DALLAS, October 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Neurovascular/Interventional Neurology Market [Aneurysm Coils, Carotid Stents, Microcatheter, Microguidewire, Liquid Embolic Agents, & Cerebral Angioplasty Balloons]-Global Trends & Competitive Analysis to 2017" analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in Americas, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World.

Browse 126 market data tables with 11 figures spread through 234 pages and in-depth TOC of"Neurovascular/Interventional Neurology Market [Aneurysm Coils, Carotid Stents, Microcatheter, Microguidewire, Liquid Embolic Agents, & Cerebral Angioplasty Balloons]-Global Trends & Competitive Analysis to 2017" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/neurointerventional-neurostimulation-devices-market-847.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports.

This report studies the global neurointerventional devices market over the forecast period 2012-2017.

Neurointerventional procedures refer to special kind of endovascular procedure within the vessels of the brain or within the spinal cavity, utilizing minimally invasive techniques, imaging guidance, and special microcatheters (thin tubes), guide wires, and small instruments to treat stroke and other neurological disorders. Neurointerventional procedures can be performed through different techniques such as neurothrombectomy procedure, cerebral angiography and stenting technique, and coiling procedure. These techniques are almost mutually exclusive and applied for definite clinical symptoms of neurological disorders.

The neurointerventional device market encompasses neurothrombectomy devices (suction/aspiration device, clot retriever, and snare device), cerebral angiography and stenting system (carotid stent, and embolic protection system), aneurysm coiling devices (platinum coil, liquid embolic agents, and flow diversion device) and support devices (microcatheter, and microguidewire).

Gradual technological evolution, growing ageing and obese population, rising patient pool for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and increasing demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures are the major drivers that are slated to propel this market. Growing GDP and healthcare allocation are making developing countries in Asia and Latin America affordable to adapt novel medical practices for obtaining better treatment outcome. Upcoming clinical trial data is favoring the interventional procedure over neurosurgery as it offers limited hospital stays, minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissues, lesser chances of infection in post-surgical phase, minimum surgical trauma and lesser surgical scar.

The major players operating in the neurology devices market are Covidien, PLC (Ireland), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), Johnson & Johnson (U.S.), and Penumbra, Inc. (U.S.).

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is a global market research and consulting company based in the U.S. We publish strategically analyzed market research reports and serve as a business intelligence partner to Fortune 500 companies across the world. MarketsandMarkets also provides multi-client reports, company profiles, databases, and custom research services.

Originally posted here:
Global Neurointerventional Devices Market Worth $1.7 Billion by 2017

The Mirken Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Medical Center received a plaque from the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) to celebrate the departments continued designation as an NPF Center of Excellence since 1996. Peter Schmidt, PhD, Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Programs at the foundation presented the plaque to Susan Bressman M.D., Chair of the Mirken Department of Neurology, who accepted the honor on behalf of her exemplary team of neurology specialists.

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 30, 2012

The National Parkinson Foundation is pleased to continue our association with the great Parkinsons Center at Beth Israel Medical Center, said Peter Schmidt, PhD, Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Programs at the foundation, who presented the plaque. The challenges that face us in advancing the state of Parkinsons care are tremendous and our community is lucky to have Dr. Bressman and her team on our side as we endeavor to surmount them. Susan Bressman, M.D., Chair of the Mirken Department of Neurology, accepted the plaque on behalf of her exemplary team.

National Parkinson Foundation Centers of Excellence are widely renowned for outstanding performance in Parkinsons research, care and outreach. Recognized by their medical peers as leaders in Parkinsons care, each neurology center meets rigorous criteria for research, comprehensive care delivery, professional education and patient outreach services. To be designated as a Center of Excellence, and recertified every three years, the movement disorders team must:

Our centers clinical, research and support staff work tirelessly to provide much-needed multi-disciplinary care to the Parkinsons disease patients who turn to us for help, says Dr. Bressman. We are delighted to be recognized for these efforts by the National Parkinson Foundation, the premier international organization focused on meeting the needs in the care and treatment of people with Parkinsons disease. We are forever grateful for their support.

