فصلنامه علوم اعصاب شفای خاتم
پیاپی 4 (پاییز 1392)

Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (JME) is a generalized epileptic syndrome. Age of onset is usually between 12 to 18 years. JME consists of myoclonic jerks, generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCs) and typical absence attacks. EEG shows characteristic changes in JME. Long term video-electroencephalography monitoring (VEM) is a helpful diagnostic procedure in the diagnosis of patient with unclear history or EEG findings. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the role of VEM in diagnosis of refractory epileptic patients.
This study is retrospective and descriptive on patients of Epilepsy Monitoring Unit of Razavi Hospital, Mashhad, Iran between March 2011 and March 2012. Telephone interview was scheduled 6-18 months after discharge to evaluate results of VEM on the frequency of seizures, the therapeutic regimes and patients’ quality of life.
24 cases with diagnosis of JME were chosen among 250 patients who were admitted with refractory epilepsy. Fourteen of them were female. The average age of patients was 24 years old and the average duration of the seizure attacks was 12.97 years. The mean frequency of GTCs was 2.76 attacks per month and after VEM and proper treatment, it decreased to 0.27 attacks per month.
VEM is a helpful diagnostic procedure for evaluating of refractory JME epileptic patients.

Unique features of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) such as unlimited proliferation and differentiation into other types of cells make them a favorable tool for biomedical researches as well as a potential source for therapeutic application for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. In recent years, in vitro methods have been developed which permit the growth of neurons from pluripotent cells in culture. These cells can be maintained as stable, proliferative and undifferentiated cell lines if cultured on feeder layer or in presence of leukemia inhibitory factor. Since ESCs can be proliferated and differentiated, it is possible to generate large numbers of donor cells for neural transplantation. Retinoic acid (RA) is one of the most important morphogenesis, and its embryonic distribution correlates with neural differentiation and positional specification in the developing central nervous system.
After proliferation on the mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder cells in the presence of LIF, for the study of CCE cell line differentiation these cells were cultured to producing cell aggregates (embryoid bodies). The embryoid bodies were under the protocol 4- / 4 (four days in the presence or absence of retinoic acid) at concentration of 10-6 µM retinoic acid for differentiation. Then morphological, molecular and immunocytochemistry examination were used to assess neurological factors.
In this induction protocol, highly proportion (%80) of ESCs could be induced to differentiation into neuron-like cells. The cells expressed neuroepitelial cell marker nestin. In addition, the results indicated that RA could induce nerve growth factor gene expression in the ESCs.
These findings suggest that RA strictly regulates the neuralization and specification during differentiation of mouse ESCs, especially for the differentiation into nerve cells.

Injuries are the most common cause of death among people 1 to 34 years of age and the leading cause of disability. Traffic injuries continue to represent a significant source of injury related mortality and morbidity among young people. Head and neck are prone to traumatic injury during a traffic accident as a result of pendulous movement. This study describes the incidence of head and neck injuries patterns in hospitalized traumatic patients in Tehran, Iran.
During this cross sectional study, all traumatized patients admitted in six main general hospitals in Tehran were enrolled. 2807 head and neck injured patients have been studied thoroughly. Patient's data were collected by trained physicians who were not involved with patient care. They have interviewed patients just for data gathering. To control the data quality, random samples of questionnaires were regularly checked during the study.
One third of all injured patients had a head or neck injury. There was a male predominance and 75% of patients were 40 years old or younger. Traffic collision was the leading cause of injury followed by fall.
Safety promotion to prevent traffic collision and fall are crucial to control head and neck injuries in Tehran.

The term cortical spreading depolarization (CSD) describes a wave of mass neuronal depolarization linked with ionic distribution and cellular swelling. Glutamate release following cell depolarization in extracellular space is a major event in this phenomenon. The hippocampus is widely accepted to play a pivotal role in memory. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) sub receptor on SD-induced memory deficits in rats.
36 juvenile Wistar rat were used to investigate the role of repetitive SD induction on memory performance by T-Maze test. We have investigated the role of MK-801, a NMDA receptor blocker, on the memory retrieval by the same test.
Behavioral assessments showed that memory retrieval significantly impaired following by the repetitive SD induction. However, application of MK-801 improved the memory deficits induced by the repetitive SD. Our data suggested that NMDA receptors may play a critical role on protection of memory in SD related disorders.

Premedication with analgesics prior to surgery leads to reduction in sensitivity and/or blockage of the pain transmission pathway. Gabapentin and Tizanidine are used as premedication drugs. There are limited studies on the effect of Gabapentin as premedication on post-operative pain. Tizanidine compared with Gabapentin has more side effects and a shorter life span. In this study, we compared the analgesic effects of Gabapentin and Tizanidine on pain after elective hysterectomy.
This study was performed on 64 patients (30-60 years old) who were referred to Shariati hospital for elective hysterectomy. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (n = 32) Group 1, patients who took 300 mg Gabapentin orally one hour prior to surgery and Group 2, patients who took 8 mg of Tizanidine orally one hour prior to surgery. Pain levels were recorded via Visual Analogue Scales prior to intake of drugs and 12 hours after surgery. Furthermore, morphine intakes in the first 12 hours were compared with the intake at the time of patient’s first request for morphine.
There was a significant reduction in the intake dosage of opioid in group 1 in comparison with group 2. The first group requested opioid significantly later than the second group. Both groups had the same level of pain prior to surgery. However, there was significant reduction in pain at 1, 3 and 12 hours after surgery.
Overall, in comparison with Tizanidine, the use of Gabapentin prior to the surgery decreased pain and the need for opioid during and after the surgery.

Manipulating the function of neural cells via electrophysiology and pharmacological agents in neuroscience research have long been interesting in unraveling the function of neural circuits, behavior, and attributed disorders. The power of electrophysiology and pharmacologic methods in the manipulation of neural cells varies and therefore researchers have been attempting to enhance their knowledge in this field in recent two decades. Optogenetics has the advantage to take under control both the temporal and spatial resolution in manipulating desired neural cells. In optogenetics, control over the function of neural cells is possible through shining the light onto the cells that bear light sensitive molecules.
Optogenetics come to help the researchers to know how the neural cells, circuits, and systems work and there is an attempt to move toward the treatment of nervous system disorders by this technology. In this article, I reviewed optogenetics and its potential clinical applications.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) belongs to a family of ligand gated ion channels. This non-selective cation channel is permeable to Na, K and highly to Ca2 ions. It acts as a trigger for Ca2 mediated cell signaling. Although this channel has been previously found highly expressed in dorsal root ganglion, there is a line of evidence indicating the remarkable expression of TRPV1 channels in other parts of the central nervous system.
There is evidence to suggest that TRPV1 channels in the brain contribute in many basic neuronal functions, including neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity.

Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders. It has been classified into migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO) by defining two separate diagnostic criteria. This classification has been subject to many debates over the years about whether MO and MA are subtypes of the same disorder or should be considered as two separate entities. This study has reviewed the different mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of the MO and MA.
Several studies have shown that the mechanisms involved in the two forms of migraine (MO and MA) differ from each other. Exclusion of mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of these diseases may help to invent the more effective treatment.