Neurology News and Research

Latest Neurology News and Research

EAS receives NIH grant to continue Alzheimer's disease research

An estimated five million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. Health experts expect the number of cases to rise dramatically as the population ages - reaching 13.5 million by 2050.

10 May 2011

Gender plays an important role in choosing treatments for clearing clogged arteries

Gender may play an important role when choosing treatment options for clearing dangerously clogged arteries, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health.

10 May 2011

15% strokes occur during sleep making treatment difficult: Study

According to a new study nearly 15 percent of people who have a stroke are not eligible for clot-busting treatment because the stroke happened while they slept. These clot breaking drugs can prevent permanent disability after a stroke - but the treatment must be given within a four-and-a-half-hour window after the stroke symptoms begin say experts. Since people who have a stroke while asleep can't know when it occurred, they can't get the treatment if they slept for more than four and a half hours, explained study author Dr. Jason Mackey at the University of Cincinnati. “They can't get the drug,” he said. “That's a big issue.”

10 May 2011

Genetic mutation linked to Kufs disease

According to a new study, a genetic mutation thought to be responsible for the rare hereditary brain disorder Kufs disease is finally identified. The research was carried out by Dr Melanie Bahlo and her team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute's bioinformatics department in Parkville, Australia, in partnership with neurologist and epilepsy specialists Professor Sam Berkovic and Dr Todor Arsov from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

10 May 2011

EMA agrees to Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, Biogen Idec's pediatric rFIXFc trial in hemophilia

Biogen Idec and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum today announced that the European Medicines Agency's Pediatric Committee has adopted an opinion agreeing to the pediatric investigational plan for the companies' long-lasting, fully-recombinant Factor IX Fc fusion protein.

9 May 2011

Elan Drug Technologies, Alkermes merge to form new company in Ireland

Alkermes, Inc. and Elan Corporation, plc today announced the execution of a definitive agreement under which Alkermes will merge with Elan Drug Technologies, the profitable, world-class drug formulation and manufacturing business unit of Elan, in a cash and stock transaction currently valued at approximately $960 million.

9 May 2011

Brain cancer research needs $50 billion to find cure

According to one of Australia's leading neurosurgeons a massive increase in funding is needed to find a cure for brain cancer. Brain cancer kills one Australian every eight hours. About 1,400 cases of malignant brain cancer are diagnosed in Australia every year and about 1,100 people die from the disease.

8 May 2011

Researchers identify eight main triggers that appear to increase risk of brain aneurysm

From drinking coffee to having sex to blowing your nose, you could temporarily raise your risk of rupturing a brain aneurysm — and suffering a stroke, according to a study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2011

Survey: Only 12% of black stroke patients call 9-1-1 after experiencing symptoms

Most African-Americans say they'd call 9-1-1 if stroke symptoms occurred — but few do, according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2011

Study examines community-based HIV testing programs in Africa, Southeast Asia

If you want to improve HIV testing rates in remote rural areas, get the community involved, says UCLA's Thomas Coates, who has directed a new study examining HIV testing programs in communities in Africa and Southeast Asia.

6 May 2011

Exercise, sex, coffee and even nose blowing may raise risk of stroke: Study

According to researchers in the Netherlands, coffee, sex and nose blowing could increase the risk of a type of stroke. The study on 250 patients identified eight risk factors linked to bleeding on the brain. These factors all increase blood pressure which could result in blood vessels bursting, according to research published in the journal Stroke.

5 May 2011

Acorda reports $0.7 million GAAP net loss for first quarter 2011

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011.

5 May 2011

Staying up late and sleeping in can increase risk for gaining weight

Staying up late every night and sleeping in is a habit that could put you at risk for gaining weight. People who go to bed late and sleep late eat more calories in the evening, more fast food, fewer fruits and vegetables and weigh more than people who go to sleep earlier and wake up earlier, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

5 May 2011

Research experts to speak at brain tumor educational conference

Patients, families and caregivers are invited to attend an educational conference covering many aspects of brain tumors May 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

5 May 2011

Study: Dual medications do not hasten recovery from depression

Taking two medications for depression does not hasten recovery from the condition that affects 19 million Americans each year, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a national study.

3 May 2011

Busy brain cells can both contribute to and prevent Alzheimer's

Higher levels of cell chatter boost amyloid beta in the brain regions that Alzheimer's hits first, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report. Amyloid beta is the main ingredient of the plaque lesions that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's.

3 May 2011

Ipsen first quarter sales increase 6.1% to €285.8 million

Ipsen reported today its sales for the first quarter 2011.

3 May 2011

Obesity during middle age may increase risk of developing dementia

According to a new study, being overweight or obese during middle age may increase the risk of certain dementias.

3 May 2011

Merck's Phase III study shows efficacy results of tafluprost to treat ocular hypertension

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that new Phase III data showed that patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, who were dosed once-daily with tafluprost, Merck's investigational, preservative-free prostaglandin analogue ophthalmic solution, experienced a reduction in intraocular pressure comparable to patients taking twice-daily preservative-free timolol maleate, a beta-adrenergic antagonist.

3 May 2011

Talecris, Grifols enter 'Consent Agreement' with FTC Staff

Grifols, S.A. and Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings Corporation, announced today that they have signed a "Consent Agreement" with the Staff of the Bureau of Competition of the US Federal Trade Commission by means of which the conditions for the merger transaction between both companies are agreed.

2 May 2011