As an NPF Centers of Excellence, the Mirken Department of Neurology will collaborate with 40 other Centers of Excellence at top medical institutions across the globe. Collectively, they will provide care to over 50,000 Parkinsons patients and advocate for a comprehensive approach to care that addresses the whole person and full range of symptoms. The centers will meet at least annually to provide updates, exchange ideas, and share advances that will hopefully change the course of Parkinsons disease.

About

The National Parkinson Center of Excellence at Beth Israel Medical Center provides comprehensive, expert clinical care to patients from around the globe who are seeking individualized and innovative treatment. In addition to conducting groundbreaking research, the center provides specialized services, supportive care programs, and referral services. The multi-disciplinary, humanistic approach of these neurology specialists has established the Center as nationally recognized resource for persons with Parkinsons disease, their families, health care providers, and others in the community.

For more information on Mirken Department of Neurology or the Centers of Excellence at Beth Israel Medical Center, please visit http://www.wehealny.org/services/bi_neurology/index.html

Elizabeth Dowling The Alan and Barbara Mirken Department of Neurology at Beth 212-523-4047 Email Information

Follow this link:
National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) Presents Plaque to Beth Israel’s Mirken Department of Neurology to Celebrate Their ...

In this White Board Series, Cleveland Clinic cardiothoracic surgeon Eric Roselli, MD, takes us on a tour of the heart that simply illustrates complex problems so everyone can understand. He says, "We can take care of you better if you understand your disease", and I could not agree more. The videos are below:

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/_hIDX8xlMd4/we-can-take-care-of-you-better-if-you.html

NHSChoices: Hair loss, or alopecia, affects an estimated 8 million women in the UK. In this video Gita Mendis talks about her experience of alopecia areata, how she felt when she noticed her hair loss and the treatment she received.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5dp2t1JZXE

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/yqhHfP_3jsE/alopecia-gitas-story.html

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles in medicine for October 2012:

Worldwide, 31% of adults are physically inactive, ranging from 17% in southeast Asia to 43% in Americas and eastern Mediterranean. The proportion of 13-15-year-olds doing fewer than 60 min of moderate physical activity per day is 80% http://goo.gl/3W6os -- The pandemic of physical inactivity: Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide - The Lancet http://goo.gl/dL2uE -- Elimination of physical inactivity would increase the life expectancy of the world's population by 7 months http://goo.gl/mbUos -- Why are some people physically active and others not? Genetic factors contribute to propensity to be physically active http://goo.gl/jHuIk -- Evidence-based intervention in physical activity: lessons from around the world - The Lancet - http://goo.gl/eHniD

Snorkelling-related deaths in Australia: cardiac, surface drowning, drowning after prolonged breath-hold diving, trauma http://goo.gl/VT0Bs

Nearly half of U.S. doctors struggle with burnout: study http://goo.gl/T3fnx

Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are associated with increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection http://goo.gl/wLi5v

Interactive atlas by CDC shows data about HIV, AIDS, hepatitis, TB, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis http://goo.gl/aizZS and http://goo.gl/VYztM

Looking at human beings as ecosystems of collaborating/competing species could change practice of medicine http://goo.gl/3LX9R

Prevalence of Celiac Disease in U.S.: 0.7% (1 in 141), rare among minorities but affects 1% of non-Hispanic whites http://goo.gl/1qFwE

Future doctors will need to correct the postmodern tendency toward immune dysregulation http://nyti.ms/SG6nX7

The Search for a Baldness Cure: Vitamin D to Coax Dormant Follicles to Grow Hair http://goo.gl/82s4a

YouTube for information on rheumatoid arthritis - at least 30% of videos were misleading. A wakeup call? http://goo.gl/Rjzdv

From physician frustration to physician satisfaction. "Oh we’re not gonna take it anymore", sings AMA http://goo.gl/SSWdQ

6 tips for marketing a practice outside social media - amednews http://goo.gl/AwGZ8

Many hospitals recruiting doctors continually. Contact them even if there isn't a job listing, say experts http://goo.gl/v8Oy7

EHR Report 2012: Physicians Rank Top EHRs http://buff.ly/QHeMqU

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/DOI1TaJYPdI/top-medicine-articles-for-october-2012.html

ScienceDaily (Oct. 17, 2012) Research shows that use of popular antidepressants is linked to an increased risk of some strokes caused by bleeding in the brain, but that the risk is low, according to a multi-study analysis published in the October 17, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the research, scientists analyzed all of the studies that have looked at antidepressant use and stroke, which included 16 studies with more than 500,000 total participants. They found that people taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are the most commonly used antidepressants, were 50 percent more likely to have an intracranial hemorrhage than those not taking the antidepressants and about 40 percent more likely to have an intracerebral hemorrhage.

