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Showing posts from December, 2019

The 12 most viewed blog posts on The Neurology Lounge in 2019

2019 saw almost 20,000 visitors to this blog . Almost 300 blog posts were viewed . And 60 of these were freshly posted in 2019 . Keyboard From Stone Age. Libor Krayzel on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/elka_cz/126813739 So which of our 2019 blog posts attracted the most attention ? Giant #life size #Keyboard. Wicker Paradise on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/wicker-furniture/8601135380 Here is our countdown of… …the 12 most viewed blog posts of 2019! *** 12. What are the pitfalls and perils of intracranial pressure? 11. What is the last word on migraine and PFOs? 10. What should we really know about cerebral aneurysms?   9. 7 epic historical rivalries that shaped neuroscience 8. The emerging links between Alzheimer’s disease and infections   7. 18 most insightful and profound quotations about the brain 6. 9 promising advances in the management of traumatic brain injury 5. 15 m...

Justified and unjustified movie violence evokes different brain responses

Scenes of justified and unjustified violence in movies activate different areas of the adolescent brain. Unjustified violence activates the lateral orbital frontal cortex, while scenes where violence appears justified, activates the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/36eXs8e

A broader approach to identifying brain cells

Researchers test the theory that a neuron's identity can be described by the genes it expresses alone. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ZCKjDq

How the brain balances pleasure and pain

Different classes of neurons in the ventral pallidum control positive and negative motivations, sending opposing signals along a shared motivation-processing circuit. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ML4eux

Possible dementia vaccine closer after mice studies

Clinical trials for a preventative treatment for dementia was successful in mouse models. Researchers say human trials will begin in two years. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/37lestm

Fall 2019 Highlights: Practice Growth Strategies

Whether practice growth is one of your new year resolutions or not, now is a great time to put some energy into your public-facing spaces. From decluttering your office to refreshing your website and social media, our fall lineup of posts included a whole bunch of helpful tips and tricks. Take a moment now to read up, and get ready to usher in a more profitable 2020. POST #1 You Are Creating Marketing Content, and You May Not Even Know It! Lack of time may truly be the biggest roadblock for the neurologist who wants to create digital content to help build their neurology practice. But in today’s online world, digital content is marketing currency. It can be shared on your website, and on social media channels to connect with potential patients and referring physicians. In this post you can learn how to make use of content you probably already have. READ MORE > POST #2 Referral Development Is Key to Practice Growth: Here’s How to Nail It Referral sources want two things from...

Editors' note: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy, and cognitive decline

In the article "Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy, and cognitive decline," Moran et al. examined longitudinal relationships between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cortical thickness, and cognitive function in older people with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer disease (AD) in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. They concluded that T2DM contributed to cognitive decline via neurodegeneration (lower baseline cortical thickness) and that previous brain and cognitive reserve (reflected by greater education) may protect against this effect. In response, Ba et al. argue that it is unclear whether the authors properly controlled for other risk factors for cognitive decline such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, white matter lesion burden, and depression and note that incorporating additional T2DM-related factors such as fasting blood glucose or disease duration would be relevant. They also critique the study's r...

Reader response: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy, and cognitive decline

Moran et al. 1 reported that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) contributes to cognitive decline via neurodegeneration in an older cohort with low cerebrovascular disease burden. Although the data provided by Moran et al. are interesting, it is not clear whether the authors have properly controlled for other risk factors for cognitive decline such as hypertension. Relying solely on the T2DM diagnosis to ascertain cognition is an important limitation itself. Fasting blood glucose levels and duration of diabetes were not reported. from Neurology recent issues https://ift.tt/356Ktnz

Author response: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain atrophy, and cognitive decline

On behalf of my coauthors, I thank Drs. Ba and Kong for their comments and agree that further type 2 diabetes (T2D)-specific information, such as duration of disease, would be of interest and highlighted the same in our discussion. 1 This is the limitation of repurposing a dataset that was developed to answer different questions. We included what T2D-specific data were available within the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and respectfully point out that we reported data regarding fasting glucose, diabetes medication use, blood pressure, and measures of obesity (see table 1). 1 from Neurology recent issues https://ift.tt/2Q87hiC

Practice guideline update summary: Acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society

