CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF ANTI-NMDA RECEPTOR ENCEPHALITIS IN CHILDREN

The aim of the study was to determine the clinical features of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in children. Materials and methods of research: 11 patients were selected from the group of children with autoimmune encephalitis, who met the diagnostic criteria for reliable anti-NMDAR encephalitis. A retro-prospective analysis of clinical symptoms, laboratory, neurophysiological and neuroimaging data, treatment, duration of primary hospitalization and long-term results of treatment was carried out, neuropsychological testing of patients was performed in the follow-up. Results: the age of the patients was 8.5±4.4 years, the gender composition of boys/girls was 1/10 (9.1%/90.9%). The average follow-up period was 17±12 months. In 73% of cases, there was an acute onset of the disease without a prodromal phase and with rapidly growing signs of neurological dysfunction: behavior change (11/100%), epileptic seizures (11/100%), speech impairment (10/90.9%), movement disorders (10/90.9%), disturbed sleep/wakefulness rhythm (9/81.8%), hallucinations (5/45.5%), autonomic disorders (6/54.5%), sensory disturbance (1/9,1%). In 82% of cases, therapy was required in the intensive care unit. When analyzing EEG monitoring in children, the extreme delta brush pattern was revealed in only one patient. Neuroimaging revealed no specific changes in the substance of the brain. The paraneoplastic nature of the disease could not be established in any case. 4 patients (36.36%) had relapses of the disease after 1.5–27 months. from the onset of the disease. All children showed a favorable outcome without a gross neurological deficit, but complaints of increased fatigue, headaches, poor memory, a decrease in vocabulary, and impulsive behavior persisted.

A Case Report on Tuberculous Meningitis

Introduction: The most common cause of tuberculous meningitis is a hematogenous spread of mycobacteria from the lungs. tuberculous meningitis is a fatal disease. Symptoms typically worsen over time, and there are three clinical stages to the disease (prodromal phase, phase of neurological symptoms and phase of paresis) Case Presentation: The chief complaint of a one-year-old boy was fever, irritability, vomiting, and Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure convulsions. The patient's pupils were found to be unequal on physical examination, prompting a repeat neuroimaging. It was done on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) with T1 hyperintensity on T2 and restricted diffusion on DWI (diffusion-weighted imaging) he has not improved after taking treatment and the patient is on a ventilator as well, we nasogastric tube also. I was receiving treatment and will continue to do so until the end of my care. Conclusion: In our environment, tuberculous meningitis that presents late is not uncommon. It arrived late at our medical facility. After a full recovery, the patient's comprehensive health care team collaborates to help him regain his previous level of independence and satisfaction. This report is intended to raise clinician awareness of tuberculous meningitis' unusual clinical presentation. Tuberculous meningitis is treated holistically with a focus on medical and nursing management.

Asymptomatic carriers of the p.A53T SNCA mutation: data from the PPMI study

IntroductionThere has been great interest in the prodromal phase of Parkinson’s disease (PD), especially in subjects who are asymptomatic carriers of genetic mutations leading to PD because of the high risk to convert to PD. The objective of the present study was to assess non motor characteristics of asymptomatic p.A53T mutation carriers (A53T-AC) compared with healthy controls (HC).MethodsWe compared 12 A53T-AC with 36 matched HC enrolled into in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) study. Baseline data extracted from the PPMI database, contained demographics and non-motor symptoms (e.g. the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) for cognition, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) for olfaction, MDS-UPDRS I etc.)ResultsThe mean UPSIT score was lower in A53T-AC vs HC (p =0.000). MoCA test showed a trend towards lower scores in A53T AC. We found a significant positive correlation between UPSIT score and MOCA in A53T-AC (rs = 0,68, p=0,021) but not in HC. Total scores for MDS-UPDRS I did not differ between the groups but the subscore of anxiety was more prevalent in A53T-AC.ConclusionThe more affected olfaction in A53T-AC may indicate that olfactory function is affected quite early in A53T carriers. The strong positive correlation between UPSIT and MOCA in the A53T-AC group may indicate that cognitive dysfunction and olfactory impairment progress alongside, prior to nigrostriatal degeneration. Anxiety was also more prevalent in A53T-AC and may represent an additional prodromal feature in this group of subjects.