But study author Daniel G. Hackam, MD, PhD, FRCPC, of Western University in London, Ontario, said the findings should be viewed with caution. "Because these types of strokes are very rare, the actual increased risk for the average person is very low," he said.

An estimated 24.6 of these strokes occur per 100,000 people per year. According to the research, the use of SSRIs would increase the risk by one additional stroke per 10,000 people per year.

"Overall, these results should not deter anyone from taking an SSRI when it is needed," Hackam said. "In general these drugs are safe, and obviously there are risks to having depression go untreated. But doctors might consider other types of antidepressants for people who already have risk factors for these types of strokes, such as those taking blood thinners, people who have had similar strokes already or those with severe alcohol abuse."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

See the original post here:
Antidepressants linked to increased risk of stroke, but risk is low, study finds

From NHS Choices YouTube channel: Patrick, 54, was diagnosed with gout (a form of arthritis) 22 years ago. He describes the symptoms, treatment options and how he learned to live with the condition:

Here is a list of some of the new drugs for an old disease (gout):

Febuxostat is a non-purine-analogue inhibitor of xanthine oxidase that opened a new era in the treatment of gout.

Modified uricases

The use of modified uricases to rapidly reduce serum urate concentrations in patients with otherwise untreatable gout is progressing. Pegloticase, a pegylated uricase, is in development.

JAMA update, 08/2011: New Treatment Offers Hope for Patients With Severe Gout: pegloticase (Krystexxa) costs $2,500 per dose (http://goo.gl/gz9sO).

Drugs in development

Transport of uric acid in the renal proximal tubule and the inflammatory response to monosodium urate crystals (shown above) are targets for potential new treatments.

Several pipeline drugs for gout related to the targets above include:

- selective uricosuric drug RDEA594

- various interleukin-1 inhibitors. Canakinumab (trade name Ilaris) is a human monoclonal antibody targeted at interleukin-1 beta. It was rejected by the FDA panel in June 2011.

References:

Gout therapeutics: new drugs for an old disease. The Lancet, Volume 377, Issue 9760, Pages 165 - 177, 8 January 2011.
Diuretics, beta-blockers, ACEi, non-losartan ARBs associated with increased risk of gout vs. CCB lower risk. BMJ, 2012.
With FDA Approval, a Gout Drug Now Costs $5 Instead of Pennies - WSJ, 2011.
FDA Panel Rejects Gout Drug Canakinumab on Safety Concerns http://goo.gl/lO9uy
The strange story that links gout with the birth of the cocktail drinks. Lancet, 2012.

Comments from Twitter:

francis berenbaum @Larhumato: Gout explained by a patient. Very informative for medical students.

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/uP_EGE55sT0/gout-patricks-story-nhs-video.html

Newswise MINNEAPOLIS A new study shows that having a high amount of beta amyloid or plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimers disease may cause steeper memory decline in mentally healthy older people than does having the APOE 4 allele, also associated with the disease. The study is published in the October 16, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Our results show that plaques may be a more important factor in determining which people are at greater risk for cognitive impairment or other memory diseases such as Alzheimers disease, said study author Yen Ying Lim, MPsych, with the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Unfortunately, testing for the APOE genotype is easier and much less costly than conducting amyloid imaging.

For the study, 141 people with an average age of 76 who were free of any problems in memory and thinking underwent PET brain scans and were tested for the APOE gene. Their memory and thinking was then tracked over the following year and a half, using a set of computer-based cognitive assessments that were based on playing card games and remembering word lists.

The study found that after a year and a half, people who had more brain plaques at the start of the study had up to 20 percent greater decline on the computer based assessments of memory than did those who had fewer brain plaques. The study also found that while carriers of the APOE 4 allele also showed greater decline on the memory assessments than those who did not have the allele, carrying the 4 allele did not change the decline in memory related to the plaques.

