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Showing posts from August, 2020

Warning Witnesses of the Possibility of Misinformation Helps Protect Their Memory Accuracy

When people were warned about the inaccuracy of retelling events, they were less susceptible to misinformation. Providing warnings increased reinstatement of visual activity associated with witnessing an event and decreased the reinstatement of auditory activity associated with hearing misleading post-event information. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/31I66w0

People With Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s Have Deficits in Navigating

Grid cell dysfunction in the entorhinal cortex may explain why people with a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease have problems with navigation. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2EI1NrX

Brainstem Protein Mediates Exercise-Based Stress Relief

Exercise increases levels of galanin in the brain stem, making mice more resilient to stress. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/31LULeC

Researchers Discover a Specific Brain Circuit Damaged by Social Isolation During Childhood

Social isolation experienced during childhood has an impact on adult brain function and behavior. Following two weeks of social isolation immediately following weaning in male mice, researchers noticed a failure in activation of medial prefrontal cortex neurons projecting to the posterior paraventricular thalamus during social exposure in adulthood. Findings suggest medial prefrontal cortex neurons required for sociability are profoundly affected by social isolation at a young age. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3gE24co

September is World Alzheimer’s Month!

World Alzheimer’s Month is the international campaign every September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia. September 2020 will mark the 9th World Alzheimer’s Month. 2 out of every 3 people globally believe there is little or no understanding of dementia in their countries.The impact of World Alzheimer’s Month is growing, but the stigmatization and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem, that requires global action.   Get Involved! Visit the Alzheimer Association website for more details of how you can support World Alzheimer’s Month. from Department of Neurology » College of Medicine » University of Florida https://ift.tt/3bdD9LE

The “gunslinger” sign in progressive supranuclear palsy – Richardson variant

Dystonia is a clinical feature that may co-occur with Parkinson's disease as well as atypical parkinsonian disorders, including but not limited to progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration [1]. Over the past years, dystonia in atypical parkinsonian disorders has been thoroughly investigated, with particular interest in the disease-related differences in frequency, severity, body parts involved, relationship with the onset of parkinsonian features, and dopaminergic treatment [1,2]. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/3gJCLWm

Seizures During Menstrual Cycle Linked to Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Study identifies a link between women with catamenial epilepsy who suffer more frequent seizures during their menstrual cycle and drug-resistant epilepsy. Those with catamenial epilepsy are almost four times more likely to have drug-resistant epilepsy than women who do not experience an increase in seizure frequency during their menstrual cycle. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2YO8Je5

Children With No COVID-19 Symptoms May Shed Virus for Weeks

A new study COVID-19 study reveals children with coronavirus, even those who are asymptomatic, can shed the virus for up to three weeks following infection. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/32Iy5v3

Let’s Scrap the Neuromyths: No, You Aren’t a ‘Visual’ or ‘Auditory’ Person

Believing in neuromyths, especially concerning learning styles, may be dangerous to personal development. Researchers debunk the concepts surrounding neuromyths. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2YPbuM6

Let Your Brain Rest: Boredom Can Be Good For Your Health

From inspiring creativity to promoting overall brain health, researchers say it's important to embrace boredom from time to time. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2G3SUZY

Physiological Test for Autism Proves Effective Independent of Co-Occurring Conditions

A new physiological test relies on an algorithm that analyzes metabolites in blood samples to predict whether a person has an ASD diagnosis. The algorithm was 94.7% effective in determining autism diagnosis and was slightly more reliable when co-occurring conditions, such as gastrointestinal disorders, were taken into account. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2EIfeIh

Neurologic Involvement in COVID-19: Cause or Coincidence? A Neuroimaging Perspective

Fellows’ Journal Club Despite a large cohort of 103 patients with COVID-19, the authors found a large number of symptomatic patients with negative neuroimaging findings, and no conclusions can be drawn concerning concrete associations between neuroimaging and COVID-19. Abstract Summary of results, including all patients undergoing neuroimaging (MR imaging/CT). Reasons for neuroimaging are on the y-axis. Neuroimaging findings are color-coded in the legend. Note that “Mild nonfocal neurologic symptoms” refer to any mild state of altered consciousness, mild transient dysarthria, mild transient gait abnormality, or headache. Lacunar or small distal cortical infarctions not susceptible to thrombectomy were considered “small-vessel.” The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has shaken hospitals worldwide. Some authors suggest that neurologic involvement could further complicate the disease. This descriptive study is a cross-sectional review of 103 patie...

