Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews - Volume 21, Issue 1, 2025

The most significant viral contributors to acute respiratory tract infections in children are Respiratory Syncytial Viruses (RSV) and influenza virus, causing substantial seasonal respiratory infections annually. Furthermore, severe neurological complications, notably seizures and encephalopathy, can be attributed to these viruses. Children with chronic or pre-existing neurological conditions are particularly susceptible to increased Read More

BackgroundEpilepsy is a chronic brain condition affecting over 50 million people worldwide. Several new anti-seizure medications (ASMs) have been introduced to treat epilepsy in recent decades.ObjectiveNearby the specific therapeutic action, ASMs, like other types of pharmacotherapy, can produce various side effects. In this review, we shall analyze the different pharmaceutical classes of ASMs, their mechanism of action, a Read More

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder. Its incidence has dramatically risen during the last few decades. ASD is a multifactorial disorder. In addition to genetic factors, the environment plays a key role during critical periods of neurodevelopment. The prenatal environment, as well as perinatal and postnatal exposures to infection and inflammation, are increasin Read More

Breathing is an automatic process generated by the central nervous system, crucial for the homeostasis of several body processes. This vital process is underpinned by an intricate network in which distinct functional and anatomical factors and structures play a role. Transcription factors (i.e., PHOX2B and Pbx proteins), as well as neuromodulators (i.e., serotonin, noradrenaline, GABA, and glycine), have been demonstrate Read More

Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a rare and severe neurodevelopmental disorder affecting children in the early stages of infancy and associated with a MECP2 mutation in 95-97% of individuals with typical RTT. Nearly all of the patients show breathing abnormalities during their lifespan, both in wake and sleep and respiratory illness represents an important cause of morbidity and mortality in RTT. Pathogenic mechanisms underlying br Read More

COVID-19, previously considered a mere respiratory illness affecting predominantly the adult age, is today acknowledged as the cause of a wide spectrum of multisystemic signs and symptoms, ranging from mild to severe degrees, including neurological manifestations. Even if less frequently than adults, pediatric patients may also develop severe COVID-19 and present with peculiar clinical pictures, including multi-system infla Read More

Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEMs) are a large heterogeneous group of monogenic disorders that affect specific metabolic pathways. Although the clinical picture is variable and shows a multisystemic impairment, most of these defects encompass neurologic symptoms and signs. The respiratory involvement may represent a late-onset feature of a complex multisystemic disease or the only manifestation of an underlyi Read More