Our finding that brain plaque-related memory decline can occur while people still have normal memory and thinking shows that these plaque-related brain changes can be detected and measured while older people are still healthy. This provides an enormous opportunity for understanding the development of early Alzheimers disease and even a sound basis for the assessment of plaque-targeting therapies, said Lim.

The study was supported by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Research Organization, Edith Cowan University, Mental Health Research Institute, Alzheimers Australia, National Aging Research Institute, Austin Health, CogState Ltd., Hollywood Private Hospital, Sir Charles Gardner Hospital, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Dementia Collaborative Research Centers Program and the Science and Industry Endowment Fund.

To learn more about Alzheimers disease, visit http://www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimers disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinsons disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

See the original post:
Plaque Build-Up in Your Brain May Be More Harmful Than Having Alzheimer's Gene

Public release date: 17-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Angela Babb, APR ababb@aan.com 612-928-6102 American Academy of Neurology

MINNEAPOLIS Research shows that use of popular antidepressants is linked to an increased risk of some strokes caused by bleeding in the brain, but that the risk is low, according to a multi-study analysis published in the October 17, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the research, scientists analyzed all of the studies that have looked at antidepressant use and stroke, which included 16 studies with more than 500,000 total participants. They found that people taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are the most commonly used antidepressants, were 50 percent more likely to have an intracranial hemorrhage than those not taking the antidepressants and about 40 percent more likely to have an intracerebral hemorrhage.

But study author Daniel G. Hackam, MD, PhD, FRCPC, of Western University in London, Ontario, said the findings should be viewed with caution. "Because these types of strokes are very rare, the actual increased risk for the average person is very low," he said.

An estimated 24.6 of these strokes occur per 100,000 people per year. According to the research, the use of SSRIs would increase the risk by one additional stroke per 10,000 people per year.

"Overall, these results should not deter anyone from taking an SSRI when it is needed," Hackam said. "In general these drugs are safe, and obviously there are risks to having depression go untreated. But doctors might consider other types of antidepressants for people who already have risk factors for these types of strokes, such as those taking blood thinners, people who have had similar strokes already or those with severe alcohol abuse."

###

To learn more about stroke, visit http://www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

Go here to see the original:
Antidepressants linked to increased risk of stroke, but risk is low

Source: Nature YouTube channel

Comments from Twitter:

Dean Giustini @giustini: Good one~

Link via the medical blog ScienceRoll.

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/wYRbKeBWOEA/the-life-of-science-article-from.html

Ingrowing toenails are common, cause serious disability, and affect mainly young men. Most patients with ingrowing toenails are usually male, between the ages of 15 and 40 years.

There is a spectrum to the clinical presentation with pain progressing to infection, hypergranulation, and finally chronic infection.

Ingrowing toenails can occur in normal or abnormally shaped nails.

Cases in abnormally shaped nails are more difficult to manage conservatively and usually require surgery

Historically, a recurrence rate of 13-50% has been reported after surgical treatment, although more recent papers have reported recurrence rates of less than 5%.

Symptoms are less likely to recur after partial nail avulsion and segmental phenol ablation than after simple nail avulsion or wedge excisions alone.

Podiatrist Dr. Matthew Neuhaus explains what an ingrown toenail is (video):

Ingrown toenail surgery by Dr. Leo Krawetz (video). Warning: graphic content, do not try this at home:

References:

The management of ingrowing toenails. BMJ, 2012;344:e2089.

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/LV1EoDLb1cc/the-management-of-ingrowing-toenails.html

Here are some suggestions from the official AMA newsletter for 5 recommendations to help academic medical centers evolve, with my comments:

1. Build a brand name by holding faculty accountable for cost and quality. Mayo Clinic has mastered that and they offer a "subscription service" allowing local hospitals to gain quick access to Mayo experts - and to advertise that in the local press.

2. Become part of a larger community network. This is part of the "spokes of a wheel" concept to generate referrals to the tertiary center from the peripheral clinics and hospitals.

3. Increase effectiveness by maximizing use of extenders such as telemedicine and simulation technology. Mayo Clinic has a TeleStroke unit. Cleveland Clinic offers an "all-electronic" second opinion for a base price of $600.

4. Become an information hub. MayoClinic.com, the online patient information portal of the Mayo organization, is a good example of that concept.

