Central Pontine Myelinolysis Due to Chronic Alcohol Use: Case Report.

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a neurological disorder characterized by demyelination on the bottom of pons. CPM is known to be the most common clinical presentation of osmotic demyelination syndrome. Osmotic stress formed by rapid correction of hyponatremia in glia cells is thought to be important in pathogenesis. Oligodendroglias are more sensitive to dehydration and volume changes as they are tightly aligned in the pontine. Chronic alcohol use is a rare cause of osmotic demyelination. In chronic alcoholics, central pontine myelinolysis may be asymptomatic or mild symptoms may develop. We presented the case to emphasize that chronic alcoholism is a rare cause of central pontine myelinosis. Keywords: myelinolysis, central pontine, alcoholism.

Investigation of auditory potentials and cognitive impairment in premenstrual syndrome.

Premenstrual syndrome is a term which is used for describing of somatic, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that occur during the luteal phase of menstrual cycle in women of reproductive age; symptoms rapidly improve at the onset of menstruation. In this study, we aimed to reveal if cognitive functions are affected or not in PMS and if the subjects are affected, we try to explain this situation by an objective diagnostic test. Ethical committee approval was taken for this project on 09.03.2012 and numbered 050.99-60. In this study, in order to determine premenstrual syndrome, "Premenstrual Syndrome Scale" that is developed by Gençdogan (2006) with 44 items, Likert type, and 9 subgroups was used. Sample size was calculated using simple random sampling with a confidence level of 95% and confidence interval of 0.05. A total of 60 participants were included in the study (calculated sample size was 30 for each group). Each group was recorded in the ENMG-UP laboratory using the OIP auditory warning and the "oddball two-tone discrimination task" method. Latency measurements were taken from the highest point of the peak, and amplitude measurements were taken from peak to peak with a cursor. Comparisons of P300 wave latencies obtained via sparse auditory stimulus in PMS and non-PMS groups were made and findings were summarized in one of the tables. Recordings are taken from three scalp regions: parietal and central, respectively. PMS women have longer P300 wave latencies in all regions compared to non-PMS group, whereas there is no significant difference between P300 amplitude.

Myelin basic protein and ischemia modified albumin levels in acute ischemic stroke cases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate early diagnostic effects of serum myelin basic protein (MBP) and ischemic modified albumin (IMA) levels in patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Fifty patients who presented to an emergency service with acute ischemic stroke between June 2013 to March 2014 were evaluated with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thirty four healthy cases were included as control group. All patients' serum IMA and MBP level were assessed. RESULTS: Mean IMA value was 0.52±0.25 cases with acute ischemic stroke and serum IMA levels were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.01). No statistical significance was observed between acute ischemic stroke group and control group related to the MBP serum levels (P>0.05). Statistically significant correlation was detected between the volumes of diffusion restriction on MRI and NIHSS score (P=0.002, r=0.43) and IMA (P=0.015, r=0.344) levels. CONCLUSIONS: We have found that serum IMA levels are elevated in acute ischemic stroke cases and these levels are correlated with the ischemic tissue volume. MBP levels do not increase in early period of stroke cases.

The prevalance of epilepsy among college students in Canakkale, Turkey.

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of epilepsy among students of the Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. This cross sectional epidemiological study was performed on 4762 of 19,988 Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University students in the academic year 2007-2008. Participants that answered "epilepsy" to the question "Do you have any disease diagnosed by a doctor?" in a questionnaire including 4 subgroups were identified. Data were transferred to the Epi-Info Version 6.0 statistics program and controlled data were analyzed in the SPSS 15.0 statistics program. There were 53.1% of female and 46.9% of male students, mean age 20.4 ± 2.1 (range 17-43) years. Twelve (0.25%) students had epilepsy diagnosis, eight (66.7%) female and four (33.3%) male, mean age 20.8 ± 1.8 years. In our study, epilepsy was detected in 0.25% of students (n = 12). Age specific prevalence studies related to epilepsy epidemiology are extremely rare, especially in university students with average intelligence. Thus, we considered that it would be epidemiologically significant to share the results of our cross sectional study with all those involved in epilepsy epidemiology and management.

Is cognitive processing affected in adults with hypospadias?: P300 study.

