Left Vagus Stimulation Modulates Contralateral Subthalamic ß Power Improving the Gait in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) showed early evidence of efficacy for the gait treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). OBJECTIVES: Providing data on neurophysiological and clinical effects of transauricular VNS (taVNS). METHODS: Ten patients with recording deep brain stimulation (DBS) have been enrolled in a within participant design pilot study, double-blind crossover sham-controlled trial of taVNS. Subthalamic local field potentials (ß band power), Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scales (UPDRS), and a digital timed-up-and-go test (TUG) were measured and compared with real versus sham taVNS during medication-off/DBS-OFF condition. RESULTS: The left taVNS induced a reduction of the total ß power in the contralateral (ie, right) subthalamic nucleus and an improvement of TUG time, speed, and variability. The taVNS-induced ß reduction correlated with the improvement of gait speed. No major clinical changes were observed at UPDRS. CONCLUSIONS: taVNS is a promising strategy for the management of PD gait, deserving prospective trials of chronic neuromodulation. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Overnight switch from carbamazepine to eslicarbazepine in a real-life clinical scenario: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a first-choice anti-seizure medication (ASM) whose efficacy is often invalidated by adverse effects (AEs). Eslicarbazepine (ESL) is a structural derivative of CBZ with better pharmacokinetic/tolerability profiles. We describe our experience of the overnight CBZ to ESL switch in people with epilepsy (PwE) to improve seizure control, AEs, and ASMs adherence. METHODS: We retrospectively included 19 PwE (12 females, 53 ± 21 years old) who underwent CBZ to ESL overnight switch due to single/multiple issues: poor efficacy (pEff, N = 8, 42%), tolerability (pToll, N = 11, 58%), adherence (pAdh, N = 2, 10%). 9/19 (47%) had psychiatric comorbidities. Clinical variables, seizure frequency, and AEs were recorded at switch time (T0) after 3.5 ± 3 (T1) and 6.5 ± 1.5 months (T2). RESULTS: At T1, in pEff group, 1/8 (13%) was seizure free, 2/8 (25%) were responders (> 50% seizure reduction), 2/8 (25%) had no seizure changes, 3/8 (37%) had seizure worsening; the latter were those with the most severe epilepsy and encephalopathy. In pToll group, all PwE experienced AEs disappearance/amelioration. In pAdh group, all PwE reported adherence amelioration. Four dropouts. At T2, no changes were recorded within groups, while in the whole sample, 6/15 (40%) were responders, and 4/15 (27%) were seizure-free. No one complained of Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation psychiatric worsening, while 6/19 (32%) experienced mood/behavior benefits. CONCLUSIONS: CBZ to ESL overnight switch offers an opportunity to improve efficacy, tolerability, adherence, and psychiatric symptoms.

Heart rate variability modification as a predictive factor of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: How far are we? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a sudden, unexpected death in people with epilepsy, with or without evidence of an epileptic seizure. The pathophysiological mechanism underlying SUDEP appears to be partly associated with an autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a reliable, non-invasive method for detecting fluctuations in the ANS. In this systematic review we analyzed the data available in the literature on changes in HRV parameters in patients with SUDEP. METHODS: We carried out a systematic search of the literature to identify the quantitative variations of HRV in epileptic patients with SUDEP. The following databases were used: Pubmed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and CrossRef. A pooled analysis was carried out, and the results obtained were compared using mean difference (MD). The review was registered on the PROSPERO platform (CRD42021291586). RESULTS: Seven articles were included, with a total of 72 SUDEP cases associated with altered HRV parameters. Generally, a reduction of SDNN (standard deviation of the RR intervals) and RMSSD (root mean square differences of successive RR intervals) was reported in most SUDEP patients. According to MD, the SUDEP patients showed no differences in time and frequency domain parameters compared to controls. However, a trend toward increased low frequency and high frequency ratio (LF/HF) was observed in the SUDEP patients. CONCLUSIONS: HRV analysis is a valuable method for assessing cardiovascular risk and cardioautonomic impairment. Although a possible association between HRV variation and SUDEP has been reported, further studies are needed to assess the potential role of HRV modifications as a SUDEP biomarker.