5. Align research efforts with clinical and business strategies.

Bart Demaerschalk, M.D., neurologist and medical director of Mayo Clinic Telestroke, shows us how the smartphone technology works:

References:

Academic medical centers may face shrinking profits. Amednews staff. Posted April 4, 2012.
Image source: openclipart.org, public domain.

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CasesBlog/~3/7kHJXwMyiAc/academic-medical-centers-face-shrinking.html

Some scientists in the WSU Neurology department are addicted to drug abuse research, like researcher Bradley Winters.

In his latest science fix, Winters affirmed a cellular factor for the emotional slumps and lack of motivation experienced by cocaine addicts in withdrawal.

Winters has been researching the effects of cocaine on emotions for several years, and recently published a paper in the science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Its a very good piece of research being published in really prestigious journals, said Steve Simasko, WSU director of neurology.

Winters research focuses on cells in a region of the brain, the nucleus accumbens, that helps translate emotional drives into motivation for action. That region is strongly affected by drug abuse and is ultimately responsible for the all-encompassing need that addicts feel to get more of the drug.

The nucleus accumbens is the input region of the brain for what is called the Basal Ganglia system, which governs action selection by filtering out unwanted options for any given action or response. In some ways, it determines what we do.

The region adds what Winters calls the emotional flavor to the nervous system.

Its how your emotions affect the way you think and what you do throughout the day, he said.

He focused on cells that produced a molecule called the Cannabanoid Receptor 1 (CB1), which is most famous for being the cell type activated by smoking marijuana, Winters said.

We knew that the cells that expressed CB1 were important because of the effects marijuana has on mood, Winters said.

Original post:
WSU Neurology department researches cocaine withdrawal

Message of His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III President of the Philippines To the Child Neurology Society Philippines Inc. On the occasion of their 8th Biennial Convention

[October 14, 2012]

My warmest greetings to the Child Neurology Society Philippines Inc., as you hold your 8th Biennial Convention.

The human mind is among the great frontiers of scientific inquiry. Your activity is part of humanitys continuing endeavor to understand the dynamics behind this amazing, complex, and efficient system that is the human body. As neurologists for children, you play an important part in nation-building, charged with the care of the minds of our youth, our leaders of tomorrow. May the ideas in this convention add to our collective medical knowledge, that we, especially our youth, may be able to live fuller, more meaningful lives.

Healthcare is an essential component in our thrust to nurture an empowered, productive citizenry. Your community is among our important allies in this endeavor, and we in government take encouragement from this convention, which demonstrates your commitment to advance your specialty. Let us hold ourselves always to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and excellence, as we secure our gains in our continuing journey on the straight and righteous path.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

MANILA

Go here to read the rest:
Message of President Aquino to the Child Neurology Society Philippines Inc. on the occasion of their 8th Biennial ...

Public release date: 11-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julie O'Connor julie.oconnor@wayne.edu 313-577-8845 Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research

Three studies conducted as part of Wayne State University's Systems Biology of Epilepsy Project (SBEP) could result in new types of treatment for the disease and, as a bonus, for behavioral disorders as well.

The SBEP started out with funds from the President's Research Enhancement Fund and spanned neurology, neuroscience, genetics and computational biology. It since has been supported by multiple National Institutes of Health-funded grants aimed at identifying the underlying causes of epilepsy, and it is uniquely integrated within the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at the Wayne State School of Medicine and the Detroit Medical Center.

Under the guidance of Jeffrey Loeb, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics (CMMG) and professor of neurology, the project brings together researchers from different fields to create an interdisciplinary research program that targets the complex disease. The multifaceted program at Wayne State is like no other in the world, officials say, with two primary goals: improving clinical care and creating novel strategies for diagnosis and treatment of patients with epilepsy.

The three studies were published in high-impact journals and use human brain tissue research to identify new targets for drug development, generate a new animal model and identify a new class of drugs to treat the disease. In the first study, "Layer-Specific CREB Target Gene Induction in Human Neocortical Epilepsy," published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience, donated human brain samples were probed to identify 137 genes strongly associated with epileptic seizures.

Researchers then showed that the most common pathway is activated in very specific layers of the cortex, and that it's associated with increased numbers of synapses in those areas. Because epilepsy is a disease of abnormal neuronal synchrony, the finding could explain why some brain regions produce clinical seizures.

