Encephalopathy News and Research

RSS

Hyperion acquires worldwide rights to Ucyclyd's Ravicti

Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has acquired worldwide rights to the investigational drug Ravicti from Ucyclyd Pharma, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation.

23 Mar 2012

Induced hyperammonaemia increases daytime sleepiness in patients with cirrhosis

Italian and Swiss researchers confirm that induced hyperammonaemia significantly increases daytime sleepiness in patients with cirrhosis. The findings available in the March issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that higher blood levels of ammonia reduced the ability of cirrhotic patients to produce restorative sleep.

2 Mar 2012

Early MSC transplantation can help repair neonatal brain damage

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report that early transplantation of human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells into the lateral ventricles of neonatal rats with birth-related brain damage is possible, and that the donor cells can survive and migrate in the recipient's brain.

13 Feb 2012

Concussions linked with number of hits received by football players

A two-year study of high school football players suggests that concussions are likely caused by many hits over time and not from a single blow to the head, as commonly believed.

3 Feb 2012

Researchers caution against over-reliance on CNT in return-to-play decisions

A new study by researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus and Pace University is critical of the widespread use of computerized neuropsychological tests (CNT) in decisions regarding when athletes can return to play after suffering a concussion.

3 Feb 2012

IDEXX fourth quarter revenues increase 8% to $307.2 million

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., today reported that revenues for the fourth quarter of 2011 increased 8% to $307.2 million, from $283.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2010. Organic revenue growth, as defined below, was 7%. Earnings per diluted share ("EPS") for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 increased 8% to $0.67, compared to $0.62 for the same period in the prior year.

27 Jan 2012

Anabolic steroids do not appear to contribute to CTE

Anabolic steroids don't appear to contribute to degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma in athletes, according to a study in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

20 Jan 2012

New evidence on heading and risk of brain injury in soccer

Could heading the ball in soccer lead to degenerative brain disease, like that seen in athletes in other sports? That's the question addressed by a review in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

10 Jan 2012

Experts want young athletes to become more aware of warning signs of concussion

Concussion in youth sports is a serious issue, as young athletes' brains are more susceptible to injuries. These injuries can become more serious as players suffer repeated incidents. Sports related concussions have generated a significant amount of attention, with numerous well-known school and professional athletes out of the game due to concussion.

10 Jan 2012

Repeated head trauma causes CTE in hockey players

The tradition of fighting in hockey should be stopped, as research shows that repeated head trauma causes severe and progressive brain damage, states an editorial in CMAJ.

20 Dec 2011

Testing athletes for concussions may induce mental fatigue

Testing athletes for concussions may induce mental fatigue in subjects whether or not they have a head injury, according to Penn State researchers.

7 Dec 2011

Women with low risk pregnancies should be able to choose where they give birth

Women with low risk pregnancies should be able to choose where they give birth, concludes a study published on bmj.com today. Although it shows that first-time mums who opt for a home birth are at a higher risk of adverse outcomes, the overall risk is low in all birth settings.

24 Nov 2011

Panel discussion on ethics behind sports concussion treatment

Experts from NYU Langone Medical Center and NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies' Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management held a panel discussion Tuesday night on the ethics of who is responsible for ensuring appropriate medical treatment of an athlete that is injured - particularly if they may have a concussion.

19 Nov 2011

N-acetylcysteine plus cortisone shows promise against acute alcoholic hepatitis

Acute alcoholic hepatitis is one of the most serious forms of alcoholic liver disease, affecting individuals with chronic excessive alcohol consumption, which generally equates to more than 50 grams of alcohol per day, over a period of more than three to six months. The disease is characterized by liver failure and acute jaundice (icterus), which may induce a coma through liver failure and an ensuing death rate of between 40-45% within the first six months.

11 Nov 2011

GFAP protein levels can help identify HIE in newborns

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that increased blood levels of a protein specific to central nervous system cells that are vital to the brain's structure can help physicians identify newborns with brain injuries due to lack of oxygen.

14 Oct 2011

Sports head injuries among teens and youth on the rise

According to a latest CDC report, there was about a 60% increase in the estimated number of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI) seen among young athletes during the past decade.

9 Oct 2011

Alzheimer's may originate in a form similar to that of infectious prion diseases

The brain damage that characterizes Alzheimer's disease may originate in a form similar to that of infectious prion diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob, according to newly published research by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

4 Oct 2011

Bristol-Myers to present abstracts on research in liver disease at The Liver Meeting 2011

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced today that 22 abstracts on the Company's research in liver disease have been accepted for presentation at The Liver Meeting 2011, the 62nd annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, in San Francisco, November 4 - 8.

1 Oct 2011

Researchers discover new inherited disorder that causes mental retardation, liver dysfunction

Researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have discovered a new inherited disorder that causes severe mental retardation and liver dysfunction. The disease, adenosine kinase deficiency, is caused by mutations in the ADK gene, which codes for the enzyme adenosine kinase.

1 Oct 2011

BPA found in kids’ canned food

The chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) that is suspected to be harmful to babies may be found in several child-friendly canned foods. Breast Cancer Fund researchers tested for bisphenol A (BPA) in six products specifically marketed to children. Included in the list were such popular kid-targeted meals as Campbell’s “Disney Princess" soup with "shaped pasta with chicken in chicken broth” and Annie’s Homegrown certified organic “Cheesy Ravioli.” BPA, which is found in plastics, cash-register receipts, dental sealants and even money, has been linked in animal studies to a host of health ills, including possible cancers and developmental problems and early puberty.

22 Sep 2011