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Neurology
Brain damage means less open to new ideas
A new study has now found that those with damage to a section of the brain associated with planning become less open to new ideas,...
Better stroke outcomes when clot is physically removed
Long-term follow-up of patients in a 2014 study confirms that stroke patients recover better if doctors physically remove a clot from a blocked artery...
Real-world massage may effectively treat chronic low back pain
In the first study of its kind, researchers in the US found real-world massage therapy to be an effective treatment for chronic low back...
Electrical stimulation and physical therapy help paralysed man move legs
Mayo Clinic researchers used electrical stimulation on the spinal cord and intense physical therapy to help a man intentionally move his paralysed legs, stand...
Hep B and C viruses linked to Parkinson's disease risk
The viruses hepatitis B and C may both be associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, according to an Oxford University and University College...
Swedish study links obesity in pregnancy to epilepsy risk
Increased risk for childhood epilepsy was associated with maternal overweight or obesity in early pregnancy, in a study of babies born in Sweden.
The cause...
Study backs guidelines for meds to treat diabetic neuropathy pain
For the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain (DPN), certain antidepressants and anticonvulsants ranked best, according to a systematic review, reports MedPage Today.
The findings by...
Vitamin E supplements not preventing dementia in asymptomatic older men
Antioxidant supplements vitamin E and selenium – taken alone or in combination – did not prevent dementia in asymptomatic older men, according to the...
Neurofeedback may reduce chemo-induced neuropathy symptoms
A type of functional brain training known as neurofeedback shows promise in reducing symptoms of chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, or neuropathy, in cancer survivors, according...
Benefits of cognitive training in dementia remain unclear
Positive effects of cognitive training in healthy elderly people have been reported, but data regarding its effects in patients with dementia remains unclear, found...
Using brain biomarkers to identify autism risk in infancy
By using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the brains of infants who have older siblings with autism, scientists were able to correctly identify...
Footballers pledge brain donations following dementia research progress
Scores of retired UK footballers have come forward to pledge the donation of their brains to dementia research, amid signs that the campaign for...
Evidence of brain damage in soccer players – small UK study
Evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a potential cause of dementia caused by repeated blows to the head, has been found in the brains...
Mentally stimulating activities protect against MCI
Cognitively normal elderly individuals who engage in specific mentally stimulating activities, even in late life, have a decreased risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment, found...
Purposely heading a soccer ball linked with CNS symptoms
Intentional (ie, heading) and unintentional head impacts are each independently associated with moderate to very severe CNS symptoms, found a self-reporting US study.
While amateur...
VFT produces 'marked improvement' in stroke patients' vision
A simple visuo-motor feedback training (VFT) programme for home use produces marked and long-lasting improvements in visual neglect, found a study from the universities...
Simple meditation and music may help hold off memory loss
A preliminary randomised controlled trial suggest that meditation or music listening can significantly enhance both subjective memory function and objective cognitive performance in adults...
Importance of exercise in holding back dementia
For older adults, a lack of exercise may put their risk of developing dementia on par with that of adults who are genetically predisposed...
Lack of vitamin D and chronic headache risk
Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of chronic headache, according to a study from the University of Eastern Finland.
The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease...
Bacterium in undercooked chicken causes Guillain-Barre Syndrome
A common bacterium found in improperly cooked chicken causes Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a Michigan State University research team has shown.
The US federally funded research not...
Antipsychotic use increases mortality risk in Alzheimer’s patients
Antipsychotic drug use is associated with a 60% increased risk of mortality among persons with Alzheimer's disease, shows a University of Eastern Finland study.
The...
Breathing rhythm affects judgement and memory recall
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered for the first time that the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling creates electrical activity in the human brain that...
Smokers who quit may be hard-wired for success
Smokers who are able to quit might actually be hard-wired for success, according to a study from Duke Medicine. There was showed greater connectivity among certain brain regions in people who successfully quit compared to those who tried and failed.
‘The Dress’ that took neurology — and the Internet — by storm
When you look at this photograph, what colours are the dress? Some see blue and black stripes, others see white and gold stripes. This striking variation took the internet by storm in February; and now Current Biology is publishing three short papers on why the image is seen differently by different observers.
For neuro-scientists like Bevil Conway, 'The Dress' phenomenon marked the greatest extent of individual differences in colour perception ever documented. It's long been known that certain optical illusions can cause us to see two different shapes in the same image (a face or a vase), but what makes 'The Dress' photograph so mind-blowing is that it's the first time a single image could be seen by different people as wholly different colours.Healthy eating stalls elderly's cognitive decline
Older people who eat healthily may be less likely to experience declines in thinking and memory over time, according to an international study.
'Brain boosting' shocks give mixed results
Although increasingly popular, electric brain stimulation had a statistically significant detrimental effect on IQ scores. The study adds to the increasing amount of literature showing that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has mixed results when it comes to cognitive enhancement.
Mediterranean diet + oil and nuts = better memory
Supplementing the plant-based Mediterranean diet with antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts was associated with improved cognitive function in a study of older adults in Spain.
Concussion recovery worse in women
Women may have a more difficult time than men in recovering from concussion.
Professional jobs protect against cognitive decline
Professionals whose jobs require more speaking, developing strategies, conflict resolution and managerial tasks may experience better protection against cognitive decline in old age, according to a University of Leipzig study.
Glioblastoma brain tumour review
Led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute and University of California, a comprehensive genetic review of treatment strategies for glioblastoma brain tumours has been published.
Cell death finding paves way for new drugs
University of Cambridge research highlights how nerves – whether harmed by disease or traumatic injury – start to die, a discovery that unveils novel targets for developing drugs to slow or halt peripheral neuropathies and neurodegenerative disorders.
Foul air heightens stroke risk, anxiety
Air pollution is linked to a higher risk of stroke, particularly in developing countries, a 28-country University of Edinburgh meta-analysis found. Other research shows air pollution to be associated with anxiety, according to a large Johns Hopkins and Harvard study.
Testing for early signs of Alzheimer’s
Rockefeller University identifies opportunities for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's through simple blood tests on the molecular contact system between the amyloid-β peptide (the main component of plaques found in Alzheimer's patient brains) and chronic inflammation.
Cannabis bad for the memory, bipolar symptoms
US teens who were heavy cannabis users had an abnormally shaped hippocampus and performed poorly on long-term memory tasks. Separate British research found that among people with bipolar disorder the drug is linked to increases in both manic and depressive symptoms.
‘Feel the burn’ mechanism a culprit in CFS
The mechanism that causes high-performance athletes to 'feel the burn' is what makes people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) feel exhausted by the most common daily activities, University of Florida Health research found.
'No thalamus required'
A Harvard study in mice found that the basal ganglia can communicate directly to the cortex, no thalamus required. The findings upend classic anatomy and provide possible new insights into psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia.
Activity may protect against some brain damage
Older people who are physically active may be protecting themselves from the effects of small areas of brain damage that can affect their movement abilities.
Epilepsy drug benefits patients at risk of dementia
A drug commonly used to treat epilepsy reverses a condition in elderly patients who are at high risk for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered.
Decreased heart function link to memory loss
A Vanderbilt University study found participants with decreased heart function, measured by cardiac index, were two to three times more likely to develop significant memory loss over the follow-up period.
Fit at 40 means smart at 60
People with poor physical fitness in their 40s may have lower brain volumes by the time they hit 60, an indicator of accelerated brain ageing, according to data from the Framingham Offspring Study.