"Higher density of synapses may explain how abnormal epileptic discharges, or spikes, are formed, and in what layer," Loeb said, adding that localizing the exact layer of the brain in which that process occurs is useful both for understanding the mechanism and for developing therapeutics.

The first study, which identified a new drug target for epilepsy, precipitated a second study that has found such a drug.

In the second study, "Electrical, Molecular and Behavioral Effects of Interictal Spiking in the Rat," published recently in Neurobiology of Disease, SBEP researchers found that the same brain layers in the rat are activated as in the human tissues and searched for a drug to target those layers. In fact, the first drug they tried, a compound called SL327 that has been used in nonhuman subjects to understand how memory works, "worked like a dream," Loeb said. "SL327 prevented spiking in rat brains," he said, "which not only prevented seizures, but led to more normal behaviors as well."

See the original post:
New treatments for epilepsy, behavioral disorders could result from Wayne State studies

Diabetes, Obesity, High Blood Pressure Among Triggers, Expert Says

By Kathleen Doheny WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Oct. 10, 2012 -- People are having strokes at younger ages, according to new research.

"This is still a disease of the old, but a surprisingly higher proportion of younger patients are having strokes, and it's getting worse over time," says researcher Brett Kissela, MD, professor and vice chair of neurology at the University of Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, strokes are decreasing among older people, he found.

In his study, strokes among adults under age 55 grew from about 13% in 1993 to 19% in 2005.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is published in Neurology.

"Our data cannot tell us why exactly this is happening," he says. "Perhaps the largest factor has to do with the early appearance of risk factors."

He's referring to the rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity among younger people, all risk factors for strokes.

Read more:
Strokes Striking Younger People

ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2012) Three studies conducted as part of Wayne State University's Systems Biology of Epilepsy Project (SBEP) could result in new types of treatment for the disease and, as a bonus, for behavioral disorders as well.

The SBEP started out with funds from the President's Research Enhancement Fund and spanned neurology, neuroscience, genetics and computational biology. It since has been supported by multiple National Institutes of Health-funded grants aimed at identifying the underlying causes of epilepsy, and it is uniquely integrated within the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at the Wayne State School of Medicine and the Detroit Medical Center.

Under the guidance of Jeffrey Loeb, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics (CMMG) and professor of neurology, the project brings together researchers from different fields to create an interdisciplinary research program that targets the complex disease. The multifaceted program at Wayne State is like no other in the world, officials say, with two primary goals: improving clinical care and creating novel strategies for diagnosis and treatment of patients with epilepsy.

The three studies were published in high-impact journals and use human brain tissue research to identify new targets for drug development, generate a new animal model and identify a new class of drugs to treat the disease. In the first study, "Layer-Specific CREB Target Gene Induction in Human Neocortical Epilepsy," published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience, donated human brain samples were probed to identify 137 genes strongly associated with epileptic seizures.

Researchers then showed that the most common pathway is activated in very specific layers of the cortex, and that it's associated with increased numbers of synapses in those areas. Because epilepsy is a disease of abnormal neuronal synchrony, the finding could explain why some brain regions produce clinical seizures.

"Higher density of synapses may explain how abnormal epileptic discharges, or spikes, are formed, and in what layer," Loeb said, adding that localizing the exact layer of the brain in which that process occurs is useful both for understanding the mechanism and for developing therapeutics.

The first study, which identified a new drug target for epilepsy, precipitated a second study that has found such a drug.

In the second study, "Electrical, Molecular and Behavioral Effects of Interictal Spiking in the Rat," published recently in Neurobiology of Disease, SBEP researchers found that the same brain layers in the rat are activated as in the human tissues and searched for a drug to target those layers. In fact, the first drug they tried, a compound called SL327 that has been used in nonhuman subjects to understand how memory works, "worked like a dream," Loeb said. "SL327 prevented spiking in rat brains," he said, "which not only prevented seizures, but led to more normal behaviors as well."

That finding led to collaborations between Loeb's lab and Nash Boutros, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, and the Belgian drug company UCB.

"Whereas animals that developed epileptic spiking became hyperactive, those treated with the drug and had less spiking in their brains were more like normal animals," Loeb said. "Now whenever we screen for drugs for epilepsy, we look at behavior as well as epileptic activity."

