Orthostatic hypotension （OH） is the main symptom of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in the elderly population，which often manifests as orthostatic dizziness，syncope，and traumatic falls. OH often has a poor prognosis and is one of the causes of cognitive impairment in the elderly，and therefore，it is important to explore the pathogenesis of OH and related interventions. The vestibular system participates in orthostatic blood pressure regulation through vestibular sympathetic reflex，and dysfunction of the vestibular system can lead to the dysfunction of orthostatic blood pressure regulation，which further leads to OH. Previous studies have shown that galvanic vestibular stimulation （GVS） can regulate the function of the cardiovascular system，and different stimulation parameters have different target effects on blood pressure. This article summarizes the role of vestibular system and GVS in orthostatic blood pressure regulation，in order to provide a reference for the future research on the application of GVS in the treatment of OH.
This study reports a pair of sisters with generalized dystonia and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria，including clinical phenotype analysis and genetic testing. Through medical history collection，imaging and laboratory examinations，and genetic analysis，it was found that the two patients had a homozygous mutation，c.1687T>C，in the Serac1 gene on chromosome 6，which was located at exon 16. The Serac1 gene mutation with adolescent-onset generalized dystonia as the main clinical phenotype has not been reported in the literature before. This study finds for the first time that Serac1 mutation at this site can cause generalized dystonia，which can provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of similar cases in the future.
Objective To investigate the clinical and radiological features of patients with different phenotypes of multiple system atrophy （MSA）. Methods A total of 400 patients with MSA who attended the outpatient service or were hospitalized in Department of Neurology，Chinese PLA General Hospital，were enrolled，among whom there were 294 patients with MSA-cerebellar type （MSA-C） and 106 patients with MSA-Parkinsonian type （MSA-P）. The t-test and the chi-square test were used to analyze the clinical manifestations，radiological features，and blood biochemical indicators of the two groups. Results As for clinical manifestations，there were significant differences in cerebellar symptoms，constipation，and Babinski sign between MSA-C patients and MSA-P patients （P<0.05）. As for radiological features，positron emission tomography/computed tomography （PET/CT） showed that MSA-P patients had a typical reduction in DAT uptake in the putamen and the caudate nucleus，while magnetic resonance imaging showed that compared with the MSA-C group，the MSA-P group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with putamen fissure sign or white matter demyelination； for MSA-C patients，PET/CT showed cerebellar hypometabolism，and magnetic resonance imaging showed the cross sign and high signal intensity in the pontine arm，as well as a significantly higher proportion of patients cerebellar and pontine atrophy than MSA-P patients （P<0.05）. As for laboratory markers，MSA-P patients had a significantly lower level of uric acid than MSA-C patients （P=0.029）. Conclusion Patients with different subtypes of MSA have specific clinical features，radiological features，and uric acid level，which has a certain significance in the accurate diagnosis of MSA.
Objective To investigate the features of non-motor symptoms and transcranial substantia nigra ultrasound in essential tremor （ET）. Methods General data were collected from 50 patients with ET and 50 healthy controls，and non-motor symptom scales and transcranial nigra sonography （TCS） were used for assessment. The t-test，the non-parametric test，and the chi-square test were used for comparison of general data，scale assessment results，and TCS findings between the two groups. Results There were significant differences between the ET group and the healthy control group in the total scores of NMSS，MoCA，HAMA，HAMD，PSQI，ESS，and FSS and the incidence rates of cognitive impairment，moderate or severe anxiety，poor sleep，and daytime sleepiness，while there were no significant differences in the incidence rates of moderate or severe depression and fatigue between the two groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of “hyperechoic area of the left side” “hyperechoic area of the right side” “hyperechoic area of both sides” “S/M value” “the number of cases with a hyperechoic area of >0.2 cm2 for at least one side” “the number of cases with an S/M ratio of >7%” and “the number of cases with positive TCS results”. Conclusion Compared with healthy controls，ET patients are more susceptible to cognitive impairment，anxiety，depression，poor sleep quality，daytime sleepiness，and fatigue，and the non-motor symptoms of ET should be taken seriously in clinical practice. TCS examination has a relatively low diagnostic value in ET patients and healthy individuals.
