Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue, such as muscle. Biomedical scientists and physicians who specialize in neurology are called neurologists, and are trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat, neurological disorders.
‘Super’ aged brains reveal first secrets of sharp memory in old age. Super aged brains had many fewer fiber-like tangles than the brains of those who had aged normally. – Researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine wondered if the brains of the elderly with still laser sharp memory — called “super aged” — were somehow different than everyone else’s.
Brain imaging study supports the ‘cognitive reserve’ hypothesis. Greater education has been associated with better cognitive function during life. – Individuals with higher education levels appear to score higher on cognitive tests despite having evidence of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Research indicates drug alemtuzumab not only stops the Multiple sclerosis disease from advancing but may also restore lost function in many Multiple sclerosis patients. – A drug which was developed in Cambridge and initially designed to treat a form of leukaemia has also proven effective against combating the debilitating neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS).
FDA analysis shows cholesterol lowering medications statins do not increase the risk of “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. FDA recommends no change in prescribing and use of statins. – A U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s analysis provides new evidence that the use of statins does not increase incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” The analysis was reported on Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.
Researchers revealed that having a family history of cancerous brain tumors puts you at a higher risk of developing the same kind of brain tumor. – People with a family history of cancerous brain tumors appear to be at higher risk of developing the same kind of tumors compared to people with no such family history, according to a study published in the September 23, 2008, issue of Neurology?, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
People with migraine are more likely to have strokes and other cardiovascular problems. – People with migraines may also be more likely to develop blood clots in their veins, and are more likely to have strokes and other cardiovascular problems, revealed by researchers.
Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning useful in a non-invasive assessment of the formation of Alzheimer’s disease?related plaques in the brain. – A type of positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may be useful in a non-invasive assessment of the formation of Alzheimer’s disease?related plaques in the brain, according to small study posted online today that will appear in the October 2008 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Older adults who regularly eat fish may have a lower risk of subtle brain damage that contributes to stroke and dementia. – Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in the August 5, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Pregnant women who take a common epilepsy drug topiramate (Topamax) may increase their risk of birth defects, revealed by researchers. – Taking the epilepsy drug topiramate alone or along with other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a study published in the July 22, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Exercise may slow the atrophy of the brain brought on by Alzheimer’s Disease, suggests researchers at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. – Mild Alzheimer’s disease patients with higher physical fitness had larger brains compared to mild Alzheimer’s patients with lower physical fitness, according to a study published in the July 15, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
For the first time, the association between Parkinson’s disease and exposure to pesticides has been shown in patients with the neurological disorder compared with their unaffected relatives, according to a study in the online open access journal BMC Neurology. – The association between Parkinson’s disease and exposure to pesticides has been shown in patients with the neurological disorder compared with their unaffected relatives, according to a study in the online open access journal BMC Neurology.
Kaiser Permanente Study Shows That a Larger Abdomen in Midlife Increases Risk of Dementia; Overweight and obese individuals with large bellies have double or triple the risk of dementia – People in their 40s with larger stomachs have a higher risk for dementia when they reach their 70s, according to a study published in the March 26, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
