Orange County Neuropsychologist

Novel Brain Tumor Vaccine Acts Like Bloodhound to Locate Cancer Cells

2012-01-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 5, 2012) — A national clinical trial testing the efficacy of a novel brain tumor vaccine has begun at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the only facility in the Southeast to participate. The vaccine will be tested in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive and highest grade malignant glioma. Wake Forest Baptist will treat a minimum of

What Determines the Capacity of Short-Term Memory?

2012-01-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Dec. 15, 2011) — Short-term memory plays a crucial role in how our consciousness operates. Several years ago a hypothesis has been formulated, according to which capacity of short-term memory depends in a special way on two cycles of brain electric activity. Scientists from the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw have now demonstrated

Moderate to Intense Exercise May Protect the Brain

2011-06-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Older people who regularly exercise at a moderate to intense level may be less likely to develop the small brain lesions, sometimes referred to as "silent strokes," that are the first sign of cerebrovascular disease, according to a new study published in the June 8, 2011, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN)."These 'silent strokes' are more

Three-Dimensional Maps Of Brain Wiring

2010-11-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2010) — A team of researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology has developed a software tool that physicians can use to easily study the wiring of the brains of their patients. The tool converts MRI scans using special techniques to three-dimensional images. This now makes it possible to view a total picture of the winding roads and their contacts without having to

Neuroscience Research May Help Patients Recover from Brain Injury

2010-10-07T16:47:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Oct. 5, 2010) — New neuroscience research by life scientists from UCLA and Australia may potentially help people who have lost their ability to remember due to brain injury or disease.By examining how we learn and store memories, these scientists have shown that the way the brain first captures and encodes a situation or event is quite different from how it processes subsequent

Human Unbilical Blood Cord Aid Lab Animals Brain Cells Survival After Simulated Stroke

2010-08-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (Aug. 24, 2010) — Human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCB) used to treat cultured rat brain cells (astrocytes) deprived of oxygen appear to protect astrocytes from cell death after stroke-like damage, reports a team of researchers from the University of South Florida (USF) Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair. Their study was published in the August, 2010 issue of Stem Cell

Amnesia In The Movies

2010-07-14T12:35:00.001-07:00

Despite occuring only rarely, amnesia (or memory loss) has featured often in Hollywood films for almost a century. By 1926, at least 10 silent films which used amnesia as a plot device had been made; more recent productions, such as 50 First Dates and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, are therefore part of a well established tradition. In a review published in the British Medical Journal

Bilingualism Associated With Brain Reorganization Involving Better Efficiency in Executive Functions

2010-07-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (July 7, 2010) — The research group of Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón, led by Professor of Basic Psychology, César Ávila Rivera, has reported that bilinguals are faster and more efficient in certain tasks in which executive functions are used due to a different form of cerebral control.The study, carried out by the research group

Helping The Brain's Messengers Get From A To B

2010-06-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (June 15, 2010) — In what has been hailed as a breakthrough, scientists from Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College have outlined the molecular mechanism of membrane transport. The research shows how a protein transforms its shape to transport substances across the cell membrane in order to regulate transmission of the brain's messages across the

Early Alzheimer's Disease

2010-06-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

Impaired memory is typically one of the first signs of Alzheimer'sdisease, but difficulty recalling the names of friends or recent events is also common among normal elderly persons. The clinician is thus facedwith the difficulty of distinguishing between normal aging and the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Mild cognitive impairment is anintermediate state in which persons have more memory

Individual Brain Cells Can ID Objects As Dissimilar As Cars and Dogs

2010-06-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (June 9, 2010) — Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory found that single brain cells, if confronted with a difficult task, can identify objects as dissimilar as sports cars and dogs.Cognitive neuroscience Functional neuroimaging Researchers have never been sure exactly how specialized cells in the brain can be. Do different neurons each contribute to unique

Brain Injury May Result In Trouble Sleeping

2010-05-25T11:36:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (May 24, 2010) — People with brain injuries may produce low amounts of melatonin, which affects their sleep, according to a study published in the May 25, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.For the study, 23 people who had a severe traumatic brain injury an average of 14 months earlier and 23 healthy people of the same age spent

Prevalence of ADHD Diagnosis and Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use in Medical Students

