Quantitative EEG and cognitive evoked potentials in anemia.

OBJECTIVE: The anemic status may alter brain functions and electrogenesis, as reflected by EEG and cognitive EPs (CEPs). This study aims to evaluate CEPs and EEG power spectra in adult patients with iron-deficiency anemia and to determine the effects of appropriate iron therapy on electrodiagnostic findings. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with iron-deficiency anemia underwent CEP and EEG recording. All patients were re-assessed after three months of oral-iron therapy. RESULTS: All patients had recovered from their anemia through the three-month iron therapy. Central N1 amplitude and parietal P2 amplitude was increased. N2 latencies were shortened in frontal and central regions. P3 latencies were shortened in frontal, central and parietal areas and P3 amplitude was increased in the parietal region. Except in the gamma-band, all pretreatment and post-treatment mean-power values were significantly lower at the temporal, parietal and occipital regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that in iron-deficiency anemia, appropriate iron therapy can improve brain electrogenesis, as reflected by P300 and EEG power spectra.

Hormone replacement therapy in hypothyroidism and nerve conduction study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the electrodiagnostic evidence of peripheral nerve dysfunction in patients with hypothyroidism before and after hormone replacement treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients aged above 18 years diagnosed with hypothyroidism were included in our study. Patients with FT4 levels below 11.6 pmol/l and TSH levels above 4.2 IU/ml were accepted as hypothyroidic. Electrodiagnostic evaluation was performed at the onset of the study and after 3 months. Electrodiagnostic evaluation included motor and sensory nerve conduction studies, and F wave. RESULTS: The differences between pre- and post-treatment FT4, FT3 and TSH values were found to be statistically significant. At the onset, electrophysiological evaluation revealed carpal tunnel syndrome in 15 patients and polyneuropathy in seven patients; whereas 18 patients were found normal in these respects. After treatment, the electrodiagnostic evaluation revealed that 35 patients were normal, while only two patients had carpal tunnel syndrome and three patients had polyneuropathy. The differences between before and after treatment values of median motor distal latency and amplitude, median sensorial nerve conduction velocity, tibial motor nerve conduction velocity and sural sensory nerve conduction velocity were found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The results of the control evaluation after treatment demonstrated that the findings related to entrapment neuropathy and polyneuropathy in hypothyroid patients can be reversible in a period of 3 months if appropriate hormone replacement treatment can be obtained. Especially in the treatment of entrapment neuropathy in hypothyroidism, the chance of medical treatment must be given to patients before considering surgical treatment.

Habituation of auditory event-related potentials in patients with Behcet's disease.

Behcet's disease is a progressive and/or relapsing-remitting multisystem inflammatory disorder. Involvement of the central nervous system occurs in 10%-29% of cases with Behcet's disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of repetitive auditory stimulations on event-related potentials (ERP) in patients with Behcet's without neurologic manifestations. The study was performed in 14 patients with Behcet's disease and 14 healthy volunteers. ERPs were recorded from Fz, Cz and Pz. The auditory ERPs test was continued until 20 artefact-free rare tones were averaged, which was accepted as one trial block. After six blocks were obtained in a sequential manner, the test was completed. According to the results of the present study, P300 latency changed in different manners over trial blocks in the two groups. P300 latency values showed a progressive increase in the controls; however this was not determined in the Behcet's group. Thus, habituation was not observed in the patient group. Because of the lack of habituation related to P300 latency, it may be thought that there is an insidious pathologic process in Behcet's disease without neurologic manifestation.

Co-morbidity of migraine and major depression in the Turkish population.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the co-morbidity of migraine and major depression in the Turkish population. The households were selected randomly from all district areas. The study included 947 subjects aged > or = 18 years. The diagnosis of migraine was made according to the criteria of the International Headache Society. The diagnosis of major depression was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. Migraine was identified in 163 subjects. Major depression was identified in 155 subjects, and in 53 subjects with migraine. The lifetime prevalence of major depression was approximately three times higher in persons with migraine in this Turkish population.

Electrodermal activities and autonomic nervous system in Behçet's patients.

Behçet's disease is often a progressive disorder. In some cases, there is a possibility of subclinical involvement without neurologic signs and symptoms. The autonomic nervous system is affected in Behçt's disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate autonomic nervous system functions in Behçt's patients by analyzing electrodermal activities. A total of 16 patients and 16 healthy volunteers were accepted for the study. Skin potential recordings were taken at room temperature in a quiet place within a Faraday's cage. The mean values of basal skin potentials and skin potential responses in the patients' group were reduced when compared with those of the control group ( p=0.0001). There was no difference between the groups regarding the mean values of latency ( p=0.09). The findings suggest that electrodermal activities may reflect autonomic nervous system dysfunction in Behçet's patients, and the measurement of electrodermal activities may be useful for the assessment of autonomic nervous system involvement in Behçet's disease.

P300 in Behcet's patients without neurological manifestations.

OBJECTIVE: Behcet's disease is the association of recurrent aphthous stomatitis with genital ulceration and eye disease. Neurologic involvement patterns include meningomyelitis, a brain stem syndrome, pyramidal and extrapyramidal abnormality and stroke. In the present study, subclinical involvement was investigated by using P300 in Behcet's patients without neurological manifestation. METHODS: Fifteen patients and 15 healthy volunteers were accepted for the study. P300 from vertex (Cz) electrode sites of the 10-20 system using electrodes and motor response time were recorded. RESULTS: Patients had significantly prolonged latencies of P300 as compared to normal controls (p=0.013) but no significant differences in amplitude (p=1.000). Patients showed a significantly delayed motor response time than controls (p=0.006). Nine patients (60%) had P300 latency and eight patients (53.3%) had motor response time values exceeding the mean of controls by two standard deviations. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the P300 measures and motor response time may reflect subclinical neurologic involvement in Behcet's disease.

Sneddon's syndrome and antithrombin III.

Sneddon's syndrome, an uncommon disorder, is characterized by multiple cerebrovascular accidents along with ideopathic livedo reticularis. In this article, two cases who had increased amounts of antithrombin III and were diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome are presented.