Assessment and Brain Training of Patients Experiencing Head and Facial Pain with a Distortion of Orofacial Somatorepresentation: A Narrative Review

The management of patients experiencing chronic orofacial pain is a great challenge, due to the complexity of chronic pain itself, combined with an increased peripheral sensitization in the craniofacial itself. Therefore, patients with orofacial pain may present a clear distortion of the somatorepresentation after some time. In this review, the authors develop a neurophysiological explanation of orofacial distortion, as well as propose assessment and treatment options, based on scarcely available scientific evidence and their own clinical experience. The assessments of facial somatosensory, cognitive-affective and motor dysfunctions are crucial to establish the most accurate treatment; the assessment tools are described in the article. Two-point discrimination, laterality recognition and emotion recognition are altered in patients with orofacial pain. Other sensorimotor assessment tools, such as motor acuity and auditory acuity, are also explained. Finally, the authors review their treatment proposals, based on the integration of brain training techniques and biobehavioral interventions. Somatosensory reintegration (tactile acuity training), facial emotion recognition, movement representation techniques, orofacial motor training and therapeutic patient education are explained in detail, and this may challenge new directions in rehabilitation and research.

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Vitamin C as an Anticancer Agent: Regulation of Signaling Pathways

Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1568026620666200710102841 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (21) ◽

pp. 1868-1875

Author(s):

Ghazala Butt ◽

Ammad A. Farooqi ◽

Aima Adylova ◽

Rukset Attar ◽

Seher Yilmaz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin C ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Signaling Pathways ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Published Data ◽

New Era ◽

Molecular Oncology ◽

Anticancer Effects ◽

Oncogenic Pathways

Treatment options for effective treatment of cancer with minimum off-target effects and maximum clinical outcomes have remained overarching goals in the clinical oncology. Vitamin C has remained in the shadows of controversy since the past few decades; burgeoning evidence has started to shed light on wide-ranging anticancer effects exerted by Vitamin C to induce apoptosis in drug-resistant cancer cells, inhibit uncontrolled proliferation of the cancer cells and metastatic spread. Landmark achievements in molecular oncology have ushered in a new era, and researchers have focused on the identification of oncogenic pathways regulated by Vitamin C in different cancers. However, there are visible knowledge gaps in our understanding related to the ability of Vitamin C to modulate a myriad of transduction cascades. There are scattered pieces of scientific evidence about promising potential of Vitamin C to regulate JAK-STAT, TGF/SMAD, TRAIL and microRNAs in different cancers. However, published data is insufficient and needs to be investigated comprehensively to enable basic and clinical researchers to reap full benefits and promote result-oriented transition of Vitamin C into various phases of clinical trials. In this review, we will emphasize on available evidence related to the regulation of oncogenic cell signaling pathways by Vitamin C in different cancers. We will also highlight the conceptual gaps, which need detailed and cutting-edge research.

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Alternative medicine as a treatment options for COVID-19

Current Traditional Medicine ◽

10.2174/2215083807666210104142934 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 07 ◽

Author(s):

Mahfuza Marzan ◽

Md. Shahedur Rahman ◽

Md. Abu Hena Mostofa Jamal ◽

Mohammad Hossain Shariare ◽

Md. Anowar Khasru Parvez

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Distress Syndrome ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Viral Disease ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Medicinal Properties ◽

Mode Of Transmission ◽

High Infectivity

: COVID-19, a viral disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is the reason of a global pandemic since the starting of the year 2020. The characteristic of the disease varies from mild common cold like symptoms to acute respiratory distress syndrome and multi-organ failure leading to death. World has already observed 213,453 deaths from this disease while 3,095,839 have been infected in 210 countries in total till 28 April, 2020. This disease has a devastating impact over the health care system because of its high infectivity, easy mode of transmission, lack of proper medicine and vaccine and deficiency of enough supportive healthcare arrangement. On verge of this situation scientists are searching the treatment options. However, nature has provided us with enormous herbs which have disease preventive as well as have medicinal properties. In this article we have reviewed several of these plants (ginger, clove, tea, black seed, tulsi, neem) and some vitamins (vitamin C and vitamin D) and zinc which have antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-asthmatic properties with scientific evidence. The intake of these products regularly to keep the immune system active, to experience its positive aspects might be supportive to prevent infection with the new coronavirus or to treat COVID-19.

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International Symposium on Temporomandibular Joint Disorders and Chronic Orofacial Pain

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1046/j.1468-2982.1998.1807530-2.x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 530-530

Keyword(s):

International Symposium ◽

Temporomandibular Joint ◽

Orofacial Pain ◽

Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ◽

Chronic Orofacial Pain

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Patient profiles as an aim to optimize selection in the second line setting: the role of aflibercept

Clinical & Translational Oncology ◽

10.1007/s12094-021-02568-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

B. González Astorga ◽

F. Salvà Ballabrera ◽

E. Aranda Aguilar ◽

E. Élez Fernández ◽

P. García-Alfonso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Line Treatment ◽

Second Line ◽

First Line ◽

Effective Therapeutic Option ◽

Line Setting ◽

First Line Treatment

AbstractColorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. For metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, it is recommended, as first-line treatment, chemotherapy (CT) based on doublet cytotoxic combinations of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) and fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX). In addition to CT, biological (targeted agents) are indicated in the first-line treatment, unless contraindicated. In this context, most of mCRC patients are likely to progress and to change from first line to second line treatment when they develop resistance to first-line treatment options. It is in this second line setting where Aflibercept offers an alternative and effective therapeutic option, thought its specific mechanism of action for different patient’s profile: RAS mutant, RAS wild-type (wt), BRAF mutant, potentially resectable and elderly patients. In this paper, a panel of experienced oncologists specialized in the management of mCRC experts have reviewed and selected scientific evidence focused on Aflibercept as an alternative treatment.

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Symposium report: breast cancer in India—trends, environmental exposures and clinical implications

Cancer Causes & Control ◽

10.1007/s10552-021-01428-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 32 (6) ◽

pp. 567-575

Author(s):

Jasmine A. McDonald ◽

Roshni Rao ◽

Marley Gibbons ◽

Rajiv Janardhanan ◽

Surinder Jaswal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Environmental Exposures ◽

Population Based ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Think Tank ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Short Term

Abstract Purpose Incidence of breast cancer (BC), particularly in young women, are rising in India. Without population-based mammography screening, rising rates cannot be attributed to screening. Investigations are needed to understand the potential drivers of this trend. Methods An international team of experts convened to discuss the trends, environmental exposures, and clinical implications associated with BC in India and outlined recommendations for its management. Results Panels were structured across three major BC themes (n = 10 presentations). The symposium concluded with a semi-structured Think Tank designed to elicit short-term and long-term goals that could address the challenges of BC in India. Conclusion There was consensus that the prevalence of late-stage BC and the high BC mortality rates are associated with the practice of detection, which is primarily through clinical and self-breast exams, as opposed to mammography. Triple-Negative BC (TNBC) was extensively discussed, including TNBC etiology and potential risk factors, the limited treatment options, and if reported TNBC rates are supported by rigorous scientific evidence. The Think Tank session yielded long-term and short-term goals to further BC reduction in India and included more regional etiological studies on environmental exposures using existing India-based cohorts and case–control studies, standardization for molecular subtyping of BC cases, and improving the public’s awareness of breast health.

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