Results for search "Neurology".
15 Feb
Taking ADHD medication during pregnancy does not raise the odds of ADHD, autism, or other neurodevelopmental disorders in children, according to researchers.
A new study is strengthening the evidence that stem cell transplants can be highly effective for some people with multiple sclerosis -- sending the disease into remission for years, and sometimes reversing disability.
Researchers found that of 174 MS patients who underwent stem cell transplants -- with cells from their own blood -- two-thirds had no evidence of "disease activity" over 10 ...
Everyone’s seen a movie or TV show featuring someone sleepwalking -- eyes half-lidded, bumbling around, tripping over furniture.
But sleepwalkers are actually capable of much more complex behaviors during their restless slumber, a new paper says.
During sleep some people can engage in sex ('sexsomnia'), pig out on junk food, try to cook, have a lively conversation or even hop in t...
People have long talked about having near-death experiences in which they felt they were looking down on themselves while others tried to save them.
Now, researchers have documented some of those experiences. In a study published online recently in the journal Resuscitation,...
Many Medicare patients can’t get help close to home for brain and nervous system issues.
Nearly 1 in 5 Medicare recipients in the United States live at least 50 miles from their neurologist.
“Our study found a substantial travel burden exists for some people with neurologic conditions, including people living in areas with fewer neurologists and rural areas,” said study author...
Any head injury — even a mild one — raises a person’s risk of later having an ischemic stroke.
Having multiple injuries increases that risk, even more so than the severity of a single traumatic brain injury (TBI), researchers report.
"Our study found that those who experience two or more head injuries, including even mild head injuries, are at higher risk of subsequent ischem...
A large number of drugs used to treat everything from multiple sclerosis to blood cancers to rheumatoid arthritis may cause a rare but often-fatal condition called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
But a simple genetic test can determine who has a 10-fold higher risk for developing this condition, which means those patients could discuss safer treatment options with their ...
Bolstering the notion that a strong body equals a strong mind, new research indicates that the more inactive seniors are, the higher their risk for dementia.
The finding stems from a look at the onset of dementia among nearly 50,000 Brits.
All were at least 60 years old when information about typical daily activity routines was entered into the UK Biobank database at some point betw...
Therapies based on a hormone people make while exercising may be the next frontier in treating Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study.
Researchers have found that the exercise-induced hormone irisin may reduce both the plaque and the tau tangles characteristic of the disease.
Before this, this same team developed the first 3D human cell culture models of Alzheimer’s disea...
Your thinking and memory skills may take a hit decades after recovering from a concussion, a new study indicates.
Scientists who studied male twins, from an average age of 67, found that earlier concussions were tied to lower scores on tests of thinking and memory. These men also had a more rapid decline in their cognitive skills — skills needed for reasoning and the acquisition o...
The two "freezing" episodes that Sen. Mitch McConnell experienced recently weren't strokes or seizures, the Capitol physician said in a new letter released Tuesday.
“My examination of you following your August 30, 2023, brief episode included several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations...
As it stands, no one blood test or brain scan can definitively diagnose Parkinson's disease.
But researchers report this may soon change if a new blood test continues to show promise.
The test measures DNA damage in the mitochondria of cells, which is known to be higher in people with Parkinson’s disease. Earlier research from the same group also showed there is an accumulation of...
Taking cholesterol-lowering statin medication after a bleeding stroke, or intracerebral hemorrhage, may lower the risk of a subsequent stroke caused by a blood clot, according to new research.
“Previous research has had mixed results on the risk of stroke in people who are taking statins and have already had a bleeding stroke, so we evaluated this further,” said study a...
Doctors plucked a wriggling roundworm from the brain of an Australian woman in the world's first-known case of human infection with a parasite common in some pythons.
The woman, who had been experiencing worsening symptoms for at least a year, is believed to have gotten the infection from foraging and eating grasses where a snake had defecated.
"This is the first-ever human case of ...
The degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) may be striking some at much younger ages than thought possible: New research has uncovered early signs of the condition in amateur athletes who died young after playing contact sports.
The troubling finding was discovered during the brain autopsies of 152 athletes. All had engaged in the type of sports, such a...
Older people who take adult education classes may lower their risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, Japanese research suggests.
Middle-aged folks and older people in adult education classes had a 19% lower risk of developing dementia within five years, the researchers found.
"We also found that nonverbal reasoning performance was well preserved in the adults taking edu...
It might not seem like constipation or difficulty swallowing could signal a neurological problem, but new research suggests that these gut conditions could be an early indicator of Parkinson’s disease.
Gastrointestinal symptoms are also thought to precede the development of cerebrovascular disease, including stroke, brain aneurysm or Alzheimer’s disease. It has previously been suggest...
