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Biomedical subjects

A Stracciari

Publications and source records attributed to A Stracciari.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Cognitive functions after transient topographical amnesia.

Twelve consecutive patients having previously experienced one or more episodes of isolated transient topographical amnesia (TTA) underwent neuropsychological examination 6-12 months after the last episode to detect signs of global cognitive decline and to assess, in particular, cognitive functions deemed critical for topographical orientation. The test scores were compared with those of 12 normal subjects matched for age, sex, educational level and place of residence. Both patients and controls showed normal performances in all tasks. The comparison between the two groups revealed a significantly lower performance of the patient group in a task of geographical orientation, namely 'Map of Italy'. We conclude that isolated episodes of TTA in the elderly per se do not represent a sign of mental deterioration, but can be associated with frailty on survey components of spatial orientation. It remains to be explained whether this feature is a pre-existing condition favouring the occurrence of the episodes of topographical amnesia or represents a sequela.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Neuropsychiatric complications of liver transplantation.

Liver transplantation (LT) is the best treatment for end-stage liver diseases but it entails a high incidence of neuropsychiatric complications. These may be related to the operation or occur postoperatively, usually within the first month. The occurrence of neurological problems after LT increases the risk of mortality. The etiology of such complications is various, often multifactorial, immunosuppression being one of the most important causes. Immunosuppressive drugs may cause a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric complications--mainly affecting the CNS--ranging from mild to severe disorders. A survey of the most frequent disorders is presented. In the management of liver-transplanted patients, the awareness of potential neurological and psychiatric problems is crucial for patients' survival, since it assists clinicians in prevention, prompt diagnosis, and treatment.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed2000

Effect of liver transplantation on neurological manifestations in Wilson disease.

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LT) is the sole resolutive therapy for Wilson disease (WD) and is the treatment of choice for patients with WD who have fulminant hepatic failure or end-stage cirrhosis. Although its role in managing the neurological manifestations of WD is not yet conclusive, LT has recently been advocated as a therapy for neurologically affected patients with WD with stable liver function. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of LT on the neurological manifestations of WD. OBSERVATION: A 44-year-old man with WD with cirrhosis and neurological symptoms (motor dysfunction and cognitive impairment) experienced a dramatic improvement in motor function early after LT, as well as normalization of copper balance and the disappearance of Kayser-Fleischer rings. Abnormalities seen on magnetic resonance imaging scans were reversed 18 months after LT. Cognitive testing 2 years after LT showed a moderate global improvement. CONCLUSIONS: In this case, LT healed the neurological manifestations of WD. To date, this favorable result has been seen in almost 80% of cases. However, the decision to perform LT in patients with WD solely on the basis of neurological impairment must be considered experimental.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Transient amnesia triggered by acute marijuana intoxication.

We report an unusual case of sudden isolated transient amnesia triggered by acute marijuana use. The memory disorder, apart from the long duration, had the characteristics of a transient global amnesia-like episode. Acute marijuana intoxication can affect memory more globally and severely than previously reported.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Transient procedural amnesia.

A man experienced temporary amnesia for tasks which he was used to performing daily as they were the core of his working activity (bread making). No overt etiology was found. We hypothesized a disorder that is similar to transient global amnesia, but selectively affects procedural memory.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1996

Neurological complications of liver transplantation.

We examined 199 consecutive patients who underwent 220 liver transplantations, to define the type, frequency and aetiology of posttransplant neurological complications and their prognostic value. We found neurological complications in 63 patients (32%), mostly involving the central nervous system. The most frequent complications were mental status changes ranging from delirium to coma and seizures. The aetiology was multifactorial, cyclosporin A neurotoxicity being the main cause. Patients with neurological complications had a higher mortality rate than those without. In our series, neurological complications represented a major medical problem with increased morbidity and mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

No neurological improvement after liver transplantation for Wilson's disease.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) represents the sole etiological treatment for Wilson's disease (WD), but its efficacy in resolving the neurological symptoms is still a matter of debate. We present the case of a young male affected with WD with hepatic and neurological involvement, who underwent OLT for subacute liver failure. Clinical, neuropsychological and neuroradiological assessment were performed before and after OLT. OLT had no effect on neurological symptoms, suggesting that the basal ganglia damage may be irreversible. Nineteen months after OLT, the patient went on to develop new permanent extrapyramidal symptoms. We postulate a sequela of an early post-operative central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Post-traumatic retrograde amnesia with selective impairment of autobiographical memory.

A selective, temporally limited retrograde amnesia, confined to autobiographical memory, was the only sequela of a "minor" head trauma in two young men. The retrograde memory gap covered about one year of life before the trauma and persisted for several months, without any anterograde deficit or other cognitive disturbances. This unusual pattern of retrograde amnesia deserves close consideration and points to the dissociation of memory subsystems and mechanisms.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Transient topographical amnesia.

Ten healthy middle aged or elderly women experienced isolated episodes of topographical amnesia without an obvious aetiology. It is likely a benign cognitive disorder, similar to transient global amnesia.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Multiple sclerosis with very late onset: report of six cases and review of the literature.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) usually starts in young adulthood. However, the disease may appear late or very late in life. We report 6 cases with onset after the age of 59 years and review the literature. As in early onset disease, the diagnosis is mainly clinical. Laboratory findings and paraclinical evidence may support the diagnosis of clinical data are not sufficient. In elderly patients clinical history and laboratory data should be thoroughly appraised to exclude conditions more common in old age such as vascular diseases.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1994

Incidence of stroke among inpatients in a large Italian hospital.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The incidence of stroke among inpatients is not known. The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of stroke not preceded by evident iatrogenic factors such as surgical or medical procedures in a cohort of inpatients in a large Italian general hospital. METHODS: From January 1, 1992, to December 31, 1992, we evaluated patients referred to our neurology department with a suspected diagnosis of stroke that occurred during hospitalization. Patients presenting with stroke as a complication of iatrogenic causes were excluded. We calculated the incidence rate of first-ever stroke in our cohort (crude and among patients aged older than 50 years), thereafter adjusting these rates for age to the general population of the city district of Bologna (Italy). RESULTS: In 1992, 22 inpatients had a first-ever stroke with no evidence of iatrogenic factors. The crude stroke incidence rate was 11.08/1000 per year (95% confidence interval, 6.95 to 16.73). The age-adjusted rate was 5.46 (95% confidence interval 3.42 to 8.24). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of first-ever stroke among hospitalized patients is higher than those reported in community-based studies. Higher frequency of coronary artery disease among our patients could explain our findings. Further studies are needed to identify possible predisposing factors (individual or environmental) for stroke among inpatients.

Adult↗