Feature Channels: Neuro

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The news that Vice President Joe Biden's 41-year-old son has suffered a stroke is highlighting the problem of strokes in young people.

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A stroke spokesman for the American Academy of Neurology is available to speak about stroke related to Vice President Joe Biden's oldest son suffering a mild stroke.

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Researchers investigating a regulatory protein involved in a rare genetic disease have shown that it may be related to epileptic and autistic symptoms in other more common neurological disorders. A team of researchers demonstrated how mutations in the STRAD-alpha gene can cause a disease called PMSE (polyhydramnios, megalencephaly, and symptomatic epilepsy) syndrome, found in a handful of Amish children.

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By analyzing the genomes of patients with schizophrenia, genetics researchers have discovered numerous copy number variations—deletions or duplications of DNA sequences—that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Significantly, many of these variations occur in genes that affect signaling among brain cells.

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Neurological research and clinical care received a significant boost today as Imperial College London and McGill University of Montreal entered an agreement enabling them to work more closely together in this field.

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New research by scientists at Cedars-Sinai’s Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute suggests that a drug currently approved to treat erectile dysfunction may significantly enhance the delivery of the anti-cancer drug Herceptin to certain hard-to-treat brain tumors. The research, published in the current issue of the journal PLoS ONE, could help doctors improve treatments for lung and breast cancers that have metastasized to the brain.

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Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered how the genetic mutation that causes Fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited mental retardation, interferes with the “pruning” of nerve connections in the brain. Their findings appear in the April 29 issue of Neuron.

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The protein that has long been suspected by scientists of being the master switch allowing brains to function has now been verified by Iowa State University researcher Yeon-Kyun Shin. The professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology has shown that the protein called synaptotagmin1 (Syt1) is the sole trigger for the release of neurotransmitters in the brain.

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Fifty-four percent of liver patients also display neurocognitive impairments such as short term memory loss, a study found. Average score of impaired patients was lower than that of patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

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University of Maryland Grollman Lecturer “walks” students down 30 years toward possible new therapies.

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A new study shows that people with a common heart defect may also be more likely to have brain aneurysms. The study is published in the May 4, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Brain changes associated with the most common cause of mental retardation can be seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of children as young as one to three years old, according to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Stanford University.

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Biologists have been able to change the brain of a developing fish embryo to resemble that of another species.

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Reported in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, the Study Links Traits to Thinking

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Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health concern and a new book focuses on evaluating what is currently known about childhood TBI and the challenges faced by researchers and clinicians in this arena. The book is entitled “Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: New Frontiers in Clinical and Translational Research,” edited by Vicki Anderson and Keith Owen Yeates and published by Cambridge University Press.

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While most headaches in children can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications or lifestyle changes, it is important to pay attention to their symptoms in case they herald something more serious.

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Loyola University Health System physician’s kindness makes all the difference for stroke survivor and family.

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Using a new mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that Alzheimer’s pathology originates in Amyloid-Beta (Abeta) oligomers in the brain, rather than the amyloid plaques previously thought by many researchers to cause the disease.

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A new tool may help neurologists predict which coma patients may be candidates for organ donation, according to a study published in the April 27, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Researchers at the Ansary Stem Cell Institute and the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College discovered that mice missing a single gene developed repetitive obsessive-compulsive-like behaviors. The genetically altered mice, which behaved much like people with a certain type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), could help scientists design new therapies for this debilitating condition.

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Neuroscience researchers have zeroed in on a novel mechanism that helps control the firing of electrical signals among neurons. By isolating the molecular and electrical events that occur when this control is disrupted, the new research sheds light on epileptic seizures and potentially on other diseases involving poorly regulated brain activity.

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Back and neck problems can be caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, injury, strain or osteoarthritis. Although more than 75 percent of Americans will experience some back pain during their lifetime, about 90 percent of cases are resolved without surgery. The AANS offers back pain information and prevention tips during National Neurosurgery Awareness Week.

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A multi-institution team led by a University of Utah (U of U) USTAR researcher has found that the brain gene STX1A plays a significant role in the level of intelligence displayed by patients with Williams Syndrome (WS).

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Researchers at Johns Hopkins say they have discovered the way in which red wine consumption may protect the brain from damage following a stroke.

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UCLA researchers have found that a variant of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene, found in more than a third of the world’s population and known to cause weight gain, is also associated with a loss of brain tissue.

