Category Archives: Neurology

Blueberries and Strawberries May Protect Against Parkinson's Disease

By Denise Mann WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

April 5, 2012 -- Can two or more servings of blueberries or strawberries a week help lower risk of Parkinson's disease?

Maybe, according to a new study published in Neurology.

Men and women who ate berries two or more times a week were nearly 25% less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than their counterparts who had less than one serving per month.

Exactly how these fruits may help lower risk is not known, but berries are rich in powerful antioxidants -- known as flavonoids -- which may protect brain cells from damage. Flavonoids are found in fruits and vegetables.

When the researchers looked at the data for men and women separately, the real benefit seemed to go to the men, not the women.

Overall, men who had the most flavonoids in their diet -- including sources such as berries, tea, apples, and red wine -- were 40% less likely to develop Parkinson's than those who ate the least.

Women who ate a high amount of flavonoids were no less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those who ate the least amount, the study showed.

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Berries May Contain Potent Weapon vs. Parkinson's

Newswise ST. PAUL, Minn. (April 5, 2012) Former NASA astronaut Michael Rich Clifford is calling on fellow patients with Parkinsons disease not to let the disease drive what they do. Cliffords inspiring story and advice for patients is featured as the cover story in the latest issue of Neurology Now, the American Academy of Neurologys award-winning magazine for patients and caregivers.

Clifford was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 1994 during the early stages of the disease, but he didnt allow it to keep him from climbing aboard the shuttle Atlantis and rocketing off into space for the third time. My NASA medical community knew about my Parkinsons and assumed I wouldnt want to fly again, said Clifford. But I said no, no, no.

Until recently, no one other than NASA medical staff and senior management knew how extraordinary his third flight to space had been because Clifford had kept his newly diagnosed medical condition private.

I didnt want to be identified as the man with Parkinsons flying in space. Plus, I felt the focus should be on the mission, not someone on the mission, said Clifford.

Clifford says he feels the same optimism today as he did when he was first diagnosed with the disease 18 years ago and hopes other Parkinsons patients do too. Dont let Parkinsons drive what you want to do. Remember that youre in charge of your future.

Learn more about Cliffords story, including the Public Leadership in Neurology Award he is receiving this year from the American Academy of Neurology Foundation, in the latest issue of Neurology Now in print, online at http://www.neurologynow.com, and new for the iPad. Plus, find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Neurology Now is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

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About the American Academy of Neurology The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimers disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinsons disease and epilepsy. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

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Astronaut with Parkinson's Calls on Patients to Take Charge of Their Future

CHICO, CA--(Marketwire -04/05/12)- Masula Chiropractic Neurology and Family Wellness announced that the practice has had significant success helping patients lose weight through a combination of nutritional testing and detoxification diets. The center's detox diet is designed to remove chemicals and environmental toxins that can build up in the body over time. The practice also supports weight management and long-term weight loss through its nutritional lab testing program. In addition to weight loss support, the Chico chiropractor provides spinal decompression therapy, neuropathology and physiotherapy for natural back pain management and injury recovery.

Chico chiropractor Dr. Larry Masula stated that at his practice, Masula Chiropractic Neurology and Family Wellness, they provide nutritional detox and testing services because they aid in weight loss plans.

According to the wellness doctor, these services help remove toxins from the body while identifying missing nutrients. Together with chiropractic care, Dr. Masula says the wellness care can help bring balance back to the body.

"Every day, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, our bodies are bombarded with environmental toxins," said Dr. Masula. "It's no surprise then that many patients are struggling with weight management, fatigue, stress and illness. The liver and kidneys naturally flush out toxins, but when our bodies become overloaded, these organs begin to suffer. Toxins then build up in our bloodstreams, affecting other organs and our metabolism."

Dr. Masula identifies food packed with preservatives and artificial ingredients, as well as indoor and outdoor air pollutants, as primary causes for toxin build up. According to Dr. Masula, symptoms of toxin overload include fatigue, joint pain, mood swings, insomnia and low-grade illness.

