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The neural mechanisms of many symptoms associated with migraine have yet to be elucidated. New research suggests that a non-image-forming retinal pathway and signals from the dura mater contribute to photophobia in patients with migraine. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind other migraine-associated symptoms such as nausea and osmophobia.
Surgical revascularization has been accepted as an effective therapeutic option to improve cerebral hemodynamics, reduce further cerebrovascular events and improve long-term outcomes in pediatric moyamoya disease. A large clinical study now provides us with additional meaningful information on the benefits of surgical revascularization for patients with this condition.
Evidence suggests that both anxiety and depression might have pathophysiological links with Parkinson disease (PD), as these mood disorders are more prevalent in individuals with PD than in patients with other chronic conditions. A new study reports that depression and anxiety are associated with different patterns of PD-related factors, suggesting divergence between the underlying mechanisms.
Stem cell-based therapies have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this Review, Martino et al. provide an overview of the current knowledge relating to the potential use of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells and neural stem/precursor cells in the treatment of MS.
Most cases of stroke occur in the elderly, and stroke morbidity and mortality rates rise with increasing age. In this Review, Chen and colleagues examine the relationship between age and ischemic stroke, including discussion of the age-related changes that make elderly people particularly vulnerable to stroke and the factors that might be responsible for the poor outcomes observed in this patient group.
Since the introduction of electroconvulsive therapy in the 1930s, considerable progress has been made in the development and refinement of brain stimulation techniques to treat psychiatric illness. The ultimate goal is to achieve clinical efficacy while minimizing cognitive adverse effects, and Hoy and Fitzgerald consider the extent to which various noninvasive and invasive brain stimulation techniques fulfill these requirements.
Treatments for myelin disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, are largely confined to anti-inflammatory drugs, which often show limited effectiveness in only subgroups of patients. Combination therapies that target both inflammation and other processes, such as remyelination, might be of benefit in such disorders. In this article, Taveggia et al. provide an overview of the signaling pathways that regulate myelination and highlight how targeting such pathways might promote remyelination.
Spinazzi et al. describe a case of subacute sensory ataxia and bilateral optic neuropathy associated with thiamine deficiency in a patient with a history of partial gastrectomy. The patient responded well to supplementation with thiamine, showing rapid improvements in ability to walk and normalization of visual field perimetry 2 years after presentation.