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New research shows a gene variant may help protect the memory and thinking skills of older people. The research will be published in the April 20, 2010, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A new technique assisting in early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease has been developed at the University of Haifa. This technique involves analysis of voice and articulation.

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Researchers have identified a gene that appears to increase a person’s risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of Alzheimer’s disease. The research will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 – 17, 2010. The gene, abbreviated MTHFD1L, is located on chromosome six.

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Tapeworm infections of the brain, which can cause epileptic seizures, appear to be increasing in Mexico and bordering southwestern states, Loyola University Health System researchers report.

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An investigational intervention using naturally occurring antibodies in human blood has preserved the thinking abilities of a group of mild- to moderate-stage Alzheimer's patients over 18 months and significantly reduced the rate of atrophy (shrinkage) of their brains, according to a study performed at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

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A new study finds that reports of a neurologic disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) have been low after 2009 H1N1 vaccination, according to a research study that will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 – 17, 2010. The study is one of the first national reports of the occurrence of GBS after 2009 H1N1 vaccination.

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Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a neurologic condition of involuntary, sudden and frequent episodes of laughing or crying and is quite common in patients with underlying neurologic diseases or injuries, especially those with multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Now, a new investigational treatment may help stop these involuntary outbursts.

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Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine will present several studies at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, including a potential new drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and surprising trends showing a reduction in the disease’s severity. The meeting will take place April 10-17 in Toronto.

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New research finds any beneficial effect of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol on stroke may be counteracted by cigarette smoking, according to research that will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 – 17, 2010.

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A new University of Iowa study offers some good news for caregivers and loved ones of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Patients might forget a joke or a meaningful conversation -- but even so, the warm feelings associated with the experience can stick around and boost their mood.

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UCLA researchers have, for the first time, made direct recordings of mirror neurons in the living human brain.

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The American Academy of Neurology has issued a new guideline to help determine when people with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia should stop driving. The guideline is published in the April 12, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and will be presented April 12, 2010, at the American Academy of Neurology’s Annual Meeting in Toronto.

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People with no health insurance are less likely than the privately insured to receive proper treatment for their migraines, according to a study published in the April 13, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Lean mass—the weight of an individual’s bones, muscles and organs without body fat—appears to decline among patients with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. These decreases may be associated with declines in brain volume and function.

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Research in rodents highlights the need for human clinical trials of antidepressants and other drugs shown to increase the growth of new neurons. Science at the Buck Institute for Age Research suggests a new strategy for treatment of stroke.

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Researchers may be one step closer to slowing the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. An animal study supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows that by targeting the blood-brain barrier, researchers are able to slow the accumulation of a protein associated with the progression of the illness.

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The American Academy of Neurology Foundation is pleased to announce the winning entries for the 2010 Neuro Film Festival, a new contest to raise awareness through video about the need to for more money to support research into the prevention, treatment and cure of brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, autism, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.

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In a step towards a possible treatment for Huntington’s disease, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have shown for the first time that the accumulation of a mutated protein may explain damaging cellular behavior in Huntington’s disease.

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In a competition modeled after TV quiz shows, a team of neurologists from the United States will face Canadian neurologists in the annual "Neurobowl®" on April 11.

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A new study shows that smoking may increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in people who also have specific established risk factors for MS. The research is found in the April 7, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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A special lighting of Toronto’s CN Tower will recognize “Stop Brain Disorders Week” on Sunday, April 11, 2010. A mayoral proclamation has been issued declaring the week of April 11th as “Stop Brain Disorders Week” in the city of Toronto, where the world’s largest gathering of neurologists is taking place with the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) Annual Meeting at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

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NeurogesX, Inc. (Nasdaq: NGSX) announced today that Qutenza® (capsaicin) 8% patch, the first and only product containing prescription-strength capsaicin, is now available.

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People who are shy or introverted may actually process their world differently than others, leading to differences in how they respond to stimuli, according to Stony Brook researchers and collaborators in China.

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There is strength in numbers if you want to get your voice heard. But how to do you get your say if you are in the minority? That's a dilemma faced not only by the citizens of a democracy but also by some neurons in the brain.

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Directors of the Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science discuss their new “high-risk, high-payoff” mission to push the technology of observation, measurement and control to ever-smaller dimensions.