Newsline — Friday, October 25, 2013 13:00
NIH-funded Development of Mobile Seizure Alert Device Continues
Gene Mutations Targeted in Individualized Therapy of Dementia, ALS
Friday, October 25, 2013 10:00
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have developed new drugs that seem to stop the destructive impact of a gene mutation behind two incurable neurodegenerative diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and dementia. In a series of test tube studies, researchers believe that they are closer to creating individualized therapies for dementia and ALS. Click here to read details.
Essay: Trusting the Doctor
Thursday, October 24, 2013 13:00
For the New York Times’ Well Blog, Mikkael Sekeres, MD, ponders the issue of trusting a doctor in the face of a life-threatening ailment. “Because in the end, aren’t most of our major life decisions based on simple trust?” he writes. “Like falling backward into a waterfall.” Click here to read the essay.
NIH Study: Brain Structure Linked to Predisposition for Chronic Pain
Thursday, October 24, 2013 9:11
An article recently published in the journal Pain substantiates the belief that the brains play an important role in chronic pain, noting that the structure of the brain may predict whether an individual will be a chronic sufferer of low back pain. Brain scans of 46 low back pain sufferers revealed just how their brains are built might predispose them to the condition. “Our results support the notion that certain brain networks are involved with chronic pain,” says a researcher. “Understanding these networks will help us diagnose chronic pain better and develop more precise treatments.” Click here to read the details of the study.
Another Reason to Get Some Shut Eye: Brain May Flush Out Toxins During Sleep
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 13:00
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health has found that the brain may flush out toxins that build up during waking hours. The findings may have implications for the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders. Click here to read details.
For Elderly, Stiff Arteries Linked to Alzheimer’s-reminiscent Plaques in the Brain
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 9:08
Senior citizens who have a hardening of their arteries may also have beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. A study published in Neurology reveals this finding, which contributes to evidence that heart health and brain health are linked. The study assessed the brain scans of 91 participants who had an average age of 87. Stiffness in the participants arteries was measured two years later, and half of the participants were found to have beta-amyloid plaques. Stiff arteries appeared more frequently in those who had both amyloid plaques and white matter hyperintensities in the brain. “These two conditions may be a ‘double-hit’ that contributes to the development of dementia,” says the study’s author. “Compared to people who had low amounts of amyloid plaques and brain lesions, each unit of increase in arterial stiffness was associated with a two- to four-fold increase in the odds of having both amyloid plaques and a high amount of brain lesions.” Click here to read more about the study.
In Study, Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Reduces Intensity of Headaches by 70 Percent
Friday, October 18, 2013 13:00
Research presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting has found that electric stimulation of the peripheral nerve may reduce the intensity of chronic headaches by 70 percent. The finding might prove to be a safe and effective long-term treatment, offering relief for the more than 45 million Americans who suffer from headaches. Though there are the possible complications of electrode migration, equipment problems and infection, researchers are hopeful about the treatment. “This is a real breakthrough for chronic headache sufferers,” says one of the study’s authors. “For patients with no other options to relieve their pain and suffering, this treatment is a way for them to get their life back.” Click here to read the details of the study.
Study: Gene Variation May Lead to Years of Cognitive Decline After Heart Surgery
Friday, October 18, 2013 9:03
Patients with a certain gene variation may experience long-term memory loss and other signs of cognitive decline up to five years after undergoing heart surgery, according to a study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting. “Whether cognitive decline seen after surgery is a side effect of the surgery and anesthesia or a progression of other neurologic disease remains a matter of debate,” said Karsten Bartels, MD, one of the study’s authors. “Our study found that if a patient has this gene variation (APOE4), that person is more likely to have cognitive decline five years after surgery.” Click here to read details about the findings.
Which Way is Up? Research Finds Brain Region Associated with Dizziness
Thursday, October 17, 2013 9:28
Researchers at Johns Hopkins believe they have identified the area of the human brain that plays a role in the subconscious recognition of which way is up and which way is down. The finding, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, may lead to explanations of dizziness and spatial disorientation. “Our brain has this amazing way of knowing where we are in space, whether we are upright or tilted at an angle, even if it is completely dark and we can’t see anything around us,” says Amir Kheradmand, M.D., says the study’s lead investigator. “This study suggests there’s a small area of neural tissue in the parietal cortex substantially involved in this ability, giving us a place to start thinking about how we may be able to treat people with disorienting dizziness.” Click here to read the full story.
Study: Stroke Shaves Off Three Out of Five Quality Years From a Person’s Life
Thursday, October 17, 2013 1:29
A study published in Neurology has found that stroke takes three out of five quality years off a person’s life. Researchers contend that the findings prove that there’s space for improvement in stroke treatment. “Our study should serve as a wake-up call that we need more funding and research for stroke treatments and secondary stroke prevention measures to improve quality of life in stroke survivors,” the study’s author says. Click here to read the details of the study.