The protection of the brain from blood-borne toxins, proteins, and cells is critical to the brain's normal function. Accordingly, a compromise in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) function accompanies many neurologic disorders, and is tightly associated with brain inflammatory processes initiated by both infiltrating leukocytes from the blood, and activation of glial cells. Those inflammatory proce...

In recent times, there has been an increased focus on mosquito-borne Flaviviruses, in particular dengue and Zika. With the reappearance of dengue in Hawai'i and the mainland United States (US), clinicians should be aware of both the common presentations of dengue, as well as other less common complications associated with the disease. Dengue can result in neurologic disorders such as encephalop...

Mortality risk assessment of juvenile life insurance applicants with impairments can be challenging. Advances in neonatal care means more premature infants will survive into childhood and adulthood with attendant respiratory and neurologic disorders. The degree of neonatal lung disease and length of ventilator support are factors that help to separate out more favorable risks. Autism and other ...

Motor neuron disease encompasses a group of progressive neurologic disorders that destroy cells responsible for the control of essential muscles. The disorders are characterized by progressive weakness, muscle atrophy and fasciculation, spasticity, dysarthria, dysphagia, and respiratory compromise. A 66-year-old male presented to the emergency department with progressive dyspnea and, ultimately...

Effective management of patients who have cerebrovascular disease depends on accurate diagnosis. Many conditions cause clinical findings that closely mimic cerebrovascular disorders and are often ruled out through brain imaging or laboratory findings. Diagnosis of cerebrovascular disorders is based on the presence of risk factors for vascular disease, the tempo of onset, the presence of concurr...

isocitric dehydrogenase (ICD) activity of the cerebrospinal fluid was measured on 88 children with various disorders of the central nervous system and on 19 children with non-neurologic diseases , the latter serving as controls. The cerebrospinal fluid ICD activity ranged from 0.9 to 7 .7 units with a mean of 4.2•}2.1 units in the control series, and was elevated in 7 out of 33 patients with ce...