"Many of our patients complain of exhaustion and pain, saying that they just don't feel like themselves anymore," said Dr. Masula. "When the body is overloaded, the internal organs can no longer function properly. Detoxification diets are a safe and effective process for removing toxins from the body. This also helps the body's metabolism 'reset' itself."

In conjunction with a detox program, Dr. Masula says that nutritional lab testing can help identify vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are missing from a patient's diet.

"How can we eat right when we don't know what our body needs?" said Dr. Masula. "This is why nutritional testing is so important. Every individual has unique needs, and nutritional testing helps to identify these needs. We will then use this information to recommend specific dietary adjustments. For patients struggling with weight gain, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes or heart disease, these recommendations can make a tremendous difference for overall health."

Dr. Masula stressed that detox diets and nutritional testing are part of an overall approach to whole body wellness. Neither method is designed as a 'quick-fix' or 'fad-diet,' but instead promote long-term well being.

"Our patients consistently tell us that our wellness program makes a tremendous difference in their lives," said Dr. Masula. "Patients have more energy, feel healthier, sleep better and experience less chronic pain."

Continued here:
Chico Chiropractor Finds Nutritional Lab Testing & Detox Vital to Successful Weight Loss

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --NeuroSigma, Inc., a Los Angeles-based medical device company, today announced its appointment of Christopher M. DeGiorgio, M.D., as Vice-President, Neurology. In this new role Dr. DeGiorgio, who was previously a Senior Medical Advisor to the Company, will lead NeuroSigma's development of Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS) for the treatment of neurological indications.

"I am very excited to join NeuroSigma to help move TNS therapy forward as a treatment option for neurological disorders, such as drug-resistant epilepsy, which is estimated to affect over 10 million people worldwide," said Dr. DeGiorgio.

NeuroSigma has completed development of its external TNS (eTNS) system and is developing its implantable subcutaneous TNS (sTNS) system. Near term milestones include filing a CE Mark application in mid-2012 for approval to commence marketing the eTNS system for the treatment of epilepsy in Europe. NeuroSigma is also planning to file, in the second-half of 2012, an IDE with the FDA for a multi-center epilepsy Phase III pivotal trial in the United States.

"We are very fortunate to have Dr. DeGiorgio, who had the vision of conceiving TNS as a therapy for epilepsy, join NeuroSigma as a member of our management team. His appointment represents an important step forward for our company as we move closer to bringing our promising TNS therapies to market," said Lodwrick Cook, Chairman of NeuroSigma. "We are delighted that we will be working closely with Dr. DeGiorgio during this extremely important phase in the regulatory approval process and in planning for post-approval strategy in Europe, US and other key regions in the world," added Leon Ekchian, Ph.D., President and CEO of NeuroSigma.

Dr. DeGiorgio has taken a partial leave of absence as a Professor of Neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA where he previously served as Executive Vice-Chairman in the Department of Neurology. A distinguished physician scientist, Dr. DeGiorgio has also been recognized as one of the Best Doctors in America, and is the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award while at UCLA. He was first to study TNS in patients with epilepsy, and collaborated with Ian Cook, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, in developing TNS as a potential treatment for depression, PTSD and ADHD. Among his notable research work, Dr. DeGiorgio has served as Principal Investigator of several interventional clinical trials for drug resistant epilepsy, including Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) for epilepsy and n-3 fatty acids to reduce seizures and the risk of sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Dr. DeGiorgio has also published multiple peer-reviewed research papers in the field of epilepsy, and is the Principal Investigator of a National Institute of Health (NIH) grant recently awarded to NeuroSigma to further develop eTNS for Epilepsy.

About NeuroSigma, Inc. NeuroSigma is a Los Angeles-based medical technology company established to develop early stage technologies with the potential to transform medical practice. Currently, NeuroSigma is focused on a number of neuromodulation therapies and through our majority-owned subsidiary, NSVascular, on Thin-Film Nitinol covered stents for endovascular applications. NeuroSigma employs two neuromodulation therapy platforms: Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). NeuroSigma has amassed significant intellectual property that is based on technology licensed on an exclusive basis from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), including potential therapies for epilepsy, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) via TNS and for PTSD, obesity and cachexia via DBS. For more information about NeuroSigma, please visit our website at http://www.neurosigma.com.

