Anna GALSTYAN the first Armenian female neurosurgeon

Keyvan Mostofi

• Article 100569
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100569
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  Abstract

  The number of women in the field of neurosurgery has been steadily increasing over the past 20 years. However, there still exists a significant gender disparity worldwide, with men predominantly occupying this profession. Recognizing and highlighting the contributions of female pioneers in neurosurgery is crucial to prevent these talented women from being overlooked.

Antecedent sedative use is independently associated with stroke occurrence among west Africans: Evidence from the SIREN case-control study

Ezinne O. Uvere, Joshua Akinyemi, Fred S. Sarfo, Adekunle Fakunle, ... Mayowa Owolabi

• Article 100573
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100573
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  Abstract

  A total of 7104 subjects (3553 stroke cases and 3551 stroke-free controls participated in this study. The mean age was 60.9 ± 0.78 among cases and 59.8 ± 11.44 years among controls (p < 0.029). History of sedative use was more common in cases (7.7 %) compared to controls (4.3 %; p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, income >$100, history of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, tobacco & alcohol use, physical inactivity, green leafy vegetable and meat consumption, sedative use was independently associated with stroke risk (aOR: 1.41; 95 %CI: 1.01–1.96; p < 0.041). Sedative use was associated with higher odds of stroke among adults aged ≥50 years (aOR: 1.53; 95 %CI: 1.28–2.04; p < 0.019).

Changes in conditioned pain modulation using anti-Parkinson drugs in patients with Parkinson's disease

Eiichirou Urasaki, Yasushi Miyagi, Junji Kishimoto

• Article 100574
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100574
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  Abstract

  Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) highly complain of pain, probably due to the lowered pain threshold caused by dopamine deficiency. Nonetheless, only a few studies have investigated the effects of anti-PD medications on "pain inhibits pain" ability. This study aimed to evaluate conditioned pain modulation (CPM) using the cutaneous silent period (CSP) and the numerical rating scale (NRS) and to investigate the effect of anti-PD medications on CPM.

Acoustic signatures of bulbar ALS: Predictive modeling with sustained vowels and LightGBM

Zahra Farrokhi, Seyed Amirali Zakavi, Arian Sarafraz, Maryam Valifard, ... Niloofar Deravi

• Article 100579
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100579
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  Abstract

  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative neurologic disease with no definitive biomarkers for early detection. This paper discusses the use of acoustic analysis of sustained vowel phonations (SVP) and machine learning in ALS detection.

  An SVP corpus of 128 (64 /a/ and 64 /i/) from 31 patients with ALS and 33 healthy controls (HC) was employed. 131 acoustic features, including jitter, shimmer, Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs), and Pathological Vibrato Index (PVI), were extracted. A LightGBM (Light Gradient Boosting Machine)-based model was built and optimized using 5-fold cross-validation to separate ALS cases. Model performance and feature importance were evaluated.

The Neuroinfectious diseases profile in a specialist neurology centre in South Africa

Katryn Oosthuizen, Suzaan Marais

• Article 100581
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100581
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  Abstract

  This study aimed to assess the burden of neuroinfectious diseases and describe the causes and presentation of neurological infections to a tertiary level hospital neurology service in South Africa.

  A retrospective electronic search of medical discharge records was conducted for adult patients admitted to the neurology ward over a two-year period, and patients with neuroinfectious diseases were identified. Diagnostic criteria were applied to classify patients according to the certainty of their neuroinfectious disease diagnosis.

A case of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome with superior cerebellar peduncle lesions

Kunihiko Ishizawa, Kentaro Hashimoto, Hironori Oka, Takashi Sugawara, ... Mikio Shoji

• Article 100571
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100571
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  Abstract

  Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting carriers of a premutation in the FMR1 gene involving expansion of CGG repeats. We present the case of a 66-year-old man with fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome caused by a premutation of the FMR1 gene with approximately 80–110 CGG repeats. He demonstrated progressive cognitive decline, dysarthria, truncal ataxia, and incoordination. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed prominent middle cerebellar peduncle and corpus callosum splenium signs, while skin biopsy showed p62-positive nuclear inclusion bodies. Genetic analysis showed no expansion of the NOTCH2NLC gene. The diagnosis of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome was confirmed by the CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene. We discovered new superior cerebellar peduncle and superior cerebellar peduncle decussation lesions in our case, suggesting the possibility of prominent and early magnetic resonance imaging lesions in fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.