Objective To investigate the cause，pathogenesis，clinical manifestations，treatment，and prognosis of secondary hemichorea based on related clinical features and examinations by summarizing the medical records of 25 patients with secondary hemichorea-hemiballism. Methods An analysis was performed for 25 patients with hemichorea-hemiballism who were admitted and treated from July 2018 to April 2024，including general status，clinical features，laboratory examinations，MRI or CT examination，treatment methods，and prognosis. Results Of all 25 patients，11 （44.0%） had acute cerebrovascular diseases [including 7 cases （28.0%） of cerebral infarction，3 cases （12.0%） of cerebral hemorrhage，and 1 case （4.0%） of moyamoya disease]，13 （44.0%） had hyperglycemia，and 1 had unknown causes. Of all 25 patients with hemichorea-hemiballism after treatment of the primary disease and symptomatic treatment，18 patients had significant improvements in hemichorea symptoms，and 7 had disappearance of hemichorea symptoms. One patient experienced recurrence after half a year due to self-withdrawal of medication，and the other patients took medication regularly，with no recurrence at follow-up half a year later.Conclusion Hemichorea-hemiballism is more common in the elderly，and acute cerebrovascular disease is the most common cause of hemichorea-hemiballism，followed by hyperglycemia，with the basal ganglia as the main lesion site. In addition to the treatment of the primary disease，symptomatic treatment with haloperidol，clonazepam，or risperidone can significantly improve clinical symptoms and help to achieve a good prognosis.
Stiff-person syndrome （SPS） is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder with atypical symptoms and signs，which often leads to missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis，resulting in delayed treatment. This article reports a female patient，aged 72 years，who was diagnosed with SPS，and her symptoms were improved after symptomatic treatment including intravenous injection of human immunoglobulin，corticosteroids，clonazepam，and baclofen. It is suggested that early diagnosis and timely treatment can improve the quality of life and prognosis of SPS patients with positive anti-amphiphysin antibodies.
Objective To investigate the risk factors for early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke，to construct a clinical predictive model，and to perform internal validation of this model. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 739 patients with mild acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to Department of Neurology，Kuntong Hospital of Zunhua，from October 2020 to December 2023，and they were randomly divided into a training set with 534 patients （72.3%） and a validation set with 205 patients （27.7%） at a ratio of 7∶3. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed for the training set to determine the risk factors for early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke. A clinical predictive model was constructed，and internal validation was performed in terms of discriminatory ability，calibration，and clinical decision making. A nomogram was plotted. Results The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female sex （OR=1.87，95% CI 1.14~3.09，P=0.014），time window ≤6 hours （OR=3.10，95%CI 1.56~6.19，P=0.001），a baseline NIHSS score of 2 points （OR=3.72，95%CI 1.30~10.61，P=0.014），a baseline NIHSS score of 3 points （OR=4.24，95%CI 1.45~12.35，P=0.008），a TOAST classification of large artery atherosclerosis （OR=3.88，95%CI 2.20~6.83，P<0.001），and the responsible arteries of the basilar artery，the middle cerebral artery，and the internal carotid artery （OR=8.39，95%CI 2.28~30.85，P=0.001； OR=6.22，95%CI 1.78~21.71，P=0.004； OR=5.38，95%CI 1.15~25.13，P=0.032） were independent risk factors for early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke. The clinical predictive model constructed showed a moderate discriminatory ability （AUC>0.7），good calibration （P>0.05） in the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test），and good clinical benefits in both the training set and the validation set. Conclusion This clinical predictive model can effectively predict the onset of early neurological deterioration in mild acute ischemic stroke and guide clinicians to make decisions，and therefore，it holds promise for clinical application.
Objective To investigate the dynamic imaging features of a group of patients with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 （GAD65） antibody-associated neurological syndromes. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for related data of the patients who were diagnosed with anti-GAD65 antibody-associated autoimmune neurological syndromes in The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2018 to December 2021，including clinical features，treatment outcomes，and cranial magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） features at baseline and during follow-up. Results A total of 15 patients were enrolled，among whom there were 8 female patients and 7 male patients，with an age of onset of 28-72 years. The clinical syndromes included limbic encephalitis in 2 patients，temporal lobe epilepsy in 3 patients，and seizures in 7 patients，accounting for 80%，as well as stiff-person syndrome in 1 patient （6.67%） and cerebellar ataxia in 2 patients （13.3%）. Imaging findings showed that of all 15 patients，14 （93.3%） had brain atrophy at initial diagnosis，and only 1 young patient had no brain atrophy； 10 patients （67%） had abnormal signals in the bilateral or unilateral hippocampus，and 3 patients （20%） had abnormal signals in the cortex/subcortical regions. All 15 patients received first-line immunotherapy，and dynamic MRI follow-up was performed for 8 patients，with a follow-up time of half a year to 4 years. Follow-up results showed that based on clinical and imaging findings，the patients with abnormal signals in the cortex/subcortical regions had good response to immunotherapy，while those with abnormal signals in the bilateral or unilateral hippocampus had poor response to immunotherapy. Progressive brain atrophy was observed in all 8 patients receiving MRI follow-up.Conclusion The common imaging findings of anti-GAD65 antibody-associated autoimmune neurological syndromes include abnormal signals in the bilateral or unilateral hippocampus and abnormal signals in the cortex/subcortical regions，and there are differences in clinical manifestations and response to immunotherapy between these two types. Cranial MRI features have an important value in the diagnosis of anti-GAD65 antibody-associated syndromes. MRI examination may be used as an important method for monitoring disease progression and treatment outcome.
