Tomokatsu Hori

Single-neuron responses to emotional visual stimuli recorded in human ventral prefrontal cortex

Both lesion and functional imaging studies in humans, as well as neurophysiological studies in nonhuman primates, demonstrate the importance of the prefrontal cortex in representing the emotional value of sensory stimuli. Here we investigated single-neuron responses to emotional stimuli in an awake person with normal intellect. Recording from neurons within healthy tissue in ventral sites of the right prefrontal cortex, we found short-latency (120–160 ms) responses selective for aversive visual stimuli.

Brain temperature measurements during speech in patients with brain tumors: New methods for identification of the speech area in intraoperative brain mappings

Abstract In the present study, the usefulness of a functional thermography (fTG) for determining critical speech area was assessed in three patients with brain tumors in language areas. The results of the fTG were also compared with functional MRI (fMRI), subdural electrodes and intraoperative cortical stimulations. Measurements of the regional brain temperature were done using the thermography. The temperature increased after 8–10 s later from the speech and decreased with a few seconds delay after interruption of the task. The areas of increased temperature were coincident with the bridging veins and functional areas identified using fMRI and direct cortical stimulations. The use of fTG increases the sensitivity and specificity for the detection of essential motor language area.

Clinical Experience with Endoscope-controlled Removal of Intrameatal Vestibular Schwannomas

Since recently, there is growing interest in the use of neuroendoscopes during surgery for cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. Modern devices, both rigid and flexible, provide a wide angle of view, superb illumination with a cold light, and perfect depth of focus in conquer with high magnification. Its use during microsurgical procedures allow to reduce the size of the craniotomy, to improve visualization in the operative field, and to look around important anatomical structures eliminating the need for extensive retraction [2,9, 10, 11].

Surgical experiences of 45 consecutive craniopharyngiomas

Abstract Object: The aim of the present study was to assess the outcome of surgical management in 45 consecutive patients harboring craniopharyngiomas treated between January 1986 and December 2002. Methods: In 45 patients undergoing surgery, the transsphenoidal approach was most frequently adopted as the primary procedure (20 patients), followed by the interhemispheric trans-lamina terminalis approach (13 patients), and by the pterional approach (9 patients), and finally endoscopic surgery (3 patients). Total tumor removal was finally achieved in 32 patients (71.1%), subtotal removal in 13 cases followed by conventional radiotherapy or gamma knife radiosurgery. In 15 patients, more than two of the surgical treatments were required to accomplish total tumor removal. In 8 of these 15 cases, the tumor recurred after initial surgical treatment by another neurosurgeon after which the patient was referred to us. The operative mortality is zero in all 45 cases. One 4-year-old boy died suddenly one and half years after the final operation, caused by the parents poor medical coverage. Postmortem examination revealed a small fragment of residual tumor sticking to the anterior hypothalamic wall. Conclusion: Total tumor removal, while avoiding hazardous intraoperative manipulation, provided favorable results and a high rate of long-term control in craniopharyngiomas.

Retroauricular subcutaneous Dacron or Gore-Tex tunnel for extracranial–intracranial autologous vein bypass

Abstract The authors described some techniques to achieve a successful extracranial–intracranial (EC–IC) vein graft bypass using a retroauricular prosthesis tunnel and specially designed silicone stent.