Read the original:
New studies could result in better treatments for epilepsy, behavioral disorders

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Stroke Also Included In: Diabetes;Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 10 Oct 2012 - 15:00 PDT

Current ratings for: More Younger Adults Having Strokes

5 (1 votes)

5 (1 votes)

First author Brett Kissela is from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. He told the press the reason for the trend could be an increase in risk factors like diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.

But another reason, Kissela suggests, could be improved diagnosis, such as through increased use of MRI scans.

Nevertheless, he says "the rising trend found in our study is of great concern for public health because strokes in younger people translate to greater lifetime disability."

For the study, the researchers looked at occurrences of first ever strokes in people aged from 20 to 54 in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region over three separate, one-year periods. One period was between July 1993 and July 1994, and the other two were during the period 1999 to 2005.

They found that the average age of a person experiencing a first ever stroke fell from 71 in the 1993-1994 period to 69 in the year 2005.

"Regression modeling showed a significant change over time (p = 0.002), characterized as a shift to younger strokes in 2005 compared with earlier study periods," write the researchers.

See the rest here:
More Younger Adults Having Strokes

LYON, France, October 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The MS in the 21st Century initiative has taken a significant step forward with its publication in the Journal of Neurology, a leading journal in the area of neuroscience with a significant impact factor of 3.8.

The published article entitled Future MS care: a consensus statement of the MS in the 21st Century Steering Group [http://www.springerlink.com/content/l04084qgw2p647j5 ], details the work of a panel of European and Canadian neurologists and representatives from umbrella organisations, which came together to define how multiple scleroris (MS) treatment and standards of care should look in the 21st Century. The "MS in the 21st Century steering group" also aims to align the broader MS community to minimum standard of care as well as to challenge the current treatment paradigm.

Over the course of three meetings, the MS in the 21st Century steering group compiled a Consensus Statement, which it hopes will act as a call to action for healthcare providers and decision makers.

The Consensus Statement communicates the groups vision ie full access to personalised treatment, with reimbursement, to achieve freedom from disease, and outlines the seven key areas of development that it believes must be addressed to realise this vision. These are personalised care, patient engagement, commitment to research, regulatory body education and reimbursement issues, new endpoints for clinical trials, more therapy options and MS centres of excellence.

Commenting on the recent article in the Journal of Neurology, the MS in the 21st steering group chair, Professor Peter Rieckmann, said: "The publication of our approach to MS care is

a significant step forward, and will support us over the coming period when engaging with various stakeholders including regulators and patients. We recognise that a strong

collaboration across the MS community is essential to ensuring that the principles underlying the statement are accomplished."

To date endorsement for the initiative has been received from various leading experts in MS treatments and organisations including the Czech Neurological Society, MS Society, UK and MS Trust UK.

Notes to Editors

Follow this link:
Initiative on Future MS Treatment and Care Takes Significant Step Forward

PARIS, Oct 10 Use of cannabis extract helps ease painful muscle stiffness among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a large trial published yesterday in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Use of cannabis extract helps ease painful muscle stiffness among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a large new trial. AFP/Relaxnews

Over 12 weeks, 144 patients were given daily tablets of tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the active ingredient in cannabis, and 135 were given a dummy pill, also called a placebo.

Doses were gradually escalated, from 2.5 milligrams to a maximum of 25 mg for two weeks, following top-up doses for the remaining two weeks.

At the end of the study, 29.4 per cent of people in the cannabis group said they had experienced relief from muscle spasms, compared to 15.7 per cent in the placebo group, according to an 11-point rating.

They also reported improvement in sleep quality. Side effects were nervous system disorders and gut problems, but none was severe.

MS, a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, occurs when the immune system attacks the fatty myelin sheaths that insulate nerve cells.

Painful stiffness in the muscles occurs among up to 90 per centof patients at some time, often leading to poor sleep and impaired mobility.

The trial, led by John Peter Zajicek of Britains Clinical Neurology Research Group, says standardised doses of cannabis extract can be useful in easing pain and spasms in this disease.

Previous Phase III trials on cannabis and MS have thrown up conflicting results, partly because of the scale by which users report any change in their symptoms, the MUSEC researchers said. AFP/Relaxnews

More:
Cannabis eases sclerosis stiffness, says study