Annals of Clinical and Experimental Neurology

Introduction. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) registry data allow assessing epidemiological parameters and risk factors in different age, gender, race, ethnicity, and other subgroups.

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of key risk factors in a group of Yakutsk residents with primary hypertensive ICH included in the regional population-based stroke registry from 2015 to 2017.

Materials and methods. This study of risk factors was conducted in patients with hypertensive ICH (n = 251) from the regional population-based stroke registry, including 133 (53%) men and 118 (47%) women of Asian or Caucasian races. We performed statistical analysis of data.

Results. The analysis of risk factors showed that the prevalence of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption was higher in men with ICH compared with women (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of hypertension, history of myocardial infarction, dyslipidemia, or diabetes mellitus in patients with ICH in gender or ethnicity subgroups. Fibrillation and other heart diseases were more common in Caucasian patients than in Asian (p = 0.005). ICH was associated with high levels of low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides with low levels of total cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins compared with healthy individuals.

Conclusions. We described gender and ethnic differences in the prevalence of risk factors in patients with hypertensive ICH.

Introduction. Similar asymmetric patterns of motor disorders and neurophysiological changes complicate the differential diagnosis between multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy (MADSAM) as two chronic dysimmune neuropathies with significantly different treatment approaches. The lack of specific paraclinical markers often result in misdiagnosis and selection of ineffective specific therapy. Identification of specific neuroimaging biomarkers to differentiate these conditions may improve diagnostic approaches.

Objective: To identify neuroimaging markers for the differential diagnosis between MMN and MADSAM.

Materials and methods. The study included 65 participants, particularly 30 individuals with MMN and 35 individuals with MADSAM followed up in the Center of Peripheral Nervous System Diseases, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia. We retrospectively analyzed their clinical and epidemiological characteristics as well as ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

Results. Ultrasonography was performed on the peripheral nerves of the upper extremities, the spinal nerves, and the brachial plexus. The results showed that participants with MADSAM had significantly greater cross-sectional areas (CSAs) and a higher incidence of intraneural ultrasonographic abnormalities compared to participants with MMN. CSA thresholds of the median nerves were identified using ROC analysis to differentiate between MMN and MADSAM. MRI scans of the brachial plexus revealed no abnormalities in 41.4% of the individuals with MMN and 27.3% of the individuals with MADSAM. Meanwhile, STIR hyperintense signal from the brachial plexus was most typical (> 70%) for the MADSAM group.

Conclusions. This was the first detailed comparative analysis of neuroimaging findings in a large sample of patients with either MMN or MADSAM in Russia. Ultrasonographic markers for differential diagnosis have been determined. The advantages and limitations of ultrasonography and MRI of the brachial plexus and the spinal and peripheral nerves in diagnosing multifocal chronic dysimmune neuropathies have been demonstrated.

Introduction. Beta interferons are effective and safe agents for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). PEGylated interferons have been developed in order to increase patient adherence. Direct comparisons of the efficacy and safety of PEGylated interferons have not yet been conducted.

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SamPEG-IFN-β1a versus PEG-IFN-β1a in adult patients with RRMS.

Materials and methods. We conducted a systematic search of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) using the PubMed, Embase and eLIBRARY.RU databases. Efficacy was assessed based on the proportion of patients with disease relapses and the annualized relapse rate (ARR) during the 1^st and the 2^nd years of treatment. Safety was assessed by the number of patients with adverse events (AEs), serious AEs (SAEs), and any AEs that led to the treatment discontinuation. We conducted pairwise matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) to assess comparative efficacy of PEGylated IFNs. To evaluate the efficacy, hypotheses of non-inferiority of SamPEG-IFN-β1a to PEG-IFN-β1a and superiority of SamPEG-IFN-β1a over PEG-IFN-β1a were tested.

