Marcello Esposito

A clinical comparison of trigeminal neuralgic pain in patients with and without underlying multiple sclerosis.

Despite clinical similitude, there is a tendency to consider trigeminal pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) as a distinct condition. To evaluate clinical differences in trigeminal pain presentation in patients with and without underlying MS, we compared clinical characteristics of facial pain found in 15 consecutive MS patients with those reported by 13 consecutive subjects diagnosed with classical trigeminal neuralgia. The only significant difference between MS and non-MS neuralgic patients was the age of onset of pain (43.4±10.5 in MS vs. 59.6±11.50 in non-MS patients, p=0.000629, unpaired Student’s t-test). No differences were observed for side, duration and quality of pain, trigeminal branches involved, presence of trigger areas or factors, pain refractive period, remitting-relapsing or chronic course. There was only a trend without statistical significance in interval pain and trigeminal hypoesthesia, more frequent in MS population. Only one patient in the MS group presented with long-lasting episodes (45–60 min) of atypical odontalgia. Our findings support the view of a common pathogenetic mechanism underlying TN in the two groups, possibly related to demyelination of the trigeminal entry root in the pons. Typical TN in MS patients should be considered as “symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia”.

Tremor in primary adult-onset dystonia: prevalence and associated clinical features

Objective To investigate the frequency and the main clinical features of tremor in primary adult-onset dystonia (PAOD). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 429 patients with PAOD from eight Italian movement disorder centres. Results Of the 429 dystonic patients, 72 (16.7%) had tremor. Although sex and age at dystonia onset were similar in dystonic patients who had tremor and those who did not, patients who had tremor were affected more often by focal cervical dystonia and less often by focal blepharospasm. Dystonia had a greater tendency to spread in patients with tremor. According to the Movement Disorder Society Consensus Statement, tremor was classified as dystonic tremor (DT) in 43 patients and tremor associated with dystonia (TAWD) in 23 patients. Six patients had both types of tremor. Taking into account potential confounding by age at onset and body distribution of the corresponding dystonia type, all the clinical features in patients with DT and in those with TAWD were comparable except the tendency of dystonia to spread, which was greater in patients with DT. Conclusions Tremor is a relatively common feature occurring in about 17% of patients with primary late-onset dystonia. The association between tremor and dystonia spread suggests that this form of tremor may be a dystonic manifestation. Similarities in phenotypic features of DT and TAWD predominated over differences, suggesting that the two forms of tremor may be manifestations of the same disease. Differences in gender and body distribution of tremor between patients with dystonia and tremor and those of patients with essential tremor also suggest that tremor in dystonia and essential tremor are different entities.

Idiopathic spinal myoclonus: a clinical and neurophysiological assessment of a movement disorder of uncertain origin.

Spinal Myoclonus (SM) is characterized by brief and sudden movements caused by the activation of muscles belonging to adjacent spinal myotomes. Recent reports have indicated that “typical” clinical and electrophysiological features of SM can be mimicked voluntarily. A useful tool that can distinguish between organic and psychogenic jerks is the detection of a Bereitschaftspotential (BP). In this study, we looked for evidence of a BP in a cohort of patients with idiopathic SM. A clinical and neurophysiological assessment of 20 patients affected by idiopathic SM was performed. A video EEG‐EMG multichannel recording was performed in each patient to detect BP. An expert neurophysiologist (PB) reviewed the BP recordings and divided them into those showing a definite, possible, and no BP. A clinical assessment of the videoed movements was performed by two neurologists expert in movement disorders (KB and MJE) who indicated if the movements were compatible with organic or psychogenic myoclonus. A definite or possible BP was recorded in 15 out of 20 patients. Clinical raters agreed in their clinical opinion on 15 patients (75%). All patients where both raters agreed the movements appeared to be organic had definite or possible BP. BP are commonly seen in patients with idiopathic SM. There is discordance between clinicians in their clinical rating of SM as organic or psychogenic, but even in those patients where movements appear clinically to be organic, a BP is commonly detected, indicating that the aetiology is psychogenic. This suggests that BP recordings are a useful adjunct to clinical assessment in the accurate diagnosis of patients with idiopathic SM.

Psychogenic axial myoclonus: Clinical features and long-term outcome

BACKGROUNDnIt has been increasingly recognized that the majority of patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic propriospinal myoclonus have either a subsequent clinical course or electrophysiological features indicating that the likely etiology is psychogenic. However, the clinical features of psychogenic axial myoclonus and the long-term outcome have not yet well characterized.nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnHere we describe clinical findings with representative videos and long term outcomes of 76 patients with an electrophysiologically established diagnosis of psychogenic axial myoclonus.nnnRESULTSnThirty-seven patients were male. Mean age at onset of symptoms was 40.1xa0±xa015.1 years. Thirty-two patients (42.1%) presented with isolated axial myoclonus, while 44 patients (57.9%) presented additional features, including involvement of face or limb. In all patients but six (7.9%), the axial myoclonus was in flexion. In more than one-third of patients (42.1%), jerks were multifocal, meaning that there was no clear stereotyped pattern of jerks. Comparison between groups stratified according to the clinical outcome, revealed delay of diagnosis as the only predictor of worse outcome.nnnDISCUSSIONnWe describe here the clinical features and long-term outcome on the largest series of patients with psychogenic axial myoclonus reported in the literature. The description of our series highlights a number of clinical features, which may help neurologists to reach a correct diagnosis on clinical grounds alone. Delay in diagnosis of a psychogenic disorder has a negative effect on long-term outcome.

