Width of sulcus and thickness of gyrus in patients with cerebral atherosclerosis: a new tool for the prevention of vascular cognitive impairment

SUMMARY BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cerebral atherosclerosis is the main cause of lesions that contribute to vascular cognitive impairment and vascular dementia, followed by arteriosclerosis of small vessels and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. The purpose of this study was to compare the post-mortem radiological alterations of autopsied adults with the macroscopic alterations in the posterior region of these brains in order to establish a relationship between the two forms of analysis and to discuss the relevance of the prevention of vascular cognitive impairment in patients with encephalic atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen brains were analysed macroscopically to assess the degree of atherosclerosis of the basilar and the posterior cerebral arteries. The patients were autopsied in the Subject of General Pathology at General Hospital of Triângulo Mineiro Federal University in Uberaba, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The qualitative analysis of atherosclerosis was performed with classification into mild, moderate or severe. In the posterior region of the brains, width of sulcus and thickness of gyrus were measured by macroscopic analysis and by tomographic analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS There was a decrease in calcarine sulcus width and an increase in medial temporal occipital gyrus thickness in patients with a higher degree of atherosclerosis, macroscopically and in tomography, respectively. Low oxygenation caused by atherosclerosis probably leads to an encephalic parenchyma inflammation that causes microglial cells hypertrophy provoking increase in the gyrus thickness and decrease in the sulcus width, as observed in the present study.

RESUMO INTRODUÇÃO E OBJETIVO A aterosclerose cerebral é a principal causa de lesões que contribuem para o comprometimento cognitivo vascular (CCV) e demência vascular, seguida da arteriosclerose de pequenos vasos e da angiopatia amiloide cerebral. Sendo assim, este estudo comparou as alterações radiológicas post mortem de adultos autopsiados com as alterações macroscópicas na região posterior desses encéfalos a fim de estabelecer uma relação entre as duas formas de análise e discutir sobre a relevância da prevenção do CCV em pacientes com aterosclerose encefálica. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS Treze encéfalos foram analisados macroscopicamente para avaliar o grau de aterosclerose das artérias basilar e cerebral posterior. Os pacientes foram autopsiados na disciplina de Patologia Geral no HC-UFTM em Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brasil. A análise qualitativa da aterosclerose foi realizada com as classificações discreta, moderada ou acentuada. A espessura dos giros e a largura dos sulcos na região posterior dos encéfalos foram analisadas macroscopicamente e por tomografia computadorizada. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÃO Houve diminuição na largura do sulco calcarino e aumento na espessura do giro occipital temporal medial de acordo com o aumento do grau de aterosclerose macroscopicamente e por tomografia, respectivamente. A baixa oxigenação causada pela aterosclerose provoca a inflamação do parênquima encefálico, provavelmente levando à hipertrofia das células da micróglia e ao consequente aumento dos giros e estreitamento dos sulcos, como observado no presente estudo.

Neuralgia occipital: relato de caso e revisão / Occipital Neuralgia: Case Report and Review

Neuralgia occipital (NO) é uma causa incomum de cefaleia caracterizada por dor paroxística, do tipo pontada, que se irradia para a região occipital. O objetivo deste artigo é relatar o caso de uma paciente com NO e descrever a técnica cirúrgica utilizada. O estudo compreende um levantamento bibliográfico para o conhecimento e melhor abordagem sobre o assunto. Com base na literatura, observa-se que a etiologia pode variar desde traumas, infecções, cirurgias de base de crânio, compressões de nervos ou vértebras até alterações degenerativas e anomalias congênitas. Porém, em sua maioria, os casos são idiopáticos. Apesar de o diagnóstico ser essencialmente clínico, é fundamental que sejam excluídos outros tipos de cefaleias primárias. De acordo com a gravidade e o tempo de evolução do caso, o tratamento da NO pode basear-se em bloqueios nervosos, medicamentos ­ como anti-inflamatórios não-esteroides e relaxantes musculares ­ ou cirurgias. Entre os procedimentos cirúrgicos disponíveis, encontram-se a descompressão do nervo occipital maior, ablação por radiofrequência e implantação de neuroestimulador.

Occipital Neuralgia (ON) is an uncommon cause of headache, characterized by paroxysmal pain, stabbing that radiates to occipital region. This article aims at reviewing the literature to the approach to the subject and performs the case report of patient who present with ON and underwent a surgical treatment. Based on the literature and analysis showed the etiologymay vary from trauma, infections, skull base surgery, compression of nerves or vertebrae to degenerative changes and congenital anomalies. However, most cases are idiopathic. Although the diagnosis is essentially clinical, it is essential that other types of primary headaches are excluded. According to severity and the time course of the case, the treatment of ON may be based on nerve blocks, medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants. Surgical treatment for ON are nerve decompression, pulsed radiofrequency ablation and stimulator implantation.