With 2023 predicted to be the hottest year on record, a new study is pointing to another potential consequence of heat waves: faster declines in older adults' memory and thinking skills.
The study, of nearly 9,500 older U.S. adults, found that those with greater exposure to heat waves over 12 year...
Anyone who has quickly slurped up a milkshake or chomped on a snow cone knows the sharp, brief pain of "brain freeze."
Its cause is a mystery, but it’s not harmful, according to experts at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
“It is very common and happens more frequently in children,” said
Many people with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), first start to lose the ability to move their arms and legs.
That's not Pat Bennett. She can move just fine. She can still dress herself, and she can even use her fingers to type.
But ALS has robbed Bennett, 68, of her ability to speak. She can no longer use the muscles of her lips, tongue, lar...
Teens’ desire to start smoking, and later to keep smoking, may be linked to differences in gray matter in their brains, a new study reveals.
Researchers found that reduced gray matter in the left frontal lobe was found in kids who started smoking by age 14. This area is involved in decision-making and rule-breaking.
Once they started smoking, they also had reduced gray matter in ...
The brain is a complex organ, and a new study — believed to be the largest ever on the brain’s genetics — identifies more than 4,000 genetic variants linked to brain structure.
The research, involving some 36,000 brain scans, was led by a team at the University of Cambridge in England.
Brains are quite varied in terms of overall volume, how the brain is folded and how thick th...
Two recently approved treatments offer newfound hope for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but most people who could benefit will likely be deemed ineligible, a new study finds.
Alzheimer's affects about 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older. But only about 8% to 17% of older adults with early signs of the disease meet the eligibility criteria as determined by ...
Some patients with acute brain injuries can't respond to verbal commands, making them appear to be unconscious though they still have some level of awareness.
Researchers recently studied this hidden consciousness to better understand this puzzling phenomenon.
“Our study suggests that patients with hidden consciousness can hear and comprehend verbal commands, but they cannot carry...
The famous Pink Floyd lyrics emerge from sound that is muddy, yet musical:
“All in all, it was just a brick in the wall.”
But this particular recording didn't come from the 1979 album "The Wall," or from a Pink Floyd concert.
Instead, researchers created it from the reconstituted brainwaves of people listening to the song “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1.”
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic" mushrooms, is getting renewed interest as a potential treatment for various health conditions. Now, a new research review argues that migraines should be added to that list.
Psilocybin mushrooms have long been used recreationally as hallucinogens -- meaning they alter users' perceptions of their surroundings. That can lead to euphoria on one en...
The link between pro football and the risk for a neurodegenerative disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is well known, and now a new study suggests that football may also up the risk for Parkinson's disease, even among past high school and college players.
“Parkinson's disease has been commonly reported in boxers, but we have not explored this link in great detail in fo...
A single hardwired brain circuit might be responsible for male sexual drive, a new mouse study reports.
Researchers have singled out in lab mice a brain region that controls sexual interest, libido, mating behavior and pleasure, said senior researcher Dr. Nirao Shah, a professor of psychiatry and neurobiology at Stanfo...
Research using three-dimensional replicas of the developing brain created in a lab dish is shedding new light on autism spectrum disorder.
Yale researchers found two paths to autism in the developing brain.
“It's amazing that children with the same symptoms end up with two distinct forms of altered neural networks," co-senior author
A new brain-zapping technology may help ease the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children without some of the side effects stimulant medications can cause, a small, preliminary study suggests.
Marked by trouble concentrating, sitting still and/or controlling impulsive behaviors, ADHD affects about 5.3 million children, according to Children and Adults with A...
Yoga is known for its benefits to both the mind and body. And a gentle form of yoga may be an ideal early intervention technique for older women at risk of Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
In a small study involving kundalini yoga, participants reported that its stress-relieving effects translated to more efficient memory.
“Women tend to practice yoga more readily...
Being exposed to lead while in the womb or during early childhood may increase a person's chance of engaging in criminal behavior as an adult, a new review claims.
To arrive at this conclusion, the review authors evaluated 17 previous studies that used varying methods to test for lead exposure, including blood, bones and teeth. They also addressed the effects of exposure at different ages...
A micronutrient in human breast milk may provide significant benefit to developing newborn brains, according to new research that sheds light on the link between nutrition and brain health.
Scientists looked at this sugar molecule in rodents and in human neurons. They said the micronutrient, called myo-inositol, may lead to improved infant formulas.
“The current research does indi...
Scientists have struggled for decades to come up with something that can successfully treat Alzheimer's disease, with new drugs now showing their ability to clear the amyloid plaques that are a hallmark of the memory-robbing disease.
