UV LED Therapy
Prevents Focal Seizures
Researchers from the University of Minnesota
Medical School discovered that light from an ultraviolet diode (UV LED)
reduced "seizure-like" activity in a rat epilepsy model. During the
study, UV light released gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) from the "caged"
compound carbonyl amino butanoic acid (BC204). GABA then decreased the
abnormal electrical activity in the CA1 area of the brain. Results of
this study have considerable potential in treating focal epilepsy in
humans. Details of this study are available in the January 2010 issue of
Epilepsia, an official journal of the International League
Against Epilepsy.
Steven Rothman, M.D., and colleagues conducted experiments with UV LEDs
to control seizure-like activity in rodent brain slices. Population
spikes in CA1 were elicited by delivering constant current pulses
through a microelectrode placed in the CA3 brain area. Researchers
induced seizure-like activity by adding the convulsant, 4-aminopyridine
(4-AP; 100 µM) and removing magnesium from the fluid solution outside
the cells. Caged GABA, BC204, was perfused into the preparation for at
least 30 minutes prior to the first illumination.
"Our strongly positive results, in an epilepsy model far more severe
than the naturally occurring disease, suggest that this technique could
translate to human epilepsy," said Dr. Rothman. Researchers believe that
a programmable pump could deliver the caged GABA into the subarachnoid
space over the epileptic area of the brain. UV LEDs could then be
responsively activated to release GABA, using techniques similar to
those used for cortical stimulation units that are currently in clinical
trials. To read the full article, please go
here:
Article: "Optical suppression of experimental seizures in
rat brain slices." Xiao-Feng Yang, Brigitte F. Schmidt, Daniel L. Rode, and
Steven M. Rothman. Epilepsia; Published Online: August 2009
(DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2009.02252.x); Print Issue Date: January 2010
Media Focus on
'Miracle Cure' for Cerebral Palsy Pits Science vs. Hype
In today's environment of 24-and-7 news and Web
communications, it doesn't take long for the hype about a new therapeutic
approach to get ahead of the science. Sometimes way ahead.
Just ask Joanne Kurtzberg, a cord-blood researcher at Duke University. She
has just finished an open-label feasibility and safety trial for children
with cerebral palsy from various etiologies, in which the children's own
cord blood, banked at birth, is infused intravenously. Kurtzberg has not yet
published or presented any scientific results, and has been cautious in the
few public statements she has made about the study.
Nevertheless, numerous local and national news programs have reported on a
few children enrolled in the study whose parents have attributed dramatic
changes in their child to the cell therapy. Many reports have
sensationalized the stories. A July 2008 Fox and Friends interview with the
parents of one child was slug-lined "Miracle Cure" and used the word miracle
or miraculous five times. An accompanying article on FOX News.com was
headlined ?Cord Blood Stem Cells Reverse Girl?s Cerebral Palsy.?
NBC?s Today Show interviewed the parents of another child in the Duke study
in a lengthy segment that also carried the title ?Miracle Cure? In it, NBC?s
chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman argued that such cases should not be
overlooked just because they?re not part of a randomized, controlled study,
opining that ?medicine has not made a big enough deal about anecdotes.?
Read the full article here in the October 2009 issue of
Annals of Neurology.
International
Journal of Stroke - representing the interests of health care professionals,
strokologists, advancing the cause of stroke worldwide
As the official journal of the World Stroke Organization, one of our prime
objectives is to represent the interests of health care professionals,
strokologists advancing the cause of stroke worldwide. Within a very short
period of time we have managed to secure our place within the pantheon of
world stroke literature. Our impressive initial Impact Factor of 1.97 in our
third year of publication was quickly exceeded a year later to 2.0. The
philosophy that drives us is to educate, stimulate debate, and communicate
high quality research to our readership. This is achieved by providing an
exciting and interesting range of Panorama, Review, Clinical Trial Protocols
and a very limited number of high quality original Research contributions.
We also strive to make our journal innovative and flexible with new
initiatives including virtual issues, Podcasts, Vodcasts, Twitter and
blogspots, which connect our stroke community.
We see our role as journal editors to promote change by communicating the
extent of the stroke burden and the new and exciting developments that will
eventually lead to its reduction; we think we are succeeding!
Abuse in
Childhood Linked to Migraine and Other Pain Disorders
Researchers from the
American Headache Society?s Women's Issues Section Research Consortium
found that incidence of childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse
and neglect, are prevalent in migraine patients. The study also found that
migraineurs reporting childhood emotional or physical abuse and/or neglect
had a significantly higher number of comorbid pain conditions compared with
those without a history of maltreatment. Full findings of the study appear
in the January issue of
Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, published on behalf of
the American Headache Society by Wiley-Blackwell.
?Our study found that while childhood maltreatment is associated with
depression, the child abuse-adult pain relationship is not fully
mediated by depression,? explained Dr. Tietjen. Results from this study,
as well as three recent population-based studies, indicate that
associations of maltreatment and pain were independent of depression and
anxiety, both of which are highly prevalent in this population.
Researchers suggest that for persons presenting for migraine treatment,
childhood maltreatment may be an important risk factor for development
of comorbid pain disorders. ?Since migraine onset preceded onset of the
comorbid pain conditions in our population, treatment strategies such as
cognitive behavioral therapy may be particularly well suited in these
cases,? concluded Dr. Tietjen.
Read the complete finds of this study and related articles
below:
 |
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ABC of Headache
Anne MacGregor & Alison Frith
9781405170666
Guides the healthcare professional to look for possible causes of
presenting symptoms.
Based on real case histories, each chapter guides the reader from
symptoms through to diagnosis and management. |
 |
|
International Neurology
Robert Lisak (Editor), Daniel Truong (Editor), William Carroll
(Editor), Roongroj Bhidayasiri (Editor)
ISBN: 978-1-4051-5738-4
Hardcover
728 pages
October 2009, Wiley-Blackwell
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