2010-04-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

The new issue of *Academic Psychiatry (vol. 34, #3, May-June) includesan article: "Prevalence of ADHD Diagnosis and Nonmedical PrescriptionStimulant Use in Medical Students."The authors are Jeffrey P. Tuttle, M.D., Neil E. Scheurich, M.D. andJohn Ranseen, Ph.D.Here's theOBJECTIVE: The authors aimed to determine the prevalence of ADHDdiagnosis and the prevalence of nonmedical prescription

Brain Repair After Stroke

2010-04-21T17:31:00.001-07:00

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. A majority of patients survive stroke, however, making this disorder a major source of human disability. Although most patients have some spontaneous behavioral improvements after a stroke, the recovery is generally incomplete. Compounding this burden of disability is the fact that one in four patients who have a stroke is under 65 years of

Psychotropic Medications Overprescribed to Children: Study Suggests

2010-04-21T17:19:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Apr. 20, 2010) — A new study from the Journal of Marital & Family Therapy warns of the dramatic rise in the use of psychotropic medications for children. One in every fifty Americans is now considered permanently disabled by mental illness, and up to eight million children take one or more psychotropic drugs.The authors, James P. Morris, Ph.D. and George Stone, LCSW, state that

When Memory-Related Neurons Fire in Sinc With Certain Brain Waves, Memories Last

2010-03-30T13:39:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Mar. 28, 2010) — They say there's only one chance to make a first impression, but what makes that memory last?Research scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the California Institute of Technology suggest in an article in the March 24, 2010, journal Nature (online) that when memory-related neurons in the brain fire in sync with certain brain waves, the resulting image

Evidence-Based Steps To Reduce Risk of Dementia by 20%

2010-02-11T15:35:00.001-08:00

Your guide to reducing the risk of dementiaThe jury is unfortunately still out on whether the crossword can help. You cannot alter your age or the genes you are born with, but there are lifestyle changes you can adopt which may reduce your chance of developing dementia by as much as 20%.The BBC convened a panel of independent experts, chaired by the Alzheimer's Society, which evaluated more than

Escitalopram and Enhancement of Cognitive Recovery Following Stroke

2010-02-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

The new issue of *Archives of General Psychiatry* (Vol. 67 No. 2)includes a study: "Escitalopram and Enhancement of Cognitive RecoveryFollowing Stroke."The authors are Ricardo E. Jorge, MD; Laura Acion, MS; David Moser, PhD;Harold P. Adams Jr, MD; & Robert G. Robinson, MD.ContextAdjunctive restorative therapies administered during the first fewmonths after stroke, the period with the greatest

Neuroimaging May Shed Light On How Alzheimer's Disease Develops

2010-01-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 14, 2010) — Current Alzheimer's disease (AD) research indicates that accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein plaques in the brain is central to the development of AD. Unfortunately, presence of these plaques is typically confirmed only at autopsy. In a special issue of the journal Behavioural Neurology, researchers review the evidence that Positron emission tomography (PET)

Exercise Associated With Preventing, Improving Mild Cognitive Impairment

2010-01-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 14, 2010) — Moderate physical activity performed in midlife or later appears to be associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment, whereas a six-month high-intensity aerobic exercise program may improve cognitive function in individuals who already have the condition, according to two reports in the January issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives

Neural Thermostat Keeps Brain Running Efficiently

2010-01-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 15, 2010) — Our energy-hungry brains operate reliably and efficiently while processing a flood of sensory information, thanks to a sort of neuronal thermostat that regulates activity in the visual cortex, Yale researchers have found.actions of inhibitory neurons allow the brain to save energy by suppressing non-essential visual stimuli and processing only key information,

Don't I Know You? How Cues and Context Kick-Start Memory Recall

2009-12-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Dec. 12, 2009) — We have all had the embarrassing experience of seeing an acquaintance in an unfamiliar setting. We know we know them but can't recall who they are. But with the correct cues from conversation or context, something seems to click and we can readily access very rich and vivid memories about the individual.A team of researchers from the University of Toronto and the

With Amino Acid, Mice Improve Memory After Brain Injury

2009-12-14T16:03:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Dec. 12, 2009) — Neurology researchers have shown that feeding amino acids to brain-injured animals restores their cognitive abilities and may set the stage for the first effective treatment for cognitive impairments suffered by people with traumatic brain injuries."We have shown in an animal model that dietary intervention can restore a proper balance of neurochemicals in the