The combined treatment with orbital and pretarsal botulinum toxin injections in the management of poorly responsive blepharospasm

Blepharospasm (BS) is a focal dystonia involving involuntary contractions of muscles around the eyes. Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is the most effective treatment for BS and the technique of injection changes depending on the clinical picture. Usually typical BS benefits from the injection in the orbital part of the orbicularis oculi (OOc) muscle (orbital injection), while BoNT injection in the pretarsal part of OOc muscle is helpful especially for the atypical BS (opening eyelid apraxia). The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two injection techniques, the orbital versus the combined (injection in both orbital and pretarsal part of OOc) in BS patients with unsatisfactory response to BoNT. Nineteen patients with typical BS not having a satisfactory response from BoNT treatment with the orbital injection (primary and secondary resistant patients) were studied. After 3xa0months from the last orbital injection patients received the combined injection; they were assessed with the JRS and BSDI scales after 4xa0weeks from the last orbital and the first combined injection. Statistical analysis showed a significant reduction (pxa0<xa00.05) of the mean score of JRS and BSDI scales comparing the combined with orbital injection. This study shows that the treatment of typical BS can have better results when BoNT is injected with the combined technique in primary and secondary resistant patients.

Atypical clinical and radiological presentation of cryptococcal choroid plexitis in an immunocompetent woman

Central nervous system cryptococcal infections usually manifests as meningitis, meningoencephalitis, encephalitis or ventriculitis. Cryptococcal choroid plexus inflammation is a particularly rare entity most often presenting with signs and symptoms of intracranial hypertension, hydrocephalus or meningitis due to a delayed diagnosis. Herein we reported the case of a 63-year-old immunocompetent woman with a history of temporal lobe epilepsy and behavioral disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (FDG-PET) images revealed atypical cryptococcal choroid plexitis with surrounding bitemporal edema without features of meningitis, intraparenchymal cryptococcoma or hydrocephalus. The patient underwent serial MRI and FDG-PET images performed before and after antifungal therapy that caused a marked clinical improvement. Our case also suggests a potential role of FDG-PET in the monitoring antifungal therapeutic efficacy.

The pathophysiology of symptomatic propriospinal myoclonus

Propriospinal myoclonus (PSM) is the most common form of spinal myoclonus. It was first described in 1991 by Brown et al. as a movement disorder characterized by the occurrence of repetitive, nonrhythmic, usually flexor, jerks of the trunk, which could also involve the neck and the upper or the lower limbs. On the basis of neurophysiological studies, it was hypothesized to arise from a spinal generator, most commonly at the thoracic level, abnormally recruiting in a constant order the axial muscles up and down the spinal cord via slow intrinsic propriospinal pathways. Patients with PSM have been classified into two broad categories: those affected with idiopathic PSM (ie, primary, in which no underlying cause is found), and those affected with symptomatic PSM. However, the exact pathophysiology underlying both idiopathic and symptomatic PSM is unknown. Recently, independent groups have produced evidence that most, if not all, patients presumed to be affected with idiopathic PSM have a functional (psychogenic) origin for their jerks. Up to 85% of those patients had a Bereitschafts-potential (BP; from German, “readiness potential,” also called the premotor potential) before their jerk, and even in those who did not, the subsequent clinical course was strongly suggestive of a functional movement disorder (FMD). Moreover, the “typical” polymyographic pattern of PSM can be mimicked voluntarily. Patients with symptomatic PSM represent a potentially good model to better understand the pathophysiology of PSM. Unfortunately, literature on symptomatic PSM has been so far limited to a few anecdotal reports. Symptomatic PSM has been associated with a broad range of conditions (putatively considered responsible for the appearance of the jerks), including presence of spinal structural lesions (SL), vitamin deficiency, general and spinal anesthesia, infective disorders, and use of cannabis. The seemingly uncontroversial link that has been made between PSM and such different conditions hides instead considerable ambiguity about the pathophysiological mechanism underlying PSM. Here, we critically reevaluate the reported cases of symptomatic PSM and the suggested hypotheses regarding the presence of the propriospinal pathway in humans, aiming to provide some clarity on the pathophysiology of PSM.

