Neurology News and Research

Latest Neurology News and Research

Physiotherapy ‘should be targeted’ in Parkinson’s disease

Physical and occupational therapy does not deliver quality of life benefits for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, a randomised trial shows.

22 Jan 2016

Migraines heat up as women near menopause

Migraine headaches heat up as women approach menopause, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Cincinnati, Montefiore Headache Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Vedanta Research.

21 Jan 2016

Study reveals new clue to possible misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Correctly diagnosing Alzheimer's disease remains a challenge for medical professionals. Now, a new study published in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease reveals a new clue to possible misdiagnosis.

21 Jan 2016

Young blacks at three times greater risk of first stroke than white counterparts

A first-of-its-kind study found that young blacks, age 45, are at a three times greater risk of having a first stroke than their white counterparts. However, they may not be at a higher risk for the second stroke.

21 Jan 2016

Study shows African-Americans may not be at higher risk for second stroke

Even though young African-Americans are at three times greater risk of a first stroke than their white counterparts, they may not be at a higher risk for a second stroke, according to a study published in the January 20, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study is one of the first of its kind to look at race and second stroke risk.

21 Jan 2016

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy not effective in patients with Parkinson's disease

New research from the University of Birmingham has shown that physiotherapy and occupational therapy do not produce improvements in quality of life for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.

20 Jan 2016

Aerobic exercise training may slow progression of Parkinson's disease

You've likely heard this before: Exercise is good for you. It helps your heart, bones, back and more. But here's one thing you might not have heard: Ongoing aerobic exercise may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system.

20 Jan 2016

Interictal discharges have neuropsychological effects in rolandic epilepsy

Centrotemporal spikes experienced between seizures by children with rolandic epilepsy may disrupt functional brain networks and contribute to language, behaviour and cognitive problems, research suggests.

19 Jan 2016

Stem cell transplantation of neurotrophic factors shows promise in ALS

Mesenchymal stem cells cultured to secrete neurotrophic factors can be administered to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis without lasting unwanted effects and may have clinical benefits, indicates a phase I/II safety analysis study.

19 Jan 2016

Common mortality causes prevail in epilepsy patients

A prospective, community-based study confirms that patients with epilepsy usually die of the same causes as other people.

19 Jan 2016

Best management unclear for patients needing carotid revascularisation

Research highlights the vulnerability of patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis to stroke while awaiting revascularisation.

19 Jan 2016

Anticholinesterase offers a ‘steadying hand’ to PD patients

The dementia drug rivastigmine may reduce the risk of falls in patients with Parkinson’s disease by improving gait stability, findings from the phase II ReSponD trial show.

19 Jan 2016

Weight loss may mark rapid Parkinson’s disease progression

Weight loss in patients with early Parkinson’s disease is associated with worsening motor function, research shows.

19 Jan 2016

Researchers identify protein that could protect against toxic degeneration of cells in ALS

J. Gavin Daigle, a PhD candidate at the LSU Health New Orleans School of Graduate Studies, is the first author of a paper whose findings reveal another piece of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) puzzle.

19 Jan 2016

Taking up new mental challenges may help maintain cognitive vitality

One of the greatest challenges associated with the growing numbers of aged adults is how to maintain a healthy aging mind. Taking up a new mental challenge such as digital photography or quilting may help maintain cognitive vitality, say researchers reporting in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.

18 Jan 2016

Oral drug rivastigmine could help prevent falls in people with Parkinson’s

Scientists have discovered that a commonly prescribed dementia drug could hold the key to helping prevent debilitating falls for people with Parkinson’s.

18 Jan 2016

Graph theoretical analysis may help predict recovery of motor function after stroke

Graph theoretical analysis is proving to be helpful in understanding complex networks in the brain. Investigators in the Republic of Korea used a graph theoretical approach in examining the changes in the configuration of the two hemispheres of the brain in 12 patients after stroke.

18 Jan 2016

Metamaterials could reduce MRI scanning times by more than 50%

A group of researchers from Russia, Australia and the Netherlands have developed a technology that can reduce Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning times by more than 50%, meaning hospitals can drastically increase the number of scans without changing equipment.

18 Jan 2016

New materials promise safer, faster MRI scans

Scientists have found a way to increase the resolution of MRI scanners, while at the same time making the procedure quicker and safer for the patient.

14 Jan 2016

UCLA discovery could lead to new therapies for autism

UCLA scientists have discovered that an overlooked region in brain cells houses a motherlode of mutated genes previously tied to autism. Recently published in Neuron, the finding could provide fresh drug targets and lead to new therapies for the disorder, which affects one in 68 children in the United States.

13 Jan 2016