In the Special Article "Practice guideline update summary: Acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society" by Oskoui et al., 1 the following disclaimer/publication statement should have been included: "These guidelines were jointly developed by the American Academy of Neurology Institute and American Headache Society. This article was peer reviewed and first published by Neurology , and subsequently published in Headache ." The publisher regrets the error. from Neurology recent issues https://ift.tt/2F6W6QX

Clinical Reasoning: An underrecognized etiology of new daily persistent headache

A 66-year-old man with no headache history presented with a new daily and persistent headache that began acutely 1 year ago without any clear provoking features. The pain was mild, constant holocephalic pressure with associated photophobia and phonophobia. He denied nausea/vomiting or migraine aura–like symptoms. Previously failed preventive migraine medications included onabotulinumtoxinA injections, nortriptyline, gabapentin, and metoprolol. The patient's neurologic examination including funduscopic evaluation was normal. from Neurology recent issues https://ift.tt/2ZD94iF

Battery-powered headgear could short-circuit joint pain

A portable transcranial direct current stimulation headset may provide relief for those with joint pain. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/37xHrur

Findings strengthen link between vitamin E acetate and vaping-associated lung injuries

Study strengthens previous findings linking vitamin E acetate to lung injury associated with vaping. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QB1T6H

The psychological benefits of working less

Working fewer hours isn't only associated with improved health and psychological benefits; it can also help us to become more productive. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QdAQzv

Outdoor learning is good for pupils and teachers

Adding outdoor learning time has positive effects on both students and teachers. Researchers report children who were exposed to outdoor education had improvements in concentration, behavior, and learning, while teachers experienced better health, wellbeing, and job satisfaction. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2F5v9Nt

Hangovers happen as your body tries to protect itself from alcohol’s toxic effects

Researchers explore the biology behind hangovers, including how excessive alcohol consumption alters glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine. The paper also examines how to reduce the effects of a heavy night's drinking. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QwbxHM

Children who drank whole milk had lower risk of being overweight or obese

Children who drink whole milk are 40% less likely to be overweight or obese compared to children who consume reduced-fat milk. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ZMBLtT

Combining neurologic and blood pressure drugs reduces breast tumor development

Combining medications used to treat neurological disorders, such as epilepsy and migraines, with blood pressure medications reversed some aspects of breast cancer in mice at high risk of developing the disease due to the high-fat diets fed to their mothers during pregnancy. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QdQxql

Intracranial Atherosclerotic Burden on 7T MRI Is Associated with Markers of Extracranial Atherosclerosis: The SMART-MR Study

Editor’s Choice Intracranial atherosclerosis, a major risk factor for ischemic stroke, is thought to have different atherogenic mechanisms than extracranial atherosclerosis. Studies investigating their relationship in vivo are sparse and report inconsistent results. Within the Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease–Magnetic Resonance (SMART) Study, cross-sectional analyses were performed in 130 patients with a history of vascular disease and with assessable 7T intracranial vessel wall MR imaging data. Intracranial atherosclerosis burden was defined as the number of intracranial vessel wall lesions in the circle of Willis and its major branches. Significant associations were observed between higher intracranial atherosclerosis burden and carotid intima-media thickness, 50%–100% carotid stenosis versus no stenosis, ankle-brachial index, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. No significant differences in intracranial atherosclerosis burden were found among different categories of...

Drugs that quell brain inflammation reverse dementia

Older mice given anti-inflammatory medication were better able to learn new tasks and became almost as adept at learning as mice half their age. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QvPlxh

Why Your New Year’s Resolution Should Be Self-Acceptance

Researchers urge people to reframe negative messages about eating and weight loss for the new year ahead. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ZztM2S

Watching pornography rewires the brain to a more juvenile state

From eroding the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain critical for impulse control, to damaging the dopamine reward system, researchers evaluate the impact of viewing pornography on the brain. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ta3HLQ

Ultra-High-Field Targeted Imaging of Focal Cortical Dysplasia: The Intracortical Black Line Sign in Type IIb

Fellows’ Journal Club Between 2013 and 2019, the authors performed a standardized 7T MR imaging protocol in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. They focused on 12 patients in whom postsurgical histopathology revealed focal cortical dysplasia and explored the diagnostic yield of preoperative 7T versus 1.5/3T MR imaging and the correlations of imaging findings with histopathology. They observed clear abnormalities in 10/12 patients using 7T versus 9/12 revealed by 1.5/3T MR imaging. In patients with focal cortical dysplasia I, 7T MR imaging did not disclose morphologic abnormalities ( n = 0/2). In patients with focal cortical dysplasia II, 7T uncovered morphologic signs that were not visible on clinical imaging in 1 patient with focal cortical dysplasia IIa ( n = 1/4) and in all those with focal cortical dysplasia IIb ( n = 6/6). T2*WI provided the highest added value. The authors conclude that the high sensitivity of 7T T2*-weighted images provides an additional tool in definin...

