Neurological Disorders
Multiple Sclerosis
Research Latest News
Economics Theory Provides Insight to Neurological Conditions - [10/11/08]
Summary: The Granger causality is an economic theory used for determining whether links in events are coincidence or influenced from the events and processes. Research has shown that this economic theory can be used to better understand the influences of different parts of the brain. They used the frontoparietal cortex and the visual cortex, and used the Granger causality to determine that the frontoparietal cortex influences the visual cortex.
Comment: Researchers have been using MRI's to study the influences in the brain, but this method can only show results every two seconds, which can be too slow to see the influences. The Granger causality can be used to improve studies of brain functions and influences, and can also be used to determine the affects of lesions in certain brain areas. This method could help researchers develop better treatments for neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Read article - Science Daily October 11, 2008
Vitamin D Linked to Overall Health - [10/10/08]
Summary: Vitamin D has been linked to improved overall health. This vitamin affects 36 organ tissues in the body including bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and uterus tissues. It has also been linked to improving immune systems, insulin secretion, heart health, blood pressure, muscle, brain activity, and decreased risk of cancer. For most adults 200-600 IU of daily vitamin D is recommended, but some experts recommend up to 2000 IU daily.
Comment: Vitamin D has previously been thought to improve bone health, but this study shows that it can affect all areas of health. By increased intake of vitamin D people with multiple sclerosis can experience improved health.
Read article - Medical News TODAY October 10, 2008
Protein May Be Realted to MS - [10/03/08]
Summary: TREM-2, a protein which fills an important job of helping to keep immune cells quiet, has been found to be more abundant in the spinal fluid of those with Multiple Sclerosis than those without. Previously seen only on the surface immune cells, the protein was found floating around in the fluid, leading researchers to refer to it as "free-agent" copies of TREM-2. It is suspected that the TREM-2 proteins which are floating around are binding with molecules which need to bind with the TREM-2 on the surface of immune cells. This is stopping TREM-2 from reducing immune inflammation and promoting phagocytosis.
Comment: It was previously known that blocking TREM-2 from the immune cells of mice made the conditions of a mouse with MS worse. This new research backs up these previous findings and may lead researchers down a path to more treatments and possibly a cure for MS.
Read article - Healthfinder.gov. October 3, 2008.
Efforts to Reduce Ethnic and Racial Disparities - [09/29/08]
Summary: This article outlines current efforts are being made to reduce racial and ethnic health care disparities. These include the Respira program, which focuses on providing asthma education and outreach to Hispanic communities. Another program is a lecture that seeks to improve knowledge of blood pressure management and diabetes. Other efforts involve grants to increase levels of minority students in medical programs, and campaigns to increase medical literacy in minority communities.
Comment: Racial and ethnic disparities exist in most areas of medical care including multiple sclerosis. These disparities can often be dangerous to the health of minority people. These programs are aiming to close the gaps in health care, which can result in better care for people with multiple sclerosis.
Read article - Medical News TODAY September 29, 2008
Hepatitis B Vaccine Does Not Increase Risk of MS - [09/25/08]
Summary: New research confirms that most children who are vaccinated against hepatitis B are not put at an increased risk for Multiple Sclerosis. Yet, although it can now be said that the hepatitis B vaccine does not generally increase risk of MS, it was noted that children with MS were 1.74 times more likely to have received a specific type of hepatitis B vaccine called Engerix B. This was the only vaccine for which such a connection was found.
Comment: Researchers wish to note that the correlation between the Engerix B vaccine and MS should not be taken as an indication that Engerix B causes MS. More studies will be needed to fully understand the relationship between that specific vaccine and the development of Multiple Sclerosis.
Read article - American Academy of Neurology. September 25, 2008.
Safety Gaps During Sign Out - [09/22/08]
Summary: Patients may experienced lower quality of care during sign outs, which is the transfer of a patients during a shift change. Researchers used oral sign-outs and written sign-outs to compare to reports of subsequent errors. It was found that doctors are often more confused about the patient information rather than factual details. Examples of such problems are doctors not fully understanding the clinical condition, or doctors not knowing the reasoning behind a test.
Comment: It is suggested that sign-out procedures become a part of medical school curriculum to raise the quality of patient care. Patients should also be aware that after and during a sign-out their doctors may not be fully informed about their conditions and test. Being able to close these safety gaps at sign-out can allow patients to receive the best care possible.
Read article - HealthNewsDigest.com September 22, 2008
Crucial Breakthrough in Parkinson's Disease Prevention and Treatment - [08/27/08]
Summary: Researchers at The University of Nottingham have announced the genetic production of the first ever mouse model of the type of brain degeneration, nerve cell loss, often seen in Lewy body disease and Parkinson's disease. This model has the potential to lead to more targeted treatments for these diseases.
Comment: The number of people with dementia will likely double in the next decade, yet no treatments exist to combat the causes of the condition, only to relieve symptoms. This model will allow researchers to better understand the formation of Lewy bodies, and how best to prevent their role in the cause of Parkinson's disease.
Read article - HealthNewsDigest.com. August 27, 2008.
Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis Are Linked - [08/23/08]
Summary: In addition to regulating levels of calcium in the body, vitamin D may also play a part in preventing the formation of malignant cells (breast or prostate cancer cells) and protect against autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Research has shown that the incidence of MS decreases as levels of vitamin D, whether from sunlight or diet, increase.
Comment: While it is not yet known whether vitamin D alone, or in combination with other therapies, will be an effective treatment for those with MS, it may be a beneficial for those looking to prevent multiple sclerosis to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D.
Read article - Medical News Today. August 23, 2008.
More Americans Seeking Health Information - [08/22/08]
Summary: Recent statistics show that in 2007 56% of Americans adults, which is more than 122 million people, attempted to find information about a personal health concern from a source other than their physician. This statistic is up from 38% in 2001. Education levels were a key factor in determining whether a person sought medical information, 72% of those with a graduate degree compared to 42% of those with only a high school diploma. The number of Americans using the internet for medical information doubled from 16% in 2001 to 32% in 2007.
Comment: More than half of the people reported that the information changed their general approach to their health care, and 80% reported that the information helped them better understand treatments of their condition or illness. Doctors are always a good source of medical information, but it can often be hard to consult a doctor with every concern. Finding more information on medical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, can help patients better understand their health.
Read article - HealthNewsDigest.com August 22, 2008
New Study on Inpatient Medication Reconciliation Errors - [08/14/08]
Summary: Inpatient medication reconciliation was made a National Patient Safety Goal in 2005 and nationwide attention was soon focused on the issue of errors in these medication records as patients move in and out of hospitals. However, a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital has shown that inpatients experience and average of one and a half potentially harmful errors in their records during the course of their hospital stay. The study also attempted to identify the frequency of specific kinds of errors, at what point during a patient's stay these errors occur, and factors which put a patient at risk for errors to occur.
Comment: Dr. Jeffrey Schnipper, MD, MPH senior author and Hospitalist at BWH stated his hope that, "This information can help guide hospitals in determining where to focus their efforts for addressing this problem." He also noted that patients today are often on more medications than they have been in the past, raising the stakes along with the risks. Information collected by this study will, no doubt, have a significant effect in reducing the frequency of these errors, thus reducing the risk for all patients.
Read article - Brigham and Women's Hospital. August 14, 2008.