Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M F Jurko

Publications and source records attributed to M F Jurko.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Seizure control by mesothalamic reticular stimulation.

A 53 year old woman with chronic back pain and headaches also was considered to have a reticular formation generated "absence status." Both the chronic pain and the absence status were relieved by electrical stimulation in the mesothalamic reticular formation. The various psychologic and physiologic factors contributing to the patient's illness were analyzed and presented to demonstrate the progression of the illness. The discussion considers electrical "mini-discharges" in the reticular formation as the generator of the absence status and associated chronic pain. Therapeutic reticular stimulation electrically "jams" the reticular "mini-discharge" generator and thereby alleviates the absence attacks and pain.

Electric Stimulation Therapy↗
PubMed1985

Seizures and pain.

The findings of this case report do not answer the question of whether or not the slow wave discharge specifically represents a permutation of the K-complex. However, the slow wave discharge and the K-complex may be "bed partners" in part, with both residing in the same reticular activating system. It is therefore concluded that the reticular formation which harbors the arousal system also generates the slow wave discharges in this case. The discharge in turn activates the pain and other subsystems within the same reticular core to produce the associated somato-sensory, visceral and autonomic disturbances.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Recent developments in brain rehabilitation.

This paper introduces the new area of neuropsychologic rehabilitation. Procedures have been developed that can improve some verbal and nonverbal skills impaired by stroke and other brain insults. Technics are described that are now available to remediate perceptual problems such as spatial neglect, cognition difficulties, and recent memory deficits in people with brain injury.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1978

The K-complex in thalamic depth recordings.

K-complexes were recorded from the thalamus in a patient having stereotaxic surgery for intractable stump pain. Two insertions were performed, one in the lateral and the other in the medial thalamus. It was found that, (1) very prominent K-complex activity was present at the depth electrode with relatively meager representation of these forms at the scalp; (2) the trailing spindle component of the K-complex was well displayed on the scalp, but the sharp and slow components were not readily visible in the scalp recordings, suggesting a multiple system response; (3) insertion into the lateral thalamus revealed much K-complex activity in contrast to the relatively little amount found with the insertion into the medial thalamus. These findings support earlier hypotheses of a subcortical origin, and specifically thalamic participation, in the K-complex formations.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Verbal learning dysfunction with combined centre median and amygdala lesions.

Stereotaxic lesions in either or both amygdala did not impair verbal learning ability (presented by ear as a paired-associates test). Centre median lesions alone did not impair this form of learning; however, when combined with a left amygdala lesion a significant decrease in scores occurred which persisted for up to two years after operation. The data support a hypothesis that medial thalamic structures have alerting functions in learning mechanisms.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1975

Amygdalotomy for bilateral temporal lobe seizures.

A 37-year-old woman had bilateral anygdalotomy for psychomotor and minor motor seizures and long periods of very pronounced mental depression. The patient has been seizure-free for four years postoperatively. A preoperative left temporal spike focus disappeared after extensive left anygdalotomy. Of particular interest in this case is the recovery of olfactory and memory functions which were partially impaired by the bilateral lesions. Bilateral anygdalotomy is effective in relieving temporal lobe seizures without the complications and deficits that usually occur with resections of the bilateral temporal lobe.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1975

Post-lesion yawning and thalamotomy site.

Yawning during hyperventilation occurred in certain patients post-thalamotomy. It was found that all of the lesions which elicited yawning (during the routine recording of electroencephalograms) were localized to the medial portion of the center-median nucleus. Yawning was noted to persist up to 3(1/2) years post surgery. Another group of patients who yawned when hyperventilated were patients with a history of a recent head injury who showed post-traumatic behavioral changes. Patients in both groups were young. There was no direct relationship between yawning and EEG abnormality. It was suggested that yawning during hyperventilation may serve as a sign of brain damage, especially at the brain stem level, in young patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1973

Psychological changes correlated with thalamotomy site.

The effects of surgically placed thalamic lesions on cognitive skills, as measured by psychological tests, are dependent upon the nature of the skill and the site of the lesion. Lesions within the limits of the centrum medianum nucleus produce few deficits, whereas lesions outside its limits result in deficits for a greater number of skills. In general, the more complex skills revealed more impairment and the deficits were long lasting.

Adult↗