People think marketing and political campaigns use psychology to influence their behaviors

While people believe advertising and political campaigns exploit psychological research to control their unconscious behavior, many still feel the choices they make are their own. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QwcmjT

Ketogenic diet reduces aggression after concussion

Male fruit flies fed a ketone supplemented diet expressed reduced levels of aggression following concussion than those who were not exposed to the dietary intervention. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2MATzTl

Validation of a rapid and easy-to-perform screening test for neurocognitive impairment in HIV+ patients

Information Processing Speed (IPS) is one of the earliest cognitive domains impaired in both multiple sclerosis (MS) and HIV-infected patients. Our aim was to study whether the Computerized Speed Cognitive Test (CSCT), an ultra-rapid tool which detects IPS impairment and is already used in MS subjects, could also be useful to screen for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/39kEEWR

Mixed dementia: Neglected clinical entity or nosographic artifice?

Clinical and pathological data show that Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are the most prevalent types of dementia in the elderly. Medically speaking, mixed dementia (MxD) is a heterogenous disorder mostly referred to the coexistence of AD and VaD. The weight of vascular contribution to AD phenotype is nowadays matter of debate. Despite great efforts in the field of neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular disease, controversy over the exact nature of their relation still remains, hampering progress in the specialty and raising doubts about the MxD concept validity. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/2EYXuFa

Here’s what happens in the brain when we disagree

When people disagree, their brains become less sensitive to the strength of other peoples' opinions. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/39hYceC

High BMI may improve cancer survival

Those with a higher body mass index who are given atezolizumab to treat cancer have an improved rate of survival, a new study reveals. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/37c3BC2

Severity of autism symptoms varies greatly among identical twins

Data analysis from previous studies reveals if one twin is on the autism spectrum, there is a 96% chance the other twin will also be diagnosed with ASD. However, symptom severity varies greatly between the twins. Researchers estimate genetic factors contribute to only 9% of the cause of trait variation. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/39ovCIr

Blind bags: how toy makers are making a fortune with child gambling

The popularity of blind bag collectible toys is rapidly growing among children. Researchers report blind bags tap into the same psychological mechanisms that ultimately result in gambling addiction, namely intermittent reinforcement. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2swOl47

What are the 12 most interesting neurological questions of 2019?

It’s that time of the year again… When we look back and reflect… Over how many visitors took a peek… And what most piqued their interest. *** >10,000 people visited our blog in 2019… They viewed >300 abstracts… Of which >70 were freshly minted in 2019. *** Our visitors favoured some abstracts over others, So we […] via What are the 12 most interesting neurological questions of 2019? — Neurochecklists Blog from The Neurology Lounge https://ift.tt/2QuUm9t

Maintenance immunosuppression in myasthenia gravis, an update

Therapies for myasthenia gravis (MG) include symptomatic and immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory treatment. Options for immunosuppression include corticosteroids, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, methotrexate, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, eculizumab, intravenous immunoglobulin, subcutaneous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, and thymectomy. The practical aspects of long-term immunosuppressive therapy in MG are critically reviewed in this article. Application of one or more of these specific therapies is guided based on known efficacy, adverse effect profile, particular disease subtype and severity, and patient co-morbidities. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/37am2ak

Why some people distrust atheists

25% of the population in the US identify as non-religious, with 3% actively identifying as atheist. Researchers investigate why many people distrust those who identify as being atheist. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2MxolMR

Measuring mutations in sperm may reveal risk for autism in future children

Spontaneous mutations in a father's sperm may be linked to autism spectrum disorder in their offspring. UCSD researchers have developed a new method of quantifying the mutations and assessing the likelihood that the mutations will contribute to ASD. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/35Y7JFv

