AMAÇ: Bu anket çalışmamızda organ nakli ve beyin ölümü hakkında tıp fakültesi öğrencilerinin farkındalığını değerlendirmeyi amaçlandı.GEREÇ VE YÖNTEM: Çalışmaya Afyonkarahisar Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesinde okuyan 528 öğrenci (yaş: 20.64±1.75 yıl) gönüllü olarak katılmıştır. Katılımcıların 239’u (%45.2) erkek ve 289 kızdır (%54.7). Çalışmada katılımcılara demografik bilgileri içeren soruların yanısıra konuyla ilgili 22 soruluk anket çalışması yaptırılmıştır. Çalışmada verilerin normal dağılım göstermesinden (Kolmogorov-Smirnov) sonra gruplar arası karşılaştırmalar için bağımsız değişken t testi ve ANOVA testleri uygulanmıştır. Verilerin ortalama ve standart sapma değerlerinin yanında frekans ve yüzde değerleri tespit edilmiştir.BULGULAR: Katılımcıların % 97’si Beyin ölümü tanımını duyduğunu belirtmiştir (p<0.001). Beyin ölümü tanımını ise en sık cevap olan %42’sinin medyadan öğrendikleri saptanmıştır. Beyin ölümü sebepleri sıklığının sorgulandığı soruda katılanların % 32’si travmatik beyin hasarını işaretleyerek birinci sıraya yerleştirmiştir. Beyin ölümü tanısının nasıl konulduğunun sorgulandığı soruda %73 ‘ü klinik olarak tanı konulduğunu belirtmesine rağmen Apne testini sadece %49’unun duyduğu tespit edilmiştir. Beyin ölümü gerçekleşmiş hastanın hayata geri dönebileceğini katılımcıların % 24’ü düşünmektedir. Sadece % 16’sı beyin ölümü olan hastadan organ nakletmenin doğru olmadığını düşünmektedir. Katılanlardan 25 kişinin (%5) organ bağışında bulunduğu, %90’ı bir yakınının veya kendisinin organ nakline izin vereceği saptanmıştır(p<0.001).SONUÇ: Organ nakline fazlasıyla ihtiyaç duyulan bir ülkede yaşamaktayız. Öncelikle tıp fakültesi öğrencilerinde olmak üzere halkın beyin ölümü ve organ nakli konusunda farkındalığı ve eğitimi arttırmanın gerekli olduğu kanaatindeyiz.

Background: Levodopa combined with carbidopa and entacapone (LCE) and levodopa combined with benserazide (LB) are commonly used treatment options in every stage of Parkinson’s disease. Although both combinations aim to enhance dopamine bioavailability and improve motor symptoms, their short-term biochemical effects remain to be clarified. This study aims to compare the short-term effects of LCE and LB on plasma dopamine levels in patients with early-stage, unilateral Parkinson’s disease. Methods: This prospective, single-center, randomized controlled study included patients diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson’s disease presenting with unilateral motor symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either LCE or LB therapy. This study was a randomized controlled trial performed according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Venous blood samples were collected before drug administration and at 90- and 180-minute post-administration to measure plasma dopamine levels using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Ninety patients were included in the study. Of these, 34.4% were female, and the median age was 69.5 years. The tremor-dominant subtype was observed in 92.2% of patients. LCE was administered to 48.9% of the patients, while 51.1% received LB. Both LCE and LB led to increases in plasma dopamine concentrations within the first 180 minutes. However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 treatment groups and within groups over time, in terms of dopamine elevation ( P > .05, all values). Conclusion: In this study, no significant difference was observed in the short-term effects of LCE and LB combinations on plasma dopamine levels in patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease with unilateral involvement. Further large-scale, multicenter studies with extended follow-up are required to assess long-term clinical outcomes, including motor response duration and adverse effects.