Objective To explore the association between cognitive function and non-traditional blood lipid parameters in patients with cerebral small vessel disease （CSVD）. Methods A prospective study was conducted among 376 CSVD patients who were treated in Dongfang Hospital，Beijing University of Chinese Medicine，from July 2017 to August 2022. Blood samples were collected from all subjects in the morning after 12 hours of fasting to measure blood lipid parameters，and then non-traditional blood lipid parameters were calculated. According to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale，the patients were divided into cognitive impairment CSVD group and non-cognitive impairment CSVD group. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between non-traditional blood lipid parameters and cognitive function in CSVD patients，and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess their predictive value. Results A total of 376 CSVD patients were enrolled，among whom there were 250 patients with cognitive impairment and 126 patients without cognitive impairment. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TC/HDL-C （OR=1.454，95%CI 1.147-1.843，P=0.002） and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio （OR=1.457，95% CI 1.109-1.915，P=0.023） were independently associated with cognitive impairment in CSVD patients. The ROC curve analysis showed that TC/HDL-C ratio had an area under the ROC curve （AUC） of 0.606 （95%CI 0.547-0.665） in predicting cognitive impairment in CSVD patients，with a sensitivity of 0.560 and a specificity of 0.659； LDL-C/HDL-C ratio had an AUC 0.617 （95%CI 0.558-0.676） in predicting cognitive impairment，with a sensitivity of 0.552 and a specificity of 0.762； TC/HDL-C ratio combined with LDL-C/HDL-C ratio had an AUC of 0.776 （95%CI 0.726-0.825） in predicting cognitive impairment，with a sensitivity of 0.772 and a specificity of 0.667. Conclusion Increases in TC/HDL-C ratio and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio are risk factors for cognitive impairment in CSVD patients and thus have a certain predictive value for cognitive impairment in CSVD patients，and the combination of these two ratios has a higher predictive value.
Objective To investigate the clinical features and treatment of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG associated disorders （MOGAD） and the risk factors for recurrence and poor long-term prognosis. Methods A total of 91 patients who were diagnosed with MOGAD in The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to March 2023 were enrolled，and their clinical features and auxiliary examinations were analyzed，as well as the risk factors for recurrence and long-term prognosis. Results Among the 91 patients，69 experienced the first attack of MOGAD，and there were 39 female patients and 47 children （aged<18 years）. The proportion of patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis among children was significantly higher than that among adults （42.6% vs 18.2%，P=0.012），while the proportion of patients with transverse myelitis among adults was significantly higher than that among children （29.5% vs 2.1%，P<0.001）. The proportion of patients receiving hormones combined with immunoglobulins during hospitalization among children was significantly higher than that among adults （36.2% vs 11.4%，P=0.006），and the children had a significantly better Expanded Disability Status Scale （EDSS） score than the adults at discharge [1（0，1） vs 2（0，4.75），P=0.007]. Visual impairment was an independent risk factor for increased recurrence risk （OR=4.215，95%CI 1.236-14.377，P=0.022）. A higher EDSS score at discharge （OR=5.05，95%CI 1.27-20.07，P=0.021） and a higher number of attacks （OR=9.235，95%CI 1.352-63.10，P=0.023） were independent factors for poor long-term prognosis，while a steroid maintenance time of >5 weeks at initial diagnosis （OR=0.001，95%CI 0.00-0.33，P=0.001） was an independent factor for improving long-term prognosis. Conclusion For patients newly diagnosed with MOGAD，especially those with a high EDSS score at discharge and features indicating a high risk of recurrence （such as visual impairment），it is recommended that they receive an appropriate course of steroid maintenance treatment after acute-stage treatment.
Objective To investigate the characteristics of pan-immune-inflammation value （PIV），non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （non-HDL-C），and interleukin （IL） spectrum and their correlation with the severity of neurological function impairment in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 158 elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke who were hospitalized in our hospital from October 2019 to October 2024，and according to the severity of neurological function impairment，they were divided into non-severe neurological function impairment group with 112 patients and severe neurological function impairment group with 46 patients. The two groups were compared in terms of general clinical data，PIV，non-HDL-C，and ILs. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for severe neurological function impairment in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke，and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of each risk factor. Results Compared with the non-severe neurological function impairment group，the severe neurological function impairment group had a significantly lower level of HDL-C and significantly higher levels of non-HDL-C，PIV，IL-1β，IL-6，and IL-8 （P<0.05）. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that HDL-C，non-HDL-C，PIV，IL-1β，IL-6，and IL-8 were influencing factors for severe neurological function impairment in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke （P<0.05）. The ROC curve analysis showed that the combination of HDL-C，non-HDL-C，PIV，IL-1β，IL-6，and IL-8 had a significantly higher efficiency than each indicator alone in predicting severe neurological function impairment in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke （Z=4.234，4.411，3.897，4.240，4.001，4.420，all P<0.001）. Conclusion Elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke who have relatively high levels of PIV，non-HDL-C，and pro-inflammatory ILs tend to have severe neurological function impairment.