Descartes’ Error

Descartes’ Error Author: Antonio Damasio Synopsis The main assertion made by this groundbreaking book on human emotions is simply that our feelings are right at the centre of ‘the loop of reason‘, playing a positively influential role in decision-making and social behaviour (page xvi-xvii). The book’s main argument is that emotions are indispensable for making good […] via Descartes’ Error — The Doctors Bookshelf from The Neurology Lounge https://ift.tt/3lEAeAD

Researchers Uncover Network Mechanism Underlying Rumination

Researchers have uncovered the neural mechanism underlying rumination. The study reports when rumination occurs, coupling between the core and medial temporal lobe subsystems of the default mode network becomes elevated, while coupling between the core and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex decreases. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3hHq2oi

Sleep Restriction Amplifies Anger

People report experiencing greater feelings of anger on days following disrupted sleep. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/32FrYHN

The potential impact of enhanced hygienic measures during the COVID-19 outbreak on hospital-acquired infections: A pragmatic study in neurological units

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are frequent complications among acute patients hospitalized in neurological units, especially among those hospitalized for stroke. This study aimed to investigate if enhanced hygienic measures, including the systematic use of personal protective equipment (PPE), determined a decrease in HAI during the recent COVID-19 outbreak in “COVID-free” neurological units. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/32DoGEJ

“Jumping” DNA Regulates Human Neurons

Transposable elements team up with evolutionary recent neurons to influence differentiation and physiological function of neurons in brain development. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2YJdAgg

Atheists Are More Likely to Sleep Better

Atheists and agnostics are less likely to experience sleep problems than those who have religious faith. 73% of atheists and agnostics report getting more than seven hours of nightly sleep, compared to 63% of Catholics and 55% of baptists. Atheists also report experiencing fewer difficulties in falling asleep. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3b6xQxD

Characterizing White Matter Tract Organization in Polymicrogyria and Lissencephaly: A Multifiber Diffusion MRI Modeling and Tractography Study

Editor’s Choice The authors retrospectively reviewed 50 patients (mean age, 8.3 years) with different polymicrogyria ( n = 42) and lissencephaly ( n = 8) subtypes. The fiber direction-encoded color maps and 6 different white matter tracts reconstructed from each patient were visually compared with corresponding images reconstructed from 7 age-matched, healthy control WM templates. The authors demonstrated a range of white matter tract structural abnormalities in patients with polymicrogyria and lissencephaly. The patterns of white matter tract involvement are related to polymicrogyria and lissencephaly subgroups, distribution, and, possibly, their underlying etiologies. Abstract BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Tractography findings in selected patients with lissencephaly and polymicrogyria. T1WI, direction-encoded color maps, and tractography reconstructions in 2 patients with LIS ( A and B ) and 2 with PMG ( C and D ) are shown. For each patient, a comparable tractography reconst...

On the seizure-detecting instincts of pets

Like something from a futuristic medical thriller, you have mice diagnosing bladder tumours , and dogs detecting prostate cancer , just by sniffing the urine of patients. And l ike a plot from a Sci-Fi film,   dogs are also trained to smell-out malaria . But we are not forward to the future – we are still in the here and now . And it is not just cats , dogs , and mice ; pouched rats and nematodes have staked their claim as well. And the number of diseases that pets can presumably detect grows longer by the day (OK perhaps by the year), and these range from diabetic hypoglycaemia , colorectal cancer  and migraine , to infections such as  Clostridium difficile and tuberculosis. And whilst there are many animals in on the act, they are just bit players on this set – dogs are by far the superstars of the show. Baxter gives me the sniff test. VirtKitty on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lalouque/3881459268/ As weird as it may sound, many of the reports be...

Genetic Link Between Cattle Temperament and Autism

Study found genes implicated in cattle temperament contribute to neural developmental functions and are differentially expressed in the human brain. Some ASD related genes are associated with cattle temperament. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/31CjrG2

Can’t Be Away From Your Phone? Study Finds Link to Higher Levels of Obsession-Compulsion

Interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive compulsions, and the time per day spent using a cell phone are strong predictors of nomophobia, a condition defined as a fear of being away from smart technology. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3b4y08F

Which OCD Treatment Works Best? New Brain Study Could Lead to More Personalized Choices

Neuroimaging predicts whether a person with OCD will respond to stress-reduction therapy or exposure-based therapy best. Analyzing brain activity may help to provide tailored treatments to individuals suffering from OCD. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2YJvKyE

Making Brain Cancers in Children Respond Better to Treatment

A small molecular compound has been discovered that can activate the Wnt pathway in non-Wnt subtypes of medulloblastoma brain cancer, making tumors more responsive to therapies. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2D7KGPs

A Tailor-Made Molecule That Ties Nerve Connections

A newly designed synthetic compound could act as a prototype for a novel class of drugs to treat neurological damage. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/34Hrt2l

COVID-19 Messaging Less Effective When Tied to Trump

The source of coronavirus public health messaging plays a role in how effective it is. When the president's name was associated with the message, the effectiveness of the message decreased, not just compared to other sources, but even when there was no source at all. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2EO5xYo