Researchers Optimizing Progesterone For Brain Injury Treatment

2009-10-21T18:27:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2009) — As doctors begin to test progesterone for traumatic brain injury at sites across the country, researchers are looking ahead to optimizing the hormone's effectiveness.Two abstracts summarizing Emory research on progesterone are being presented at the 2009 Society for Neuroscience (SFN) meeting in Chicago.A multisite phase III clinical trial called ProTECT III will

Key Mechanism In Brain Development Pinpointed, Raising Questions About Use Of Antiseizure Drugs

2009-10-12T14:19:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2009) — Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a key molecular player in guiding the formation of synapses — the all-important connections between nerve cells — in the brain. This discovery, based on experiments in cell culture and in mice, could advance scientists' understanding of how young children's brains develop as well as point to

Brain Damage Seen On Brain Scans May Predict Memory Loss In Old Age

2009-08-15T22:46:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2009) — Areas of brain damage seen on brain scans and originally thought to be related to stroke may help doctors predict a person's risk of memory problems in old age, according to research published in the August 11, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.Researchers tested 679 people age 65 and older without dementia for

Reduction of Alzheimer's Disease and Lifestyle Changes

2009-08-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

People may be able to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to two recently published studies that are the latest in a long line of research. But does that hold for everyone? And by how much can you lower the risk? Here's a look at the facts. Alzheimer's afflicts 5.3 million Americans and that number is predicted to grow to nearly 8 million in the next 20 years, according

Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder Associated With HIgher ALzheimer's Dementia Risk

2009-07-24T14:07:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (July 24, 2009) — Though discoveries about Alzheimer's disease risk factors are often in the news, adults do not know about the relationship between Alzheimer's disease risk and heart health, nor that physical activity can be protective against dementia, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009)

First Image of Memories Being Made

2009-06-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (June 19, 2009) — The ability to learn and to establish new memories is essential to our daily existence and identity; enabling us to navigate through the world. A new study by researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro), McGill University and University of California, Los Angeles has captured an image for the first time of a mechanism, specifically

CSF Fluid Shows Alzheimer's Disease Deterioration Much Earlier

2009-06-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (June 19, 2009) — It is possible to determine which patients run a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and the dementia associated with it, even in patients with minimal memory impairment. This has been shown by recent research at the Sahlgrenska Academy.The results have just been published in the medical journal Lancet Neurology. "The earlier we can catch Alzheimer’s disease

Snoring Associated With Sleep Apnea May Impair Brain Function

2009-06-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (June 4, 2009) — It has been linked to learning impairment, stroke and premature death. Now UNSW research has found that snoring associated with sleep apnea may impair brain function more than previously thought.Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea experience similar changes in brain biochemistry as people who have had a severe stroke or who are dying, the research shows.A study by

Discoveries Shed New LIght On How the Brain Processes What The Eye Sees

2009-06-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (June 4, 2009) — Researchers at the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience (CMBN) at Rutgers University in Newark have identified the need to develop a new framework for understanding “perceptual stability” and how we see the world with their discovery that visual input obtained during eye movements is being processed by the brain but blocked from awareness.The process of

A Brain Disorder Easily Missed Or Misdiagnosed As Alzheimer's or Parkinsons

2009-05-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's *New York Times* (Tuesday, May 26) includes an article: "ABrain Disorder Easily Missed" by Jane Brody.Here are some excerpts:Edward Ferguson, a civil engineer living in Vancouver, Wash., retired atage 65 from a job handling multimillion-dollar contracts.Five years later he could not balance a checkbook, walk without falling,drive a car, control his bladder or recognize his

Alzheimer's Discovery Could Bring Early Diagnosis and Treatment Closer

2009-05-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (May 23, 2009) — A discovery made by researchers at McGill University and the affiliated Lady Davis Research Institute for Medical Research at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital offers new hope for the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry on May 15, Dr. Hemant Paudel, his PhD student Dong Han and postdoctoral

Women More Likely To Experience Non-Traditional Stroke Symptoms

2009-05-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (May 12, 2009) — The traditional stroke symptoms are well known and include a sudden onset of numbness or weakness on one side of the body, trouble talking, loss of vision, or coordination problems.But in women, doctors and bystanders should be paying attention to something else, says Lynda Lisabeth, Ph.D., MPH, researcher in the department of neurology at the University of Michigan

Memory For Different Smells: Synaptic Memory Found In Olfactory Bulb

2009-05-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (May 9, 2009) — Ben W. Strowbridge, Ph.D, associate professor of Neuroscience and Physiology/Biophysics, and Yuan Gao, a Ph.D. student in the neurosciences program at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, are the first to discover a form of synaptic memory in the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain that processes the sense of smell.In the 1970s, scientists discovered

