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The study, published in Nature Communications, examined the effects of a set of gene mutations that account for a small percentage of autism disorders. These mutations are known to cause a general overproduction of many proteins in brain cells, but how that overproduction leads to autism behaviors has been a mystery. Scientists found evidence that the most relevant effect of this protein overproduction occurs in brain-based immune cells called microglial cells.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted fampridine (Fampyra) for MS patients. The medicine, produced by Biogen Inc, is available to people scoring 4-7 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Scotland is the second UK nation to offer this treatment on the NHS following a decision in Wales to make fampridine available on the NHS for adults with MS.

Around half of all people with MS have difficulties at some time with aspects of thinking such as memory, concentration or problem solving, known as cognitive problems. In this study, (Lincoln, Bradshaw, Constantinescu et al, 2020) a programme designed to improve cognitive skills (CRAMMS) was tested in a large clinical trial. A total of 449 people were recruited from five MS centres in England. Just over half were assigned to the cognitive rehabilitation programme (CR group) and the remaining 204 received standard advice on how to manage cognitive difficulties from an MS nurse or occupational therapist (SA group).

Rolls-Royce through its data technology arm, R2 Data Labs, has partnered with the Motor Neurone Disease Association and some of the world’s leading technology companies, including Accenture, Computacenter, Dell Technologies, Intel and Microsoft, to pool technology and expertise to improve the lives of those living with extreme disabilities. For the first time, those living with MND will be able to have a conversation through a computer using their own voice, words, colloquialisms and accent, without pausing to type answers or being restricted to a prescribed set of words. The new technology, called Quips, uses voice-banking and AI to learn a person’s unique language style and use it in conversation.

They believe the digestive tract could help explain the link between spinal injuries and changes in mental health, such as increased anxiety and depression. University of Alberta researchers found that rats with spinal injuries experienced changes to their gut bacteria and a rise in anxiety-like behaviour. But when rats with spinal injuries were given faecal transplants from healthy rats, their behaviour, and gut bacteria, remained normal.

It contacted the Department of Health & Social Care, NHS England and the Chief Medical Officer to request that ABI was included on the list of ‘vulnerable’ conditions. The change would result in the NHS responding to ABI people as high risk and any advice and support through 111 and 999 would be more likely to be treated as a priority. At the time of writing ABI is not directly referenced by Public Health England as vulnerable (please check online www.gov.uk for subsequent changes).

The Coronavirus Act 2020 intends to help services cope with a limited number of staff available to help people with care and support needs. It gives local authorities the option to suspend some of their duties under the Care Act if they think it’s reasonable to do so. This could be because there aren’t enough staff to cope with an increased demand over the next few months. Local authorities must follow a specific decision-making process to decide if they need to suspend these duties. Local authorities should also let carers and people using their service know if they’re going to suspend these duties. The suspended duties are called the ‘Care Act easements’.

The work of dietitians in post-stroke rehab is heavily built on relationships. First and foremost, we must build up a good relationship with the patient and their loved ones at an immensely difficult time for them. Where the patient has dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), for example, they may suddenly have been advised by a Speech and Language Therapist  to switch to a completely different texture of food, and potentially fluid, from what they’ve known throughout their life. Whether it’s pureed, minced or soft and bite sized, this is obviously a huge shift for somebody used to eating regularly textured food.

Two new devices pioneered to help patients with drop foot are supporting the recovery of stroke and brain injury patients around the world. The L300 Go and L100 Go systems are wireless electronic devices which address issues experienced by patients whose ability to walk is inhibited. The systems, supplied by Ottobock in conjunction with Bioness, have been designed to lift a person’s foot as they walk, improving their gait pattern, making it smoother and safer.

1st November 2018 was an important day in the history of UK cannabis medicine. On that day the government moved “cannabis based medicinal products” from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. This enabled doctors on the specialist register to prescribe cannabis. The regulation change was actually quite liberal and allowed for prescription for any condition and for the prescription of any product meeting good quality production standards (EU Good Manufacturing Practice). Unfortunately, since that point there has been no prescription of a full extract cannabis product on the NHS. Why is prescription so limited?