Latest News

• share
• favorite_border

Deep brain stimulation continues to be effective in people with Parkinson’s disease 15 years after the device is implanted, according to a study published in the June 2, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers found that compared to before deep brain stimulation, study participants continued to experience significant improvement in motor symptoms, which are symptoms that affect movement, as well as a reduction in medications 15 years later.

• share
• favorite_border

People who have had a concussion where they lost consciousness may be more likely to have some disability or limitations later in life—such as difficulty walking or limitations in the amount or type of work they can do—than people who have never had a concussion, according to a study published in the May 26, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Black and Hispanic women may be more likely than white women to have a brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, according to a study published in the May 12, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The disorder may also be more common in women who live in low-income areas or in areas with more fast-food restaurants and convenience stores than grocery stores, also known as “food swamps.”

• share
• favorite_border

Eating a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fish, vegetables and olive oil may protect your brain from protein build up and shrinkage that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. The research is published in the May 5, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Chronic kidney disease is when a person’s kidneys progressively lose their ability to filter waste from the blood and eliminate fluids. Now a new study has found that people with reduced kidney function may have an increased risk of developing dementia. The study is published in the May 5, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Stroke survivors who live in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status—areas with lower household income, education levels and occupational status—may have worse recovery three months after a stroke than people who live in neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic status, according to a study published in the April 28, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The findings applied to people with moderate to severe strokes, not people with mild strokes.

• share
• favorite_border

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the world’s largest professional association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, has elected Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, a practicing neurologist in Tarrytown, New York, as its 37th president. Avitzur succeeds James C. Stevens, MD, FAAN, who completed his two-year term as president during the recent virtual AAN Annual Meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

Intracerebral hemorrhage is a life-threatening type of stroke caused by bleeding within the brain tissue. Survivors are at high risk of having another bleeding stroke. Most of these strokes are caused by changes in the narrowest blood vessels in the brain, a condition known as cerebral small vessel disease. A new study has found that differences in the extent of one type of cerebral small vessel disease may contribute to differences in people’s risk for a second bleeding stroke. The research is published in the April 21, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Women who have migraine before menopause may have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure after menopause, according to a study published in the April 21, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

A large, year-long study has found that among people with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU), 2% experienced a stroke after they were admitted to the ICU. The preliminary study released today, April 15, 2021, will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

Study Finds Evidence of More Brain Aging in People Living in Disadvantaged Areas

• share
• favorite_border

preliminary study suggests that Black people who have autoimmune neurologic diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), may respond differently than white people to a common therapy meant to modulate the immune system. The research, released today, April 14, 2021, will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

Half of the children who developed the serious condition associated with COVID-19 called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) had neurologic symptoms or signs when they entered the hospital, according to preliminary research released today, April 13, 2021, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021. Those symptoms included headaches, encephalopathy and hallucinations.

• share
• favorite_border

For people with Parkinson’s disease, problems with thinking and memory skills are among the most common nonmotor symptoms of the disease. A new study shows that exercise may help slow cognitive decline for some people with the disease. The study is published in the March 31, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

It’s not uncommon for people who experience a concussion to have moderate to severe headaches in the weeks after the injury. A new study has found a combination of two drugs, both common anti-nausea medications, given intravenously in the emergency room may relieve those headaches better than a placebo. The study is published in the March 24, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

As people age, changes in the tiniest blood vessels in the brain, a condition called cerebral small vessel disease, can lead to thinking and memory problems and stroke. These changes can also affect the blood-brain barrier, a layer of cells that protect the brain from toxins circulating in the blood. Now a new study has found that people with cerebral small vessel disease who have blood-brain barrier leakage had more brain tissue damage over two years than people with less blood-brain barrier leakage. The study is published in the March 24, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

