Newsline — Monday, September 23, 2013 13:00
Study Identifies GABA Neurons as New Drug Target for Depression, Mood Disorders
In UCLA Study, Nanodiamonds Are Used to Deliver Chemotherapy to Brain Tumors
Monday, September 23, 2013 9:00
A team at the University of California Los Angeles’ Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed an innovative system in which small particles called nanodiamonds deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to brain tumors. Nanodiamonds are said to show promise against the deadly glioblastoma brain tumor, which is notoriously difficult to treat. “We’re looking for the drugs and situations where nanotechnology actually helps chemotherapy function better, making it easier on the patient and harder on the cancer,” one of the study’s authors says. Click here to read the full story.
Study: Contrary to Research Focuses, Multiple Sclerosis May Originate in Brain’s Gray Matter
Friday, September 20, 2013 13:00
It appears that most of the research assessing the origins of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been focused on the wrong area of the brain. Findings from a team at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School suggest that scientists should look to the brain’s gray matter and less to the white matter that contain the brain’s nerve fibers. When an MS flare-up occurs in a patient, it appears that brain activity is located in the brain’s white matter. However, as researchers assessed in the study of MS patients’ cerebrospinal fluid, there are substantial physiological disruptions in the gray matter, the area in which axons, dendrite and synapses transfer signals between the nerves. “This evidence indicates gray matter may be the critical initial target in MS rather than white matter,” says one of the study’s authors. “We may have been looking in the wrong area.” Click here to read the full article.
Study: Opioid Use Increases, Improved Treatment of Chronic Pain Does Not
Friday, September 20, 2013 10:22
In a study published in the journal Medical Care, researchers have found that as the use of prescription opioids in the treatment of chronic pain has increased, the treatment and identification of pain has not improved. “We found that not only have the rates of treated pain not improved, but in many cases, use of safer alternatives to opioids, such as medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, have either stayed flat or declined,” says one of the study’s authors. “This suggests that efforts to improve the identification and treatment of pain have backfired, due to an over-reliance on prescription opioids that have caused incredible morbidity and mortality among patients young and old alike.” Click here to read the full article.
Johns Hopkins Study Links Migraines to Obesity
Thursday, September 19, 2013 13:00
A study conducted at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that individuals who get migraines occasionally are 81 percent more likely to be obese than those who do not have migraines. “As obesity is a risk factor that can potentially be modified and since some medications for migraine can lead to weight gain or loss, this is important information for people with migraine and their doctors,” the study’s author says. Click here to read the full article.
Ted Talk: Beware of Neuro-bunk
Thursday, September 19, 2013 9:15
From Ted.com: Brains are ubiquitous in modern marketing: Headlines proclaim cheese sandwiches help with decision-making, while a “neuro” drink claims to reduce stress. There’s just one problem, says neuroscientist Molly Crockett: The benefits of these “neuro-enhancements” are not proven scientifically. In this to-the-point talk, Crockett explains the limits of interpreting neuroscientific data, and why we should all be aware of them. Click here if you are unable to view the video above.
Higher Incidences of Spinal Injuries Found in Iraq, Afghanistan War Vets Than in Other Wars
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 13:00
As reported in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine, one of nine U.S. military members who sustained combat injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan exhibited spinal injuries. This rate is much higher than spinal trauma rates in previous wars. Researchers believe that the rise in spinal injuries are indicative of “enhanced personnel protection and medical advancements” that increased survival rates during combat. “Advances in military medicine are now enabling soldiers to reach medical facilities where their spinal wounds can be identified,” the study’s authors report. Click here to read the full article.
Florida Mom: Medical Marijuana Can Treat My Two Year Old’s Brain Cancer
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 9:00
A Tampa, Fla., mom believes the use of medical marijuana will aid in the treatment of her two-year-old’s brain cancer. Moriah Barnhart believes that her daughter, Dahlia, might live to see her third birthday at the end of the month, but only if doctors use the liquid form of medical marijuana to fight her stage two cancer. The child is currently being treated with chemotherapy and radiation, and Barnhart is petitioning the Obama administration and has taken to the media and YouTube to share her story. Click here to read more.
Handwriting Analysis May Allow Early Detection of Parkinson’s Disease
Tuesday, September 17, 2013 13:00
Researchers at the University of Haifa and Rambam Hospital in Israel have identified handwriting as a possible non-invasive means of diagnosing early-stage Parkinson’s disease. By comparing the handwriting of 40 sick and healthy study subjects, researchers were able to substantiate patients’ assertions that they often felt a shift in their cognitive abilities before seeing changes in their motor skills. The handwriting test used a pen with pressure-sensitive sensors and paper placed on an electronic tablet. The analysis assessed writing form, time required and the pressure placed on the surface as the subjects wrote. Parkinson’s patients often held their pens in the air longer between jotting each letter and each word. “This finding is particularly important because while the patient holds the pen in the air, his mind is planning his next action in the writing process, and the need for more time reflects the subject’s reduced cognitive ability. Changes in handwriting can occur years before a clinical diagnosis and therefore can be an early signal of the approaching disease,” said one of the study’s investigators. Click here…
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Ted Talk: Neuropsychologist on Protecting the Brain From Concussion
Tuesday, September 17, 2013 9:00
From Ted.com: In a lively talk, neuropsychologist Kim Gorgens makes the case for better protecting our brains against the risk of concussion — with a compelling pitch for putting helmets on kids. Click here if you are unable to view the video above.