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Tooth cells may help treat Parkinson's disease

Cells derived from the inside of a tooth might someday prove an effective way to treat the brains of people suffering from Parkinson's disease.

4 May 2004

Teens who suffered iron deficiency as infants are likely to score lower on cognitive and motor tests

Teens who suffered iron deficiency as infants are likely to score lower on cognitive and motor tests, even if that iron deficiency was identified and treated in infancy, a new University of Michigan study shows.

4 May 2004

Versatile spinal procedure may offer less muscle damage and quicker recovery times

Medtronic, Inc. has introduced at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) meeting in Orlando the latest advancement in the company’s line of Minimal Access Spinal Technologies (MASTSM), which offer surgeons the ability to treat conditions of the lumbar spine using less-invasive techniques.

3 May 2004

Substance use disorders don’t discriminate by age

Substance use disorders don’t discriminate. In fact, anyone can have a problem with prescription medication, alcohol, or illicit drugs—including adults aged 55 and older.

3 May 2004

Iraqi Freedom low casualty rates compared with other recent conflicts

Military neurosurgeons serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom have recently reported a significant decrease in casualty rates compared with other recent conflicts.

3 May 2004

Funding for new biomaterials for spinal disc repair and regeneration

Orthonics, Inc., an Atlanta start-up company developing new biomaterials for spinal disc repair and regeneration, has received initial funding from Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC, a New York-based closely held venture capital/private equity and merchant banking firm focused on the musculoskeletal/orthopedics industry. Terms of the funding were not disclosed.

30 Apr 2004

Gene therapy may delay Alzheimer progression

Results from a preliminary eight-patient study of gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease are positive enough to justify a larger clinical trial, Mark H. Tuszynski, M.D., Ph.D., reported April 27 at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Tuszynski says that a larger trial is being planned at a major medical center in Chicago.

30 Apr 2004

Transplanted bone-marrow cells could regenerate nerve cells in the brain

Findings of a preliminary study in this week's issue of THE LANCET suggest that transplanted adult bone-marrow cells could regenerate nerve cells in the brains of human stem-cell recipients. These early findings, if confirmed in future research, have implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

29 Apr 2004

Body repositioning is highly effective in resolving dizziness

Dizziness is one of the most common medical complaints affecting older adults, with 10-20 percent of such complaints resulting from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Many research studies have stated that without medical treatment, some 30 percent of BPPV patients will recover on their own. Now, a new evidence-based review has found that a single ten minute in-office treatment, based on a series of head and body turns, is highly effective in resolving this disorder, with an overall effectiveness of 70-80 percent.

29 Apr 2004

Surgery a safe treatment for Meniere’s Disease

Episodic attacks of vertigo with hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness all characterize Meniere’s disease. Vertigo is the most disabling symptom of Meniere’s disease

29 Apr 2004

Lou Gehrig’s disease gene discovered

A gene for a rare juvenile-onset form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) has been isolated in families in the United States, Belgium and Austria, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced today.

29 Apr 2004

A burst of brain energy depends more on a unique molecular cycle than on blood flow variation

A century old mystery is taking place in your head as you read these words. Blood vessels in regions of your brain are widening, bathing cells in an increased blood flow.

28 Apr 2004

PET imaging has recently been shown to aid in the diagnosis of particular neurological syndromes associated with cancer

PET imaging has been shown to improve detection of a variety of cancers, and earlier tests have suggested this technique may be useful in identifying small tumors in patients with paraneoplastic neurological disorders. But PET imaging is not yet widely available, and clear indicators of clinically meaningful outcomes using PET are essential to warrant use with this patient population.

28 Apr 2004

Results look promising in Alzheimer’s gene therapy trial

Surgical placement of genetically modified tissue directly into the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, an experimental approach to delaying brain cell loss associated with the disease, leads to increased metabolic activity in the brain, with cells apparently responding to the insertion of growth factor-producing grafts

28 Apr 2004

New teatment for intractable low blood pressure

Patients are generally pleased with a new Mayo Clinic drug treatment for a common form of impaired nerve transmission that causes dizziness and fainting when patients change position from lying down to standing up, and most want to continue using it.

28 Apr 2004

Scientists get new motor neurons to migrate through the spinal cord

In experiments with rodents, Johns Hopkins scientists have used properly directed stem cells to successfully overcome what is thought to be a basic hurdle in restoring function to severely damaged central nervous systems

28 Apr 2004

Anesthesiologists battle post-op pain

Post-operative pain is the No. 1 issue for people who've had surgery-and University of Utah anesthesiologists are helping these patients fight that battle on several fronts.

27 Apr 2004

Hand surgeons warn of gardening dangers

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) recommends gardeners take the proper precautions to prevent hand-related injuries before digging or planting in the garden this spring. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), emergency rooms treat more than 400,000 outdoor garden-tool-related accidents each year.

27 Apr 2004

Medical students are seeking to uncover a silent killer, glaucoma

Like private eyes, a group of medical students at the College of Medicine are seeking to uncover a silent killer attacking unsuspecting citizens of Tucson: glaucoma.

26 Apr 2004

Clinical trial of enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Gaucher disease

Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. today announced that it has initiated a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and clinical activity of GA-GCB, its enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Gaucher disease.

26 Apr 2004