Neurological Disorders

Background: The incidence of recurrent stroke and mortality ratio of patients with a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor ischemic stroke (MIS) is a challenging issue, especially the long-term recurrence ratio.
Aims: This study aimed to estimate the long-term incidence of ischemic stroke recurrence and identify the risk factors associated with recurrent stroke in the Xuzhou region of China.
Settings and design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a group of patients with TIA or MIS between the ages of 20 and 80 years.
Methods and material: A total of 297 individuals participated. Medical records were one of the data sources. The data of patients who meet the selection criteria gathered from the Neurology department, affiliated hospital of Xuzhou medical university Statistical analysis used: Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 was used for statistical analysis.
Results: In this study, 297 patients were included for analysis; 30 (9.17%) patients were lost to follow-up at 5 years. Post onset of the TIA and MIS analysis reveals that the cumulative incidences of recurrent stroke at 3,6,12, 36, and 60 months were 6.73% (20/297), 10.77% (32/297), 18.86% (56/297), 25.25% (75/297), and 33.33% (99/297), respectively. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that age, current smoking, poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes, vascular stenosis, and plaque vulnerability as independent risk factors for ischemic stroke recurrence. Further analysis based on different vascular stratification of carotid atherosclerosis showed that 5-year cumulative survival was 10% lower in patients with severe stenosis than in patients with plaque vulnerability.
Conclusion: This study aimed to estimate the long-term incidence of ischemic stroke recurrence and identify the risk factors associated with recurrent stroke in the Xuzhou region of China.

Objective: Pathophysiology behind reduced olfactory ability in hyperosmic individuals.
Background: Covid-19 infection as an enantiopathy to hyperosmia has not been described.
Design/Methods: A 63 year-right-handed male presented with hyperosmia of 150% of normal whereby aromas appeared distorted and disgusting. Shortly, he tested positive for Covid-19 which led to a resolution of his hyperosmia. Alcohol Sniff Test scores fluctuated between zero and three (anosmia). Gradually, his smell improved from 80% and 100% of normal. However, post Covid-19 infection, it returned to 130% of normal.
Results: Neurological abnormalities, Olfatory testing, Odor discrimination memory test, Total 7/12 (hyposmia). Bilateral olfactory threshold testing to phenylethyl alcohol 3 (hyposmia). Taste Threshold and Suprathreshold Testing: Mild hypogeusia to Sucrose. Ageusia to Hydrochloric acid, urea and propothiocarbamide. Olfactometer Identification Testing: Left nostril: 10 (anosmia), Right nostril: 8 (anosmia).
Conclusion: The mechanism whereby Covid-19 acts to reduce olfactory ability in normosmic individuals has been postulated as viral involvement of olfactory nerve at olfactory bulb, pathology of sustentacular cells, olfactory receptor site destruction vasculopathy/arteriopathy of cranial nerve or central connections of olfactory nerve or inflammatory response induced destruction of lamina propria and olfactory nerve apoptosis. The same may have incited a reduced olfaction in hyperosmic individuals-such may be under grouped as understanding the pathophysiology of this subject’s hyperosmia. Perceived hyperosmia is often objectively hyposmic pathology of inhibiting the inhibitory olfactory discharges that result in enhancement of perceived odor. Elimination of hyperosmia reduces functionality of remaining normosmic neurons which then became relatively hyposmic, but were perceived as normal due to lack of the inhibitory factors. Recovery of hyperosmia upon recovery of olfactory function from Covid-19 would be consistent with such a postulation. Of those with preexisting chemosensory dysfunction, query as to impact of Covid-19 on remaining sensory function is warranted.

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that involves a spectrum of manifestations, including alterations in restricted and repetitive sensory motor behavior and social communication deficits that expresses in activities of daily living. The functionality of posture and balance is investigated by observing aspects related to physical measures and clinical characteristics of the center of pressure sway and daily living skills (DLS) in individuals with ASD.
Objective: To characterize the functionality of postural control in patients diagnosed with ASD and to observe correlations between changes in postural control in clinical features and DLS.
Methodology: This study conducted a bibliographical survey in the PubMed, SciElo, PEDro, and Bireme databases. The inclusion criteria included studies from 2011 to 2021, free texts in Portuguese and English, and articles of evaluations in children up to the age of adults (44 years) that were within the study objective. Articles excluded described coordination and balance disorders other than ASD, studies proposing treatment protocols, and evaluations of adults older than 45.
Results: Five pieces compose this review in which the characteristics observed show postural balance changes. There is a difference in the performance of individuals with ASD and typical development (TD), showing a longer time for postural development and difficulties in DLS.
Conclusion: Although the studies present different ways of evaluating postural and balance development, balance disorders are evident, considering a correlation between DLS and IQ.

This review paper explores auditory tactile (AT) synesthesia, a rare neurological condition where sounds evoke tactile sensations. The paper provides a historical overview of the condition and discusses its epidemiology, with a prevalence of less than 1% of the general population. The neurological basis of AT synesthesia is explored, including the role of cross-modal processing and hyper connectivity within the brain. The paper also describes the phenomenology of the condition, including the range of tactile sensations that can be experienced in response to different sounds. The occurrence of AT synesthesia in the present-day world is discussed, including its relationship to music and art. Various hypotheses surrounding the development and maintenance of AT synesthesia are reviewed, focusing on genetic and environmental factors. The implications for clinical practice are explored, including potential benefits for individuals with sensory processing disorders. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of future directions for research in this field, including the need to explore further the underlying neural mechanisms of AT synesthesia and potential therapeutic interventions.

Immunomagnetic Reduction (IMR) is an ultrasensitive assay for low-concentrated circulating proteins associated with diseases, such as cancers, inflammation, preterm birth, and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to exploring clinical utilities, investigations of the chemical kinetics of the associations between biomarker molecules and nanoparticles in IMR have attracted much interest. To this end, the real-time alternating current (AC) magnetic signal, χ ac, of the reagent after being mixed with a sample was recorded, i.e., χac -t curve. Total tau protein (T-Tau), which is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, was used as a representative biomarker. Detailed characterizations, such as characteristic times in the χac -t curve, instant reaction rates, and orders of reactions, were investigated in this work. In particular, the effect of the concentration of the biomarker (T-Tau) on these parameters was explored. The results show that the nanoparticle-biomolecule association consists of two steps: Diffusion and binding. The time to initiate the binding step decreases as the T-Tau concentration increases, but the time to finish the association increases. During the binding step, the instant reaction rate reaches a maximum before the first half of the binding step is completed. The period of the second half is longer than the first half by 65% to 112%. Furthermore, the nanoparticle-biomolecule association is found to be a first-order reaction. The contributions of various factors, such as the collision frequency, surface energy barrier, substrate mobility, numbers of nanoparticles/molecules, etc., are discussed to clarify the chemical kinetics of the reactions in the IMR assay.