New Era in Brain Monitoring Technology

New long-term brain monitoring technologies that can continuously record brain activity could help improve the treatment and management of epilepsy. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/31Aj1jG

Researchers Reveal a Color Palette in Brain

Study links brain structure to color perceptual function. Microscopy revealed 'hue maps,' or color palettes, in the brain that are spectrally organized arrangements of hue responses. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2D6XdTe

A Coffee and Catnap Keep You Sharp on the Nightshift

Consuming coffee immediately before taking a nap can help reduce sleep inertia in night shift workers who can take a brief nap on the job. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3b2Ly4w

Women With Higher Neuroticism Are Less Physically Active

Middle-aged women who scored high on extraversion personality traits were more likely to report being physically active during leisure time than those who scored high in neuroticism. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/34LEGr1

Risk of Dementia Has Been Rising for Years – Instead of Falling

The risk of men and women being diagnosed with cognitive decline and dementia has increased in the U.S over the past 20 years. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3b9BIOq

Take Stock of Your Core Values to Find the Keys to Business Success

It is no secret that an increasing number of neurologists are burned out at work. The impact on business caused by COVID-19 has only made this worse. With lower caseloads, this might be a good time to work on your resilience. A good place to start is by taking a stock of your core values. “This is a handful of truly fundamental qualities and characteristics that you intend to bring into your organization,” Brian Donnelly, an executive coach and whose led a range of healthcare businesses, told an audience at the 2019 annual meeting of the Medical Group Management Association. “You cannot phone a friend or poll the audience. You do not form a subcommittee to generate what your core values are. The core values come from you. It is the culture you intend to create for your organization. And it also helps you define the kind of people you intend to attract and retain.” Take That, Burnout! Work that aligns well with your core values will be more rewarding and less likely to cause burnou...

Can EEG Testing Help Combat the Opioid Epidemic?

More than one-third of Americans suffer from chronic pain and no two individuals would describe their experience in the same way. Considering how much medicine is thrown at it – and how powerful it is – pain is one of the most subjective measures in all of medicine. It has also led to problems like the opioid epidemic . The severity of this problem has energized scientists to search for an objective measure of pain. Now, researchers at the University of Birmingham in England and the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in the U.S. say they have found one: electroencephalography (EEG). EEG measures the brain’s electrical activity in the form of different kinds of waves, or oscillations. Of relevance to this study are alpha brain waves, the oscillations produced by the brain at rest when it is not processing much information. Alpha oscillations typically measure at speeds between 8 and 12 Hz, and these waves tend to be slower in chronic pain patients. The purpose of the new ...

Efficacy and Safety of 2 Fingolimod Doses vs Glatiramer Acetate

This randomized clinical trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of fingolimod, 0.5 mg, and fingolimod, 0.25 mg, compared with glatiramer acetate, 20 mg, and examines whether these fingolimod doses show superior efficacy to glatiramer acetate for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. from journals https://ift.tt/2QlnSie

Quality of life and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients with subthreshold depression

The role of subthreshold depression (subD) in Parkinson's Disease (PD) is not clear. The present study aimed to compare the quality of life (QoL) in PD patients with subD vs patients with no depressive disorder (nonD). Factors related to subD were identified. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/3hAm0y7

Individuals With High Level of Schizotypal Traits Exhibit Altered Brain Structural and Functional Connectivity

People with schizotypal traits exhibited increased structural connectivity probability within the task control network and default mode network. They also had increased variability and decreased stability of functional connectivity within the DMN and between the auditory and subcortical networks. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QsTlz4

Newly Discovered ‘Support System’ for Axons Suggests a Novel Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases

A preclinical study reports Schwann cells assist injured axons by releasing protective sugars. The findings have positive implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/32qOFPT

How THC May Treat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Staphylococcal enterotoxin, a bacterial toxin implicated in some ARDS cases, can be prevented by treatment with the cannabis compound THC. Findings also suggest a potential role for using cannabinoids to treat ARDS caused by COVID-19. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/31x6fSW

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Brain

Researchers have made an important discovery about the mechanisms behind learning and memory. Depending on the number of synapses, and their proximity, information is processed and stored differently. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3aYsSTq

How ‘Swapping Bodies’ With a Friend Changes Our Sense of Self

Friends who "swapped bodies" using virtual reality to generate the perceptual illusion found their beliefs about their personalities altered to become more similar to the beliefs about their friends' personalities. Findings suggest that when our mental self-concept doesn't match our physical self, our memories become impaired. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QstLu2

Tag Team Gut Bacteria Worsen Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

Specific combinations of microorganisms in the gut can worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis in mouse models of the autoimmune disease. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/32tZy3b