Experience with surgical evacuation of neonatal brain abscess: A patient series and review of literature

Sunil Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Vivek Sanker, Savvy Aujla, ... Tirth Dave

• Article 100572
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100572
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  Abstract

  Neonatal brain abscess is a focal intracerebral infection that, although rare in neonates, is associated with high mortality rates and long-term complications. In neonates, it mainly occurs as a complication of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. This case series reports three cases of neonatal brain abscesses involving infants who presented with fever and other symptoms and were treated with antibiotics, surgical evacuation, and prophylactic anti-epileptic treatment. Following treatment, all infants showed marked radiological improvement and reduced abscess size. In addition, pus culture, blood culture, and CSF analysis reports were typical. Despite the severe nature of the condition, all three infants recovered well and achieved appropriate developmental milestones.

Pupil response as a window into cognitive processing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Mohamad El Haj, Souheil Hallit, Claire Boutoleau-Bretonnière

• Article 100575
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100575
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  Abstract

  This preliminary study aimed to investigate whether the pupil size reflects cognitive load in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

  Pupil activity was monitored in three patients with ALS and a group of healthy control participants (n = 16) while performing three tasks: a forward span task, a backward span task, and a control task involving counting aloud. These tasks were designed to impose increasing cognitive demands, with the backward span task being the most challenging.

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica infection in a geriatric patient with other recurrent bacterial infections

Luis Castañeda Pelaez, Jesús Eduardo Rojas Jaimes, Elsa Nuñez Infanzón, Delza Tárraga Gonzales, Sergio Ronceros Medrano

• Article 100576
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100576
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  Abstract

  Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a Gram-negative bacillary bacterium known for its multidrug resistance, particularly to carbapenems. This resistance complicates treatment and results in a high mortality rate, especially in hospitalized patients, which can reach up to 52 %. In this case, the infection was observed in a 73-year-old immunocompetent patient with a chronic exacerbated subdural hemorrhage with midline deviation and tracheostomy, who was hospitalized and febrile, and the bacterium Elizabethkingia meningoseptica was isolated in bronchial secretion cultures. The patient responded favorably to treatment with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and other recurrent infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ultimately, the immunocompetent patient improved and was discharged, able to ventilate independently.

FXTAS presenting with cervical dystonia as the initial symptom: Considering FXTAS in the clinical evaluation of cervical dystonia

Homare Funasaka, Serika Kanazawa, Sachiko Kamada

• Article 100578
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100578
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  Abstract

  FXTAS (Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome) is characterized by typical clinical features, including tremor, cerebellar ataxia, parkinsonism, and the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) sign, which appears as T2 hyperintensity in the MCP on MRI. FXTAS is almost never considered in the context of cervical dystonia. However, this case demonstrates that FXTAS can initially present with cervical dystonia.

CANOMAD mimicking anti-MAG/SGPG neuropathy: A case highlighting the diagnostic specificity of ophthalmoplegia and cold agglutination

Homare Funasaka, Akira Hanazono, Koh Abe, Takaya Yamashita, ... Masashiro Sugawara

• Article 100580
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100580
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  Abstract

  Anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein/sulfated glucuronyl paragloboside (MAG/SGPG) neuropathy is a major differential diagnosis for sensory ataxic neuropathy with IgM κ type M proteinemia. Alternatively and less commonly, an important differential diagnosis for chronic sensory ataxic neuropathy with IgM κ type M proteinemia is chronic ataxic neuropathy with ophthalmoplegia, M proteinemia, cold agglutinins, and disialosyl antibodies (CANOMAD), which has been reported to respond to therapies such as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Confusingly, this case tested positive for anti-SGPG antibodies despite CANOMAD.

A case report: The cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen evaluated by 15O positron emission tomography may predict the recovery of cortical deafness due to bilateral cerebral hemorrhage

Kosuke Sasaki, Yasuaki Kokubo, Shinji Sato, Kohei Igarashi, ... Yukihiko Sonoda

• Article 100582
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100582
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  Abstract

  Cortical deafness is a rare central auditory disorder resulting in severe hearing loss. It is caused by bilateral damage to the auditory cortex, auditory radiation, or medial geniculate body. We herein report a case of cortical deafness recovery caused by left thalamic hemorrhage following right putaminal hemorrhage. The evaluation of the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) using 15O positron emission tomography (15O-PET) at the onset helped predict the functional outcomes. A CMRO2 evaluation using 15O-PET was valuable for predicting the outcome of cortical deafness. We should remain aware of the possibility of cortical deafness in stroke patients with bilateral temporal lobe lesions, basal ganglia lesions near auditory tracts, or brainstem lesions, including those with preexisting lesions.

Internal jugular vein compression: A benign entity or an underappreciated phenomenon?

Paul Francis Greene

• Article 100577
• https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100577
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