[Russian experience of lacosamide (vimpat) usage in treatment of uncontrolled focal epilepsy]. / Rossiiskii opyt primeneniya lakosamida (vimpat) pri lechenii patsientov s nekontroliruemoi fokal'noi epilepsiei.

Many patients with epilepsy receive treatment in polytherapy. Selection of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for the combination should be carried out in accordance with the principles of rational polytherapy, taking into account the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of drugs. Along with levetiracetam, gabapentin, vigabatrin and pregabalin, lacosamide (LCM) shows superior PK profile in rating of all AED and can be combined with any of them. The goal of this study was to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of LCM in patients with uncontrolled partial onset seizures (POS) in routine clinical practice. METHODS: 181 patient's charts from 14 sites in Russia have been analyzed in retrospective manner. Patients 16 years old and older with POS with or without secondary generalization were included. Documented observation period of up to 12 months after initiation or until discontinuation of LCM therapy. Primary effectiveness variables was retention at Observational Point 3 (approximately 12 months). Other variables were: percentage change from historical baseline in seizure frequency, 50% and 75% treatment response and seizure-free status at the Observational Points 1, 2 and 3 (approximately 3, 6 and 12 months) and incidence and reason of treatment discontinuation. RESULTS: retention rate was high with 89.5% after 12-month observation. The development of seizure frequency showed a continuous decrease in terms of 50%, 75% treatment respond rates and seizure free status. A total of 5 adverse drug reactions leading to discontinuation of LCM therapy were recorded in 5 of 181 patients (2.8%) during the observation period. The high retention rate observed in this retrospective chart review is assumed to indicate a good tolerability and effectiveness of an adjunctive LCM treatment in patients with uncontrolled partial epilepsy in Russia.

[The application of high-frequency and iTBS transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of spasticity in the patients presenting with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis]. / Primenenie transkranial'noi magnitnoi stimulyatsii v lechenii sindroma spastichnosti pri vtorichno-progredientnom rasseyannom skleroze.

Spasticity is considered to be a common manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Muscle relaxants are not sufficiently effective; more than that, some of them often cause a variety of adverse reactions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be a promising new tool for the treatment of spasticity. The objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of the two TMS protocols: rhythmic (high-frequency) TMS (rTMS) and stimulation with the theta bursts (iTBS) in terms of their ability to reduce spasticity in the patients presenting with multiple sclerosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty two patients with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis were pseudo-randomized into two groups: those in the first (high-frequency) group received the treatment with the use of rTMS therapy at a frequency of 10 Hz; the patients of the second group, underwent stimulation with the theta bursts (iTBS). All the patients received 10 sessions of either stimulation applied to the primary motor area (M1) of both legs. The effectiveness of TMS protocols was evaluated before therapy and after 10 sessions of stimulation based on the Modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), and the Kurtzke functional scale (Kfs). In addition, the patients were interviewed before treatment, after 10 rTMS sessions, immediately after and within 2 and 12 weeks after the completion of the treatment using questionnaires for the evaluation of spasticity (SESS) , fatigue, and dysfunction of the pelvic organs (severity of defecation and urination disorders), fatigue. RESULTS: The study has demonstrated a significant reduction in spasticity in the patients of both groups at the end of the TMS protocol based on the MAS scale. There was no significant difference between the outcomes of the two protocols. Both had positive effect on the concomitant «non-motor¼ symptoms (fatigue, dysfunction of the pelvic organs). CONCLUSION: High-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (10 sessions of rTMS therapy at a frequency of 10 Hz) and stimulation with the theta-bursts applied to the M1 area in both legs can be an effective alternative treatment of spasticity in the patients with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Further research is needed to detect more accurately the differences between the outcomes of the two stimulation protocols and the development of indications for their application on an individual basis.

[Changes in the Functional Connectivity of Motor Zones in the Use of Multimodal Exoskeleton Complex "Regent" in the Neurorehabilitation of Post-Stroke Patients].

The article discusses the effect of a course of treatment with the use of multimodal complex exoskeleton (MCE) "Regent" on the reorganization of cortical locomotor zones in 14 patients with post-stroke hemiparesis, mainly atthe chronic stage of the disease. Before the course of treatment, we identified specific areas of activation in the primary sensorimotor and supplementary motor areas and the inferior parietal lobules in both affected and healthy hemispheres by means of functional MRI (fMRI) with the use of special passive sensorimotor paradigms. After the course of treatment with MCE, we observed an improvement of temporal characteristics of walking; it was accompanied by a decrease in the activation zones of inferior parietal lobules, especially in the healthy hemisphere, and by a significant increase in the activation zone of primary sensorimotor and supplementary motor areas. The analysis of the functional connectivity of studied zones before and after the course of treatment with MCE showed significant changes in intra- and interhemispheric interactions.

[Evaluation of changes in the cortical gait control in post-stroke patients induced by the use of the "Regent" soft exoskeleton complex (SEC) by navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation].

The mechanisms underlying the locomotion recovery in poststroke patients remain unknown. Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) is a new method to evaluate the functional state of the motor system. Using of the exoskeleton complex (EC) allow to correct walking pattern significantly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of nTMS to assess changes in gait cortical control using EC in poststroke patients. 14 patients suffered subcortical stroke, mean age was 53.0 years [49, 62], mean duration of a stroke of 14.2 [7.0; 23.0] months were included. All patients trained with EC for 10 times and also received standardized physical therapy. All patients underwent nTMS, as well as clinical assessment using a Fugl-Meyer Scale lower extremity section and 10 m walking test before and after trains. A significant decrease of time to walk 10 meter was observed, while Fugl-Meyer Score remained unchanged. Patients showed the significant reduction of the average latency of motor responses from the affected hemisphere and different patterns of size and localization changes in both legs' cortical motor areas. Navigates TMS may demonstrate individual patterns of changes in cortical representation of leg muscles in post-stroke patients with damage of various motor system elements, while using exoskeleton complex. Thus, navigated TMS may be used not only for verification of neuroplasticity process, but it may also provide its detailed description.

[Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in neurology and psychiatry].

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method based on the excitation of neurons in the brain cortex by an alternating magnetic field. Repetitive TMS (rTMS) is a kind of stimulation, in which a series of pulses are generated. rTMS can modulate different cortical area's activity and change their interactions using different protocols. The review shows the application of rTMS in treatment of various neurological (stroke, Parkinson's disease, dystonia, chronic pain syndromes, tinnitus, epilepsy, spasticity syndrome) and psychiatric (depression and anxiety) disorders. Authors collected all the main protocols, and gave recommendations for their use in clinical practice according to principles of evidence medicine.

Déjà vu phenomenon-related EEG pattern. Case report.

BACKGROUND: Déjà vu (DV, from French déjà vu - "already seen") is an aberration of psychic activity associated with transitory erroneous perception of novel circumstances, objects, or people as already known. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to record the EEG pattern of déjà vu. METHODS: The subjects participated in a survey concerning déjà vu characteristics and underwent ambulatory EEG monitoring (12-16 h). RESULTS: In patients with epilepsy, DV episodes began with polyspike activity in the right temporal lobe region and, in some cases, ended with slow-wave theta-delta activity over the right hemisphere. There were no epileptic discharges in healthy respondents during DV. CONCLUSION: Two types of déjà vu are suggested to exist: "pathological-epileptic" déjà vu, characteristic of patients with epilepsy and equivalent to an epileptic seizure, and "nonpathological-nonepileptic" déjà vu, which is characteristic of healthy people and psychological phenomenon.