US Neurology – Volume 16 Issue 2 – Fall 2020

Welcome to the latest edition of US Neurology, which features a diverse range of topical articles covering a range of therapeutic areas relevant to neurologists and other practitioners involved in the care of patients with neurological illness. We begin with an expert interview, in which Handan Gunduz-Bruce provides an overview of zuranolone, an oral, positive allosteric […]

Altered neurotransmission of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. In this expert interview, Dr. Handan Gunduz-Bruce discusses the background and rationale for investigating zuranolone, an oral, positive allosteric modulator of GABA type A (GABAA) receptors, as a potential treatment for postpartum depression and major depressive disorder. She also provides an overview […]

Dogma dictates that scientific literature should be couched in the third person, past tense. The idea is to obviate the potential to introduce personal bias that may accompany first person, present tense, which is creeping into modern scientific writing. This use of the first person, I am reliably told, followed wide adoption of blogging, in […]

Epilepsy is a very common neurological disease, affecting more than 50 million people worldwide and 3.4 million people in the USA.1–3 Focal seizures, formerly partial-onset seizures, are the most common type, making up ≥60% of cases.4–6 Patients with epilepsy have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality, a decreased quality of life and are more likely […]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuro-inflammatory condition estimated to affect over two million people worldwide. Several subtypes of MS have been described, and they are defined by their clinical phenotypes.1 The majority of patients initially exhibit relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), which is characterized by acute episodes of overt inflammation associated with abrupt clinical decline, most […]

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR) is a progressive life-threatening disease that typically presents as progressive sensorimotor polyneuropathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, or a combination of both.1 Patients with hATTR-associated polyneuropathy (hATTR-PN) typically require assistance walking after 5–6 years, and die within 7–10 years from the onset of neuropathy.2 However, clinical manifestations of amyloidosis can affect other organs as well, including […]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that displays heterogeneous age of onset, symptoms, and progression.1,2 The disease presents clinically with upper and lower motor neuron features.3 There is no definitive test or assay that can be used to diagnose ALS, so the diagnosis is reached by ruling out other diseases that mimic the condition […]

Botulism is an extremely rare paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.1 While much less common, botulism can result from infection by C. butyricum and C. baratii as well.1 Found in soils and sediments worldwide, C. botulinum is a strictly anaerobic, Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that produces botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs).2 There are currently eight known botulinum toxin serotypes, which are designated by […]

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare condition.1–3 While thrombophilias, contraceptive pill, hormonal replacement therapy, and neoplasms are well-established predisposing factors, steroid use is a less-common possible risk factor, particularly with regard to anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS).1–4 We intend to describe what is known about AAS and present a case of CVT associated with AAS use […]