Atypical Presentation of Longstanding Overt Ventriculomegaly in Adults: A Case Report.

Hydrocephalus involves the enlargement of the ventricular system due to increased cerebrospinal fluid. This condition often presents with ventriculomegaly, associated with cognitive decline, gait disturbances, visual changes, and other neurological symptoms. In adults, hydrocephalus may result from longstanding overt ventriculomegaly in adults (LOVA), characterized by macrocephaly, subnormal IQ, urinary incontinence, and gait issues. In a recent case report, a 52-year-old Hispanic female displayed similar predisposing factors and radiological findings for a LOVA diagnosis. Despite the absence of focal neurological deficits or typical complaints, she experienced a breakthrough seizure episode after years without incident.

Knee Buckling as an Atypical Adverse Effect of Clozapine: A Case Report.

Clozapine has become a widely popular and effective medication in the treatment of refractory schizophrenia and refractory bipolar disorder. Although the use of clozapine proves to be an effective resort, it has to be closely monitored due to its narrow therapeutic range and multiple dangerous adverse effects. In rare cases, clozapine has been known to cause an antagonistic myoclonic jerk that leads to knee buckling. Here, we present the case of a 29-year-old female who is being treated for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar, manic type, who reported two instances of knee buckling associated with falls while taking clozapine.

Selenium's Role in Neuroprotection Against Stroke-Induced Inflammation.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) incidence across the globe is on the rise, and the deleterious effects have not yet been improved with the use of current pharmaceuticals. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has many risks and time constraints, making it difficult to use even as the standard treatment. Selenium deficiency and stroke incidence have a strong linear correlation among various populations. Using the ADME-Tox software, selenious acid absorption in brain cells, tissue, and interstitium was modeled under ischemic conditions to determine the bioavailability of selenium (Se) in the brain using various IV (intravenous) infusion doses. Additionally, we studied the cytotoxicity of selenious acid and selenourea on human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) and lung carcinoma cells (A549) to determine the overall growth and toxicity of different body cell lines to account for systemic side effects of IV infusion. Our data suggest that selenium can reach a dose-dependent concentration of 1.5µg/L or 250µg/L in brain cells within two hours of a one-time IV infusion, showing the ability to reach brain vasculature. Furthermore, cell viability can be maintained between 95% and 100% using 1nM and 0.5nM concentrations of selenious acid.

The Role of Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Treatment of Catatonia Associated With Lewy Body Dementia: A Case Report.

Catatonia is a complex amalgamation of neuropsychiatric symptoms that can manifest in both psychiatric and neurological conditions. The treatment of catatonia related to psychiatric illnesses is well documented as it typically responds to benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). However, the treatment of catatonia related to neurological disorders has shown to be more difficult, particularly when associated with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). Here, we present the case of a 78-year-old woman with LBD, Bipolar I, depressive type, who successfully underwent twelve ECT sessions to treat catatonia refractory to benzodiazepine therapy. The effectiveness of the treatment was measured using the Bush-Françis Catatonia Scale (BFCS) to measure her catatonic symptoms as she progressed through the therapy. This report highlights the importance of considering ECT as a leading therapeutic approach in this particular subset of patients who do not respond adequately to pharmaceutical therapy and medical titrations.

Exploring the Value of Hosting a Grassroots Neuroscience Workshop That Facilitates Near-Peer Engagement Between Medical Students and High School Students (Local Brain Bee Participants) in a Developing Country in the Caribbean.

Objective This article explores the value of hosting a grassroots neuroscience workshop that facilitates near-peer engagement between year-one medical students and local Brain Bee finalists (high school students). Near-peer mentoring is a formal relationship in which more academically advanced students guide immediate junior students. We hypothesized that similar activities have teaching, learning, and psychosocial benefits for all and can be easily replicated. Activity The Grenada National Brain Bee Challenge was launched in 2009 as a competition for high school students. Annually, there are at least 100 high school students registering to participate in the national challenge. In 2018, a grassroots neuroscience symposium, a local initiative, was created to prepare high school students who participated in the preliminary rounds for the final local and International Brain Bee competition. Traditionally, it is hosted annually by faculty at St. George's University School of Medicine (SOM). However, in 2022, the symposium was hosted by medical students. The symposium is designed as an eight-hour tutorial one-day session. The students rotate between facilitators as small group teams during each teaching hour. There are icebreakers, content presentations, and neuroanatomy skills stations. The medical students demonstrate expertise in neuroscience content and other aspects of professional competence. The activity was also designed to offer students of diversified backgrounds the opportunity to affect their educational pathways through role modeling, mirroring, and mentorship. Was this change beneficial to both sets of students (medical and high school)? Results and discussion We aim to determine the value of the near-peer relationship between the local 2022 Brain Bee finalists (high school students) (n=28) and university (medical) students (n=11). Participants were surveyed about their experience. Data were de-identified and grouped according to common themes. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data retrieved from the literature review. Data suggest that both high school and university (medical) students report benefits after participating in near-peer engagement at a grassroots neuroscience symposium. In this teaching model, the medical students are the more experienced instructors and transfer their knowledge and skills about the field to the high school students. The medical students have an opportunity to consolidate their personal learning and give back to the Grenadian community. While informal teaching occurs often, this type of near-peer engagement with students from the community helps medical students develop both personal and professional skills such as confidence, knowledge, and respect. This grassroots initiative is easily replicated in a medical curriculum. The major benefits experienced by the high school student participants (of various socioeconomic backgrounds) were access to educational resources. The symposium requires active engagement, fosters a sense of belonging, and promotes interest in pursuing careers in health, research, academia, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Conclusion Participating high school students of various genders and socioeconomic backgrounds gained equal access to educational resources and may select careers in health-related sciences. Participating medical students developed knowledge and teaching skills and engaged in a service-learning opportunity.