Anti-GAD antibody ocular flutter: expanding the spectrum of autoimmune ocular motor disorders

Antibodies directed against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) have been described in patients with progressive cerebellar ataxia [1] and in a few patients affected by primarily oculomotor disorders [2]. The abnormal eye movements described with anti-GAD antibodies, so far, range from nystagmus (up/down-beat, periodic alternating nystagmus) [2, 3] to opsoclonus [4], but ocular flutter has never been reported. A 69-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for a 10-month progressive oscillopsia, blurred vision and gait imbalance with significant impairment of daily activities (such as reading a book, watching television and leaving home alone). Neurological examination showed ocular flutter, characterized by intermittent bursts of horizontal conjugate saccades without an intersaccadic interval. The eye oscillations were independent of eye position and occurred during fixation (voluntary and guided changes in gaze position), regardless of gaze direction, with eyes open or closed. The patient had full range of eye motion and did not report diplopia. Unsteadiness with severe retropropulsion was also evident. The remaining neurologic examination was normal. Analysis of ocular movements using video-oculography revealed bursts of rapid horizontal, symmetric movements without intersaccadic interval (Fig. 1a). Results of electrophysiological examinations, such as somatosensory and visual evoked potentials, nerve conduction study and electroencephalography, were normal. Routine blood cell counts and biochemistry were normal. Serological tests, cultures, and polymerase chain reactions performed on blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were negative for viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no abnormality. Results of screening examinations for neoplasms, including abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography of the abdomen and chest, as well as whole-body positron emission tomography, were all unremarkable. CSF examination revealed normal protein concentration and no cells, isoelectric focusing showed two oligoclonal bands and the immunoglobulin G index was within the normal range. The patient tested negative for anti-gliadin, paraneoplastic antibodies (anti-Ri, anti-Hu, anti-Yo, antiMa2, anti-CV2 and anti-amphiphysin), anti-LGI1, antiCaspr2, antiganglioside Q1b and anti-NMDA receptor in the serum and CSF. Antibodies against GAD65 were measured by radioimmunoassay. GAD65 antibody titre was increased in serum (2,378 IU/mL, normal value 1 IU/mL) and in CSF (55.7 IU/mL, normal value 1 IU/mL), with an intrathecal synthesis index of 10.64 (normal range 0.7–1.3). An intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment (400 mg/kg/day for 5 days) in six cycles once a month was started. The symptoms gradually resolved and continued to improve after the last administration of IVIg and at the same time serum GAD65 antibody titre decreased significantly (Fig. 1c). To avoid clinical relapses, azathioprine 200 mg orally daily was added to the last cycle of IVIg (Fig. 1c). R. Dubbioso F. Manganelli R. Iodice M. Esposito L. Santoro (&) Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples ‘‘Federico II’’, Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy e-mail: lusantor@unina.it

Subclinical neurological involvement does not develop if Wilson's disease is treated early

BACKGROUND & AIMSnWilsons disease (WD) is a genetic disorder of copper metabolism causing dysfunctions of various organs, mostly the liver and brain. If untreated, WD is fatal, but early treatment results in a good prognosis, although the long-term neurological outcome has not yet been clarified. To address this issue, we evaluated the neurological status of early-treated WD patients without overt nervous system impairment using neurophysiological, neuropsychological and neuroimaging procedures at least 10 years after treatment onset.nnnMETHODSnThirty-eight WD patients (18 females, aged 24.47 ± 7.50 years), who received an early diagnosis (in presymptomatic or mild/moderate liver disease stages without neurological involvement) and prompt treatment, were clinically evaluated with the Global Assessment Scale. Presentation was hepatic in 36 subjects (95%), while 2 patients (5%) were presymptomatic. A neurophysiological study was performed to explore the central motor conduction time of the upper and lower limbs, and motor cortex excitability using single pulses and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation. Neuroimages were obtained with brain magnetic resonance scans. Cognitive abilities, and psychiatric and behavioral disturbances were evaluated with neuropsychological tests.nnnRESULTSnPatients were undergoing treatment with penicillamine (7 patients) or zinc salts (31 patients) with good adherence. They did not present any neurological signs at clinical evaluation or at specific scale of impairment, the mean Global Assessment Scale score was 0.3 ± 0.7. Magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation studies and neuropsychological/neuropsychiatric assessment ruled out subclinical involvement.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis study suggests that early diagnosis and treatment of WD may prevent the onset of neurologic damage, even at subclinical level.

Electrophysiological characterization of adult-onset Niemann-Pick type C disease

In infantile and juvenile Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease electrophysiological studies have shown central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous system abnormalities. However, an extensive electrophysiological evaluation of CNS and PNS in adult form of NPC is still lacking. The aim of the study is to assess in adult-onset NPC disease the involvement of CNS and PNS by a multimodal electrophysiological approach. Three patients affected by adult form of NPC disease underwent electrophysiological evaluation including nerve conduction study (NCS), magnetic motor (MEPs), visual (VEPs), somatosensory (SSEPs) and brainstem auditory (BAEPs) evoked potentials. NCS, MEPs, VEPs and upper limb SSEPs were normal. Lower limb SSEPs were abnormal in all patients and abnormalities were consistent with a length-dependent process affecting the central somatosensory pathway. BAEPs were abnormal in all patients with both peripheral and central impairment of auditory pathway. Our electrophysiological findings suggest that auditory and lower limb somatosensory pathways are constantly affected in adult-onset form of NPC disease. The involvement of PNS, pyramidal, visual and upper limb somatosensory pathways might occur later during the course of disease.