New Evidence Ties Gene To Alzheimer's

2009-05-11T13:58:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (May 8, 2009) — Of dozens of candidates potentially involved in increasing a person's risk for the most common type of Alzheimer's disease that affects more than 5 million Americans over the age of 65, one gene that keeps grabbing Johns Hopkins researchers' attention makes a protein called neuroglobin.Adding to a growing body of evidence about the importance of this protein for the

Rigorous Visual Training Teaches The Brain To See Again After Stroke

2009-04-10T14:00:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Apr. 9, 2009) — By doing a set of vigorous visual exercises on a computer every day for several months, patients who had gone partially blind as a result of suffering a stroke were able to regain some vision, according to scientists who published their results in the April 1 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.Such rigorous visual retraining is not common for people who suffer

Neuroscientists Demonstrate The Link Between Brainwave Activity and Visual Perception

2009-04-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (Apr. 9, 2009) — Can we always see what is in front of us? According to Dr. Tony Ro, a Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at The City College of New York (CCNY), the answer is “no.” New research published in The Journal of Neuroscience by Professor Ro and colleagues from the University of Illinois demonstrates that the brain cannot detect images when brainwave

Blood Test For Head Injuries Gains Momentum

2009-04-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Science NewsBlood Test For Brain Injuries Gains MomentumScienceDaily (Apr. 2, 2009) —A blood test that can help predict the seriousness of a head injury and detect the status of the blood-brain barrier is a step closer to reality, according to two recently published studies involving University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.News stories about tragic head injuries – from the death of

Can Mental Training Games Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?

2009-03-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily (Mar. 14, 2009) — Loss of thinking power is a fear shared by many aging baby boomers. That fear has resulted in a budding industry for brain training products – exercises such as Brain Age, Mindfit and My Brain Trainer – which in 2007 generated $80 million in the United States alone.The premise of brain training is simple: participants must complete a series of daily exercises such

MetabolicAnd Neurological Disorders May Share Common Risk Factors

2009-03-15T11:53:00.001-07:00

ScienceDaily (Mar. 15, 2009) — Metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes appear to share risk factors with and may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, according to several reports published in the March issue of Archives of Neurology.The issue—a theme issue on neurological disorders related to metabolic diseases—is being published in conjunction

UltrasoundAnd TPA Effective For Stroke

2009-03-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — An experimental therapy using tiny bubbles activated by transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound combined with the clot busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is more effective than tPA alone in treating patients suffering from ischemic stroke, according to new research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference in San

Alzheimer's-associated Plaques May Impact Throughout the Brain

2009-02-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 27, 2009) — Advanced imaging reveals surprising effects on astrocyte signaling networks. The impact of the amyloid plaques that appear in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease may extend beyond the deposits' effects on neurons – the cells that transmit electrochemical signals throughout the nervous system.In an article in the Feb. 27 issue of Science, researchers from

New Research In Alzheimer's Puzzle

2009-02-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 27, 2009) — Yale researchers have filled in a missing gap on the molecular road map of Alzheimer's disease.In the Feb. 26 issue of the journal Nature, the Yale team reports that cellular prion proteins trigger the process by which amyloid-beta peptides block brain function in Alzheimer's patients."It has been a black box," said Stephen M. Strittmatter, senior author of the

How We Keep Visual Details In Short-Term Memory

2009-02-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 23, 2009) — Working memory (also known as short term memory) is our ability to keep a small amount of information active in our mind. This is useful for information we need to know on-the-fly, such as a phone number or the few items we need to pick up from the grocery store. We hang on to the information for a brief period of time, just long enough to make a phone call or get

Revolutionary New Model For Alzheimer's Disease

2009-02-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 20, 2009) — A study from the Buck Institute for Age Research offers a revolutionary new model for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a devastating neurodegenerative disorder which afflicts 24 million people worldwide.In an effort to unravel the normal function of a protein implicated in AD, scientists in California and France have discovered a naturally occurring protein that provides a

Can Exercising Your Brain Prevent Memory Loss?

