Stroke News and Research

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A stroke is a medical emergency. Strokes happen when blood flow to your brain stops. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. There are two kinds of stroke. The more common kind, called ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. The other kind, called hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain. "Mini-strokes" or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), occur when the blood supply to the brain is briefly interrupted.

College-age students who drink heavily may increase their risk for future heart disease

In a small study, Minnesota researchers found that a group of college students who drank heavily had higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood marker for inflammation that can increase the risk for heart disease.

20 Apr 2007

Cardiologist John Gordon Harold receives "Passion of the Heart" award

Patients know cardiologist John G. Harold, M.D., as an excellent, caring physician.

20 Apr 2007

Stem cells decrease ischemic injury and restore brain function

This is the impressive result of a study carried out by a group of researchers coordinated by Dr. Maria Grazia De Simoni of the Mario Negri Institute in Milan, Italy in cooperation with the Istituto Neurologico Besta (Milan) and the University of Lausanne.

19 Apr 2007

Drop in HRT use linked to decrease in breast cancer rates

According to the latest report the drop in the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in mid-2002, following the results of the Women's Health Initiative study (WHI), is linked with a steep decline in new breast cancer diagnoses.

19 Apr 2007

Twin studies identify genes that influence human health in unexpected ways

Daniel O'Connor, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine has studied about 265 twin pairs over the past few years, which has led him to some surprising discoveries.

18 Apr 2007

Aspirin may modestly reduce cancer risk

A daily dose of adult-strength aspirin may modestly reduce cancer risk in populations with high rates of colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer if taken for at least five years.

18 Apr 2007

Sensory-deprived brain compensates - increases its plasticity

Whiskers provide a mouse with essential information to negotiate a burrow or detect movement that could signal a predator's presence.

18 Apr 2007

Astrocytes may contribute to Lou Gehrig's disease

Two papers by Columbia and Harvard researchers report for the first time that astrocytes (the most abundant non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system), which carry a mutated gene known to cause some cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig's disease), induce motor neuron death.

16 Apr 2007

High blood pressure could be a brain problem

Scientists in Britain say the cause of high blood pressure may lie within the brain, rather than with problems relating to the heart, kidneys or blood vessels.

16 Apr 2007

Lactate instead of glucose after traumatic brain injury

The chemical lactate has gotten a bad rap. Conventional wisdom considered it to be little more than the bane of runners and other athletes, causing stiff muscles and fatigue, and the "sour" in sour milk. It turns out that view may have been too narrow.

15 Apr 2007

Updated guidelines for early management of adults with ischemic strok

Intravenous delivery of an approved clot-busting drug remains the most beneficial proven intervention for ischemic stroke, according to updated American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

14 Apr 2007

Richard Mayeux wins AAN Potamkin prize for Alzheimer's research

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is awarding the 2007 Potamkin Prize to Richard Mayeux, MD, MSc, Fellow of the AAN and co-director of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center in New York, for his research related to Alzheimer's disease.

12 Apr 2007

Three proteins could be new targets for treating stroke, brain and spinal cord injuries

Some mature brain cells can grow new extensions when the amount of three particular proteins on their surface increases, a new study shows.

12 Apr 2007

Corticosteroids after cardiac surgery lower risk of atrial fibrillation

Patients who receive corticosteroids after cardiac surgery have a significantly lower risk of atrial fibrillation in the days following the surgery, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.

11 Apr 2007

Report reveals cost of type 2 diabetes complications

A first-of-its-kind report looking at the prevalence and cost of type 2 diabetes complications shows that an estimated three out of five people (57.9 percent) with type 2 diabetes have at least one of the other serious health problems commonly associated with the disease, and that these health problems are taking a heavy financial toll on the United States.

11 Apr 2007

Breakthrough Australian pump could give heart patients new hope

Lead researcher Associate Professor Andy Tan said the heart pump's innovative design was based on a double-output centrifugal model that pushed the blood in a counter direction to ensure correct flow through both sides of the heart, and is the subject of a patent application.

11 Apr 2007

American Heart Association highlights BAD fats and BETTER fats

As the nation moves to significantly reduce trans fat consumption, the American Heart Association is launching "Face The Fats," an educational campaign to teach consumers how to minimize trans fat in their diet, while avoiding the unintended health consequence of defaulting to more saturated fat.

11 Apr 2007

Dieting might mean you end up fatter that before!

After analyzing the effects of 31 studies on the longterm effects of a number of diets, scientists in the U.S. say not only do they not work but they can also put a person's health at risk.

10 Apr 2007

Restless legs syndrome increases risk of cardiovascular disease

People with restless legs syndrome (RLS), especially the elderly, may be at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the April 10, 2007, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Apr 2007

Diabetes linked to increased risk of mild cognitive impairment

Individuals with diabetes may have a higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, a condition that involves difficulties with thinking and learning and may be an intermediate step toward Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

10 Apr 2007