ABO blood group antigens have been associated with various cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases; however, their relationship with peripheral nervous system disorders remains unclear. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between ABO and Rh blood groups and diabetic polyneuropathy in a large hospital-based population; the secondary aim was to evaluate the potential association of these blood groups with nondiabetic polyneuropathy. In this retrospective study, records of individuals with available ABO and Rh blood group data between January 2014 and December 2025 were reviewed. Participants were categorized into 3 groups: controls without peripheral neuropathy, patients with polyneuropathy without diabetes mellitus (nondiabetic polyneuropathy), and patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. A total of 21,427 individuals were included after applying the eligibility criteria and data cleaning. Blood group distributions were compared among the groups, and multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate associations with disease status after adjustment for age, sex, and Rh factor. The study included 18,150 controls, 1697 patients with nondiabetic polyneuropathy, and 1580 patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. No significant differences were observed among the 3 groups in terms of ABO blood group distribution or Rh factor. After adjustment for age, sex, and Rh factor, no significant association was found between ABO blood groups and nondiabetic polyneuropathy. In contrast, blood group A was associated with higher odds of diabetic polyneuropathy compared with blood group O (adjusted OR 1.171, 95% CI 1.031–1.330; P = .015). The Rh factor was not significantly associated with either condition after adjustment for the available covariates. Blood group A was associated with diabetic polyneuropathy, whereas no significant association was found between ABO blood groups and nondiabetic polyneuropathy. Given the etiological heterogeneity of nondiabetic polyneuropathy and the retrospective nature of the study, these findings should be interpreted with caution and further evaluated in prospective studies with appropriate control groups and etiologically more homogeneous patient populations.

Objective: This report aims to present two atypical cases of autoimmune limbic encephalitis with distinct clinical manifestations and to emphasize the diagnostic challenges when neuroimaging findings are normal or non-specific.Methods: Comprehensive clinical, neurological, and psychiatric evaluations were performed. Diagnostic work-up included brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, and autoimmune antibody testing.Results: The first case was a 34-year-old male presenting with isolated executive dysfunction without psychosis, seizures, or movement disorders. MRI showed minimal nonspecific hyperintensities and EEG was normal. CSF analysis revealed mildly elevated protein and strongly positive anti-NMDAR antibodies. Significant cognitive improvement was observed after intravenous methylprednisolone followed by azathioprine. The second case was a 69-year-old male presenting with acute consciousness impairment due to non-convulsive status epilepticus. EEG demonstrated continuous 2–3 Hz spike-wave activity predominantly in the left hemisphere. CSF protein levels were elevated and GAD65 antibodies were positive. Clinical improvement was achieved after treatment with high-dose corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin.Conclusions: Autoimmune encephalitis may present with heterogeneous and atypical clinical features, including isolated cognitive dysfunction or non-convulsive status epilepticus. Normal or nonspecific MRI findings do not exclude the diagnosis. Early recognition and timely immunotherapy are crucial to prevent irreversible neurological damage.

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting both motor and non-motor pathways, including the visual system. Although retinal changes have been proposed as biomarkers of neurodegeneration, data on optic nerve involvement in early IPD are limited. This study aimed to compare optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) between patients with early-stage IPD and healthy individuals. In this prospective observational study, 100 patients with IPD and 50 healthy controls were recruited between June 2021 and November 2025. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examination and B-scan ultrasonography. ONSD was measured 3 mm posterior to the globe using a standardized technique. Patients with ocular, orbital, or systemic conditions affecting the optic nerve were excluded. Disease severity was assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III and the Hoehn–Yahr staging system. Statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric tests, with a significance level of P < .05. The median disease duration in the IPD group was 24 months, and most patients were classified as Hoehn–Yahr stage 1 or 2. There were no significant differences between patients with IPD and controls in right or left ONSD measurements. Subgroup analyses according to Hoehn–Yahr stage also showed no stage-dependent differences. Optic nerve sheath diameter appears preserved in patients with early-stage IPD and does not significantly differ from that of healthy controls. These findings suggest that ultrasonographic ONSD may have limited value as a structural biomarker in early disease stages. Further studies including advanced stages and multimodal imaging approaches are needed.