2009-02-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2009) — Participating in certain mental activities, like reading magazines or crafting in middle age or later in life, may delay or prevent memory loss, according to a study released February 17 that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 to May 2, 2009.The study involved 197 people between the ages of 70 and 89

Maintaining Balance And Listening At The Same Time May Become More Difficult For Older Adults

2009-02-18T17:13:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2009) — Listening to a conversation or audio book while walking or exercising sounds simple enough for most people, but it may become more difficult for people in their upper 70s and above, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.Supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, one of the National

Loneliness Affects How the Brain Operates

2009-02-18T17:10:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2009) — Social isolation affects how people behave as well as how their brains operate, a study at the University of Chicago shows.The research, presented February 15 at a symposium, "Social Emotion and the Brain," at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is the first to use fMRI scans to study the connections between perceived

Improving Brain Processing Speed Helps Memory

2009-02-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2009) — Mayo Clinic researchers found that healthy, older adults who participated in a computer-based training program to improve the speed and accuracy of brain processing showed twice the improvement in certain aspects of memory, compared to a control group."What's unique in this study is that brain-processing activities seemed to help aspects of memory that were not

Education May Not Affect How Fast You Will Lose Your Memory

2009-02-09T11:39:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 6, 2009) — While a higher level of education may help lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease, new research shows that once educated people start to become forgetful, a higher level of education does not appear to protect against how fast they will lose their memory.The research is published in the February 3, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American

Heart Failure Linked To Cognitive Impairment

2009-02-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Feb. 7, 2009) — Nearly half of patients with heart failure (HF) have problems with memory and other aspects of cognitive functioning, reports a new study published in the February issue of Journal of Cardiac Failure.Memory problems and other cognitive deficits may be an important factor to consider in planning medical care for patients with HF, according to the new study, led by

Imaging Studies Illustrate How Memories Change Over Time In The Brain

2009-02-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 31, 2009) — A new brain imaging study illustrates what happens to memories as time goes by. The study, in the January 28 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, shows that distinct brain structures are involved in recalling recent and older events.Ffindings support earlier studies of memory-impaired patients with damage limited to the hippocampus. These patients show deficits in

Common Medication Associated With Cognitive Decline in Elderly

2009-01-26T22:07:00.000-08:00

The *Journal of the American Geriatrics Society* issued the followingnews release about a study ("Cumulative Anticholinergic Exposure IsAssociated with Poor Memory and Executive Function in Older Men")A study published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Societysuggested that the use of certain medications in elderly populations maybe associated with cognitive decline. The study examined the

Popular Songs Can Cure Specific Memories

2009-01-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 23, 2009) — Whether the soundtrack of your youth was doo-wop or disco, new wave or Nirvana, psychology research at Kansas State University shows that even just thinking about a particular song can evoke vivid memories of the past."We thought that actually hearing the song would bring back the most vivid memories," said Richard Harris, professor of psychology at K-State. "But in

Switchboard InTthe Brain Helps Us Learn and Remember At The Same Time

2009-01-19T19:46:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 16, 2009) — The healthy brain is in a constant struggle between learning new experiences and remembering old experiences, a new study in this week's PLoS Biology reports. Virtually all social interactions require the rapid exchange of new and old information. For instance, normal conversation requires that while listening to the new information another person is providing, we

Scientists Discover Gene Responsible for Brain's Aging

2009-01-19T19:28:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2009) — Will scientists one day be able to slow the aging of the brain and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's? Perhaps -- at least once the genetic coding associated with neuronal degeneration has been unraveled.According to a new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, a research team from the Université de Montréal, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital

Diabetes Associated With Different Type of Brain Injury In Patients With Dementia

2009-01-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 17, 2009) — Patients with dementia and diabetes appear to display a different pattern of injuries in their brains than patients with dementia but without diabetes, according to an article posted online today that will appear in the March print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals."The association between diabetes mellitus and increased risk for

MIdlife Coffee and Tea Drinking May Protect Against Late-life Dementia

2009-01-16T22:47:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 15, 2009) — Stockholm, Sweden -- Midlife coffee drinking can decrease the risk of dementia/Alzheimer's disease (AD) later in life. This conclusion is made in a Finnish Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) Study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.This study has been conducted at the University of Kuopio, Finland in collaboration with Karolinska

Protein That Protects Against Alzheimer's?