Levetiracetam Modulates EEG Microstates in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

To determine the effects of Levetiracetam (LEV) therapy using EEG microstates analysis in a population of newly diagnosed Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) patients. We hypothesized that the impact of LEV therapy on the electrical activity of the brain can be globally explored using EEG microstates. Twenty-seven patients with TLE were examined. We performed resting-state microstate EEG analysis and compared microstate metrics between the EEG performed at baseline (EEGpre) and after 3 months of LEV therapy (EEGpost). The microstates A, B, C and D emerged as the most stable. LEV induced a reduction of microstate B and D mean duration and occurrence per second (p < 0.01). Additionally, LEV treatment increased the directional predominance of microstate A to C and microstate B to D (p = 0.01). LEV treatment induces a modulation of resting-state EEG microstates in newly diagnosed TLE patients. Microstates analysis has the potential to identify a neurophysiological indicator of LEV therapeutic activity. This study of EEG microstates in people with epilepsy opens an interesting path to identify potential LEV activity biomarkers that may involve increased neuronal inhibition of the epileptic network.

Status epilepticus and COVID-19: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the SARS-CoV-2 infection-related coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) a pandemic. During the first and second waves of the pandemic spread, there have been several reports of COVID-19-associated neurological manifestations, including acute seizures and status epilepticus (SE). In this systematic review, we summarized the available data on clinical features, diagnosis, and therapy of COVID-19-related SE. METHODS: We performed a systematic search of the literature to identify data on demographics, clinical, neurophysiological, and neuroradiological data of patients with COVID-19-related SE. We used regression models (linear or logistic) with a stepwise forward method to identify features associated with mortality or severity of SE. RESULTS: Thirty-nine articles were included with a total of 47 cases of SE associated with COVID-19. Age, time between the acute respiratory phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection and SE onset, and hospitalization correlated with a higher SE severity as assessed by quantitative validated scales. CONCLUSIONS: SE can be a neurological manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although a possible association between SE and COVID-19 has been reported, the exact mechanisms are still not fully understood. Systemic inflammatory syndrome due to cytokine release could play a role in COVID-19-related SE.

Epilepsy and quality of life: what does really matter?

PURPOSE: To assess quality of life (QoL) in adult people with epilepsy (PWE) and identify the main factors affecting it. METHODS: We enrolled consecutively 122 PWE. They were interviewed for a careful collection of demographic and clinical data. Patients completed dedicated questionnaires for the assessment of the quality of life (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Scale-31) (Q31) as well as psychosocial features: depressive symptoms (DS) (Beck Depression Inventory-II/BDI-II), difficulties of emotion regulation (Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale/DERS), and stigma related to epilepsy (Stigma Scale of Epilepsy/SSE and Jacoby's Stigma Scale/JSS). The results of Q31 and their subscales were correlated with clinical details of PWE, as well as the other scores. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied to identify the main factors affecting QoL. RESULTS: Quality of life is inversely correlated mostly with psychosocial features, as DS, emotion dysregulation, and stigma perception, as well as with epilepsy-related factors, as the seizure frequency and number of antiseizure medications (ASMs). The combination of DS, perceived stigma, and number of ASMs best explained the QoL. Worse features of QoL were detected in females and in patients with age of epilepsy onset in adulthood. CONCLUSION: Quality of life in adult PWE is predominantly affected by psychosocial factors more than epilepsy-related ones. These findings suggest that effective epilepsy management requires more than seizure control, and early detection of psychological dysfunction and tailored interventions to improve the QoL should be considered.

