Introduction:Parkinson’s disease (PD) is chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. In patients with Parkinson’s disease among other symptoms occur cognitive dysfunctions, which can be shown by P300 wave changes.Aim:The aim of this study was to demonstrate that patients with Parkinson’s disease have reduced amplitude and prolonged latency, longer than 300 ± 10 ms.Material and Methods:The study included 21 patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease. After reviewing the medical records and analyzes the inclusion and exclusion criteria, patients were subjected to the same procedure examining auditory cognitive potentials (P300 wave) and the results were analyzed and compared to reference value for healthy population.Results:We have shown that patients with Parkinson’s disease have prolonged P300 targeted and frequent stimulus latency compared to reference value for healthy population. From 21 patient 18 had a pathological P300 target stimulus amplitude, and even 20 patients had pathological P300 frequent stimulus amplitude.Conclusion:People with Parkinson’s disease have altered P300 which indicates the presence of cognitive dysfunction in these patients.

Novel genetic predispositions reported here in PFO subjects should be investigated further in larger stroke and/or TIA patient datasets.

Individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Exercise is well-established for preventing cardiovascular disease, however, there are limited straightforward and safe exercise approaches for increasing the activity of the cardiorespiratory system after cervical SCI. The objective of this study was to investigate the cardiorespiratory response to passive leg cycling in people with cervical SCI. Beat-by-beat blood pressure, heart rate, and cerebral blood flow were measured before and throughout 10 minutes of cycling in 11 people with SCI. Femoral artery flow-mediated dilation was also assessed before and immediately after passive cycling. Safety was monitored throughout all study visits. Passive cycling elevated systolic blood pressure (5±2 mmHg), mean arterial pressure (5±3 mmHg), stroke volume (2.4±0.8 mL), heart rate (2±1 beats/min) and cardiac output (0.3±0.07 L/min; all p<0.05). Minute ventilation (0.67±0.23 L/min), tidal volume (70±30 mL) and end-tidal PO2 (2.6±1.23 mmHg) also increased (all p<0.05). Endothelial function was improved immediately after exercise (1.62±0.13%, p<0.01). Passive cycling resulted in one incidence of autonomic dysreflexia. Therefore, passive leg cycling increased the activity of the cardiorespiratory system, improved endothelial function, indicating it may be a beneficial exercise intervention for the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in people with cervical SCI. Novelty: ● Passive leg cycling increases the activity of the cardiorespiratory system and improves markers of cardiovascular health in cervical SCI. ● Passive leg cycling exercise is an effective, low-cost, practical, alternative exercise modality for people with cervical SCI.

Introduction:Scientific guidelines recommend the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) for ischemic stroke (IS) assessment. In Clinical Department of Neurology of Split University Hospital Center nurses use the categorization of patients (COP) according to individual needs for health care.Aim:The aim of this study was to demonstrate that there is a positive correlation between the COP and the NIHSS in IS patients.Methods:We analyzed NIHSS scores and COP findings in 325 participants (median age 77 years, min-max: 37-95 years) with acute ISs.Results:There is a statistically significant correlation between the NIHSS score at admission and COP at admission (ρ=0.717; P<0.001). There is a statistically significant correlation between the NIHSS score at discharge and COP at discharge (ρ=0.762; P<0.001). Median of NIHSS scores at admission is higher in females than in males for 2 (Z=4.45, P<0.001) and at discharge is higher for 2 (Z = 4.1, P<0.001). Median of COP at admission is higher in females than in males for 1 (Z=4.7, P<0.001) and at discharge is the same (Z=4.7, P<0.001).Conclusion:There is a significant association of NIHSS scores and COP in IS patients. This association exists at admission and at discharge from the hospital.

Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction that underlies the 3-4 fold elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in this population. Reduced common carotid artery (CCA) dilatory responsiveness during the cold-pressor test (CPT) is associated with greater cardiovascular disease risk and progression. The cardiovascular and CCA responses to the CPT may provide insight into cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease risk in individuals with cervical SCI. Here, we used CPT to perturb the autonomic nervous system in 14 cervical SCI individuals and 12 uninjured controls, while measuring cardiovascular responses and CCA diameter. The CCA diameter responses were 55% impaired in those with SCI compared to uninjured controls (P = 0.019). The CCA flow, velocity, and shear response to CPT were reduced in SCI by 100% (P <0.001), 113% (P = 0.001), and 125% (P = 0.002), respectively. The association between mean arterial pressure and CCA dilation observed in uninjured individuals (r = 0.54, P = 0.004), was absent in the SCI group (r = 0.22, P =0.217). Steady-state systolic blood pressure (P = 0.020), heart rate (P = 0.003), and cardiac contractility (P <0.001), were reduced in those with cervical SCI, while total peripheral resistance was increased compared to uninjured controls (P = 0.042). Relative cerebral blood velocity responses to CPT were increased in the SCI group and reduced in controls (middle cerebral artery, P = 0.010; posterior cerebral artery, P = 0.026). The CCA and cardiovascular responsiveness to CPT are impaired in those with cervical SCI.