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So far Joe Roberts has created 32 blog entries.

Why it’s time to stop treating dementia like a death sentence

NR Times reports on the Dementia Engagement Education and Research (DEER) programme, which aims to show people affected by dementia that it is possible to live well with the condition.

Rates of dementia are rising exponentially. By 2050, 153 million people are expected to be living with the condition worldwide. But a societal fear of the condition has produced a stigma that cannot easily be shaken off.

Dementia is among the public’s most feared conditions, second only to cancer. For many, a diagnosis signifies the end of their life. This fear, coupled with a lack of understanding of what it means to live with the condition, means patients are often pushed away and left feeling isolated.

By |2024-07-04T17:59:04+01:0027 November 2023|Interviews, Neuro rehab insights, News, Dementia news|
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New neural circuit responsible for strong discomfort discovered in the brain

The discovery could lead to a better understanding of depression and Parkinson's disease.

Researchers have identified a new neural circuit in the brain which produces a strong sense of discomfort when activated. The discovery allowed the scientists to show for the first time that the subthalamic nucleus, a structure in the brain that controls voluntary movements, may also play a role in the development of depression.
By |2024-07-04T17:29:00+01:0010 November 2023|Uncategorised|
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Contraceptive pills might impair fear signals in women’s brains

More than 150 million women worldwide use oral contraceptives. Combined OCs (COCs), made up of synthetic hormones, are the most common type. Sex hormones are known to modulate the brain network involved in fear processes. Now a team of researchers in Canada has investigated the current and lasting effects of COC use, as well as the role of body-produced and synthetic sex hormones on fear-related brain regions, the neural circuitry via which fear is processed in the brain.

By |2024-07-04T17:29:01+01:009 November 2023|Uncategorised|
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Funding awarded to develop 3D model of the spinal cord

UK researchers have been awarded funding to build a working 3D model of the spinal cord.

A team from the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Aston University and the University of Edinburgh have been awarded a joint research fellowship to develop a working 3D model of the spinal cord, to improve understanding of the management of compressive spinal cord pathology. The idea for the project came about following a discussion between colleagues about a patient presenting with a multi-level degenerative cervical spine with multi-level spondylolisthesis. Multiple vertebrae in the patient’s neck were compressing on each other and several of these vertebrae were pushed forward creating an unstable spine.
By |2024-07-04T17:29:01+01:008 November 2023|Uncategorised|
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Concussion in sports: new innovations poised to transform the landscape

There is a critical need for more reliable methods to identify concussions quickly and ensure players' safety. Concussions, medically known as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs), are one of the enduring challenges in the realm of contact sports. These injuries result from the forceful impact of a blow, bump, or jolt to the head or body, prompting the brain to move rapidly inside the skull and disrupting its normal functioning. The statistics surrounding sports-related concussions in the United States underscore the urgency of addressing this issue. An estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur annually in the country. A significant portion of these cases involves children and youth aged 5-18, contributing to approximately 2.4 million sports-related emergency department visits every year. Concussions account for 6 per cent of these visits.

By |2024-07-04T17:29:01+01:008 November 2023|Uncategorised|
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The magnificent seven Parkinson’s innovation projects

Over recent months, significant Parkinson's breakthroughs have emerged, offering renewed hope to millions of people living with the condition worldwide.

Recent scientific strides could transform the landscape of Parkinson's research, promising fresh insights, refined diagnostics and innovative therapies. Here NR Times presents a compilation of these groundbreaking discoveries, each contributing to the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease.
By |2024-07-04T17:29:03+01:0019 October 2023|Uncategorised|
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Research update: Meet the spinal cord injury pioneers

NR Times updates on the latest breakthroughs in spinal cord injury treatments and approaches.

According to the World Health Organisation, between 250,000 and 500,000 people suffer from spinal cord injury every year; the majority are due to preventable causes such as road traffic crashes, falls or violence. For most patients, SCI results in permanent disability and there is no known way to reverse damage to the spinal cord. However, researchers are continually working on new treatments, including prostheses, wearables and medications, which may promote regeneration of nerve cells or improve the function of the nerves that remain after an SCI. In recent months, developments in electrical spinal stimulation, AI-enabled tech, orally available drugs and gene therapy are offering a vision of a future with better treatments for patients suffering from spinal cord injury.
By |2024-07-04T17:29:04+01:0018 October 2023|Spinal injury news|
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Meet the MS game-changers

NR Times reports on seven innovative projects changing the outlook for multiple sclerosis.

MS is a complex and unpredictable autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affecting millions of people worldwide. The condition was previously deemed untreatable but over the last 20 years huge strides have been made in understanding MS, its causes and potential treatments. In recent months, ongoing efforts continue to deepen our comprehension of the condition, from EBV vaccine breakthroughs to the discovery of genetic variants responsible for speeding up MS progression.
By |2024-07-04T17:29:04+01:0017 October 2023|Multiple sclerosis news|
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Analysis: The tipping point for neurofeedback devices?

Neurofeedback has been used since the 1960s, becoming a mainstay in the world of alternative medicine but 50 years on, the method is yet to be accepted by mainstream science. Now, tech companies are bringing the divisive brain training method into the home. Earlier this year at the 2023 Health Optimisation Summit, a Canadian tech company unveiled a device that it says can optimise the brain and help you control your state of consciousness. The technology is underpinned by the concept of neurofeedback, a non-invasive method for consciously training and controlling brainwaves. Recordings of brain activity – or electroencephalograms (EEG) – are fed back to users in visual or auditory form. Its efficacy is disputed by scientists but throughout its history, the alternative therapy has retained a strong group of advocates. Sens.ai, is led by CEO, Paola Telfer, a tech entrepreneur and electrical engineer whose interest in brain optimisation stems from an injury that led her to a “low point” in her life.

By |2024-07-04T17:59:06+01:009 October 2023|Neuro rehab technology, Interviews, Neuro rehab insights|
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