4 No 6
Editorial
Further considerations in deciding between clipping and coiling for cerebral aneurysms
289doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0828 | Full Text | PDF (103K)
Research Highlights
Study finds no link between hyperinsulinemia and AD-related brain lesions
290Increased efficacy of convection-enhanced drug delivery in an animal model
290doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0796 | Full Text | PDF (100K)
Predictors of survival determined for adult medulloblastoma
290Varicella zoster virus contributes to relapse in patients with multiple sclerosis
291Istradefylline reduces motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease
291Serotonin–glutamate receptor complex offers new drug target for psychosis
292Transmission of multiple sclerosis might be mediated through maternal relatives
292SSRIs show efficacy over placebo only in the most severely depressed patients
292Practice Points
How long should patients with migraine continue to receive prophylactic topiramate?
294doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0770 | Full Text | PDF (130K)
Do pilocytic astrocytomas have a benign course in adult patients?
296doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0787 | Full Text | PDF (129K)
Hemiplegic cerebral palsy: role of repeat botulinum toxin A injections as an adjunct to occupational therapy
298doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0786 | Full Text | PDF (133K)
Is coiling really more costly than clipping in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysm?
300doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0790 | Full Text | PDF (130K)
Recurrent aneurysmal hemorrhage is closely linked with percent of aneurysm occlusion
302doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0792 | Full Text | PDF (127K)
Viewpoint
Facial expressions, pain and nociception—are they related?
304For the practicing physician, the recognition of pain in patients with dementia can represent a challenge because these patients are often unable to verbally report their pain. Can facial expressions of pain be used as an alternative pain indicator in this population? Elliott Ross considers this question by examining relevant neurobiological research.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0791 | Full Text | PDF (123K)
Reviews
'Noisy patients'—can signal detection theory help?
306Signal detection theory was developed during the Second World War as a means to improve the ability of radar operators to spot enemy bombers. In this article, Oliver et al. explain how an overworked neurologist might use signal detection theory in the clinic to sift out important information from the often bewildering array of visual, verbal and auditory cues that constitute a patient's history and examination.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0794 | Full Text | PDF (303K)
Steroids and immunosuppressant drugs in myasthenia gravis
317Long-term immunosuppression is often necessary in chronic autoimmune conditions such as myasthenia gravis. In this article, Sivakumar Sathasivam examines the mechanisms of action of steroids and other immunosuppressants, reviews randomized and nonrandomized evidence for their efficacy in generalized myasthenia gravis, and provides recommendations regarding the use of each immunosuppressant in the treatment of this condition.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0810 | Full Text | PDF (279K)
Disease mechanisms in neuropathic itch
329Itch is a common symptom of inflammatory skin disorders, but it can also occur as a result of damage to the itch-mediating nervous system, in which case it is known as neuropathic itch. In this Review, Binder et al. describe the mechanisms underlying itch generation, introduce a classification system for itch, and propose a mechanism-based management approach to chronic neuropathic itch. The topic of neuropathic itch is explored further in an accompanying Case Study in this issue.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0806 | Full Text | PDF (1,144K)
Case Study
A case of neuropathic brachioradial pruritus caused by cervical disc herniation
338This Case Study describes a 64-year-old woman who presented with a 2-year history of itch on her right dorsal forearm. The patient was diagnosed with brachioradial pruritus caused by cervical disc herniation, and the symptoms resolved after surgery to decompress the sixth cervical nerve root. Various alternative treatment options for brachioradial pruritus are discussed.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0807 | Full Text | PDF (268K)
Training Matters
Sleep medicine education: are medical schools and residency programs napping on the job?
344In this Training Matters article, Gamaldo and Salas provide an important and timely appraisal of the current state of sleep medicine education at medical-school and postgraduate levels. They highlight the need for more extensive integration of sleep education into the training curriculum and describe some new initiatives designed to achieve this goal.
doi:10.1038/ncpneuro0808 | Full Text | PDF (129K)