People in their 20s and 30s who have health issues such as high blood pressure, obesity and high blood glucose levels may be more likely to have problems with thinking and memory skills decades later than those without these health issues, according to a study published in the March 17, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Eating a healthy, plant-based diet that includes foods like vegetables, whole grains and beans, and decreasing intakes of less healthy foods like refined grains or added sugars may reduce your risk of having a stroke by up to 10%, according to a study published in the March 10, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found a diet high in quality plant-based foods may reduce your risk of having an ischemic stroke.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study of Medicare payments has found that over a five-year period, the payments for medications prescribed to people with neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy increased by 50% while the number of claims for these prescription medications only rose by only 8%. The study is published in the March 10, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Children born to women taking certain medications for epilepsy during pregnancy have no developmental delays at age three when compared to children of healthy women without epilepsy, according to a preliminary study released today, March 4, 2021, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021. Most of the women with epilepsy in the study took either lamotrigine or levetiracetam during their pregnancy, or a combination of the two.

• share
• favorite_border

When it comes to exercise that does the most good for people with Parkinson’s disease, golf may hit above par when compared to tai chi. That’s according to a preliminary study released today, March 3, 2021, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to April 22, 2021. The study found that golf was better than tai chi for improving balance and mobility.

• share
• favorite_border

As average temperatures around the globe climb, a preliminary study has found people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may expect worsening symptoms, enough to send them to the hospital more often. The preliminary study released today, March 2, 2021, will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to April 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

Using cannabis for relief from migraine headache may be associated with developing “rebound” headache, or medication overuse headache, which occurs when pain medication is overused by patients who have an underlying primary headache disorder such as migraine, according to a preliminary study released today March 1, 2021, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

Obstructive sleep apnea is when breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. Research has shown people with this sleep disorder have an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, it is treatable. A preliminary study released today, February 28, 2021, has found that obstructive sleep apnea is common in people with cognitive impairment. The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

There is good news for people who take antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in the United States. A new preliminary study has found that they are not associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage, the deadliest kind of stroke. The preliminary study released today, February 25, 2021, will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

Having depression is known to increase your risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Now a new, preliminary study released today, February 24, 2021, reports that if people do develop Alzheimer’s disease, those with depression may start experiencing dementia symptoms about two years earlier than those who do not have depression. People with anxiety who develop Alzheimer’s may start experiencing dementia symptoms about three years earlier than those who do not have anxiety, according to the study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

Contrary to popular belief, a position played in collision sports like football and hockey may not raise an athlete’s risk for developing brain disease later, a new study finds. Researchers also found no link between the length of their career, and their risk of degenerative brain disease, according to a study published in the February 24, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Additionally, only about half of the athletes studied showed evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

• share
• favorite_border

More than two-thirds of people with migraine do not get enough exercise, according to a preliminary study released today, February 23, 2021, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021. The study found that people who do get a minimum of two-and-a-half hours of moderate to vigorous exercise a week had a reduced rate of migraine triggers like stress, depression and sleep problems.

• share
• favorite_border

People with COVID-19 may lose their sense of smell and taste for up to five months after infection, according to a preliminary study released today, February 22, 2021, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting being held virtually April 17 to 22, 2021.

• share
• favorite_border

No matter where you are in the world, the 2021 AAN Annual Meeting is one click away. Journalists can now register to attend the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) being held virtually April 17-22, 2021. The AAN Annual Meeting is the world’s largest gathering of neurologists who come together to share the latest advances in neurologic research.

• share
• favorite_border

Areas of brain damage called white matter hyperintensities are commonly linked to vascular health problems. They have also been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Now a new study has shown that white matter hyperintensities are also found in frontotemporal dementia. The study is published in the February 17, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Frontotemporal dementia, which often affects people under the age of 65, mainly results in changes in personality, behavior and problems with language rather than memory.