Got Fatigue? Study Further Pinpoints Brain Regions That May Control It

Neuroimaging pinpoints areas of the brain that regulate efforts to deal with fatigue. The study reveals the neural mechanisms that contribute to feelings of fatigue. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3lkSvTd

Blood Test Could Predict Who Is Likely to Develop Psychotic Disorders

A new blood test could help doctors monitor those who are at risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The test looks for specific protein biomarkers in blood samples of those with risk factors for psychiatric illnesses and can help to predict who is most likely to develop psychosis in the future. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2ECPj4B

Premorbid anxiety and depression and baseline neurocognitive, ocular-motor and vestibular performance: A retrospective cohort study

Concussion has become a growing concern among sport and healthcare practitioners. Experts continue to investigate ways to advance the quality of concussion evaluation, diagnosis and management. Psychological conditions have been reported to influence concussion assessment outcomes at baseline and post-concussion; however, little evidence has examined psychological conditions and their effect on multifaceted measures of concussion. A retrospective cohort design was employed to examine differences between those with and without a premorbid psychological condition for high school and collegiate athletes who completed a preseason baseline battery, consisting of symptom reporting, computerized neurocognitive assessment, Vestibular-Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS), and the King-Devick (KD) test. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/2YAhWX8

Blood Transfusions Protect the Brain From Stroke Damage

Blood transfusions lead to improved outcomes in mouse models of ischemic stroke. Researchers believe the findings could be used for the treatment of stroke in humans. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QqbJsc

Researchers Reversibly Disable Brain Pathway in Primates

Researchers temporarily switched off the neural pathway between the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens in primate models, negatively impacting motivation, but not learning. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/32tiX4k

Smell dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: More than a yes-no question

Anosmia has been recognized as a prevalent and early symptom by many COVID-19 patients. However, most researchers have recorded smell dysfunction solely as present or absent and based on subjective evaluation by patients. We described the results of 57 consecutive COVID-19 patients seen at FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from April to May 2020. Data about the presence of smell loss, the onset of smell loss and other COVID-19 symptoms such as ageusia and nasal congestion or rhinorrhea were recorded. from Journal of the Neurological Sciences https://ift.tt/3ll1Gmv

Scientists Prove SARS-CoV-2 Potential to Infect Human Brain Organoids

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can infect human neural progenitor cells and brain organoids. The findings back previous research, finding coronavirus can infect the human brain. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3hwqLsk

Frequent Soft Drink Consumption May Make Adolescents More Aggressive

Soft drink consumption during early adolescence predicted more aggressive behavior later in teen years. Aggressive behavior at 13 also predicted increased soft drink consumption at age 16. Soft drink consumption at 13 predicted fewer depressive symptoms, but depressive symptoms did not predict soda consumption. Findings suggest reducing soda consumption during adolescence could help curb aggressive behaviors. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2QlnHDH

Clinical Reasoning: A woman with monocular vision loss

A 48-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician (PCP) with right eye vision loss. She began noticing changes in her vision earlier in the year while at work. Over the ensuing months, her vision progressively declined such that she was no longer able to read with the right eye but could appreciate movement. Her past medical history included iron deficiency anemia for which she received iron infusions, depression, and anxiety. She denied fevers, sweats, chills, anorexia, weight loss, cough, shortness of breath, swollen lymph nodes, or any other systemic symptoms. She had traveled to Mexico, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. She never had penetrating trauma to the head, although she did have a concussion as a toddler. She had spent time in Arizona and in the northern United States/southern Canada. She has several pets including dogs, small mammals, and birds; none was ill. She had no history of diabetes, immunosuppression, or HIV. from Neurology recent issues https:...

Teaching NeuroImages: Osteolytic intraosseous meningioma causing transcalvarial herniation

A 69-year-old man presented for focal seizures characterized by dysarthria, confusion, left hand paresthesia, and hemifacial contractions. He had a 3-year history of episodes of epigastric burning, followed by confusion, olfactory hallucinations, and déjà vu. Head CT scan showed a lytic lesion of right parietal bone (figure 1A). MRI highlighted transcalvarial herniation of precuneus gyrus (figure 1B), suggesting a congenital or posttraumatic skull defect or an osteolytic lesion. After surgical repair and excision of adjacent injured brain tissue, histopathology revealed osteolytic meningioma (figure 2). Intraosseous meningioma is extremely rare, may cause transcalvarial herniation by osteolysis, 1 and can be revealed by histopathology. from Neurology recent issues https://ift.tt/32l6r6Z

Dementia Kills Nearly Three Times More People Than Previously Thought

An estimated 13.6% of deaths in the U.S could be attributed to dementia. The number is 2.7 times higher than the official reported dementia-related deaths. The underestimation varies greatly by race, with 7.1 times more older Black adults, and 4.1 times more Hispanic adults, dying from dementia that public records indicate. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/3hlTfFc