Clinical utility of home videos for diagnosing epileptic seizures: a systematic review and practical recommendations for optimal and safe recording.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present systematic revision is to analyze existing published reports about the use of home-videos recordings (HVRs) to support physicians in the differential diagnosis of paroxysmal seizure-like episodes (PSLE). We also developed practical recommendations in order to ensure adequate quality standards and safety advice for HVRs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed, and results were included up to July 2020. All studies concerning the use of HVRs as a diagnostic tool for patients presenting PSLE were included. RESULTS: Seventeen studies satisfied all inclusion and exclusion criteria and were considered for the review. A consistent boost in diagnostic and clinical decision-making was reported across all studies in the literature. One study found that HVRs decreased the stress level in many families and improved their quality of life. Training in performing good-quality videos is necessary and increases the diagnostic value of HVRs. CONCLUSIONS: HVRs can be of diagnostic value in epilepsy diagnosis and management. HVRs are low cost, widespread, and may provide great support for neurologists. It is important to train patients and caregivers in performing good quality videos to optimize this useful tool and to guarantee safety standards during the recording.

Ischemic Stroke in the Very Elderly: Experience from an Italian Stroke Unit Hub Over a Period of 8 Years in the Era of Thrombectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to understand how very elderly patients (VEP) after ischemic stroke are currently treated in a Stroke Unit (SU) Hub in Italy. We designed a retrospective monocentric study on patients admitted in the SU of "AO San Camillo Forlanini" over an 8-year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected among patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to SU between January 2012 and December 2019. Patients were divided into three sub-groups: Adults (18-65 years); Elderly (66-85 years); and VEP (>85 years). Vascular risk factors and clinical variables as predictors of short-term clinical outcome were compared among age groups. RESULTS: A total of 1979 patients were enrolled, 254 were VEP (12.8%). The proportion of VEP showed no significant modifications during the 8-year period (11.9% in 2012-2015 and 13.7% in 2016-2019; p=0.93). The proportion of women, hypertension and atrial fibrillation was significantly higher in VEP compared to other age groups (p<0.001). The rate of VEP being treated with rt-PA increased from 2012-2015 to 2016-2019 (from 12.8% to 25.5%, p<0.001). Endovascular thrombectomy was rarely performed in VEP (1.5% of VEP). Rt-PA treatment was associated with favorable outcome for all three age groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We showed that VEP present different vascular risk factor profiles, clinical features, and prognostic elements for short-term stroke outcome. Future studies will reveal whether we will observe an increasing trend in the use of rt-PA and endovascular thrombectomy and whether it will result in improved functional outcome for VEP.

Alexithymia and emotion dysregulation in adult patients with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The concept of alexithymia refers to difficulty perceiving, identifying, and describing emotions. We aimed at evaluating the prevalence of alexithymia in a sample of adult people with epilepsy (PWE) with and without psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) and healthy control subjects (HC) and identifying major factors able to affect it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled consecutively 91 PWE (12 of which with PNES in addition to seizures) and 146 HC age- and gender-matched. Both groups' subjects completed the following questionnaires: TAS-20, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Italian translation of Stigma Scale of Epilepsy (SSE), able to evaluate stigma related to epilepsy both in epileptic and nonepileptic subjects. Moreover, PWE completed the well-known Jacoby's Stigma Scale (JSS), dedicated to the evaluation of stigma only by patients with epilepsy and QOLIE-31 (Q31) for evaluating the quality of life. We analyzed correlations between alexithymia and several epilepsy-related (seizure frequency, antiseizure medications-ASMs) and psychosocial factors. Finally, a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to identify major factor affecting alexithymia in both groups. RESULTS: Alexithymia was prevalent in PWE compared to controls (17.6% of alexithymic subjects in PWE vs 11% in HC), without discriminating epileptic subjects with and without PNES. This predominance disappeared when depressive symptoms (DS) were controlled for. The difficulties of identifying feelings and emotions resulted to be clearly higher in PWE, even when DS are controlled for, and significantly correlated with stigma perception. Alexithymia in PWE was also strongly associated with lower quality of life and education and greater number of ASMs and difficulties in emotion regulation (ER), that turned out to be the main factor affecting alexithymia in both groups (PWE and HC). CONCLUSIONS: Alexithymia is prevalent in PWE, mostly influenced by DS and significantly associated with worse quality of life and higher emotion dysregulation and stigma perception. The latter finding could be explained by difficulty identifying emotions (DIE) that selectively characterizes PWE.