But what if a vaccine could do the same job, or better? A new Japanese study suggests it may be possible.
Working with mice, researchers report they ha...
Every week, a group of dancers meets in Chicago. Together, they follow a series of movements under the guidance of an instructor.
They flex, and reach, and point as Carly Liegel, community engagement program coordinator for the Joffrey Ballet, leads them through a series of movements with their arms and then th...
Writing letters, taking classes and playing mentally stimulating games like chess in your older years could lower your risk of dementia over the next decade, a new study suggests.
Researchers in Australia found that journaling, using a computer, taking education classes and other "literacy enrichment" activities might lessen the risk of developing dementia by 11%. Playing games, car...
Ticks may be responsible for the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Wisconsin's deer population, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that ticks can harbor transmissible amounts of the protein particle that causes CWD, a fatal neurological disease seen in deer, elk and moose.
The pathogen, prion, can pass through soil or th...
Older adults who regularly spend time with family and friends may have bigger brains to show for it, a new study suggests.
Healthy brain aging is a complex matter, and researchers are still trying to understand which factors keep the mind sharp and which ones feed declines in memory and thinking.
But a number of studies have suggested that social life matters. Social stimulation is ...
Children with autism have well-known difficulties with social interactions, but a new study is highlighting another area where they can struggle: memory.
Researchers found that compared with their peers, school-age kids with autism showed more difficulty managing memory tasks. They often had a hard time remembering faces — something seen in past studies — but also in recalling words a...
People with Parkinson's disease often aren't getting the care they need for the debilitating movement disorder, a new study reports.
Three in 10 are relying on primary care doctors to treat their disorder, and 1 in 10 aren't seeing a doc at all, analysis of Medicare data reveals.
And fewer than 1 in 10 are seeing a neurologist specifically trained in treating Parkinson's, researcher...
Depression that arises after a head injury may be its own distinct condition — one that differs from traditional major depressive disorder, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that people with post-concussion depression showed a unique pattern of activity in the brain circuitry involved in depression. This "picture" was different from depression unrelated to a head injury, and diffe...
Getting regular exercise can help protect against mental decline in an aging brain. But poor sleep can take away those benefits.
A new study found that people who were more active but slept less than six hours on average had faster cognitive (mental) d...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday gave full approval to the Alzheimer's drug Leqembi, clearing the way for insurance coverage of the pricey drug.
“The full FDA approval will open the floodgates for people with early Alzheimer's to get this drug. It's a big deal because it's very expensive at $26,500 per year,"
Could swings in your blood fat levels increase your chances of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease?
Yes, suggests a new study that found fluctuating cholesterol levels among older adults may increase the risk for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Those who had the most fluctuations in cholesterol had a 19% higher risk of developing Alzheimer's or dementia, and those with...
Heather Anderson, a star Australian rules football player who died last November, is the first female professional athlete to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
"She is the first female athlete diagnosed with CTE, but she will not be the last," researchers wrote in a paper published Friday. Anderson was 28 when she died from what was believed to be suicide.
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Patients recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who have early hallucinations are at greater risk of faster mental decline, according to new research on the disease.
These so-called "presence hallucinations," such as the strong sense that someone is behind you, watching you, but no one is there, are a frequent but brushed off and underreported symptoms in Parkinson's patients.
...
California psychiatrist Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez once had a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who washed his hands so often that he had to wear gloves to cover his cracked and swollen skin.
“People with intrusive thoughts of contamination can do this for hours on end with scalding hot water,” sa...
For the first time, scientists have identified a genetic variant that may make some people with multiple sclerosis (MS) vulnerable to faster progression.
In a study of more than 22,000 people with MS, researchers found that those who carried a particular genetic variant faced a faster decline: They needed to use a walking aid about four years earlier, on average, than people who did not c...
Leprosy is an ancient infectious disease, but it has not been banished to the past, or from the United States.
That's the key takeaway from a new report describing six cases of leprosy among California residents. All were diagnosed between 2017 and 2022, and all were U.S.-born -- that is, not hailing from a country where leprosy remains relatively common.
It's not clear where or how...
Coffee kickstarts many a sleepyhead's day, but a new study argues that it's not the caffeine alone that provides the morning wake-up.
People who took a basic caffeine pill did not experience the same sort of brain boost they did from sipping a cup of coffee, according to brain scans.
Caffeine alone does activate some regions of the brain associated with readiness to tackle tasks, th...
Growing up in poverty may harm the structural wiring of a child's brain, a new study claims.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found a link between both neighborhood and household poverty and the brain's white matter tracts. These let the brain communicate between its regions and are important for processing information.
“White matter integrity...