Newsline — Monday, November 18, 2013 12:58
Ted Talk: The Coming Neurological Epidemic
Hospital with Neurology Residence Programs More Likely to Administer Life-Saving Stroke Drugs
Monday, November 18, 2013 9:02
Research from Johns Hopkins suggests that stroke patients treated at hospitals that house neurology residence programs are much more likely to get life-saving drugs than those treated at other teaching and non-teaching hospitals. The benefit comes from having stroke specialists on hand around the clock, researchers say. Click here to read the details of these findings.
Fasting Twice a Week to Curb Alzheimer’s Onset
Friday, November 15, 2013 13:00
Bloomberg reports that researchers are planning to assess the effects fasting from meals has on warding off the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Promising results of mouse-model studies from the U.S. National Institute of Aging indicate that intermittent fasting could stave off the onset of cognitive impairments. Click here to read the full article.
Predicting Alzheimer’s Progression Based on One Patient Visit
Friday, November 15, 2013 9:00
After following two sets of Alzheimer’s patients for 10 years, a research team at the Columbia University Medical Center has validated a new means of predicting the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease progression, predicting the time from a single patient visit to full-time care, nursing home residence or death in its sufferers. “Predicting Alzheimer’s progression has been a challenge because the disease varies significantly from one person to another—two Alzheimer’s patients may both appear to have mild forms of the disease, yet one may progress rapidly, while the other progresses much more slowly,” said the study’s senior author “Our method enables clinicians to predict the disease path with great specificity.” Click here to read details of the study.
Study Highlights the Need to Treat Freezing Episodes in Parkinson’s Disease
Thursday, November 14, 2013 8:59
A researcher at the Washington University at St. Louis has found that Parkinson’s disease sufferers who undergo freezing episodes (temporary moments in which they experience an inability to move) are more likely to have impaired balance than those who do not have freezing episodes. This finding is said to be prevalent in elderly patients, and the study advocates additional assessment of freezing episodes, their limitations and possible therapeutic options. Click here to read the full story.
3-D Video Game May Help Stroke Survivors Regain Lost Motor Skills
Wednesday, November 13, 2013 13:00
A team at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has developed a therapeutic video game for stroke patients who experience hemiparesis, motor weakness that affects 80 percent of stroke survivors. Hemiparesis is defined as the inability to move one side of the body and can affect everyday activities like eating and getting dressed. The 3-D game, which engages patients in activities like rowing and paddling down a river or swatting at bats in a cave, allows them to get high repetition motor practice for their weaker arm. “This novel model of therapy has shown positive results for individuals who have played the game. Gains in motor speed, as measured by the Wolf Motor Function Test, rival those made through traditional [constraint-induced movement] therapy,” says a researcher. “It provides intense high quality motor practice for patients, in their own homes. Patients have reported they have more motivation, time goes by quicker and the challenges are exciting and not so tedious.” Click here to read the full article.
Study: Patented Magnesium Formula Said to Decrease Signs of Cognitive Decline
Wednesday, November 13, 2013 10:22
New findings in nutritional research reveal that magnesium deficiency in adults plays a more significant role in cognitive impairment and in Alzheimer’s disease than previously thought. A patented magnesium formula known as Magtein is said to prevent prevent synapse loss and reverse cognitive decline in mice with the disease. “A recently concluded double blind, placebo-controlled human study, the ‘gold standard’ of science, demonstrates that dietary supplementation of Magtein, patented magnesium threonate, can significantly enhance human cognitive functions and decrease symptoms of cognitive impairments,” said the study’s author. Click here to read the full article.
Does Being Bilingual Delay Dementia? Study Says Yes
Tuesday, November 12, 2013 13:00
Research published in the a recent online edition of Neurology has shown that speaking a second language may delay the onset of three different types of dementias. The study revealed that those who spoke two languages developed dementia four and a half years later than people who only spoke one language. “Speaking more than one language is thought to lead to better development of the areas of the brain that handle executive functions and attention tasks, which may help protect from the onset of dementia,” says the study’s author. Click here to read the full article.
High School, College Athletes Central to New Concussion Study
Tuesday, November 12, 2013 9:00
In an effort to measure the causes and effects of sports-related concussions, researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and the UVA Curry School of Education plan to track 130 student-athletes over the next year. During each practice and game during the season, football, soccer and lacrosse players will wear an adhesive sensor behind their ears, designed to detect forces on the head. Before and after the season of their respective sports, students will undergo neurocognitive tests and a MRI screening to assess the the effects of impacts to the head. Click here for the full article.
Study: For Expectant Moms, Exercise During Pregnancy Gives Baby a Brain Boost
Monday, November 11, 2013 13:00
For pregnant women, as few as 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week might be enough to give their babies a brain boost. According to research conducted at the University of Montreal, exercise during pregnancy enhances the brain development of a newborn and also reduces the likelihood of obesity when the child is older. “While being sedentary increases the risks of suffering complications during pregnancy, being active can ease post-partum recovery, make pregnancy more comfortable and reduce the risk of obesity in the children,” a researcher explained. “Given that exercise has been demonstrated to be beneficial for the adult’s brain, we hypothesized that it could also be beneficial for the unborn child through the mother’s actions.” Click here to read the full article.