INTRODUCTION To investigate the relationship between serum leptin levels and cognition in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. METHODS Thirty patients with idiopathic PD and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. At baseline, all patients had their standing height, weight, and waist circumference measurements taken using a standard scale. Their body mass index was then calculated. A fasting blood o...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of carotid artery stenting (CAS) on the cognition and quality of life of elderly patients with severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery. MATERIAL/METHODS 65 elderly patients with symptomatic severe stenosis of internal carotid artery were recruited into 2 groups: the pharmacotherapy group (n=29) and the CAS group (n=36). ...

OBJECTIVE We aimed to establish the cut-off point of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-Beijing) in screening for cognitive impairment (CI) within 2 weeks of mild stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). METHODS A total of 80 acute mild ischaemic stroke patients and 22 TIA patients were recruited. They received the MoCA-Beijing and a formal neuropsychological test battery. CI was defi...

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility and safety of endovenous mechanochemical ablation (MOCA) for the treatment of great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence. METHODS The newly developed ClariVein device uses a technique that combines mechanical endothelial damage using a rotating wire with the infusion of a liquid sclerosant. Heating of the vein and tumescent anesthesia are not required; only lo...

Although the relationship between aging and cognitive decline is well established, there is substantial individual variability in the degree of cognitive decline in older adults. The present study investigates whether variability in cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults is related to the presence of whole brain or tract-specific changes in white matter microstructure. Specifi...

OBJECTIVE Two conversion tables between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) have recently been established for Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to validate them in Korean patients with PD and to evaluate whether they could be influenced by educational level. METHODS A total of 391 patients with PD who undertook both the Korean MMSE and t...

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive endothermal techniques, for example, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), have revolutionized the treatment of insufficient truncal veins and are associated with an excellent outcome. The use of thermal energy requires the instillation of tumescent anesthesia around the vein. Mechanochemical endovenous ablation (MOCA™) combines mechanical endothelial damage, using a rota...

BACKGROUND Existing tools for rapid cognitive assessment in HIV-positive individuals with mild cognitive deficits lack sensitivity or do not meet psychometric requirements for tracking changes in cognitive ability over time. METHODS Seventy-five nondemented HIV-positive patients were evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a brief battery of standardized neuropsychological te...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Up to 70% of hemodialysis patients over the age of 54 have relevant cognitive impairment. No standardized protocol for the evaluation and monitoring of this population is available today. We hypothesized that the dialysis procedure and the testing environment induce fluctuations of cognitive performance. METHODS 26 hemodialysis patients were randomly tested using the Montreal ...

BACKGROUND Subcortical lacunar infarcts and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common neuroradiological findings, but few studies associate between these insults and cognition in a community-dwelling population. METHODS The Dallas Heart Study is a population-based initiative whose assessments included demographic and clinical findings including brain MRI and the Montreal Cognitive Assess...