2009-01-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 10, 2009) — Research on the mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, stroke, dementia, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis, to name a few, has taken a step forward thanks to the work of biological sciences Ph.D. student Sonia Do Carmo, supervised by Professor Éric Rassart of the Université du Québec à Montreal (UQAM) Biological Sciences Department,

Selflessness -- Core Of All Major World Religions -- Has Neuropsychological Connection

2008-12-23T15:50:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2008) — All spiritual experiences are based in the brain. That statement is truer than ever before, according to a University of Missouri neuropsychologist.An MU study has data to support a neuropsychological model that proposes spiritual experiences associated with selflessness are related to decreased activity in the right parietal lobe of the brain.The study is one of

Robotic Technology Improves Stroke Rehabilitation

2008-12-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Dec. 23, 2008) — Research scientists using a novel, hand-operated robotic device and functional MRI (fMRI) have found that chronic stroke patients can be rehabilitated, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).This is the first study using fMRI to map the brain in order to track stroke rehabilitation."We have

Alzheimer's Disease: Women Affected More Often Than Men

2008-12-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) issued the following newsrelease:Alzheimer's Disease: Women Affected More Often than MenNearly 4.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) in ourcountry, and more than half of them are women, according to the NationalInstitute on Aging in Bethesda, Md. As the general population continuesto age, this number is expected to increase

Veterans w/ TBI at Risk for dementia, aggression, memory loss, depression, & symptoms similar to those of Parkinson's disease

2008-12-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

Today the U.S. Institute of Medicine released the following announcement:Contacts: Christine Stencel, Media Relations OfficerAlison Burnette, Media Relations AssistantOffice of News and Public Information202-334-2138; e-mail Date: Dec. 4, 2008FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMilitary Personnel With Traumatic Brain Injury at Risk for Serious Long-Term Health ProblemsMilitary personnel who

Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers in Healthy Adults

2008-12-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

New Study Identifies Link Between Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers In Healthy AdultsScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2008) — A new study provides an insight into normal, physiological levels and association between proteins involved in development of Alzheimer's disease.A group of scientists and physicians from the University of Washington and Puget Sound Veterans' Affairs Health Care System in Seattle, in

Baffling Chronic Pain Linked to Weird Rewiring of Brain

2008-11-28T11:31:00.001-08:00

Baffling Chronic Pain Linked To Weird Rewiring Of BrainScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2008) — Scientists peered at the brains of people with a baffling chronic pain condition and discovered something surprising. Their brains looked like an inept cable guy had changed the hookups, rewiring the areas related to emotion, pain perception and the temperature of their skin.The new finding by scientists at

How Is Our Left Brain Different From Our Right?

2008-11-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Nov. 25, 2008) — Since the historical discovery of the speech center in the left cortex in 150 years ago, functional differences between left and right hemisphere have been well known; language is mainly handled by left hemisphere, while spatial recognition is more specialized to the right hemisphere. However, the structural differences of synapses underlying left-right difference

How To Know You're Having a Stroke; Most Stroke Pts Don't Think They're Having a Stroke; Time is Crucial

2008-11-26T11:11:00.001-08:00

The Mayo Clinic released the following announcement:Do you know you're having a stroke?Symptom awareness can improve recoveryA Mayo Clinic study shows a majority of stroke patients don't thinkthey're having a stroke -- and as a result -- delay seeking treatmentuntil their condition worsens. The findings appear in the current issueof Emergency Medicine Journal at http://emj.bmj.com/.Researchers

Brain AbnormalitiesThat May Play Key Role in ADHD

2008-11-25T18:25:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2008) — A study published in the online advance edition of The American Journal of Psychiatry for the first time reveals shape differences in the brains of children with ADHD, which could help pinpoint the specific neural circuits involved in the disorder. Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md. and the Johns Hopkins Center for Imaging Science used

Tinnitus: Psychological Treatment and Neurostimulation Offer Hope

2008-11-25T18:15:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2008) — A remarkable number of patients with tinnitus demonstrate withdrawal behaviour and have a negative view of life. Feelings of anxiety and depression result in patients experiencing the complaint as a major burden on their quality of life. In addition to psychological treatment, neurostimulation now also appears to be a very promising therapy.This is the result of

Unraveling Mystery of Brain Aneurysms

2008-11-18T17:41:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Nov. 15, 2008) — Yale researchers have taken the first critical steps in unraveling the mysteries of brain aneurysms, the often fatal rupturing of blood vessels that afflicts 500,000 people worldwide each year and nearly killed Vice President-elect Joseph Biden two decades ago.An international team — led by Murat Gunel, professor of neurosurgery and neurobiology, and Richard Lifton,

Exercise Increases Brain Growth Factor and Receptors, Prevents Stem Cell Drop in Middle Age