Atrofia cortical posterior / Posterior cortical atrophy. Report of five cases

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome, usually due to Alzheimer's disease. The first symptoms are progressive impairment of visuo spatial (Balint's and Gertsmann's syndromes) or visuo perceptive (visual agnosia, alexia) function. Episodic memory and executive function are spared until later stages. We report two males aged 51 and 55years and three females aged 50, 54 and 56 years, with posterior cortical atrophy. Ophthalmologic study was normal in all. Presenting signs and symptoms were visual ataxia, simultagnosia, agraphia, acalculia, spatial disorientation and unilateral neglect (Balint's and Gerstmann's syndromes). Apperceptive visual agnosia, aphasia, apraxia and alexia were also observed. One female had cortical blindness. Structural images were inconclusive, but PET scan and SPECT disclosed functional impairments in occipitotemporal or occipitoparietal areas.

Posterior circulation stroke in a young male following snake bite.

Neurological deficits can occur following snake bite. It is usually due to intracerebral haemorrhage or subarachnoid bleed as a result of depletion of clotting factors. A healthy 14-years-old male developed bilateral ptosis and altered sensorium within 3 hours of snake bite. CT Brain revealed bilateral cerebellar and right occipital infarction with mass effect. Clotting time and bleeding time were normal. The possible mechanism for infarction in this patient is discussed.

Wilson's disease with extensive white and gray matter MRI abnormalities: a case report

Wilson disease is an autosomal recessive disease, characterized by excessive accumulation of copper in the body, particularly in the liver, brain, cornea and kidney, with variable clinical manifestations. The outcome of treatment depends on early diagnosis of the disease before major irreversible tissue destruction occurs. Early diagnosis might be difficult because of its diverse clinical manifestations. We herein report on a patient with severe clinical and imaging manifestations. The patient showed cerebral atrophy and extensive abnormalities in frontal lobes, the putamen, the thalami, cerebral peduncles and posterior aspects of the occipital lobes. Such wide spread changes involving the white matter as well as the gray matter is rarely reported

Nevo azul combinado gigante: relato de caso / Combined ble nevus: a case report

Relato de caso de nevo azul do tipo combinado em paciente de 47 anos de idade, do sexo feminino, que apresentava grande massa tumoral localizada na regiäo occipital. A designaçäo nevo azul combinado reporta-se a raros casos que apresentam superposiçäo de aspectos microscópicos de nevo azul e nevo melanocítico

Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma. case report

A six-month-old male child who presented with irritability and attacks of generalized tonic-clonic convulsions is described. Radiological assessment showed a large partially cystic tumor involving the whole right temporo-occipital lobes. The histologic, histochemical and immunhistochemical findings combined with clinical and radiographic data allowed the diagnosis of a very rare brain tumor named desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma

Temporary amaurosis with persistent visual field defect following acute blood loss

Visual loss and field defects commonly occur after acute blood loss. We present a case of bilateral permanent visual field defect in a 30-year-old man after a massive hemorrhage caused by large vessel injury during a right nephrectomy. His postoperative visual acuity decreased significantly, and his visual field showed peripheral constriction and inferior altitudinal field defect in both eyes. A year and a half after the operation, visual acuity recovered to the preoperative level, but the field did not show improvement. We advance that this is a possible result of extensive injury to the occipital area, excluding the corresponding area of the macula.

Estudio de la lateralidad mnésica episódica en las lesiones isquémicas temporales internas / A study of mnemanic lateralitation in internal temporal ischemic lesions

Fueron evaluados neurológica y neuropsicológicamente 6 pacientes con lesiones isquémicas temporales internas tres derechas y tres izquierdas. La evaluación cognitiva global mostró en las izquierdas normalidad de todos los parámetros estudiados y en las derechas deterioro del recuerdo y de la visuoconstrucción. En el examen más detallado del sistema mnésico episódico encontramos que las lesiones izquierdas tienen un deterioro de la memoria verbal y las derechas compromiso global pero predominando en la memoria visual. Esta asimetría verbal/visual de la memoria episódica de largo plazo se corresponde con la lateralidad hipocámpica. La falla de la memoria verbal en las lesiones derechas aparecería por un trastorno gestáltico de la organización temporo-espacial que perturbaría la estructuración de la imagen de memoria