Newsline — Friday, August 16, 2013 9:29
NYU Medical Center Leads the Largest-Ever Genetic Study of Epilepsy
Ted Talk: Steven Schwaitzberg on Minimally Invasive Surgery and a Universal Translator for Surgeons
Thursday, August 15, 2013 13:00
From Ted.com: Laparoscopic surgery uses minimally invasive incisions — which means less pain and shorter recovery times for patients. But Steven Schwaitzberg has run into two problems teaching these techniques to surgeons around the world — language and distance. He shares how a new technology, which combines video conferencing and a real-time universal translator, could help. Dr. Schwaitzberg is on a mission to teach surgeons around the world to perform minimally invasive surgery. But first, he’s had to find the right technology to allow communication across the language barrier. Click here if you are unable to view the video above.
Study: No Genetic Link Between Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s
Thursday, August 15, 2013 9:35
According to a study published in JAMA Neurology, there appears to be no genetic overlap between Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Data for the study included sets from the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the United States. Findings conclude that “loci that increase the risk of both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are not widespread and that the pathological overlap could instead be ‘downstream’ of the primary susceptibility genes that increase the risk of each disease.” Click here to read the full story.
Study: Breastfeeding May Reduce a Woman’s Alzheimer’s Risk
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 13:00
A small study indicates that breastfeeding a baby may curb a woman’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Conducted at the University of Cambridge, the study found that women who breastfed their babies for at least one week reduced their Alzheimer’s risk by 64 percent when comapred to women who did not breastfeed at all. “What’s important to recognize…is that there does appear to be a relationship between breastfeeding history and Alzheimer’s risk that needs to be further explored,” said an author on the study. Click here to read the full story.
Test of Famous Faces May Signal Early Onset Dementia
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 9:30
A new study suggests that facial recognition test may help doctors identify individuals who have early dementia. Study participants were shown the faces of of famous personalities like Albert Einstein, Elvis Presley and Oprah Winfrey, and those who had early onset dementia scored significantly worse on the test than those who did not. “In addition to its practical value in helping us identify people with early dementia, this test also may help us understand how the brain works to remember and retrieve its knowledge of words and objects,” one researcher said. Click here to read the full story.
Study: Chocolate May Boost Brain Power in Elderly
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 13:00
As if chocolate connoisseurs needed another reason to indulge, a study published in Neurology has found that drinking two cups of hot chocolate may help the elderly maintain brain health and sharp thinking skills. Study participants drank two cups of hot cocoa every day for 30 days. Those who had impaired blood flow at the beginning of the study saw an 8.3 percent increase in blood flow to working areas of the brain. There was no improvement for those whose blood flow was normal at the start of the study. Those with initial blood flow impairments also scored better on memory tests at the end of the study; there was no change in those with regular blood flow. “More work is needed to prove a link between cocoa, blood flow problems and cognitive decline,” said the author of an editorial accompanying the study. “But this is an important first step that could guide future studies.” Click here to read the full story.
Video: Neurologist Advises on Return-to-Play Policies and Concussion Risk in Sports
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 9:29
From Neuro News Online: David Dodick, a neurologist and concussion expert at the Mayo Clinic, offers advice on returning to sport after sustaining a concussion. He emphasizes the need to be certified as concussion-free by a physician before returning to play and speaks about return-to-play legislation passed in some states. Click here if you unable to view the video above.
Study Assesses How the Brain Learns Cocaine Addiction
Monday, August 12, 2013 13:43
Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine have described how proteins linked to learning forge brain pathways in response to the pleasure molecule dopamine. The drug-induced increase in dopamine is key to the study of cocaine addiction, and the finding may signal new treatments for the ailment. “The broad question was why and how cocaine strengthened certain circuits in the brain long term, effectively re-wiring the brain for addiction,” one researcher said. Click here to read the full article.
Study: Growing Brain Aneurysms Likely to Rupture, Regardless of Size
Monday, August 12, 2013 9:16
Regardless of size, brain aneurysms are 12 times more likely to rupture if they are growing. The finding, a result of a study published in Radiology, counters current suggestions that small aneurysms are at a low risk of rupture. “Our data support the need to perform longitudinal follow-up imaging to monitor for possible growth in all incidental unruptured aneurysms, including small lesions,” the study’s lead author said. Click here to read the full story.
Nutritional Supplement May Reverse, Prevent Neurodegenerative Disease in Children
Friday, August 9, 2013 13:00
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are hopeful that a nutrtitonal supplement may prevent or undo the effects of pontocerebellar hypoplasia, a terminal neurodegenerative disease found in children. The ailment manifests in abnormal brain development which leads to movement and cognitive disabilities. Patients typically do not live to adulthood. A nutritional supplement may the key to reversing the gene mutation to which pontocerebellar hypoplasia is linked. Click here to read more.