Systematic review of pathways to care in the U.S. for Black individuals with early psychosis

The pathway to receiving specialty care for first episode psychosis (FEP) among Black youth in the US has received little attention despite documented challenges that negatively impact engagement in care and clinical outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of US-based research, reporting findings related to the pathway experiences of Black individuals with FEP and their family members. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycInfo, and Embase/Medline was performed with no date restrictions up to April 2021. Included studies had samples with at least 75% Black individuals and/or their family members or explicitly examined racial differences. Of the 80 abstracts screened, 28 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies were categorized into three categories: premordid and prodromal phase, help-seeking experiences, and the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). Compounding factors such as trauma, substance use, and structural barriers that occur during the premorbid and prodromal contribute to delays in treatment initiation and highlight the limited use of services for traumatic childhood experiences (e.g., sexual abuse). Studies focused on help-seeking experiences demonstrated the limited use of mental health services and the potentially traumatic entry to services (e.g., law enforcement), which is associated with a longer DUP. Although the majority of studies focused on help-seeking experiences and predictors of DUP, findings suggests that for Black populations, there is a link between trauma and substance use in the pathway to care that impacts the severity of symptoms, initiation of treatment, and DUP. The present review also identifies the need for more representative studies of Black individuals with FEP.

Atypical hand foot mouth disease presenting as vesiculobullous lesion

Hand, food, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious disease caused by enteroviruses affecting young children under 5 years. Among enteroviruses (EVs), the main pathogens of HFMD are coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) and EV-A71 (EV-71).1 The clinical features include a prodromal phase which has low-grade fever, malaise and sore throat. This initial phase is usually followed by enanthem and erythematous papular skin lesions, predominantly affecting palms and soles. The dorsal surface of hands, feet, and perioral skin are rarely affected. Atypical HFMD presents as a widely distributed rash with varying morphology that makes clinical diagnosis and treatment challenging.2 Our objective is to present atypical cutaneous manifestations of HFMD caused by CA6.

Neurocognition and Social Cognition— Possibilities for Diagnosis and Treatment in Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis State

In recent decades, clinicians have developed the construct of ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis to characterize the prodromal phase of psychosis or classify people with weakly expressed psychotic symptoms. In this conceptual analysis, we have gathered up-to-date data about the clinical picture of neurocognition and social cognition in people at UHR for psychosis. We also discuss treatment options. A well-chosen therapeutic approach can help to deal with difficulties and delay or even prevent the development of full-blown psychotic disorders in the UHR group. Despite much evidence supporting the benefits of therapy, early interventions are still not as widely used as they should be. Thus, a better understanding of the UHR state is very important for all healthcare workers.

Prodromal frontotemporal dementia: clinical features and predictors of progression

Background The prodromal phase of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is still not well characterized, and conversion rates to dementia and predictors of progression at 1-year follow-up are currently unknown. Methods In this retrospective study, disease severity was assessed using the global CDR plus NACC FTLD. Prodromal FTD was defined to reflect mild cognitive or behavioural impairment with relatively preserved functional independence (global CDR plus NACC = 0.5) as well as mild, moderate and severe dementia (classified as global CDR plus NACC = 1, 2, 3, respectively). Disease progression at 1-year follow-up and serum NfL measurements were acquired in a subgroup of patients. Results Of 563 participants, 138 were classified as prodromal FTD, 130 as mild, 175 as moderate and 120 as severe FTD. In the prodromal and mild phases, we observed an early increase in serum NfL levels followed by behavioural disturbances and deficits in executive functions. Negative symptoms, such as apathy, inflexibility and loss of insight, predominated in the prodromal phase. Serum NfL levels were significantly increased in the prodromal phase compared with healthy controls (average difference 14.5, 95% CI 2.9 to 26.1 pg/mL), but lower than in patients with mild FTD (average difference -15.5, 95% CI -28.4 to -2.7 pg/mL). At 1-year follow-up, 51.2% of patients in the prodromal phase had converted to dementia. Serum NfL measurements at baseline were the strongest predictors of disease progression at 1-year follow-up (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.11, p < 0.001). Conclusions Prodromal FTD is a mutable stage with high rate of progression to fully symptomatic disease at 1-year follow-up. High serum NfL levels may support prodromal FTD diagnosis and represent a helpful marker to assess disease progression.

