The US Food and Drug Administration has approved an expanded indication for the rivastigmine transdermal system (Exelon Patch, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) to include patients with severe disease. Approval of this new indication for the 13.3 mg/24h dose rivastigmine patch means it can be used across all stages of disease, making it the only transdermal therapy…
Opioid analgesic overdose is a life-threatening condition, and the antidote naloxone may have limited effectiveness in patients with poisoning from long-acting agents. The unpredictable clinical course of intoxication demands empirical management of this potentially lethal condition. Opioid analgesic overdose is a preventable and potentially lethal condition that results from prescribing practices, inadequate understanding on the…
Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is Associated With Baseline Neurological Status and Can Predict Postoperative Recovery in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy. Types of MRI signal change in patients with CSM. (A) No signal change. (B) Diffuse T2 signal (open arrow). (C) Focal T2 signal (closed arrow). (D) Segmentation of T2 (double arrow). (E) Low T1…
More and more research has raised concern over the dangers of concussions – one of the most common forms of head trauma – as many sufferers go on to experience persistent neurological symptoms throughout their lives. Now, scientists have discovered a clue as to why mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) can have such long-lasting health…
Primary types of neuromodulation techniques used in psychiatry and new approaches to treat neurological and psychiatric problem. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): There are currently 2 different TMS coils that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the acute treatment of depressed patients who have failed to respond to at least…
New guidelines published online May 6 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal have codified a number of major changes in fibromyalgia (FM) diagnosis and treatment. The authors of the new guidelines note that FM diagnosis and care have largely shifted to primary care physicians and away from rheumatologists and other specialists. Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, MB ChB,…
At a press conference held at the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN’s) 2013 Annual Meeting, the release of new AAN guidelines for the evaluation and management of sports-related concussion (SRC) were announced. The recommendations update the 1997 AAN sports concussion practice parameter and were published online in Neurology on March 18, 2013.[1] The new guidelines…
Stroke is a common, potentially devastating disease with potential high morbidity and mortality. Recognition at the onset of acute ischemic stroke is pivotal to changing outcomes such as intravenous thrombolysis. Stroke monitoring is a burgeoning field with various methods described and newer devices that aid in detecting acute or worsening ischemia that can lead to…
American Academy of Neurology Releases Concussion Guideline Update Athletes who are suspected of having a concussion should be removed from the game immediately and not returned until assessed by a licensed health care professional trained in diagnosing and managing concussion. That is one of the recommendations from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), which today…
Early and aggressive resection of low-grade gliomas (LGGs) leads to increased overall patient survival, decreased malignant progression, and better seizure control. This case series describes the authors’ approach to achieving optimal neurological and surgical outcomes in patients referred by outside neurosurgeons for stereotactic biopsy of tumors believed to be complex or a high surgical risk,…
In the past 30 years, there has been a small but significant increase in the incidence of advanced breast cancer in American women 25 to 39 years of age, according to a study published in the February 27 issue of JAMA. During the same period, there was no increase in advanced disease in older women, according…
A new study adds to a growing body of evidence pointing to small-vessel cerebrovascular disease as an important contributor to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study shows that increased total white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) as seen on MRI independently predicted AD diagnosis, as did the brain amyloid tracer Pittsburgh compound B (PIB) measured by positron emission…