Depressive symptoms and difficulties in emotion regulation in adult patients with epilepsy: Association with quality of life and stigma.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to assess depressive symptoms (DS) and difficulties in emotion regulation (ER) in adult people with epilepsy (PWE) and their correlation with quality of life and stigmatization feelings of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled consecutively 110 PWE who completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) questionnaire and, for the first time, the Italian translation of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) to evaluate DS and ER. They also fulfilled the Italian version of the Stigma Scale of Epilepsy (SSE), which allowed the quantification of the stigma perception by our cohort of patients and a 3-item Jacoby's Stigma Scale (JSS) and QOLIE-31 (Q31) for the evaluation of stigma and the quality of life. The results of BDI-II and DERS were correlated with clinical details of PWE, as well as the Q31 and SSE scores. Finally, a multiple stepwise regression analysis was applied to identify the main factors affecting DS and ER difficulties in these patients. RESULTS: About 30% of PWE evidenced DS, of which 17.3% showed a BDI-II score higher than 19, suggestive of moderate to severe DS. Several factors related to epilepsy (seizure frequency, number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)) as well as ER and quality of life/stigmatization perception resulted significantly correlated with DS. As a new finding, the main factors affecting DS in PWE turned out to be the difficulties in ER and quality of life and stigma perception (as evaluated through Q31 and JSS scores). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings evidenced that DS in PWE are highly prevalent and strongly correlated with ER difficulties that mostly influence DS together with quality of life and stigma perception. Depressive symptoms and emotion dysregulation are linked by a bidirectional relationship and are significantly associated with worse quality of life and higher stigmatization feelings.

Electroencephalography at the time of Covid-19 pandemic in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: During the Covid-19 pandemic, government restrictions limited health care to urgent needs. Neurophysiology centers had to suddenly reschedule their activities, with a lack of specific recommendations about electroencephalography (EEG) execution. During the pandemic phase 1, we launched an online survey to understand the flaws and strengths of the EEG management in Italy at the time of Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: A 45-item online survey (published from April 16 to 30, 2020), endorsed by the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (SINC), the Italian League Against epilepsy (LICE), and the Italian Association of Neurophysiology technologists (AITN), collected EEG management data (EEG's number and type, indications, personnel and patients safety, devices' sanification) during the Covid-19 pandemic. RESULTS: We received responses from 206 centers. The number of EEGs performed was reduced by 76 ± 20%, and several types of specific EEG (video-EEG, ambulatory-EEG, LTM, polysomnography) were reduced at a minimum. Half of the centers performed inpatient EEGs only for urgencies. Repetitive seizures, encephalitis, and non-convulsive status epilepticus were the most common indications. Covid-19-positive patients received less EEG than negative ones (p < 0.0001). EEG requests came mainly not only from neurologists (n = 176) but also from general practitioners (n = 40), emergentists (n = 79), intensivists (n = 72), and other specialists (n = 53). Those centers which continued performing outpatient EEG examinations were instructed to perform the EEG after a Covid-19-related symptom screening for patients and using personal protective equipment (PPE) through all the procedure. Inpatient EEGs were performed using FFP2/FFP3 masks by neurophysiology technologists in only 50% of cases. Patients executed hyperventilation only for real clinical needs, but often (56%) with a mask. CONCLUSIONS: Italian neurophysiology centers strongly adhered to government restrictions of lockdown. Some issues emerged, ranging from the evaluation of a proper indication for EEG, technical procedures of EEG recording, and protection of neurophysiology technicians.

Antidepressant effect of vagal nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective palliative therapy in drug-resistant epileptic patients and is also approved as a therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Depression is a frequent comorbidity in epilepsy and it affects the quality of life of patients more than the seizure frequency itself. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the available literature about the VNS effect on depressive symptoms in epileptic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed, and results were included up to January 2020. All studies concerning depressive symptom assessment in epileptic patients treated with VNS were included. RESULTS: Nine studies were included because they fulfilled inclusion criteria. Six out of nine papers reported a positive effect of VNS on depressive symptoms. Eight out of nine studies did not find any correlation between seizure reduction and depressive symptom amelioration, as induced by VNS. Clinical scales for depression, drug regimens, and age of patients were broadly different among the examined studies. CONCLUSIONS: Reviewed studies strongly suggest that VNS ameliorates depressive symptoms in drug-resistant epileptic patients and that the VNS effect on depression is uncorrelated to seizure response. However, more rigorous studies addressing this issue are encouraged.

