Newsline — Thursday, July 18, 2013 13:00
Global Transient Amnesia: Florida-born Man Wakes from Unconciousness Fluent in Only Swedish
Women Suffer Increased Rates of Aging- and Alzheimer’s-related Cognitive Decline
Thursday, July 18, 2013 9:00
For women, rates of regional brain loss and cognitive decline caused by aging and the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease are higher than those rates for men. This finding is published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, and is based on a study conducted at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. “The biggest impact might be down the road when disease-modifying therapies become available. What works best for men might not work best for women,” one researcher said. Click here to read the full story.
Study Links Vascular Disease, Neurodegenerative Conditions
Wednesday, July 17, 2013 13:00
There appears to be a significant link between dementia and cerebrovascular diseases affecting the brain’s blood circulation, according to a stuudy conductes at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Findings suggest that those demonstrating clinical signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other memory-related ailments may benefit from therapies to reduce vascular issues. Among vasuclar risks are high blood pressure and cholesterol, and adopting a number of healthy lifestyle choices may delay or prevent dementia related to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Click here to read the full story.
What Does the Brain Look Like During a Daydream? Researchers Assess ‘Resting’ Brain in Virtual Model
Wednesday, July 17, 2013 9:00
What does the brain look like during a daydream? Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have created a computer model to learn how the brain anatomical structure contrbutes to “resting state” brain networks, groups of brain regions with activities levels that increase and decrease in tandem when the brain is at rest. Researchers hope this model will provide insight to why certain areas of the brain work together when an individual is daydreaming or is mentally idle. The hope is that findings as a result of this project will help doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of brain injuries. Click here to read the full article.
Study Finds Fluctuations in Deep Brain Stimulation Currents
Tuesday, July 16, 2013 13:00
A study conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Movement Disorders Program suggests that electrical currents in deep brain stimulation (DBS) may vary over time. These findings are important for doctors who specialize in programming DBS devices since the deviation from steady voltage may shift patient outcomes. Click here to read the full story.
Neuroscience Team Testing Novel Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Tuesday, July 16, 2013 9:01
At the University of Nebraska, the Nerbraska Neuroscience Alliance is testing the use of Leukine, an immune system booster in cancer patients, as an immune therapy in those with Parkinson’s Disease. The project, a joint collaboration between neurologists and neuroscientists, is designed to determine whether Leukine “can transform the immune system in Parkinson’s disease from one that causes harm to the brain to one that protects it, elicits nerve cell repair and ultimately affects disease symptoms,” as one investigator noted. Click here to read the full article.
Study Finds Inverse Correlation between Alzheimer’s, Cancer
Monday, July 15, 2013 13:00
According to a study published in Neurology, there appears to be an inverse correlation between rates of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. It appears that having one ailment protects an individual from getting the other. These findings were discussed at this week’s Alzheimers Association International Conference in Boston. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, epidemiologist, oncologist and geriatrician Jane A. Driver believes that each condition is caused by opposite activity in the genes – one that causes stubborn cells to reproduce (cancer) and another that renders brain cells unable to reproduce and are prone to dying quickly (Alzheimer’s). Click here to read the full story from the Detroit Free Press.
Estrogen in Brain Helps Women Better Cope With Stress, Study Suggests
Monday, July 15, 2013 9:00
The belief that women handle stress better than men now has a scientific basis. In an animal study, researchers at the University of Buffalo have found that levels of estrogen found in the female brain help contribute to a woman’s resilency. “If we could find compounds similar to estrogen that could be administered without causing hormonal side effects, they could prove to be a very effective treatment for stress-related problems in males,” a researcher says. Click here to read the full article.
Brains of Depressed Preschoolers Show Differences, Study Reveals
Friday, July 12, 2013 13:00
A study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine revealed that depressed preschoolers had increased activity in the brain’s amygdala, the set of neurons that regulates and processes emotions. Similar changes previously had been idenitified in depressed adults and adolescents, but this is the first time brain activity in depressed preschoolers has been studied. Researchers believe that these findings can help identify and treat depressed children early in the illness. Click here to read the full story.
Morphing Proteins Linked to Variations in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Friday, July 12, 2013 9:00
A neurodegenerative disease may present differently in two different patients, namely in severity, symptoms and rates of progression. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine have discovered that one disease protein can transform into different strains and enable the misfolding of other proteins found in neurdegenerative ailments such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, explaining the variation found upon diagnosis. “What we’ve found opens up new areas for developing therapies, and particularly immunotherapies, for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases,” on researcher said. Click here to read the full article.