Koro Presenting in the Prodromal Phase of Schizophrenia in a Patient With Klinefelter Syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome (KS), a disorder of abnormal sexual differentiation, is characterized by the presence of an excess X chromosome in males (47, XXY). KS is associated with various neuropsychiatric manifestations such as anxiety, depression, schizotypy, and frank psychosis. Psychosocial factors including stigma and poor coping or psychobiological comorbidities due to neuroendocrine mechanisms have been posited to explain these symptoms. We report the case of a young male with an anxious temperament who presented with the culture-bound neurosis of Koro, which evolved into schizophrenia. The patient also had gender dysphoria and significant social anxiety. The report highlights the implications of anxious traits leading to developing culture-bound neurosis in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia in a patient with KS and its influence on treatment strategies. Integrated psychopharmacological, psychological, and psychosocial interventions are required to promote recovery in patients with KS.

Dermatological Manifestation in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients in Iraq

Background: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a growing pandemic around the globe that was initially discovered in Wuhan in December 2019. Despite the relatively high incidence of cutaneous manifestations in COVID-19, their role in early recognition and disease progression has not been fully investigated. Aim of this study: To report the possible incidence of the cutaneous lesion in COVID 19 patients and to describe various cutaneous manifestations and their correlation with other clinical features in Covid-19 positive patients to facilitate diagnosis and prognostications toward this virus. Methods: This research was conducted as a cross-sectional study. Skin lesions photography and their analysis were collected by dermatologists from 18 cities in Iraq between September 2020 to January 2021. The data were processed using statistical package SPSS version 23. Results: A total of 3117 confirmed COVID-19 cases were included in this study. Around 268 patients developed skin lesions with age ranged between 8 to 84 years. Of these skin lesions, 46.2% developed during the illness with minority erupting during the prodromal phase, whilst 38.8% appeared after hospitalization. The most common skin lesion was in the form of urticarial 36.74% followed by herpetic lesions 28.4%, maculopapular rash 11.74% and the remainder being candidiasis, oral thrush, chilblains, and other skin conditions. The most affected area was the torso (46%) followed by limbs, face, fingers, and toes. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the high incidence rate of dermatological lesions in different phases of COVID-19 with urticarial rash being the most frequent clinical pattern.

A historical review of multiple system atrophy with a critical appraisal of cellular and animal models

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by striatonigral degeneration (SND), olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), and dysautonomia with cerebellar ataxia or parkinsonian motor features. Isolated autonomic dysfunction with predominant genitourinary dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension and REM sleep behavior disorder are common characteristics of a prodromal phase, which may occur years prior to motor-symptom onset. MSA is a unique synucleinopathy, in which alpha-synuclein (aSyn) accumulates and forms insoluble inclusions in the cytoplasm of oligodendrocytes, termed glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs). The origin of, and precise mechanism by which aSyn accumulates in MSA are unknown, and, therefore, disease-modifying therapies to halt or slow the progression of MSA are currently unavailable. For these reasons, much focus in the field is concerned with deciphering the complex neuropathological mechanisms by which MSA begins and progresses through the course of the disease. This review focuses on the history, etiopathogenesis, neuropathology, as well as cell and animal models of MSA.