1/8. limbic encephalitis and hyperactive foci on PET scan.Two cases of patients with paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, difficult to control seizures, and unilateral hippocampal hypermetabolism on positron emission tomography (PET) are described. Two women aged 33 and 61 presented with uncontrolled complex partial seizures, profound memory loss and cognitive decline. One was later diagnosed with breast cancer and the other with lung cancer. Video-EEG on the first patient recorded multifocal sharp waves and bilateral independent seizure onsets. The second patient had no epileptiform discharges and bitemporal ictal onset, even though the clinical seizures suggested a right temporal onset. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was normal in both patients. PET scans obtained in the interictal state showed right hippocampal hypermetabolism in both patients. In the second patient, the lung cancer was irradiated with resolution of seizures and improvement of memory function. A PET scan six months later was normal. Subsequent seizure recurrence and worsening of memory led to the discovery of widespread metastases. limbic encephalitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intractable partial epilepsy, particularly if accompanied by severe memory loss and cognitive decline. Treatment of the underlying cancer may be lead to improved seizure control. Hippocampal hypermetabolism may be a common feature on PET, and may indicate subclinical seizure activity.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = complex (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/8. limbic encephalitis not associated with neoplasm as a cause of temporal lobe epilepsy.OBJECTIVE: To describe four patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with limbic encephalitis unrelated to neoplasm. methods: The authors performed a retrospective evaluation of patient data obtained during presurgical evaluation, with additional CSF analyses, serum analyses, and histopathologic investigations. RESULTS: The patients shared the following clinical features: onset of the disease in young adulthood with subacute onset or exacerbation of frequent intractable temporal lobe seizures, verbal and visual memory deficits, and affective abnormalities. MRI showed variably extended areas of increased T2 signal in limbic structures and adjacent areas. In the histopathologic investigation, chronic inflammation was observed without evidence of a viral origin. There was no evidence of an underlying malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Nonparaneoplastic limbic encephalitis should be included in the differential diagnosis of adult patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.5237715274034keywords = neoplasm (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/8. limbic encephalitis investigated by 18FDG-PET and 3D MRI.Two patients with clinically probable or possible limbic encephalitis (LE) are reported, both cases with typical findings in clinical symptoms (severe neuropsychological deficits and complex partial seizures) and in routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (hyperintense mesiotemporal lesions). Underlying malignancy was identified (rectal carcinoma) in one case but could not be detected in the other patient. The 2 patients were investigated by cerebral 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and 3-dimensional (3D) MRI, and abnormalities in metabolic activity were mapped using coregistration of spatially normalized PET and MRI. Highly significant focal hypermetabolism in bilateral hippocampal areas was found in both cases. The authors' findings support FDG-PET coregistered to 3D MRI as a potentially valuable additional tool in the imaging diagnostics of LE. Results are discussed with respect to the clinical symptoms and previously reported imaging findings in the disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = complex (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/8. Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, a complication of the testicular cancer.We report a case of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis related to a testicular neoplasm. The syndrome is characterized by progressive amnesia and psychiatric disturbances resulting from an inflammatory reaction probably related to an immune response to the neuronal proteins expressed by tumors. It is usually associated with small cell lung cancer. In other cases, testicular cancer occurs more frequently than expected. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging may show increased signal intensity in the limbic cortex. Genitourinary examinations are sometimes inadequate. Testicular ultrasonography is recommended if no tumor is detected on the chest and abdominal computed tomography scan. The outcome of the treatment of the testicular cancer on the paraneoplastic syndrome is variable.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.70475430548067keywords = neoplasm (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/8. Successful immune treatment for non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis.A 21-year-old woman subacutely developed memory loss subsequent to gastroenteritis. brain MRI with gadolinium enhancement showed symmetric involvement of the amygdala. The CSF was acellular with increased protein level. There was no evidence suggestive of neoplasm or viral infection. Combined treatment with plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin improved her clinical symptoms and lessened abnormalities manifested in the MRI. This case suggests the presence of immune-mediated limbic encephalitis without association with neoplasms or infections.