Notable in Neurology This Week
This issue features an article that examines the association between COVID-19 and risk of acute ischemic stroke; another investigates whether epilepsy type, seizure location, and medications influence seizure frequency during pregnancy and postpartum. A featured Contemporary Issues in Practice, Education, & Research article explores strategies to generate more interest in neurology among undergraduate neuroscience students.
Research Articles
Prevalence and Significance of Impaired Microvascular Tissue Reperfusion Despite Macrovascular Angiographic Reperfusion (No-Reflow)
The no-reflow phenomenon refers to persistent tissue hypoperfusion despite macrovascular reperfusion after a successful thrombectomy. In a pooled analysis of 3 thrombectomy randomized controlled trials, no-reflow was seen in a quarter of the patients, and it was associated with infarct growth and worse outcome. No-reflow represents an imaging correlate to futile recanalization and is a potential therapeutic target.
Page 306
Hidden Objective Memory Deficits Behind Subjective Memory Complaints in Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with subjective memory complaints were given 2 memory tests. The recall scores of these tests were significantly lower in patients than in controls and 76% of patients with TLE had objective impairment on at least 1 of the tests regardless of lesion presence or response to medication.
Page 309
Association of Fecal and Plasma Levels of Short-Chain Fatty Acids With Gut Microbiota and Clinical Severity in Patients With Parkinson Disease
Reductions in fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) but increased plasma SCFAs were observed in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and these changes were associated to changes in the gut microbiota and clinical severity. These results reinforce the gut–brain link in PD and suggest that gut metabolite SCFAs may serve as potential biomarkers of PD.
Page 312
Long-term Effect of Regular Physical Activity and Exercise Habits in Patients With Early Parkinson Disease
This study documented the long-term effect of physical activity in patients with PD. Analyses of the interaction effect revealed the importance of the maintenance of regular physical activity in the long term, with each type of physical activity having different effects. Patients with PD should be supported in maintaining their physical activity levels.
Page 313
From editorialists Mak and Schwarz: “These findings should encourage patients to participate in different types of physical activities to improve the motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD.”
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NB: “Hemiparkinsonism Secondary to Giant Aneurysm,” p. 325. To check out other NeuroImages, point your browser to Neurology.org/N. At the end of the issue, check out the Resident & Fellow Section Clinical Reasoning article discussing aphasia and vision changes in a patient with cerebral amyloid angiopathy–related inflammation. This week also includes a Humanities in Neurology piece titled “Summer Picnics.”
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