2008-11-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

The American Physiological Society released the following announcement:Exercise increases brain growth factor and receptors, prevents stem celldrop in middle ageBETHESDA, Md. (Nov. 18, 2008) A new study confirms that exercise canreverse the age-related decline in the production of neural stem cellsin the hippocampus of the mouse brain, and suggests that this happensbecause exercise restores a

Bad Health Habits and Lifestyle Choices Are Among Alzheimer's Causes

2008-11-15T10:41:00.001-08:00

Stress, inactivity and even certain medications can weaken memory.By Melissa Healy November 17, 2008When it comes to preserving memories, we are sometimes our own worst enemies. The lives we lead often undermine the complex process of creating and retrieving memories. And they can boost the odds of our developing diseases -- including Alzheimer's -- that further ravage the brain's mechanisms of

It's Never Too Late To Grow Your Brain

2008-11-13T13:41:00.001-08:00

It's never too late to grow your brain TheStar.com - Atkinson 2008 - It's never too late to grow your brainThere's much people can do to preserve and even enhance brain function — at any age.Related stories. With medical breakthroughs, the quest for eternal youth and longevity has never been more in reach. But we may be searching for the wrong things, according to two University of Chicago

Steps to a nimble mind: Physical and mental exercise help keep the brain fit

2008-11-12T17:55:00.001-08:00

Neuroscience is uncovering techniques to prevent cognitive decline.By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli, AMNews correspondent. Nov. 17, 2008.The brain -- containing 100 billion neurons, 900 billion glial cells, 100 trillion branches and 1,000 trillion receptors -- reacts to stimuli in a series of electrical bursts, spanning a complex map of connections. Whether calculating an algorithmic equation or

Any new symptom in an older person should be considered a drug side effect until proven otherwise

2008-11-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

They are the drugged-out generation, and they're not who you think they are.They're 80. And 85 and 90 and 95 – overmedicated seniors clogging emergency departments, blocking hospital beds and sicker than they have any reason to be.The Number 1 drug users in North America, outside of patients in long-term care facilities, are women over the age of 65. Twelve per cent are on 10 or more meds,

Brain Boost Drugs "Growing Trend"

2008-10-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

Brain boost drugs 'growing trend'Increasing numbers of people are using prescription drugs like Ritalin to boost alertness and brain power, say experts.Up to a fifth of adults, including college students and shift workers, may be using cognitive enhancers, a poll of 1,400 by Nature journal suggests.Neuropsychologist Professor Barbara Sahakian of Cambridge University said safety evidence is

Musicians Use Both Sides of the Brain Than Nonmusicians: Divergent Thinking

2008-10-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

Supporting what many of us who are not musically talented have oftenfelt, new research reveals that trained musicians really do thinkdifferently than the rest of us. Vanderbilt University psychologistshave found that professionally trained musicians more effectively use acreative technique called divergent thinking, and also use both the leftand the right sides of their frontal cortex more

vVeterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Receive Increase in Disability Benefits

2008-09-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON — The government plans to substantially increase disability benefits for veterans with mild traumatic brain injuries, acknowledging for the first time that veterans suffering from this less severe version of the Iraq war's signature wound will struggle to make a living."We're saying it's real," said Tom Pamperin, a deputy director for the Department of Veteran Affairs, about the

Even W/Out Dementia Mental Skills Decline Years Before Death

2008-08-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

The American Academy of Neurology issued the following announcement:Even without dementia, mental skills decline years before deathA new study shows that older people's mental skills start decliningyears before death, even if they don't have dementia. The study ispublished in the August 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medicaljournal of the American Academy of Neurology."These changes are

Brains of Stroke Survivors Show Improvement From Exercise

2008-08-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Depending on where in the brain it occurs, a stroke can result in paralysis, difficulties with breathing, swallowing, walking and balance, or problems understanding language.People who have suffered a stroke may benefit from walking on a treadmill years after the brain injury, according to researchers who saw signs of the brain healing itself.The results, published in Monday's issue of the

How Foods Affect Brain Health, Cognitive Functions; Omega-3, Folic acid, Curcumin

2008-07-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

The University of California, Los Angeles, issued the following news release: Scientists learn how food affects the brain. In addition to helping protect us from heart disease and cancer, a balanced diet and regular exercise can also protect the brain and ward off mental disorders.” Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain," said Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a UCLA professor of

