Frontiers in Neurology

Neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders are related disorders lying on a spectrum of neural dysfunction with overlapping molecular and cellular mechanisms. Early-life diseases like autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are the result of disturbed neurodevelopment, while late-onset diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are defined b…

Objective To evaluate long-term changes in consciousness and age-related recovery patterns in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC) following spinal cord stimulation (stSCS), and to explore whether early postoperative neurological improvement is associated with long-term outcomes. Methods This retrospective study included 30 patients with pDoC who underwent stSCS and were foll…

Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome (FIRS) is a leading cause of neonatal brain injury for which no specific treatment currently exists. This review proposes that Exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, is a promising “network therapy” due to its multi-target actions against the interconnected pathologies of FIRS. We synthesize evidence that Exendin-4 can concurrently mitigate neu…

Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that leads to neurological disability, more pronounced in the progressive phase. Teriflunomide, an oral disease-modifying therapy, has shown potential neuroprotective effects beyond relapse reduction, including preservation of brain integrity and mitigation of disability progression. This review p…

Background Previous studies about post-stroke peripheral structural remodeling have been focused on muscle fiber alterations, while extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in musculoskeletal tissues remains unclear. This study examines changes in extracellular matrix (ECM), specifically hyaluronan (HA) and collagen, in forelimb muscles following distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) in mi…

Background Cognitive and motor impairments are major determinants of functional independence after stroke. While robot-assisted training is effective for motor recovery, its impact on cognitive function through integrated cognitive–motor training remains less explored. This study evaluated the effects of an end-effector robot-assisted integrated cognitive–motor rehabilitation program on global co…

Introduction Functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke remain heterogeneous despite advances in reperfusion therapies. Although inflammation, coagulation, and metabolic disturbances influence prognosis, their combined effects are not well defined. Methods This single-center retrospective study evaluated clinical variables and biomarkers across inflammatory, lipid, and coagulation domains in…

Background Whether dominant-side, non-dominant-side, or bilateral acupuncture produces comparable cortical activation remains unresolved. This study compared phase-specific cortical hemodynamic responses across these configurations at LR3-LI4 using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods In total, 53 healthy right-handed adults were randomized to dominant-side acupuncture (DS, n = …

Diplopia is a disabling condition with diverse etiologies, but population-based studies on its healthcare utilization and healthcare costs are limited in South Korea. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study using all claims data submitted to the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in 2023. Patients with diplopia were identified using diagnostic codes for diplopia and str…

Background Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is a common and serious complication of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score reflects nutritional, inflammatory, and immune status, but its association with SAP remains unclear. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 1,766 consecutive AIS patients admitted between January 2019 and December 2023. HALP …

Background Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and clinically important complication after cardiac surgery in older adults. We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy and hemodynamic safety of perioperative dexmedetomidine for POD prevention in older adults undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods We searched PubMed,…

Background Levodopa is considered the most effective pharmacological therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it can cause side effects including diverse types of dyskinesia. In rare cases, tremor worsening has been reported in patients with PD taking levodopa. The frequency of this effect in clinical practice is unclear, and the phenomenology is poorly characterized. Objectives We aimed to…

Background The ability to dress appropriately is a fundamental daily living skill that is often impaired by neurological disorders and can manifest as a specific form of apraxia (dressing apraxia). Despite its prevalence and impact on functional independence, standardized and reliable assessment tools for dressing skills remain limited. The aim of this study was to identify dressing patterns in h…

Reperfusion therapies, including intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment (EVT), are central to acute ischemic stroke (AIS) management; however, ischemia–reperfusion injury may limit recovery despite successful recanalization. This structured narrative review compares the clinical evidence, safety signals, and mechanistic literature for edaravone, butylphthalide (NBP), and the fixed-do…

Background Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising noninvasive intervention for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but its clinical efficacy and network-level mechanisms remain unclear. Methods In this prospective, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-group trial, 60 patients with MCI were assigned 1:1 to 12-week taVNS or sham taVNS. The primary outcome was the betw…

Objective To assess the feasibility, safety, and short-term outcomes of adjunctive middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization using low-viscosity liquid embolic agents (1:1 diluted Onyx/DMSO and 1:9 diluted Glubran 2/Ethiodized Poppyseed Oil Injection) for acute epidural hematoma (AEDH). Methods We retrospectively reviewed 9 consecutive AEDH patients evaluated for MMA embolization at our institut…

Introduction Inner retinal layer thinning, particularly of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT), is an established surrogate biomarker of neuroaxonal damage in multiple sclerosis; however, the influence of preprocessing strategies on longitudinal retinal change estimates remains u…

Background Parkinson’s disease (PD) incidence has risen by more than eightfold in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between 1990 and 2019, representing one of the highest increases globally and creating substantial pressure on a fragmented, multi-payer health system. Region-specific guidance has been lacking, leading clinicians to extrapolate from international guidelines that do not fully address f…

Objectives To evaluate whether selective intra-arterial hypothermia during mechanical thrombectomy is associated with greater preservation of initially hypoperfused tissue in patients with anterior-circulation large-vessel occlusion. Methods This prospective single-center nonrandomized comparative cohort study included consecutive patients with anterior-circulation large-vessel occlusion treated …

Background Migraine is a complex neurological disorder that is not limited to headache attacks; it can affect cognitive, behavioral, and emotional processes. This study aims to examine whether individuals with episodic migraine and healthy controls differ in impulsivity and decision-making styles and to evaluate the relationships among these variables. Method This cross-sectional study included p…