[Brain stem compression preceded by trigeminal neuralgia in a patient with vertebro-basilar and bilateral carotid dolichoectasia]. / Compresión tronco-encefálica precedida por neuralgia del trigémino en un paciente con dolicoectasia vertebro-basilar y carotidea bilateral.

We described a patient who had left trigeminal neuralgia by vertebro-basilar dolichoectasia, who underwent microvascular decompression separating the basilar artery of the trigeminal nerve by interposing a vascular graft piece. Symptoms resolved completely after surgery. Nine years later, he has a recurrence of facial pain associated with rapidly progressive brainstem compressive symptoms. The brain MRI showed the vertebro-basilar dolichoectasia exerting compression on the ventral-lateral aspect of the pons and the medulla. In cerebral angiography confirmed the presence of dilated tortuous vertebral arteries, basilar, and of both internal carotid. To our knowledge this is the first case of brain stem compression syndrome preceded by NT in patients with vertebro-basilar dolichoectasia and one of the few cases with coexistence of vertebro-basilar and bilateral carotid dolichoectasia.

[Intracerebral hemorrhages following drainage of chronic subdural hematomas]. / Hemorragia intracerebral posterior a drenado de hematomas subdurales crónicos.

BACKGROUND: postoperative intracerebral hemorrhage after drainage of chronic subdural hematoma is a rarely reported complication; however, its incidence, according to different series may be underestimated. CASE REPORT: this report presents a 77 year old male patient who, after the drainage of bilateral chronic subdural hematomas, developed an extensive hemorrhage in the thalami, basal ganglia, midbrain and pons, with extension into the ventricles and obstructive hydrocephalus. CONCLUSIONS: compression by extra-axial collection decreases cerebral blood flow on the affected hemisphere and alters its vascular self-adjustment. The rapid increase in cerebral blood flow in brain areas with altered vascular self-adjustment appears to be the precipitating mechanism of intracerebral hemorrhage after surgical evacuation of chronic subdural hematomas.

Fisiología molecular de las aguaporinas / The molecular physiology of aquaporins

Unos de los tópicos fascinantes de la biología celular es la regulación del flujo de agua a través de las membranas plasmáticas de los mamíferos. El movimiento de agua a través de la bicapa lipídica de las membranas celulares se produce de forma pasiva como respuesta al gradiente osmótico generado por el transporte activo de iones o solutos neutros sea este de tipo primario o secundario. La regulación del agua en el cerebro es un proceso fundamental para el funcionamiento del mismo. Se ha determinado que un tipo de moléculas conocidas como aquaporinas participan en el transporte de agua a nivel de la membrana celular. La alteración del equilibrio hídrico juega un papel importante en condiciones patológicas como el edema cerebral, el conocimiento de estas moléculas permitirá en un futuro cercano comprender de una mejor manera la lesión traumática cerebral entre otras patologías neurológicas y diseñar estrategias terapéuticas sobre las mismas.