Newsline — Thursday, April 5, 2012 10:19
Patients with Unruptured Aneurysms Have Reduced Quality of Life, Even after Treatment
Communications Complexity Scale Helps Clinicians Measure Development of Disabled Patients
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 8:00
According to a study published in the February 2012 edition of American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, researchers at the University of Kansas, led by scientist Nancy Brady, have developed a new way to assess the communication capability of individuals with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities who often communicate with gestures, body movements and vocalizations instead of spoken words. The Communications Complexity Scale (CCS) is a tool researchers and clinicians can use to measure the communication development of both children and adults with disabilities ranging from Autism Spectrum Disorder to deaf-blindness to cerebral palsy. For more information, click here to read the full release.
Paul H. Crandall, MD, of UCLA Department of Neurosurgery Dies
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 9:39
Paul H. Crandall, MD, co-founder of the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery, died on March 15 from complications related to pneumonia at UCLA Medical Center–Santa Monica. He was 89. Dr. Crandall pioneered surgical approaches that continue to be used to treat stubborn epileptic seizures. “Paul was the father of UCLA’s epilepsy program,” says Neil Martin, MD, chair of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “His clinical work laid the foundation for our current strategies to treat epileptic seizures, and his scientific research informs neurosurgeons’ treatment of epilepsy today.” For more information, click here to read the full release.
Study Suggests New Therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease
Monday, April 2, 2012 8:00
Despite near-daily reports of promising new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it remains unchecked. A new study now reveals the mechanism by which AD may cause memory loss, suggesting new treatments. AD brains contain two types of lesions: beta-amyloid plaques outside neurons and neurofibrillary tangles within them. The known AD genes implicate plaques, but symptoms correlate more closely with tangles, comprised of “tau” protein, which normally adhere to microtubules. Excess beta-amyloid plaques result in tangles, disrupt microtubules and cause memory loss, even with normal synaptic function. For more information, click here to read the full article.
National Institutes of Health Division to Host Public Meetings in Chicago and San Francisco
Friday, March 30, 2012 16:08
The Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hosting public meetings in Chicago (on May 1) and San Francisco (on May 3) as part of the strategic planning process for the NIH Common Fund. The meetings are designed to gather input from the community-at-large on the biggest obstacles to progress in biomedical research or the greatest opportunities in biomedical science that are ripe for exploration. Although the meetings are open to the public, space is limited. A brief application (due by April 6) is required to attend. For more information about the Chicago meeting, click here; for more information about the San Francisco meeting, click here. The NIH Common Fund supports goal-driven, research networks in which investigators generate data, solve technological problems, and/or otherwise pilot resources and tools that will be stimulatory to the broader research community. Common Fund programs are designed to achieve their goals within a maximum of 10 years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — “The Nation’s Medical Research Agency” —…
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Registration for American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting Continues to Escalate; Dr. Rhoton to be Honored During Event
Thursday, March 29, 2012 10:18
Registered attendance for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ (AANS’) 80th Annual Scientific Meeting continues to swell, with the organization on pace to exceed the number of attendees at the 2011 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting. More than 7,000 attendees, including an estimated 3,200 medical professionals — among them, neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants and allied health professionals — are expected at this year’s event, which will take place April 14-18, 2012, at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami. The meeting will include a special night to honor the lifelong commitment to neurosurgery shown by Albert Rhoton Jr., MD, FAANS, who is considered by many to be the father of modern microscopic neurosurgery, having revolutionized the specialty both in how it is taught and performed. To honor his legacy, the Rhoton Endowment for Research is being established, providing funds for future research and training opportunities that stimulate continuous learning in microsurgical advances. For more information, click here to read the full release.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons Offers Concussion Prevention and Awareness Tips as Part of National Neurosurgery Awareness Week
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 11:19
“Make Concussion Awareness a Part of Your Playbook” That’s the theme of 2012 National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW), scheduled for April 15-21, 2012. NNAW is held annually in conjunction with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ (AANS’) Annual Scientific Meeting. The 80th AANS Annual Scientific Meeting program officially starts on Monday, April 16, 2012, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. In conjunction with the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, on April 16, 2012, AANS will partner with ThinkFirst (a foundation committed to preventing traumatic brain and spinal injuries) and WalkSafe (a program focused on improving pediatric pedestrian safety, encouraging physical activity and advocating walkability around elementary schools) for Kids Safety Day — a special head injury prevention and helmet fitting event at the Feinberg Fisher School in Miami. Nearly 100 students ranging from pre-school to eighth grade are expected to attend and receive bicycle helmets at this invitation-only event. For more information, click here to read the full release.
House of Representatives Repeals IPAB, Adopts Medical Liability Reform
Thursday, March 22, 2012 16:26
On Thursday, March 22, 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) and adopt meaningful medical liability reform. The Protecting Access to Healthcare Act (H.R. 5) passed by a vote of 223-181, with seven democrats joining their Republican colleagues in voting in favor of the bill. Ten Republicans joined the Democrats in voting against the measure, four members voted “present,” and 23 did not vote. Click here to see how your representative voted. During the debate on the bill, several amendments were considered. Supported by the AANS and CNS, Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Pete Sessions (R-TX) offered an amendment that would address the crisis in access to emergency care by extending liability coverage to on-call and emergency-room physicians under the Federal Tort Claims Act. This amendment passed by voice vote. In addition, Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Jim Matheson (D-UT) offered an amendment to grant limited civil liability protections to health professionals that volunteer at federal declared disaster sites. The AANS and CNS also supported this…
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Researchers Find That Shyness May be Caused by Deficiencies in the Brain
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 16:47
Typically, very shy or inhibited individuals are slow to acclimate to new people. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that this characteristic may be the result of deficits in two areas of the brain. The study found that people who refer to themselves as “inhibited” may experience habituation failure, or the inability to adapt to new stimuli, in the amygdala and the hippocampus regions of the brain. Research results were published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. For more information, click here to read the full release.
New MRI Technique Determines Progression of Gliomas
Monday, March 19, 2012 16:30
Gliomas are the most common malignant brain tumors among adults and can be difficult to treat due to their aggressive, invasive nature. In diagnosing patients with gliomas, it is increasingly important that doctors be able to detect tumor changes early when there’s a better chance for recovery. According to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., a new type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) called MRI perfusion imaging can be used to help determine if the disease has progressed; it does so by showing evidence of abnormal blood vessel formation, a marker for cancer. For more information, click here to read the full release.