• share
• favorite_border

Having health issues such as smoking, high cholesterol or a high body mass index (BMI) in your 20s may make you more likely to have problems with thinking and memory skills and even the brain’s ability to properly regulate its blood flow, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 72nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, April 25 to May 1, 2020.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers have found that differences in the left atrium in the hearts of Black people and white people may play a role in risk of stroke, according to a new study published in the November 25, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Exposure to the bacteria that causes strep throat does not appear to make Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders worse in children and teens, according to a study published in the February 10, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, exposure was associated with increased symptoms of . Previous studies have suggested a possible link between strep infection and tic and behavioral disorders.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study has found that people age 70 and older are having fewer strokes, and fewer people of all ages are dying from the disease. The study, which examined the population of Denmark, is published in the February 10, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be at a higher risk of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, emergency cesarean section or stillbirth than women who do not have the disease, according to a study in the February 3, 2021, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the study did find that babies born to mothers with MS had a higher chance of being delivered by elective cesarean section (c-section) or induced delivery, and being small for their age compared to babies of women who did not have the disease.

• share
• favorite_border

People with enlarged fluid-filled spaces in the brain around small blood vessels may be more likely to develop cognitive problems and dementia over time than people without these enlarged spaces, according to a new study published in the January 27, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study has found a brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension is on the rise, and the increase corresponds with rising obesity rates. The study is published in the January 20, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that for women, socioeconomic factors like income, education and housing may play a role in their risk.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study shows that intense immunosuppression followed by a hematopoietic stem cell transplant may prevent disability associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) from getting worse in 71% of people with relapsing-remitting MS for up to 10 years after the treatment. The research is published in the January 20, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that in some people their disability improved over 10 years after treatment. Additionally, more than half of the people with the secondary progressive form of MS experienced no worsening of their symptoms 10 years after a transplant.

• share
• favorite_border

Primary progressive aphasia is a rare neurodegenerative condition characterized by prominent language problems that worsen over time. About 40% of people with the condition have underlying Alzheimer’s disease. But a new study has found that people with the condition may not develop the memory problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The study is published in the January 13, 2021, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Just like with drug costs, the amount of money people pay out-of-pocket for diagnostic tests and office visits for neurologic conditions has risen over 15 years, according to a new study published in the December 23, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

A new study has found that while the prevalence of neurologic conditions like dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) is consistent across the U.S., the distribution of neurologists is not, and people in more rural areas may be less likely to receive specialty care for certain neurologic conditions. The study, funded by the American Academy of Neurology, is published in the December 23, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

People with the advanced form of multiple sclerosis (MS) called secondary progressive MS who took the drug siponimod for one to two years had improved cognitive processing speed compared to those who did not take the drug, according to a new study published in the December 16, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Almost two-thirds of the people admitted to an Italian hospital with COVID-19 in March experienced losing their senses of smell and taste, according to a study published in the December 9, 2020, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Additionally, about 22% of those with impaired sense of smell and taste said it was their first symptom of infection.

• share
• favorite_border

COVID-19 can lead to a broad range of neurologic complications including stroke, seizures, movement disorders, inflammatory diseases and more, even in moderate cases, according to a new study published in the December 9, 2020, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Metabolites are small molecules found in our body’s cells. They come from the food we eat, chemical processes happening within our bodies and microbes. A new analysis of recent studies has found that the levels of 10 metabolites detected in the blood are associated with a person’s risk of stroke. The research is published in the December 2, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be at higher risk of developing two of the three cancers that occur most commonly in people with MS, breast and colorectal cancer, than people who don’t have the disease, according to a new study published in the November 25, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the study did find that people with MS had a higher incidence of bladder cancer.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers have found that differences in the left atrium in the hearts of Black people and white people may play a role in risk of stroke, according to a new study published in the November 25, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• share
• favorite_border

Older women who live in locations with higher levels of air pollution may have more brain shrinkage, the kind seen in Alzheimer’s disease, than women who live in locations with lower levels, according to a new study published in the November 18, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at fine particle pollution and found that breathing in high levels of this kind of air pollution was linked to shrinkage in the areas of the brain vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease.