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Before epilepsy surgery, doctors may consider using brain imaging to locate language and memory functions in the brain instead of the more invasive procedure that is commonly used, according to a guideline published by the American Academy of Neurology in the January 11, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It is the first evidence-based guideline that systematically reviewed all evidence for such an evaluation.

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A new study shows that older people who followed a Mediterranean diet retained more brain volume over a three-year period than those who did not follow the diet as closely. The study is published in the January 4, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. But contrary to earlier studies, eating more fish and less meat was not related to changes in the brain.

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Welders can develop Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms that may get worse the longer and more they are exposed to the chemical element manganese from welding fumes, according to a study published in the December 28, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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The 2017 Neuro Film Festival, presented by the American Academy of Neurology, is now accepting video submissions. The Neuro Film Festival, now in its eighth year, is an online video contest that encourages people to share their story about how brain disease has impacted their life or that of a loved one, how their advocacy efforts have influenced change or simply why they are fascinated by the wonders of the brain.

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After a traumatic brain injury (TBI), people also experience major sleep problems, including changes in their sleep-wake cycle. A new study shows that recovering from these two conditions occurs in parallel. The study is published in the December 21, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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People who have protein in their urine, which is a sign of kidney problems, may also be more likely to later develop problems with thinking and memory skills or even dementia, according to a meta-analysis published in the December 14, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Measuring the brain activity of healthy, older adults while they walk and talk at the same time may help predict their risk of falls later, according to a study published in the December 7, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Babies born with low levels of vitamin D may be more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life than babies with higher levels of vitamin D, according to a study published in the November 30, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A new study shows a link between mothers with rheumatoid arthritis and children with epilepsy. The study is published in the November 16, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s own immune system to attack the joints. It differs from osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on the joints.

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MINNEAPOLIS – A new study suggests probable scientific misconduct in at least some of 33 bone health trials published in various medical journals. The study used statistical methods to detect scientific misconduct or research fraud and calls into question the validity of a body of research work led mainly by one researcher in Japan. The study is published in the November 9, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – A lack of shrinkage in the area of the brain responsible for memory may be a sign that people with thinking and memory problems may go on to develop dementia with Lewy bodies rather than Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in the November 2, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Shrinkage in this hippocampus area of the brain is an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind tool to help predict a person’s chance of survival after a gunshot wound in the head or other penetrating injury, according to a new study published in the October 26, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It’s called the SPIN-Score, which stands for Surviving Penetrating Injury to the Brain.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Exercise may be associated with a small benefit for elderly people who already have memory and thinking problems, according to new research published in the October 19, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – A drug used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), alemtuzumab, was found to reverse some of the physical disability caused by the disease, according to new research published in the October 12, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Because it can cause serious side effects, alemtuzumab is generally used in people who have not responded well to other MS drugs; however, in this study it was used relatively early in the course of MS.

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Women may have better verbal memory skills than men even when their brains show the same level of problems metabolizing glucose, which occurs in people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to research published in the October 5, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – A large, new study shows no evidence that exercise may reduce a woman’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). The research is published in the September 28, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous small studies had shown conflicting results.

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MINNEAPOLIS – The experimental drug laquinimod may prevent the development or reduce the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in mice, according to research published in the September 21, 2016, online issue of Neurology® Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Women and minorities may be less likely to receive treatment for stroke, according to a study published in the September 14, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – According to new research, women who are overweight or obese may have an increased risk of the most common kind of stroke, called ischemic stroke, but a decreased risk of a more often deadly stroke, called hemorrhagic stroke. The study is published in the September 7, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Two epilepsy drugs, levetiracetam and topiramate, may not harm the thinking skills and IQs of school-age children born to women who took them while pregnant, according to a recent study. The research is published in the August 31, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the drug valproate is associated with lower IQs in children, especially at higher dosages.

