Neurology
Questions Over Accuracy of MRI in Diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis
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Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: systematic review BMJ Online First
The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not sufficient to rule in or rule out a diagnosis of MS with a high degree of certainty, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.
Protein complex in brain may be key to Alzheimer’s
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Scientists in the U.S. say they have discovered a substance in the brain of mice that causes memory loss; they believe the discovery gives drug developers a target for creating drugs to treat memory loss in people with dementia.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis and the VA Medical Center, by using genetically engineered mice that showed early signs of memory loss and had no plaques or nerve cell loss in the brain, discovered a form of the amyloid-beta protein that is distinct from plaques.
Once extracted and purified, the newly found protein complex was injected into healthy rats and it triggered cognitive impairment in the tested animals, confirming the detrimental effect of this protein on memory.
Parkinson’s patients not likely to be risk-takers
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Patients with Parkinson’s disease score lower on an impulsive sensation-seeking tests than their counterparts without the disease, investigators report. This may be why Parkinson’s disease patients are less likely to smoke and consume fewer caffeinated beverages and alcohol, which may explain “the hypothetical protective effect of cigarette smoking and caffeine consumption on Parkinson’s disease.”
Parkinson’s patients tend to exhibit low sensation-seeking behavior, which may reflect variations in the activity of brain dopamine systems, Dr. A. J. Lees and colleagues note in their report, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. Parkinson’s disease patients also tend to share other traits such as conscientiousness, anhedonia, and low levels of aggression.
To see how sensation seeking affected behaviors and risks in patients with Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Lees, from the Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies in London, and colleagues compared standardized test results and habits among 106 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 106 healthy individuals of the same age.
Major Alzheimer’s discovery
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A team from the Faculty of Medicine at Universiti Laval and the research centre at CHUQ (Centre hospitalier universitaire de Quibec) has discovered a natural defence mechanism that the body deploys to combat nerve cell degeneration observed in persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Investigators Alain R. Simard, Denis Soulet, Genevieve Gowing, Jean-Pierre Julien and Serge Rivest describe this major discovery in the February 16th issue of the scientific journal Neuron.
Testosterone ups quality of life in men with AD
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A testosterone gel can improve the quality of life for men with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but it seems to have little effect on cognition, according to the results of a study.
Previous reports have suggested that testosterone levels are lower in men with Alzheimer’s than in their counterparts without the neurologic disorder. Testosterone use has been shown to improve cognition in older men without Alzheimer’s disease and, in animal models, treatment with the male hormone has been linked to reduced formation of beta-amyloid, the protein that forms the plaques that clog the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Genetic Factors Important in Development and Timing of Alzheimer’s
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In a large study of twins, Alzheimer’s disease appears to be highly heritable and genetic factors may also influence timing of the disease, according to an article in the February Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Two-thirds of adults aged 65 years and older with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the number of AD cases is predicted to increase with the growing older adult population. Although genetic risk factors for AD have been identified, only a fraction of AD cases can be explained by specific gene mutations. Studies of twins have been helpful in investigating the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences in disease development. For example, if identical (monozygotic) twins do not both have a disease, environmental factors may be implicated for its occurrence.
Migraine with aura related to seizures in children
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Children who have migraine with aura are at substantially increased risk of developing epilepsy, researchers from the United States and Iceland report. However, they found no apparent relationship between seizures and migraine without aura.
Senior investigator Dr. W. Allen Hauser told Reuters Health, “a possible association between migraine and epilepsy has long been recognized, but the exact relationship is not clear.”
Role of the Nervous System in Regulating Stem Cells Discovered
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Study led by Mount Sinai School of Medicine may Provide New Hope for Cancer Patients and Others with Compromised Immune Systems
New study by Mount Sinai researchers may lead to improved stem cell therapies for patients with compromised immune systems due to intensive cancer therapy or autoimmune disease. The study is published in this week’s issue of Cell.
Vibrating shoes aid stroke and diabetic patients
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Vibrating insoles can improve balance in patients with stroke or diabetic neuropathy, a common nerve problem that affects sensation in the feet and elsewhere, Boston researchers report.
The vibration, adjusted to a sub-sensory level, appears to “tickle” neurons, making them more sensitive to stimuli that are present during standing, Dr. James J. Collins of Boston University, the study’s lead author, told Reuters Health.
Age-Related Memory Improvement Linked with Consumption of Apple Products
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“An apple a day” now has new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity as they age. New research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
“This new study suggests that eating and drinking apples and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress – and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods,” notes lead researcher Thomas B. Shea, Ph.D., director of the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research, whose study was just published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Although more research is needed, Shea is excited about these brain health findings, which are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying mentally sharp as they age.
Drug Slows Severe Alzheimer’s Symptoms for One Year
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A drug used to treat symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease appears to be effective for one year, according to the results of a new multicenter study that provides additional support for the continuing effectiveness of the treatment, called Namenda®, for patients in the later stages of the disease.
“This study demonstrates that it is possible to alleviate some of the cognitive and functional losses associated with the later stages of Alzheimer’s, providing a basis for greater optimism on the part of caregivers,” says Barry Reisberg, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, the lead investigator of the study, which is published in the January 2006 issue of the Archives of Neurology.
Blue-green algae shows promise as a natural weapon against Alzheimer’s
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A compound isolated from a cyanobacterium, a type of blue-green algae known as Nostoc, shows promise of becoming a natural drug candidate for fighting Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, according to an in vitro study by researchers in Switzerland. It is believed to be the first time that a potent agent against Alzheimer’s has been isolated from cyanobacteria, commonly known as ‘pond scum.’ The study was published in the Dec. 26 issue of the Journal of Natural Products, a monthly peer-reviewed joint publication of the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Pharmacognosy.
Cyanobacteria and other marine natural products have been increasingly found to be a promising source of drug candidates for fighting a variety of human diseases, including cancer and bacterial infections, but their chemistry has been largely unexplored, experts say.
New Neurons Take Baby Steps in the Adult Brain
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In experiments with mice, scientists from Johns Hopkins’ Institute for Cell Engineering have discovered the steps required to integrate new neurons into the brain’s existing operations.
For more than a century, scientists thought the adult brain could only lose nerve cells, not gain them, but in fact, new neurons do form during adulthood in all mammals, including humans, and become a working part of the adult brain in mice at the very least.
Want to stop snoring? Try the didgeridoo
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Kept awake at night by a snoring partner? The answer to your woes could lie—believe it or not—with the Australian didgeridoo.
Researchers in Switzerland examined 25 patients who suffered from snoring and moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, both common sleep disorders.
High homocysteine tied to memory loss
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A population-based, prospective study of elderly British individuals shows that risk of memory loss increases over time with increasing levels of total blood homocysteine and decreasing folate levels.
Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood. Too much of it ups the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke and fatty deposits in peripheral arteries. High circulating levels of homocysteine, especially with advancing age, have also been associated with cognitive impairment. Homocysteine levels in the blood are strongly influenced by diet and genetics.