Results. Based on results of the systematic review, four articles were selected wherein the results of phase 3 clinical trial of PEG-IFN-β1a and phase 2–3 clinical trial of SamPEG-IFN-β1a were described. In PEG-IFN-β1a group (n = 512) the agent was administered once every 2 weeks, in SamPEGIFN-β1a group (n = 114) the agent was administered at a dose of 240 μg. The analysis results confirmed the hypothesis of SamPEG-IFN-β1a non-inferiority to PEG-IFN-β1a in efficacy, while SamPEG-IFN-β1a superiority over PEG-IFN-β1a in efficacy was not confirmed. The hypothesis of SamPEG-IFN-β1a superiority over PEG-IFN-β1a in safety was also confirmed based on a significantly lower incidence of SAEs and any AEs that led to treatment discontinuation.

Conclusions. The proportion of patients with relapses and the ARR in 1 year and in 2 years of therapy indicates that SamPEG-IFN-β1a is non-inferior to PEG-IFN-β1a in efficacy. SamPEG-IFN-B1a demonstrated a more favourable safety profile than PEG-IFN-B1a as showing less odds of SAEs and AEs leading to treatment discontinuation.

Introduction. Memantine is an agent that used for treatment of Alzheimer's type dementia. Memantine considerably reduces the effects of neurodegeneration, may potentially slow down the neurodegenerative changes in the cerebellum and may act as treatment of choice for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA 1).

Our objective was to study molecular mechanisms of the short-term synaptic plasticity improvement associated with long-term memantine use in SCA 1 transgenic mice.

Materials and methods. The experiments were performed on 12-week-old CD1 mice. We created a mouse model of cerebellar astrogliosis after expression of mutant ataxin-1 (ATXN1[Q85]) in the Bergmann glia (BG). To model the astrocyte-mediated neurodegeneration in the cerebellum, the mice were injected with LVV GFAP-Flag-ATXN1[Q85] lentiviral vector (LVV) constructs intracortically. Some of the mice received 0.35 mg/kg memantine dissolved in drink water once daily for 9 weeks. The control animals were administered LVV GFAP-ATXN1[Q2]-Flag. Changes of the excitatory postsynaptic currents amplitudes from Purkinje cells (PC) were recorded by patch clamp. Expression of anti-EAAT1 in the cerebellar cortex was assessed using immunohistochemistry.

Results. The reactive glia of the cerebellar cortex in SCA1 mice is characterized by a decrease in the immunoreactivity of anti-EAAT1, while chronic memantine use restores this capacity. The decay time of the excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude in the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell (PF-PC) synapses of the SCA1 mice is considerably longer, which indicates the slowing of glutamate reuptake and EAAT1 dysfunction. The prolonged presence of increased neurotransmitter levels in the synaptic cleft facilitates activation of the mGluR1 signaling and restoration of mGluR1-dependent synaptic plasticity in Purkinje cells of the SCA1 mice.

Conclusions. The slowing of neurotransmitter reuptake associated with long-term memantine treatment improves mGluR1-dependent short-term synaptic plasticity of the Purkinje cells in the SCA1 mice. Restoration of synaptic plasticity in these animals may underlie partial reduction of ataxic syndrome.

Degenerative spinal stenosis is the most common type of degenerative and dystrophic spine disease. The clinical picture of stenosis, which may include axial pain syndrome, leg pain, intermittent claudication syndrome, weakness and loss of sensitivity in the legs, and impaired pelvic functions, can significantly worsen patients’ quality of life and reduce their ability to work and lead an active lifestyle.

Degenerative spinal stenosis mostly affects the elderly. Therapeutic and neurological communities have stereotypes about spine surgery being too traumatic and invasive, and, therefore, they believe that their use should be contraindicated to and limited in elderly patients. However, surgeons are increasingly giving preference to minimally invasive interventions with high efficacy and safety together with a low risk of complications.

We aimed at reviewing current treatment methods for degenerative lumbosacral spinal stenosis with an emphasis on surgical treatment methods.

Neurological immune-related adverse events (irAE) are rare but potentially fatal complications associated with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Recently, there has been a trend towards an increase in the incidence of these cases.

We present two case reports of demyelinating polyneuropathy in patients with skin melanoma treated with pembrolizumab or nivolumab. Unawareness of neurological irAE induced by ICI leads to delayed diagnosis and medical treatment, and this may result in persistent neurological deficit or even patients’ death. Neurological irAEs include myasthenia gravis, aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy, myositis or their combinations, etc. Considering their variability in patients treated with ICI and poor representation in publications, each case report can be of practical value.