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People with high levels of four biomarkers in the blood may be more likely to develop a stroke than people with low levels of the biomarkers, according to a study published in the August 24, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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According to a new study, calcium supplements may be associated with an increased risk of dementia in older women who have had a stroke or other signs of cerebrovascular disease. The research is published in the August 17, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Starting medication for multiple sclerosis (MS) in people who show the beginning signs of the disease is associated with prolonging the time before the disease is definitively diagnosed, according to a long-term study published in the August 10, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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There is growing evidence that sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea are related to stroke risk and recovery from stroke, according to a recent literature review. The review is published in the August 3, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – A new consensus statement provides recommendations for transitioning adolescents and young adults with neurologic disorders to adult care. The statement is endorsed by the American Academy of Neurology and created by the Child Neurology Foundation. The research is published in the July 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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MINNEAPOLIS – An updated recommendation from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) states that catheter-based closure should not be routinely recommended for people who have had a stroke and also have a heart defect called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a channel between the top two chambers in the heart. The practice advisory, which updates a previous AAN guideline, is published in the July 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Contrary to popular belief, taking estrogen after menopause may not affect the memory and thinking abilities of healthy women no matter when the treatment is started. The research is published in the July 20, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A gene associated with Alzheimer’s disease and recovery after brain injury may show its effects on the brain and thinking skills as early as childhood, according to a study published in the July 13, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is pleased to announce the winning entries to the 2016 Neuro Film Festival. The Neuro Film Festival is an annual contest to help raise awareness about why more research is needed to cure brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and others.

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The American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the American Brain Foundation (ABF) and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) have announced a new Clinical Research Training Fellowship in muscular dystrophy for 2017.

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New research finds white matter changes in the brains of athletes six months after a concussion. The study will be presented at the Sports Concussion Conference in Chicago, July 8-10, hosted by the American Academy of Neurology, the world’s leading authority on the diagnosis and management of sports-related concussion. The conference brings together leading experts in the field to present and discuss the latest scientific advances in diagnosing and treating sports-related concussion.

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MINNEAPOLIS – New research shows that a genetic risk score may detect those at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease long before symptoms appear—even possibly in healthy young adults, according to a study published in the July 6, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A phase II clinical trial in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, suggests that transplanting human stem cells into the spinal cord may be done safely. The research is published in the June 29, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. While the study was not designed to determine whether the treatment was effective, researchers noted that it did not slow down the progression of the disease.

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More people may have the potential to develop Huntington’s disease than previously thought, according to a study published in the June 22, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. But the increase comes in the percentage of people who have a lower risk of developing the hereditary disease, which causes uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual abilities, emotional problems and eventually death.

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Having a first-degree relative with epilepsy may increase a person’s risk of being diagnosed with autism, according to a study published in the June 15, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A new drug to prevent migraine was associated with fewer headache hours for people with chronic migraine within three to seven days after the first injection, according to a study published in the June 8, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Chronic migraine is defined as headaches occurring at least 15 days per month. Study participants had migraine attacks for an average of 20 years prior to treatment.

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Researchers have long known that sex hormones such as estrogen play a role in migraine. But there’s been little research on how that works. Do women with migraine have higher estrogen levels in general? Higher levels at the peak of the monthly cycle?

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Researchers have identified a group of immune system genes that may play a role in how long people can live after developing a common type of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme, a tumor of the glial cells in the brain. The research is published in the May 25, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A drug commonly used to treat pain, epilepsy, anxiety and other brain health disorders may be associated with an increased risk of major birth defects, according to a study published in the May 18, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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The multiple sclerosis (MS) drug mitoxantrone may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the May 11, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Mitoxantrone suppresses the immune system. It was first developed as a chemotherapy drug for certain cancers.

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People who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may still have sleep problems a year and a half after being injured, according to a study published in the April 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. In addition, people with TBI may also be unaware of just how much their sleep is disturbed.

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Athletes who have medical complaints, like aches and pains, that have no known physical cause may take longer to recover after a concussion, according to a study published in the April 20, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – The American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the world’s largest association of neurologists, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016 AAN Research Program. This year’s program has awarded nearly $3 million dollars toward neuroscience research and training. The individual awards will be presented during the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016, at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

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Athletes who have medical complaints, like aches and pains, that have no known physical cause may take longer to recover after a concussion, according to a study published in the April 20, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has updated its 2008 guidelines on the use of botulinum toxin for spasticity, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm and migraine headache, based on recent research. The guideline is published in the April 18, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and will be presented at the 68th AAN Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

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A new study suggests that an epilepsy drug that can be taken once a day may control seizures as well as a drug that must be taken twice a day, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

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Mapping blood flow in the brain of athletes using an advanced form of ultrasound may make it easier to more accurately recognize concussions, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

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A common antihistamine used to treat symptoms of allergies and the common cold, called clemastine fumarate, partially reversed damage to the visual system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

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More than 40 percent of retired National Football League (NFL) players in a recent study had signs of traumatic brain injury based on sensitive MRI scans called diffusion tensor imaging, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

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The Zika virus may be associated with an autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain’s myelin similar to multiple sclerosis, according to a small study that is being released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.