This article reports a male patient，aged 31 years，who were admitted due to sudden-onset speech and language impairment and limb weakness at the right side for more than 7 hours and achieved successful revascularization after endovascular treatment. Etiological screening revealed positive treponema pallidum particle agglutination （1∶1 280） and positive HIV antibodies in serum，as well as an increase in white blood cell count and positive TPPA （1∶640） in cerebrospinal fluid （CSF）. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the vessel wall showed inflammatory changes in the vessel wall of the M1 segment of the left middle cerebral artery. After multidisciplinary consultation，the patient was diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke secondary to cerebral arteritis caused by neurosyphilis and HIV infection and was given antiplatelet therapy，benzathine penicillin for syphilis，and antiviral therapy. After 6 months of follow-up，the patient had a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 and achieved clearance of syphilis-related indicators in serum and CSF，and CT angiography confirmed revascularization without new-onset stenosis. The literature review shows that acute ischemic stroke is a common manifestation of co-infection with HIV and neurosyphilis in young individuals，and early syphilis detection in serum and CSF，HIV screening，and timely combination therapy are of great significance for improving prognosis.
Infection of the human central nervous system by Balamuthia mandrillaris is very rare and is mostly observed in people engaged in agriculture-related occupations，with a high fatality rate. This article reports a case of Balamuthia mandrillaris amoebic encephalitis in southern Hunan, China，which was finally confirmed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid. The patient gave up treatment and was discharged from the hospital without achieving remission after antiviral，anti-fungal，and anti-parasitic therapies，cranial pressure reduction，and symptomatic supportive treatment，and the patient died at 5 months after confirmed diagnosis. This article reviews related literature to improve the understanding of this disease among clinicians，and it is necessary to consider the possibility of this disease in case of encephalitis of unknown etiology. Early diagnosis and timely comprehensive anti-infective therapy should be performed to improve the success rate of treatment.
Circadian rhythm is an essential biological process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle，hormone secretion，and metabolism，and the stability of circadian rhythm is crucial for maintaining normal cognitive function. Melatonin （MT），a key hormone secreted by the pineal gland，is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythm and thus has a significant impact on cognitive function. This article systematically reviews the multiple mechanisms by which MT regulates cognitive function through circadian rhythm，including improving sleep quality，promoting the clearance of metabolic waste by the glymphatic system，exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects，and regulating neuronal activity and the improvement of synaptic plasticity. In addition，this article also discusses the association between circadian rhythm disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Future studies are needed in the future to further clarify the neuroprotective mechanisms of MT，in order to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment.
Internal jugular venous flow disorder can affect intracranial hemodynamics extensively，and studies have shown that internal jugular venous flow disorder has an impact on various nervous system diseases. This article reviews the association of internal jugular venous flow disorder with related diseases and non-specific symptoms，such as transient global amnesia，transient monocular blindness，white matter lesions，cognitive impairment，Parkinson disease，idiopathic intracranial hypertension，and multiple sclerosis，in order to expand the clinical thinking of the nervous system diseases associated with internal jugular venous flow disorder.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS） is an emerging technique for noninvasive brain stimulation and plays an increasingly important role in the rehabilitation treatment of post-stroke aphasia due to its advantages of noninvasiveness，safety，and targeting ability. With reference to related articles in China and globally in recent years，this article elaborates on the role，mechanism，and target of rTMS in post-stroke aphasia，in order to provide a reference for the rehabilitation treatment of patients with post-stroke aphasia.
Epilepsy surgery is the main treatment method for medically intractable epilepsy，but at present，its clinical application is significantly limited by medical costs，which is also an important reason for the gap in treatment，and cost-effectiveness analysis can help to narrow this gap. This article analyzes the impact of cost-effectiveness on epilepsy surgery，the cost-effectiveness of preoperative evaluations，and cost-effectiveness across different age groups and surgical procedures，in order to promote the allocation of healthcare resources and provide appropriate surgical treatment options for patients. Preoperative evaluations，epilepsy surgery for both adults and children，and surgical methods such as resection or neuromodulation have shown favorable cost-effectiveness，particularly in the long term. However，further studies are needed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of ablative therapies.
Medical Publishing Centre of The First Hospital of Jilin University