Epilepsy-associated stigma from the perspective of people with epilepsy and the community in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the stigma related to epilepsy from the perspective of people with epilepsy (PWE) and from the Italian community (Rome and central Italy); moreover, the impact of the perceived stigma on the mood and quality of life of patients was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We consecutively enrolled 100 PWE and 202 nonepileptic subjects (NES). Both PWE and NES completed an Italian version of the Stigma Scale of Epilepsy (SSE), a 24-items questionnaire that has been demonstrated to allow the quantification of the stigma perception by patients and people from the community. Moreover, the PWE fulfilled a 3-item Jacoby's Stigma Scale, the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31 [Q3])), and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) questionnaires for the evaluation of the quality of life and depressive symptoms. The results of the SSE were correlated with clinical and demographic details of PWE and NES, as well as the Q31 and BDI-II scores in PWE. RESULTS: The SSE scores were significantly higher in NES with respect to PWE (respectively 47.1 vs 39.5, p < .001). Forty-two percent of PWE reported feeling stigmatized, with 5% reporting feeling highly stigmatized. In PWE, the perceived stigma was not correlated with seizure frequency but was significantly associated with worse quality of life, more severe depressive symptoms, and higher number of AEDs. The multiple regression analysis showed that the quality-of-life overall score and Q31 subscale exploring "social function" are the most significant predictors of stigma. CONCLUSIONS: By using an Italian translation of the SSE questionnaire, even if we cannot consider our sample representative of the whole Italian community our study evidenced higher rates of stigma related to epilepsy in NES than in PWE. The PWE still experience feelings of stigmatization strongly correlated with higher depressive symptoms and worse quality of life that has proven to be the most significant predictor of stigma. Finally, seizure frequency does not affect the perceived stigma, which is instead significantly influenced by antiepileptic therapy.

Transient epileptic and global amnesia: Real-life differential diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: Transient epileptic amnesia (TEA) is an underestimated condition in emergency clinical setting, where most of transient amnesic episodes tend to be classified as transient global amnesia (TGA). We designed this study to evaluate the actual frequency of TEA in a real-life scenario and to highlight the features that can help clinicians distinguishing it from TGA. METHODS: We retrospectively collected clinical data of 83 patients who accessed our emergency ward for an abrupt onset of amnesic disorder, initially interpreted as TGA. All patients underwent neurological evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and standard 21-channel scalp electroencephalography (EEG) recording (standard EEG [st-EEG]). Moreover, patients with borderline epileptiform abnormalities on st-EEG or with normal st-EEG but high clinical suspicion for TEA underwent a 16-channel 24-hour ambulatory EEG (24-h EEG). Clinical features, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging data were analyzed and compared in the two groups (TEA and TGA). RESULTS: Diagnosis of TEA, according to Zeman's criteria, was made in 15 patients (18%). From a clinical point of view recurrence (p < .001) and atypical symptoms such as confusion or language disorder (TGA plus manifestations), appear to be key elements in order to discriminate between TEA and TGA (80% of patients with TEA vs 7.8% of patients with TGA; p < .001). In our sample, duration of the episodes did not significantly differ between TGA and TEA, even though it is usually described as shorter for TEA. This result could be related with a prolonged postictal state in these patients. The analysis of st-EEG results evidenced low sensitivity for interictal epileptiform abnormalities (IEAs) detection (52.3%), with not conclusive data in distinguishing TEA from TGA. On the contrary, 24-h EEG showed IEAs in all patients with epilepsy, mostly during sleep, suggesting an essential diagnostic role of long-lasting EEG recording for TEA. Finally, structural abnormalities were more frequent in patients with TEA (26.6%). In the group with TGA, the only imaging alteration found was diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) hippocampal hyperintensity. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that in a real-life clinical scenario, TEA is frequent but often overlooked. However, simple clinical data and widely available neurophysiological examinations can truly help to effectively distinguish TEA from TGA.