Tuberculosis vaccine lowers rates of Alzheimer’s disease in cancer patients

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, commonly used to innoculate against tuberculosis and as a bladder cancer treatment, also appears to reduce the development of Alzheimer's disease. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2Zpr4gs

How to tell if a brain is awake

Study finds EEG features may not always be accurate in being able to capture the level of consciousness in patients under anesthesia. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2EWJf3A

High fat diet impairs new neuron creation in female mice

Female mice exposed to a high-fat diet have limited hippocampal neurogenesis. The findings may explain why women are at higher risk of developing dementia than men. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2MwqkAX

The link between drawing and seeing in the brain

Regions of the visual cortex participate in the recognition of an object and reproduction of the object when drawing. The study provides new insight into the relationship between visual production and recognition in the brain. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ERimOH

Early-life exposure to dogs may lessen risk of developing schizophrenia

Exposure to household pet dogs in the early years of life was associated with a significantly decreased risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2t3aw1F

Is the marshmallow test still valid?

A new replication of the Marshmallow Test finds the test retains its predictive power, even when the statistical sample is more diverse. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/39dES2b

Review of rituximab in primary CNS lymphoma

Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare intracranial tumor. Several treatment regimens exist, but there is no one established standard of care regimen. This article reviews the effects of the addition of rituximab to induction chemotherapy for PCNSL patients. The addition of rituximab in phase II trials seems to increase the overall response rates (ORR) of PCNSL patients, especially when they receive consolidation therapy after rituximab-based induction chemotherapy regimens. Upfront rituximab added to MBVP chemotherapy did not improve overall survival in PCNSL patients, but it may benefit specific subpopulations of PCNSL patients. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/2ZswSGa

Does post-operative symptomatic lead edema associated with subthalamic DBS implantation impact long-term clinical outcomes?

Post-operative, non-hemorrhagic, non-infectious symptomatic delayed edema around the DBS lead is an uncommon complication of DBS surgery. We investigated whether this complication impacts clinical outcomes or has long-term sequelae. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/2PWA4qs

Determinants of age at onset in a Portuguese cohort of autosomal dominant spastic paraplegia

Hereditary spastic paraplegias present a high variability of age at onset, ranging from childhood to older age. Our objective was to identify the determinants of age at onset in autosomal dominant HSP (AD-HSP) in a large cohort of patients and families. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/2SpDQKC

A visual rating scale for cingulate island sign on 18F-FDG-PET to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease

Valid diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is essential to establish appropriate treatment and care. However, the diagnostic accuracy is complicated by clinical and pathological overlap with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cingulate island sign (CIS), defined as sparing of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) relative to precuneus and cuneus on 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET), is included in the revised diagnostic DLB criteria. There are no guidelines for the visual grading of CIS, although visual rating is a fast-applicable method in a clinical setting. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/396jZ9b

Neurophysiologic and ophthalmic markers of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in patients diagnosed with hematologic cancer: A feasibility study

Biomarkers of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) in hematologic cancer are understudied and underdeveloped. We evaluated the feasibility of using ophthalmic and neurophysiologic markers to assess CRCI in hematologic cancer. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/2SpJ74A

Tyler’s Hope and dystonia research

Drs. Todd Golde and Michael Okun discuss how the Tyler’s Hope for a Dystonia Cure has moved the needle for dystonia research and care. from Department of Neurology » College of Medicine » University of Florida https://ift.tt/2MjVWJW

Prevalence of Asymptomatic Middle Cranial Fossa Floor Pits and Encephaloceles on MR Imaging

Fellows’ Journal Club A retrospective review was completed of high-resolution axial T2WI for internal auditory canal protocol imaging. The presence and laterality of middle cranial fossa pits (small bony defects containing CSF) and encephaloceles (brain parenchyma protrusion through osseous defects with or without bony remodeling) were recorded. A total of 203 patients were included in the final cohort; 106 (52.2%) were women. Forty-five (22.2%) patients had middle cranial fossa pits: 14 (31.1%) unilateral on the right, 17 (37.8%) unilateral on the left, and 14 (31.1%) bilateral. Ten (5.0%) patients had one or more encephaloceles, none of whom had a documented history of seizure in the electronic medical record. The incidence of such findings should be taken into account when identifying or treating such lesions as possible epileptogenic foci. Abstract A 47-year-old woman who presented with a 2-month history of vertigo. From inferior to superior ( A – D ), images demonstrate a...