CAUTION: The eTNS and sTNS systems are investigational devices and are limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.

NeuroSigma Contacts:

Dr. Leon Ekchian, President & CEO Tel: 310-479-3100 Email: lekchian@neurosigma.com NeuroSigma, Inc. Website: http://www.neurosigma.com

Mr. Mark Collinson, PartnerTel: +1-310-954-1343 Email: mark.collinson@ccgir.com CCG Investor Relations Website: http://www.ccgir.com

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UCLA Neurologist and Innovator of Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation Joins NeuroSigma

How a genius feels: "I'm a nonentity, an eccentric, an unpleasant person"

March 30th is the birthday of Vincent van Gogh, born in Holland in 1853, a famous painter and also great letter-writer. His letters were lively, engaging, and passionate; they also frequently reflect his struggles with bipolar disorder.

He wrote: "What am I in the eyes of most people — a nonentity, an eccentric, or an unpleasant person — somebody who has no position in society and will never have; in short, the lowest of the low. All right, then — even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric, such a nobody, has in his heart."

He wrote thousands of letters to his brother Theo over the course of his life. Theo's widow published the van Gogh's letters to her husband in 1913.

Doctors' Day in a high-risk profession: suicide rate of U.S. doctors is one per day

This quote serves as a good reminder how people with depression may have an altered perception of themselves. March 30 is also National Doctors' Day in the U.S. Other countries celebrate Doctors' Day on different dates.

More than a quarter of primary care doctors reported being "burnt out." The United States loses the equivalent of at least one entire medical school class (approximately 400 physicians) each year to suicide.

In other words, 300-400 doctors in the United States kill themselves every year, or roughly 1 per day. Male doctors have suicide rates 1.4 times that of the general population, while female doctors have twice the rate of depression and 2.3 times the suicide rate when compared with women who are not physicians.

A conversation could save a life: "Are you OK?" Day

Hugh Jackman shows his support for R U OK?Day, a national day of action in Australia that aims to prevent suicide by encouraging people to connect with colleagues, friends and loved ones and ask simply: "Are you OK?".

References

Writer's Almanac. NPR, 2012.
High-risk profession: Suicide rate of U.S. doctors is one per day
Help for Today's Tense, Frustrated Doctors. Medscape, 2009.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/710904
Doctors have higher rates of suicide than the general population: 40% higher for male doctors, 130% for female doctors http://goo.gl/ckTm
R U OK? Day
Image source: Vincent van Gogh's 1890 painting At Eternity's Gate. Wikipedia, public domain.

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Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the GI tract at any point from the mouth to the rectum.

Symptoms and signs may consist of:

- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- fever
- weight loss
- abdominal masses
- anemia

Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease include:

- osteoporosis
- inflammatory arthropathies
- scleritis
- nephrolithiasis
- cholelithiasis
- erythema nodosum

Laboratory findings

Acute phase reactants, such as CRP and ESR, are often increased with inflammation and may correlate with disease activity.

Levels of vitamin B12, folate, albumin, prealbumin, and vitamin D can help assess nutritional status.

Procedures often used to diagnose Crohn's disease:

- colonoscopy with ileoscopy
- capsule endoscopy
- computed tomography (CT) enterography
- small bowel follow-through

Diagnostic tools for extraintestinal manifestations or complications (e.g., abscess, perforation):

- ultrasonography
- computed axial tomography (CT)
- scintigraphy
- MRI

Medical management

Mesalamine products are used for mild to moderate colonic disease. Antibiotics (e.g., metronidazole, fluoroquinolones) are often used for treatment.

Patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease are treated with:

- corticosteroids
- azathioprine
- 6-mercaptopurine
- anti-tumor necrosis factor agents (e.g., infliximab, adalimumab)

References

Diagnosis and management of Crohn's disease. Wilkins T, Jarvis K, Patel J. Am Fam Physician. 2011 Dec 15;84(12):1365-75.

Image source: Colon (anatomy), Wikipedia, public domain.

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