Spectral exponent assessment and neurofilament light chain: a comprehensive approach to describe recovery patterns in stroke.

Introduction: Understanding the residual recovery potential in stroke patients is crucial for tailoring effective neurorehabilitation programs. We propose using EEG and plasmatic Neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels as a model to depict longitudinal patterns of stroke recovery. Methods: We enrolled 13 patients (4 female, mean age 74.7 ± 8.8) who underwent stroke in the previous month and were hospitalized for 2-months rehabilitation. Patients underwent blood withdrawal, clinical evaluation and high-definition EEG at T1 (first week of rehabilitation) and at T2 (53 ± 10 days after). We assessed the levels of NfL and we analyzed the EEG signal extracting Spectral Exponent (SE) values. We compared our variables between the two timepoint and between cortical and non-cortical strokes. Results: We found a significant difference in the symmetry of SE values between cortical and non-cortical stroke at both T1 (p = 0.005) and T2 (p = 0.01). SE in the affected hemisphere showed significantly steeper values at T1 when compared with T2 (p = 0.001). EEG measures were consistently related to clinical scores, while NfL at T1 was related to the volume of ischemic lesions (r = 0.75; p = 0.003). Additionally, the combined use of NfL and SE indicated varying trends in longitudinal clinical recovery. Conclusion: We present proof of concept of a promising approach for the characterization of different recovery patterns in stroke patients.

An Overview of the Bodily Awareness Representation and Interoception: Insights and Progress in the Field of Neurorehabilitation Research.

In the last two decades, the scientific literature on so-called body representations has been increasing, and the notion of body awareness (BA) is particularly interesting for neurorehabilitation. In this article, we present results derived from recent studies on this representation, considering the different definitions and explicative models proposed as well as the empirical settings used to test it, providing an extensive overview of these issues. This article discusses the challenge of understanding how we integrate the sensory experiences of proprioception (knowing where our body is in space) and interoception (sensing internal bodily sensations, like hunger of thirst) with our perception of self. This is a difficult problem to analyze because our awareness of our body is inherently linked to our perspective, since the body is the means through which we interact with the world. Presenting the different viewpoints offered by recent theories on this concern, we highlighted that the neurorehabilitation and psychiatric settings offer two important fields useful for the study of BA because in them it is possible to analyze bodily representations by inducing/observing a controlled discrepancy between dysfunctional content and sensory inputs.

Educational needs and career development of young epileptologists in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: The Education and Career Task Force of the Young Epilepsy Section-Italy focuses on educational and career development needs of young Italian epileptologists. Two surveys were developed (pre- and post COVID-19 pandemic) in order to identify the needs of members of the Lega Italiana Contro l'Epilessia under 40 years of age. METHODS: The first was distributed during the 42nd National Congress (Rome, June 5-7, 2019); the second during the 45th National Congress (Padova, June 8-10, 2022) and subsequently by e-mail until July 9, 2022. Data from the 2019 survey were analyzed descriptively. Data from the 2022 survey were further analyzed with Pearson's chi-square test to establish if gender, field of clinical practice, and professional role were associated with different needs. RESULTS: Sixty surveys were completed in 2019 and 69 in 2022. Attendance to courses and congresses as the preferred way to keep medical knowledge updated reduced between 2019 and 2022. The reason was different between trainees (mostly elevated costs) and early-career consultants (mostly organizational issues) (p = 0.005). The main needs for improvement also diverged: trainees indicated differential diagnosis and diagnostic approach to the first seizure while consultants indicated diagnostic approach to genetic epilepsies (p = 0.004); in the genetic field, priority needs were selection of genetic investigations for trainees versus genotype-phenotype correlations for consultants (p = 0.022). The field of practice (pediatric vs. adult) also impacted on the main needs for improvement that is, acquisition of expertise in neuroradiology and drug therapy for pediatric versus genetics for adult neurology trainees or consultants (p = 0.018); in the clinical area, differential diagnosis and approach to the first seizure versus status epilepticus (p = 0.027); in the genetic field, precision medicine versus genotype-phenotype correlations (p = 0.034). No differences were found based on gender. SIGNIFICANCE: The surveys identified different needs based on professional role and discipline. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: The Education and Career Task Force of the Young Epilepsy Section-Italy (YES-I) launched two surveys among young Italian epileptologists. Our research shows that the educational and professional needs of young Italian epileptologists vary based on their job role and field of practice, but not on gender. Their preference for on-site congresses and courses reduced after the pandemic, and the main reason is linked to financial constraints for trainees and to organizational issues for consultants. The main expectation toward YES-I is to receive support for education and career development. Thus, we collected useful suggestions on how to organize our future YES-I activities.

