TMS of the auditory cortex is capable of modifying tinnitus perception for a very short time. The maximal amount of suppression and best stimulation frequency depends on the tinnitus duration.

Intrathecal administration of opioids is a very efficient tool in the long-term control of intractable nonmalignant pain. However, despite the well known role of opioids in endocrine regulation, few data are available about possible effects on hypothalamic-pituitary function during this treatment.Seventy-three patients (29 men and 44 women; mean age, 49.2 Ϯ 11.7 yr) receiving opioids intrathecally for nonmalignant pain were enrolled for extensive endocrine investigation. At the time of hormonal determination, the mean duration of opioid treatment was 26.6 Ϯ 16.3 months; the mean daily dose of morphine was 4.8 Ϯ 3.2 mg. The control group consisted of 20 patients (11 men and 9 women; mean age, 54.2 Ϯ 14.0 yr) with a comparable pain syndrome but not treated with opioids.Decreased libido or impotency was present in 23 of 24 men receiving opioids. The serum testosterone level was below 9 nmol/L in 25 of 29 men and was significantly lower than that in the control group (P Ͻ 0.001). The free androgen index was below normal in 18 of 29 men and was significantly lower than that in the control group (P Ͻ 0.001). The serum LH level was less than 2 U/L in 20 of 29 men and was significantly lower than that in the control group (P Ͻ 0.001). Serum FSH was comparable in both groups. Decreased libido was present in 22 of 32 women receiving opioids. All 21 premenopausal females developed either amenorrhea or an irregular menstrual cycle, with ovulation in only 1. Serum LH, estradiol, and progesterone levels were lower in the opioid group. In all 18 postmenopausal females significantly decreased serum LH (P Ͻ 0.001) and FSH (P ϭ 0.012) levels were found. The 24-h urinary free cortisol excretion was below 20 g/day in 14 of 71 opioid patients and was significantly lower than that in the control group (P ϭ 0.003). The peak cortisol response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia was below 180 g/L in 9 of 61 opioid patients and was significantly lower than that in the nonopioid group (P ϭ 0.002). The insulin-like growth factor I SD score was below Ϫ2 SD in 12 of 73 opioid patients and was significantly lower than that in the control group (P ϭ 0.002). The peak GH response to hypoglycemia was below 3 g/L in 9 of 62 subjects and was significantly lower than that in the control group (P ϭ 0.010). Thyroid function tests and PRL levels were considered normal. No metabolic disturbances were recorded, apart from significantly decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P ϭ 0.041) and elevated total/high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (P ϭ 0.008) in the opioid group compared to the control group. Supplementation with gonadal steroids improved sexual function in most patients.In conclusion, of all patients receiving intrathecal opioids, the large majority of men and all women developed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, about 15% developed central hypocorticism, and about 15% developed GH deficiency. These findings suggest that further investigations are required to determine the need for systematic endocrine work-up in these pa...

Introduction: Recent research suggests tinnitus is a phantom phenomenon based on hyperactivity of the auditory system, which can be visualized by functional neuroimaging, and transiently modulated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We present the results of the first implanted electrodes on the primary and secondary auditory cortex after a successful TMS suppression. Methods and Materials: Twelve patients underwent an auditory cortex implantation, 10 for unilateral and 2 for bilateral tinnitus, based on >50% suppression applying TMS. Results were analyzed for pure tone tinnitus and white noise tinnitus. Results: TMS results in 77% pure tone tinnitus and 67% white noise reduction. Electrical stimulation via an implanted electrode results in a mean of 97% pure tone tinnitus and 24% white noise suppression. Mean Visual Analogue Scale score decreases from 9.5 to 1.5 for pure tone and from 8.8 to 6.8 for white noise postoperatively. Discussion: Pure tone tinnitus might be the conscious percept of focal neuronal hyperactivity of the auditory cortex. Once visualized, this hyperactivity can be modulated by neurostimulation. Conclusion: The preliminary results of the first implantations suggest that patients with unilateral pure tone tinnitus are good surgical candidates for electrode implantation and permanent electrical stimulation of the auditory cortex, provided that the tinnitus is of recent origin and can be suppressed by TMS.

Even in patients with closed head trauma, brain parenchyma can be severely injured due to disruption of axonal fibers by shearing forces during acceleration, deceleration, and rotation of the head. In this article we review the spectrum of imaging findings in patients with diffuse axonal injuries (DAI) after closed head trauma. Knowledge of the location and imaging characteristics of DAI is important to radiologists for detection and diagnosis. Common locations of DAI include: cerebral hemispheric gray-white matter interface and subcortical white matter, body and splenium of corpus callosum, basal ganglia, dorsolateral aspect of brainstem, and cerebellum. In the acute phase, CT may show punctate hemorrhages. The true extent of brain involvement is better appreciated with MR imaging, because both hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic lesions (gliotic scars) can be detected. The MR appearance of DAI lesions depends on several factors, including age of injury, presence of hemorrhage or blood-breakdown products (e. g., hemosiderin), and type of sequence used. Technical aspects in MR imaging of these patients are discussed. Non-hemorrhagic lesions can be detected with fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), proton-density-, or T2-weighted images, whereas gradient echo sequences with long TE increase the visibility of old hemorrhagic lesions.