BACKGROUND: Hypospadias is a common urogenital system disorder. The frenulum, which is the most sensitive area of the glans penis, is not present in patients with hypospadias. This may lead to a failure in sexual and ejaculatory function, and cause emotional problems affecting cognitive processes. AIM: We aimed to study auditory Event Related Potentials (ERP) in patients with hypospadias to understand the status of cognitive function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients with hypospadias who presented to the Urology Outpatient Clinic of Çanakkale Military Hospital, and 11 healthy individuals of similar age were chosen. The auditory oddball paradigm with ERP from the Cz and Fz head regions were studied. The latency and amplitude of the P300 wave were measured. RESULTS: Both, the study and control groups consisted of young males. Although the study group had a longer P300 latency and lower P300 amplitude when compared to control group, the results were not statistically significant (p: 0.059 and 0.346 respectively). CONCLUSION: Although the results are not statistically significant, our findings indicate that there may be cognitive changes in patients with hypospadias. Further studies of larger sample size and older patient cohorts are needed.

Neuroprotective effect of humic Acid on focal cerebral ischemia injury: an experimental study in rats.

Stroke is still a major cause of death and permanent neurological disability. As humic acids are well-known antioxidant molecules, the purpose of this study was to investigate the potential neuroprotective effects of humic acid in a focal cerebral ischemia model. Twenty-four rats were divided equally into three groups. A middle cerebral artery occlusion model was performed in this study where control (group II) and humic acid (group III) were administered intraperitoneally following an ischemic experimental procedure. Group I was evaluated as sham. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) levels were analyzed biochemically on the right side of the ischemic cerebral hemisphere, while ischemic histopathological studies were completed on the left side to investigate the antioxidant status. Biochemical results showed that SOD and NRF-1 levels were significantly increased in the humic acid group (III) compared with the control group (II) while MDA levels were significantly decreased. On histopathological examination, cerebral edema, vacuolization, degeneration, and destruction of neural elements were decreased in the humic acid group (III) compared with the control group (II). Cerebral ischemia was attenuated by humic acid administration. These observations indicate that humic acid may have potential as a therapeutic agent in cerebral ischemia by preventing oxidative stress.

Perception of epilepsy in Turkey in the light of two different cities.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of epilepsy in Turkey, from west to east, in Kutahya and Yuksekova, two cities of different sociocultural and ethnic status. This was a retrospective comparison study which evaluated the results of two prior studies investigating stigmatization of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and their first-degree relatives in two different cities of Turkey, Kutahya and Yuksekova. The Survey of Epileptic Patient Relatives on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding the Disorder was used and included questions on descriptive characteristics, familiarity with epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy, and understanding of epilepsy. Data collected by use of the SPSS 15.0 software were analyzed with chi2-test. In Yuksekova group, 88.5% of first-degree relatives of people with epilepsy felt primarily fear when they heard the diagnosis of epilepsy in their relatives; in Kutahya group, the respective rate was 19.1% (p < 0.05). The number of participants who objected their child marrying someone with epilepsy was significantly higher in Yuksekova group (p < 0.05); however, if married, the Yuksekova group significantly stated that they should have a baby, revealing the importance of children as an indicator of power and dignity in the eastern region of Turkey (p < 0.05). Although understanding of epilepsy was favorable, educating the community about epilepsy and personal contacts are the major strategies against epileptic stigmatization.

Isolated lingual dystonia induced by speaking: a rare form of focal dystonia.

Focal lingual dystonia is a rare condition that can be misdiagnosed as a psychogenic problem because it may interfere with chewing, swallowing, and speaking. We present a patient with an uncommon type of dystonia (speech-induced primary lingual dystonia), that responded well to botulinum toxin injection.

Effect of high aluminum concentration in water resources on human health, case study: Biga Peninsula, northwest part of Turkey.

Widespread and intense zones of silicified, propylitic, and argillic alteration exist as outcrop around the Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey. Most of the springs in the study area surface out from these altered volcanic rocks. The concentrations of aluminum (Al) in these springs ranged from 13.17 to 15.70 ppm in this region. These high levels of Al were found to exceed the maximum allowable limits (0.2 ppm) depicted in national and international standards of drinking water quality. Therefore, the effect of high Al in water resources on human health was evaluated in this research. A total of 273 people aged above 18 years and living in the Kirazli region (whose water supply is from springs emerging from these alteration zones) and in the Ciplak-Halileli region (whose water supply is provided from an alluvium aquifer) were selected as the research group. For this group, a questionnaire was completed that contained questions on descriptive characteristics of humans and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered by the authors using the face-to-face interview technique. A neurological examination was then performed by the neurology specialist as a second-stage investigation. Finally, 10 ml of venous blood samples were obtained from these people as a third-stage analysis to determine the serum Al levels together with vitamin B(12), folic acid, and thyroid-stimulating hormone parameters. The result typically revealed that the MMSE score was less in 31.9% and there was no statistically significant difference between the two regions. However, the result also showed that neuropathy in the history (including a careful past medical history) was significantly higher in the Kirazli region.