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Executive function (EF) deficits are common in epilepsy and impact quality of life. This study compares EF in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients to healthy controls. Fifty-six IGE patients, 56 TLE patients, and 60 controls (matched by age) completed cognitive tests assessing attention, memory, learning, and verbal fluency. Both epilepsy groups performed worse than controls, with TLE patients showing significantly poorer verbal learning and memory compared to IGE patients. These findings suggest that TLE patients have more severe EF impairments, likely due to focal temporal lobe dysfunction and disruptions in EF networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several laboratory markers derived from a complete blood count (CBC) have been proposed as potential indicators for assessing the risk of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). However, limited and conflicting evidence exists regarding this association. This study aimed to evaluate the role of CBC parameters in CVT development and their link to disease characteristics. Methods: This case-control study included patients diagnosed with CVT between March 2018 and March 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated effects of applying cognitive-behavioral group therapy on recurrent headaches. Among Shiraz University female students complaining of headaches, 20 patients, each reporting either migraine or tension-type headaches and who met the 1988 International Headache Society diagnosis criteria for migraine and tension-type headaches, formed two groups. Analysis showed cognitive behavioral group therapy decreased headache index significantly. Therapeutic response patterns on dependent variables were similar for patients with migraines and those with tension-type headaches.

Background: Medications can increase the incidence rate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance (IR). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Carbamazepine (CBZ) or Valproate (VPA) as monotherapy on the development of MetS and IR in adult Iranian epileptic patients. Methods: In this observational analytic case-control study, 80 epileptic patients were treated with VPA (40 patients) or CBZ (40 patients) monotherapies for more than 6 months, and 45 ageand sex-matched controls were included. Results: Subjects with MetS or with IR had higher age, weight, waist, FBS, cholesterol, systolic and diastolic pressure, TG, LDL, insulin, BMI, and lower HDL. In MetS and IR, the frequency of VPA or CBZ use was significantly higher than the control group. The multiple regression analysis showed that in VPA-treated epileptic patients, the risk of MetS was increased 19 times higher than controls (OR= 19.20; 95% CI= 2.62-140.23, P=0. 004) and risk of IR was increased 15 and 9 times more than controls (OR=14.83; 95% CI=3.03-72.56, P=0.001) and (OR=9.13; 95% CI=2.55- 32.65, P= 0.001), respectively. An increase in the waist, DBP, and insulin level were also shown as important factors in the risk of MetS. In patients under CBZ therapy, the risk of MetS reduced by 17% less than controls and the risk of IR increased 7 times more than controls. Conclusion: Treatment with VPA may increase the likelihood of developing MetS and IR more than the CBZ therapy in epileptic patients in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although several animal studies have indicated the antiepileptic effect for curcumin, there are reports stating the null antiepileptic effect of this substance. This inconsistency might be due to the low bioavailability of curcumin. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the effect of oral bovine serum albumin (BSA)-based nanocurcumin on seizure caused by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) in mice. Furthermore, due to the suggested involvement of JNK signaling in seizure pathology, the hippocampal pattern of JNK phosphorylation (activation) was evaluated. Methods: BSA based nanocurcumin was administered at doses of 50 and 100mg/kg oral gavage to male NMRI mice, one hour before PTZ administration. Intravenous PTZ paradigm was used to determine the threshold dose of PTZ to induce clonic seizures, while the intraperitoneal PTZ paradigm was applied to evaluate the latency for appearance of generalized clonus. Upon completion of intraperitoneal PTZ paradigm experiments, the hippocampi were removed and Western blot analysis was performed to determine the phosphorylated and total forms of JNK. Results: The results indicated that BSA-based nanocurcumin at the doses of 50 and 100mg/kg could significantly increase the threshold and latency of clonic seizure, which was a significant superior effect compared to natural curcumin. PTZ significantly increased the level of hippocampal JNK phosphorylation, but pretreatment of nanocurcumin did not modify this effect. Conclusion: The present study shows that converting curcumin to BSA-based nanocurcumin can increase its antiepileptic effect. Furthermore, the antiepileptic effect of nanocurcumin was not associated with a modification in PTZ-induced hippocampal JNK hyper activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are two inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system with different pathogenesis. The aim of this study is to evaluate endocrinopathy in these patients. Methods: By convenient sampling method, 20 MS, 20 NMOSD and 20 normal age and sex matched as control were enrolled in this study. Hormonal assay including TSH, free T3, free T4, FSH, prolactin, cortisol, IGFI, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3, free T4, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, cortisol, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), urine specific gravity and anti-aquaporin immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) level was measured. Also adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test was done for MS and NMOSD patients. Results: Hypothyroidism was prevalent and found in 30% of MS, 40% of NMO patients, and only 9.5% of the controls. We detected greater rate of hypothyroidism in NMO patients compared to control (p=0.027). Mean level of anti-thyroglobulin antibody in MS and NMOSD patients was higher than control (p=0.037). One patient in MS group, 6 in NMOSD and 11 control had IGFI level lower than lower limit of their age groups (p=0.001). Conclusions: Although the result of this study did not support significant hypothalamic-pituitary axis endocrinopathy in NMOSD compared to MS and controls, there is a higher prevalence of some hormonal abnormalities, especially thyroid dysfunction in NMOSD cases, that needs more clinicians' attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the impact of the disability status, psychological resilience, and treatment adherence on health-related quality of life (QOL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: One hundred MS outpatients, 80 women and 20 men, referred to a clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were eligible to participate. MS was diagnosed by 2010 revised Mc-Donald criteria. The QOL and resilience were evaluated by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form (SF-36) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) respectively. Medication adherence and severity of disease were assessed by the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and expanded disability status state (EDSS) scores respectively. Results: Stepwise multiple regressions showed that in the first model, the disability status was the best predictor which accounted for 28.1% of the variance in QOL. In the second model, both the disability status and resilience explained 50.6% of the variation in QOL. Conclusion: The findings showed that the severity of the disease is a strong predictor which has adverse effects on the physical component of health-related QOL in the patients with MS. Both psychological resilience and treatment adherence have positive influence on mental component of QOL in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in brain and cognitive science studies have revolutionized concepts in neural dynamics, regulating mechanisms, coding systems and information processing networks which govern our function and behavior. Hidden aspects of neurological and psychiatric diseases are being understood and hopes for their treatment are emerging. Although the two comprehensive mega-projects on brain mapping are in place in the United States and Europe; the proportion of science contributed by the developing countries should not be downsized. With the granted supports from the Cognitive Sciences and Technologies Council (CSTC), Iran can take its role in research on brain and cognition further. The idea of research and development in Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (CST) is being disseminated across the country by CSTC. Towards this goal, the first Shiraz interdisciplinary meeting on CST was held on 9 January 2014 in Namazi hospital, Shiraz. CST research priorities, infrastructure development, education and promotion were among the main topics discussed during this interactive meeting. The steering committee of the first CST meeting in Shiraz decided to frame future research works within the "Brain and Cognition Study Group-Shiraz" ( BCSG-Shiraz). The study group comprises scientific leaders from various allied disciplines including neuroscience, neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, psychology, radiology, physiology, bioengineering, biophysics, applied physics and telecommunication. As the headquarter for CST in the southern Iran, BCSG-Shiraz is determined to advocate "brain and cognition" awareness, education and research in close collaboration with CSTC. Together with CSTC, Shiraz Neuroscience Research center (SNRC) will take the initiative to cross boundaries in interdisciplinary works and multi-centric research projects within the study group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]