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.4095086109613keywords = neoplasm (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/8. Potentially reversible autoimmune limbic encephalitis with neuronal potassium channel antibody.OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical features and coexisting serum autoantibodies in seven patients with encephalitis associated with autoantibodies to alpha-dendrotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKCs), and to compare this disorder with other autoimmune encephalopathies. methods: Clinical information was obtained from a retrospective review of medical records and telephone interviews. All autoantibody testing was performed in a single laboratory. RESULTS: The seven patients were examined for subacute cognitive and behavioral changes. seizures, usually temporal-onset complex partial type, were documented in six patients, and all seven patients had EEG abnormalities. None had symptoms or signs of neuromuscular hyperexcitability. One described hypersalivation. Four patients had additional autoantibody markers of neurologic autoimmunity (muscle acetylcholine receptor, striational, P/Q-type calcium channel, or GAD65), and two had thyroperoxidase antibodies. Two patients had a history of cancer: one had active prostate adenocarcinoma, and the second had a remote history of tongue carcinoma. Cranial MRI demonstrated mesial temporal lobe abnormalities in all patients. One patient improved spontaneously, and six were treated with IV methylprednisolone. Three improved remarkably with treatment. At follow-up evaluation, one had no cognitive deficits, four had mild persistent short-term memory dysfunction, and two had persistent disabling behavioral deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Voltage-gated potassium channel antibodies are a valuable serologic marker of a potentially reversible autoimmune encephalopathy. The neurologic manifestations of this disorder are indistinguishable from paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis but are distinct from Morvan syndrome and Hashimoto encephalopathy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = complex (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/8. A pre-senile case of limbic encephalitis and cerebellar degeneration, with subacute onset of progressive dementia.In case a pre-senile patient presented subacutely progressive dementia, secondary dementia, such as paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS), hypothyroidism, confusion, early phase of primary degenerative dementia and prion diseases are to be considered. It is a case of pathologically confirmed, and clinico-pathologically assessed limbic encephalitis with cerebellar degeneration. The patient was a 63-year old male, with a well followed up medical history of gastric cancer 8 years earlier. Four weeks after he presented himself at our hospital his memory and disorientation progressively declined. A neurological examination revealed gaze nystagmus, with potential secondary dementia. However, no abnormal findings were detected from systemic radiological examination, or from chemical analyses. Two months later, after the onset of the disease, he presented additional symptoms, including seizure, gait disturbance, and insomnia. On admission, neurological examinations revealed gaze nystagmus and progression of dementia; however, his thought process was relatively preserved. No paroxysmal synchronized discharge was seen on electroencephalogram. Chest x-rays showed an inflammatory infiltration. In spite of anti-biotic medication, he died due to respiratory failure. The autopsy was limited to the brain. Histologically, limited lymphocytic infiltration into the hippocampus through the entorhinal cortex, with marked neuronal loss and gliosis was observed. Neuronophagia, microglial nodules, and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration were also seen. Additionally, most of the purkinje cells in the cerebellum were lost, with Bergmann's gliosis and sparse lymphocytic infiltration. No tumor was observed in the brain. Pathological findings of the brain were compatible with paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis and cerebellar degeneration, though no neoplasm, clinically or pathologically, was detected in this patient. Consequently, it is suggested that when a senile patient presents sub-acute onset of progressive dementia, with a variety of neurological symptoms, paraneoplastic syndrome is to be taken into consideration, even if a tumor or an auto-antibody is not detected since the resection of the tumor is still the best therapeutic means. Otherwise immuno-suppressive and steroid therapies should be used.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.70475430548067keywords = neoplasm (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/8. Navigation around london by a taxi driver with bilateral hippocampal lesions.The time-scale of hippocampal involvement in supporting episodic memory remains a keenly debated topic, with disagreement over whether its role is temporary or permanent. Recently, there has been interest in how navigation by hippocampally-compromised patients in environments learned long ago speaks to this issue. However, identifying patients with damage that is primarily hippocampal, control subjects matched for navigation experience, and testing their in situ navigation, present substantial problems. We met these challenges by using a highly accurate and interactive virtual reality simulation of central london (UK) to assess the navigation ability of a licensed london taxi driver who had sustained bilateral hippocampal damage. In this test, patient TT and matched control taxi drivers drove a virtual london taxi along the streets they had first learned 40 years before. We found that the hippocampus is not required for general orientation in the city either in first person or survey perspectives, detailed topographical knowledge of landmarks and their spatial relationships, or even for active navigation along some routes. However, in his navigation TT was very reliant on main artery or 'A' roads, and became lost when navigation depended instead on non-A roads. We conclude that the hippocampus in humans is necessary for facilitating navigation in places learned long ago, particularly where complex large-scale spaces are concerned, and successful navigation requires access to detailed spatial representations.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = complex (Clic here for more details about this article) |