The role of neurophysiological tools in the evaluation of ischemic stroke evolution: a narrative review.

Ischemic stroke is characterized by a complex cascade of events starting from vessel occlusion. The term "penumbra" denotes the area of severely hypo-perfused brain tissue surrounding the ischemic core that can be potentially recovered if blood flow is reestablished. From the neurophysiological perspective, there are local alterations-reflecting the loss of function of the core and the penumbra-and widespread changes in neural networks functioning, since structural and functional connectivity is disrupted. These dynamic changes are closely related to blood flow in the affected area. However, the pathological process of stroke does not end after the acute phase, but it determines a long-term cascade of events, including changes of cortical excitability, that are quite precocious and might precede clinical evolution. Neurophysiological tools-such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) or Electroencephalography (EEG)-have enough time resolution to efficiently reflect the pathological changes occurring after stroke. Even if they do not have a role in acute stroke management, EEG and TMS might be helpful for monitoring ischemia evolution-also in the sub-acute and chronic stages. The present review aims to describe the changes occurring in the infarcted area after stroke from the neurophysiological perspective, starting from the acute to the chronic phase.

Profiling the Spectrum of Headache Disorders on 440 Breast Cancer Patients: Highlights on Clinical and Pathological Mechanisms.

Although widely studied, the association between migraines (M) and breast cancer (BC) risk remains evasive. In this prospective single-center study, 440 early or locally advanced BC patients were enrolled at IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital. Clinical and demographical data were collected. Those who suffered from headaches were evaluated with the International Classification of Headache Disorders. M was found to be significantly more prevalent in BC patients: 56.1% versus an expected prevalence of 17% in the global population. M patients showed a higher risk of having stage II or III BC than stage I, which was more frequently found in the non-headache population. Interestingly, the frequency of headache attacks was positively correlated with estrogen (r = 0.11, p = 0.05) and progesterone (r = 0.15, p = 0.007) expression, especially in patients with migraine without aura. The higher the expression of hormone receptors in BC, the higher the headache frequency. Moreover, patients suffering from headaches showed an overall earlier onset of BC. Our findings challenge the idea of a net preventive role of M on BC, suggesting a rather complex interaction in which M mostly influences some BC subtypes and vice versa. Further multi-center studies with extended follow-up are needed.

An Overview of the Body Schema and Body Image: Theoretical Models, Methodological Settings and Pitfalls for Rehabilitation of Persons with Neurological Disorders.

Given the widespread debate on the definition of the terms "Body Schema" and "Body Image", this article presents a broad overview of the studies that have investigated the nature of these types of body representations, especially focusing on the innovative information about these two representations that could be useful for the rehabilitation of patients with different neurological disorders with motor deficits (especially those affecting the upper limbs). In particular, we analyzed (i) the different definitions and explicative models proposed, (ii) the empirical settings used to test them and (iii) the clinical and rehabilitative implications derived from the application of interventions on specific case reports. The growing number of neurological diseases with motor impairment in the general population has required the development of new rehabilitation techniques and a new phenomenological paradigm placing body schema as fundamental and intrinsic parts for action in space. In this narrative review, the focus was placed on evidence from the application of innovative rehabilitation techniques and case reports involving the upper limbs, as body parts particularly involved in finalistic voluntary actions in everyday life, discussing body representations and their functional role.