A 10% Prevalence of Silent Stroke Found in "Healthy" Adults

2008-07-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

About 10% of apparently healthy middle-aged adults have experienced silent cerebral infarcts (SCI), according to the latest results from the Framingham Offspring Study. Furthermore, the study found risk factors typically associated with clinical stroke, including hypertension, elevated serum homocysteine, and carotid artery disease, are also associated with midlife SCI.The study's findings are

Brain Injuries Cause 1/2 of Seniors' Fall Deaths

2008-07-02T22:27:00.001-07:00

Jun 24 07:32 AM US/EasternBy MIKE STOBBEAP Medical WriterATLANTA (AP) - The elderly fear breaking a hip when they fall, but a government study indicates that hitting their head can also have deadly consequences: Brain injuries account for half of all deaths from falls.The study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the first comprehensive national look at the role brain injuries

Women More Likely Than Men to Have Dementia After Age 90

2008-07-02T16:42:00.001-07:00

The University of California , Irvine, issued the following news release:Women over 90 more likely to have dementia than menIrvine, Calif. -- Women over 90 are significantly more likely to havedementia than men of the same age, according UC Irvine researchersinvolved with the 90+ Study, one of the nation's largest studies ofdementia and other health factors in the fastest-growing age

Using Mental Strategies Can Alter the Brain's Reward Circuitry

2008-06-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

From New York University news release:Using Mental Strategies Can Alter The Brain's Reward CircuitryThe cognitive strategies humans use to regulate emotions can determineboth neurological and physiological responses to potential rewards, ateam of New York University and Rutgers University neuroscientists hasdiscovered. The findings, reported in the most recent issue of thejournal Nature

Troops To Get Cognitive Screening

2008-06-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Troops To Get Cognitive ScreeningBy LISA CHEDEKEL Courant Staff WriterJune 25, 2008The military will begin giving cognitive tests this summer to troops heading to war, in an effort to get a baseline measure of their reaction time, memory, concentration and other brain functions, which could be referenced in case they are injured.The introduction of the neuropsychological screening comes in

Study Reveals How ADHD Drugs Work

2008-06-25T12:08:00.001-07:00

The University of Wisconsin, Madison, issued an announcement about newresearch findings: Here's the announcement:Although millions depend on medications such as Ritalin to quellsymptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), scientistshave struggled to pinpoint how the drugs work in the brain.But new work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is now starting toclear up some of the

What is Post-Concussive Syndome (PCS)?

2008-06-18T14:44:00.000-07:00

Post-Concussive Syndrome (PCS) or concussion is a a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional symptoms that occur after a blow, fall, or hit to the head. This type of injury can disrupt the normal function of the brain. While the symptoms are often described as mild and not life threatening, they can be disabling.Some symptoms may appear right away, while others may take days or weeks after

Top 10 Reasons to See a Neuropsychologist

2008-06-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact our office for consultation1.) ATTENTION AND CONCENTRATION Highly distractibleLose my train of thought easilyBecome easily confused and disorientedBlackout spells (fainting)My mind goes blankAura (strange feelings)Don’t feel very alert or aware of things Other concentration or awareness problems2.) MEMORY Forgetting where I leave

Alzheimer's, Grape Seed Extract, & Red Wine,

2008-06-18T14:20:00.001-07:00

The Society for Neuroscience issued a news release about a study intoday's issue of *The Journal of Neuroscience*:Study indicates grape seed extract may reduce cognitive declineassociated with Alzheimer's diseaseNutritional supplement as effective as red wine in preventing amyloidbeta plaque build upA compound found in grape seed extract reduces plaque formation andresulting cognitive impairment

INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION/EXAM PROCESS

2008-06-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation consists of record review, interview focusing on problems/difficulties, followed by standardized paper and pencil tests of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and personality functions. The whole process typically lasts approximately 4-6 hours, completed in 1-day or divided into several days, depending on the fatigue level and time. The results of the

WHO BENEFITS FROM THE RESULTS OF A NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION?

2008-06-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Explanation of examination results can be very helpful to persons with cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or personality difficulties and their families. Consultation can also help neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, physiatrists, internists, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, employers, insurance providers, administrators, case managers, agencies, and other

How Can a Neuropsychological Evaluation Help Me?

2008-06-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

Neuropsychological evaluation is critical for understanding which brain functions are impaired and which remain intact. An effective evaluation can tell the neuropsychologist how the injury or illness specifically affects thinking and behavior. Is the person able to concentrate on tasks? For how long? Under what conditions? Does it matter whether the information is verbal or nonverbal? Standard